It was the first time I saw this little Italian kid and thought, WOW, he is going to be good. Back at the Grand Prix of The Netherlands at the Valkenswaard circuit on April 24 and 25, 2004.

Nobody couldn't have known this kid who was battling the three KTM Factory riders Ben Townley, Marc De Reuver and Tyla Rattray would end up being the if not the greatest GP rider of all time, then the second best ever to Stefan Everts (who just happened to win the MX1 in Valkenswaard).

Antonio Cairoli didn't win the Dutch Grand Prix, his first GP victory would come a couple of months later at Namur in Belgium, but he showed us that amazing start speed and finished third overall with 3-3. Rather incredible to think now some 17 years later his last at Maggiora in Italy, at the Grand Prix in Italy he finished third overall, again with 3-3. Cairoli has scored 174 podium finishes in his 18 year career.

Here is a cool gallery from myself (Geoff Meyer) from that sunny day in Holland.

Grand Prix of Netherlands Overall: 1. Ben Townley (NZL, KTM), 50 points; 2. Tyla Rattray (RSA, KTM), 44 p.; 3. Alessio Chiodi (ITA, YAM), 34 p.; 4. Stephen Sword (GBR, KAW), 33 p.; 5. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, YAM), 31 p.; 6. Andrew McFarlane (AUS, YAM), 30 p.; 7. Carl Nunn (GBR, HON), 28 p.; 8. Claudio Federici (ITA, YAM), 27 p.; 9. Marc de Reuver (NED, KTM), 18 p.; 10. David Philippaerts (ITA, KTM), 18 p.; 11. Andrea Bartolini (ITA, YAM), 17 p.; 12. Billy Mackenzie (GBR, YAM), 14 p.; 13. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA, KTM), 13 p.; 14. Mickael Maschio (FRA, KAW), 13 p.; 15. Jeff Dement (USA, HON), 12 p.; 16. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), 11 p.; 17. Rui Goncalves (POR, YAM), 9 p.; 18. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA, KAW), 8 p.; 19. James Dobb (GBR, HON), 7 p.; 20. Aigar Leok (EST, KTM), 5 p.; 21. Patrick Caps (BEL, YAM), 5 p.; 22. Luca Cherubini (ITA, SUZ), 4 p.; 23. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 3 p.; 24. Wayne Smith (GBR, KTM), 3 p.; 25. Tom Church (GBR, KAW), 2 p.; 26. Jonas Salaets (BEL, HON), 2 p.; 27. Oscar Vromans (NED, YAM), 1 p.; 28. Marvin van Daele (BEL, SUZ), 0 p.; 29. Steve Seronval (BEL, HON), 0 p.; 30. George Strik (NED, KTM), 0 p.;