GP7 - Kegums (MXGP OF LATVIA)

8 Agosto 2021

1st RACE AFTER DAMAGE SHOULDER

Ivo Monticelli had been unable to practice during the week after damaging his shoulder at the previous GP so he inevitably took time to settle on the rugged sand track. Twenty-second in Qualifying he used the performance of his KX450-SR admirably to power around the pack at turn one and claim an early eighth place in the first moto but he gradually surrendered positions to the sand specialists throughout the race to finish sixteenth. The Italian had no change in fortune in race two as he was brought down at the first corner; within six laps he had charged from last to nineteenth until a fall pushed him downfield again but he regrouped to regain five positions during the second half of the race for a further points-scoring finish in eighteenth. He is now nineteenth in the points standings.

Ivo Monticelli: "Today was pretty hard for me. I was not able to ride during the week after injuring my shoulder in Lommel so I didn’t find a good feeling for the track in the morning; the track was bumpy with many ruts so it was hard for my shoulder. I made a really good start in the top eight in race one, then I just rode my own rhythm; it wasn’t fast but I could score points. I had a better feeling for the track in race two but another rider took me out at the start and I had to wait to free my bike; I found a good feeling to come back to nineteenth but then I had a big crash and had to rebuild again to finish eighteenth. My riding was positive in the second moto even though I crashed too much. Now I have four weeks to rebuild my shape before the next GP; first I will go back home in Italy for a few days to get some rest, then we will work with the team to prepare for the rest of the season."