Challengers to the Red Plate

While defending champions Antonio Cairoli and Pauls Jonass of the Red Bull KTM Factory team prepare to carry their red-plates into Italy next weekend, a bunch of riders will be looking to challenge the two champions and their place at the top of the MXGP and MX2 points standings.

Jeffrey Herlings in the MXGP class, Thomas Olsen and Jorge Prado in the MX2 class are the most consistent of the challengers, and all three want to fight for that red-plate in Italy.

Of course, Herlings goes to Italy with the idea of winning, but he also knows it is a circuit that will be difficult if he doesn’t have starts.

“It is basically the home from Tony,” Herlings said. “At least we will do our best. It is his home Grand Prix and he will be extra motivated with all the Italian fans and stuff, but I will take it as it is, run around for the championship. He will be really motivated to go there any win, but from my side I hope for the best and see what happens. The competition is strong, and it’s tough to always come through the pack, and every week I have to do it and just make it, so it kind of not nice to start from that position. I know we have a great team behind me and we will work on that in the coming weeks. Maybe it won’t be solved we keep improving. I am not the best of starters, but I keep working on it.”

Jorge Prado has started showing good form, but like Herlings can see a long season ahead and many points to be won.

“Well, it is still a long season,” Prado said. “I didn’t do good in Valkenswaard, and the Spanish weekend was a good weekend and I am happy with my second place. The first race was good, the second I struggled a bit, but we’ve been working hard so I’m pleased. For sure everybody wants to win in Italy, and Pauls is difficult to beat! Lately he has been riding even better than usual. So, we’ll keep trying!”

As for Olsen, he knows that being consistent is the most important aspect of being a top sportsman, and he goes with Italy with his confidence high.

“I mean for sure he (Jonass) is really strong, he is the champion from last year. He has been good in all his races, but I am not setting myself up against him, because there are so many good guys and I just want to focus on getting the best result possible. I am not going into a head to head battle with him, because the other guys might sneak up on me.”

And now let’s see if anyone can stop Cairoli and Jonass when the flag drops at the magnificent Pietramurata track on Saturday and Sunday this coming weekend.

Author:

Geoff Meyer