The American made two decent starts in the top ten and pushed the YZ250F with Cosworth technology through two tricky 35 minute and 2 lap motos to earn a brace of 5th positions and thus 4th in the final classification. It was the 20 year old’s best point-haul since he broke his wrist at the 2009 Grand Prix of Portugal almost one year ago; indeed, Mantova represented just his second GP at full fitness since last May.

The trio of Bike it Cosworth Yamaha riders found a curious test at Mantova as the flat track transformed into a ripped and rutty trawl throughout the afternoon, increasing the technical demands and forcing extra concentration through the many jumps due to the deterioration of the take-offs.

Aside from Osborne’s precision and growing confidence – that is drawing him closer to the leaders and a podium berth – Mel Pocock and Ed Allingham were able to notch world championship points.
Pocock enjoyed a decent qualification heat to enter the gate 13th and attack the course to finish 17th in the first race. The teenager was on course for another top-twenty slot in Moto2 but had a problem with his chain and had to stop.

Allingham obtained his first world championship points with a determined ride to 19th in the second moto. The youngster from Northern Ireland attacked the track in style and has entered the MX2 score-sheet at only the fourth time of asking.

After two events Osborne has taken 7th and 4th and lies 6th in the series standings, only 3 points from the top five. Pocock is 18th.

In the wake of two rounds of the Maxxis British Championship and the first double salvo in the FIM World Championship the Bike it Cosworth Yamaha team now have a week’s break to prepare for the third Grand Prix of the season, at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands on April 25th.

Zach Osborne:
“I got two really good starts today but spun slightly coming out of the first turn in both motos. I worked as hard as I could in the first moto and got up to fifth after Herlings made a mistake on the last two laps. I felt really good after that race and with plenty of energy. We had a rougher track in the second moto and maybe I was not as strong as I should have been but to secure two fifth positions and go fourth overall is positive this early in the season. We are not far from the top five in the championship and have to keep building up. Mantova was a more physical track than Sevlievo. In Bulgaria you have to set the layout in your mind, mentally it is technical because you have to be flowing the whole time. Mantova is good; I hated it in practice but once it got rougher I enjoyed it more and more.”

Mel Pocock:
“I really liked the track and it suits the way I ride. I had a mega qualifying race and came in 13th, which I was really pleased with and relaxed me for the weekend. I had a good start in the first race but was stopped by a pile-up and lost a few places there. I was around 14th and made a mistake later on when I missed a rut and two riders who were right behind me were able to get past. I finished 17th for some more points and I felt strong. I had a mediocre second start and was running in more or less the same placing until we had a bike problem and that was the end of the day. Overall it was not too bad and I still feel pretty buoyant with how it is going so far.”

Ed Allingham:
“I was a lot happier today with my race results and took some points. I found the ruts pretty hard to deal with but I am slowly getting up to speed and I think after a few more races I will be more accustomed to the pace necessary to be in the points regularly.”

Steve Dixon, Team Manager:
“We are happy with the weekend. Zach liked the track and everything was going well. I don’t think he has the speed of the top three guys at the moment, not for a full race, but he made two good starts and is getting closer and closer. We made some changes to the gearing this week and got out of the gate well but just couldn’t get around that first corner in the top two or three. 4th overall is a good day’s work and we are close to the top five in the championship. Ed and Mel scored points and Mel’s DNF was caused by a chain misalignment, which was our fault.”