Josh Coppins on beating Everts at Desertmartin
During the 2006 MX1 World Championship, coming into round 13, Stefan Everts had won every single overall and was on course for the perfect season. Not only that but if the Belgian won at Desertmartin it would have been his 100th Grand Prix victory.
Not too many people would have thought Everts was going to be beaten in the Desertmartin sand but Josh Coppins did just that in what was a remarkable day for the Kiwi.
“I think Stefan is still pissed about that race (laughs), he was soooo good and won so many titles and records but on that day I put it all together and rode probably the best in my career, I remember we lapped Ken De Dycker who was third on the podium with us”, Coppins told GateDrop.com.
Coming into that season Coppins picked up an injury but was determined to beat Everts when he made his return to racing and it happened at Desertmartin.
Coppins in action at Desertmartin. Pic: Nigel McKinstry
“There’s a bit to this race, I felt very good coming into the 2006 season but got injured one week before the first GP I was out for three months with shoulder surgery, every Sunday for three months I would do my physio then cycle then the ice cream van would pass my house in Belgium then id watch the race and it was all Stefan, he’d win so easy and I was over it, I said to my cousin who was living with me someone has to beat him”, added Coppins.
The day after Desertmartin, Coppins travelled to England to contest the Ken Hall Trophy race and a fan asked him how he did at the GP – after telling the fan he’d won, he wasn’t happy with the reply.
“The next day after Desertmartin I raced in the UK at a event called the Ken Hall Trophy I used to race it most years, it was a cool event, it had a different crowd they were racing enthusiasts. It seemed like that race was the only race they didn’t follow, I won and a fan said how’d you go at the GP yesterday? I said I won very proudly and he said was Stefan not there? I was so pissed”, Coppins concluded.
Article: Andy McKinstry
Pics: Nigel McKinstry
