Paulin climbs the podium at Trentino thriller

At some distance but in a comfortable third position was Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha’s Gautier Paulin. The Frenchman picked up his second piece of silverware this season. “It always feels good to be on the podium and I am happy to be on the box,” GP21 said. “I know I have some work to do to step up and challenge the leaders because I want to join the battle for the lead. It is nice to battle hard for a position, as a racer, and it is cool to listen to the crowd go crazy. I could hear them this weekend and that was pretty special. Now we will go back to work to make the bike better, to make myself better and hopefully be in that battle at Mantova."

While Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Clement Desalle struggled with injury and was forced out of the second race, Paulin’s teammate Arnaud Tonus weathered his own handicap with illness to post a very decent 4th overall: the luckless Swiss’ best result since the 2017 Swiss GP. "It is hard to explain how I feel after the struggle I have been faced with over the last week,” he revealed. “It is pretty unbelievable. I am so happy I was able to fight through it and find some inside strength. I did not tell anyone I was unwell, because I did not want it to affect me mentally. 4-4 this weekend is absolutely amazing.”

Jorge Prado ruled MX2 in now-customary fashion but Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha’s Jago Geerts invaded the podium for the second weekend in a row. The young Belgian is negotiating his second Grand Prix year and is currently mining a deepening well of confidence. Teammate Ben Watson drilled his way to third place in the second race after a determined relegation of championship leader Thomas Kjer Olsen. “I had really good speed and really enjoyed the track this year as it was really rough, especially in the second heat and I like that,” Geerts said.

Trentino mixed key ingredients of a tight tussle, two riders on peak form, a large and noisy crowd and unpredictable scenes to memorable effect. MXGP now breaks for a month – courtesy of the rescheduled Chinese Grand Prix – but the fans will be hungry for more come Mantova (Italy again) in May.