Image: Supplied.

Nine-time world champion Antonio Cairoli (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) has dominated a rain-soaked weekend at Mantova for the fifth round of the 2019 MXGP World Championship in Lombardia, Italy.

The factory KTM pilot put on a stellar display, taking out both MXGP motos commandingly to extend his championship lead to 40 points over Tim Gajser (Honda HRC).

Premier class rookie Pauls Jonass (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) broke through for second overall, as Gautier Paulin (Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP) locked out the podium in third. Fourth and fifth were credited to Clement Desalle (Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing) and Glenn Coldenhoff (KTM).

In the MX2 category, reigning world champion Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) notched up a double race victory for the overall, moving to just seven points of series leader Thomas Kjer Olsen (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing), who was second on the podium at Mantova.

Davy Pootjes (Team DIGA-Procross Husqvarna) was third ahead of an impressive showing from Australian Mitch Evans (Team Honda 114 Motorsports), lodging 8-6 moto scores for fourth, as the top five was completed by Marchetti Racing Team KTM’s Iker Larranaga.

Australia’s Jed Beaton (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) finished seventh overall, charging a to a well-earned P3 in moto one before a heavy fall in the final encounter saw him salvage 17th. The MXGP World Championship now heads to Agueda in Portugal on 19 May.

Detailed results