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Motocross ace Josh Coppins is second in the Italian championship after the first round today.
Riding the local series for the official Honda team he will represent in this year\'s world championship, the talented 24-year-old took third and second placings in the two 250 class races at Montevaarchi south of Florence.
\"It was a very rocky track and I had a large stone hurled through my goggles in the first race,\" commented the New Zealand-born expat who was recruited this year by the top-rated Berni Honda Racing team.
\"I\'m OK, just a little cut, but the rock came right through the lens and I had to throw my Scotts away and ride without them which was real hard on this track.
\"But I\'m very happy with my day and my placings - it\'s only my fifth day riding this bike and the first race of the season is always a challenge.\"
Coppins, who recorded the fastest laptime of the day, battled in both races with his new teammate Pit Beirer.
The German-born veteran, back for his second year with the Berni team, is a perennial rival and good friend of Coppins: in the past two world championships he has finished one place better than Coppins\' fourth and sixth.
\"Pit and I diced throughout both races, never more than three seconds apart except when I lost my goggles,\" Coppins said.
\"We took turns at leading and our team was very happy to see the two red bikes at the head of the field.\"
Former world champion and local hero Alessio Chiodi took his Yamaha to second in the first race.
Regular world title contender Claudio Federici, also on an Italian Yamaha, crashed in Saturday practice and will miss the start of the world championship season with broken bones.
Coppins\' young protégé Ben Townley impressed in his first race on his new 125 KTM.
The 17-year-old recruit to the Big Five Vangani team was third-placed 125 rider in his second outing after struggling in the first race.
\"I didn\'t settle very well in that first ride,\" commented the expat Kiwi. \"I was too stiff and pushing too hard and I had a little crash . it\'s been a long time since I raced and I\'ve had a major leg operation in the meantime.
\"But I was right on track in the second ride and I\'m happy to be back in contention.\"
The riders will contest the second round of the Italian championship next weekend, building up to the 12-round world series which starts next month.
