The first meeting of May will begin with a radically different situation in the points standings, compared to the pre- Portugal listings: David Philippaerts is now leading the MX1 class with Italian countryman Toni Cairoli back on top of the MX2 classifications courtesy of his Portuguese double.
A close second overall at Agueda, Yamaha Monster Motocross rider Philippaerts has taken the championship lead for the first time in his career. The Italian is looking really comfortable on his new ride, collecting podium results at the second round in Bellpuig, Spain, after a troubled start in Valkenswaard.
On the other hand Portuguese GP winner Sebastien Pourcel of GPKR had two difficult first rounds before coming back stronger in Agueda to take his first win of 2008. With his team-mate Kevin Strijbos out until the British GP, Pourcel is now the best placed Kawasaki rider courtesy of his eighth place in the series.
Defending world champion Steve Ramon of Teka Suzuki WMX1 is sitting a close second to Philippaerts and enters Bulgaria with the goal of chipping away at the gap; after a last lap mistake in the final moto at Agueda, Ramon saw his third consecutive podium snatched from him by 2007 rival Josh Coppins.
The latter won last season's Bulgarian round and is now a solid third in the championship ahead of CAS Honda’s Billy Mackenzie; the factory Honda rider showing good speed in Portugal but crashed in both heats.
Early world championship leader Ken de Dycker of Teka Suzuki WMX1 sits fifth in the points standings, having lost his leadership at the last grand prix, where he rode with a blister on his throttle hand.
Heat winner at the 2007 Bulgarian GP, AXO KTM Silver Action’s Jonathan Barragan collected a second place overall on the podium. This year the Spaniard sits seventh in the Championship, behind
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Nagl.
