MLADINA (CROATIA), 19 July 2009 – Slovenian rider Matevz Irt (Honda Team MB) became the winner of the tenth event for the FIM MX3 World Championship in Croatia. Pierre Alexandre Renet (Suzuki Bodo Schmidt) finished second, Alvaro Lozano (Yamaha Ausio Racing Team) third.
The Sunday’s Timetable was changed because of the heavy weather conditions on Saturday. So riders started the racing day with morning’s Qualifying Practice. Matevz Irt took the pole position in front of Alvaro Lozano (Spain) and Italian Alex Salvini (Husqvarna Tecno B).
During the first race the race track Mladina was still muddy. Matevz Irt from the Italian Team MB took the holeshot. Austrian rider Michael Staufer (KTM), who returned in the competition after the injury, was holding the second position. Riders riding behind Irt were very narrows and fast. So Staufer regressed. Four riders were fighting for the top three for a long time. Renet finished second and Lozano third.
In the second race Irt took another holeshot and he was riding very reliable. His first MX3 overall win was in the air, he only needed to hold out till the end. He won also the second race. Finnish rider Antti Pyrhonen was riding second at the beginning, but finished tenth and lost the podium. Gregory Wicht (Honda) from Switzerland was second. Both Husqvarna riders followed the best two. Christophe Martin (France) was third and Alex Salvini fourth.
After the second place at his home Slovenian event, Matevz Irt won in Croatia. But in front of many Slovenian spectators, who attended the nearby event. Pierre Alexandre Renet was sixth in the second race but finished second overall. Renet kept the red plate for the Championship leadership. Alvaro Lozano finished the top three. Christophe Martin was fourth, his teammate Alex Salvini (Husqvarna Tecno B) was fifth overall. The best home Croatian rider was Nenad Sipek (Yamaha), finished fourteenth.
In the MX3 Championship Classification French rider Pierre Alexandre Renet increased the advantage in front of the Italian rider Alex Salvini. Renet is leading for eleven points. Finnish rider Antti Pyrhonen moved to the third position. Julien Vanni is now fourth. Matevz Irt gained to the fifth position and he has the same number of points as Christophe Martin on the sixth position.
Next event for the FIM MX3 World Championship will be 2nd of August in Germany.
RIDER’S COMMENTS
1st – MATEVZ IRT (SLOVENIA): »I think yesterday responsible people took the right decision to make the Qualifying Practice today. We had much better conditions today. Already this morning I was very fast. I took the pole position and I was about one second faster than others. I won also both races so today it was a fantastic day for me. This is my first MX3 win and the feeling is great.«
2nd – PIERRE ALEXANDRE RENET (FRANCE): »It was a very good race for me. I took some more points in front of Alex Salvini. This is very important because he is my biggest competitor for the Championship Title at the moment, when Julien Vanni is out because he is injured. On every race I try to do my best to take as many points as possible. I hope this is the recipe to win the Championship.«
3rd – ALVARO LOZANO (SPAIN): »Both races went out without bike problems. The bike was much better as before. Then of course also the weekend was easier and more successful for me. In the first race I took a good start. I passed some riders and finished third. In the second race the track was dry and very hard, I finished fifth. Thank to my team for their support.«
RESULTS
First Race Top Ten: 1. Matevz Irt (SLO, Honda), 34:54.458; 2. Pierre Renet (FRA, Suzuki), +0:08.767; 3. Alvaro Lozano (ESP, Yamaha), +0:09.584; 4. Antti Pyrhonen (FIN, Honda), +0:11.456; 5. Joaquim Rodrigues (POR, Aprilia), +0:11.970; 6. Christophe Martin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:16.215; 7. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:19.607; 8. Michael Staufer (AUT, KTM), +0:22.585; 9. Jan Zaremba (CZE, KTM), +0:25.524; 10. Nicolai Hansen (DEN, Suzuki), +0:30.833
Second Race Top Ten: 1. Matevz Irt (SLO, Honda), 35:11.531; ; 2. Gregory Wicht (SUI, Honda), +0:04.436; 3. Christophe Martin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:07.385; 4. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:14.799; 5. Alvaro Lozano (ESP, Yamaha), +0:19.557; 6. Pierre Renet (FRA, Suzuki), +0:29.977; 7. Joaquim Rodrigues (POR, Aprilia), +0:31.874; 8. Sergey Astaykin (RUS, KTM), +0:36.213; 9. Saso Kragelj (SLO, Yamaha), +0:41.774; 10. Antti Pyrhonen (FIN, Honda), +0:50.228
Overall Top Ten: 1. Matevz Irt (SLO, Honda), 50 points; 2. Pierre Renet (FRA, Suzuki), 37 p.; 3. Alvaro Lozano (ESP, Yamaha), 36 p.; 4. Christophe Martin (FRA, Husqvarna), 35 p.; 5. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), 32 p.; 6. Gregory Wicht (SUI, Honda), 30 p.; 7. Joaquim Rodrigues (POR, Aprilia), 30 p.; 8. Antti Pyrhonen (FIN, Honda), 29 p.; 9. Jan Zaremba (CZE, KTM), 22 p.; 10. Saso Kragelj (SLO, Yamaha)
Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Pierre Renet (FRA, Suzuki), 373 points; 2. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), 362 p.; 3. Antti Pyrhonen (FIN, Honda), 311 p.; 4. Julien Vanni (FRA, Honda), 311 p.; 5. Matevz Irt (SLO, Honda), 293 p.; 6. Christophe Martin (FRA, Husqvarna), 293 p.; 7. Alvaro Lozano (ESP, Yamaha), 220 p.; 8. Nicolai Hansen (DEN, Suzuki), 186 p.; 9. Hugo Basaula (POR, Suzuki), 164 p.; 10. Kasper Jensen (DEN, Honda), 159 p