World champion Antonio Cairoli leads the MX1 World Championship into Latvia. Image: Ray Archer.

The 10th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship will take place at Kegums in Latvia this Sunday, with defending world champion Antonio Cairoli leading the 2011 series for Red Bull KTM.

Cairoli arrives in Latvia as the leader of the MX1 championship, but Clement Desalle is ready again to fight for the overall victory, as he proved last weekend in Germany after obtaining the third overall position.

Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing MX1’s Cairoli could not take the overall win at Teutschenthal, but he was able to keep the red plate one more week and he is now leading the championship with an 18-point advantage over Desalle.

Desalle is not fully fit from his several injuries, but he succeeded in being on the third step of the podium last weekend in Germany. Last year, the Rockstar Energy Suzuki World Motocross MX1 rider was on the top of the rostrum in Latvia.

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Steven Frossard, who was third last year in Kegums in the MX2 class, is now third in the point standings, 22 points behind Desalle.

Honda’s Evgeny Bobryshev is also one of the favourites to fight for the grand prix victory this weekend, as Kegums is one of his favourite tracks and he comes from obtaining his maiden GP victory last weekend in Teutschenthal.

Another rider to keep an eye out for is Christophe Pourcel, the Frenchman continuing his GP comeback for CLS Monster Energy Kawasaki.

With a 19-point advantage, Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Racing MX2’s Ken Roczen lands in Latvia determined to obtain the overall victory, which he missed last year.

Roczen is aware of teammate Jeffrey Herlings’ skills on the Latvian track, adding an additional challenge to finish on the top of the podium this weekend.

Herlings is very confident for this weekend, as Kegums is a hard sand track and he has some advantage over his rivals. The sand specialist won the Latvian GP last year, now looking to close the points gap on Roczen.

CLS Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Tommy Searle is still third in the MX2 championship. This weekend will mark the first time that he races a grand prix in Kegums.