It is only 133 days since the 26 KTMs were fired up in Jerez and now, after 12 sensational races, just 13 points separate Cup leader Álvaro Carpe from his nearest challenger Brian Uriarte.
Mathematically, four riders can still take the title and last weekend in Aragon showed the total unpredictability of Rookies Cup. Malaysia found a new hero when 17-year-old Hakim Danish (below) took victory and ended Carpe’s dominant run. The 17-year-old Spaniard had won three races in a row and was making an early grab for the Cup.
Falling in the rain in Spain
Carpe slid off in the wet last Sunday, then remounted, but 16th place gives no points. Second to Danish in Aragon Race 2 was Uriarte and the Spanish 16-year-old will certainly challenge Carpe this weekend on the Adriatic Coast.
Super fast teen Màximo Quiles was also short of points from Aragon, he fell on Saturday and did not enjoy Sunday, taking 7 points for 9th. The 16-year-old Spaniard is now 49 points behind Carpe with 50 on offer in Misano so accepts his chances are slim from 4th place in the title chase. He (#28) was in a photo finish (below) for the win last year with Cup winner Angel Piqueras (#18) and Carpe (#83).
Third in the points table is Argentina’s Valentin Perrone. The 16-year-old finished a super close 2nd to Carpe last Saturday and claimed his place as a serious contender. A slip in the wet on Sunday left him to pick up the KTM for a 24th-place finish and no points. So he is now 41 points adrift of Carpe and an outsider. He and Quiles are only separated by 8 points and 3rd place in the Rookies Cup also looks very good on the CV.
Winning in the rain
It is said that the first win is always the hardest and Danish will be aiming for a dry victory this weekend in Italy to end his second Cup season. He will also be studying the weather as the forecast suggests rain is a possibility.
Rico Salmela is also on top form with an eye on victory as he concludes his third and final Cup year. The 16-year-old Finn was on the podium for the fourth time this year in Aragon where he won two years ago. He wants that second Cup victory and is 7th in the points table ahead of Danish.
Winning at home
Someone well capable of stealing glory from the main Cup contenders is Italian Guido Pini (below with Leonardo Zanni), the 16-year-old missed the first 8 races of the year through injury but was quickly up to speed when he rejoined in Austria. He could well battle for a home win this weekend. Fellow countryman Dodo Boggio is also in his second Cup season and the 16-year-old is keen to improve on his best place of 9th this year in Mugello.
Two more with local fans behind them in their first Cup season are 15-year-old Giulio Pugliese and 16-year-old Leonardo Zanni. Zanni has seventh as a best finish so far and Pugliese a 6th.
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