FRANCIACORTA (ITALY), 3 October 2009 – The opening day of the Red Bull FIM MXoN saw home team Italy come out on top and take the first spot at the end of the qualifying. France took second ahead of Belgium while Great Britain and Australia rounded off the top five. Defending Champion USA was sixth. Italians Cairoli (MX1), Philippaerts (Open) and Frenchman Musquin (MX2) won the qualifying heats. In occasion of the opening ceremony of the event Italian Secretary of Sport, Dr. Rocco Crimi, took the chance to welcome the healthy crowd in Franciacorta marking the event’s comeback after a 23 year absence. Dr. Crimi eventually opened the event in a wonderful and thrilling atmosphere which is typical of the Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations. A moment from today’s opening ceremony MX1 A strong start of Great Britain’s Mackenzie saw the Brit lead the opening part of the MX1 qualifying heat in dominant style. Mackenzie went down and dropped his pace with Reed, Desalle, Cairoli and Coppins giving chase for the top spot. MX1 World Champion Cairoli then took Italy to the lead after he had worked his way up from the bottom of the top ten, setting the crowd on fire at every move. Before grabbing the number one spot, the Italian moved past Desalle who tried to fight back. The Belgian ended an eventual second but showed to be in top form for tomorrow. Reed of Australia rode to third ahead of New Zealander Coppins and American Dungey. Mackenzie was 13th eventually. MX1 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), 25:00.050; ; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Honda), +0:03.418; 3. Chad Reed (AUS, Suzuki), +0:15.478; 4. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +0:27.514; 5. Ryan Dungey (USA, Suzuki), +0:31.680; 6. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA, Kawasaki), +0:34.569; 7. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:48.743; 8. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), +0:51.750; 9. Julien Bill (SUI, Aprilia), +0:51.837; 10. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Yamaha), +0:55.445; Complete results available at www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx Cairoli took the first victory of the day for Team Italy
More photos available at www.motocrossmx1.com/galleryinfo.aspx MX2 France absolutely dominated the MX2 qualifying with MX2 World Champion Musquin taking a great start and leading the whole heat. Despite being just a debutant in the event, Musquin made it to victory first time out at Franciacorta. Working his way up after the start was Great Britain’s Searle who sealed the runner up spot at the end of a hard fought moto. Roelants dropped down to third after he and Goncalves started the moto in second and third behind Musquin. The Portuguese took sixth. Australia’s Metcalfe was fourth with former MX2 World Champ Rattray rounding off the top five. 15 year old’s Herlings (Netherlands) and Roczen (Germany) were seventh and ninth respectively with American Weimer sandwiched in between the two. MX2 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), 25:16.123; ; 2. Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), +0:08.405; 3. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:12.384; 4. Brett Metcalfe (AUS, Honda), +0:19.868; 5. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Kawasaki), +0:25.438; 6. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +0:26.185; 7. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:27.911; 8. Jake Weimer (USA, Kawasaki), +0:31.013; 9. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +0:40.551; 10. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Yamaha), +0:50.359; Complete results available at www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx Musquin dominated the MX2 qualifying
More photos available at www.motocrossmx1.com/galleryinfo.aspx OPEN Philippaerts of Italy took off to a great start and led the pack into turn one, pushing to a dominant victory at the end of the 12 lap heat. A surprising Paulin contributed in France’s second place as the regular MX2 rider took a brilliant second despite a lack of bike time on the 450cc. MXoN veteran Ramon of Belgium was a strong third ahead of Simpson (Great Britain) and Tedesco (USA). At mid race the latter felt the pressure of Team Estonia in the likes of Tanel Leok, who ended sixth. OPEN Qualifying Race top ten: 1. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 24:46.590; ; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:04.349; 3. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:14.434; 4. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:19.320; 5. Ivan Tedesco (USA, Honda), +0:20.252; 6. Tanel Leok (EST, Yamaha), +0:23.459; 7. Michael Byrne (AUS, Suzuki), +0:37.450; 8. Carlos Campano (ESP, Yamaha), +0:48.675; 9. Antonio Jorge Balbi Jr. (BRA, Honda), +0:50.702; 10. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:51.392; Nations Qualifying Top Ten: Italy, France, Belgium, Great Britain, Australia, USA, Republic of South Africa, New Zealand, Spain, Estonia. Complete results available at www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx Philippaerts pulled off a win in the Open qualifying
More photos available at www.motocrossmx1.com/galleryinfo.aspx RED BULL FIM MXoN – QUICK FACTS Circuit length: 1680 mt Type of ground: hard pack Temperature: 22° C Weather conditions: sunny Sunday: Warm-up B-Final at 8:40 am; Warm-up MXoN Group 1 at 9:10 am; Warm-up MXoN Group 2 at 9:40 am; B-Final at 11:00 am; MXoN Race 1 (MX1+MX2) at 1:08 pm; MXoN Race 2 (MX2+Open) at 2:38 pm; MXoN Race 3 (MX1+Open) at 4:08 pm. This Grand Prix will be broadcast live and delayed. Click here to see schedule and coverage online. LINKS 2009 Red Bull FIM MXoN-Get your ticket Autodromo Daniel Bonara Franciacorta Freecaster.tv is the prime source of LIVE and On-Demand coverage for action sports on the Internet. Watch the 2009 Red Bull FIM Motocross of Nations exclusively, LIVE and free on www.freecaster.tv in English, French and German. |