Davey Coombs (Editor in Chief RacerX and President of MX Sports Racing USA) spent last weekend at Europe’s FIM World Motocross Championship at Trentino, Italy- DC came away impressed.
Regarded as the most influential man in USA Motocross having transformed America’s Amateur and Professional MX Racing to the high profile level it is today, DC hung with Europe’s die-hard MX fans, witnessing the best battles of track racing over 2 days.
DC: ‘The atmosphere of a GP is always fun because it’s just so different from what we see in America every summer, and completely different from Monster Energy Supercross. The fans are so tuned in to what’s going on, and because it was Tony Cairoli’s home country, where his fans are legion, there was definitely an air of electricity around the whole event’.
‘Even though the venue is very small the fans who did come saw a great show…and even though their guy got beat, they were behind him from start to finish’.
With MXGP covering 18 Rounds with the final at Glen Helen, USA Davey witnessed great Champions from both sides of the world battle it out up front with all the expectations of who will stand top of the podium.
DC: ‘I think any major race- Supercross and the Outdoor Nationals here in America, a Grand Prix in Europe- are special, exciting events. Each are different in their own right, and each boast a huge following’.
‘In Italy the track was small and rather choppy, rocky and dry, but it felt like the Motocross of Nations because of the looming showdown between RV and Cairoli. Max Nagl got in there to play the spoiler, but the fans got what they wanted: Good racing with Tony Cairoli taking a moto win and finish ahead of Villipoto’.
With the inclusion of Junior classes 65cc through to 250cc at selected Rounds, MXGP event has increased rider number’s on the gates and given talented rising young guns a shot at racing on GP tracks.
DC comments: ‘Any time a young rider gets to participate in an event of the magnitude of a GP or an AMA Motocross event it is a great opportunity to learn from the very best. Europe finally has a system to help kids from all over compete with one another, much like we have here in the States with the de facto Amateur National circuit (Loretta Lynn’s, Ponca City, Mini O’s, Ricky Carmichael’s Daytona Supercross, the Spring GNC in Texas etc).
‘It’s a neat addition, though made for a long weekend in the pits on a small track as Arco di Trento’.
Most impressed, most worth remembering for the future and most unexpected at Trentino?
DC says: ‘Max Nagl and Tim Gajser had exceptional days. Max got his third win in four races, which is amazing for a guy that’s been around for a while but is finally putting the puzzle pieces together’.
‘And Gajser flat-out beat Jeffrey Herlings, which is no easy feat. He had a small group of fans there who had bussed themselves in from Slovenia and they were the life of the infield’.
‘Both have flown under the very shadows of the RV/Cairoli match-up and the great Herlings, and I didn’t really expect either to win at first. They were fast and strong throughout and their wins in Italy were exciting to see’.
My thanks to Davey Coombs for taking time to put comments on above.
Words: Sharon Cox
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