ARCO DI TRENTO (Italy), 12 April 2014 – Arco di Trento was everything but tranquil today with round four of the FIM Motocross World Championship kicking off. Roaring Italians watched on as Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing Team’s Steven Frossard made the statement “I’m back” when he pulled the holeshot and led every lap from start to finish to run away with MXGP’s qualifying heat win, while in MX2, it was the rise of a dark horse with last years EMX250 champion Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod putting in a awe-inspiring ride to take home his first ever MX2 pole position.
Meanwhile the fans of MXGP were able to witness some extra action today with round two of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship and round one of the European EMX125 Championshipboth taking place and both racing their first pointed race of the weekend.
In the WMX red plate holder Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge nailed her second holeshot of the season and went on to win ahead of the 2008 FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion Livia Lancelot and the reigning WMX world champion and Italian wonder woman Chiara Fontanesi. Meanwhile in the EMX125, multi time European EMX85 and EMX65 champ Red Bull KTM Racing’s Davy Pootjes is evidently embracing the bigger 125 bike, laying down the fastest lap in timed practice and going on to win the first race of the season by over twenty-one seconds ahead of two popular Italians Michele Baraiolo and Filippo Zonta.
MXGP
MXGP’s qualifying race was a manufacture’s dream, with all six manufacturers holding a place within the top seven. Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Steven Frossard looked at home on the hard packed clay of Arco Di Trento, taking the holeshot and going on to lead every lap unchallenged. Behind the flying Frenchman Frossard, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek was looking solid holding off the brisk seven-time world champ Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli. Unfortunately with a few laps to go the hard charging Belgian ran too hot into a corner causing the front end to wash out, dropping him back to fifth. Meanwhile Cairoli was riding with his typical race smarts, not doing anything silly to cross the line in second ahead of Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s super smooth Clement Desalle and Team HRC’s Max Nagl. Also keeping the rowdy Italians on their toes, TM Ricci Racing’s Davide Guarneri followed Wilvo Forkrent KTM’s Jake Nicholls home for an outstanding seventh with Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin, who battled from twentieth place to come home in eighth.
MXGP Qualifying Race Top Ten: 1. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), 24:29.095; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:09.235; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:14.828; 4. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), +0:25.433; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:34.585; 6. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:38.438; 7. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), +0:39.508; 8. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:40.144; 9. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:45.841; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:46.893.
MX2
When the gates dropped at the scenic circuit of Arco di Trento for MX2’s qualifying race no one could have predicted what was about to happen. Flying out of the gate, Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod and the usual suspect KTM Silver Action’s José Butrón were neck and neck for the holeshot with Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre and last years’ EMX250 runner upRockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Jeremy Seewer hot on their heels.
While the MX2 veteran Butrón did his best to hold off the rookie Guillod and the young gun Febvre, it wasn’t long before the two up-and-comers had found a way around, leaving the Spaniard to deal with pressure from two of the biggest championship threats CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings. While Febvre was keeping Guillod honest out front, Herlings had found a way around the current MX2 red plate holder Tonus engaging himself in a battle with his old foe, Butrón. After an intense dual for third, it was Herlings who prevailed with Tonus to follow through soon after. Coming into the closing stages of the race, Herlings made a last ditch charge to catch the leaders Guillod and Febvre, but unfortunately time ran out for the Dutch sensation and it was hats off for the MX2 rookie Valentin Guillod who rode an amazing race to take home his first ever MX2 heat win ahead of Romain Febvre. After chopping the gap to first place down considerably, Herlings came home in third, five seconds ahead of the MX2 red plate holder Arnaud Tonus and the king of holeshots José Butrón.
After a great days racing, Frossard and Guillod head into tomorrow in pole position in their respective classes, while the WMX and EMX125 will line up tomorrow for their second race of the weekend where both Rutledge and Pootjes will be aiming to remain unbeaten for the season.
MX2 Qualifying Race Top Ten: 1. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 25:00.220; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:02.534; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:03.002; 4. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:09.773; 5. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:27.495; 6. Max Anstie (GBR, Yamaha), +0:28.851; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:29.260; 8. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:33.150; 9. Mel Pocock (GBR, KTM), +0:34.163; 10. Damon Graulus (BEL, KTM), +0:34.665
Click here to obtain the complete results.
All the photos of the MXGP of Trentino will be available here.
MXGP TRENTINO – QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1660m
Type of ground: Hard Pack
Temperature: 18°C
Weather conditions: cloudy
MXGP will be available across the board in high definition, and is also globally available to view LIVE and in HD on www.MXGP-TV.com. Click here for the complete list of countries and cooperating MXGP broadcasting networks, viewing times can be viewed by clicking on the logo of your chosen broadcasting network.
TIMETABLE:
Sunday: WMX Warm-up 08:15; EMX125 Warm-up 08:30; MX2 Warm-up 09:15; MXGP Warm-up 09:40; WMX Race 2 11:10; EMX125 Race 2 12:00; MX2 Race 1 13:10; MXGP Race 1 14:10; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.
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