APRILIA TUAREG WINS THE ITALIAN MOTORALLY CHAMPIONSHIP IN ITS DÉBUT
JACOPO CERUTTI IS CROWNED CHAMPION ASTRIDE THE ADVENTURE BIKE FROM NOALE, ONCE AGAIN DOMINATING THE G-1000 CATEGORY AND TAKING AN ASTONISHING WIN IN THE SARDINIA RALLY - A RESULT NEVER BEFORE ACHIEVED BY A TWIN-CYLINDER BIKE
BOTH APRILIA TUAREGS FINISH ON THE FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP PODIUM, WITH FRANCESCO MONTANARI THIRD IN THE G-1000.
TUAREGS ALSO PROTAGONISTS IN THE FLEDGLING ITALIAN GPX CHAMPIONSHIP
Aprilia is back to its winning ways in the off-road disciplines, and it does it in grand style: Aprilia Tuareg triumphs at its début in the Italian Motorally Championship, winning the Italian title with Jacopo Cerutti in the G-1000 category, reserved for multi-cylinder bikes over 600 cc.
A win that had never before been achieved by any twin-cylinder - with Cerutti dominating in no fewer than six of the eight rounds raced - but which is even more astonishing because, astride the Aprilia Tuareg, the Como native came close to absolute victory several times, finally taking it in the last event - the Sardinia Rally. An unprecedented win. Until now, a twin-cylinder bike had never won a rally against the lighter, specialised, single-cylinder enduro bikes.
This performance stems from the extraordinary off-road base features of the Aprilia Tuareg, as well as the incredible development work carried out by Aprilia Racing and GCorse of the Guareschi brothers.
Already extremely fast on Friday - dedicated to the Raid TT - first in the G-1000 category and third overall on Saturday, Jacopo Cerutti outdid himself the following day, finishing second overall. Top notch performance on all three days which allowed him to win in the rally’s absolute standings. In addition to the Italian G-1000 title, Cerutti also finished absolute third in the Italian Motorally Championship, which is also an unprecedented result for a twin-cylinder bike.
Astride the other Aprilia Racing Tuareg, Francesco Montanari was also a protagonist, exploiting a third fifth and sixth place to finish out the championship in third place. This placed both Aprilia Tuaregs on the final podium of the G-1000 category.
Developed by Aprilia Racing in collaboration with GCorse of the Guareschi brothers, the Aprilia Tuareg competition version is fitted with Öhlins by Andreani suspension, a complete SC Project exhaust in titanium, and a specific Sprint Filter air filter. The collaboration with Metzeler was invaluable, a company which is looking at the twin-cylinder adventure world with ever increasing interest.
Also worth a mention are the results brought home by Claudio Spanu, expert enduro rider who, on a strictly factory derivative Tuareg for the first time, managed to exploit its great potential straight away, finishing fourth twice.
With this triumphant end to the Italian Motorally Championship, Aprilia Racing's “Back to Africa” project now enters the decisive stage, with all eyes on the desert.
Jacopo Cerutti
“We are all thrilled with this result! We arrived in Sardinia a bit nervous, knowing that we would be laying it all on the table here at the final event, but in the end, everything went well. At the beginning of the year, we were not thinking about victory. Our priority was to develop the bike in order to prepare for future commitments, but we soon realized that we had the potential to win. The bike proved to be competitive straight away, thanks to an outstanding base, and I adapted well... at that point, the great desire to win came out immediately and we had a go! This is a great and important success, especially because we faced an expert and fast rival like Botturi, who always gave us a run for our money. In Sardinia, I started the rally in less than optimal physical condition, but I held tough in the first special on Saturday, then managing to win the next one, winning the day. At that point, I gave one hundred percent on Sunday without a second thought and another incredible performance arrived with the absolute second place and victory in the rally. Now the desert awaits, where the primary goal will really be to develop the bike. We are well aware that it will take more time in that setting to be so competitive, but we’ll get there!”
Francesco Montanari
“It was a weekend of ups and downs, but I am satisfied overall because in the end we achieved the goal we had set for ourselves, which was third place in the championship. In Sardinia, besides the strongest riders in the category, some special guests were also there and I am happy because I know that with just a few mistakes less, I can maintain a pace rather close to theirs. I am learning a lot, but I won’t settle. I want to get to the point of having a go with the leaders and this season was a starting point for me. It was an extremely intense year and I want to thank Aprilia Racing for involving me in the project. I am also grateful to the Guareschi brothers and the entire team which always worked their hardest so I’d be able to tackle the races in the best possible way. I think that finishing the championship with two bikes on the podium must be rather satisfying for them as well.”
Massimo Rivola - Aprilia Racing CEO
“In our first season, we took home results beyond our expectations, so proper credit goes to the riders’ dedication, the tireless Guareschi brothers, and the entire team for the outstanding work done in collaboration with the Noale racing department. Obviously, if well begun is half done, we can look to the future with great optimism, but now the time has already come to focus on the next challenge - the African desert - where we’ll strive to finish the Africa Eco Race and do well with a bike - the - Tuareg - which has already proven to be competitive on multiple occasions. Not only on an Italian level, with absolute victory in Sardinia which is an unprecedented result, but also in the international arena, with the podium earned at the Transanatolia in September.”
Tuaregs also protagonists in the fledgling Italian GPX Championship
Aprilia Tuareg’s brilliant début season in the Italian Motorally is also completed by the outstanding performance demonstrated in the Italian GPX Championship, launched this year to open up the discipline to a vast number of off-road riding enthusiasts thanks to simpler navigation using GPS. The Tuaregs participating in the GPX category are substantially factory model, fitted only with the minimum modifications required to tackle a competition.
There were five Tuaregs on the starting grid in Sardinia in a championship that, although newborn, is already fiercely competitive, with over 30 participants. The Aprilias entrusted to Paolo Pettinari and Michele Pradelli battled at the top, closing out the daily standings consistently in the top five positions. Results which also allowed Pettinari - two-time winner this year, in Riotorto and in Gioia dei Marsi - to finish on the third step of the podium in the overall standings.
Performance that sets the Tuareg up as the point of reference among twin-cylinder adventure bikes for all enthusiasts looking for a bike with which to approach off-road competitions in the easiest and most fun way.
