Valentin Teillet will be hoping to celebrate his 21st birthday this weekend at Loket for the Grand Prix of Czech Republic and the 12th round of 15 in the FIM Motocross World Championship with his best result yet for Suzuki Europe MX2 and on the RM-Z250.
The young Frenchman has posted a top finish of seventh since coming back from an early-season injury and is savouring the trip to the fast and greasy hard-pack circuit.
"I am really looking forward to this weekend because I know it is a great chance to do something good there," he said. "I love the track and two years ago I finished fourth and sixth. On Sunday afternoon in Lommel last week I had already turned the page on that Grand Prix and began looking ahead."
Teillet was frustrated by the extremely heavy sand of the Grand Prix of Limburg last weekend and knows the hillside setting of Loket - with its long start straight and narrow, steep and weaving layout - will be better suited to his flamboyant and attack riding style. "When I was young and started riding motocross it was on a track like this so I know this type of ground. We will see what happens but I know I will enjoy it," he claims.
The long-term weather forecast indicates that the Grand Prix of Czech Republic could be a wet one with cloudy conditions and showers predicted for both Saturday and Sunday. This could have repercussions for the two 35 minute and 2 lap motos on the tight course with a decent start absolutely necessary for podium aspirations due to close lap-times and the relatively easy technical demands of the venue.
Teillet, who effectively missed the first seven races of the year through a shoulder injury sustained at round one, will be aiming for his best points haul of the campaign yet in order to close the distance to the top 15 of the Championship standings.
MX2 World Championship standings (after 11 of 15 rounds): 1. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), 490 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 469 p.; 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 400 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), 373 p.; 5. Zachary Osborne (USA, Yamaha), 295 p.; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), 295 p.; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), 285 p.; 8. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), 249 p.; 9. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, KTM), 207 p.; 10. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 180 p.; 11. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 170 p.; 12. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 139 p.; 13. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 131 p.; 14. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 124 p.; 15. Antonio Jose Butron Oliva (ESP, KTM), 108 p.; 19. Valentin Teillet (FRA, Suzuki Europe MX2), 82 p.
