KEY POINTS:
It was a difficult day at the office for motocross world championship leader Josh Coppins, but the New Zealander still emerged from the latest round of the series in Germany with a huge smile on his face.
The 30-year-old factory Yamaha rider from Motueka recorded his worst result of the MX1 championship thus far, finishing on the third step of the podium at the weekend's German GP - but he still managed to stretch his lead over his nearest challenger by another seven points.
Still recovering from an injured foot, Coppins finished first and sixth in his two MX1 races at the infamous Talkessel circuit in Germany but, significantly, he is now 43 points ahead of factory Suzuki rider Kevin Strijbos (Belgium) after five of 15 rounds.
With the championship now a third of the way complete, Coppins is well on target to take the world championship crown he's sought for 12 consecutive years.
He first arrived in Europe to tackle the GPs as a fresh-faced teen in 1995 and has twice finished runner-up, but never won the big one.
Coppins (Yamaha YZF450) achieved his first pole position of the season, just in front of team-mate Marc de Reuver and then grabbed the hole-shot in race one at Talkessel.
Coppins was unchallenged and won the with a handsome six-second margin, making it a Yamaha 1-2 with de Reuver trailing in second place.
GP veteran Mike Brown (United States, Honda) led Coppins into the first turn in the day's second and deciding race but the Kiwi lost no time in moving past the American to build a comfortable gap.
It looked like becoming another Coppins benefit, the South Islander having won three of the season's events leading up to the German GP and finishing first equal in the other. But it wasn't to be. Just six laps into the race, Coppins was caught out in a sand section and lost his lead as a freight train of riders roared past.
A nail-biting battle followed with Coppins having to claw his way back into the fight as he passed championship rival Strijbos for fifth spot.
But the Belgian retaliated with five minutes to go and Coppins was forced to settle for sixth.
"I was riding good, took the lead after passing Brown. I had a nice lead and was happy with this. I hit a neutral in the sand section and was in sixth or seventh.
"Then I hit a dirt bank with my foot and hurt my foot. I took it a little easy then," said Coppins.
"This track is so fast and the racing is close and two or three-second lead is hard to pull back.
"I was okay through the sand section. I was in a good position to win the Grand Prix, but I still extended my lead in the championship.
I got my first pole of the year which I was really pumped with and I was happy with my speed and the way I was riding.
"Making a mistake was really disappointing but, on the bright side, I have extended my lead in the championship. It could have been an easy win in the second race but that's motocross."
With Japan next on the GP agenda, Coppins will head to Sugo with a 43-point lead.
MX1 race 1
1 Coppins, Josh NZL Yamaha; 2 de Reuver, Marc NED Yamaha; 3 Ramon, Steve BEL Suzuki; 4 de Dycker, Ken BEL Honda; 5 Philippaerts, David ITA KTM; 6 Strijbos, Kevin BEL Suzuki; 7 Crockard, Gordon IRL Honda; 8 Noble, James GBR Honda; 9 Nagl, Maximilian GER KTM; 10 Priem, Manuel BEL TM; 11 Anderson, Bradley GBR Yamaha; 12 Brown, Mike USA Honda; 13 Leok, Tanel EST Kawasaki; 14 Barragan, Jonathan ESP KTM; 15 Desalle, Clement BEL Suzuki;
MX1 race 2
1 Philippaerts, David ITA KTM; 2 Pourcel, Sebastien FRA Kawasaki; 3 Ramon, Steve BEL Suzuki; 4 Strijbos, Kevin BEL Suzuki; 5 Crockard, Gordon IRL Honda; 6 Coppins, Joshua NZL Yamaha; 7 Barragan, Jonathan ESP KTM; 8 de Reuver, Marc NED Yamaha; 9 Mackenzie, Billy GBR Kawasaki; 10 Leok, Aigar EST Yamaha; 11 Brown, Mike USA Honda; 12 Renet, Pierre A. FRA Honda; 13 Allier, Thomas FRA Kawasaki; 14 de Dycker, Ken BEL Honda 15 Leok, Tanel EST Kawasaki;
MX1 world championship standings:
1 Coppins, J. NZL 234; 2 Strijbos, K. BEL 191; 3 Ramon, Steve BEL 156; 4 de Dycker, Ken BEL 131; 5 Pourcel, Sebastien FRA 130 6 Barragan, Jonathan ESP 121; 7 Philippaerts, David ITA 115; 8 de Reuver, Marc NED 115; 9 Leok, Tanel EST 112; 10 Noble, James GBR 104; 11 Brown, Mike USA 100; 12 Priem, Manuel BEL 81; 13 Nagl, Max GER 80; 14 Mackenzie, Billy GBR 73; 15 Nemeth, Kornel HUN 66
