Fontanesi rules women’s MX for three years with YZ250F

For the third year in a row the combination of Italian star Kiara Fontanesi and the Yamaha Rinaldi Research and Development YZ250F has proved to be the superior package in the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship. Last weekend the 20 year old took second place overall at the Grand Prix of Czech Republic and the last of six rounds in the 2014 competition to reclaim the crown that she has owned the previous two years.

“I am so happy to get the title because the season didn't start well with that crash in Qatar and there were other struggles,” she said after an emotional celebration at the Loket circuit that was also the scene of the fourteenth round of seventeen in MXGP. “After Teutschenthal [the penultimate meeting for MXW in June] when I saw I was still leading the championship, I knew I had to push like hell for one month to make it happen. As well as train a lot on hard pack.”

“We came here with a strong mentality and I knew I could get it,” added ‘Fonta’ who scored first and third positions across the two motos on the slippery and slick Czech dirt. “I wanted to take a victory in the first moto because I knew it was more important than in the second one. I had to make a statement first. My start was so bad though and I had to push. I thought ‘it is now or now!’ I gave everything I had and I don't even know how I did that first lap. I was fifteenth and was leading before the line. I controlled the gap and made it happen.”

Fontanesi didn't have the same feeling and rhythm on Sunday morning for the decisive 20 minute and 2 lap race where she needed to finish ahead or just behind Rutledge to safeguard her position in the standings. Finally, third place – following Rutledge to the line – was enough to ensure a five point difference. “I wanted today to be like yesterday but I didn't feel good; it was so difficult to ride that it is hard to explain why. I tried to catch Meghan but in the end I told myself it was better to stay there and not risk a crash. I wanted to win the GP but it was not the first priority.”

As she alluded in the build-up to the Loket showdown, Kiara feels that the 2014 championship and title confirmation was one of the most important of her career to-date: “At the beginning of the year I was thinking about winning all the GPs but after Qatar I could see that it was going to be a difficult season. Even though I had problems I kept near the front and leading so I knew I could do it. I had to believe in myself coming here and I had only one chance to show. I think this is the first title I have really ‘won’. I only had four moto victories and all the best girls in the world were racing this year. It gives you more motivation.”