Last Sunday was a day for the Italian ‘old guard’ with 31 year old Tony Cairoli (eight times world champion) and 38 year old Valentino Rossi (nine titles) reminding their rivals and pursuers the level they still need to reach.
In Cairoli’s case his fourth victory of 2017, his seventh podium from eleven rounds, an 81st career success and 140th podium from 207 GP starts (thanks to Lorenzo Resta for the data) was achieved in style thanks to his duel and defeat of teammate Jeffrey Herlings across the Ottobiano sand.
It was #222’s second set of spoils on home turf and his battle with the Dutchman and subsequent authority (he was over 35 seconds ahead of third place finisher Gautier Paulin in the first moto) was another highlight in a stellar renaissance for the Sicilian and after two seasons mired by injury problems.
“I did my best and I gave 100%; everything I had. We made a good race and I’m really happy that everybody came here to see it; after all these years they still do that,” he said afterwards and in reference to the 33,000 crowd figure at Ottobiano. “It’s amazing and that motocross is still growing in Italy. I had the sand king behind me! He was faster in some places but we worked on the [full] 35 minutes and we beat him…but I am really looking only at myself and the championship. I didn’t take any risks and was riding good and carefully. The team worked really good with the bike and KTM is making a lot of effort with motocross and we are developing a lot of parts and we test a lot so thanks to the crew for always making it so good.”
Cairoli was asked to compare the Lombardian success with the sensational comeback charge that saw him claim the Grand Prix of Trentino at Arco di Trento in April. “It is not so different,” he revealed. “For sure this is a track I like more compared to Arco. This was much more technical and physical and better for me. Two different victories but every one of them is special and nice.”
The to-ing and fro-ing with Herlings raised the tension and temperature in both motos and with the relentless sunshine and humidity already creating the hottest and most demanding conditions of the season. At one point Herlings opened a four-second gap in the second sprint and looked set to claim the overall. “I wasn’t worried,” Cairoli said. “I was trying to see what lines he had. In the first moto after the pitlane I knew he had a better line than me and in the second moto I switched to that. When he passed me I tried to rest a little bit and see where he was better but he didn’t have many different ones so I tried to push again and catch him back. It was good for the race and he was tired and dropped back.”
“At the beginning of the first race there was a lot of playing in the corners but I have some experience with that so I was waiting for his pass and immediately answered back,” he added. “It was a fun race, I have to say. It was nice to fight with him and he is a pretty clean rider.”
Herlings, who had been suffering with a stomach sickness, eventually needed treatment for dehydration after the chequered flag.
Cairoli used his status at the centre of the post-race press conference to lament the relatively small amount of attention his efforts are gaining in terms of mainstream media attention in Italy. The country has two rounds of the MXGP series and is expected to do so again in 2018. Cairoli is leading the standings by 67 points as he aims to clinch a ninth crown: he is already by far the second most successful athlete in the history of motocross and needs two more titles and twenty more wins to overtake Stefan Everts at the top of the record books.
“I won and Valentino won in Assen but in one way it is a bit of a shame because motocross has a good following from the fans but not really from the TV or radio [mainstream media],” he opined. “They only talk about sports where there is a lot of money involved which is Formula One, where there is not even a driver there from Italy close to the points. In MotoGP, OK, you have Valentino and now Dovizioso doing well but there is also motocross as part of motorsport. I think I’ve done a lot for motocross [here] in the last ten-fifteen years and if we cannot reach the media now then I don’t know what more I can do. I have done my best.”
Photos by Ray Archer
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