MXGP World Championship
Viewpoint: Antonio Cairoli
Antonio Cairoli on his difficult injury.
Antonio Cairoli has had a tough time of it in the last two months. There was the knee injury that he picked up prior to the Grand Prix of France, then he obviously hurt his thumb at the Indonesian event. How, despite all of those health issues, he only trails Jeffrey Herlings by thirty-points with six rounds remaining. Antonio Cairoli discusses all of that in this exclusive MX Vice interview.
MX Vice: I guess today, two seconds, you could not really ask for much more now that the injury is worse than you thought when we last spoke.
Antonio Cairoli: Yeah. It was a really bad week, because my goal here was to attack, to try to make some pressure and try to make up better points. I have to be honest. This week when I tried to ride I discovered that I had a little pain and I could barely put my hand on the handlebars, so I said that we needed to check it out. I went to my doctor and said we need to do a special check, because my thumb is not feeling all well. After the swelling went away I still have a lot of pain, so we did this check and we found out there are two factors on the metacarpals and that did not allow me to train at all with the bike.
I did not know what to expect coming here, because I know Loket is a very hard-pack track with sharp bumps and difficult to ride for me, even when I am super healthy. We managed to make a good race. Yesterday the track was a little bit easier than today, because of the night rain last night. It made the track very sketchy with big bumps and a lot of ruts in the corners that had a lot of bumps. It was very hard for me with the thumb to keep a good speed. Jeffery [Herlings] was very fast. We could not really do much with this condition I had.
In the second moto I tried to stick a little bit closer for twenty minutes and after that I had to give up, because I could not really follow. I was making a lot of mistakes, small mistakes, but I could not really keep the wheel, then he pulled away. I am really happy, because I know two times second is okay. We could have been much worse on this track where the difference with riders is not that big. If you ride every lap consistently you can pull away, but on the fastest lap it is not so big a difference between the riders.
 We managed to finish two times second, which is okay for the situation we are in. Now I have another twelve days to try to rest a little bit this week. No riding, unfortunately. From my doctor I cannot ride. I need to do again the therapy to try to make the inflammation [go] away. Try to be at Lommel a little bit more fit. Hopefully we can try to challenge him. I know on this track he is very fast on the sand. It is his home soil, but I know I can ride good in the sand and you never know.
I am always there. I try to give some pressure and try to always be there. The championship… We are only thirty points and almost we are at the end of the championship, so still a lot of things can happen. But at the moment we are okay and happy. We cannot wish for more with this injury. It is really one injury that takes long, so it bothers you a lot. I have not had this in the past and I know it takes long before you feel one hundred percent again.
Considering the injury and how bad you feel and everything, were you surprised just how much you were able to push Jeffrey at the beginning of the second moto? It was quite clear that you had the speed until obviously the injury became too much.
Yeah, I had the speed. I know I have the speed, but to beat him you need to stay there all the time. When you let him free, he is riding so comfortable and you will never make a mistake. You need to stay there and put him on pressure. That is where he makes a mistake. When I was in the back of him he was making a few mistakes. If I did not have this pain I could push more on the downhills and on the ruts; I could have been more aggressive.
I could maybe make it happen to win the GP, but after when you leave him some gap he is riding so comfortable. It is good form. At the moment he is, for sure, the fastest on track and the most fit, so we cannot do nothing about it. Just to work hard and try to heal up and make a little bit more fireworks at the end of the season, let’s say.
Even though you were pushing him non-stop in that second moto, did you have it in the back of your mind that a win was not going to happen? Was there a chance that you thought maybe you would be able to hold on the entire time?
The fifteen/twenty minutes I was feeling good, to be honest. I did not really have pain at all that much, but when I had to step it up a little bit more to drop one second… You need to be very aggressive on the ruts and the downhill. You need to attack the track a lot. I start to hit the thumb a couple of times and it got worse and worse. After my hand starts slipping, because I had to ride in a different position.
I had to also have a modification on my grip. It is a completely different grip than I use always. We have a hole inside, so I was riding a completely different set-up. I had arm pump when I was pushing too hard. In the end we are okay. [It is] only thirty points. I know it is a lot, but it is not much. Until the chequered flag we are going to be there and putting some pressure. We are working a lot physically, so my condition is hopefully not too bad even if I do not ride for two weeks now. We will see.
When we spoke in Indonesia and you said you wanted to be more aggressive from this round on and push Jeffrey, that is what you meant then? Keep him so under pressure all of the time that hopefully he makes a couple of mistakes? Obviously not make contact, but just make sure that he has to be perfect?
Yeah, for sure. This is the only way to challenge him is to stay with him because at the moment nobody can follow him. I am the only one at the moment who can stay with his speed. Not for the thirty-five minutes complete, because this is my problem. I need to step it up in the last ten minutes. Now, with this injury, I drop a little bit the riding and he is riding every day. This helps a lot. You can train as much as you want physically, but the bike is the most important training you can do.
Considering Jeffrey is not at one hundred percent and you are definitely not there, are you surprised that guys like [Tim] Gajser and [Clement] Desalle are not beating you guys? Even though you are both battered and bruised, you are still the class of the field.
Yeah, like I said, this year when we are together pushing we are for sure one step ahead of everybody. Even on this track, which was easier for the rest to be closer because it is not so technical. It is a more hard-pack track and you do not really have technical parts a lot. We still had no way to come closer, so all the guys in the first moto could stay with me a little bit.
I was not riding for the win. I was just controlling the points, but in the second moto when we pushed the first fifteen/twenty minutes we drop a gap quickly. This is good. It is nice, because we are both KTM. We are pushing the limits always. Like I said, my goal is to be fit and try to have some fun races with him until the end of the season.
Finally, just on the injury, is it going to be able to heal before the end of the season? Are you going to get back to one hundred percent before the last round?
I hope so, because otherwise it is going to be a struggle for sure. The problem is the fracture is going to heal, I think, if you do not hit it again. In fifteen to twenty days it will be okay, but the scapula is the thing that takes a little longer. I have had it in the past. It takes a little bit longer, but hopefully the pain is a little bit less when the swelling inside goes a little bit away. You can start to feel a little bit better.
I already feel better than Semarang for sure, one hundred percent. If I had the pain I had in Semarang in this track, [it would have been] barely possible to ride. I am really confident that another week of rest will be good enough maybe for Lommel. Not one hundred percent, but for sure the next race one hundred percent.
You are still going to be able to go to ‘Nations and everything like that? It is not like after the last GP you are going to have to just stay off the bike for a month or two?
No, no. The injury does not need any surgery or anything. The ligament is a little bit snapped on the thumb, but it will heal itself the doctor said. It only takes time and rest. We can do a little time for rest, but this is why it is going to take a little bit longer. I am happy to try to see at the end of the season. I am going to heal, then I can again be competitive and can respond or attack. This is what I like. I do not like to ride conservative and be scared to push the braking, because I am hitting the thumb and there will be pain. This is what I am really looking forward to having again, good feeling and good battles with him.
Words: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: KTM Images/Ray Archer
MXGP World Championship
2024 Spain Intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos – MXGP Results
We will post the 2024 MXGP results of Spain Intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos GP all weekend. Get the latest updates to your phone through MX Vice.
MXGP Championship
MXGP Overall
MXGP Race Two
MXGP Race One
MXGP Qualification Race
MXGP Timed Practice
MX2 Championship
MX2 Overall
MX2 – Race Two
MX2 – Race One
MX2 – Qualification Race
MX2 Timed Practice
WMX Race Two
WMX Race One
EMX 250 Overall
EMX 250 – Race 2
EMX 250 – Race 1
EMX 250 – Timed Practice
MXGP World Championship
//PEARCY Stats Preview MXGP Intu Xanadu-Arroyomolinos
Once again, our resident stats guru, Paul Pearcy, provides a breakdown of the MX2 class going into Intu Xanadu. Famed more for its access to a shopping mall and McDonald’s than actual passing, the MX2 contenders will be looking to make their mark. Last year, Simon Laengenfelder reigned supreme and was unstoppable on Sunday, with no rider able to match his pace. If you were a betting man, who would be your winner?
MXGP Intu Xanadu-Arroyomolinos Preview
MX2
Kay de Wolf
Venue Visits: 21’, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 3rd
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 3rd
- Qualifying Race Finish: 4th
- Qualifying Points: 7
- Race First Lap Position: 6th
- Race Finishes: 5th in Race 1, 11th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 8th
- Race Points: 54
Total Points: 61
Simon Laengenfelder
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
- Race Podiums: 4; 22’, 23’
- Race Wins: 2; 1-1 in 23’
- Overall Podiums: 2; 22’, 23’
- Overall win: 1; 23’
- Race Laps Led: 34; all in 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 4.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 4th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 3rd
- Qualifying Points: 8
- Race First Lap Position: 5.167
- Race Finishes: 4.333 in Race 1, 5th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 4.333
- Race Points: 113
Total Points: 121
Thibault Benistant
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
- Race Podium: 1; 23’
- Race Laps Led: 1, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 6.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 4th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 5.5
- Qualifying Points: 5
- Race First Lap Position: 12.667
- Race Finishes: 5.667 in Race 1, 6.333 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 6.333
- Race Points: 92
Total Points: 97
Mikkel Haarup
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 9th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 12th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 12th
- Race First Lap Position: 12.5
- Race Finishes: 12.333 in Race 1, 9.667 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 10.667
- Race Points: 60
Total Points: 60
Andrea Adamo
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
- Race Podium: 1; 23’
- Overall Podium: 1; 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 11th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 9.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 6.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 6
- Race First Lap Position: 11.667
- Race Finishes: 9.333 in Race 1, 12.667 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 10.333
- Race Points: 70
Total Points: 76
Lucas Coenen
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 6th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 2nd
- Qualifying Points: 9
- Race First Lap Position: 17.5
- Race Finishes: 6th in Race 1, 26th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 14th
- Race Points: 15
Total Points: 24
Sacha Coenen
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 19th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 24th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 17th
- Race First Lap Position: 8.5
- Race Finishes: 9th in Race 1, 11th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 9th
- Race Points: 22
Total Points: 22
Rick Elzinga
Venue Visits: 22’, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 10th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 14th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 21.5
- Race First Lap Position: 4.25
- Race Finishes:13th in Race 1, 10th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 14.5
- Race Points: 27
Total Points: 27
Jack Chambers
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 22nd
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 15th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 15th
- Race First Lap Position: 24.5
- Race Finishes:17th in Race 1, 16th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 17th
- Race Points: 9
Total Points: 9
Oriol Oliver
Venue Visits: 21’, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 17.5
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 16th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 13th
- Race First Lap Position: 12.75
- Race Finishes:17th in Race 1, 17th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 17.5
- Race Points: 19
Total Points: 19
David Braceras
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 16th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 14.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 15.5
- Race First Lap Position: 12.75
- Race Finishes:14.5 in Race 1, 16th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 16.5
- Race Points: 23
Total Points: 23
Emil Weckman
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 17th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 10th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 11th
- Race First Lap Position: 12.5
- Race Finishes: 15th in Race 1, 19th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 18th
- Race Points: 8
Total Points: 8
Bobby Bruce
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 20th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 12th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 26th
- Race First Lap Position: 23rd
- Race Finishes: 27th in Race 1, 21st in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 17th
MXGP
Jorge Prado
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
- 1st in Timed Practice: 1; 22’
- Qualifying Race Podiums: 2; 22’, 23’
- Qualifying Race Win: 1; 23’
- Qualifying Race Laps Led: 12
- Race Podiums: 6
- Race Wins: 2
- Overall Podiums: 2; 20’, 21’
- Overall Win: 1; 20’ (1-1 in 20’)
- Race Laps Led: 56
Averages
- Timed Practice: 3rd
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 1.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 10
- Race First Lap Position: 2.125
- Race Finishes: 2nd in Race 1, 5th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 3rd
- Race Points: 160
Total Points: 170
Romain Febvre
Venue Visits: 20’, 21’, 23’
- Race Podiums: 3
- Race Win: 1; 21’
- Overall Podium: 1; 20’
- Race Laps Led: 11
Averages
- Timed Practice: 5.667
- Race First Lap Position: 8.5
- Race Finishes: 1.5 in Race 1, 5th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 3.5
- Race Points: 81
Total Points: 81
Tim Gajser
Venue Visits: 20’-22’
- 1st in Timed Practice: 1; 20’
- Race Podiums: 4
- Overall Podiums: 2; 20’, 21’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 1.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 5th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 11th
- Race First Lap Position: 3.5
- Race Finishes: 3rd in Race 1, 3.333 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 3rd
- Race Points: 119
Total Points: 119
Pauls Jonass
Venue Visits: 21’, 22’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 8.5
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 3rd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 9th
- Race First Lap Position: 7.25
- Race Finishes: 7.5 in Race 1, 7th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 7.5
- Race Points: 55
Total Points: 55
Maxime Renaux
Venue Visit: 22’, 23’
- Race Wins: 2; 22’ (1-1 in 22’)
- Overall Win: 1; 22’
- Race Laps Led: 31
Averages
- Timed Practice: 4th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 5th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 13th
- Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Race Finishes: 1st in Race 1, 1st in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 1st
- Race Points: 50
Total Points: 50
Jeremy Seewer
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
- Qualifying Race Podium: 1; 23’
- Qualifying Race Laps Led: 1; 22’
- Race Laps Led: 5
Averages
- Timed Practice: 6.5
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 4th
- Qualifying Race Points: 8
- Race First Lap Position: 5.375
- Race Finishes: 8.5 in Race 1, 5.25 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 7th
- Race Points: 115
Total Points: 123
Jeffery Herlings
Venue Visits: 21’, 23’
- 1st in Timed Practice: 2; 21’, 23’
- Qualifying Race Podiums: 1; 23’
- Race Podiums: 4;(Jeffrey has podiumed 100% of the races he has competed in)
- Race Wins: 3; (Herlings has won 75% of the victories he has vied for)
- Overall Wins: 2; (100% win rate)
- Race Laps Led: 27
Averages
- Timed Practice: 1st
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Points: 9
- Race First Lap Position: 4.75
- Race Finishes: 2nd in Race 1, 1st in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 1st
- Race Points: 95
Total Points: 104
Glenn Coldenhoff
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
- Qualifying Race Win: 1; 22’
- Qualifying Race Laps Led: 12
- Race Podium: 1; 22’
- Overall Podium: 1; 22’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 7.25
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 4th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 3.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 5
- Race First Lap Position: 5.125
- Race Finishes: 6th in Race 1, 6.5 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 5th
- Race Points: 123
Total Points: 128
Calvin Vlaanderen
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 12th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 14.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 11th
- Qualifying Race Points: 2
- Race First Lap Position: 15.625
- Race Finishes: 11.5 in Race 1, 12.75 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 12.25
- Race Points: 71
Total Points: 73
Valentin Guillod
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 18th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 19.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 12.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 1
- Race First Lap Position: 14.75
- Race Finishes: 12th in Race 1, 15.25 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 14.25
- Race Points: 62
Total Points: 63
Ben Watson
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 14.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 20.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 24.5
- Race First Lap Position: 16.5
- Race Finishes: 19th in Race 1
- Overall Finishes: 22nd
- Race Points: 2
Total Points: 2
Ivo Monticelli
Venue Visits: 20’, 22’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 12th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 9th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 24th
- Race First Lap Position: 16.75
- Race Finishes: 15th in Race 1, 13th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 13th
- Race Points: 28
Total Points: 28
Kevin Brumann
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 17th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 20th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 20th
- Race First Lap Position: 20th
- Race Finishes: 14th in Race 1, 17th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 15th
- Race Points: 11
Total Points: 11
Photo: KTM Group
MX Vice Podcasts
Between The Races Podcast: Adam Sterry – MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina Recap and Spain Preview
Listen now.
The Between The Races podcast returns with Adam Sterry, Ed Stratmann and Brad Wheeler, as they review the 2024 MXGP season opener and look ahead to Spain.
The Between The Races podcast is always available to listen to on Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher and Google Play. Thanks to Fly Racing, Monster Energy, Fox Racing, Parts Europe, Scott, Bell Helmets, Acerbis, AS3 Performance, Kawasaki UK, KTM UK, O’Neal and Even Strokes for supporting the show. If you would like to become a part of the show, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Lead Image: Triumph Racing/Ray Archer
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