Mathis Valin and Kawasaki Racing Team MX2 took their first GP podium of the season in the Trentino round of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship at Pietramurata in Northern Italy.
Words | Press release
A superb start from mid-gate saw the French teenager narrowly edged out for the holeshot as a heavy rainstorm drifted over the track in the shadow of the Dolomites. The rain eased after a couple of laps but continued to make track conditions slippery and he rode a mistake-free race to resist all challenges and control second place to the chequered flag.
He couldn’t quite get across the pack at turn one in race two and was then obstructed on the first uphill when another rider fell in his path. Pushing hard for the rest of the race from outside the top-fifteen and looking left-and-right for passing moves he forced his way into tenth after fifteen minutes and maintained the charge to finish seventh, in the wheeltracks of sixth. He was rewarded for his efforts with his first overall podium of the season and has strengthened his position in the series standings; although still seventh, he has moved significantly closer to sixth.
«We have been getting closer step-by-step and it was good to have my first podium of the season before the break. I found a good flow in the first moto to finish second but Everts crashed right in front of me on the first lap of the second race. I knew I had to push hard to get on the box after that but I managed it.»
