The Grand Prix of Lombardia started off with a great home duel for the MX1 pole position as David Philippaerts won today’s qualifying heat from countryman Antonio Cairoli. Championship leader Max Nagl ended third after having led the first half of the race.

MX1
Today’s MX1 pole was a national affair in between 2009 and 2008 MX1 World Champions Cairoli and Philippaerts setting the crowd on fire with a two way battle for first in the qualifying race.

Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross’ Philippaerts walked away with his first seasonal Lovemytime MX1 Pole Position Award courtesy of a solid heat. Philippaerts took a good start and moved past Cairoli and Nagl to take the lead by mid race.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX1’s Nagl dropped down to third as team mate Cairoli moved past him. The Sicilian remained close to Philippaerts for the whole moto but settled for an eventual second ahead of Nagl.

LS Motors Honda’s Leok took a positive fourth place at the end of a steady moto while Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1’s Desalle won a two way battle for fifth with team mate Ramon.

Barragan finished in seventh ahead of Strijbos, Boissiere and other Italian Guarneri.

Pourcel took a bitter 18th after a crash at the start.

MX1 Qualifying Race top ten:
1. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 25:44.800; ;
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.321;
3. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:10.077;
4. Tanel Leok (EST, Honda), +0:22.800;
5. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:26.731;
6. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:27.409;
7. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:40.390;
8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:44.190;
9. Anthony Boissiere (FRA,KTM), +0:47.236;
10. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Honda), +0:51.753;

MX2
After showing up at the lead of the Bulgarian GP’s qualifying moto last Saturday, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX2’s Herlings managed to lead the whole 12 lap moto and took his first career pole position. The Dutch teenager was sensational on the Italian sand of Mantova and ended with a ten second advantage over second placed Musquin.

The latter kept away from Herlings and remained in second place for the whole race while Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2’s Roczen had a much more troubled race. The German recovered from the bottom of the top ten to the top five but crashed.
Afterwards he recovered again and won a battle with CLS Kawasaki’s Frossard to secure a third place finish with four laps to go.

Frossard settled for fourth ahead of team mate Van Horebeek and of 2009 EMX2 Champion Charlier.

A technical problem stopped the excellent recovery of Tonus who ended a bitter 22nd.

Paulin did not race this GP as he is still recovering from a left fibula break he suffered in the days preceding the Bulgarian GP.

MX2 Qualifying Race top ten:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 25:41.786; ;
2. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), +0:09.968;
3. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +0:21.449;
4. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:27.534;
5. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:30.340;
6. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +0:32.679;
7. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:53.693;
8. Zach Osborne (USA, Yamaha), +0:55.225;
9. Marcus Schiffer (GER, KTM), +0:57.318;
10. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), +0:59.118;