MX Diary: Irish soft option for DT’s Buildbase men
By Team TMX on 13th Jan 16
It was a weekend of positives for Buildbase Honda riders Adam Chatfield and Angelo Pellegrini at rounds two and three of the Monster Energy Arenacross championship at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow.
With rounds on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon the action was intense and unrelenting and both riders raised their games on the hard-pack track after a steady opening event in Manchester.
Adam progressed smoothly to Saturday night's Pro class Main Event with 4-4 finishes in his heat races while Angelo went to the startline for the final just behind after running 5-4 in his heats.
Both riders struggled with their starts but Adam improved on his round one finish with fifth in the Main Event, coming home three places ahead of Angelo.
Sunday saw Adam comfortably through to the Main Event with a 2-4 card in his heats as Angelo again ran 5-4.
Starts proved to be both riders' downfall in the Main Event and a crash by Adam cost him places but he recovered for ninth, one spot ahead of Angelo.
"It's been an up and down weekend for me,” admitted Adam. "I've ridden better this weekend and fifth on Saturday night was one place better than at the opening round. "I also did better in my heat races on Sunday with a second and a fourth but in the final I had a bad start and then came off when I washed the front wheel out.
"But there are some positives – I just need to work on my starts. Belfast is next and I like it there, I just hope I can pull it out of the bag and go for a podium. The soil will be softer which suits me – I prefer it when it ruts up and gets more technical.”
Angelo is also remaining positive for rounds four and five in Northern Ireland this weekend.
"On Saturday I simply got tired – no excuses – and on Sunday I just didn't start well,” said the 28-year-old Italian. "I felt I was riding better this weekend and feel I can improve my results but I need to concentrate on my starts.”
Team owner Dave Thorpe is confident both riders can be a threat next weekend at Belfast's SSE Arena.
"Adam and Angelo rode much better this weekend even though their results in Sunday's Main Event didn't really show this,” said Dave. "The biggest problem for them both this weekend has been that they didn't start very well – and starts are everything in arenacross – but when they did get good starts in heat races they rode pretty good.
"It's the last of the hard-pack tracks for a while. We knew this sort of surface would suit the French guys and Josh Hansen – in Belfast the ground will be softer which should play into Adam and Angelo's hands as both riders won a Main Event there last year.”
