Australia’s Todd Waters has claimed a sensational first MXGP World Championship podium on Sunday at Maggiora, Italy, finishing in third overall.

The Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing rider rode his FC 450 to a pair of fourth place moto finishes in tricky muddy conditions, to complete the overall podium behind Romain Febvre and Kevin Strijbos.

“This is a huge result for me and the team,” Waters reflected. “We worked really hard during the two weeks prior to this race, and I guess it paid off. I love racing in the mud, the conditions certainly didn’t faze me. To finish third overall is an amazing feeling.

“I felt good all the way through the first moto. I moved up from seventh or eighth to fourth, which was good, but I felt like I should have done better with the way I was racing. I wanted more from the second moto and was third when I dropped it.

“The team told me a podium result was on about three quarters of the way though the race, so I went for it. I gave it everything and to get third is amazing. I have to say thanks to the team and my mechanics – it’s awesome.”

Defending champion Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli put in a brave performance riding with a broken hand sustained earlier in the weekend, salvaging 13th overall to retain second in the standings, 30 points behind red plate holder Max Nagl. He was fourth overall at Maggiora.

Waters’ countryman and Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Dean Ferris was forced to miss the grand prix, struck with illness following Saturday’s qualifying heat race.

Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser mastered the mud in Italy for the MX2 round victory with a 3-2 scorecard, trailed by moto two winner Jeffrey Herlings and Jeremy Seewer. The opening moto was won by Aleksandr Tonkov, who was fourth overall.

2015 MXGP World Championship
Round nine – Maggiora, Italy

MXGP overall results:
1. Romain Febvre 40
2. Kevin Strijbos 37
3. Todd Waters (AUS) 36
4. David Philippaerts 36
5. Jeremy Van Horebeek 32
6. Shaun Simpson 31
7. Maximilian Nagl 28
8. Gautier Paulin 27
9. Evgeny Bobryshev 23
10. Ken de Dycker 22

MXGP championship standings:
1. Maximilian Nagl 360
2. Antonio Cairoli 330
3. Romain Febvre 322
4. Clement Desalle 291
5. Gautier Paulin 279
6. Evgeny Bobryshev 270
7. Shaun Simpson 200
8. Todd Waters (AUS) 174
9. Jeremy Van Horebeek 158
10. Ken de Dycker 155
16. Dean Ferris (AUS) 101

MX2 overall results:
1. Tim Gajser 42
2. Jeffrey Herlings 40
3. Jeremy Seewer 38
4. Aleksandr Tonkov 38
5. Brent Van doninck 30
6. Max Anstie 27
7. Julien Lieber 25
8. Petar Petrov 24
9. Benoit Paturel 22
10. Brian Bogers 22

MX2 championship standings:
1. Jeffrey Herlings 398
2. Valentin Guillod 259
3. Pauls Jonass 259
4. Aleksandr Tonkov 256
5. Tim Gajser 251
6. Jordi Tixier 251
7. Jeremy Seewer 246
8. Max Anstie 210
9. Julien Lieber 209
10. Dylan Ferrandis 205

Click here for detailed results