KEY POINTS:
Sometimes, sport can be just plain cruel. The 2007 motocross world championships will be remembered as the year when the fastest man did not win, he finished third.
Several weeks ago, Kiwi Josh Coppins was overwhelming favourite to win the world title. He had stretched his lead to 107 points over Belgian rival Steve Ramon. But disaster struck in round 12 of the 2007 championships in the Czech Republic when a small stone found its way into the rear brake mechanism of his bike.
But worse was to follow during the next race as Coppins crashed and broke his shoulder blade.
With Coppins a non-starter at Sunday's final round, the Dutch GP at Lierop, there was nothing to stop Ramon collecting the MX1 world title.
He took the title without winning a single GP. Of the 15 GPs, Coppins won the most, the Kiwi winning five of them before he struck trouble at round 11. The record books will show that Ramon won the title with Kevin Strijbos runner-up and Coppins third, not a fair reflection of his worth.
