Italian racing fans are known throughout the world for their dedication and passion and the hoards that arrived to make the 2013 Grand Prix at Maggiora one of the best of last year’s series were not deterred by rain and some grim northern skies for the second edition of this popular event. The sun cream – that was almost compulsory in the days preceding the GP – was washing away early Sunday morning with the showers but the Italian soil resisted the worse…thankfully.
So a noisy, crowded and appreciative stage was the platform for Tony Cairoli to send the 35,000 public bananas with overall victory but it was the Monster Energy ‘green’ of Arnaud Tonus that also blazed a path to third position in the MX2 class for his seventh ‘gong’ of a brilliantly consistent GP campaign to-date.
Tonus chased perennial rival Jeffrey Herlings in the first moto around the narrow trajectory, twisting and turning like a fine piece of Milano spaghetti across the Maggiora hills. The Swiss could do little about the Dutchman’s escape but had his hands full after a mediocre start in the second race. He had to debunk countryman Jeremy Seewer and also contend with pacey Slovenian Tim Gajser, not to mention try to force Jordi Tixier away from third position but ultimately took fourth spot for step ‘number three’ on the box.
“Overall it was tough weekend for me because I struggled to find my rhythm,” he said. “It was one of ‘those’ weekends so to get on the podium is pretty good. Jeffrey is always consistent…I just gotta be better!”
CLS Kawasaki team-mate Dylan Ferrandis might have been in contention for the champagne also. The Frenchman was uncatchable in second position during Moto2 but a crash in the first foray into the ruts could only produce seventh place and he earned fourth overall.
Over in the premier class and flashes of brilliance were shown from the likes of CLS Monster Kawasaki’s Tommy Searle (coming back from 20th to 9th in the second moto…the Brit managed 7th overall) and Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing team’s Steven Frossard who defied illness to push Cairoli hard in the closing stages of Moto1.
MX2 third CLS racer, Thomas Covington, embarked on his second Grand Prix in Italy (round four took place at Arco di Trento near Lake Garda) watched by countryman and guest of honour Johnny O’Mara but was nursing a sore foot after a hard landing on Saturday. The American tried to race on Sunday but the pain was too much and now TC is having a check for any broken bones ahead of round eleven…which is closing in fast. MXGP speeds onto Germany this week. GP11 will hit up the ’13 Motocross of Nations venue – and regular GP haunt – Teutschenthal, where another hefty crowd will beat a path to more high speed motocross action.