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MXGP World Championship

The Moment: MXGP of Afyon

Antonio Cairoli flies under the radar.

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The key moment that occurred at round nine of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship on Wednesday, that being the Grand Prix of Afyon that was held on the Afyonkarahisar circuit that hosted round eight, came in one of the most entertaining races in recent memory. A four-rider fight for the win in the first premier class moto gripped fans across the world. 

Jorge Prado rocketed into the early lead in moto one, as he does so often, but he crashed out before the halfway mark. Prado revealed his cuts and bruises after the race – he really did put himself through the ringer and was fortunate to secure 18 points in the second moto. Romain Febvre, Jeffrey Herlings and Tim Gajser leapt into an engaging battle for the lead at that point, one that went on until the very last lap.

Everyone knows how it played out now. Febvre crashed on the last lap and handed the victory, as well as 25 valuable points, to Herlings. Gajser was the only star to finish in the same position that he begun the last lap in, because he lost a spot to Antonio Cairoli. Cairoli was not featured in the fight for the lead at any point before that last lap, but the pace that he ran whilst ripping around in fourth was awe inspiring.

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Ray Archer

Words are not going to do the speed that Cairoli showed justice – numbers are needed to do that. The time that he gained on Herlings in the last six laps has been outlined below. The differences may not seem radical in comparison to other tracks, but there was nothing to separate the riders at Afyonkarahisar. It was so, so difficult to make a difference and gain time. Cairoli managed to find out a way to do that, despite the fact that hard-pack tracks are not necessarily his strong point. 

 

Jeffrey Herlings

Antonio Cairoli Difference

Lap 13

1:48.709

1:48.376

+0.333

Lap 14

1:49.115

1:48.833

+0.282

Lap 15

1:49.371

1:48.915

+0.456

Lap 16

1:49.418

1:48.837

+0.581

Lap 17

1:49.103

1:48.590

+0.513

Lap 18

1:49.290

1:48.370

+0.920

It was not like Cairoli was doing a jump that no one else was, he was simply carrying much more momentum from one corner to the next. Momentum is crucial on a track like Afyonkarahisar – it was so fast that it was possible to carry speed everywhere and it was the only way to really make a difference. It is unfortunate, in a sense, that there was not a camera following Cairoli around in the final part of that moto, because watching him ride was like a masterclass. It truly was one of the greatest rides of his career.

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Ray Archer

“Coming from the back, I lost a lot of energy in the first race,” Cairoli said in a post-race media event. “I am happy overall – the speed is there and the fitness as well. I just need to figure out that part of the race, the start, a little bit. I am happy to be on the podium overall, but of course the condition was good. I wanted more but could not get it. I hope we can have a better result in Sardinia. I like Sardinia a lot and it is going to be a hot race.”

The Grand Prix of Sardinia is going to be crucial for Cairoli for a couple of reasons, one being that he has to close in on Gajser. The opening moto at the Grand Prix of Afyon was one of the best rides of his career. The unfortunate thing is that, despite that, he still lost points to the current series leader and trails by 29. If he is going to secure a tenth world title, then he has to start getting closer.

Words: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: Ray Archer

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MX Vice Podcasts

Between The Races Podcast: Adam Sterry – MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina Recap and Spain Preview

Listen now.

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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

Love what we do? Please read this article as we try to raise £30,000.

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British MX Nationals

Thank you. It’s been a hell of a ride.

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Since buying back MX Vice in November 2019, it has been challenging. One of those crystal balls would have been handy for navigating some problematic situations. Who would have thought COVID-19 would be a thing?

Those who follow MX Vice know we started from nothing but an idea. A fan who loved the sport created a Facebook page, website, and social media presence that would become disruptive. It has made numerous talented media people who were allowed to run with it for over thirteen years. Being in the UK/Europe has always been difficult; I’ve always believed that if we were a US media company, we would have been embraced and appreciated for our work ethic and the content we produce. We always cast one eye over the US in Europe, and you can’t blame the top European riders for doing the same.

MX Vice has always tried to give people a voice, especially the riders who are not in the limelight and the teams that put so much into the sport. We love people’s passion and sacrifice to improve and challenge themselves. That, for me, was the natural pull, not the money but the passion and sacrifice. We all know we would not be in motocross if it were about the money. I always considered MX Vice the media version of Steve Dixon’s team in MXGP (which I have a huge amount of respect for), where we have always tried to challenge without the factory budgets.

We knew it would be tough this year with so many businesses and brands cutting marketing budgets and reducing costs; this was never going to be good for us. We have just had two incredible months of stats, with January and February bringing in over 1 million people to the website, which is quite bittersweet. As much as the funds are low, so is my energy and health. COVID impacted me more than I could ever envisaged. My health has deteriorated ever since I caught COVID; my immune system is not in a great place, and when I try and work to the standard I set myself, my body breaks on me, and it takes me days to recover. Ed Stratmann has been a revelation since he took the editorial reigns and has pushed MX Vice to new heights, which is incredible given the lack of resources he has had to work with and support from myself. I have been missing from the podcast show to reduce my time, as I am now self-employed and working for two companies to pay the bills.

Every journey ends, and that’s not what we want. Over the past 13 years, we have given it everything, leaving no stone unturned. We’re proud of how we have disrupted, challenged decisions, held organisations accountable, and illuminated incredible stories.

We will have an auction for signed shirts donated by riders, podcast equipment, and memorabilia to pay off the invoices of some contributors. If, however, you want to see MX Vice continue, you can donate here: https://ko-fi.com/mxvice or purchase a shirt or memorabilia. If we meet our target of £25,000, which is currently outstanding to run this year, then Ed and I will continue. However, we fully expect this won’t happen due to the large sum required.

It’s hard out there at the moment. Take care of your health and family, and never lose your passion for the most fantastic sport in the world.

Burf.

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Features

Lit Kit Gallery: MXGP of Patagonia – Argentina

The best from round 1.

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Check out some of the freshest fits, helmets and more from the MXGP of Patagonia – Argentina. Lead Image: Nestaan Husqvarna – Full Spectrum.

Photo credits: Red Bull KTM – Ray Archer / Nestaan Husqvarna – Full Spectrum / Yamaha MXGP – Full Spectrum + Eva Szabadfi / JM Honda / Kawasaki MXGP / Fantic MXGP / Yamaha MX2 – Full Spectrum / HRC MXGP / GasGas – Juan Pablo Acevedo


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