Lancelot Takes Pole at First Women's World Championship Appearance at Mantova

MANTOVA (ITALY), 17 May 2008 – Round two of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship is once again a wet one as the opening round was last weekend at Sevlievo.

Livia Lancelot took her first win there and marked her first outing in Mantova with today’s pole; Maria Franke and two time World Cup Winner Katherine Prumm rounded off the top three.

Livia Lancelot was the quickest today at Mantova

GPKR’s Livia Lancelot is experiencing an incredible start to the 2008 season as she confirmed her status of title favourite by clocking today’s pole. The French rider was three seconds faster than closest rival Maria Franke, of Kawasaki Elf Pfeil.

The latter still has victory in her sights while Yamaha Van Beers Racing’s Katherine Prumm was a surprise by entering today’s top three.

After she broke her right ACL the Wednesday before Bulgaria, Prumm was almost scratched off the list of the Title contenders; though the hard working Kiwi was a brave fourth in Sevlievo and ended third fastest in Mantova, with the race going to be a harsh battle in between the three.

Katherine Prumm squeezed her Yamaha machine to take third in today’s time sheets

Also Honda mounted Ashley Fiolek can enter the fight for the win, with the American finishing a positive fourth today ahead of injured Larissa Papenmeier.

Making her comeback to racing with an injured right shoulder, 2005 World Cup Winner Steffi Laier was sixth fastest.


Top ten of today’s qualifying: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 2:19.570; 2. Maria Franke (GER, Kawasaki), +0:03.018; 3. Katherine Prumm (NZL, Yamaha), +0:04.385; 4. Ashley Fiolek (USA, Honda), +0:04.551; 5. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:04.654; 6. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), +0:05.105; 7. Elien De Winter (BEL, KTM), +0:06.461; 8. Marianne Veenstra (NED, Suzuki), +0:10.173; 9. Sofia Sjöberg (SWE, Honda), +0:10.826; 10. Marielle De Mol (NED, Yamaha), +0:11.309;


With day one ending in rain, Livia Lancelot walked away from the press conference area with her first Circuiti Gioielli Women Pole Position Award handed directly by Circuiti Gioielli’s head Gianfranco Quartaroli.

(left to right) Circuiti Gioielli’s Gianfranco Quartaroli handing Livia Lancelot the Award

NEWS OF THE DAY: RED BULL ENERGY STATION OPENS DOORS TO MOTOCROSS MEDIA

The very well known Red Bull Energy Station, which is present to each Motocross Grand Prix, is now a very popular meeting point in the paddock. Today the media following the Championship had the possibility to enjoy a visit to the structure, being very welcomed by the Red Bull crew, offering an aperitif and a buffet to end a pleasant evening.

The Red Bull Energy Station welcoming the FIM Motocross World Championship media.

CIRCUITO INTERNAZIONALE CITTÀ DI MANTOVA-TAZIO NUVOLARI AND MANTOVA

The track is named after car racing legend Tazio Nuvolari, as the driver was born and lived in Mantova. It was inaugurated in 1982 after a lot of work had been put in to build it in cooperation with former Motocross World Champion Michele Rinaldi, now the head of the Yamaha Monster Motocross’ team. The ground is a mix between the natural soil (30%) and the sand (70%), which makes it one of the few sandy circuits in the Italian peninsula. The weather forecast predicts rain for the entire weekend.


The city of Mantova is named after the Latin word “Mantua”, which refers to an Etruscan god. The city itself has 46.372 inhabitants spread on an area of 63,9 square metres. Mantova is in the centre of the Pianura Padana, the widest flatland in Italy; it is famous for having been the base of the very important Italian dynasty Gonzaga, who ruled the city for four centuries since 1328. Palazzo Ducale was actually built by the Gonzaga and it is still one of the most famous spots to watch once in Mantova, together with the Palazzo Te, the Torre dell’Orologio and the Basilica di Sant’Andrea. Mantova is one of the key cities for the Italian culture, as the poet Virgil and Renaissance painter Andrea Mantegna lived there.


THE EVENT’S SCHEDULE

Sunday May 18: KTM Trophy Warm Up at 8:30 am; Women’s World Championship Warm-up at 9:00 am; MX2 Warm-up at 9:30 am; MX1 Warm-up at 10:00 am; KTM Trophy Race 2 at 10:25 am; Women’s World Championship Race 1 at 11:10 am; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 at 12:10 am; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 at 1:10 pm; Women’s World Championship Race 2 at 2:10 pm; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 at 3:03 pm; MX1 Grand Prix Race 2 at 4:03 pm (local time).


The Grand Prix will be broadcast live on:

• EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET

• MOTORS TV (Pan Europe): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 CET

• SPORT ITALIA (Italy): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 CET

• SPORT ITALIA 24 (Italy, Digital Terrestrial): MX2 Race 2 at 15:00 CET

• SPORT TV (Portugal): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 CET

• VRT (Belgium): MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 CET

• GALAXIE SPORT (Czech Republic): MX2 Race 2 at 15:00 CET

• ART (Pan Middle East): MX1 Race 2 at 16:00 CET

• SPORT TV (Slovenia): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET

• EUROSPORT WORLD (Pan Asia): MX1 Race 1 at 11:00 GMT

• MEDIAZONE (Worldwide): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00; MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET

• TRANS 7 (Indonesia): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00; MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET


• RADIO DEEJAY (Italy, www.deejay.it): Youthstream’s Women World Championship Manager Stefy Bau on air at 15:00 CET


The Grand Prix will be broadcast delayed on:

• EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : Monday May 19; MX2 Class at 17:00 CET

• MOTORS TV (Pan Europe): Sunday May 18; MX2 Race 2 at 15:30 CET

• SPORT ITALIA (Italy): Sunday May 18; MX2 Race 2 at 16:30, MX1 Race 1 at 00:00 and Race 2 at 01:00 CET

• SPORT TV (Portugal): Sunday May 18; MX2 Race 2 at 17:00 CET

• VRT (Belgium): Sunday May 18; MX1 Race 2 Summary at 18:30 CET

• EUROSPORT WORLD (Pan Asia): Sunday May 18; MX1 Race 2 at 18:00 and 00:00. Monday May 19; MX2 Class at 18:15. Tuesday May 20; MX2 Class at 06:00 GMT.

• AMERICA ONE SPORTS (USA): Second Tuesday after the GP; MX2 Race 2 at 21:00; MX1 Race 2 at 22:00 USA Eastern Time

• GAORA: MX2 Race 1 and Race 2; MX1 Race 1 and Race 2; N/A CET

Information, photos and results are online at www.motocrossMX1.com, the official website of the FIM Motocross World Championships.

MediaZone Moto is the leading global online broadcaster of Motocross and SuperMoto events. Fans worldwide can watch the thrills from this and every race of the 2008 FIM Motocross & SuperMoto World Championships LIVE and On Demand exclusively at www.MediaZoneMoto.com.

Youthstream is the company that manages the exclusive television, marketing and promotional world wide rights of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FIM Motocross of Nations, the FIM SuperMoto World Championship, the FIM SuperMoto of Nations, the FIM Snowcross World Championship, the UEM Motocross European Championship and the UEM SuperMoto European Championship.

www.MotocrossMX1.com