Míra Popov due to his results in 80ccm was given a chance of taking place in race of 125ccm. His motorcycle was Metrakitem 125 PREGP . In this tough race, where Mira competed with home champions from Spain and Italy, he fought well. He started from the third row and after a tough fight he placed 5th.
.............Even though , Mira has to compete in Castellioli, we did not expect better finish of this year in Spain. He competed with nearly all drivers from the 125ccm, normally there is approximately 60 drivers, but this time came to Valencia only 44 drivers. Drivers who are not taking places in the first rows are not taking part in the last competitions. Even thoug there were many drivers to compare with Mira. Due to the fact, that Mira does not have much experience with 125ccm, our first goal was to find the optimal setting of the motorcycle. It was pitty that on Friday morning it started to rain and it lasted to the Sunday´s warm up. I knew that learning driving on the stronger motorcycle and in the rain is nearly impossinle. But Mira had to. During the first 30 mins of training we saw, that he could controlled the motorcycle in the rain. There were many dangerous moments, when Mira nearly fell down or got high slider. Even Mira admitted, that he was happy that he managed all these edge moments. On Saturday morning the rain got even harder I was thinking of giving up, all the mud and stones on the motorcycle. The first measured training was really held in the rain and Mira was 18th, but Mira was OK and the motorcycle as well. There were many falls during this training. The second measured training took place in the afternoon and fortunately the sun rose and the trail got dry. Mira got more comfortable and placed 10th . In the race he started from the third row. Mira was so satisfied, that he managed in his first 125ccm race to start among the top ten. Even the boss was satisfied. After the article, which was published in the Spanish motorcycle magazine : Motocyklisimo, so Mira is getting known. There was sun on Sunday race, so the mood was better. I believed, that Mira could get a good placing. Mira told me later, that he felt absolutely nervous, he was not used to starts on dry trail. In Valencia they go under the full throttle before the curve two speed steps down and then again the full throttle. I told Mira some phrases, which Lada Polak usually says and then I was told to go. He managed it to the first vingl, he was around the 15th place, but then he started to enjoy the race and his competitors and suddenly he was around the 6th place. Unfortunately he was in the second group fighting for 5th to 11th place. Their places were changing every single minute, they beated really hard their motorcycles got in touch so often. I was watching it from the tribune and I could not believe that Mira is managing the situation so well. His rivals are more experienced and it was within a moment, when Mira was 5th and 11th suddenly. At the end he finished on the 8th place. His times vere excellent, it would make the 4th place but according to battles during the race they had to break a lot. We were all satisfied, even the 5th or 6th place would be better. The last race of 80ccm is on 29th -30th .11 in Castellioli and now is Mira highly motivated, because he is 3rd in total. There is 6 points distance to the winner Mamola and nobody knows what could happen. Nowadays his coach is working on his training schedule, which would start directly after the last race. From December to March he will start driving the 125ccm,so he could get more experienced and ready to fight for best placing.
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