Nevertheless the GP winner will display his fighter’s attitude by aiming at a solid result on his home ground. MX1 Despite this being his first full season in the MX1 class, Yamaha Red Bull De Carli’s Cairoli is already pulling away with the Championship lead which the two time MX2 World Champion is holding since Turkey-the venue of his first win of 2009.

Italian Cairoli, who has won at least one heat in the latest three GP’s, is 25 points (as many as a GP moto pays to the winner) ahead of Ken de Dycker, now the sole Teka Suzuki MX1 rider since last year’s Bellpuig winner Ramon injured at Valkenswaard.

De Dycker marked his comeback to the podium at Agueda making up for a disastrous 2008 Portuguese GP.

Taking two second places, the Belgian will try to block Cairoli’s attacks in Bellpuig where he rounded off last year’s podium. Silver Action’s Barragan arrived in Agueda last weekend after a training crash caused problems to his left shoulder and elbow.

The local favourite, who has not yet added a home success to his tally of five GP wins, might not yet be fully fit for the hard pack Spanish course.

Showing good form in Portugal courtesy of his second season podium, LS Motors Honda’s Desalle needs another strong result to improve his seventh place in the Championship standings.

Leading the first two laps of his career in Agueda, Desalle had a slight taste of success which might have made the 19 year old hungrier for victories.

Yamaha fellow riders Coppins and Tanel Leok are other potential candidates for victory at Bellpuig, where last year they rounded off the top five. On the other hand David Philippaerts will surely struggle this weekend after he broke his left index at Agueda in a contact with Italian countryman Cairoli.

MX2

Current Championship leader Gautier Paulin of Kawasaki Bud Racing PSM is facing a strong opposition in the likes of three GP winners Marvin Musquin, Davide Guarneri and Rui Goncalves who are making up ground on the 19 year old.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rui Goncalves has been impressive in the latest two GP’s which he won courtesy of solid performances.

After his first ever triumph in Valkenswaard, Goncalves won again at home in Portugal which was a valuable confidence booster ahead of the remaining 10 rounds of the season. Goncalves, now the sole rider to have won two GP’s this year, was followed by a duo of upcoming talents from France in the likes of Steven Frossard and Marvin Musquin.

CLS’ Frossard finally made it to his first season podium after the previous GP’s have been conditioned by several crashes and technical issues.

Frossard will need to be consistent if he wishes to close the actual 66 point gap from Kawasaki fellow rider Paulin.

On the other hand Musquin did show consistency as he is currently the rider with the most podiums to his credit-he has been on the podium in four GP’s out of five.

Musquin, who is the sole Honda rider in the top 17, has a six point gap from Paulin at the moment.

Last but not least, Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci Motocross’ Guarneri is third in the Championship and feels confident for Bellpuig where he won last year.

Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2’s Boog rounds off the top five as team mate Roczen, who debuted in Agueda, has already shown an impressive potential by slightly missing a top three finish in his second career GP moto.

TIMETABLE Saturday: WMX Free Practice 9:00-9:30; MX2 Free Practice 10:00-10:40; MX1 Free Practice 10:50-11:30; WMX Time Practice 12:00-12:30; MX2 Pre Qualifying Practice 13:30-14:10; MX1 Pre Qualifying Practice 14:30-15:10; MX2 Qualifying Race 16:00; MX1 Qualifying Race 17:00; WMX Race 1 18:00.

Sunday: WMX Warm Up 8:45-9:05; MX2 Warm Up 9:15-9:35; MX1 Warm Up 9:45-10:05; WMX Race 2 11:15; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 12:10; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 13:10; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 15:03; MX1 Grand Prix Race 2 16:03.