Red Bull KTM Factory rider Antonio Cairoli has won the opening round of the Italian International Championship, taking both the MX1 moto and the Elite moto, which pitted the MX2 and MX1 riders together. Swizz rider Arnaud Tonus of the Monster Energy CLS Kawasaki team won the MX2 moto and finished 6th in the Elite race, being the first MX2 rider home.

The King of European Motocross Cairoli didn’t waste any time as he took the lead in the opening MX1 moto of the season at the opening round of the Italian International Championship, played out in Sardinia today. Behind him on lap one was Evgeny Bobryshev, Jeremy Van Horebeek, Samuele Bernardini, David Philippaerts, Max Nagl, Tyla Rattray and Todd Waters.

Nagl was quickly passed by the two Husqvarna riders Rattray and Waters and Cairoli was extending his lead up front.

After six laps it was Cairoli, Bobryshev, Van Horebeek, Philippaerts, Rattray, Waters, Nagl, Guarneri, Bernardini and De Bortoli.

With a seven second lead after seven laps Cairoli looked in total control. Bobryshev has 14 seconds over Van Horebeek, and Rattay and Waters were in close combat for that 5th place position. While Cairoli extended his lead to nearly 10 seconds, Rattray moved closer to Philippaerts and pulled a small gap on his Husqvarna team-mate Waters. Nagl was a further 15 seconds back in 7th position.

On lap 8 Rattray had problems and let Waters by and the Aussie was now just hand a second off the pace of fourth places Philippaerts. Not a lot changed as the riders moved into the 10th lap, although Waters was no on the back wheel of Philippaerts and Rattray was three seconds back, a further three seconds back was Nagl in 7th place.

On lap 11 Cairoli was in cruise control as he extended his lead to around 18 seconds, Bobryshev second some 15 seconds ahead of third placed Van Horebeek, with Philippaerts able to shake Waters and hold a safe fourth place.

On lap 12 Rattray got back around Waters, Cairoli extended his lead to 24 seconds and most of the other riders solidated their positions. Another lap and Cairoli was now 30 seconds ahead of Bobryshev, 39 seconds ahead of Van Horebeek, 57 seconds ahead of Philippaerts and just taking complete control of the opening moto of the 2014 season.

The race ended with Cairoli winning by 32 seconds ahead of Bobryshev, Van Horebeek, Philippaerts, Rattray, Waters, Nagl, Gercar, De Bortoli, and Bernardini in 10th place.

Defending World MXGP champion Antonio Cairoli was quickest in early morning practice in Italy. Here are the top guys qualification times.

In the opening MX2 moto Alexsandr Tonkov gave Husqvarna something to cheer about as he led lap one of the opening MX2 moto in Italy. On lap one it was Tonkov, Arnaud Tonus, Ivo Monticelli and Pauls Jonass in fifth place. Way back was Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jordi Tixier.

Christophe Charlier moved past Jonas on lap two, while Tixier moved past former World Champion Alessio Chiodi for 15th place. Also miles back in the pack was young Honda rider Tim Gajser. The other Factory Husqvarna rider Romain Febvre held down 10th place on lap two.

Tonus dropped back to fourth place as Monticelli and Charlier went past and Tonkov moved away from the field. Tixier was up to 11th place, with Alessandro Lupino into 13th place (after a bad start).

Charlier moved past Monticelli and began to make ground on the leader Tonkov. Febvre moved to 9th and Tixier held 10th. Charlier was on fire pulling up on Tonkov as he tried to put his Factory Yamaha into the lead.

Charlier passed Tonkov on lap seven, and Tonus also made his way past the Husvarna Factory rider. Febvre moved up to 6th and Tixier moved into 8th. Soon after Jonass also passed the Russian and Febvre moved his Husky into 6th place, Tixier on the Factory KTM into 7th.

After 13 laps it was Charlier just ahead of hard charging Tonus with Jonass in third followed by Tonkov, Febvre, Tixier, Monticelli, Van Berkel, Fors and Lupino. Tixier also on a roll moved into fourth place, as the two Husky riders Tonkov and Febvre battled for 5th position.

On lap 14 (the last lap) Tonus took the lead from Charlier, as Monticelli passed both Febvre and Tonkov (who had dropped from 5th to 7th). 

MX2 Moto 

1 200 TONUS Arnaud SUI MX2 Fms Kawasaki
2 23 CHARLIER Christophe FRA MX2 Yamaha Factory
3 741 JONASS Pauls LAT MX2 Marchetti Racing KTM
4 911 TIXIER Jordi FRA MX2 Red Bull KTM Factory
5 128 MONTICELLI Ivo ITA MX2 Marchetti Racing KTM
6 461 FEBVRE Romain FRA MX2 Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna
7 59 TONKOV Alexsandr RUS MX2 Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna
8 922 FORS Kevin BEL MX2 Fmb KTM
9 107 VAN BERKEL Lars NED MX2 Knmv Honda
10 8 LUPINO Alessandro ITA MX2 Cls Kawasaki Monster
11 11 CERVELLIN Michele ITA MX2 Martin Racing Technology Honda
12 651 TINKLER Kade CAN MX2 Lissone Suzuki
13 121 CHIODI Alessio ITA MX2 Silver Action KTM
14 71 VALENTE Christopher SUI MX2 Fms TM
15 310 MANCUSO Antonio ITA MX2 Messina Factory Honda
16 332 ANDRADE Rodrigo BRA MX2 Cbm TM
17 999 BONINI Davide ITA MX2 M V Gallarate KTM
18 94 BAKENS Robin BEL MX2 FMB Yamaha 14
19 223 TROPEPE Giuseppe ITA MX2 Team Massignani Honda
20 44 PAGANINI Marco ITA MX2 Team Massignani Honda

MX1 Moto

1 222 CAIROLI Antonio ITA MX1 Red Bull KTM Factory
2 777 BOBRYSHEV Evgeny RUS MX1 Hrc Team Honda
3 89 VAN HOREBEEK Jeremy BEL MX1 Yamaha Factory
4 19 PHILIPPAERTS David ITA MX1  Yamaha
5 28 RATTRAY Tyla ITA MX1 Red Bull Iceone Husqvarna
6 47 WATERS Todd AUS MX1 Red Bull Iceone Husqvarna
7 12 NAGL Max GER MX1 Hrc Team Honda
8 62 GERCAR Klemen SLO MX1 AMD Brezice Honda
9 45 DE BORTOLI Davide ITA MX1 Team Massignani Honda
10 321 BERNARDINI Samuele ITA MX1 Megan Racing TM
11 14 ZENI Samuel ITA MX1 Arco Kawasaki
12 153 MADDII Marco ITA MX1 Brilli Peri KTM
13 73 BERTUZZO Pier Filippo ITA MX1 Moto Club Spoleto Yamaha
14 65 KARAS Hrvoje CRO MX1 Hms Yamaha 14
15 757 MANK Arek POL MX1 PZM Honda
16 39 GUARNERI Davide ITA MX1 Bellinzago TM
17 250 CARUSO Manfredi ITA MX1 Taormina News Honda

Elite Moto

1 222 CAIROLI Antonio ITA MX1 Red Bull KTM Factory
2 89 VAN HOREBEEK Jeremy BEL MX1 Yamaha Factory
3 777 BOBRYSHEV Evgeny RUS MX1 Hrc Team Honda
4 28 RATTRAY Tyla ITA MX1 Red Bull Iceone Husqvarna
5 12 NAGL Max GER MX1 Hrc Team Honda
6 200 TONUS Arnaud SUI MX2 Fms Kawasaki
7 19 PHILIPPAERTS David ITA MX1 Yamaha
8 47 WATERS Todd AUS MX1 Red Bull Iceone Husqvarna
9 461 FEBVRE Romain FRA MX2 Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna
10 39 GUARNERI Davide ITA MX1 Bellinzago TM
11 911 TIXIER Jordi FRA MX2 Red Bull KTM Factory
12 741 JONASS Pauls LAT MX2 Marchetti Racing KTM
13 128 MONTICELLI Ivo ITA MX2 Marchetti Racing KTM
14 8 LUPINO Alessandro ITA MX2 Cls Kawasaki Monster Ener
15 107 VAN BERKEL Lars NED MX2 Knmv Honda