In MX2 Antonio Cairoli buried the bad memories of his DNF at the 2006 Spanish round at Bellpuig with an inspiring chase of Christophe Pourcel that had the crowd cheering his efforts. In both races the 2005 World Champion experimented with different trajectories in order to shrink large margins to the escaping Pourcel. He challenged the Frenchman on the last lap of Moto one but made a mistake and opted for second place several corners before the flag. In the second race he caught up some fifteen seconds to the Kawasaki rider and gunned his YZ250F to make his three best laps of the race in the last three circulations to push his way into the lead. His emphatic celebrations - he dropped his machine and stood on it to wave and acknowledge the spectators - after the finish line showed just how much the achievement meant to him. >
Yamaha Team Ricci's Kenneth Gundersen could only secure thirteenth overall after two horrendous starts that left the Norwegian with a lot of hard work to get near the top ten. The former 125cc Grand Prix winner was twelfth and fourteen and now sits sixth in the World Championship standings.
His team-mate Nicolas Aubin showed some promising speed by running in the top five of both motos. The Frenchman unfortunately was unable to score any points due to a clutch problem in the first moto but took a decent fifth place in race two after losing second due to a small crash.
The third member of the Ricci crew, Davide Guarneri, attempted to return to World Championship action but could only manage a handful of laps in the first moto. The Italian has a strained ligament and a small fracture in the ankle he damaged while competing in his domestic series in March. The joint swelled considerably and he was unable to make the second moto. He is now a doubt for the Portuguese round next week, opting instead for more recovery time prior to the Italian Grand Prix in May.
Antonio Cairoli, Team Yamaha De Carli: "I am really happy with this race. I felt good on this track this year, we have never won the GP here before. I did not start well in the first heat but I worked hard and narrowed the gap to Christophe. I had a little bit of arm-pump and after I passed him he had some slightly better lines than me and got me back. I did not want to make a mistake so I settled for second. The track in the second moto was easier because there were more lines for us and passing was less complicated. I felt quicker than the first race so when I started slowly again I could work on Christophe's lead again; I made a very good pass on the last lap. Last year I feel that I lost my Championship here because I threw away many points to Christophe by not finishing one moto. This year I did not want to make any mistakes. I did push very hard in the second race though because I wanted the win and it was right there. I made some good laps at the end, my condition is at a high level now. Claudio (De Carli, Team Manager) gave me the cost for some damage caused when I was chearing and made a little dance standing on the bike to celebrate the victory!"
Kenneth Gundersen, Yamaha Team Ricci: "In the first moto I started almost last and came up to twelfth by the end. I was out of the gate OK but ran wide into the thick mud and almost got stuck. The track was virtually only one-line and when you get stuck behind a slower rider it was so difficult to pass; you lose your rhythm all the time. It was the same in the second heat and I had to work my way up. I hit someone on the straight and this put me right at the back. I feel good and strong on the bike I just hope that soon I can get away with the guys at the front who I want to race with."
Nicolas Aubin, Yamaha Team Ricci: "The goal was to be twice in top five and without the problem in the first race I believed it would have been possible. The clutch was going and I had to work a lot with it; but in the end it was finished. I started the second race well and was settling into my own pace in second when I made a small mistake and lost the front wheel going around a corner. Luckily the bike was still running but I lost my rhythm after that and went back a few places. Physically I am feeling fit and today was not too bad as I feel my speed is really coming along."
Most of the teams and riders were in no rush to leave Sunday evening. The Grand Prix of Portugal will occur next weekend and means a journey east for the paddock across Spain to Agueda, just south of Porto, for the third race of fifteen on the '07 schedule.