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/833352
VOL. 54 ISSUE 22 JUNE 6, 2017 P99 The continuing battle to stop Moto3 riders cruising at low speed waiting to pick up a faster tow had another skirmish at Mugello, with three rid- ers hit with 12-place grid penalties, and others coming close in a mass clampdown. Two of those punished were of no great significance: Kaito Toba had qualified 27th, and Manuel Pagliani 18th (the latter suffering a 300-euro fine as well for repeat of- fences). The third, Honda-mounted Jorge Martin, was dropped from pole position to the fourth row of the grid. It would have been his third pole start in a row, and his fourth of the year, after taking it on free practice times at Qatar, where qualifying was rained off. There is no question who is the biggest star at Mugello—but the weekend began with questions about whether Valentino Rossi would be fit enough to race, after having been hospitalized overnight following a heavy motocross crash on the Thurs- day after Le Mans. Even the rider wasn't sure if he could make it. But by Saturday the answer had come, in trademark emphatic fashion, when the Movistar Yamaha rider was fast- est in the crucial first three free prac- tices, bounced back from a crash in the "untimed" fourth, then qualified second-fastest for a second race in succession. He would go on to finish in a courageous fourth in the race. Other riders canvassed on their views on motocross training echoed Rossi's feeling—that it is an important tool both for reflexes and also general and especially upper- body fitness and endurance. But it can be dangerous. "I don't think it is enough if you stay home and train in the gym," said Andrea Dovizioso. "Unfortunately we can't train on our [MotoGP] bikes." (Because of restricted testing.) "You have to take a risk." Dani Pedrosa said. "My first bike was motocross, and I like it a lot." But he had managed to find a track without jumps to cut the danger. Andrea Iannone is waiting on a new chassis from Suzuki, hoping to cure his main problem—"my feel- ing on the bike." It would not arrive for two or so races, he said, "but Suzuki is working very hard. We don't know if it will work or not, but I think we understand the direction we need." His bigger problem was a bout of stomach trouble that he de- scribed in terms from which readers should be protected, in case they might be eating. Suffice it to say that he claimed to have lost six pounds in a couple of days. More plausibly, he was weak and dehydrated, and having trouble completing more than a few laps at a time. Current runaway Moto2 leader Franco Morbidelli has his sights set on MotoGP next year, with former Moto2 champion Tito Rabat's seat under threat from the Italian. Both ride for the EG-Marc VDS team, the later alongside Jack Miller in Mo- toGP. But while the Australian has improved steadily to score an almost uninterrupted string of top 10 finishes this year, Rabat continues to struggle with the bigger bikes. Morbidelli is one of Rossi's protégés from the VR46 Academy. Alex Rins will not be back for his home GP at Catalunya next week— but he will test on the following two days in preparation for his scheduled return at Assen a fortnight later. Rins' move to MotoGP with the Ecstar Suzuki team has been ill-starred in spite of a ninth place in the opening round at Qatar. He incurred back injuries in his first test the previous November, fractured his right ankle in a motocross training crash after Qatar, crashed out in Argentina, then fell heavily in practice in round three in Texas, suffering dislocated double fracture to his left wrist, and has been out ever since. Briefly... There's nary a more picturesque venue for racing anywhere in the world. cont. on page 100