Frossard successfully defends Italian Motocross Championship
Tuesday 27 March: For the second year in a row Monster Energy Yamaha’s Steven Frossard has claimed the number one plate in the Internazionali D’Italia MX (Italian MX Champs) after winning the Elite category at Gazzane Di Preseglie for the fourth and final round of the series.
The
Frenchman tasted victory for the fourth consecutive event in just five
weeks and was again able to consign FIM World Champion Antonio Cairoli
to his wheel tracks in what has been an effective warm-up campaign for
the Grand Prix calendar set to start in Holland on Easter Monday (April
9th). Frossard and his team achieved the distinction despite the 2011
FIM World Championship runner-up suffering with illness for the first
half of the contest and the emphasis for the factory team resting
squarely on testing and preparation during the Italian meetings.
Frossard was disturbed by some arm-pump and a goggle
malfunction during the MX1 moto at Gazzane Di Preseglie but then
recovered from a fifth place start in the Elite race to overhaul Davide
Guarneri and lead Cairoli through an exciting trail around the
backmarkers to the chequered flag.
Team-mate David Philippaerts attempted both sprints
but was forced to withdraw from the races after straining his right
thumb ligament the previous week. The powerful Italian sought some
treatment in Belgium prior to the weekend and was advised a week of rest
should see improvement, allowing time for further practice mileage in
the sand before the trip to Valkenswaard for Grand Prix ‘one’.
Frossard not only gave Team Manager Massimo Raspanti
and Owner Michele Rinaldi their second title in two years on the
factory YZ450FM but also a 60,000 euro winning bonus. Under the ruling
that allows each rider to drop their worst result Philippaerts has
finished second in the Elite class for a great 1-2 (a prize fund of
100,000 euro for the team).
Steven Frossard: "Of course I’m really happy to get the job done
again. The races were not so easy today but I knew my
situation with the points before I came here and that meant my goal for
the weekend was set out. Overall it has been a positive championship
here. We did what we wanted to do and the feeling on the bike
is very good. We’ll get in the sand now before travelling to
Valkenswaard.”
Copy and photo courtesy of Yamaha Motor Europe N.V.