Image: Spencer Owens (Align Media).

MXGP legend Tony Cairoli will fulfil a dream of his at the back-end of an illustrious career when he lines up this Saturday in the opening round of the 2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship at Fox Raceway.

The 36-year-old retired at the conclusion of last year’s MXGP World Championship and, with nine world titles and 169 world championship race victories to his name, will compete in the first two rounds of 450MX this season.

“First of all, I am really excited of course to be here because it has always been a dream to ride Pro Motocross nationals,” Cairoli commented this week. “I had the chance this year, even if I am out of the riding program, it feels great, and I am looking forward to it, for sure.

“I was a little bit bored with the MXGP, everything around the races, and I said okay, I want to always do some racing in the US, where the tracks look amazing and so many lines… On the race day it’s so much nicer than the GP rounds where it’s mainly one-lined.

“Here, it looks everything more wide and more lines, so I would love to come, of course. I would have loved to do it when I was at the height of my career, not when I am 37 years old, but it is still fantastic that I have the chance to be here.”

Cairoli joins the returning Ryan Dungey and team regular Aaron Plessinger at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, but – like in grands prix – will be equipped with Pirelli tires rather than the Dunlop brand that his teammates will use. He has no concerns in regards to adapting to the single-day format with a familiar package beneath him, albeit in production trim.

“Yeah, of course it’s going to be something new, but I like one day more because my physical condition is not like 10 years ago when I was 27 or 25,” the Italian added. “Now it takes longer, but it is all in one day, so it is a little bit better for me.

“I really like it. Of course, the practice, it’s short and the time, you need to put a good time quickly, so this is not what we are used to, but we can figure it out hopefully and we can make a not so bad time hopefully.”