Cairoli rules supreme at the Benelux GP
By TMX Archives on 1st Apr 07
Antonio Cairoli aced the MX2 class with a double moto sweep for his eleventh career victory. The De Carli Yamaha rider won both races at a reasonable canter for an authoritative launch to the World Championship.The 2005 number one and '06 runner-up toyed with leader Gareth Swanepoel in the formative stages of Moto one but pulled clear on lap seven to a enjoy an untroubled run to the finish line. The second race followed a similar script once he had moved past reigning champ Christophe Pourcel, who had made a mistake and fallen.
Ricci Yamaha's Kenneth Gundersen carried some decent speed through the weekend and was a distant fourth in the first race after a less than perfect start. The Norwegian took another top five result with fifth after lunch and was pleased to leave the circuit with 34 points and sixth overall. His new team-mate and super talent Nicolas Aubin enacted a solid first appearance for the squad with seventh in the classification.
The young Frenchman was sixth and eighth in the two Moto's and followed Gundersen in the final listing with seventh overall. Davide Guarneri was unable to compete due to a twisted ankle sustained recently in the Italian Championship at Malpensa. He is expected to be fit for the Spanish Grand Prix in two weeks time.
Both riders of the Bike it Yamaha UK Dixon racing team failed to appear at the season opening GP due to injuries.
Antonio Cairoli - first
"The first heat was a little bit easier than the second. I didn't start that well for the first moto but I felt better on the track because it wasn't so rough compared to the second race. My physical condition was good and I am happy because I have not been training that much in the sand this year. I thought Rattray was the closest rider to me today in terms of speed so I am lucky that he did not get good starts. I knew that Christophe's condition is still not great so I thought that I could win the second moto even before he crashed. I was waiting for his mistake, after which it made things easier."
"For me it's a good day, fourth in the first and fifth in the second despite a bad start. I feel strong and the bike is working very well so I am really happy. My plan is not to be totally 100% strong at this early stage so I am pleased with the results."
The Easter holidays prompt a break in the World Championship next week but the paddock then heads to southern Europe for the Grand Prix of Spain at Bellpuig followed immediately the weekend after with the Portuguese round at Agueda.
Circuit Length: 1750 |
| 2007 GP of Valkenswaard, Benelux 01/04/2007 |
| Race 1 - 17 Laps |
| Pos. | Rider | Manu. | Nat. | Total Time |
| 1 | Antonio Cairoli | Yamaha | ITA | 41'41.618 |
| 2 | Tyla Rattray | KTM | RSA | 0'7.537 |
| 3 | Gareth Swanepoel | Kawasaki | RSA | 0'10.919 |
| 4 | Kenneth Gundersen | Yamaha | NOR | 0'16.115 |
| 5 | Erik Eggens | Suzuki | NED | 0'20.211 |
| 6 | Nicolas Aubin | Yamaha | FRA | 0'31.436 |
| 7 | Christophe Pourcel | Kawasaki | FRA | 0'46.444 |
| 8 | Marcus Schiffer | KTM | GER | 0'58.769 |
| 9 | Pascal Leuret | Honda | FRA | 1'5.893 |
| 10 | Tommy Searle | KTM | GBR | 1'9.858 |
| 11 | Anthony Boissière | Kawasaki | FRA | 1'13.239 |
| 12 | Matti Seistola | Honda | FIN | 1'18.060 |
| 13 | Xavier Boog | Yamaha | FRA | 1'22.387 |
| 14 | Dennis Verbruggen | Yamaha | BEL | 1'25.946 |
| 15 | Jeremy Tarroux | Yamaha | FRA | 1'45.961 |
| 16 | Jeremy Van Horebeek | KTM | BEL | 1'47.848 |
| 17 | Avis Wyatt | KTM | RSA | 1'49.832 |
| 18 | Tom Church | Kawasaki | GBR | 1'51.800 |
| 19 | Rob van Vijfeijken | KTM | NED | 1'53.890 |
| 20 | Steven Frossard | Kawasaki | FRA | 1'56.756 |
| Race 2 - 17 Laps |
| Pos. | Rider | Manu. | Nat. | Total Time |
| 1 | Antonio Cairoli | Yamaha | ITA | 39'58.304 |
| 2 | Tyla Rattray | KTM | RSA | 0'8.354 |
| 3 | Christophe Pourcel | Kawasaki | FRA | 0'27.872 |
| 4 | Erik Eggens | Suzuki | NED | 0'34.476 |
| 5 | Kenneth Gundersen | Yamaha | NOR | 0'39.353 |
| 6 | Gareth Swanepoel | Kawasaki | RSA | 0'43.755 |
| 7 | Marcus Schiffer | KTM | GER | 0'58.299 |
| 8 | Nicolas Aubin | Yamaha | FRA | 1'9.640 |
| 9 | Anthony Boissière | Kawasaki | FRA | 1'13.504 |
| 10 | Dennis Verbruggen | Yamaha | BEL | 1'30.672 |
| 11 | Pascal Leuret | Honda | FRA | 1'35.155 |
| 12 | Sean Hamblin | Suzuki | USA | 1'43.632 |
| 13 | Matti Seistola | Honda | FIN | 1'44.678 |
| 14 | Manuel Monni | Yamaha | ITA | 1'48.772 |
| 15 | Steven Frossard | Kawasaki | FRA | 1'52.002 |
| 16 | Martin Barr | Yamaha | GBR | 1'56.835 |
| 17 | Jeremy Van Horebeek | KTM | BEL | 2'13.948 |
| 18 | Jeremy Tarroux | Yamaha | FRA | 2'21.565 |
| 19 | Rob van Vijfeijken | KTM | NED | 2'25.639 |
| 20 | Gregory Aranda | Kawasaki | FRA | -1 Laps |
| Rider Standings | 01/04/2007 | |
| Pos. | Rider | Manu. | Nat. | Points |
| 1. | Antonio Cairoli | Yamaha | ITA | 50 |
| 2. | Tyla Rattray | KTM | RSA | 44 |
| 3. | Gareth Swanepoel | Kawasaki | RSA | 35 |
| 4. | Kenneth Gundersen | Yamaha | NOR | 34 |
| 5. | Christophe Pourcel | Kawasaki | FRA | 34 |
| 6. | Erik Eggens | Suzuki | NED | 34 |
| 7. | Nicolas Aubin | Yamaha | FRA | 28 |
| 8. | Marcus Schiffer | KTM | GER | 27 |
| 9. | Anthony Boissière | Kawasaki | FRA | 22 |
| 10. | Pascal Leuret | Honda | FRA | 22 |
| 11. | Dennis Verbruggen | Yamaha | BEL | 18 |
| 12. | Matti Seistola | Honda | FIN | 17 |
| 13. | Tommy Searle | KTM | GBR | 11 |
| 14. | Jeremy Tarroux | Yamaha | FRA | 9 |
| 15. | Jeremy Van Horebeek | KTM | BEL | 9 |
| 16. | Sean Hamblin | Suzuki | USA | 9 |
| 17. | Xavier Boog | Yamaha | FRA | 8 |
| 18. | Manuel Monni | Yamaha | ITA | 7 |
| 19. | Steven Frossard | Kawasaki | FRA | 7 |
| 20. | Martin Barr | Yamaha | GBR | 5 |
| Manufacturer Standings | 01/04/2007 | |
| Pos. | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1. | Yamaha | 50 |
| 2. | KTM | 44 |
| 3. | Kawasaki | 40 |
| 4. | Suzuki | 34 |
| 5. | Honda | 22 |