FIM CEV Repsol, MotorLand Aragon: Mir, Pons and Morales take wins
Accompanied by high temperatures – and seven thousand fans over the weekend – Mir, Pons and Morales celebrated victories in the Moto3™ Junior World Championship, the Moto2™ European Championship and Superbike European Championship races disputed today at MotorLand Aragon. Today was the fourth event and midpoint of the season, so riders were looking for points to get a good position in the overall table.
There were two Moto3™ Junior World Championship races today, with Joan Mir (SPA-Honda) dominating both. When the first race started at 11.00, the quickest rider this weekend took off and instantly opened up a convincing gap. Trailing behind came a large group of riders led by Tony Arbolino (ITA-KTM), who gained confidence lap by lap. As the race went on, he was joined by teammate Stefano Valtulini (ITA-KTM) – as well as Arón Canet (SPA-Honda), who had fought his way up through the field from twenty-first position on the grid. The riders fought it out over the last few laps, at which point Tony Arbolino (ITA-KTM) was brought down by another rider leaving him out of the race. The race direction ordered the marshals to wave the red flag, thus bringing the race to a close. On the podium: Joan Mir (SPA-Honda), who, along with 25 points received the “Repsol free fuel voucher” award; Stefano Valtulini (ITA-KTM) and Arón Canet (SPA-Honda), in that order.
The second race of the Moto3™ Junior World Championship started with temperatures soaring. Joan Mir (SPA-Honda) took and held a comfortable lead of between 5 and 6 seconds from the sixth lap on, and rode with characteristic consistency to the flag. An early chasing group made up of Nicolò Bulega (ITA-KTM), Laglisse Academy riders Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA-Husqvarna) and Albert Arenas (ITA-Husqvarna), and the Junior Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 riders Arón Canet (SPA-Honda) and Jaume Masía (SPA-Honda), swapped places and positions without an obvious leader. In the end, with the young Machado-Leopard Junior Team rider taking victory, Jaume Masía (SPA-Honda) climbed onto the podium for the first time with a second place finish. Albert Arenas (ITA-Husqvarna) took the third slot, after Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA-Husqvarna) and Arón Canet (SPA-Honda) – leader in the overall points table – fell one lap before the end.
After the fascinating Moto3™ races it was unlikely that the Moto2™ European Championship race would be as thrilling, and this was the case. Both wins and the “Repsol free fuel voucher” prizes went to Edgar Pons (SPA-Kalex), whose victories were more of a parade than anything else. In the first round, a comfortable advantage of more than three seconds over his pursuers allowed him to cross the finish line alone. Behind, there was a duel between Steven Odendaal (RSA-Kalex) – in second place in the overall classification – and Xavi Vierge (SPA-Tech3) – in third place – to provide some thrilling final corners. Alan Techer (FRA-Tech3), Federico Fuligni (ITA-Suter) and Eric Granado (BRA-Kalex), fought brilliantly right to the chequered flag. Luca Marini’s (ITA-Kalex) exit from the track unfortunately prevented him scoring any points.
In the second Moto2™ European Championship race of the day, Edgar Pons (SPA-Kalex), once again proved untouchable, and now has a 39-point lead in the overall standings. Xavi Vierge (SPA Tech 3) nabbed second position and Steven Odendaal (RSA-Kalex) third. The Yellow Pages HP40 Junior Team rider led right from the off and increased his lead as the laps went by. Behind him, a duel developed between Xavi Vierge (SPA-Tech 3) and Steven Odendaal (RSA-Kalex), and finally the South Africa was all set to take second when the Targobank Motorsport rider passed him just a few meters from the finish line.
Today’s Superbike European Championship race at MotorLand was the hundredth time the top category race had been held, beginning in 2002 at the Circuit de Albacete. From pole position, Dani Rivas (SPA-BMW) led until Carmelo Morales (SPA-Yamaha) took over to lap alone to earn his third consecutive victory (and “Repsol free fuel voucher” prize). Rivas (SPA-BMW) and Iván Silva (SPA-BMW) outpaced the rest of the field until mechanical problems slowed Silva and left him to take third place behind Rivas. Eeki Kuparinen (FIN-BMW) was the victor in the privateers category. Current champion Kenny Noyes was taken to Hospital Clínico in Zaragoza after suffering a bad fall during the warm-up. He has been diagnosed with a head injury.
The next FIM CEV Repsol event – the 5th of the season – will be at Circuito de Albacete, on the 5th and 6th of September.
Source: CEV Repsol
