With three Grand Prix’s held in Italy in 2019, there is little doubt that each and every one will be jam packed with spectators, as motocross in Italy at the moment is hot.
The Trentino circuit held round four of the FIM Motocross World Championship, and this weekend we will see four five played out in the village of Mantova, while the 15th round will be held at Imola.
Of course, with nine-time World motocross champion Antonio Cairoli leading the MXGP championship points, you know the Italian people will support their legend.
So as Cairoli heads to the Citta’ Di Mantova circuit for the Monster Energy Grand Prix of Lombardia we wanted to highlight the other Italian racers riding in Italy this coming weekend.
In MXGP the Italian attendance is good and as we saw in last months Grand Prix in Trentino, the success rate might also be up there. In Trentino, Cairoli finished second, Ivo Monticelli finished fifth, and Alessandro Lupino finished in seventh place. Of course, while Cairoli will be looking for victory in Mantova, Monticelli and Lupino would probably be happy with top ten again on home soil.
“I was pretty happy with Trentino, even though I know my riding could be even better,” Lupino said after Trentino. “I scored good points, my best GP so far, and this seventh position is good for everyone in the team. We had five weeks before Mantova to be even stronger. I know that I can be in the top ten regularly, and that is what we will work for.”
As tough as the MXGP class is, Monticelli is holding down 12th place in the series points and Lupino is 14th. Now for somebody like Cairoli, that isn’t a great position, but for the other Italian riders, both racing for privateer teams, these results are brilliant.
The fourth Italian in MXGP, Samuele Bernardini the fight for points has been much tougher. Recently out of the MX2 class, Bernardini has scored just three points and sits in 28th place in the World. Still, a fighter, don’t be surprised to see this Italian lion fight hard in Mantova.
Now while Italy has a strong group of riders in MXGP, the MX2 class is a little thin. In fact, just two riders sit in the top 20 and those are Michele Cervellin, and Alberto Forato, holding down 11th and 20th places respectively.
Cervellin, who has long been the stand-out Italian in MX2 has scored 73 points and is good in the sand, so Mantova might help him move into the top ten in the series points.
Had it not been for a seventh place overall in Valkenswaard, Forato wouldn’t have a single point to his name, but that 23-point haul moved him into the top 20 in the MX2 class.
All eyes will be on these riders as they continue to hold the Italian flag high in MXGP and MX2.
Photo Copyright: Kawasaki Racing
Author: Geoff Meyer
