World MX Championship 2010 – Round One – Bulgaria
| MX1 Race 1 | MX1 Race 2 | MX1 Championship |
| 1 Maximilian Nagl KTM GER 40’45.442 2 David Philippaerts Yamaha ITA 0’08.599 3 Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL 0’14.666 4 Ken De Dycker Yamaha BEL 0’18.117 5 Antonio Cairoli KTM ITA 0’22.864 6 Jonathan Barragan Kawasaki ESP 0’38.625 7 Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 0’45.541 8 Xavier Boog Kawasaki FRA 0’52.209 9 Joshua Coppins Aprilia NZL 0’58.900 10 Davide Guarneri Honda ITA 1’05.657 11 Gareth Swanepoel Honda RSA 1’09.725 12 Tanel Leok Honda EST 1’18.168 13 Manuel Monni Yamaha ITA 1’27.741 14 Marc De Reuver Suzuki NED 1’39.375 15 Kevin Strijbos Suzuki BEL 1’42.729 | 1 Antonio Cairoli KTM ITA 41’06.743 2 Maximilian Nagl KTM GER 0’03.685 3 Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 0’07.060 4 Sébastien Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 0’12.869 5 Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL 0’15.479 6 Jonathan Barragan Kawasaki ESP 0’16.441 7 David Philippaerts Yamaha ITA 0’16.619 8 Ken De Dycker Yamaha BEL 0’48.535 9 Xavier Boog Kawasaki FRA 0’51.452 10 Joshua Coppins Aprilia NZL 0’58.843 11 Anthony Boissière TM FRA 1’09.907 12 Davide Guarneri Honda ITA 1’17.109 13 Gareth Swanepoel Honda RSA 1’22.731 14 Manuel Monni Yamaha ITA 1’32.458 15 Evgeny Bobryshev Honda RUS 1’36.296 | 1. Maximilian Nagl KTM GER 47 2. Antonio Cairoli KTM ITA 41 3. Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL 36 4. David Philippaerts Yamaha ITA 36 5. Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 34 6. Ken De Dycker Yamaha BEL 31 7. Jonathan Barragan Kawasaki ESP 30 8. Xavier Boog Kawasaki FRA 25 9. Joshua Coppins Aprilia NZL 23 10. Davide Guarneri Honda ITA 20 11. Sébastien Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 18 12. Gareth Swanepoel Honda RSA 18 13. Manuel Monni Yamaha ITA 15 14. Tanel Leok Honda EST 13 15. Anthony Boissière TM FRA 10 |
| MX2 Race 1 | MX2 Race 2 | MX2 Championship |
| 1 Marvin Musquin KTM FRA 40’41.977 2 Ken Roczen Suzuki GER 0’12.318 3 Steven Frossard Kawasaki FRA 0’51.161 4 Arnaud Tonus Suzuki CHE 0’57.920 5 Jeremy Van Horebeek Kawasaki BEL 1’07.267 6 Jeffrey Herlings KTM NED 1’35.476 7 Shaun Simpson KTM GBR 1’44.309 8 Zach Osborne Yamaha USA 1’45.037 9 Joel Roelants KTM BEL 1’49.656 10 Jake Nicholls KTM GBR 1’51.883 11 Harri Kullas Yamaha FIN 2’01.491 12 Dennis Verbruggen KTM BEL -1Laps 13 Nick Triest KTM BEL -1Laps 14 Christophe Charlier Yamaha FRA -1Laps 15 Mel Pocock Yamaha GBR -1Laps | 1 Marvin Musquin KTM FRA 39’22.409 2 Ken Roczen Suzuki GER 0’07.389 3 Jeffrey Herlings KTM NED 0’19.178 4 Steven Frossard Kawasaki FRA 0’26.325 5 Arnaud Tonus Suzuki CHE 0’31.223 6 Jeremy Van Horebeek Kawasaki BEL 0’48.410 7 Zach Osborne Yamaha USA 1’05.621 8 Jake Nicholls KTM GBR 1’16.934 9 Shaun Simpson KTM GBR 1’32.164 10 Christophe Charlier Yamaha FRA 1’34.215 11 Nick Triest KTM BEL 1’38.380 12 Harri Kullas Yamaha FIN 1’43.373 13 Nicolas Aubin Kawasaki FRA 1’48.212 14 Nikolai Larsen Honda DNK 1’59.987 15 Alessandro Lupino Yamaha ITA -1Laps | 1. Marvin Musquin KTM FRA 50 2. Ken Roczen Suzuki GER 44 3. Steven Frossard Kawasaki FRA 38 4. Jeffrey Herlings KTM NED 35 5. Arnaud Tonus Suzuki CHE 34 6. Jeremy Van Horebeek Kawasaki BEL 31 7. Zach Osborne Yamaha USA 27 8. Shaun Simpson KTM GBR 26 9. Jake Nicholls KTM GBR 24 10. Harri Kullas Yamaha FIN 19 11. Nick Triest KTM BEL 18 12. Christophe Charlier Yamaha FRA 18 13. Joel Roelants KTM BEL 12 14. Alessandro Lupino Yamaha ITA 11 15. Dennis Verbruggen KTM BEL 11 |
— KTM Report
First ever red plate for Nagl as Red Bull KTM sweeps all GP races in Bulgaria
KTM factory rider Max Nagl on Sunday won the opening MX1 GP in Sevlievo, Bulgaria on Sunday to take his career first red plate as championship leader with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Antonio Cairoli second on the podium on the new KTM 350 SX-F machine.
The 1-2 in the MX1 class wrapped up a perfect weekend for the factory team with KTM riders winning all motos and sweeping top podiums – also in MX2 and in the opening round of the Women’s World Championship. The result prompted KTM’s Offroad Director Pit Beirer to comment at the end of the day: “Six out of six. It doesn’t get any better than that!”
Max Nagl supreme in opening race
Nagl, onboard his KTM 450 SX-F, started the day on pole, and with great flair, to snatch his first holeshot in the opening moto, which he then dominated from the drop of the gate to the checkered flag. Max was never challenged throughout the race and crossed the finish line a comfortable 8.6 seconds clear of second placed Italian David Philippaerts. Cairoli found himself was back in the field at the start but looked like making his characteristic charge to the front when Frenchman Sebastien Pourcell crashed in front of him and he lost valuable seconds getting back in the race. The Italian had to settle for fifth place after the first moto.
Cairoli agile on new KTM 350 to win race two
Nagl again took the holeshot in race two and looked like he was going to mirror image his first race, but by then Cairoli was getting the very best out of the lighter and agile KTM 350 and he shot onto the lead two thirds through the race. Tony was first to the checkered flag by just over three seconds to give the factory team 1-2 on the overall podium and send a strong signal to the other teams about KTM’s intention to be a leading team in all categories.
Nagl happy to be fast out of the gate
“I’m really happy about my two starts,” Nagl said. “I twice got holeshots and that was my goal again this year because if you are good at the start it’s easier to stay somewhere in the top five. Now I’m really happy because I have the red plate for the first time now for sure I will try to keep it for as long as possible.”
The German rider was also hopeful about the next race in Mantova Italy next weekend. “It’s all good for me in Mantova. I like the track and fur sure it won’t be like the pre-season race where I was well back because I just took it easy. I’m looking forward to it. If the weather is good maybe I can have some nice fights with Tony so we can make another podium for KTM. That would be really good.”
A good weekend Cairoli says
Cairoli too was satisfied with the weekend. “I knew it would be hard for me to beat Max here because this is a hard track for the 350 bike because there’s a lot of up hills. But in the second heat I had a better start than the first heat. I did two laps behind David (Philippaerts) then I passed him and pushed to win the moto. The first heat I was not that satisfied with my riding. I was really stiff and I made a lot of mistakes but I like the track and now I’m on the podium and I never made the podium here before.”
The third in the trio of Red Bull KTM Factory riders, Rui Goncalves of Portugal was forced to sit out the opening GP. He is still recovering from corrective surgery on a shoulder injury and will miss the first couple of events. In Bulgaria just as a spectator, Rui said he was making good progress and would be back training on the bike soon.
Beirer and Everts congratulate entire factory team
KTM Offroad Director Pit Beirer was clearly delighted with the factory team’s performance in all categories. “What you did today, well I have no words for it because it’s unique. We won every single heat of the six heats and I don’t think a team has ever done this before in this championship. What was the nicest thing was that the whole team was strong.” Beirer congratulated each of the winners while factory team boss Stefan Everts said he hoped they would be able to continue the success next weekend in Mantova.
First blood to KTM’s Musquin at opening MX2 GP in Bulgaria
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin returned to Sevlievo in Bulgaria in triumph this weekend to dominate the season’s opening MX2 World Championship GP with a double moto victory to illustrate the reason he is the reigning world champion.
Marvin sailed over a difficult and challenging hard pack track to take two stunning wins in the individual races. His charge came in the wake of the double victory by factory teammate Steffi Laier in the Women’s World Championship opener and signaled that the weekend in Bulgaria was going to break records for the Austrian sport motorcycle manufacturer’s factory team.
Musquin: a class of his own
While Musquin was in a class of his own in both races, finishing 12.3 second ahead in race one and 7.3 seconds in front in race two, he was constantly shadowed by young German Ken Roczen who is expected to be one of his biggest rivals this season. Musquin won his first ever career GP here last year and then went on to take the title.
“This is great for the team and for me. It’s very good to win the first GP and good for the championship although it is very long. My speed was better today than yesterday and also my style because I was a little bit tight yesterday. The track was perfect. There were many good lines and the jumps were perfect. I am very happy on my bike and its fun to ride with it. Now I just have to stay focused,” Musquin said.
Strong performance by Jeffrey Herlings
But the team’s most junior member, the 15-year-old Dutchman Jeffrey Herlings also grabbed the attention of the crowd. Herlings twice shot out of the start gates but also led the races for the opening laps. While he just missed the podium, finishing three points shy of third placed Steven Frossard he definitely indicated that he’s going challenge the young Roczen this season. “This weekend was my first GP. I started off pretty good with the fastest time in free training and I was third in pre qualifying. Then I pulled the holeshot in the first heat and led for a couple of laps before finishing in sixth. I also got the holeshot in the second heat and led for some laps before I got past by Marvin and Ken. I eventually finished third, which was amazing for my first GP. I felt pretty strong this weekend. I was fourth overall and I’m very happy about that,” Jeffrey said after the races.
Simpson overall eighth
Shaun Simpson, the third member of the Red Bull KTM factory lineup picked up 26 valuable .championship points for overall eighth. The Scottish rider cut his finger badly in one of the pre-season races and has only been back training on the bike for about a week. “It was always going to be a tough weekend because I had three weekends off the bike after Hawkstone Park (pre-season race in the UK) and I could only train four or five times before this weekend,” Shaun said. “I came here with the goal of a top seven place. That was realistic for me. I made it happen in the first, so I’m happy about that but I couldn’t make it in the second race.” Shaun said he was confident about the next races at Mantova, Italy. “Next weekend is a little bit more my style of track. I think I can use less energy on that track and then we have one weekend off before Valkenswaard. From then on you are going to see the real Shaun Simpson!”
Laier dominates opening Women’s World Championship GP in Bulgaria
Red Bull KTM factory rider and current world champion was in a class of her own on the challenging MX track at Sevlievo, Bulgaria this weekend, winning both her opening moto on Saturday afternoon and the second moto on Sunday to take her first GP victory in the 2010 racing season.
No-one on the track was able to challenge the 24-year-old German rider as she attacked the tricky and often deeply rutted track with her characteristic passion. She romped home in the first moto by a margin of 18.4 seconds and in the second by more than 20.
With her double victory and a maximum of 50 championship points Laier launched what was to be a record breaking weekend for the Austrian manufacturer. KTM factory riders went on to win both MX2 and MX1 motos, topping the podium in all three GPs.
Steffi has not only been training alongside her mail counterparts in the preparation for the 2010 season, she has also fiercely competed in a field of all men in a number of the pre-season races. Her performance this weekend drew praise from factory team boss Stefan Everts who said: “Steffi is already riding much better than last year. Winning the 2009 title has given her a lot of confidence. She’s definitely one of the favourites for this season.”
Steffi Laier: “My bike was really awesome and I tried to ride relaxed and fluid. I didn’t expect that there would be such a big gap between me and the other riders and I hope I can go on like that. I think I am much smoother than last year because I already did quite a few pre-season races, also with the boys – and I don’t feel so much pressure because I already have the title. I’ll try to stay like that!”
Among the other KTM riders competing for the women’s title this year is Laier’s closest rival Livia Lancelot of France however Steffi is the only full factory KTM rider in competition. She and Lancelot have dominated the competition since the series was introduced several years ago but Lancelot was out for half the season last year with a shoulder injury. Lancelot was sixth and fourth in Bulgaria to just miss the overall podium in fourth place. Another KTM rider, Germany’s Maria Franke was third overall.
— Yamaha Report
David Philippaerts tied on points for 3rd position and had to accept 4th overall on the 2010 YZ450FM at the Grand Prix of Bulgaria at Sevlievo for the first round of fifteen in the FIM MX1-GP World Championship. The Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team rider was 2nd and 7th across a difficult circuit in two hot motos.
Rain early on Saturday caused the soft track to become even rougher and the ruts to carve deeper. The terrain mixed slippery hard-pack sections with heavy bumps and was a real test of concentration and physical endurance.
2008 world champion Philippaerts made two impressive launches from the start gate on the new rear-slanting fuel-injected YZ450F and held second position from start-to-finish of the first moto. In the second race the Italian was again maintaining a consistent pace in 3rd place until he lost traction on a downhill section and briefly hit the floor. Remounting he had lost ground but embarked on a brave charge and was crawling over the rear wheel of Clement Desalle for 5th on the final lap. The Belgian held firm and Spaniard Jonathan Barragan caught Philippaerts unaware on the last charge down to the finish line, relegating the 25 year old to 7th mere metres from the flag.
Despite the late surprise and misfortune of missing the podium, Philippaerts could gather 36 points and is just 11 behind winner and series leader Max Nagl.
Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX Team’s Ken De Dycker made his world championship debut for the Italian team and although the Belgian made mistakes and could not find his desired rhythm across the course was able to take 6th overall, with his finish of 4th in Moto1 beating his run to 8th in Moto2.
Round two will take place next weekend for the Grand Prix of Lombardia at Mantova, Italy. The event will be the home meeting for the team and the scene of victory for them in 2007.
David Philippaerts, 4th Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team:
“It was not a bad weekend and we have a lot of points but I am disappointed with how it finished. I just misjudged the last lap and did not know Barragan was so close. This is only the first race and we have fourteen more to go. It was a hard weekend; the track was fast with a lot of bumps but I liked it. In the first moto my riding was good but I made a stupid crash in the second. Without that mistake for sure I would have had the podium. The bike was great and the Ohlins suspension worked so well; I really like what they have given us. The difference in the points with the leaders is small so we will look ahead to the next GP and we only have a few days before Mantova.”
Ken De Dycker, 6th Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX Team:
“It was a difficult day. The first moto was OK. I had a pretty decent start but was caught in the backmarkers and made mistakes. The track was very different to past years. It was good but demanding. I had a bad start in the second moto. I could not find good lines and was making a lot of mistakes. I don’t have any excuses, I train really hard but I could not get going for the second moto.”
MX2
The wide, fast, rippled and bumpy circuit of Sevlievo was surrounded by 20,000 spectators for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria and the first round of fifteen in the FIM MX2-GP World Championship. Bike it Cosworth Yamaha’s Zach Osborne gave the new YZ250F, with its agile new handling courtesy of the revised frame, a decent run to 7th position overall in some demanding weather and track conditions.
The American, riding after recent recovery from bronchitis, was part of a four way fight for 7th in the first race and ended the 35 minute and 2 lap foray with 8th. The 20 year old found a more effective rhythm in the second outing across a testing terrain and under the warmest sunshine of the day to reach 7th. Osborne – already a Grand Prix winner after just one season with the British team – was Yamaha’s best MX2-GP representative and the first of three in the top eleven.
Yamaha Gariboldi Monster Energy’s Harri Kullas was 10th on his Grand Prix debut with the squad. The Finnish teenager was 11th and 12th and pushed up to decent speed after sluggish starts. Team-mate Christophe Charlier finished 11th in the final classification. The 18 year old opened his maiden world championship campaign in fine fashion with a solid run to 7th position in the qualification heat on the 2010 YZ250F. The Frenchman then suffered a crash on the second lap of Moto1 which dropped him far down the field but he rode with aplomb to grab 14th. In the second race a more conventional opening phase delivered a 10th position result.
Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX Team’s Alessandro Lupino took his time to find his way around the layout and was hindered by a lowly gate position after a DNF in Saturday’s qualification heat. The Italian rode to 16th and 15th for 14th at the end of the day.
Gautier Paulin is undergoing daily treatment on his broken left leg in a race to be fit for round three at Valkenswaard for the Grand Prix of the Netherlands. Loic Larrieu was unable to compete due to a broken toe and fractured collarbone but the team are hopeful he will also be able to return in Holland.
The first round of seven in the FIM Women’s World Championship saw Yamaha 3C Racing’s Chiara Fontanesi grabbed a pair of 2nd positions to be runner-up on her first Grand Prix flight with the YZ250F. The Italian teenager superbly followed her maiden podium secured on a YZ125 in the sand of Lierop for the final round of 2009.
Round two of the MX2-GP calendar will take place next weekend at Mantova, Italy for the Grand Prix of Lombardia. The ladies competition is reactivated at the GP of Portugal on May 9th.
Zach Osborne, Bike it Cosworth Yamaha, 7th:
“The first race did not go so well. I did not get the best start and had a bad spell in the middle of the moto where I dropped back to 12th from 6th or 7th. I fought back to 8th and put what I had learned from the first race into the second. I got a decent start but it seemed like wherever I went someone was stopped on the track or had a problem. I was 15th but pushed on for a strong race. Overall this was a much better start than last year at Faenza. To take two solid finishes and improve through the weekend is a good way to start the season.”
Harri Kullas, Yamaha Gariboldi Monster Energy, 10th:
“First Grand Prix of the year and I am pretty happy with the result. I started well in the first moto but I have this problem at the moment where I don’t wake-up at the beginning! This was pretty bad in the second race as well. When I found my rhythm I could make some good speed. I tried to pass as many riders as possible. I am pretty satisfied with 11th and 12th and I’d like to thank the team.”
Chiara Fontanesi, Yamaha 3C Racing, 2nd:
“I am very happy and very satisfied. I worked hard over the winter and it is great to see that the effort is all worth it. I hope the season can continue in this way. Some of the other girls are very fast but I am learning what I can to try and win a round soon. The YZ250F worked very well. It was better for me to start with the YZ125 to learn my way around but the YZ250F is what I needed to be competitive.”
— Team Suzuki
After taking a landmark pole-position yesterday with the RM-Z250, Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2’s Ken Roczen earned the fifth podium result of his young career with the runner-up position at Sevlievo for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria. It was a very bright start to the series for the German team as new-recruit Arnaud Tonus took fifth overall.
The first round of 15 in the FIM MX2 World Championship occurred in front of 20,00 spectators (weekend figure) and across a track that demanded the upmost levels of concentration from some of the fastest and most skilled off-road racers in the world. The deep ruts and many wavy bumps of the Bulgarian dirt coupled with the hot sunshine that arrived for race-day pushed levels of performance from man and bike set-up to a very high level.
Roczen gated well in the first moto, as did team-mate Tonus. The German followed world champion Marvin Musquin for a sustained period as the pair lapped riders up to 12th. Roczen lost the tow of the Frenchman through the backmarkers and made sure of second spot as Tonus emerged victorious from a battle with Jeremy Van Horebeek to cross the line in a decent fourth place.
Roczen seized the lead around the first lap of Moto2, but a crash when he lost control of his motorcycle while exiting a rut meant that he had to recover three positions before he could again see the rear of Musquin, although at some distance. Tonus was again able to beat Van Horebeek, this time for fifth.
Larissa Papenmeier overcame the discomfort of an injured right hand to place sixth overall in the first round of seven in the Women’s World Championship. The German was pleased with a strong ride to third place in Saturday’s Moto1 with her RM-Z250 and was unlucky to slip off in the formative stages of Sunday’s Moto2 , meaning that she had to use a lot of energy and guile to pass riders to reach eighth.
The Grand Prix of Lombardia at Mantova, Italy will represent round two of the world championship and will take place next weekend.
Ken Roczen – 2nd: “I could not race this GP last year because I was too young so it is good to be up there on the podium. I knew the track already from other races and although it was softer and rougher it was still good. I stayed with Marvin in the first moto and although other people also had to deal with the backmarkers I got stuck a little bit. I was riding stiffer compared to Saturday and knew I needed more of an advantage in the second moto. In the end my first two laps were horrible! I took the lead early and went a bit crazy. I had ridden that corner many times but I misjudged it and hit the second rut. I tried to be focused after that and I found some decent lines so I could overtake quickly; in the end it turned out good. I am very happy to go to the second race in Mantova second in the championship. Congratulations to Arnaud for a good GP. The team worked hard for us both and the bikes were excellent.”
Arnaud Tonus – 5th: “I am really happy. To be so close to the front at the first GP is just great. I was consistent in the races and kept good lap-times. I also did well on the starts and that helps so much. It felt good to get in that sort of rhythm so early. The bike worked so well for me and also the team. The track had some really deep ruts and it was very physical so I am happy to see an improvement in this area of my riding also.”
Larissa Papenmeier – 8th: “I am happy I could even ride here so the results are OK and I was pleased to leave with third in the first moto. For the second I had a good start but I crashed on the first table-top and everybody got away. I tried to catch the rest and got up to eighth, which was alright. I have five weeks now to recover and I will see the doctor on Tuesday.”
— HRC Report
— HRC Report
The opening round of the 2010 FIM Motocross World Championship, at Sevlievo, Bulgaria, was a tough one for the Honda riders contesting the senior classes of motocross racing. The highest-placed representative on the day being LS Motors Honda rider Davide Guarneri who finished the MX1 GP in 10th place overall on his CRF450R.
The grand prix was held in clear weather conditions with a warm spring sun shining on the perfectly prepared Sevlievo circuit on race day after a little rain dampened proceedings during practice and qualification. However, the added moisture helped mould the track’s normally hardpack clay surface into a tough, rough and rutted test of man and machine.
In his MX1 debut Guarneri was consistently strong and battled hard amongst the more experienced 450 riders to take his LS Motors Honda to 10th and 12th place finishes, respectively, in the 35-minute plus two-lap motos, the first moto won by Max Nagl (KTM) who went on to finish just behind Alessandro Cairoli (KTM) in the second moto to seal the overall win and establish a six-point lead over Cairoli in the championship standings.
Guarneri’s LS Motors team-mate Tanel Leok, who had proved devastatingly quick in pre-season competition, suffered terrible luck throughout the weekend after setting fastest lap time in the opening practice session. Hampered by bad starts the Estonian Express overcame crashes and a mild concussion to finish the day in 14th place overall with a 12-17 scorecard.
There was also bad luck for the CAS Honda team riders with Evgeny Bobryshev unable to complete more than half a lap in the opening race after getting tangled in the green netting, a feature that borders the MX circuits, following a coming together with another rider. The Russian returned to the track in moto two to finish a very respectable 15th which earned him six points and a 18th place finish overall.
Gareth Swanepoel meanwhile made a strong Honda debut for the CAS squad with a solid 12th overall courtesy of 11-13 finishes. The South African star battled hard after not getting off the starting gate too well in either moto but his determined charge proved he’s as fit and consistent as ever.
Martin Honda fielded a pair of GP debutantes and both acquitted themselves well against the world’s best, and in extremely tough conditions. MX1 rider Jimmy Albertson twisted an ankle in practice then suffered a big crash in the warm-up session but fought his way home in both races to end the weekend in 18th position overall with 16-20 finishes.
Albertson’s MX2 team-mate Alessandro Battig narrowly missed out on scoring points in his first ever GP by finishing 23rd in moto one. The plucky young Italian backed that up with a hard fought for 29th place in the final encounter.
Marvin Musquin (KTM) won both MX2 motos to score a maximum 50 points six clear of Ken Roczen (Suzuki) second twice today at Sevlievo. Nikolaj Larsen was the first Honda home in both races with 14-18 finishes.
All six Honda supported riders will be in action at the second round of the FIM MX1 / MX2 World Motocross Championship which will take place at Mantova, Italy next Sunday, April 11.
onda rider quotes:
Davide Guarneri – LS Motors Honda: “For my first GP on a 450 it went pretty good. I finished 10th and 12th for 10th overall and I was Honda’s best rider on the day so I’m satisfied with that. In the second moto I got a little bit tired near the end and so I concentrated on finishing the race without crashing because it was important to get points. My speed is quite good already, I will train a little bit with Marnicq so I’m stronger for the 450 and I am quite confident that if I get some good starts I can fight at the front of the pack in the upcoming races.”
Tanel Leok – LS Motors Honda: “The track was good. It was very rough and heavy – just the way I like it. I was fastest in the first practice session but I had some terrible luck in the races. In the first moto I missed a gear on the start straight and as I was coming through the pack I hit a hay bale that had been knocked on to the track. I had a big crash and after that I was in a lot of pain and I had a headache as well but I carried on and got back to 12th – I was riding well and putting in plenty of consistent lap times.“In moto two I tangled with Monni at the start and ended up near the back again. I had a small problem with the adjustment of the clutch lever and for me that’s something that is really important and I found it quite difficult to ride well after that. Also my head was still hurting from the first race so things weren’t so good – it was difficult. It just wasn’t my weekend and a lot of things went wrong but that happens sometimes in motocross.”
Gareth Swanepoel – CAS Honda: “The first race I got a semi good start and rode well in the first few laps. I stiffened up in the middle part of the race and lost a few positions but then I got back into it a little bit and came through strong at the end and finished 11th. In the second race I got a better start but tangled up with someone in the first corner and it basically just stopped me so I was way at the back of the pack. I managed to put my head down and charge through and I made some really good passes. I’m a bit disappointed with the place I finished in but very happy with the way I rode and the performance of the bike. It took me all weekend to get loose but I finally got there in the end.”
Evgeny Bobryshev – CAS Honda: “The first race was over quickly for me – I only made it half way around the lap before it was all over! I got a mid-pack start and had a little bit of contact with Monni and got pushed off the track and the green fencing wrapped around my rear wheel. I couldn’t go any further and I dnf’d. “The track had changed a lot before the second race and I found it hard to find a rhythm at first but it was going well until after about 25 minutes I started getting arm pump – after that I lost a lot of places and ended up finishing 15th.”
Jimmy Albertson – Martin Honda: “The first moto I got a mid-pack start and came around about 20th. I managed to pick up some places in the early laps and then De Reuver fell down in a rut in front of me and I had to get off the bike to push it out of the rut so I could carry on. I ended up dropping back down to 16th which is where I finished. “In the second moto I got a better start and after a few laps I was pretty close to running top 10 and then I came together with another rider and went down pretty hard. As soon as I fell I got back up and I was thinking ‘man, this day can’t get much worse’ but I fought through to 20th so I got at least one point so all the effort wasn’t for nothing. “The guys are really fast over here in the World Championship for sure but I know that if I ride to my full potential I can do a lot better. I’m really looking forward to next weekend so I can show everyone what I do.”
Alessandro Battig – Martin Honda: “I am happy. I think in the first heat it was possible to take some points but I just came a little bit short and then the second didn’t go so well but it’s okay because I’m just here to learn. I think I could do with a little bit more speed and a little bit more aggression and then I will do better. The bike is very good and I ride well at Mantova so I’m really excited about racing there in the next GP.”
Roger Harvey – Honda Off-Road Manager
“It’s been a difficult opening GP for us. After seeing Tanel Leok’s outstanding pre-season form we were looking forward to seeing him finish quite well up there at this race. Unfortunately he suffered lots of bad luck and a rider he was following flicked a hay bale up in front of him – he had quite a big crash because of that and it turns out he has a small concussion. He rode the second race but after the event he had quite a severe headache – if he says it severe then it must be. “Davide Guarneri rode really well today and I’m very pleased with his performance. He lost a bit of speed towards the end of the second moto and I think that’s probably because he’s just stepping up from the MX2 bike.
“Jimmy Albertson came here to learn about GPs and he hurt his ankle yesterday and then had a big off this morning and that shook him up. He’s taken another step though and now he knows what these races are all about and it isn’t going to be easy for him. Alessandro Battig is just a kid. He was on the small bikes last year and he’s come here and he’s just the wide eyed kid on the GP scene. He’s here to learn and he’s gone out there and finished two races today in his first GP – what more can we ask.
“Gareth Swanepoel was going okay today – he was consistent and that’s what we expect from him although we’d probably like him to be a little bit higher. Bobryshev had a tough day and bounced off the track in the opening moto following contact with another rider and he got tangled in the green fencing so he had no option but to stop the bike completely. In the second moto he had quite a reasonable ride and just kept pushing.”
