Sunday, May 21, 2017 at 1:32PM Graham Jarvis has claimed an unexpected victory in the 2017 Red Bull Minas Riders with the four-day event cut short to two.
In what seems to be a series of events beyond the organisers’ control, Martin Freindametz and his Xventure team were forced to bring a halt to proceedings at the end of day two.
As a result, Jarvis is this year’s Red Bull Minas Riders champion
Sunday, May 21, 2017 at 1:28PM The GOAT making second Australian appearance this November.
Source: Supplied.
AUS-X Open organisers have announced Ricky Carmichael is heading back to Sydney on 11-12 November to make his second appearance at the Australian Supercross spectacular.
Legendary American Carmichael was on-hand at the inaugural running two years ago and will make another appearance for the upcoming 2017 edition.
“I’m beyond excited to return down under for the AUS-X Open in 2017!” commented Carmichael. “When I came down for the 2015 event, I didn’t quite know what to expect initially, however during and after the event I was absolutely blown away by how much fun it was, plus how professional the event was carried out.
“Returning in 2017 was a very easy decision. I love Australia, the fans are amazing, plus with the addition of Chad [Reed] and Jason [Anderson], I’m just as excited as a fan to see this battle unfold. If you are a supercross fan from wherever in the world, you won’t want to miss this!”
Event co-founder and director Adam Bailey said the addition of Carmichael was another significant boost for what’s shaping up to be an incredible event after already announcing both Reed and Anderson will line-up.
“Having Ricky on board for 2017 is absolutely incredible,” said Bailey. “What he brought to the event in 2015 as a whole was insane. The fans loved him and he truly reciprocated that by giving each and every single person the time of day like no other – there’s no doubt he’s a legend both on and off the motorcycle.
Friday, May 19, 2017 at 10:27PM 
In just a few days the 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, presented by AMA Pro Racing, will kick off the 45th anniversary of America’s most prestigious off-road motorcycle racing series from the sport’s longest-running event – the 49th Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic. As the days and hours leading into the opener this Saturday, May 20, continue to wind down, there’s arguably more attention being given to who will not be lining up on the gate in the premier 450 Class.
For just the seventh time in 46 seasons, there will not be a past champion in the starting lineup of the opening round in the 450 Class. Following a season-ending injury to defending Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Champion Ken Roczen, and yesterday’s retirement announcement from three-time titleholder Ryan Dungey, neither of the series’ most recent champions will participate in the 2017 summer season. As a result, the premier class will feature a wide-open battle to claim the vacant title amongst a collection of highly talented competitors all in search of their first championship.
The 450 Class field will be without a past champion for just the seventh time in history.
Photo: MX Sports Pro Racing
Leading the way will be Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac. Last year’s runner-up not only has more wins than any other rider in the field, he’s coming off a breakout supercross season in which he captured nine victories and narrowly missed out on the title. He’s no stranger to making an early statement in the Pro Motocross season, and could be considered the early favorite to hoist the Edison Dye Cup at season’s end. Flanking him at Monster Energy Kawasaki will be veteran Josh Grant, who is one of just four former 450 Class winners.
Another rider that will be given considerable attention in the chase for the championship is Team Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin, who now enters the season as the lead rider at KTM, poised to fill the void left by Dungey’s retirement. The Frenchman enjoyed a solid rookie season last summer and will be a podium threat every time the gate drops in his chase for a first 450 Class win and title. Alongside Musquin will be Trey Canard, who is in the midst of his first season with the team. Canard is one of the four past winners in the class and while he’s been fighting through ups and downs this season, his past experience is amongst the most valuable in the paddock.
Tomac will look to claim his first title after finishing in the runner-up spot last season.
Photo: MX Sports Pro Racing
In addition to Red Bull KTM, the Austrian brand will also provide support to RMATV/MC-WPS-KTM and its lineup of Blake Baggett, Davi Millsaps and reigning 450 Class Rookie of the Year Benny Bloss. Baggett has the potential to improve upon the promise he’s shown the past two seasons in the premier class and should be one of the handful of riders battling for the podium each round. Millsaps is a savvy veteran who has arguably more experience than any other rider in the paddock, and will begin his season late while recovering from recent surgery, while Bloss is ready to build on the promising foundation he set last summer.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s two-rider lineup of Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson presents intrigue, with the former 250 Class rivals possessing enough speed and talent to be contenders on any given weekend. Anderson has made multiple trips to the podium in his two seasons of 450 Class competition, and while he’s still chasing a first career win he continues to show improvement. Wilson is a former 250 Class champion that hasn’t been able to gain much 450 Class experience after being plagued by injury in recent years, but he’s acclimated well to the Husqvarna squad after signing with them earlier this year and really has nothing to lose this summer.
Musquin will look to fill the absence of his teammate and multi-time champion
Ryan Dungey.
Photo: MX Sports Pro Racing
While Team Honda HRC will be forced to contest the 2017 season without its lead rider Roczen, it still has high hopes for a summer of success. Cole Seely will compete in his third season of 450 Class competition and while he’s been hindered by injury thus far, he’s more than capable of challenging for podiums. The team has also enlisted the services of Christian Craig to replace Roczen. With no significant pressure and his immense natural talent, Craig could put in some head turning rides this season.
Suzuki enters the 2017 season as the reigning 450 Class Manufacturer Champion. The departure of Roczen means Broc Tickle and Justin Bogle will lead the way for RCH/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing. Tickle enjoyed a strong summer last season, earning a pair of podium finishes, and is more than capable of running up front. Bogle has fought the injury bug since making the move into the division two years ago, but he’s show flashes of speed and his knack for starting will give him opportunities to contend.
In addition to the RCH squad, Suzuki will also consist of Autotrader/Monster Energy/Suzuki/JGRMX for the 2017 season. Justin Barcia has enjoyed solid performances the last two years and by adding the optimism of a new bike, the sky is the limit to what “Bam Bam” could accomplish this summer. He’s one of a handful of riders to keep an eye on. Joining Barcia at JGR will be Weston Peick. The endless confidence Peick brings to the track makes him a capable contender that can battle alongside the 450 Class elite, and he enters the championship feeling more motivated coming off an injury.
Barcia will transition from riding a Yamaha to a Suzuki for the 2017 season.
Photo: MX Sports Pro Racing
The Monster Energy/Yamalube/Chaparral/Yamaha Financial Services/Yamaha Factory Racing effort will feature just one rider in 2017 – 450 Class rookie Cooper Webb. After a championship-winning effort in his final 250 Class season last summer Webb is ready to take on the stars of the premier division, fully confident in his ability to make his presence felt. Webb is a determined competitor and is going to give it his all from the moment the first gate drops.
Webb will make the move into the 450 Class this season, vacating the 250 Class title.
Photo: MX Sports Pro Racing
With Webb vacating his 250 Class title, the stage is set for what should be a compelling battle for that championship, featuring an exceptional depth of talent. Spearheading this group is Jeremy Martin, a two-time titleholder and the only rider in the division with championship experience. His move to GEICO Honda could allow him to become just the second rider in history to win championships aboard two different manufacturers. Joining him at the GEICO Honda stable are experienced riders RJ Hampshire and Jimmy Decotis, along with rookies Chase Sexton and Cameron McAdoo.
Martin’s fiercest challenge will arguably come from the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki effort, which will be chasing its 11th Lucas Oil Pro Motocross title this summer. Leading the way for this highly talented foursome is Joey Savatgy, who earned multiple wins en route to third in the championship last season. Reigning Rookie of the Year Austin Forkner, newly crowned supercross champion Justin Hill, and potential breakout star Adam Cianciarulo will accompany Savatgy in the team’s quest for the Gary Jones Cup. All four competitors have podium experience and collectively offer perhaps the most formidable lineup in the division.
Jeremy Martin will chase a third 250 Class title aboard a new team and bike
at GEICO Honda.
Photo: MX Sports Pro Racing
The reigning three-time championship-winning team at Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha will seek a fourth title this summer with up-and-comer Aaron Plessinger stepping into the role previously occupied by Martin and Webb. Plessinger is a former winner and with two seasons under his belt, 2017 could be his time to take the next step in his young career. Also racing out of the Star Yamaha truck is sophomore rider Mitchell Harrison, along with a pair of new additions in Frenchman Dylan Ferrandis and Oklahoma native Colt Nichols. While there might not be a lot of experience on the team collectively, the talent is there to make their presence felt yet again.
The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM squad enters the 2017 season with perhaps its best chance at challenging for a title, with veteran Alex Martin joining the team this season and looking to build off a breakout 2016 campaign in which he won a pair of races and finished runner-up in the championship. Martin’s confidence and experience is sure to benefit Shane McElrath, who also emerged as a contender last season, as well as returning rider Mitchell Oldenburg and the team’s newest rider Jordon Smith. Making his pro debut at Hangtown will be amateur standout Sean Cantrell, rounding out a solid five-rider lineup.
Savatgy hopes to build off an impressive 2016 season where he earned three wins.
Photo: MX Sports Pro Racing
With his first professional title under his belt from supercross Zach Osborne is hoping to bring added momentum into the summer with his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team. Osborne showed flashes of brilliance last summer, which culminated in his first win on U.S. soil and the first win for Husqvarna in the 250 Class. He’s more than capable of building off that success this season and will look to bring veteran Martin Davalos along with him for what is undoubtedly the most experienced tandem in the division.
Rounding out the deep 250 Class field is the inaugural season for JGRMX in the smaller displacement. Matt Bisceglia, who will begin the summer later coming off an injury, will anchor the Autotrader/Monster Energy/Suzuki/JGRMX effort, looking to build off a 2016 season in which he gained valuable experience racing in the 450 Class. Filling in Bisceglia’s absence early on will be veteran Kyle Cunningham, who posted solid results for the team as a fill-in rider in supercross.
Alex Martin will move to the Troy Lee Designs KTM effort, looking to better his runner-up finish from last season with a title.
Photo: MX Sports Pro Racing
The 49th running of the Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic and the opening round of the 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will commence this Saturday, May 20, from Prairie City SVRA in Sacramento, California. Live broadcast coverage begins at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET on MAVTV with coverage of the opening motos in both the 450 Class and 250 Class. From there live coverage of the final motos in each class will transition to NBC Sports Network, beginning at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET.
Fans can also catch all the action of the 2017 season as it unfolds with exclusive on-demand access via the “Pro Motocross Pass” on NBC Sports Gold. For just $49.99, subscribers will be able to watch practice, qualifying, and all motos from every round of the championship live from any mobile device or streaming service. Additionally, full broadcasts from every round of the 2015 and 2016 seasons are available.
For information about the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 1:23PM 
You can get from Golden Valley to Belle Plaine in under an hour, if MnDOT hasn’t decided to shut down Hwy. 169. And in the middle of summer, if a beat-up sportswriter can see the promise of a column with that much travel time, point him south.
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There was one minor problem in the middle of July 2007: The visiting reporter had minimal knowledge of the activity for which he would be conducting an interview.
Motorcycles or dirt bikes. The 450cc class or 250cc class.
Who knew?
The secret of success in these situations is to announce immediately that you will be asking naive questions, which is what I did when arriving at the home of Troy and Michelle Dungey, in the countryside near Belle Plaine.
The reason for the visit was Ryan, the middle of the Dungeys’ three sons. Ryan had turned 17 in December and already was a contender in the 250 class of the AMA Motocross (outdoor racing).
Ryan and his brothers, Jade, then 18, and Blake, 12, and a friend, Spencer Daly, were preparing to demolish a large pot of Michelle’s spaghetti. Ryan was doing so shirtless, not so much to beat the July heat but to allow some natural healing for the area where a patch of skin had been ripped off his lower back.
“That comes from the Michigan track, too,’’ Ryan said. “It has healed real well.’’
Dungey had been third in the 250 class standings entering an early July event at RedBud MX in Buchanan, Mich.
“I got sideways going over a jump in practice and remember thinking, ‘This isn’t going to be good,’ ’’ he said. “I went over the top and banged my head. Next thing, I was in an ambulance and hollering, ‘I don’t belong here. I’m supposed to be on the track.’
“I’m told I was very loud and my language wasn’t too good.’’
He was knocked out for two minutes. It was a concussion. He wanted to race. Concussion paranoia wasn’t then what it is now. But his parents traveled to all the races and said, “No chance,’’ as did the Makita Suzuki team for which he was racing.
There was an off week after RedBud, so Ryan was home for a few days, and then off to the event at Unadilla Valley in New Berlin, N.Y.
Ricky Carmichael was the 450 class rider and extremely influential with Team Makita. Ricky had watched Dungey’s tryout in California a year earlier, and recommended that Suzuki sign the then-16-year-old.
“I want to be the next big guy in this sport,’’ Dungey said that day in July 2007. “In a few years, I would like to fill Ricky’s shoes and to be looked at as one of the best guys who ever has done this sport.’’
Carmichael was such a legend that even I had heard of him.
The thought was: Really nice young man, Ryan Dungey, but some kid raised in Minnesota — where you’re lucky if the bike will even start for 42 percent of the year (that’s five months) — is going to be one of the best there ever was in big-time motocross and supercross racing?
You betcha.
On Tuesday, that nice young man announced his retirement from racing. He wasn’t giving up his dream.
“I’ve lived my dream,’’ Ryan Dungey said in a conversation Wednesday. “I’m ready for a new chapter in life.’’
Dungey clinched his fourth AMA Supercross 450cc championship in a rowdy race at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. It also was his third title in a row, putting him in exclusive company with Jeremy McGrath, Ryan Villopoto and, yes, Carmichael.
He also has three 450 class titles (2010, 2012 and 2015) and a 250 cc (2009) in motocross. He had 10 wins in 11 races as a big-bike rookie in 2010. And his second title in 2012 came with a new team — Red Bull KTM — for which he will continue in a nonracing role.
I did discover one not-so-minor oversight from the interview with Dungey in the summer of 2007. The family had moved to Belle Plaine in 2005 and he said: “I’ve gone racing and I’m home-schooled, so I don’t know anyone my age here.’’
Ryan failed to mention Lindsay Siegle, the waitress he had met in a stop at a local cafe, Annie’s, a few weeks earlier, and he had mustered the courage to ask for a date, and they now have been married for three years, and they are hopeful this “new chapter’’ will include babies, who will be required to crawl before they race.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 12:48PM Ryan Dungey The Role Model
By Jason Weigandt
Ryan Dungey is the reason you’d want your kids to get involved in this sport.
The price of entry for motocross is getting higher—and I’m not just talking about the usual cost target, four-strokes. Down at the minicycle level, everyone still rides two-strokes. The real costs go well beyond an extra $1,000 of MSRP. The real costs? If you want your nine-year-old to have a shot at making it, you need to get him into the amateur assembly system. You need to move down south and start plowing the fields at a training facility. Public school and a regular education might be compromised. Then you need to apply pressure. It’s easy on the outside to say “Just let kids be kids” but when you’re moving to a region with better weather, and making potential compromises to your child’s education and social network, and then dropping huge checks on bikes, training facilities, trainers, and more, there really is no place for fun. When you’re in that deep, failure is not an option.
With that pressure comes raw emotions, hurt feelings, and broken bones. By the time the nine-year-old is all grown up and ready to cash pro paychecks, the skills will likely be there, but what about the desire? Will the flame stay lit through those years of injuries, moto-parent battles, and endless drills on an 85? And if it doesn’t work out, what’s Plan B?
Cudby
It’s an interesting dilemma all parents of fast kids must now face. Two decades ago, it was easier. You just went to the local races for fun, and if your kid was fast, he just kept winning locally. Then you hit some big amateur races, and if he succeeded there, you stuck with it—keep racing locally, keep riding and “training” whenever you could (generally when dad got home from work). These days, every moto parent hits the crossroads. Keep doing what you’re doing? Or take the ultimate plunge and move to where the weather is good 365 days a year, and you can ride all day Monday through Friday?
It’s a tough call. We all dream of moto glory, but at what price? How many injuries? How many hurt feelings? How much sacrifice to get there? At what cost?
Ryan Dungey can be the answer. He sacrificed nothing. He sacrificed everything.
Dungey was a product of the old way. He was from Minnesota, and he stayed there. The bikes came out in the spring and went away in the winter. He stayed humble and hungry and when the time came, he wanted it badly. He wanted to train, he wanted to race, he wanted to ride. No one had to make him do anything. He had the desire to not only go chase his dream, but, more importantly, to stay away from any and all distractions. There is nothing more frustrating in sports than to: A) see talent go to waste, B) try to teach discipline to someone who doesn’t want any, or C) see hard work and talent get sunk by injury. None of those things happened to Dungey. It was all good.
The lack of injury is the real thing. Dungey has proven that it’s indeed possible to be a high-end professional racer and not get hurt all the time. I don’t know what the secret is. We can say that Dungey didn’t hang it out like others, but he also had top-three speed in just about every pro race he ever entered. To go that fast while still staying in control is the very essence of racing. His speed-to-crash ratio is one any racer would envy.
Dungey never turned into a jerk, either. Once he started winning 450 titles, he could have turned as wacky as he wanted and it would have been fine. If you can win races, you can get paid and get your ass kissed no matter how you act. Surely Dungey got weird with testing and trying to find ways to perform better. Behind the scenes, there were surely crazy moments. That's just competitive athlete stuff, and it happens to everyone at that level. Nice guys finish last, so I have no doubts that when Dungey wanted something to get better, he probably wasn't as nice as what we always saw in front of the cameras. You know what? He wanted to win, so there were times when things got stressful and he turned weird. Competition breeds those things, but at his core, I believe Dungey remained a good guy.
You can sum Dungey’s career up easily. He won the major titles and made the big money. He avoided the injuries and the drama. Some other riders might have won more races, attracted more attention, or provided more excitement. But if you had to sign your kid up for the arc of any rider’s pro career, you could do a whole lot worse than Ryan Dungey—and you probably couldn’t do any better.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 12:37PM by: Jason Weigandt
Four-time and current Monster Energy Supercross Champion Ryan Dungey made it official at a press conference today at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California: effective immediately, he has retired from professional supercross and motocross racing. He will not compete in this summer's Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, and will not renew his contact for 2018.
In today's press conference, Dungey admitted that while physically he's in the best shape of his life, and his bike and equipment are totally capable, mentally, he struggled this year. He says that for the first time, he had to talk himself into going to the races--his heart wasn't in it anymore.
Dungey: “It's hard to believe that this day has come but after a lot of thinking and praying over the last several months, today I announce my retirement from racing professional Supercross and Motocross. This decision has not been an easy one. I've achieved more than I ever could have imagined or dreamed of and for all of this I am incredibly humbled and honored. I've gone as hard as I can for as long as I can but the reality is that our sport is tough, the seasons are long and it takes a huge amount of sacrifice, hard work and discipline to stay on top. Physically I feel that I’m in the best shape of my life, race craft-wise I’m in the best shape of my life and I have the equipment to win, there’s no doubt about that. However, this year I have struggled mentally. I have always raced because I love it and want so badly to win, but this season was just different for me. Getting my head into the game each week just wasn’t the same and lining up and being able to focus like I always had in the past was just different. I never thought I would get to a place where I had to talk myself into starting a race but that’s how it was for me - and the truth is that bothers me a lot. I could easily take the paycheck and just race to finish but that’s not who I am and not how I want to race, nor be remembered. I said on the podium in Las Vegas a week and a half ago that this championship win meant the most out of all my Supercross titles because the truth is, I had to fight the hardest for this one. Not necessarily because of the battles on the track, though those were good and tough, but because I had to mentally push myself like never before to get it done. And to come out on top and hold onto the championship title for the third year in a row is an unbelievable blessing that I’m incredibly proud of.
"I love racing and I love our sport but I just feel it in my heart that I am ready to step away now – happy, healthy and feeling totally blessed. I've accomplished everything that I set out to do and so much more. Although I'm taking a step back from racing, I still plan to be involved in the sport and continue to try to make it better in any way that I can. This sport has blessed me beyond belief and I'll forever be grateful for the memories I've made and friendships I've developed along the way. As this chapter of my life comes to a close, I’m excited to see what the next chapter has in store for me.”
Stefan Pierer (CEO KTM GROUP): “For six years Ryan has been a part of the KTM family, beginning in 2012 when he came to KTM following Roger De Coster. Since then, Ryan has written a very important part of our history and together with Roger they brought KTM to the pinnacle of the sport worldwide. Ryan is outstanding. His performance and his personality brought KTM to the next level and we thank him for that. We are wishing him all the best for the next step and we are very happy to look for his next ambitious goals in the KTM family.”
Pit Beirer (KTM Motorsports Director): “First of all I would like to congratulate Ryan for this amazing 2017 Supercross title. It was a tough fight but at the end he took the title home to our KTM family and it just makes us really, really proud. It’s nice for our Company to work with an athlete like Ryan, who brings always 100 percent for the brand. Ryan made history for KTM – he won the first Supercross race for us and the first Supercross title, and together with the U.S. team they’ve been the game changers. I’m looking forward to working with Ryan in the future to keep our first-class team on the same position and look for young riders, which I’m sure he will give us the right hand.”
Roger De Coster (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager): “It has been an honor to work with Ryan for over ten years together. In that time he never failed to end a championship on the podium and I can say that I have never worked with a rider who took his job so seriously. This is the end of an era but we know Ryan will stay involved with our team although it is not completely defined yet. He has already begun helping Marvin prepare for the Nationals and we are excited to continue our relationship with him. We wish Ryan and Lindsey all the best for their future."
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 12:29PM Ryan Dungey interview – Retirement
Red Bull KTM Factory rider Ryan Dungey retired today in America. The multiple AMA champion spoke the media and here are some of the questions and answers.
“Good morning and I want to thank you all for coming out. Its hard to believe this day has come, but today I announce my retirement from motocross and supercross.”
Roger DeCoster on Dungey taking over the team manager roll
De Coster: I am sure the chance will be there, but I don’t know if he is ready tomorrow to put in the time. He will take a break now and maybe we ask Ryan this time next year. Is that is his choice he can do that.
Dungey on taking over that roll if it came up
Dungey: There will be never be a team manager like Roger, so much experience and that helped my career move forward. Being down with the racing side, and have some time off. For me and my wife we have travelled a lot and want to enjoy other things. Jumping right into that, travelling so much, it’s too soon. I have so much experience from racing and it would be a waste to not apply it forward and help the next generation. Not racing the outdoors, I will be there for Marvin, and if I can do that great. Roger is the team manager and he has a lot more experience than I do.
On making the decision to retire
Dungey: It wasn’t a one day thing, it was a good year of thinking about things and I remember after the Colorado race and I thought lets do another two more (years), but I needed to pump the brakes. Back in November it was weighing one me a bit and I didn’t know where I was, I talked to Aldon and we said let’s get through Supercross. As things were coming I think I knew, but going through Vegas and leading up to it, I just thought to myself I have had enough. I pushed it and I am mentally exhausted. I think in November win or lose that might be it after Vegas.
On breaking his neck last year
Dungey: It woke me up for sure, but not knowing it was broke, but racing the race. Monday, we saw it was broken. The doctor said had it gone anymore I could have done damage to my spinal cord. I said to Lindsey (his wife) I am done, but I took my time, gathered myself. It weighed on me a bit. I knew a life lived in fear is no life at all. I wanted to fulfil my contract. I didn’t want to race in fear, I wanted to get on that dirt bike and race.
On the accident of Ken Roczen
Dungey: I think it was one more thing. Things happen, he was in the zone and just like it happened to me, it happened to Ken. You don’t want to get hurt, you want to get the job done. Usually when you ride fearsome like that, something will happen. I wanted to have fun and enjoy it like I did when I was a kid.
On doing something else outside the sport
Dungey: I like riding, I love riding and a lot of things I liked about the sport and away from it. I need to take my time and not rush into anything.
Monday, May 15, 2017 at 9:17PM
Antonio Cairoli has held the red plate already this season, after the opening round victory in Qatar, and while the Italian legend will go to round eight in Germany with the red plate, it isn’t about leading now that is driving the Red Bull KTM Factory rider at this point of the season.
Having won Grand Prix’s in Qatar and Italy, it’s been a little up and down since. Poor starts, and small mistakes have robbed the eight times world champion of major points, and while his speed is not a question mark, he needs to improve his first corner position to really crack another GP win.
Teutschenthal could be the perfect place for that, as Cairoli has had success there in the past and the rough and tumble of the German circuit plays right into the hands of the experienced Italian.
Antonio was kind enough to answer our questions after his podium finish in Latvia.
With Tim Gasjer’s crashes in Latvia, Antonio Cairoli now leads the MXGP standings by 17 points.
It was a good day for you in Latvia, and it’s also good to see your speed so good this year. You are often the fastest guy, just bad starts or some small mistakes. How did it feel?
Yes, I am really fast this year. Like last year I was not the fastest one on many occasions. This year the speed is there and my condition is good, but the starts are mixed. I get big holeshots, or last. Again today, first moto bad start—outside the top 15—and then I try and do my best to come to the front, but it is very difficult, everybody is very fast and the track was very sketchy. We saw a lot of crashes this week, and I couldn’t come higher than fifth place. That wasn’t the best, because I want to at least finish top three. I struggled passing guys and by the time I passed the others were gone.
And your second moto?
Second moto, I thought ok. We go for a better result. I first tried to get a good start, a pretty good one. [Arminas] Jasikonis was lucky, because he nearly hit the gate and got a big holeshot. I lost my focus [due to Jasikonis jumping early], but still I got a good run out of the gate. I almost took the holeshot in the first corner, but then I went too wide and I went off the track. I got back on in sixth place and tried to find the spots to pass. I made to third place, but I struggled with Boby [Evgeny Bobryshev] and I saw it was easy to crash. I tried to stay in attention, but the first guys took a gap. I passed Boby and tried to catch Tim [Gasjer]. I caught him, but he made a big crash in the waves and I got a little scared after seeing that. A lot of crashes and Jeffrey [Herlings] was really fast on this track. This kind of soil is always good, but for me it is important to keep it on two wheels and fight for the win.
How difficult is that? The passing, because you can see you are really fast, but passing is just impossible sometimes. How frustrating is that and how do you keep mentally strong to keep trying to pass?
It’s tough, especially this year. The bikes have made a big step and it allows you to do very good things. Everyone is very fast, especially in that first 10 or 20 minutes. Everyone is fast and everyone can hang on. Gajser, you never see that, what some riders can do. It’s motocross and we have to deal with it and move on. I can improve in the start and I am happy with my speed and condition. I hope we can do our objective to win races and score as many points as possible.
In 2015 and 2016, injuries hampered the eight-time world champion, but he is back on form in 2017.
It’s early in the season, but to have the red plate back. Does that mean anything to you?
I don’t really care at the moment. Like you said, it’s very early and a lot of races to go. My main goal is to finish top five. That is important for the championship. A lot of guys can win a GP—now Jeffreymdash;so a lot of guys winning. This is good for the championship and if you are one of those five guys, it’s good for the championship.
Is it nicer to be battling like this, or would you prefer winning all the time like sometimes in the past?
It is nicer in one way because you can make some passes and it’s more exciting—more adrenaline. But of course it is also frustrating, because can’t do our own lines and you can’t do your own speed. So in that way it is difficult to maintain the focus. I know I can go faster but with it like it is now, you always have to be careful that nobody hits you and you have to ride differently.
Last question. Teutschenthal—that is a track that really suits you, because you need a lot of experience and you really have to be smart there. Do you look forward to that? Because those tracks you are good on.
I like Teutschenthal a lot because its rough, technical, and not wide open like some other tracks. We will see. I look forward to every weekend, because my condition and speed are good, but I am frustrated about my starts. When I get a bad start I don’t like that at all. I get holeshots or outside the top 10, sometimes outside the top 20 and I will work on that before Germany.
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