Current World Champion Steve Ramon is pumped after his maiden MX1 GP victory from Spain and will surely chase down Teka Suzuki WMX1 team mate Ken de Dycker to snatch the series lead from the Belgian countryman.

Though it will not be an easy mission as De Dycker is experiencing his best ever season beginning, winning Valkenswaard with a 1-1 score and leading the Championship for the first time in his career.

With last year’s Portuguese GP winner Kevin Strijbos out after Monday’s thumb operation –the 2006 and 2007 runner up will be back at Mallory on June 1st- the Yamaha Monster Motocross’ team mates David Philippaerts and Joshua Coppins will be out for revenge this time, with both surrendering to Strijbos in 2007 and finishing respectively third and second.

CAS Honda’s Billy Mackenzie rounds off the top five in the Championship ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Nagl. Ken de Dycker currently leads the points standings

Defending MX2 Champion Antonio Cairoli of Yamaha Red Bull De Carli sits a close second in the Championship standings, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray still leading despite a tough weekend at Bellpuig.

Cairoli is not yet 100% as his last week’s flu is not completely over, though the Sicilian will give it all here in Portugal, where he clinched a strong double win last year.

On the other hand Rattray is his strong self, enjoying a fantastic beginning of the season which reminds of 2006, when the South African won the three opening rounds of the season.

Courtesy of his GP win in Bellpuig, Ricci Racing Yamaha’s Davide Guarneri –still suffering from his right collarbone injury- came out of the pack to move up to the third place in the Championship ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tommy Searle.

The latter took his maiden KTM podium last year at Agueda, where he expects to improve his season beginning after the crashes in Valkenswaard and Bellpuig. Rounding off the top five in the points standings, home rider Rui Goncalves will enter the event onboard the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machinery for the first time in his career.

Tommy Searle has not been on the podium in 2008 yet On the other hand, Pascal Leuret of Suzuki Swift Motocross will miss Agueda, where he mounted on his first career podium last year, because of a dislocated shoulder which was operated yesterday. Another injury will stop American Bradley Graham.

CROSSÓDROMO INTERNACIONAL DO CASARÃO AND AGUEDA

The Crossódromo Internacional Do Casarão in Agueda is a unique track with a lot of character, partially due to its particular red ground which is not usual among the FIM Motocross World Championship venues.

The race track is managed by local organizer Ginasio Clube de Agueda, taking care of lots of sports events happening in the area.

Last year on Agueda’s intermediate ground Kevin Strijbos (MX1) and Antonio Cairoli (MX2) took victory in sunny and hot weather conditions, something the series has been missing this year since the opening round in Valkenswaard.

The weather forecast for the weekend is actually sunny.

The Portuguese town of Agueda sits close to the Western edge of the European continent and has about 15000 inhabitants. Its location is in between the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains, making Agueda a popular stop for the on the go tourists as the town is also close to spas.

 The closest town is Oporto, being 70 kilometres North of Agueda, but Coimbra is only 40 kilometers to the South and capital and Lisbon is 250 kilometers to the South West.

THE EVENT’S SCHEDULE

Saturday April 26: MX2 Free Practice at 10:00 am; MX1 Free Practice 1 at 11:00 am; MX2 Pre-Qualifying Practice at 12:00 am; MX1 Free Practice 2 at 2:00 pm; MX2 Qualifying Race 1 at 3:00 pm; MX2 Qualifying Race 2 at 3:45 pm; MX1 Time Practice at 4:30 pm; MX2 Last Chance Qualifying Practice at 5:15 pm (local time). Sunday April 27: MX2 Warm-up at 9:00 am; MX1 Warm-up at 9:30 am; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 at 12:10 am; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 at 1:10 pm; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 at 3:03 pm; MX1 Grand Prix Race 2 at 4:03 pm (local time).

The Grand Prix and the qualifying sessions (the latter only on RTP2) will be broadcast live on: EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : MX1 Race 1 at 14:00 CET MOTORS TV (Pan Europe): MX2 Race 2 at 16:00 CET SPORT ITALIA (Italy): MX2 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET VRT (Belgium): MX1 Race 2 at 17:00 CET GALAXIE SPORT (Czech Republic): MX2 Race 2 at 16:00 CET ART (Pan Middle East): MX1 Race 2 at 17:00 CET SPORT TV (Slovenia): MX2 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET EUROSPORT WORLD (Pan Asia): MX1 Race 1 at 12:00 GMT MEDIAZONE (Worldwide): MX2 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00; MX1 Race 1 at 14:00 and Race 2 at 17:00 CET TRANS 7 (Indonesia): MX2 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00; MX1 Race 1 at 14:00 and Race 2 at 17:00 CET RTP2 (Portugal): on Saturday April 26, MX2 Qualifying Race 1 at 16:00 and Race 2 at 16:45, MX1 Time Practice at 17:30; on Sunday April 27, MX2 Race 2 at 16:00, MX1 Race 2 at 17:00 CET

The Grand Prix will be broadcast delayed on: EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : Sunday April 27; MX1 Race 2 at 20:30 CET MOTORS TV (Pan Europe): Sunday April 27; MX2 Race 1 at 15:00 CET SPORT ITALIA (Italy): Sunday April 27; MX1 Race 1 at 00:00 and Race 2 at 01:00 CET VRT (Belgium): Sunday April 27; MX1 Race 1 at 18:00 CET EUROSPORT WORLD (Pan Asia): Sunday April 27; MX1 Race 1 at 20:45 and Race 2 at 21:30. Monday April 28; MX1 Race 2 at 16:15, MX2 class at 17:00. Tuesday April 29; MX1 Race 2 at 9:15, MX2 Class at 10:00 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 (Japan): MX2 Race 1 and Race 2; MX1 Race 1 and Race 2; N/A CET SPORT TV (Portugal): Sunday April 27; MX2 Race 1 at 17:00 and Race 2 at 18:00 CET