Der Weltmeister schlägt zurück – Melero gewinnt 2. Tag der NIGHT of the JUMPs Schweiz
Basel, 11. April 2015: Der amtierende Freestyle Motocross Weltmeister Maikel Melero hat am zweiten Tag der NIGHT of the JUMPs in Basel zurück geschlagen. Nachdem David Rinaldo 3 Grands Prix in Folge gewann, hat der Spanier einen Weg gefunden zu kontern, und baute damit seine WM-Führung wieder aus.
Zwei Tage mit spektakulären Freestyle Motocross Sport erlebten die Zuschauer in der St. Jakobshalle in Basel. Die Top 6 vom Vortag sollten es auch am Samstag ins Finale schaffen. Zwar kam der Deutsche Hannes Ackermann deutlich besser mit dem Track zu Recht, hatte aber hier und da ein paar kleine Fehler im Lauf. Im Kampf um den letzten Finalplatz musste er sich somit dem Spanier Miralles geschlagen geben, der einen sauberen Vorrundenlauf fuhr.
Auch einen Sturz mussten die Zuschauer in der Vorrunde wieder miterleben. Diesmal erwischte es Leonardo Fini, der im ersten Gang aus der Rampe schoss und im Landehügel einschlug. Glücklicherweise sorgten die Safety Bags für eine etwas gedämpfte Landung und er kam mit einer Handverletzung davon.
Im Lifeproof Best Whip holte sich der Amerikaner James Carter den zweiten Sieg in Folge, wobei der jungen Italiener Davide Rossi ihm alles abverlangte.
Im Maxxis Highest Air Contest sah Jose Miralles nach einem Fehlversuch bei der Einstiegshöhe zunächst nicht wie der sichere Sieger aus. Er fing sich aber und verwies in einem spannende Finale Maikel Melero auf den zweiten Platz.
Das Finale wurde zum Showdown zwischen Libor Podmol, David Rinaldo und Maikel Melero. Auch Remi Bizouard wollte wieder auf das Podium der NIGHT of the JUMPs, konnte aber trotz Volt diesmal nicht an alte Erfolge anknüpfen. Libor Podmol konnte diesmal seinen Surfer Tsunami Flip diesmal im Finale stehen. Er überzeugte zudem die Judges durch eine saubere Volt, wodurch er auf das Podium und Platz 3 fuhr. Rinaldo fuhr exakt den gleichen Endrundenlauf wie am Vortag, zeigte dabei aber nicht den Rock Solid Flip, mit dem er in Berlin ganz weit vorne landete. Trotzdem sah er schon wie der sichere Sieger aus, doch Maikel Melero konnte im Finale noch etwas draufpacken. Er begann seinen Lauf direkt mit seiner Side-Saddle-Takeoff California Roll und beendete ihn mit einem Nac Flair an der Quarter Pipe. Dieser Trick feierte seine Premiere auf dem NIGHT of the JUMPs Parcours und somit gewann Melero zu Recht den zweiten Grand Prix der Schweiz vor Rinaldo und Podmol.
Nach diesem Sieg von Melero ist die Siegesserie von David Rinaldo gestoppt. Es scheint als ob in diesem Jahr die Entscheidung um den Titel erst zum Ende der Saison fallen wird. Nach 7 Runden gibt es nur 2 Sieger, wobei Maikel mit 4 zu 3 Siegen vor David liegt und seine Führung somit wieder ausbauen konnte. Er liegt jetzt mit 128 Punkten an der Spitze, gefolgt von Rinaldo mit 114 Punkten. Da es am Saisonende aber ein Streichergebnis gibt, hat der Franzose noch alle Chancen den Spanier abzufangen.
In der WM ist jetzt erst einmal für sechs Wochen Pause. Am 23. Mai steigt in der Stierkampfarena im spanischen Jerez der achte Wettbewerb der FIM Freestyle MX World Championship und damit die Premiere der FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in Spanien.
Mit der NIGHT of the JUMPs geht es aber schon am 25. April weiter. Da treffen sich die FMX Sportler zum fünften Europameisterschaftslauf in der Münchener Olympiahalle.
Gallery
Video – FMX Moments Basel Day 2
ENGLISH VERSION
Basel, April 12th, 2015: After two nights of intense competition in Switzerland, the FIM World Championship series could not be any closer with a back-and-forwards battle for the overall series leadership between Maikel Melero (ESP) and David Rinaldo (FRA). After 7 rounds of the NIGHT of the JUMPs events in 2015, it is abundantly clear that there is a two horse race between the 2013 World Champion, Rinaldo and the 2014 World Champion, Melero. It is also clear that the riders battling at the top are willing to put everything on the line to gain valuable series points for the overall championship.
The beginning of the second night started with some impressive riding from the Italian rider, Leo Fini, however on the last jump of his run, Leo encountered problems when he could only find first gear while accelerating towards the 21 metre ramp, but he didn’t have the speed to complete the jump and crashed heavily into the back-side of the landing ramp. Leo showed true strength by standing on his feet under his own will and walking off, impressing the crowd inside the St Jakobshalle. Leo appears to be relatively uninjured with only pain in his wrist, a very small price for what could have been a dangerous crash.
When qualification recommenced, it was again the battle between Hannes Ackermann (GER) and Jose Miralles (ESP), and while Hannes put together a run with huge flip tricks including the Porti-Air Flip and Hart Attack Flip, it wouldn’t be enough to make it through to the final, as Jose Miralles put together a clean run with higher variety and no mistakes from the Spanish veteran.
For the second night in a row, Jose Miralles would also take away the Maxxis Highest Air competition over Maikel Melero at a height of 9.00 metres. This has now further increased his lead in the Maxxis Highest Air championship points over Italy’s Massimo Bianconcini who couldn’t make it for both nights of competition.
In the Lifeproof Best Whip competition, it was an identical result to the first night in Basel, with James Carter taking the win over Italy’s Davide Rossi with one of the biggest whips ever seen at Night of the Jumps, turning his bike almost 180 degrees back towards the point of take-off and landing with ease.
The final was always going to be tight, and the battle for 3rd place was going to be just as tight as the battle for the lead. Rob Adelberg (AUS) began his run with style, however he had a few uncharacteristic mistakes which spoiled what could have been a great run which we expect from the Australian known for his super smooth style. Three-time former World Champion, Remi Bizouard (FRA) was always going to put up a fight, and he put together a run which featured some of the biggest backflip combinations in the sport, including the Cliffhanger Flip, Tsunami Flip and Lookback Hart Attack Heli flip. But even after finishing his run with a Volt body varial in the Double Up, it still wouldn’t be enough for a podium result.
The Czech Republic rider, Libor Podmol has had a very up and down season, with a bad run of crashes, two from the Volt body varial and one last night on the Surfer Take-off to Tsunami Flip, however the following night he would complete this technical trick which he invented last year and was then able to nail every trick in his arsenal and return to the podium with a series of up-right and backflip combo’s and landing the Volt, the second time from 4 attempts. A ratio that Libor will surely wish to increase in the coming events.
The real battle however was for first place, and after taking the win on the first night in Basel, David Rinaldo couldn’t replicate the same winning prowess on the second night. David’s run was almost flawless, with an unbelievable repertoire of big tricks including the two body varials, Volt and California Roll in the opening 110 seconds, coupled with the new progressive trick David created which is a combination of a Mase-Twist one handed reaching back to a late Hart Attack. After stomping a hair-raising run, Rinaldo finished with a huge Double Hart Attack Flip and the competition in Basel appeared to be David’s victory for his taking.
There was only one man remaining who could rain on Rinaldo’s parade, none other than the reigning 2014 World Champion, Maikel Melero who has been on fire recently. With all the pressure on Maikel, he started his run with his biggest trick, the Side-Saddle Take-off California Roll which triggered an electric run of big backflip combinations, every ‘take-off’ combination he possesses, and Double Grab backflip. But the moment that would clinch his victory would come on the very last jump of the night, when Maikel landed the Nac-Nac 540 Flair off the Quarter Pipe. Maikel was able to gain the points he needed to upset David Rinaldo with extra course use, utilising the quarter pipe, and increasing his Trick Variety with the 540 rotation in his run.
The World Championship tour will continue on May 23rd in the bullfighting ring in Jerez, Spain which can help the home-nation rider and current series leader, Maikel Melero. But he won’t be able to rest on his laurels as all the riders have a 6 week break until the next World Championship competition for crucial training. In the meantime, the Freestyle MX action will continue with NIGHT of the JUMPs returning for the fifth European Championship round in Munich’s Olympiahalle on April 25th.