Perfect weather for a perfect week end of racing saw AXO riders Tony Cairoli and Max Nagl producing two masterful performances on the deep and tricky sand of Valkenswaard on Easter Monday to deliver AXO the win and the runner up spot of the GP of the Netherlands!

The performance was even more spectacular for Cairoli who was riding injured after hurting his knee in the first GP at Sevlievo, Bulgaria, and while he was clearly in pain and discomfort as he climbed onto the highest step of the GP podium, courtesy of the win in Race 1 and the second place in Race 2.

Nagl put in a great ride to take third in the first moto and the win in the final heat at his first year with the  350 SX-F machine. The result moves Nagl up to second place in the championship standings, just five points behind the leader Steven Frossard with Cairoli in overall fourth with a 13-point gap to the leader.

Tony Cairoli: “I am happy that this is the third time I have won in MX1 here but I did struggle a bit today. Normally this track is a lot of fun to ride but today I tried to be more careful with my injured knee and I tried not to put it on the ground so much. Today we could also close the gap in the championship points and I hope it’s not too long before we get the red plate back again!”.

Max Nagl: “It’s had been a good weekend for me, including a great qualifying when I took the pole position but I have not been so confident in the first moto, I have waited too much to attack. Then in the second heat I changed my strategy. I was leading after about 15 minutes so I was able to find my rhythm and find some nice lines on the track. That makes it easier!”.

In other related news, it was also announced at Valkenswaard that Cairoli has signed to stay with the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing Team for another two years.

Good performances also for the other MX1 AXO riders, with De Dycker in seventh, Ramon in tenth and Guarneri just behind him.