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/471913
MOTOCROSS FIM WORLD MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1/FEBRUARY 28, 2015 LOSAIL CIRCUIT/LOSAIL, QATAR P90 think 'why is it like this?' but I always think that actions speak louder than words. So this is my 'sentence.' I didn't have any nerves as a consequence and maybe this helped." The Cairoli/Villopoto story kept a bookmark inside the cover at Losail as neither rider looked anything like capable of victory and Cairoli only made a brief flurry at Team HRC rider Gautier Paulin in the second moto to try and break into the top three. Villopoto, while quick and attacking, hit the dirt in almost every session and was clearly missing a final edge to his race set-up on the works KX450F. "I definitely struggled," he admitted afterwards. "Struggled a little bit with the bike, espe- cially in that second moto there where we had a little rear-brake malfunction as it went about half way in [to the race]. I had to deal with that. All in all, it was a pretty shit weekend, but there is a lot of racing ahead. From yes- terday until now we got better all the time. We definitely have some things to work on with the bike, set-up-wise and getting the thing to work a bit better in these conditions. It is not a U.S.-spec set-up but it is really close. We're going to work on that." RV stalled the bike in the gate in the first moto for what was frankly a startling way to open his Grand Prix career. He also tangled with Spain's Jose Butron (one of four rook- ies pushed into MXGP by the controversial 23 age limit rule in MX2, but the effect was clear on the MXGP entry list) and went down. He ended up 9-8 for eighth overall while team- mate Tyla Rattray barely broke into points as he also could not find speed or confidence around Losail. "Actually I expected him to be a bit better but it is normal to need to adapt to different tracks and racing," offered fourth- placed Cairoli on his rival's first stab at GP. "It is what we have to do when we go to the Nation- als and maybe we do a little better because Desalle's results in the past have been a little bet- ter. The World Championship is not easy and the level is getting higher and higher." Cairoli himself was dealing with his own issues and he obviously gave Nagl a nice cue, as his run to Pole Position was exemplary on Friday. The Ital- ian could not offer a repeat on Saturday. "I had some pain in my stom- ach and a bit of fever before the first moto but it was not a big thing," he said. "I struggle a little with this track every year. The water they have to put down means that it becomes one line and it gets really rutty. For the 350 it is not the best place. My speed was very good and I had a good lap-time in both races but we know that the start is really important here and Max showed that…and I did yesterday. When you are out front then it is very easy to stay there." Nagl faced little pressure from Rockstar Suzuki's Clement Desalle, with Paulin also hover- ing among the leaders. For the German, who was part of the 2012 Motocross of Nations win- ning team, Qatar represented his

