FIM world Motocross: Steve Ramon and Davide Guarneri take victories

The second round of the World Motocross Championships went off on Sunday – unfortunately, however, the rain in Spain fell mainly on Bellpuig, turning the surface into soup.

The meeting ran anyway, but the normal course of events was somewhat disrupted by the shockingly-bad conditions, with a degree of luck being needed just to stay on the bike.

That’s not to take anything away from Tyla Rattray, the championship leader was almost flawless in the first MX2 moto, streaking away to win by a minute from reigning champion Antonio Cairoli and Davide Guarneri as everyone else struggled in the slop.

But moto two was a different story, as this time it was Guarneri who kept it shiny side up for the win and the overall, taking the second moto on countback.

The unfortunate Gaultier Paulin took the lead only for the race to be cancelled early, giving Guarneri the win. The 23-year-old Italian was riding injured, just taking it steady and keeping it together, but this may just have been the perfect strategy on a day like today.

Manuel Monni took the second step of the podium, ahead of Stephen Sword, with Tony and Tyla fourth and fifth overall.

In MX1, reigning MX1 World Champion Steve Ramon took his first-ever MX1 Grand Prix win – the Belgian veteran won moto one amidst all the confusion, with the bikes so plastered that it was hard to tell who was who.

David Philipaerts and Ken De Dycker took second and third after crashing together on the start and having to come from dead last.

But with the weather showing no signs of capitulating, the organisers had to make a decision about whether or not to run the second moto. Given that the final veterans race ran just one lap before it was stopped, it was not a hard decision to make, and the teams began packing for the next round one race early.

FIM World Motocross Championship

MX1 round 2 – Bellpuig, Spain
1 Steve Ramon – Suzuki
2 David Philippaerts – Yamaha
3 Ken de Dycker – Suzuki
4 Josh Coppins – Yamaha
5 Tanel Leok – Kawasaki
6 Kevin Strijbos – Kawasaki

MX1 standings
1 De Dycker – 70
2 Ramon – 63
3 Philippaerts – 55 
4 Coppins – 47
5 Mackenzie – 46
6 Nagl – 40

FIM World Motocross Championship

MX2 round 2 – Bellpuig, Spain
1 Davide Guarneri – Yamaha
2 Manuel Monni – Yamaha
3 Stephen Sword – Kawasaki

MX2 standings
1 Rattray
2 Cairoli
3 Guarneri