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MOTOCROSS © Photos: Sarah Gutierrez KAWASAKI ON FIRE MXGP GAUTIER PAULIN TAKES TEAM FRANCE TO NATIONS TRIUMPH Regarded as the biggest challenger to multiple champion Antonio Cairoli, smart Frenchman Gautier Paulin started the 2014 MXGP with a bang by winning the night race in Qatar. For the time being, however, this remained the highlight of the season for the 24-year-old. After race victories in Italy, Bulgaria and the Netherlands, Paulin suffered a bad fall and was forced to drop out of seven Grand Prix. After his injury absence he steadily worked his way back among the leaders and won his second Grand Prix victory of the year at the final in Mexico at the close of the season. With the momentum of this Grand Prix win, Paulin then went to Kegums in Latvia for the MX of Nations. Here the Kawasaki factory rider pulled Team France‘s chestnuts out of the fire as team leader on his KX 450 F. He set the benchmark with two superb race victories, thereby laying the foundations for the Équipe Tricolore‘s overall victory. 6
MOTOCROSS MXGP STEVEN FROSSARD PUTS IN A STRONG MXGP SEASON AND TRIUMPHS AT THE MX OF NATIONS Paulin‘s fellow countryman and team colleague in the Kawasaki Factory Team KRT Steven Frossard put in a powerful performance throughout the entire MXGP season and was eventually rewarded with fifth place in the World Championship ranking. The highlight for the 27-year-old was a second place on the podium at the Finnish Grand Prix. His potential is reflected in a total of eight podium placements in individual races. Frossard brought the season to a perfect close with the French team at the MX of Nations in Latvia. With superb individual performances and outright victory in the open category, he made a crucial contribution to the overall victory of the French. © Photos: Sarah Gutierrez 7
