Arco di Trento - the fourth MXGP of the season

Friday 12 April: The MXGP of Trentino will also include the first round of the EMX125 European Championship.

After the Grand Prix of the Netherlands, which took place in Valkenswaard during the Easter weekend, the FIM Motocross World Championship travels to Arco di Trento in the north of Italy to celebrate the fourth MXGP of the season. The track called Ciclamino has a long tradition in the FIM Motocross World Championship, winning the award of the best MX3 organizer in 2012, but this weekend it will be the first time that hosts the MX1 and MX2 classes.

The track of Ciclamino has been fully renovated to host the fourth MXGP of the 2013 season at his best, giving the best services to the teams and riders taking part in the FIM Motocross World Championship, as well as making sure that the fans that will travel to Arco di Trento have the best and most spectacular view from the new tribune. Besides, everybody who travels to the Italian track of Ciclamino will have the possibility to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the region of Trentino.

MX1
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli will ride home this weekend being the current leader of the MX1 class with 26 points advantage over Clement Desalle who is second. The Italian is looking forward to racing this weekend in front of his home fans, as they have always been very supportive with him, being in Faenza last year the last time they saw Cairoli riding a Grand Prix on his home soil. So far this season, Cairoli has won two out three Grand Prix and he is just one GP win away from motocross legend Joel Smets who stands behind Stefan Everts in the all times GP winners with 57 victories.

Second in the MX1 standings is Clement Desalle, who did not have a really good weekend in Valkenswaard two weeks ago. The Rockstar Energy Suzuki World rider started the season with the red plate on his bike, but he could not keep it after the MXGP of Thailand even if he rode really well. In Valkenswaard he did not find himself comfortable on his bike, but last weekend he took part in the French National Championship and he recuperated the good feelings and he is determined to fight for the overall win this weekend at Arco di Trento.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ken De Dycker moved up to the third position in the MX1 standings after his excellent performance at the MXGP of the Netherlands. The Belgian rider is feeling better than ever on his KTM and he dominated the second heat of the Grand Prix and he missed the overall victory for just two points. De Dycker is fully motivated to win a Grand Prix this year, but he knows that it is going to be very difficult to beat Cairoli in Italy.

The fourth position in the MX1 class is currently for Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin, who was on the podium during the first two Grand Prix of the season, but he was only able to finish sixth in Valkenswaard. The French rider has always obtained great results in Italy, winning his maiden MX1 Grand Prix in Fermo in 2011, so he will be one rider to look at this weekend.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Kevin Strijbos has had a consistent beginning of the season and his third position in the second race of the Dutch Grand Prix proved that he could be a rider fighting for the top positions. At the moment, the Belgian is fifth in the point standings, but Honda World Motocross’ Evgeny Bobryshev is only two points behind him and the Russian is fully motivated this weekend as he finished on the podium in Valkenswaard.

Tommy Searle is seventh tight in points with the Russian and Rui Gonçalves is eighth, while Tanel Leok and Joel Roelants complete the top ten.

For David Philippaerts and Davide Guarneri the Grand Prix of Trentino will be a special one, as they are riding home and will count on all their fans’ support to finish among the top ten in the MX1 class and improve their position in the point standings.

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Steven Frossard is still a question mark for the weekend. The French rider got his toe operated two weeks ago, so he is not sure if he will be able to race this weekend at Arco di Trento.

MX2
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings keeps being the rider to beat in the MX2 class, as he has won all the races so far with great authority. Last weekend he had a difficult challenge starting from the outside of the gate, but even starting from the last position, the Dutch rider managed to win both heats. The MXGP of Trentino will be the fourth Grand Prix of the season and Herlings is already leading the standing for 49 points over the second classified Jordi Tixier.

The MXGP of the Netherlands was very important for Red Bull

KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier, who was back on the podium after not having had a good start of the season in Qatar and Thailand. The French rider recuperated the good feeling on his KTM and he started at the front in both heats in Valkenswaard and he even led the race for several laps. This weekend Tixier is determined to do the same and fight for his main goal this year which is winning a Grand Prix.

Wilvo Nestaan JM Racing KTM’s Romain Febvre, who is currently third in the MX2 standings, will miss the Grand Prix of Trentino this weekend because he fractured his fibula while practicing in Belgium last week. Consequently, Standing Construct KTM’s Glenn Coldenhoff will move up at least one position in the standings if he does well this weekend, as he is only one point behind Febvre in the MX2 classification. The Dutch rider won the MX2 qualifying race in Valkenswaard, but he missed the podium, so his goal this weekend is being consistent and finishing on the rostrum in Italy.

Silver Action KTM’s José Butrón is fifth in the MX2 standings, 23 points behind Coldenhoff. In Valkenswaard the Spanish rider suffered a big crash in the second race which stopped him to finish the heat. Butrón did not have serious injuries from the crash, but he did not score any point and this is why the difference with the fourth classified is so big.

Max Anstie, who finished third in the first race of the MXGP of the Netherlands, is currently sixth in the point standings and he is looking forward to have a consistent weekend to finish on the podium and to move up in the classification. Christophe Charlier is just one point behind Anstie in seventh and Dean Ferris, who is still recovering from several injuries he suffered some days before the Dutch Grand Prix, is just three points behind the British rider.

Jake Nicholls, who obtained his maiden MXGP podium in Valkenswaard, is currently ninth in the MX2 classification and Julien Lieber is rounding up the top ten. Alessandro Lupino, who is twelfth behind Pocock, is looking forward to racing this weekend in front of his home crowd and try to finish among the top five riders of the MX2 class. The Italian will have the American Jimmy Decotis as his teammate for the rest of the season, as Arnaud Tonus is still not recovered from his leg injury.

Valentin Teillet, who missed the Dutch MXGP due to a big crash he suffered in Romagné before the Grand Prix, will be back this weekend at Arco di Trento and he is hoping to finish among the top ten.

TIMETABLE
Saturday: EMX125 Free + Qualifying Time Practice Group A 7:55; EMX125 Free + Qualifying Time Practice Group B 8:35; MX2 Free Practice 9:30; MX1 Free Practice 10:15; EMX125 Qualifying Race Group A 11:15; EMX125 Qualifying Race Group B 12:00; MX2 Pre-Qualifying Practice 13:15; MX1 Pre-Qualifying Practice 14:00; EMX125 Last Chance Qualifying 15:00; MX2 Qualifying Race 16:10; MX1 Qualifying Race 17:00; EMX125 B-Final 17:50; EMX125 Race 1 18:40.

Sunday: EMX125 Warm up 8:30; MX2 Warm up 9:00; MX1 Warm up 9:30; EMX125 Race 2 10:15; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 12:10; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 13:10; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 15:01; MX1 Grand Prix race 2 16:07.