RED PLATE TO CAIROLI; 2ND IN ELITE CLASS TO SEARLE AT INTERNAZIONALI D’ITALIA ROUND TWO

[totalmotorcycle]

RED PLATE TO CAIROLI; 2ND IN ELITE CLASS TO SEARLE AT #INTERNAZIONALI D’ITALIA ROUND TWO

#RedBull #KTM Factory Racing’s Tony Cairoli came away from the second round of the Internazionale d’Italia Motocross Championship on Sunday with the red plate as championship leader on a day where weather and tough track conditions made it challenging for all riders.

New Red Bull KTM factory teammate Tommy Searle finished second in the Elite class race (MX1 + MX2) after picking up a sixth place in his MX1 race. Searle is also now on equal points to Cairoli, a Red Bull athlete for the Elite Class going into the final round next weekend.

Regretfully the weather conditions made it difficult for event organizers and riders alike. Earlier in the day the surface of the track was frozen and very slippery and while it did turn muddy as the day progressed, the surface under the mud was still very slippery. For this reason the two young MX2 Red Bull KTM factory riders Pauls Jonass and Davy Pootjes decided not to take any risks and opted instead to sit out the two races. Jonass, who won the MX2 in the opening round is still second in the MX2 standings.

Cairoli finished fifth in both of his races for enough points to retain the red plate but opted to take a cautious approach and not risk possible injury so close to the start of the FIM World Championships. The 2015 season starts at the end of the month with the first MXGP in Qatar.

Tony Cairoli: “For me there was everything to lose at a race like this. You can easily get injured on this kind of track with lots of ruts and it’s close to the start of the world championships. I was focused on having a great race and a good result but it’s a difficult track especially in these conditions. I didn’t expect to win but for sure I wanted to have a good race and improve my skills because I know I have some problems with this kind of race. Next week we are back on sand and I will do my best to win both races and take this championship.”

Searle said he was happy to have picked up second place in the Elite Race. “I am very happy with my starts. I didn’t get good starts now for the last two years and now in the last three races I have had all good starts so this is really positive for me to take to the GPs,” he said. “I had a good second race when the track was a proper track, the first was a bit like Enduro so I pushed in a few laps in my second race.” Searle said his good starts were all about his KTM 350 SX-F, the same factory bike that Cairoli also rides. “It’s the bike. Its unbelievable on the start,” he said. “Next week I want to have a nice last race in this championship to give me confidence before we head for the GPs.”

Factory teammate Ken de Dycker also adopted a cautious approach, mindful that he was out for almost all of last season because of injury. He was eleventh in the MX1 race and finished seventeenth in the Elite but given the difficult conditions admitted he was being cautious because of his former injuries.

The final race of the series is at Ottobiano next weekend where riders will tackle another sand track.

***
Internazionali d’ Italia Motocross
Round 2 – Castiglione del Lago
MX1 Results
1, David Philippaerts, ITA, Yamaha
2, Max Nagl GER, Husqvarna
3, Jeremy Van Horebeek BEL, Yamaha
4, Romain Febvre, FRA, Yamaha
5, Antonio Cairoli, ITA, KTM
6, Tommy Searle Tommy GBR, KTM
7, Davide Guarneri ITA, TM
8, Kristian Whatley GBR, Honda
9, Todd Waters, AUS, Husqvarna
10, Nathan Watson GBR, Husqvarna
11, Ken De Dycker BEL, KTM
MX1 Standings after Round Two
1, Nagl, 165
2, Cairoli, 160
3, Van Horebeek, 160
4, Philippaerts, 154
5, Febvre, 125…
7, Searle, 105
8, De Dycker, 89
MX2 Results
1, Tim Gajser SLO, Honda
2, Benoit Paturel FRA, Yamaha
3, Alessandro D'Angelo, ITA, KTM
4. Simone Zecchina, ITA, Kawasaki
5. Brent Van Doninck BEL, Yamaha
MX2 Standings after Rd. 2
1, Gajser 185
2, Pauls Jonass, LAT, KTM, 120
3, D’Angelo 116
4, Paturel, 100
5, Seewer, 100
…
10, Davy Pootjes, NED, KTM, 55
Elite Results (MX1 + MX2)
1, Max Nagl
2, Tommy Searle, KTM
3, David Philippaerts
4, Romain Febvre
5, Antonio Cairoli, KTM
6, Todd Waters
7, Tim Gajser (MX2)
8, Benoit Paturel (MX2)
9, Jose Butron, ESP, KTM
10, Davide Guarneri
...
17, Ken de Dycker, KTM
Elite Standings after Round Two
1, Cairoli, KTM 180
2, Searle, KTM 180
3, Nagl, 175
4, Febvre, 125
5, Butron, 105
Final round: February 15, 2015 at Ottobiano Italy