Yamaha Red Bull De Carli’s Antonio Cairoli (pictured) and Red Bull KTM’s Rui Goncalves owned the MX1 and MX2 classes, respectively, at Agueda for the Grand Prix of Portugal, the fifth round of 15 in the 2009 FIM Motocross World Championship, but, as always, beneath the numbers, names and points and through the mist of champagne spray, several stories were to emerge from this entirely pleasant and exciting event.Chief among the headlines is Cairoli’s latest accomplishment. The manner of his double-moto win was impressive enough, as he started well to beat Teka Suzuki’s Ken De Dycker in the first sprint and then begun poorly but shrunk a deficit of more than 15 seconds from eighth position in the formative stages to zip through the field and again defeat the powerful Belgian. The speed, finesse and style were unparalleled, and the Sicilian is fast becoming the favored face for the 2009 title. Aside from the display that led to his second garland this season exist the figures that identify the former double MX2 World Champion as an authentic star in his rookie MX1 campaign. This was his third victory in just six career appearances on the YZ450F, his fourth GP win from five in Portugal and eked a phenomenal record of nine moto triumphs from his last 10 races at Agueda.Cairoli’s plaudits were hard earned, and even slightly derived in some quarters, as a racing incident with World Champion and Yamaha Monster Energy’s David Philippaerts while tussling for second place in moto two saw the Italian hit the ground and pick up his first DNF of the season with a fractured left index finger.”I am sorry about the contact with David,” Cairoli explained. “I did not expect him to be there, and it was not my intention to touch. These things happen and they are not nice, especially if he is hurt.””There were two lines and he wanted the first and also the second and came across me,” said Philippaerts struggling to remain diplomatic. “This is part of motocross and not a big problem but it had a big price for me.”Philippaerts’ injury was the latest in a truly incomprehensible long list of casualties in the past two weeks with at least three factory teams now looking for saddles to be filled. The 40-rider gate for MX1 barely struggled to get 30 participants with Kevin Strijbos (broken wrist), Marc De Reuver (hip and three vertebrae), Seb Pourcel (shoulder), Billy Mackenzie (suspected broken thumb), Cedric Melotte (back), Shaun Simpson in MX2 (bad leg break, heel and wrist) all out in what was a depressing situation for Honda; the Grand Prix only saved by the minimally backed figure of Clement Desalle, taking his second career podium with third place behind Cairoli and De Dycker.Sadly joining the throng was America’s sole GP hope Zach Osborne. The winner of the MX2 Turkish round was launched off a troubled Utag Yamaha on Saturday and the crash resulted in a chipped left radius, necessitating a six-week recovery period.Goncalves’ victory in front of the biggest crowd to flock to Agueda (25,000 for the weekend) this century represented the first for a local rider this season. The bounteous public around the jumpy and interesting but demandingly rough circuit ensured that this was the liveliest and most interesting Portuguese Grand Prix for a number of years. The KTM rider’s flight to second and first was not quite overshadowed by a brilliant ride from last place to victory by Marvin Musquin in the first moto and the spindly Frenchman secured his fourth podium behind Goncalves and pole position holder Steven Frossard (who finally notched two moto results).Also ignorable in MX2 was the startling debut by 15-year-old German Ken Roczen; the source of “Alessi-esque” hype in recent months. Looking like a young Cairoli in the flamboyant ease with which he handled the Teka RM-Z250 Suzuki, he rode to seventh overall with ninth and fourth positions; surely the most impressive and affirming debut in the short history of the class and certainly noteworthy in the 50-year history of the sport.In the standings Cairoli has a “moto” lead of 25 points over De Dycker with Jonathan Barragan – the winner of the previous race in Holland, only 10th overall due to wrenched ligaments in his left shoulder due to a midweek training smash – in third spot. Goncalves has gained ground on MX2 leader Gautier Paulin (sixth overall after a broken water hose in moto one and a bad start in moto two) after an inconsistent start to the campaign while Musquin has drawn to within 6 points of his countryman after his resilient performance.Women’s World Champion Livia Lancelot guided her works Kawasaki to a second victory in what was round two of six in the series and the first visit for the girls to Portugal. Main title rival Stephanie Laier was disqualified from Moto1 for outside assistance but claimed the second sprint. AMA Champion Ashley Fiolek was second overall, ahead of Germany’s Larissa Papenmeier. Factory Honda rep Fiolek is second in the championship but will miss round three to return home and prepare for defense of her National crown. USA’s Tarah Geiger broke her right wrist on the first lap of moto one and Sarah Whitmore was ninth on her European debut.Round six of 15, and the third stop for the ladies, will take place this weekend at the hillside setting of Bellpuig for the Grand Prix of Catalunya; one and a half hours west of Barcelona, Spain.ResultsMX1 Moto 11. Antonio Cairoli (Yam); 2. Ken De Dycker (Suz); 3. Clement Desalle (Hon); 4. Max Nagl (KTM); 5. David Philippaerts (Yam); 6. Tanel Leok (Yam); 7. Josh Coppins (Yam); 8. Jonathan Barragan (KTM); 9. Greg Aranda (Kaw); 10. Gareth Swanepoel (Kaw); 11. David Vuillemin (Kaw); 12. Aigar Leok (TM); 13. Manuel Priem (Apr); 14. Fabien Izoird (Suz); 15. Tom Church (CCM); 16. Shannon Terreblanche (Kaw); 17. Luis Correira (Suz); 18. Hugo Basaula (Suz); 19. Loic Leonce (Apr); 20. Carlos Campano (Yam).MX1 Moto 21. Antonio Cairoli (Yam); 2. Ken De Dycker (Suz); 3. Clement Desalle (Hon); 4. Josh Coppins (Yam); 5. Tanel Leok (Yam); 6. David Vuillemin (Kaw); 7. Max Nagl (KTM); 8. Gareth Swanepoel (Kaw); 9. Greg Aranda (Kaw); 10. Jonathan Barragan (KTM); 11. Aigar Leok (TM); 12. Carlos Campano (Yam); 13. Manuel Priem (Apr); 14. Luis Correira (Suz); 15. Fabien Izoird (Suz); 16. Loic Leonce (Apr); 17. Hugo Santos (Apr); 18. Gert Krestinov (KTM); 19. Johan Carlsson (Suz); 20. Rob Van Vijfeijken (Yam);MX1 Overall Result1. Antonio Cairoli (Yam); 2. Ken De Dycker (Suz); 3. Clement Desalle (Hon); 4. Josh Coppins (Yam); 5. Max Nagl (KTM); 6. Tanel Leok (Yam); 7. David Vuillemin (Kaw); 8. Gareth Swanepoel (Kaw); 9. Greg Aranda (Kaw); 10. Jonathan Barragan (KTM); 11. Aigar Leok (TM); 12. Manuel Priem (Apr); 13. David Philippaerts (Yam); 14. Fabien Izoird (Suz); 15. Luis Correira (Suz); 16. Carlos Campano (Yam); 17. Loic Leonce (Apr); 18. Tom Church (CCM); 19. Shannon Terreblanche (Kaw); 20. Hugo Santos (Apr);MX1 World Championship standings1. Antonio Cairoli (193); 2. Ken De Dycker (168); 3. Jonathan Barragan (152); 4. Josh Coppins (144); 5. Tanel Leok (142); 6. David Philippaerts (134); 7. Clement Desalle (126); 8. Max Nagl (119); 9. Steve Ramon (100); 10. Kevin Strijbos (82); 11. David Vuillemin (73); 12. Aigar Leok (67); 13. Gareth Swanepoel (67); 14. Marc De Reuver (45); 15. Billy Mackenzie (42); 16. Greg Aranda (39); 17. James Noble (39); 18. Manuel Priem (39); 19. Seb Pourcel (26) 20. Gert Krestinov (25);MX2 Moto 11. Marvin Musquin (Hon); 2. Rui Goncalves (KTM); 3. Steven Frossard (Kaw); 4. Gautier Paulin (Kaw); 5. Davide Guarneri (Yam); 6. Loic Larrieu (Yam); 7. Arnaud Tonus (KTM); 8. Nico Aubin (Yam); 9. Ken Roczen (Suz); 10. Alex Lupino (Yam); 11. Joel Roelants (KTM); 12. Evgeny Bobryshev (Yam); 13. Stephen Sword (KTM); 14. Manuel Monni (Yam); 15. Yohei Kojima (Suz); 16. Cedric Soubeyras (Yam); 17. Petr Smitka (KTM); 18. Jake Nicholls (KTM); 19. Martin Michek (TM); 20. Ceriel Klein Kromhof (KTM);MX2 Moto21. Rui Goncalves (KTM); 2. Steven Frossard (Kaw); 3. Davide Guarneri (Yam); 4. Ken Roczen (Suz); 5. Loic Larrieu (Yam); 6. Marvin Musquin (Hon); 7. Xavier Boog (Suz); 8. Gautier Paulin (Kaw); 9. Arnaud Tonus (KTM); 10. Marcus Schiffer (KTM); 11. Alex Lupino (Yam); 12. Jeremy Van Horebeek (KTM); 13. Manuel Monni (Yam); 14. Evgeny Bobryshev (Yam); 15. Stephen Sword (KTM); 16. Jake Nicholls (KTM); 17. Nick Triest (KTM); 18. Martin Michek (TM); 19. Joel Roelants (KTM); 20. Nikolai Larsen (Suz);MX2 Overall Result1. Rui Goncalves (KTM); 2. Steven Frossard (Kaw); 3. Marvin Musquin (Hon); 4. Davide Guarneri (Yam); 5. Loic Larrieu (Yam); 6. Gautier Paulin (Kaw); 7. Ken Roczen (Suz); 8. Arnaud Tonus (KTM); 9. Alex Lupino (Yam); 10. Evgeny Bobryshev (Yam); 11. Manuel Monni (Yam); 12. Xavier Boog (Suz); 13. Stephen Sword (KTM); 14. Nico Aubin (Yam); 15. Joel Roelants (KTM); 16. Marcus Schiffer (KTM); 17. Jeremy Van Horebeek (KTM); 18. Jake Nicholls (KTM); 19. Yohei Kojima (Suz); 20. Martin Michek (TM);MX2 World Championship standings1. Gautier Paulin (171); 2. Marvin Musquin (165); 3. Davide Guarneri (147); 4. Rui Goncalves (125); 5. Xavier Boog (108); 6. Steven Frossard (105); 7. Zach Osborne (100); 8. Nico Aubin (98); 9. Shaun Simpson (97); 10. Arnaud Tonus (72); 11. Loic Larrieu (70); 12. Manuel Monni (67); 13. Marcus Schiffer (66); 14. Joel Roelants (61); 15. Alex Lupino (56); 16. Stephen Sword (52); 17. Jeremy Van Horebeek (47); 18. Khounsith Vongsana (44); 19. Evgeny Bobryshev (38); 20. Valentin Teillet (37);Women’s World Championship Overall result1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 47 points; 2. Ashley Fiolek (USA, Honda), 40 p.; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), 38 p.; 4. Maria Franke (GER, Kawasaki), 36 p.; 5. Nathalie Kane (IRL, Suzuki), 30 p.; 6. Elin Mann (SWE, KTM), 30 p.; 7. Marianne Veenstra (NED, Suzuki), 27 p.; 8. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 25 p.; 9. Sarah Whitmore (USA, KTM), 23 p.; 10. Marielle De Mol (NED, Yamaha), 22 p.;WMX Championship after 2 of 6 rounds1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 94 points; 2. Ashley Fiolek (USA, Honda), 80 p.; 3. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 72 p.; 4. Maria Franke (GER, Kawasaki), 67 p.; 5. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), 64 p.; 6. Elin Mann (SWE, KTM), 64 p.; 7. Marianne Veenstra (NED, Suzuki), 57 p.; 8. Nathalie Kane (IRL, Suzuki), 57 p.; 9. Elien De Winter (BEL, Honda), 41 p.; 10. Marielle De Mol (NED, Yamaha), 36 p.;
