Everts and Philippaerts Win in Italy

Stefan Everts just keeps on winning. This time, the nine-time world motocross champion took the Italian Grand Prix in front of 26,000 fans at Montevarchi. Everts went 1-1 for the win. The 33-year-old claimed both motos to stretch his haul of consecutive victories to 11, and seven from seven Grand Prix. His career total now stands at a phenomenal 94 and he has eight remaining rounds from which to reach a magical 100.

"I don't get bored with winning, because every race is a hard job," Everts said. "Kevin did well today to put some pressure on me, especially in the second moto. He is keeping me focused lately and I have to keep pushing to stay in front. It was a good close race for the crowd. It is not coming that easily for me. Every weekend is a new challenge. There are still many races to go and I want to stay in good shape."

Stefan Everts

Everts claimed his second pole position of the season and his second inside one week on Saturday with a lap time over a second quicker than nearest pursuer Suzuki's Kevin Strijbos. The result of the timed practice ran straight into the first moto, where the World Champion enjoyed the holeshot and promptly set his own pace ahead of the Suzuki representative. Despite running close together, Everts was again faultless and stretched his run of consecutive moto victories to 10.
 
Factory Red Bull KTM rider David Philippaerts won his first Grand Prix of the season after a confident and convincing display at Montevarchi in Italy. Philippaerts was on fire at his home event and wowed the crowd with two close races against Yamaha’s Antonio Cairoli. He was able to pass teammate Rattray in the first outing and defended the lead from a late attack by his Yamaha rival on the last laps for his second moto victory of the season. After lunch, Philippaerts produced an amazing start to lead by some four seconds on the second lap, but he seemed to have chucked a potential "double" out of the window when he crashed one circulation later.

“It has been a perfect day," he said. "Yesterday I was fast, but I felt quicker today and the track was better for me. The bike was really working well. It was a shame about the crash in the second race because I made a lot of work for myself. I lost control before the jump and had to recover the bike and get going again quickly if I didn’t want to lose the GP. There were so many people cheering for me, and I am happy to have given them some nice races and a win.”

In short, the 22-year-old was then sensational, throwing the 250 SX-F around like an 80cc and blazing his way around the cambered course. It wasn’t long before he renewed battle with Cairoli and passed the World Champion to hang on through another last-lap assault. After a podium in Bulgaria last week, Philippaerts is in red-hot form and his emotional Italian victory represents his third career success.

MX1 Race1

1. EVERTS Stefan  BEL YAMAHA
2. STRIJBOS Kevin  BEL SUZUKI
3. DE DYCKER Ken  BEL HONDA
4. RAMON Steve  BEL SUZUKI
5. BARRAGAN Jonathan SPA KTM
6. GARCIA VICO Javier SPA HONDA
7. LEOK Tanel  EST KAWASAKI
8. MELOTTE Cedric  BEL YAMAHA
9. BILL Julien  SUI YAMAHA
10. LEURET Pascal  FRA HONDA

MX1 Race2

1. EVERTS Stefan  BEL YAMAHA
2. STRIJBOS Kevin  BEL SUZUKI
3. LEOK Tanel  EST KAWASAKI
4. RAMON Steve  BEL SUZUKI
5. GARCIA VICO Javier SPA HONDA
6. JORGENSEN Brian  DEN HONDA
7. DE DYCKER Ken  BEL HONDA
8. LEURET Pascal  FRA HONDA
9. PRIEM Manuel  BEL YAMAHA
10. VAN DAELE Marvin BEL HONDA
28. BARRAGAN Jonathan SPA KTM

MX1 Overall Result

1. EVERTS Stefan   BEL YAMAHA 50
2. STRIJBOS Kevin   BEL SUZUKI 44
3. RAMON Steve   BEL SUZUKI 36
4. LEOK Tanel   EST KAWASAKI 34
5. DE DYCKER Ken   BEL HONDA 34
6. GARCIA VICO Javier  SPA HONDA 31
7. LEURET Pascal   FRA HONDA 24
8. JORGENSEN Brian  DEN HONDA 18
9. BILL Julien   SUI YAMAHA 17
10. FREIBERGS Lauris  LAT SUZUKI 16
12. BARRAGAN Jonathan  SPA KTM  16

MX1 World Championship standings after 7 of 15

1. EVERTS Stefan  BEL 342
2. STRIJBOS Kevin BEL 253
3. LEOK Tanel  EST 245
4. DE DYCKER Ken BEL 231
5. RAMON Steve  BEL 227
6. BARRAGAN J.  SPA 166
7. LEURET Pascal  FRA 147
8. JORGENSEN Brian DEN 120
9. PRIEM Manuel  BEL 120
10. MELOTTE Cedric BEL 118
14. TORTELLI S.  FRA 99

MX2 Race1

1. PHILIPPAERTS David  ITA KTM
2. CAIROLI Antonio  ITA YAMAHA
3. POURCEL Sébastien  FRA KAWASAKI
4. POURCEL Christophe  FRA KAWASAKI
5. RATTRAY Tyla  RSA KTM
6. SWANEPOEL Gareth  RSA KAWASAKI
7. GUARNERI Davide  ITA YAMAHA
8. GUNDERSEN Kenneth  NOR YAMAHA
9. DE REUVER Marc  NED KTM
10. LEOK Aigar  EST YAMAHA
14. NUNN Carl   GBR KTM

MX2 Race2

1. PHILIPPAERTS David  ITA KTM
2. CAIROLI Antonio  ITA YAMAHA
3. POURCEL Christophe  FRA KAWASAKI
4. SWANEPOEL Gareth  RSA KAWASAKI
5. POURCEL Sébastien  FRA KAWASAKI
6. GONCALVES Rui  POR KTM
7. SEARLE Tommy  GBR KAWASAKI
8. CAMPANO Carlos  SPA KTM
9. SEISTOLA Matti  FIN HONDA
10. SEGUY Luigi  FRA YAMAHA
12. NUNN Carl   GBR KTM
28. RATTRAY Tyla  RSA KTM

MX2 Overall Result

1. PHILIPPAERTS David  ITA KTM  50
2. CAIROLI Antonio   ITA YAMAHA 44
3. POURCEL Christophe  FRA KAWASAKI 38
4. POURCEL Sébastien  FRA KAWASAKI 36
5. SWANEPOEL Gareth  RSA KAWASAKI 33
6. GONCALVES Rui   POR KTM  25
7. SEARLE Tommy   GBR KAWASAKI 20
8. SEISTOLA Matti   FIN HONDA 20
9. CAMPANO Carlos   SPA KTM  18
10. GUNDERSEN Kenneth  NOR YAMAHA 17
11. NUNN Carl   GBR KTM  16
12. RATTRAY Tyla   RSA KTM  16
15. DE REUVER Marc  NED KTM  12

 MX2 World Championship standings after 7 of 15

1. POURCEL C.  FRA 274
2. DE REUVER Marc NED 246
3. RATTRAY Tyla  RSA 235
4. CAIROLI Antonio ITA 231
5. PHILIPPAERTS D. ITA 210
6. MACKENZIE Billy GBR 168
7. NUNN Carl  GBR 159
8. POURCEL S.  FRA 140
9. GUNDERSEN K.  NOR 139
10. SWANEPOEL Gareth RSA 134