|  | The 63rd Motocross of Nations takes place next week at Franciacorta in Brescia (Italy) and the massive annual event will be the final chapter in an unforgettable 2009 campaign for MX1-GP World Champion Tony Cairoli and his Yamaha Red Bull De Carli team.
The Sicilian, who turned 24 years old last week, will steer his YZ450F for the last time this season in front of a passionate home following as the all-Yamaha Italian crew – he is joined by Yamaha Monster Energy duo David Philippaerts and Davide Guarneri – vie to win the prestigious Chamberlain trophy.
In the six years that Cairoli has been a Yamaha rider he has become not only the most successful Italian motocrosser in terms of Grand Prix wins but has also equalled Chicco Chiodi's haul of three world championships. Cairoli ruled MX2 in 2005 and 2007, grabbed the European SX title in 2006 and '07 and claimed the MX1-GP crown at his first attempt in 2009. The numbers this term are impressive: From 15 GPs and 30 motos he took 4 wins and 9 moto victories, gaining 9 podiums in total; all statistics higher than any other rider. In a ruthless little streak of four Grand Prix during mid-season he owned 6 from 8 motos and began to establish a point cushion in the standings. He celebrated his final objective of the title with one round remaining and in spite of a knee problem in the sand of Lierop, Holland, last month.
His road to the title began in 2008 - while trying to defend the MX2-GP championship but ultimately suffering bad luck with a blameless incident in South Africa that required a knee reconstruction - he collected the MX1 Italian series, as both rider and team diligently worked behind-the-scenes for their introduction to the premier class in 2009. A dedicated winter programme of testing and riding meant that Cairoli could be considered a threat from the outset.
The first of his four wins came in an impressive performance in Turkey for round three. "The one in Turkey stands out," he recalls. "The track was good for me, it was a big crowd and I had a nice race with David Philippaerts and Steve Ramon in the second moto. It was also my first victory in MX1, if you do not count a one-off wild-card appearance at Donington Park two years ago, so I remember it fondly."
Some tough races with reigning champ Philippaerts on the YZ450FM and the likes of Clement Desalle and Ken De Dycker meant that the season was far from easy but Cairoli seized the red plate as series-leader in Turkey and did not let it go for the remaining twelve events.
"I have said it before; I did not expect this title in my first year," adds the first rider ever to have scooped the number one status in both categories. "I knew I could probably win races and certainly be one of the top guys but to actually be the first rookie to do it is, for me and the team, a very good thing."
"There were some riders this year that were injured and this was a shame but I had the red plate before most of these happened and there were always threats from people like Nagl, Philipppaerts, Desalle and De Dycker," Cairoli continues. "It was not easy at all and there were times when I had to think about the standings and just go for points. Now some good races at Franciacorta in front of our fans would be the best way to finish the season."
The De Carli team, created and helmed by former 500cc rider Claudio De Carli and Yamaha-equipped since the mid-1990s, have nurtured a number of promising young Italian stars and names such as Chiodi, Federici, Camerlengo, Bonini and Lupino. In 2009 they retained the national championship thanks to Estonian Tanel Leok, who also won a flooded home Grand Prix for the squad at Faenza for the opening round of the year. De Carli's excellence in development of the YZ250F and most recently with the 450F has elevated the team to a well-deserved lofty status in the paddock.
"We had a good base with the 450 to work from. In recent years it has been proven not only in MX1 but also in the AMA motocross and supercross competitions," reveals the Italian. "We started early and were encouraged by the fact that Tony could win at Donington Park in 2007. 2009 was an important year for the team and a big challenge. Winning the 2008 Italian championship was a good first move and after Tony's knee was OK in the winter then we worked hard to be as ready as we could for the start of the season."
"Tony also did a fantastic job, his sand riding was impressive and the way he could come back from some average starts – probably his only weakness this season – was also great to watch," he explains. "I don't think the championship was easy and there was some adversity at times but the final result is very satisfying for us. I would also like to thank Tanel; he won the Italian title and also gave the team its first 2009 MX1 win at Faenza."
For both Cairoli and De Carli they now hope to end 2009 in the way it began, in triumph. Undoubtedly Cairoli's profile will have never been higher and he, together with Philippaerts and Guarneri, will count on vocal and copious support for the upcoming weekend at Franciacorta, where the latest generation of the YZ450F will also be unveiled to the European public for the first time. |
No comments:
Post a Comment