Start Time – 3 only days until the start of the verifications that will kick off the first of the two rounds of the Internazionali d’Italia EICMA Series of Motocross 2024. The Riola Sardo (OR) track is ready to welcome riders, mechanics, media and vehicles who are in these days in Sardinia, that since several years host the training of some of the best riders in the world, becoming the real hub of the pre-season activities of the factory and private teams ahead the start of the EMX and world championship series.
MX1 – The list of riders at the start in the premier class is impressive, with many reasons of interest, including the absolute debut of the Fantic Factory Racing MXGP team with the new Dutch management and two riders: the expert Glenn Codenhoff and the debutant, Roan Van Der Moosdijk. Much awaited debut also for the MX2 vice World Champion. The Belgian will be competing together with his new teammate, Maxime Renaux, among the main contenders for the MXGP world title, as well as Romain Febvre, winner of 7 GPs in 2023 with his Kawasaki and Tim Gajser who with the Honda HRC is more determined than ever to launch the challenge for his sixth world championship. With him and the HRC squad, Ruben Fernandez will also be on track, while Ivo Monticelli will make his debut with the factory Beta managed by the MRT team and supported by his teammate Ben Watson. On track also Alvin Ostlund with his Honda, Jan Pancar making his debut with the KTM 450, the winner of the 2022 Sardinian Grand Prix, Calvin Vlaanderen (Yamaha) and the EMX2t 201 European Champion, Max Spies (KTM).
MX2 – In MX2 Andrea Adamo will make his seasonal debut after winning the 2023 World Championship aboard his factory KTM; the Sicilian will face Simon Langenfelder and Marc-Antoine Rossi, both with the official GASGAS managed by the De Carli team which recently celebrated 30 years of activity, Nicholas Lapucci (Husqvarna), Luca Ruffini (Husqvarna), Andrea Rossi (KTM) and Ferruccio Zanchi. The 2021 EMX125 European Champion, Valerio Lata will instead make his debut on the GASGAS of the Beddini Factory Juniors team together with his new teammate, the Danish Mads Fredsoe. From France, with the F&H team there will be Quentin Prugneres (Kawasaki), while there is much interest for the debut on the Yamaha for Lotte Van Drunen, the very young Dutch girl in Riola will compete against the colleagues in a tough challenge.
125 – In Riola we will have also the 1252t class, a category that will see riders from more than 10 countries on the track, in a championship that is increasingly attracting athletes from all over Europe who are preparing for the EMX125 continental series which will start in Sardinia on April 7th. Among them the Italians Nicolò Alvisi (KTM), Mattia Barbieri (Fantic), Brando Rispoli (TM), Riccardo Pini (Fantic), Alessandro Gaspari (KTM) Francesco Zoriaco (Fantic) and Simone Mancini (Yamaha) will face some of the most promising European talents, including Noel Zanocz (Fantic), Dean Gregoire (KTM) and Gyan Doensen (KTM).
Television coverage ensured by live streaming on Federmoto.TV which will allow spectators from all over the world to follow the races in Riola (04/02) and Mantova (11/02) starting from 1.15pm with commentary in Italian by Marco Gualdani and in English by Lorenzo Resta, with continuous interventions from the pit lane from Martina Riboni.
