Clement Desalle won the 32nd edition of Starcross today at a rainy Tazio Nuvolari of Mantua. In one of the final “warm-up” races before the start of the FIM World Motocross Championship in Qatar, Desalle sweep all three motos in Italy. Evgeny Bobryshev and Kein Ceriel Kronitoff rounded out the podium.
In MX2, defending MX2 world champion, Jordi Tixier took the win over Jeremy Seewer and Brian Bogers.
MX1 Overall
1. Clement Desalle
2. Evgeny Bobryshev
3. Kein Ceriel Kronitoff
4. Kristian Whatley
5. Gert Krestinov
…
8. Tanel Leok
MX2 Overall
1. Jordi Tixier
2. Jeremy Seewer
3. Brian Bogers
4. Jens Getteman
5. Robert Just
Courtesy of Studio Bergonzini Comunicazione, below in the official race report.
Rainy day at the circuit Tazio Nuvolari of Mantua for the 32nd edition of Starcross. A typical winter weather which, however, did not deprive of the show the many fans who did not want to give up to meet their off road heroes.
The day started with the exciting challenge "1 to 1": in MXGP in the quarterfinals Clement Desalle dominated against Tanel Leok and Evgeny Bobryshev won against Christian Beggi, with the final victory of the Russian. In MX2 Jordi Tixier prevailed on Simone Zecchina and Brian Bogers on Ivo Monticelli, while the challenge between Tixier and Bogers saw the latter winning, surprisingly, also the final against Bobryshev.
Three heats followed, with the best 50 riders of MXGP and MX2.
In Race 1 Clement Desalle (Rockstar Energy Suzuki) went straight to the lead followed by Evgeny Bobryshev (Honda HRC) and Kristian Whatley (Honda Team Buildbase). In the early phases of the race the fastest of the Italians was Cristian Beggi, who will finish in 7th place on the SM Action Team Yamaha, while David De Bortoli (Honda Team Massignani) was forced to an early retirement while he was seventh. Great recovery from Jordi Tixier (Monster Energy Kawasaki): only 14 ° on the first lap, the MX2 world champion ended the first race in the fifth position, but first in MX2. The superiority of Desalle was never put in discussion, and up to the chequered flag the Suzuki rider had an increasing gap on Russian Bobryshev.
Race 2 was a "solo" for Clement Desalle, who found again his main opponent in Evgeny Bobryshev. Also on this occasion, however, the Russian rider never appeared really able to challenge the leader, who crossed the finish line with a good gap on the whole group. Behind Brobryshev, Dutch Ceriel Kein Kromhof, on KTM, who ended up ahead the Swiss Jeremy Seewer (Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe), the first in MX2, in front of Jordi Tixier. The fastest of the Italians on this occasion was Ivo Monticelli, on KTM, tenth overall and fourth in MX2.
At the third start of the day it was again the Belgian "ace" Clement Desalle to catch the first position. Behind him, once again, Russian Evgeny Bobryshev. Great start, this time, for French Jordi Tixier, who catched immediately the third position ahead of Tanel Leok and stepped atop the podium. First of Italians Cristian Beggi, eleventh at the finish line.
Winning the three races, Belgian Clement Desalle, 25 years old, of La Louviere, snatched victory of the 32th edition of Starcross, the great classical motocross race which traditionally precedes the World Championship, while Jordi Tixier confirmed his superiority in MX2, like last year.
For classes EMX 125 cc and EMX 85 cc, after the first race of yesterday, today two more two races were held. In the eighth-liter Nicola Bertuzzi and Ivan Petrov, both on KTM, won one race each and the overall standings after three rounds awarded Nicola Bertuzzi, in front Filippo Zonta (Husqvarna) and Ivan Petrov (KTM). Among the youngest riders of EMX 85cc class, victory for Kevin Cristino (KTM) in race 2 and for the Dutch Raivo Dankers (KTM) in race 3: the latter also won the overall standings ahead of compatriot Raf Meuwissen and Italian Kevin Cristino.
