Simpson's the Star' Man'
By TMX Archives on 11th Feb 10
THE traditional season-opening International Motocross at Mantova in Italy took place last weekend and the occasion was used by KTM to launch their new bikes and new teams.
World MX1 champ Toni Cairoli gave the ground-breaking 350 KTM an awesome debut with an untroubled victory in heavy going while Britain's Shaun Simpson, following an injury-blighted 2009, got his 2010 season away to a superb start by clearly being best MX2 rider on his 250cc version. With no separate MX2 race Shaun thoroughly enjoyed his scrap with the 450 boys and the talented Scot gave as good as he got. Mike Alessi, from the USA, was expected to make waves among the Europeans but was conspicuous by his virtual absence leaving it to American youngster Jimmy Alberston to fly the Stars and Stripes – which he did to great effect. Find out here exactly how the big early season bash panned-out...
Toni Cairoli and Shaun Simpson made it a double victory for KTM in the opening race of the European motocross season at Mantova in northern Italy on Sunday. The Scot battled the 450s all day for an overwhelming MX2 victory, while the Italian startled the opposition by sweeping all before him riding the new 350!
MANTOVA STARCROSS MOTOCROSS
Northern Italy
MX1 OVERALL: 1 Toni Cairoli (I – Red Bull KTM), 2 Steve Ramon (B – Teka Suzuki), 3 Clement Desalle (B – Teka Suzuki), 4 David Philippaerts (I – Monster Rinaldi Yamaha), 5 Marc de Reuver (NL – Beuersfoon Suzuki), 6 Tanel Leok (EW – LS Honda), 7 Jonathan Barragan (E – KRT Kawasaki), 8 Max Nagl (D – Red Bull KTM), 9 Xavier Boog (F – KRT Kawasaki), 10 Jimmy Albertson (US – Martin Honda).
MX2 OVERALL: 1 Shaun Simpson (GB – Red Bull KTM), 2 Marvin Musquin (F – Red Bull KTM), 3 Arnaud Tonus (CH – Teka Suzuki), 4 Marcus Schiffer (D – Silver Action KTM), 5 Herjan Brakke (NL – Nestaan Yamaha), 6 Jose Butron (E – Beuersfoon Suzuki).
FIRST RACE: 1 Cairoli, 2 Philippaerts, 3 de Reuver, 4 Simpson*, 5 Barragan, 6 Ramon, 7 Nagl, 8 Aigar Leok (EW - TM), 9 Ken De Dycker (B – Monster Ricci Yamaha), 10 Bas Verhoeven (NL - Honda), 11 Ken Roczen (D – Teka Suzuki)*, 12 Kevin Strijbos (B – Jobe KTM), 13 Anthony Boissiere (F – Jobe KTM), 14 Boog, 15 Davide Guarneri (I – LS Honda), 16 Desalle, 17 Schiffer*, 18 Musquin*, 19 Tonus*, 20 Gert Krestinov (EW – KTM), 21 Butron.
SECOND RACE: 1 Cairoli, 2 Desalle, 3 Tanel Leok, 4 Ramon, 5 de Reuver, 6 Albertson, 7 Simpson*, 8 Philipppaerts, 9 De Dycker, 10 Manuel Priem (B - Aprilia), 11 Musquin*, 12 Boog, 13 Nagl, 14 Verhoeven, 15 Aigar Leok, 16 Tonus*, 17 Barragan, 18 Manuel Monni (I – 3C Yamaha), 19 Strijbos, 20 Boissiere, 21 Schiffer*, 22 Butron*
THIRD RACE: 1 Tanel Leok, 2 Desalle, 3 Cairoli, 4 Ramon, 5 Albertson, 6 Philippaerts, 7 de Reuver, 8 Musquin*, 9 Barragan, 10 Boog, 11 Boissiere, 12 Nagl, 13 Monni, 14 Simpson*, 15 Tonus*, 16 Verhoeven, 17 Schiffer*, 18 Gianluca Martini (I – Honda)*, 19 Brakke*, 20 Filip Neugebauer (CZ – Pfeil Kawasaki), 21 Khounsith Vongsana (F – TM)*.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2010
Toni Cairoli nails the holeshot on the all-new 350 KTM as the pack head for the first corner in the opening International Motocross race of the year.