On a gnarly, ripped up circuit, Italy’ Antonio Cairoli and his KTM 350sxf machine won the Mantova Starcross International, the three time World Motocross Champion dominating the first major international race of the year.

Cairoli went 1-1-3. Second overall was Steve Ramon with 6-4-4 scores. Third place fell to Clement Desalle with 16-2-2 moto finishes. The highest placing MX2 rider was Shaun Simpson with 4-7-14 score. Marvin Musquin was the second MX2 man with 18-11-8 finishes.

The opening moto began with Steve Ramon leading ahead of American Jimmy Albertson and Antonio Cairoli. Suzuki’s Steve Ramon looked strong, while Cairoli worked his way past Albertson and soon after, Ramon. The Italian then took off and won the moto in a breeze. Shaun Simpson was the top MX2 finisher with fourth place. The Scottish rider worked his way past several of the top MX1 boys for his result.

The second moto and Cairoli took the lead on the first corner and took off, winning by three seconds ahead of Clement Desalle and Tanel Leok. Again Simpson was top MX2 rider, finishing in seventh place.

The third and final moto it was Tanel Leok who led from the first lap, with Ramon, Desalle, Cairoli and Albertson following. After a handful of laps both Desalle and Cairoli worked their way past Ramon, while Leok continued to look strong up front. After nine laps, Leoks held a five second lead while Albertson was fighting with Monster/Yamaha/Rinaldi rider David Phillipaerts for fifth place. Meanwhile, up towards the sharp end of the filed, Desalle and Cairoli were slowly closing in on Leok, cutting his lead down to four seconds on lap 10. It wasn’t enough though, as Leok won over Desalle and Cairoli.

Moto One:
1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM)
2. David Phillipaerts (Yam)
3. Marc De Reuver (Suz)
4. Shaun Simpson (KTM)
5. Jonathan Barragan (Kaw)
6. Steve Ramon (Suz)
7. Max Nagl (KTM)
8. Aigar Leok (Hon)
9. Ken De Dycker (Yam)
10. Bas Verhoeven (Hon)
11. Ken Roczen (Suz)
12. Kevin Strijbos (KTM)
13. Anthony Boissiere (KTM)
14. Xavier Boog (Hon)
15. Davide Guarneri (Hon)
16. Clement Desalle (Suz)
17. Marcus Schiffer (KTM)
18. Marvin Musquin (KTM)
19. Anaud Tonus (Suz)
20. Gert Krestinov (KTM)

Moto two:
 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM)
2. Clement Desalle (Suz)
3. Tanel Leok (Hon)
4. Steve Ramon (Suz)
5. Marc De Reuver (Suz)
6. Jimmy Albertson (Hon)
7. Shaun Simpson (KTM)
8. David Philippaerts (Yam)
9. Ken De Dycker (Yam)
10. Manuel Priem (Aprilia)
11. Marvin Musquin (KTM)
12. Xavier Boog (Kaw)
13. Max Nagl (KTM)
14. Bas Verhoeven (Hon)
15. Aigar Leok (TM)
16. Arnaud Tonus (Suz)
17. Jonathan Barragan (Kaw)
18. Manuel Monni (Yam)
19. Kevin Strijbos (KTM)
20. Anthony Boissiere (KTM)

Moto three:
1. Tanel Leok (Hon)
2. Clement Desalle (Suz)
3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM)
4. Steve Ramon (Suz)
5. Jimmy Albertson (Hon)
6. David Philippaerts (Yam)
7. Marc De Reuver (Suz)
8. Marvin Musquin (KTM)
9. Jonathan Barragan (Kaw)
10. Xavier Boog (Kaw)
11. Anthony Boissiere (KTM)
12. Max Nagl (KTM)
13. Manuel Monni (Yam)
14. Shaun Simpson (KTM)
15. Arnaud Tonus (Suz)
16. Bas Verhoeven (Hon)
17. Marcus Schiffer (KTM
18. Gianluca Martini (Hon)
19. Herjan Brakke (Yam)
20. Filip Neugevauer (Kaw

Overall
1. Cairoli 70pts
2. Ramon 52pts
3. Desalle 51pts
4. Philippaerts 51pts
5. De Reuver 48pts