Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1178480
VOLUME 56 ISSUE 42 OCTOBER 22, 2019 P61 again in the decider, but it wasn't long before Tomac was knocking on the back door trying to find a way into the lead. As for Stewart, he had a bad start, ruining his bid for the overall win. Up front, Tomac pressured the 450cc-class rookie but Ciancia- rulo wasn't budging. The drama was building, because the race was getting close to the end and neither had taken the Joker Lane yet. Tomac went for it first, on the penultimate lap, and Ciancia- rulo the final lap. When the two sections merged back together, Cianciarulo had just enough room to keep the lead and hold GAJSER RETURNS In 2017, MXGP World Champ Tim Gajser came to the Monster Energy Cup hoping to have fun but also with aspirations of a possible move to the U.S. to follow in the footsteps of fel- low GP standouts like Marvin Musquin, Ken Roczen and Chad Reed. But instead, he ended up going down on a very tricky section and knocking himself unconscious. Two years later, he took what he learned from that experience to try again. "I kind of learned from what I did in 2017, and I knew if I came this time I'd have to come earlier and do some testing, and also use some supercross suspension, because I was racing with out- door suspension in '17," Gajser said. "They were way too soft, and now I'm racing with the SX suspension, and it feels better." The adjustment to SX suspen- sion was shocking. "It's com- pletely different!" Gajser said. "The first time I sat on the bike, it didn't move! It's super-stiff. It took a couple days of riding it to get used to it, but now I'm okay." He said he didn't have any ex- pectations this time. "I just came here to have fun and enjoy it now. I didn't set any goals. I just want to have fun, get some good starts, and if I'm having fun, I can go fast." TRACK BITES There was a rhythm section at the Monster Energy Cup where the top 450cc racers (and even Jett Lawrence on his 250) were jumping four into the section (two singles and a sort of double-hump tabletop) then doubling out of the section and into the corner. The first racer to get bit there was French MXGP competitor Jordi Tixier who en- doed into the turn and knocked himself out. Two practices later, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Dean Wilson came up short on the quad and was carted off the track with a dislocated hip. SITTING OUT With Dean Wilson's injury at the Monster Energy Cup, some of the racers who were being criticized for sitting the race out might feel somewhat vindi- cated. Both of Wilson's 450cc teammates at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna—Zach Osborne and Jason Anderson—were in Vegas signing autographs, but did not suit up. Neither did Red Bull KTM's reigning SX champ Cooper Webb, or his teammate Marvin Musquin (who won $1 million at the event in 2017). Also missing was Honda's Ken Roczen, who raced the Red Bull Straight Rhythm just two weeks prior. MAKING IT TOUGHER Monster Energy Cup promot- ers Feld Motorsports had to pay out $1 million the very first year of the event, in 2011, when Ryan Villopoto managed to win all three main events, but it was the past two years, when both Marvin Musquin and Eli Tomac took $1 million in consecutive years, but they threw everything but the kitchen sink at the racers this year to try and prevent it Briefly...