The Italian Motocross Championship kicked off last weekend, and Yamaha Monster Energy rider David Philippaerts found himself at the top of a muddy podium.
It was a wet and rainy weekend at Ponteo e Egola near Florence, Italy, as the MX1 and MX2 riders took to the track. Philippaerts claimed a race win and a third place finish to earn the overall victory for the weekend.
"I am happy to win again and it was not an easy day," said Philippaerts. "Even though the track was difficult I feel comfortable riding in these conditions. I had a small crash in the second moto but I recovered very well and closed a six second gap to Cairoli in two laps. Again I feel that my starts could be better but I was with the leaders both times out of the gate so there is not much work to do there."
Philippaerts, the 2008 MX1-GP World Champion, led the Yamaha team in Italy, but Monster Energy Yamaha rider Steven Frossard also had a solid weekend. Frossard finished 5th and 2nd in Italy, claiming 2nd place overall.
"I'm pretty happy but also a bit disappointed because on the second lap of the first race my goggles had steamed up and I had to throw them," recounted Frossard. "It was very hard to ride like that because when I was near another rider I could not see a thing for the mud. If I didn't have the goggle problem then I think I could have been in the top three. I started well in the second moto and I was happy with that."
Anthony Boissiere, the third Yamaha Monster Energy rider, didn't fare as well as his teammates. Two falls on the wet and slippery track ended Boissiere's participation in Italy.
The next round of the Italian Motocross Championship will take place at Faenza, just east of Bologna.
