Herlings takes narrow MXGP of Italy victory | Beaton P7

MXGP 2021
MXGP of Italy – Round 3

Jeffrey Herlings has taken top honours at the 2021 MXGP of Italy, with Round 3 of the championship held at Maggiora. Herlings, Glenn Coldenhoff and Antonio Cairoli were all tied on 40-points, with Herlings the winner thanks to the final race win.

Mattia Guadagnini took the MX2 win, ahead of Maxime Renaux and Jago Geerts, with Australia’s Jed Beaton seventh on the day. Wilson Todd claimed nine-points.

MXGP Race 1

In race one, it was Romain Febvre who grabbed the Fox Holeshot followed by Jorge Prado and Cairoli. Glenn Coldenhoff and Ben Watson got off to a good start and were sitting fourth and fifth, with their teammate Jeremy Seewer inside the top 10 too.

Herlings started the race down in sixth and was pushing through the field until a jammed rock in his back break made things difficult, for which he had to pull over to fix and as a result lost valuable positions and time.

Seewer then went after Watson, for seventh place and a couple of laps later so did Herlings, pushing the Brit down to ninth where he eventually finished the race – this was his best result of the season so far.

Herlings continued his charge as he went after Seewer and then four laps later managed to get Jonass as well, to finish the race sixth, all while Febvre comfortably led the entire race with Prado, Cairoli and Coldenhoff behind him.

At one stage it did look like Gajser would make a move on Coldenhoff, though the Slovenian was unable to do so and the Dutchman could not edge close enough to get Cairoli and Prado either. Febvre took the race win with Prado second and Cairoli third.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, things were very different thanks to the heavy rain that started to fall just before the gate dropped. As the race got going, it was Coldenhoff who grabbed the second Fox Holeshot of the day. He then led Herlings, Henry Jacobi, Prado, Seewer and Cairoli on the opening lap, as Gajser started down in 11th.

Race 1 winner, Febvre started the race in seventh before making several mistakes and eventually finishing the race in 12th position.

Coldenhoff maintained a healthy 3-4 second gap to Herlings, as Jacobi was doing a great job keeping up with the Dutchman, as Cairoli and Prado were both looking to get around the German themselves, but were not able to do so.

By lap 12, Herlings was the new race leader and not long after Cairoli was finally able to get around Jacobi to move up into P3. Jacobi then dropped another position, as Jonass passed him too, with Gajser managing to get back to sixth after a tough race.

Herlings was the race winner, with Coldenhoff second and Cairoli third. The race top three was exactly how they went up to the podium with all three riders tied on points. Though it was Herlings with the Grand Prix victory.

Despite missing the podium, Tim Gajser continues to lead the MXGP championship and sits just six-points ahead of Jeffrey Herlings, with Romain Febvre a further 11-points back.

Jeffrey Herlings – P1

“After the first race I was 7th or 6th behind Tim and got a stone between my rear brake, at one point I didn’t know what it was so I had to stop. I lost many places and about 20 seconds I think and then I had to come back to 6th. I had to make a really late race charge. Before the second race, I was really bummed and wanted to go for the win. Then just before I gave up it was pouring down rain and came a bit unexpected, so I had to make a last-minute decision regarding the tyre, goggle and whatsoever. Second race I came off really good, I was in third, raced to second then I wanted to save my goggle because in a mud race goggles are pretty important. So I always had a gap to Glenn, once I got into the lapped riders, I tried to attack and managed to pass Glenn, I was already counting and then I was like I will have the advantage for the overall and with a few laps to go I was going to win the overall. I lost a lot of the points into the championship, I started unlucky but it’s good heading into Oss in two week time. I think we are just 6 points behind. Still a lot in the championship so I won’t really look at the points because at the past I was counting, counting, counting, and sometimes I was over 150 points up front, I still didn’t win the championship, so I don’t count anymore, I just look race by race. I look at every race individually and try to be the best I can every single weekend. I want to thank the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, they did a great job. The bike was good and especially in the second race with all the mud.”

Glenn Coldenhoff – P2

“Straight from the first lap here in Maggiora, I felt really good. I was really comfortable on the track. First moto I started behind Tony (Cairoli). I was a bit faster, but the track felt really one-lined, which was really difficult to pass, but in the end I spent quite some energy, but still finished fourth. In the second moto I took the holeshot, which was really good. The team has been working so hard and I am very thankful for that. I really owe this one to them. I am really happy to be back on the podium, it’s a really good confidence booster going into Oss in two weeks’ time and I’m really looking forward to my home GP.”

Antonio Cairoli – P3

“I’m really happy about the podium of course but not happy about that second race because I had the speed to ride in front. I started sixth or seventh then managed to pass Jorge Prado and a few other guys and then I arrive at the back of Henry Jacobi but my roll-off’s broke immediately because of a stone. The guys in front pulled away and I couldn’t pass Jacobi, so I really struggled to find a place to pass him but in the end I managed to do so on the last three laps. I’m training a lot on the mud lately and my feeling is good. I’m really looking forward to the sand races now, I’ve not been riding a lot on the sand lately but I love it, it’s my first favourite ground so I’m looking forward to being in Oss in a couple of weeks and hopefully we can continue to build up condition and try to stay in front again.”

Jorge Prado – P4

“Overall P4 and we are not too far away from 1st place in the championship, so from this perspective the GP was quite OK. I was feeling quite good on the track and it was tough with plenty of bumps and ruts. We had a really high rhythm in the first race but the second was just a mudder. I got pushed a bit wide in the second corner. I was riding in 5th for the whole moto but with two laps to go I made a couple of mistakes that cost me two places and I lost the podium like that. I’m really unhappy with my last three laps. I couldn’t get to the point of making the extra step to force a pass. Instead of holding the position I just lost it.”

Romain Febvre – P5

“That was a really good first moto! I got the holeshot, led the entire race, had a good feeling and didn’t make any mistakes. I am so grateful for everything the team and our sponsors have done for me; they have all done a really good job and today I could reward them and show I am the fastest. And I know my wife and our baby were watching me from home and would be equally excited. My second start was not so good but I rode two good laps to come back to seventh; then when I was behind Jonass I got so much mud on my goggles and gloves. I wasn’t comfortable and crashed three times; and after the first crash I got so much mud on my gloves that I could no longer twist the throttle precisely. I was in ‘survival mode’ but I didn’t want to stop as I would have lost too much time. Of course I’m disappointed; it could have been a very good weekend after race one.“

Pauls Jonass – P6

“We had quite a fast track today and I feel like I was just missing that last little bit to be with the top guys. I was still consistent with my lap times and race one was ok, but in the mud in race two things went a little bit better. I stayed tight around the first turn to avoid any collisions and it paid off and I moved into sixth. Unfortunately, I had a small issue with my goggles so I had to take them off. But with around four laps to go I just put in a charge. It was risky with the conditions, but it paid off and I finished fourth. I did take a rock or a lump of dirt to the eye, so I have a black eye now, but it was worth it in the end. Now that we’re done with hardpack tracks to start the season I’m looking forward to the next GP when we’re in the sand and all being well I’ll be running with the top guys again.”

Tim Gajser – P7

“It was a difficult day, with the weather and the results but I’m still leading the championship so I have to look at the positives. In the first moto I had a decent start but I couldn’t work my way through the field so I just had to be happy with a fifth place, although I felt I was faster than those in front. Again, I struggled out of the gate in race two and with the heavy rain that made things hard. Then a rock hit my goggles in the first lap and that was really difficult because it meant I was having to work even harder to make passes but I made my way up to sixth and I still keep hold of the red plate. I am excited to go to Oss though as it’s a new track and I’m enjoying riding sand so it should be fun.”

MX2 Race 1

In MX2 Mattia Guadagnini secured his first overall GP victory and did so on home soil, in front of his home crowd.

In race one, it was Thibault Benistant who took the Fox Holeshot as he led Guadagnini, Geerts, Kay De Wolf and Jed Beaton. Vialle did go out in the first race but failed finish and did not start race two either.

Beaton was able to get past his teammate to get himself into fourth, while further down the field the Championship leader (at the time) Ruben Fernandez of Honda 114 Motorsports was getting closer to the top five after passing Stephen Rubini of Honda Racing Assomotor for seventh.

Fernandez then started to close in on De Wolf for fifth as Mathys Boisrame was also looking to get involved in the battle. Fernandez was eventually able to pass the Husqvarna rider on lap 11.

Benistant extended his lead to 6.092 seconds at one stage over Guadagnini, as Geerts was coming under fire from a group of riders behind him, including Beaton, Fernandez, De Wolf and Renaux.

Fernandez was eventually able to get Beaton on lap 15 and then just a lap later he also passed Geerts for third. Benistant was the race winner with Guadagnini almost 10 seconds behind in P2 and Fernandez third.

MX2 Race 2

In race two, it was Geerts who led the way as he secured his first Fox Holeshot of the season with Guadagnini and Rene Hofer just behind. Guadagnini wasted no time and by the end of the lap was the new race leader as Renaux slipped into second.

Renaux then made a mistake which lost him valuable time on Guadagnini, who was focused on riding his own race and held healthy lead.

Fernandez was unlucky in the beginning of the second race, as it took him seven laps to get inside of the points.

Both Simon Längenfelder and Isak Gifting had a good start of the race as they were both inside the top 10 at one stage. Längenfelder was able to maintain a good position to finish the race eighth, while Gifting was down in 31st.

Beaton then lost three positions to Hofer and Roan Van De Moosdijk and later Boisrame, as Hofer went after Geerts.

Van De Moosdijk eventually was able to get around Geerts for third as well, with his teammate doing the same as the pair placed third and fourth. Geerts did managed to get Hofer back by the end of the race, all while Guadagnini took his second race win of the season, as Renaux finished second, with Moosdijk third.

Guadagnini was the overall winner with a 2-1 result, with Renaux finishing second on 37 points and Geerts third on 34 points. With Fernandez only scoring 29 points today, Mattia Guadagnini is now the new MX2 Championship leader, with Maxime Renaux just 2 points behind him and Ruben Fernandez dropping to third.

Mattia Guadagnini – P1

“This is crazy. I don’t know what to say. It feels really good. I made two good starts and I didn’t want to take too many risks in the first moto. Staying calm and taking 2nd place was enough, although I did wait to see if I could pass Thibault in the last part of the race but he was too fast. I pushed hard to take the lead on the first lap of the second moto and then just rode my race and had fun. I made a gap and enjoyed the last few laps. It’s amazing to win here in Italy and it was also a surprise to take the red plate. Oss is next and I’m pretty good in the sand, we’ll train and be ready to go again.”

Maxime Renaux – P2

“It was a tough day. I had the fastest lap time in the morning for pole position, and that was really good. I had a bad start in the first race, which made the race really hard for me. I did make some great passes in the beginning of the race, but then I crashed and had to do the job another time. In the second moto, I had a better start and moved into second really quickly. I was second the whole moto, and I decided not to push for the win because I was not feeling that great on the track. I am still happy with the result. Second overall in the GP and second in the championship, so this is good points for the championship, which is the most important.”

Jago Geerts – P3

“I’m pretty happy to be back on the podium. I had two good starts today, and that is positive. I struggled a little bit with arm-pump in the opening race, so (Ruben) Fernandez passed me. But still, I finished third. In the second heat, I felt like my riding was pretty good, but I still miss a little bit of rhythm, so I finished fifth. Now we have two weeks before the next GP, so I want to spend some more time on the bike, and I hope that I have more speed in Oss.”

Mathys Boisrame – P4

“I had a good gate-pick after fourth in Qualifying and I was in a good position in the first corner of race one but I lost some places at the second corner. I tensed up, suffered a little arm pump and couldn’t ride as I usually do so it was a tough moto. I missed a good start in race two but my rhythm was better as we had changed some suspension settings between the motos and I was able to come back behind Roan. it was a good moto on a rough track; not an easy track but I like that. I just woke up too late today! But I’m fourth in the standings and feel confident; we’ll continue to work to prepare for the next GP in Oss.”

Roan van de Moosdijk – P5

“Qualifying was good as always! I had the first time in the beginning of the session but the track became drier and drier so I dropped back to fourth until the last lap when I pushed one more time and I came back to second. I was around twelfth the first lap of race one but I couldn’t find my rhythm and finished ninth. My feeling for the track was good in the second moto; I was soon sixth and I could push the whole moto to pass Beaton, Hofer and Geerts. I battled the whole race and I was happy to finish third in the moto and only two points from the podium.”

Thibault Benistant – P6

“The weekend started quite good with a good lap time, a holeshot and win in the first race. My speed was good and so was my physical condition. In the second race, I started from the back, and one guy jumped on my right arm, so I had a big crash. After I was a bit hurt and in pain, and the bike was a bit damaged. So it was difficult to ride, but I gave everything I could to come back to 14th.”

Jed Beaton – P7

“Finally I had two good starts but I let myself down a little with the end results. The results were pretty decent but having started near the front it would have been nice to have perhaps been on the podium today. The second race was a bit more frustrating as while I was setting up a pass, I then got passed as the line I took was no good. Overall I’m happy. A step in the right direction for sure.”

Wilson Todd of Bike It MTX Kawasaki continues his recovery from serious injury last year and posted an impressive eleventh place during Qualifying but the Australian had no luck at the start in either of the GP motos to complete the first lap twenty-first in race one and even further back as twenty-seventh in race two after a collision on the exit from turn one.

He showed great resolution as usual, advancing with determination to be classified fifteenth in race one and eighteenth in race two. He is now fourteenth in the series points standings.