Italian International MX Championship – Sicily

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s multi MX1 World Champion Antonio Cairoli continued his pre- MXGP preparation this weekend with another outing to the Italian International MX Championship. Riding in front of his home crowd in Noto, Sicily, Cairoli put on another dazzling display to come away with another perfect scorecard.

Tony Cairoli dominated both the MX1 and Elite classes in sharp form having cleaned up in all four of his races in the two rounds of the Italian International Championship so far staged. He won his MX1 outing by a margin of 14 seconds and was first across the line in the Elite class, 18 seconds in front of second placed Jeremy van Horebeek.

Photos by Taglioni

It was also a good day out for Cairoli’s MX2 factory teammate Jordi Tixier who was a clear winner in the MX2 race and the top MX2 finished in the combined Elite class, where the day’s top MX1 riders race together on a mixed starting grid with the top from MX2.

Both Cairoli and Tixier started the day with the fastest qualifying times and never looked back from that point onwards. But while Cairoli is set to race Round Three of the Italian Championship next weekend in Montevachi next weekend (February 16), Tixier goes instead to the French international pre-season race at Valence.

The other two Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team members, Ken de Dycker and Jeffrey Herlings, have been on the injured list. De Dycker is still rehabilitating but Herlings is back to training on his KTM machine and may race next weekend with Tixier in Valence. The young Dutch rider and MX2 World Champion will be looking for some track time ahead of the first MXGP in Qatar at the beginning of March.

Italian International MX Championship Noto, Sicily

Results MX1
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA), KTM, 30:24:158 min
2. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL), Yamaha, 30:38:998
3. Todd Waters (AUS), Husqvarna, 30:42:099
4. Tyla Rattray (RSA), Husqvarna, 30:43:721
5. David Philippaerts (ITA), Yamaha, 31:28:086

Standings MX1 after Round 2
1. Cairoli, 240 points
2. Van Horebeek, 180
3. Waters, 135
4. Rattray, 125
5. Philippaerts, 125

Results MX2
1. Jordi Tixier (FRA), KTM, 29:18.891 min
2. Christophe Charlier (FRA), Yamaha, 29:31.900
3. Alessandro Lupino (ITA), Kawasaki, 29:46.547
4. Michele Cervellin (ITA), Honda, 29:48.436
5. Ivo Monticelli (ITA), KTM, 29:50.511
Other KTM
6. Pauls Jonass (LAT), KTM, 30:08.230
7. Kevin Fors (BEL), KTM, 30:25.396
8. Alessio Chiodi (ITA), KTM, 30:40.098
9. Simone Furlotti (ITA), KTM, 30:45.517
16. Michael Eccles (GBR), KTM, +1 lap

Standings MX2 after Round 2
1. Charlier, 200 points
2. Tixier, 185
3. Jonass, 135
4. Arnaud Tonus (SUI), Kawasaki, 120
5. Monticelli, 120

Results Elite
1. Cairoli, 28:55.144
2. Van Horebeek, 29:13.168
3. Waters, 29:17.124
4. Davide Guarneri (ITA), Husqvarna, 29:18.681
5. Rattray, 29:34.678
Other KTM
7. Tixier (MX2)
11. Jonass (MX2)

Standings Elite after Round 2
1. Cairoli, 240 points
2. Van Horebeek, 200
3. Waters, 125
4. Rattray, 125
5. Philippaerts, 105
Other KTM
7. Tixier (MX2), 84
10. Jonass (MX2), 66