Boosted by pleasant memories of previous success in Trentino, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams are determined to bounce back at the fifth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship that will take place at the stunning Crossodromo il Ciclamino Circuit in Pietramurata, Italy, this weekend.
The circuit in Arco is very familiar to MXGP, having staged 21 Grands Prix since its inception in 1985. The track, which is hard clay and stony with some elevation and plenty of narrow sections, is a track that tends to favour a good start, smooth throttle hand and strong mindset.
After a gruelling weekend in Sardinia, all four Monster Energy Yamaha Factory riders have prioritized recovery this week. With the sand of Riola Sardo marking the toughest test of the season so far, and a short turnaround between back-to-back rounds, the teams have focused on physical recovery, with only light training scheduled to regain their feeling on the hard-pack ahead of the weekend.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Tim Gajser’s history at the Crossodromo il Ciclamino venue is nothing short of legendary. This Sunday marks 11 years since he secured his first-ever Grand Prix win here in Arco (in MX2) — just one of six victories at the venue. Five of those wins have come in the premier class, MXGP, including a dominant performance last season where a perfect Sunday saw him win his 52nd Grand Prix.
For Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Maxime Renaux, Arco is forever etched in memory as the place where he clinched his MX2 World Title in 2021, and also where he secured a maiden EMX125 victory earlier in his career.
Yamaha’s success in Pietramurata extends to the EMX ranks as well; Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Janis Reisulis enjoyed a dominant weekend at the circuit in 2023, claiming his first EMX125 red plate with a perfect 1-1 performance. His brother and teammate, Karlis Reisulis, also shares a fondness for the hard-pack terrain, having stepped onto the EMX podium for the first time at this very track.
Heading into the weekend, the goal for all four riders is to harness this positive history and translate it into a strong result.
Tim Gajser
5th MXGP World Championship Standings, 149-points
“I feel a bit sore and beaten up, but I will survive. With back-to-back races, we don’t have a lot of time, so I am focusing on recovery and working with my physiotherapist, Tina. Arco is nice! I have a lot of good memories from there—a lot of race wins and a lot of GP wins. There are always a lot of Slovenian fans there and they always create a great atmosphere, so I am really looking forward to going there and hopefully I can give them something back with good results. I just want to try to have fun and try to enjoy; I also want to finish good, with a good result, so I will give my best and go for it.”
Maxime Renaux
6th MXGP World Championship Standings, 143-points
“The plan this week is to recover from a tough weekend and return to full health after that bug destroyed me. I’ll also do one day on the bike just to get some feeling back on the hard pack. Going from sand to hard pack is difficult, but at our level, we are used to it because the MXGP calendar is very tight, so we are always racing in different places and different conditions. I really like Trentino; it’s one of my favourite tracks on the calendar and I have a lot of good memories there, including my first EMX125 win and winning my MX2 World Title in 2021. It’s always a nice place to go, so I am looking forward to it and hopefully making some nice memories again.”
Janis Reisulis
6th MX2 World Championship Standings, 143-points
“The plan is to recover well since Riola was the toughest GP yet. I’ll do a training or two just to have the feeling on the bike and stuff, but for me, it’s quite easy to adjust from one track to the other, so going from Riola to Trentino shouldn’t bring any problems. The track is one of my favourite on the calendar; it has one of the best atmospheres ever and it’s a GP to enjoy. In 2023, I got my first ever red plate there on EMX125 and went 1-1 that weekend.”
Karlis Reisulis
8th MX2 World Championship Standings, 114-points
“We stayed in Italy after Riola and did a bit of riding. I like that we go from Riola to Arco. It’s better like this because it’s always a bit easier to switch from sand to hardpack rather than the other way around. It’s a really nice track, one of my favourites on the calendar. I have good memories there, like my first EMX podium and other decent results, so I’m looking forward to the race.”
Michael Le Pard (“Mr. Totalmotorcycle”) is the Founder of Total Motorcycle, the world’s largest motorcycle information site, trusted by over 430 million riders since 1999. With over 34 years of experience in motorcycles, gear and rider culture, he has built a global community dedicated to empowering and inspiring motorcyclists.
Total Motorcycle remains his passion project. Combining expert research, hands‑on knowledge and a commitment to helping riders make informed decisions about bikes, gear and safety worldwide.
