The MX Italia storyIt was back in 1984 that Michele Rinaldi swept to victory in the FIM World 125cc (MX2) Championship and put Italy on the map.Italian Motocross fans would have to wait six years for their next Champion when Alex Puzar proved too strong for his rivals to win the 1990 FIM World 250cc Motocross Championship. Puzar was not happy with one title though as he claimed the 1995 FIM World 125cc Motocross Championship in a stunning and surprising win. Then in 1997 Alessio Chiodi arrived on the scene, winning the FIM World 125cc Motocross Championship, before backing that up with wins in the 125cc class in 1998 and 1999. While Chiodi was winning the small bike class, Andrea Bartolini did his thing by winning the FIM World 500cc Motocross Championship, and to cap off a brilliant season Italy won the Motocross of Nations for their first time in their countries history.
David Philippaerts (pictured above - image Geoff Meyer) also did his part with that great win in the 2008 FIM World MX1 Championship and of course the greatest Italian Motocross rider is defending World MX1 Motocross Champion Antonio Cairoli. Cairoli showed the World what a talent he was by winning the 2005 FIM World MX2 Championship after a tough battle with Australian Andrew McFarlane. Cairoli, one of the most motivated riders in the history of the sport, put together a winning record that can only be matched by the King of GP Motocross, Stefan Everts. Cairoli added title in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 to bring his tally to five World Championships and bring him into that elusive group of five times winners. He joined the legendary Roger De Coster, Eric Geboers, Georges Jobe and Joel Smets and is now just one victory away from Joel Robert and his six World Motocross Championships. Cairoli knows of the importance of his country in Motocross and its hero’s. The World MX1 Champion also knows about his Motocross history. Antonio Cairoli: "I like Alex Puzar because of his riding style; he was one of my favorite riders when I was young! I know Michele Rinaldi more as a team manager from the Yamaha team, not from when he was still riding. Alessio Chiodi rode for the same team as me when he won the World title (Team de Carli) and Claudio still tells me a lot of nice stories from when he was riding for the team! Andrea Bartolini had a great year when he won the championship in 1999 and he was part of the MXoN team that won also in that same year! It's great for the Italian sport that we have another great Italian rider in David Philippaerts! It's good for the publicity and the attention MX gets in Italy! I hope so much I can ride with David together in the Motocross of Nations team again after so many years.” Whatever happens in the 2012 season, you can count on Italian riders putting in great efforts and bringing their country a lot of pleasure. Thumbnail courtesy of: www.clipartof.com/ Extracts from a recent Yamaha Europe release: Monster Energy Yamaha rider David Philippaerts took to the track last week for the first  time in four months. The 2008 FIM MX1 World Champion completed his first
training outing after suffering breaks to both wrists in an accident while
practicing for the Grand Prix of Czech Republic in the first week of August. DP19 underwent three operations and had a three week stay in hospital.
David Philippaerts: "I will have a two week spell of altitude training in northern Italy and then a month’s riding and testing with the factory team on the island of Sardinia in January. It is already getting quite cold here and snow could come soon. We will go to Sardinia mainly for the climate and it is something I have done for a few years now. I think a few other teams will be going as well. I’m being smart and taking it easy. Every week I make a check-up and also go for a massage and physio on my arms. I know I cannot be 100% straight away. I have to say though that I couldn’t be happier with the people I have around me and how much they have helped. It means a lot when they say I am doing well and I am good to go.”
After the spell in Sardinia Philippaerts – with team-mate Steven Frossard and new MX2-GP recruit Christophe Charlier - will then begin the pre-season phase of warm-up race events and International appearances with the first round of the 2012 FIM World Championship slated for Easter weekend in April in Holland. "We still have to decide the races,” he says. "We will enter the Italian championship but before that we have to see whether we do the Mantova Starcross or Valence in France; one of those will be the first meeting in February. I will also be in Belgium a bit more this year for training and sand riding.”  DP19 at Lommel on 31 July. Image courtesy of Yamaha Europe. |
