Outdoor motocross makes its welcome return this weekend with the first round of the Internazionali d’Italia – Italian motocross series.
The best in world motocross will line-up in Riola Sardo this weekend with MX1, MX2 and 125 classes.
No fewer than 16 world title winners will be racing in MX1 which confirms Internazionali as the main test ahead of the world championship that is now just weeks away.
Multi-time World champion Tony Cairoli, on his KTM 450 SX-F, tops the rider entry list – defending his Internazionali d’Italia MX1 title.
The Italian legend will need to be at his very best with Red Bull KTM team-mate Jeffrey Herlings also on the entry list.
The elite line-up continues with the two Factory Yamaha riders, Romain Febvre and Jeremy Van Horebeek and two Factory Husqvarna team-mates, Gautier Paulin and British fan favourite Max Anstie.
Also getting their first taste of 2018 outdoor competition are the three riders from Yamaha Wilvo: Arnaud Tonus, Jeremy Seewer and former British champion Shaun Simpson.
Then there is Max Nagl making his debut on a TM bike, Jose Butron with KTM Leopard team, Tannel Leok with Husqvarna and Alessandro Lupino, racing with his new Kawasaki from team Gebben.
In MX2, the World champion Pauls Jonass is ready to race with #1 on his KTM and will have to fight against about 60 riders.
Among them, the two Italians Michele Cervellin (Honda) and Samuele Bernardini (TM); Hunter Lawrence, Bas Vaessen and Calvin Vlanderen riding their Honda CRF; for the first time Vseva Brylyakov and Ben Watson with Yamaha, as well as Morgan Lesiardo, the 250 European Champion, and Zachary Pichon will be racing with KTM.
Another debut is for Gianluca Facchetti, as 125cc World Champion, for the first race with a four-stroke bike, together with Mattia Puccinelli.
The series is over three rounds starting with the deep sand of Riola, Sardinia, then to the technical and hardpack track of Noto, Sicily and finishing at the spectacular sand track in Mantova, Lombardia. With over €100,000 of prize money at stake it’s more than just getting a great start to the outdoor motocross season.
If you can’t make it to any of the rounds you can watch live streaming, hopefully right here on dirtbikerider.com, but you can also catch it at OffRoad social media and on the official website www.offroadproracing.it, starting at 1:20pm local time on Sunday, February 4.
2018 Internazionali d’Italia schedule
- 4 February – Riola Sardo
- 11 February – Noto
- 18 February – Mantova
