Exciting FIM Motocross WK restarts on Lommel’s sand 29-07
GP Limburg Belgium Lommel 2009
The final leg of the FIM Motocross World Championship will start off with the
Belgian GP in Lommel this weekend, when the action will restart after a three
week break. Cairoli leads the MX1 series with a handful of rivals, including
Nagl and Philippaerts, ready to snatch the Italian's leadership. Though Cairoli
looks safe for Lommel as he holds a 53 points advantage over runner up Nagl, who
won the latest GP in Sweden.
Musquin sits on top of the MX2 standings with a thin 13 point advantage over
Paulin while Swedish GP winner Goncalves rounds off the top three.
Lommel will also put an end to the FIM Veterans World Cup where Nilsson holds
the red plate with a strong lead.
The days preceding the Belgian Grand Prix will host also the MX Rookie, the
Motocross competition dedicated to amateur riders which was successfully started
last year in Lommel.
MX1
Yamaha Red Bull De Carli's Cairoli stands on top of the MX1 points standings
and is ready to begin the final stage of this hard fought Championship beginning
this weekend in Lommel. Cairoli missed last year's Belgian GP and the remainder
of his last MX2 season due to a knee injury he picked up in South Africa, though
he has a good feeling with the track where he and several other riders normally
practice during the year.
Runner up in the Championship Nagl will try and close the gap from Cairoli as he
will be back to action after his second season GP win in Uddevalla. The Red Bull
KTM Factory Racing representative rounded off last year's Belgian podium after
he took a strong second place in the final moto.
KTM Silver Action's Barragan, who won the Belgian GP at Lommel in 2008, will be
back this weekend after an injury kept him away from the Championship since
France, stopping all his Title ambitions. Other riders in the comeback list
should be Melotte, Bonini, Krestinov -who won his first and only MX2 Grand Prix
here in 2008- Strijbos and Ramon.
Philippaerts sits in third in the Championship and needs a strong season's
finale to get closer to Italian countryman Cairoli and keep his Title hopes
alive. Philippaerts had a troubled Belgian GP in 2008 but he needs no mistakes
now, being 65 points adrift in the standings.
Racing at home may give LS Motors Honda's Desalle a further confidence boost,
with the youngster holding fourth in the Championship right ahead of experienced
Coppins.
De Dycker is another home rider looking for a strong result in Lommel. The Teka
Suzuki WMX1 man is sixth in the Championship and he is willing to start off a
podium row after ending third overall in Sweden.
Last year's Lovemytime MX1 Pole Position Award winner De Reuver is still injured
but plans a comeback for his home GP at Lierop on the August 30 weekend. The
Dutch sand master also won the opening moto of last year's Belgian GP.
2008 MX1 PODIUM:
1. Jonathan Barragan
2. Ken de Dycker
3. Max Nagl
2008 MX1 POLEMAN: Marc de Reuver
MX2
By missing the Swedish GP Musquin, who did not race due to issues related to
his recent switch of manufacturer, saw his two main rivals come closer courtesy
of solid outings in Uddevalla.
Red Bull KTM factory Racing's Goncalves won his fourth GP of the season to chip
away at the gap from Musquin as the Portuguese is third in the points standings;
Goncalves, who is based in Belgium, was second on the podium last year,
finishing tied in points with eventual winner Krestinov. Runner up in the
Championship Paulin was also on the Swedish podium; being third overall and just
13 points behind Musquin, the Bud Racing Kawasaki PSM rider has a solid chance
to take back the red plate which he held from round one until round five.
Musquin is due to comeback at Lommel onboard the factory Red Bull KTM machine to
defend his lead and consolidate his chances to win the first ever World Title, a
goal which is shared by the trio sitting on top of the standings.
Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci Motocross' Guarneri is fourth at a safe distance
from fifth placed Frossard of CLS. Roczen, who just won his first ever moto in
Sweden -another great achievement for the 15 year old debutant who already won
his first GP in Teutschenthal- is sixth in the Championship but the Teka Suzuki
Europe World MX2 sensation is expected to break into the top five by the end of
the series.
With the Belgian GP being the home event for two of the three riders of the KTM
Factory Junior Team MX2, Roelants and Spanish GP winner Van Horebeek, the duo is
expected to perform strong in Lommel as both are the highest placed home riders
in MX2 being respectively 10th and 11th in the Championship. Last year Van
Horebeek took fifth overall in Lommel ahead of Roelants at his rookie season in
the Championship.
2008 MX2 PODIUM:
1. Gert Krestinov
2. Rui Goncalves
3. Tommy Searle
VETERANS
Coming back to action after the penultimate round of the FIM Veterans' World
Cup in Latvia, current leader Nilsson will try and wrap up his first ever World
Cup victory. The Swedish is pumped after Kegums' dominant performance -he won
both heats as Iven missed the event due to injury- and has a solid chance of
winning the series this weekend: runner up Iven will miss this round as well
while third placed Lhertiteau is 48 points away.
With Nilsson set to secure the eventual World Cup victory, Frenchman Lhertiteau
aims at moving up to second but a close Hendrickx will give chase as the
Dutchman has also a chance to take second in the World Cup.
Home rider Blancquaert now rounds off the top five ahead of Krestinov, though
the Belgian was second on last year's podium.
Source: Martin Honda Team
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