2011 FIM Motocross
It is going to be a busy weekend at the Zelta Zirgs track in Kegums, Latvia, as it will take place not only the 10th Grand Prix of the FIM Motocross World Championship, but also the fifth round of the UEM EMX2 series and the third round of the FIM Veterans World Cup.
Antonio Cairoli arrives in Latvia as the leader of the FIM Motocross MX1 Championship, but Clement Desalle seems to be ready again to fight for the overall victory, as he proved last weekend in Germany after obtaining the third overall position.
However, Evgeny Bobryshev is also one of the favourites to fight for the Grand Prix victory this weekend, as Kegums is one of his favourite tracks and he comes from obtaining his maiden GP victory last weekend in Teutschenthal.
The Zelta Zirgs track is characteristic for its mixture of sand and hard pack, so for the runner up of the series Jeffrey Herlings can be a good opportunity to beat his teammate Ken Roczen, as he did already last year. Their teammate Jeremy Van Horebeek will be back at the starting grid of the MX2 class after the injury he suffered in Germany.
FIM Motocross MX1
Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing MX1’s Cairoli could not take the overall win in Teutschenthal, but he was able to keep the red plate one more week and he is now leading the MX1 Championship with 18 points advantage over Desalle.
The Italian arrives in Latvia looking forward to going out with a FIM Motocross victory and increase the point’s difference with the runner up of the series.
Desalle is not fully fit from his several injuries, but he succeeded in being on the third step of the podium last weekend in Germany.
Last year, the Rockstar Energy Suzuki World Motocross MX1 rider was on the top of the rostrum, so he might be able to repeat such victory and obtain some valuable FIM Motocross points for the Championship.
Monster Energy Yamaha’s Frossard, who was third last year in Kegums in the FIM Motocross MX2 class, is now third in the point standings, 22 points behind Desalle. Frossard was unlucky last weekend in Teutschenthal and he was just eighth overall, so he is determined not to make more mistakes and be back on the podium.
However, Honda World Motocross, who is now in the fourth position in the FIM Motocross MX1 Championship, will not leave things easy for the above-mentioned riders, as Kegums is one of the favourite tracks for the Russian. Besides, Bobryshev arrives extra motivated to what he calls his "home GP" after obtaining his maiden MX1 victory last weekend in Germany.
Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Motocross Racing MX1’s Nagl is down in the fifth position of the point standings, after having been second during the first Grand Prix of the season. The German has been struggling with himself and also the settings of his bike lately, so Kegums might be a turning point for the German if he can obtain a good result.
Home FIM Motocross MX1 riders Ivo Steinbergs and Augusts Justs will have an extra motivation this weekend and they will do their best finish among the top twenty riders and get extra points for the Championship.
2010 Latvia MX1 PODIUM:
1. Clement Desalle
2. Antonio Cairoli
3. Steve Ramon
2010 MX1 POLEMAN: Clement Desalle
FIM Motocross MX2
With 19 points advantage, Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing MX2’s Roczen lands in Latvia determined to obtain the overall victory, which he missed last year. Roczen is aware of Herlings skills on the Latvian FIM Motocross track, so he might struggle more than usual to finish on the top of the podium this weekend.
Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing MX2’s Herlings is very confident for this weekend, as Kegums is a hard sand track and he has some advantage over his rivals.
The sand specialist won the Latvian GP last year, so he might be able to beat his teammate Roczen this weekend and obtain very valuable points for the chase of the FIM Motocross MX2 Title.
CLS Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Searle is still third in the MX2 Championship, but Paulin is getting closer, as the French has been more consistent than the Brit in the last GP. Searle arrives in Latvia with a little bit of disadvantage, as it is going to be the first time he races a Grand Prix in Kegums.
Monster Energy Yamaha’s Paulin has been riding among the top five FIM Motocross MX2 riders during the last Grand Prix and he obtained his first race victory last weekend in Germany, but he missed the overall victory for just two points. Paulin has admitted that he feels 100% ready to fight for his maiden GP victory of the season, so Kegums might be the place for the French to fulfil his goal.
Bike-it Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamaha’s Osborne managed to finish sixth last weekend in Germany even suffering from the Epstein Barr Virus. The American is feeling much better now, so he is looking forward to fight again for the top three positions, as he did in previous FIM Motocross Grand Prix.
Home rider Matiss Karro was back from an injury in Sweden and he managed to finish among the top 20 riders in the two previous GP. Latvian Karro finished 14th last year in the MX2 class, so he is determined to show his talent in the
MX1 class to all the Latvian fans who will come this weekend to the Zelta Zirgs track.
2010 Latvia MX2 PODIUM:
1. Jeffrey Herlings
2. Ken Roczen
3. Steven Frossard
2010 MX2 POLEMAN: Ken Roczen
FIM Motocross EMX2
The fifth round of the UEM EMX2 series will take place this weekend in Latvia and it will be crucial for the top five riders, as there will only be two more rounds after the race this weekend in Kegums. Charles Lefrançois is the current leader of the series, but Dylan Ferrandis, who has dominated the last two rounds with great authority, and Romain Febvre are just five and seven points respectively behind the leader of the series.
FIM Motocross Veterans
The FIM Veterans World Cup will also be present this weekend in Latvia to celebrate the third round of the series, after the Dutch and the American rounds at the beginning of the 2011 season. Mats Nilsson arrives in Kegums as the clear favourite with 47 points advantage over his pursuers Roger Jakobsson and Alfredo Camps, who are tight in points in the second and third position of the Championship.
Latvia FIM Motocross Schedule:
Saturday: VMX Free Practice 7:20; EMX2 Free + Qualifying Time Practice Group A 7:55; EMX2 Free + Qualifying Time Practice Group B 8:35; MX2 Free Practice 9:30; MX1 Free Practice 10:15; VMX Time Practice 11:00; EMX2 Qualifying Race Group A 12:10; EMX2 Qualifying Race Group B 12:45; MX2 Pre-Qualifying Practice 13:15; MX1-Pre Qualifying Practice 14:00; VMX Race 1 15:10; MX2 Qualifying Race 16:10; MX1 Qualifying Race 17:00; EMX2 Last Chance Qualifying Practice 17:45; VMX Race 2 18:40; EMX2 B-Final 19:20.
Sunday: EMX2 Warm up 8:30; MX2 Warm up 9:00; MX1 Warm up 9:30; EMX2 Race 1 10:15; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 12:10; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 13:10; EMX2 Race 2 14:10; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 15:03; MX1 Grand Prix race 2 16:03.
