Antonio Cairoli Dominates Turkish GP
DJO-rider Antonio Cairoli has totally dominated the Turkish Grand Prix MX1. The double World Champion won both heats and by doing so he also took the lead in the championship standings.
‘Tony The Tiger’ was a man on a mission in Turkey. After a big knee injury last year he fought back hard and with the help of the Donjoy kneebraces he has totally regained his confidence and his physical strength. But although he had good finishes in the first two GP’s, he wasn’t very lucky. Just like most riders he struggled with heavy mud in Faenza and in the Bulgarian GP bad starts and a first corner crash made him fight to get to the top places.
In Istanbul Tony turned things around. He got the starts he wanted and once in the lead, he could show how strong he is again. Stable knees and big confidence thanks to Donjoy braces were combined with his fabulous speed and his ever spectacular riding style. Tony won both heats, the Grand Prix and is now preparing for the Dutch GP as leader in the World Championship. 2 years ago, Antonion Cairoli made a one-race switch to the MX1 class and he won the GP. The Turkish GP is his second victory in the highest MX class, but to Antonio it’s one of the most beautiful of his career. It means that Tony The Tiger is back where he belongs: on top.
“I’ll be happy if I finish on the podium again this weekend”, says the DJO-rider. “I know how physically demanding this track is. Valkenswaard is fast and sandy. I like this track. But i know a lot of local riders are very fast here. I just want to be consistent now. My goal was to be top 5 this year and finish as high as i possibly can in first season in the MX 1 category. I find myself already on top of the rankings now. That’s a bit early. But I’ll try to hold on to that red plate (the leader in the championship is the only one who is allowed to use a red number plate on the bike – editor)