04-04-2022	MXGP News
Grit and determination on show from Gifting in Portugal

Isak Gifting was not expected to race at the fourth round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, the Grand Prix of Portugal, as he sustained a broken collarbone at the previous stop in Patagonia-Argentina. Proving just how determined he is to race with the Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee squad, he leapt back into action ten days after surgery. Agueda was yet another positive experience for the outfit.

 
Gifting was right in the thick of the action throughout the MX2 qualifying heat and did not look out of place, despite his lack of seat time. Sixth was the spot that he clinched when the chequered flag waved – he was just three seconds from the rider in fourth. Gifting was the top KTM 250 SX-F in qualifying and matched his season-best qualifying finish too, so there were plenty of positives to extract.

Gifting used the power within his KTM 250 SX-F to race around the first corner inside of the top four in the first moto today. Unfortunately, he was collected by a downed rider in turn two and remounted at the back of the pack with a mountainous task ahead. Eleventh was the spot that he salvaged at the end of the thirty-minute moto, in what was a rather impressive effort.
 
Another superb start in the second moto put Gifting inside of the top two early on and he was competitive in the top four until a crash pushed him down to eleventh. That is where he finished in the moto – a result that is not a true representation of his speed and potential. An 11-11 scorecard put him twelfth in the overall classification. Gifting is eleventh in the championship standings as well.
 
Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee turn their attention to the Grand Prix of Trentino now, round five of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, which will be run this coming weekend.

Isak Gifting: "This weekend was a tough one, seeing as I broke my collarbone in Argentina and had surgery ten days before this race. I had a start crash in moto one and came back to eleventh, then was fourth halfway through moto two when I crashed. Now I get a few days to recover my shoulder and collarbone before Trentino next weekend! Thanks to the team."

Bryan Connolly (Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee Team Manager): "We are still amazed at what Isak was able to achieve this weekend, just ten days after having surgery on his collarbone. The results are not a true look at just how good he was in Portugal. We are excited to keep building and get him closer to full fitness, as there is a lot to be positive about at the moment."