Gautier Paulin (21) held off home hero Antonio Cairoli (222) in the second MX1 moto. Photography by Milagro
Gautier Paulin and Jeff Herlings captured the overall wins at the FIM Motocross Would Championship round in Italy at the Maggiora Circuit, June 13. The Frenchman, Paulin, used a 3-1 combination to secure the win in the MX1 class, while the Dutchman, Herlings, went 1-1 again to claim the MX2 win.
Kawasaki’s Paulin finished a hard-fought third in the first moto, taking the checkered flag behind winner Clement Desalle, on the Rockstar Energy Suzuki, and runner-up Ken De Dycker, on the factory KTM. In round two, Paulin pretty much led from start to finish but had to fight off home-crowd favorite Antonio Cairoli the whole way.
Cairoli, who was hoping to nab his 60th-career GP win at the famed site in front of the massive Italian crowd, struggled with a couple of crashes in the first moto, one of which injuring his knee. He managed to work his way up to second before falling again and taking fourth. Sporting a heavily taped knee in the second moto, he chased Paulin the whole way in moto two and had to settle for second and third overall.
De Dycker ended up second overall with a 2-3.
Desalle was in a good position to take the overall win after topping the first moto, but a mechanical problem sidelined up during the second moto and was credited with 10th overall.
Herlings had little difficulties in winning the MX2 class. The factory-backed KTM rider took command by the halfway point of the first moto and then ran off with the win. In the second moto, he got to the front much earlier this time and again ran off with the win, keeping his perfect season in tact (overall).
Spain’s Jose Butron (KTM) finished second overall, followed by Italy’s Alessandro Lupino (Kawasaki) and France’s Jordi Tixier (KTM).
MX1 Overall top ten:
1. Gautier Paulin (Kawasaki) 3-1
2. Ken de Dycker (KTM) 2-3
3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 4-2
4. Jeremy van Horebeek (Kawasaki) 5-4
5. Maximilian Nagl (Honda) 6-6
6. Kevin Strijbos (Suzuki) 7-7
7. Tommy Searle (Kawasaki) 10-5
8. Davide Guarneri (KTM) 9-8
9. Xavier Boog (KTM) 8-9
10. Clement Desalle (Suzuki) 1-DNF
