World Champion Antonio Cairoli was third overall in the MX2 class at Desert Martin today for his second podium appearance in a row and seventh of the season. The Team Yamaha De Carli rider was 2nd and 7th for the bottom step of rostrum despite a crash in the second moto. The Sicilian completed a lonely race to second place in the initial race after Tyla Rattray had escaped. Unfortunately for the reigning number one, series leader Christophe Pourcel pushed through from a mediocre start to collect third and minimise any damage to his margin in the standings. Cairoli, who struggled with his suspension set-up on the rough and physical terrain, finally ended up giving his French rival two more points with a fall from third place on the second lap of Moto2, necessitating a hard trawl back into the top ten.
Yamaha Team Ricci's Kenneth Gundersen withstood a pursuit by David Philippaerts in the second half of the first moto to make sure of sixth position and the second highest Yamaha rider home. It was the Norwegian's best finish from the last four Grand Prix. However, his poor luck struck again later in the day as he barely walked away from a pile-up of riders on the first turn. Slightly concussed Gundersen's moto finished only seconds after it had started.
Fellow Yamaha Team Ricci representative Davide Guarneri's season hangs in the balance after several problems with illness, breathing problems and a virus that has left the Italian in a weakened state. He will now spend some time away from the sport to fully recover and although he may attempt to return for the final Grand Prix of the year at Ernee it depends on his progress and the results of a complete physical examination conducted in Italy this week.
Alessi Chiodi opted to stay away from the trip to Ireland after his painful broken finger from Namur several weeks ago prevented the Italian from being able to ride and train. He climbed back on the YZ250F a day before the Grand Prix and is expecting a return at Lierop.
Cairoli's team-mate Matteo Bonini finished out of the points in both motos. Bike it Yamaha Dixon's Billy Mackenzie also had a fall in each outing but finished 9th in the second race.
Tyla Rattray won his fourth Grand Prix of the season with Pourcel assuming the status of runner-up.
Cairoli now stands 28 points behind Pourcel at the top of the Championship table. Two more Grand Prix and 100 points remain. Mackenzie is the next Yamaha rider in eighth while Gundersen is twelfth.
The finale of the World Championship is rapid approaching and the penultimate round of fifteen will take place at the flat, sandy Lierop circuit for the Grand Prix of the Netherlands in seven day's time.
Antonio Cairoli, Team Yamaha De Carli:"I am not so happy because I wanted to take points away from Pourcel today. I made a stupid mistake and crashed in the second heat, losing a lot of time in picking up the bike and restarting. We had some suspension problems this weekend and we have to get it fixed for Lierop. I did not have a good feeling out there and had to use a lot of energy to push hard. In the first race I did my best and finished second but in the second I felt tired and it was harder."
Kenneth Gundersen, Yamaha Team Ricci:"The first moto was quite good. I was riding a bit stiff at the beginning but at the end things were coming better and better. I was looking forward to the second moto to make an improved result but that ended in the first corner. I don't know what happened. I was right next to Cairoli but someone hit me from behind and I was thrown into the ground. I am going to go home and get healthy and try to do better in Lierop because I like the sand."
Temp: 18
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Weather: Changeable
2006 GP of Desert Martin, Ireland Race 1 - 20 Laps: 1 Tyla Rattray KTM RSA 41'19.221
2 Antonio Cairoli Yamaha ITA 0'7.757
3 Christophe Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 0'15.579
4 Rui Goncalves KTM POR 0'20.357
5 Sébastien Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 0'32.583
6 Kenneth Gundersen Yamaha SWE 0'34.607
7 David Philippaerts KTM ITA 0'40.106
8 Marc De Reuver KTM NED 0'51.108
9 Gareth Swanepoel Kawasaki RSA 0'54.777
10 Aigar Leok Yamaha EST 0'58.962
11 Tommy Searle Kawasaki GBR 1'2.674
12 Manuel Monni KTM ITA 1'8.972
13 Carl Nunn KTM GBR 1'10.743
14 Maximilian Nagl KTM GER 1'14.177
15 Matti Seistola Honda FIN 1'21.390
16 Billy MacKenzie Yamaha GBR 1'25.612
17 Joel Roelants KTM BEL 1'31.068
18 Patrick Caps Honda BEL 1'32.734
19 Pierre-Alexandre Renet Honda FRA 1'40.206
20 Nicolas Aubin Kawasaki FRA 1'43.836
Race 2 - 20 Laps: 1 Tyla Rattray KTM RSA 39'52.916
2 Marc De Reuver KTM NED 0'20.796
3 David Philippaerts KTM ITA 0'29.930
4 Christophe Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 0'42.802
5 Sébastien Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 0'47.523
6 Gareth Swanepoel Kawasaki RSA 0'48.687
7 Antonio Cairoli Yamaha ITA 1'16.210
8 Rui Goncalves KTM POR 1'18.640
9 Billy MacKenzie Yamaha GBR 1'19.069
10 Marcus Schiffer KTM GER 1'27.582
11 Aigar Leok Yamaha EST 1'30.662
12 Martin Kohut Honda SVK 1'33.566
13 Matti Seistola Honda FIN 1'35.089
14 Manuel Monni KTM ITA 1'36.839
15 Xavier Boog Yamaha FRA 1'54.252
16 Tom Church Kawasaki GBR 1'58.572
17 Joel Roelants KTM BEL 2'3.705
18 Martin Barr Yamaha GBR -1 Laps
19 Jeremy Tarroux Kawasaki FRA -1 Laps
20 Carlos Campano KTM ESP -2 Laps
Best Lap: Tyla Rattray KTM RSA 1'57.584
Rider Standings 27/08/2006 1. Christophe Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 496
2. Antonio Cairoli Yamaha ITA 468
3. David Philippaerts KTM ITA 427
4. Tyla Rattray KTM RSA 402
5. Marc De Reuver KTM NED 373
6. Carl Nunn KTM GBR 315
7. Sébastien Pourcel Kawasaki FRA 291
8. Billy MacKenzie Yamaha GBR 281
9. Gareth Swanepoel Kawasaki RSA 278
10. Rui Goncalves KTM POR 267
11. Tommy Searle Kawasaki GBR 264
12. Kenneth Gundersen Yamaha SWE 215
13. Alessio Chiodi Yamaha ITA 211
14. Manuel Monni KTM ITA 183
15. Davide Guarneri Yamaha ITA 153
16. Matti Seistola Honda FIN 119
17. Aigar Leok Yamaha EST 118
18. Anthony Boissière Yamaha FRA 98
19. Luigi Seguy Yamaha FRA 94
20. Pierre-Alexandre Renet Honda FRA 82
39. Matteo Bonini Yamaha ITA 7
Manufacturer Standings 27/08/2006: 1. KTM 596
2. Yamaha 562
3. Kawasaki 521
4. Honda 210
5. Suzuki 22
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