[Features]

MXGP Insider No.2: Qatar Hype

9 years ago | Words: David Bulmer

Transmoto’s weekly web-exclusive column, the MXGP Insider, penned by David Bulmer, presented by KTM Australia. 

There is now less than a week until the big day and if you aren’t excited for the events in Qatar, then I don’t really think you can be considered a true fan of the sport! There really hasn’t been this big of a build up between two rivals since James Stewart moved into the big bike class to race Ricky Carmichael, but even that was mainly limited to the American audiences at the time. This is a global battle with RV fighting for the red, white and blue of the USA and the AMA series, while Cairoli fights for the honour of the EU and the rest of the world. The riders can downplay this all they want, but right now the internet is in turmoil as fans for the two series and the two “nations” convince each other that they are going to win. Perhaps that’s why both riders have said that there will be no interviews with the press before the race weekend, although RV will be part of a Monster Energy dinner gathering on Thursday.

With that being said, this is a race where I want to take off my press hat and just be a fan for the weekend because for me, the Qatar GP is as big and important as the Motocross of Nations and hopefully, we produce just as intense racing. Goosebumps will be the order of the day (night) and while the qualifying race on Friday will alleviate some of the pressure, the first gate drop of the MXGP season will be truly momentous, especially if the #2 and the #222 are lined up next to each other.

But let’s not forget about the other riders because they are all top quality guys who won’t want to just let Ryan Villopoto just turn up and win. They will have a lot pride at stake as they try and prove a point that these last three Motocross of Nation results haven’t been a fluke and that it isn’t just Antonio Cairoli on this side of the Atlantic.

As for the MX2 class, a video was released recently of Jeffrey Herlings training in Spain, saying that for Qatar he isn’t going for the win, just to try and get as many points as possible. Apparently the injury has really hampered his off-season progress and he doesn’t think he’ll be fast enough to beat Jordi Tixier or the rest of the field. Of course this might just be mind games for the opposition so that when he comes out and smokes everyone, he can say he was only at 80%. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s under-played his hand but this all may be true and he actually realises that there are a lot of fast dudes gunning for him in 2015. Either way, there is intrigue in both the MXGP and the MX2 classes and that is always a good thing for the sport.

Whatever your plans are for the weekend, please, as a fan, tune in for this race! This sort of thing may only happen once and you don’t want to miss it watching repeats of England beating Australia in the Cricket World Cup *ahem*.

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