— FIM MX1/MX2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, ROUND 08, SUNDAY JUNE 9, ERNEE, FRANCE
— A vibrant crowd see Cairoli and Herlings win in France
— Circuit length: 1548m – Type of ground: hard pack
— Temperature: 16° C – Weather conditions: cloudy – Crowd attendance: 39000
The eighth Grand Prix of France took place today at Ernée where Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings obtained another overall victory and they increased their lead in the championship standings. The French riders made the crowd go crazy at every single race and there actually up to three home riders on the podium, Gautier Paulin was second in MX1, whereas Dylan Ferrandis and Christophe Charlier were second and third in MX2.
The first MX2 race was red flagged after the start, as there was a malfunction of the starting gate, but the rest of the races were run without incident.
Ernée also hosted the second round of the EMX250 European Championship and Valentin Guillod obtained another strong victory, while Jeremy Seewer and Ceriel Klein Kromhof were second and third respectively.
MX1
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli obtained his 59th Grand Prix victory in Ernée after finishing second and first in today’s races. In the first race the Italian obtained the Get Athena holeshot Award, but half way through the race Cairoli made a mistake while trying to change his line and Gautier Paulin overtook him. The KTM rider did not give up and he tried to pass the French back until the very last lap, but in the end Cairoli had to settle down with the second position. In the second race the current red plate holder took another holeshot and this time nothing stopped the Italian to lead the race until the chequered flag.
The second overall position was for Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin who was not able to finish on the top of the podium, but he was very pleased to win the first race in front of his home crowd who cheered for him during the whole weekend. In the second race the home rider had a really good start but in the first corner there was a crash and he was taken out to the outside. Paulin was down in sixth and he could cross the finish line fourth to be on the second step of the podium.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle was very satisfied for his third overall position today, especially because he struggled a lot yesterday during the qualifying race. The Belgian admitted that they made some small modifications on his bike, which helped him to feel more comfortable during today’s races. In both heats Desalle had a good start, and whereas he rode a consistent first moto in the third position after he had overtaken Van Horebeek, in the second one he passed Boog after the first three laps and he rode second until the chequered flag.
CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy Pro Circuit’s Tommy Searle had one of his best performances of the season today after finishing fourth overall. The British rider started down in twelfth in the first race, but he managed to finish seventh in front of Nagl with whom he had a thrilling battle during most of the race. In the second heat Searle had a much better start and he ended third, which gave him the fourth overall position, his best ever result in the MX1 class so far.
Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jeremy Van Horebeek also obtained his best result of the season today in Ernée; the Belgian rider felt really well already yesterday and today he proved that he is now ready to be among the top five positions at every Grand Prix. In the first race he was second after the start, but Paulin and Desalle were faster, so Van Horebeek decided to ride safe in the fourth place. After three laps De Dycker caught Van Horebeek and he overtook him, but with two laps to go, Van Horebeek passed him back and finished fourth. In the second race Van Horebeek was involved in a crash in the first corner and he was only able to finish sixth. However, the Belgian was really satisfied with his fifth overall position.
Ken De Dycker was back riding among the top five positions today, but he was only able to finish sixth overall. In the first heat he rode fourth most of the race, but he lost one position with Van Horebeek with two laps to go and he ended fifth. In the second moto the KTM rider was able to move up to third in the first stages of the race, but he crossed the finish line fifth again.
Kevin Strijbos finished seventh overall, ahead of Davide Guarneri and Xavier Boog. Evgeny Bobryshev completed the top ten.
MX1 Race 1 top ten: 1. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 39:21.019; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.453; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:23.523; 4. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:43.389; 5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:49.635; 6. David Philippaerts (ITA, Honda), +0:50.808; 7. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:53.198; 8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), +0:55.094; 9. Davide Guarneri (ITA, KTM), +1:10.101; 10. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +1:12.061;
MX1 Race 2 top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 39:28.802; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:10.539; 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:11.974; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:21.491; 5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:26.433; 6. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:32.766; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, KTM), +0:44.837; 8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:53.614; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +1:03.414; 10. Davide Guarneri (ITA, KTM), +1:21.781;
MX1 Overall top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 47 points; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 43 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 42 p.; 4. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 34 p.; 5. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), 33 p.; 6. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 32 p.; 7. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 23 p.; 8. Davide Guarneri (ITA, KTM), 23 p.; 9. Xavier Boog (FRA, KTM), 21 p.; 10. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), 21 p.;
MX1 Championship top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 377 points; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 321 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 309 p.; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 277 p.; 5. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 243 p.; 6. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 239 p.; 7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), 190 p.; 8. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), 171 p.; 9. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), 168 p.; 10. David Philippaerts (ITA, Honda), 145 p.;
MX1 Manufacturers: 1. KTM, 382 points; 2. Kawasaki, 323 p.; 3. Suzuki, 321 p.; 4. Honda, 252 p.; 5. Yamaha, 133 p.; 6. TM, 120 p.;
MX2
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings woke up with a lot of pain this morning due to the crash he suffered yesterday during the qualifying race, so he had to take some painkillers to feel better and be able to race both motos. The Dutch rider had two good starts and he won both heats, but he admitted that he struggled to find the good lines because every time he had to put the foot on the ground he suffered a lot of pain. Herlings will not have much time to recover, but he is already looking forward to racing in Maggiora next weekend.
Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Dylan Ferrandis made one of his dreams come true today by finishing second overall in his home Grand Prix. In the first race Ferrandis started third behind Herlings and Butrón, but he quickly passed the Spanish rider and he gave his best to follow Herlings. At some point of the race Ferrandis was really close to catch the Dutch rider, but in the end he had to settle down with the second position. In the second race Ferrandis started second behind Nicholls and the French rider made the crowd go crazy when he took the lead after four laps. However, he made a mistake and he dropped down to third, but he was able to overtake Nicholls again by the end of the heat and he crossed the finish line second.
The third overall position was also for another French rider, the Monster Energy Yamaha’s Christophe Charlier. Charlier had a difficult first race because he started down in the thirteenth position, but he managed to cross the finish line ninth. In the second race the French rider had a better start and after exchanging the fourth position with Ferrandis and Tonkov, he was able to move up to third in the last stages of the race. Charlier was very satisfied with his result today, as it is his maiden podium of the season.
It was also an excellent weekend for JTECH ESTA Motorsports Racing Honda’s Alexander Tonkov who managed to finish fourth overall in the Grand Prix of France. In the first race the Russian was only able to finish eighth after a poor start, but in the second one he made an incredible race moving from an initial ninth position to a final fourth place.
Wilvo Neestan JM Racing KTM’s Jake Nicholls finished fourth overall, being tight in 31 points with Tonkov thanks to his 6-5 result. The British was riding a consistent first moto in fourth, but by the end of the race Tixier and Butrón passed him and he had to settle down with the fifth place. In the second race Nicholls had an excellent start and he took the lead in the first lap, but he could not keep the rhythm and Herlings overtook him. The British rider stalled the bike when he was riding second and he crossed the finish line fifth.
Jordi Tixier had a disappointing weekend; the French rider had great hopes for his home Grand Prix, but in the first heat he was only able to finish fourth and in the second one he made a mistake at the early stages of the race and he was down to the seventeenth position. Tixier made an excellent recovery and he ended ninth in that race, so he obtained an overall sixth position.
José Butrón, who obtained the Get Athena Holeshot Award in the first heat, struggled to find a good rhythm in the French track and he ended seventh overall. Glenn Coldenhoff ended eighth and Petar Petrov and Max Anstie completed the top ten.
Maxime Desprey and Jason Clermont, who had an excellent qualifying race yesterday, were eleventh and twelfth today, and Dean Ferris, who took pole yesterday, had a DNF in the first race due to a mechanic problem and his sixth place in the second heat made him finish thirteenth overall.
Romain Febvre was back this weekend from a broken fibula, but a stone hit his helmet in the first race and he was forced to retire. The home rider was not able to take part in the second heat as the impact hit his eye and nose.
MX2 Race 1 top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39:45.493; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:02.937; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:07.723; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:15.739; 5. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:22.737; 6. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:26.455; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Suzuki), +0:38.353; 8. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), +0:43.173; 9. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +0:48.472; 10. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), +0:50.642;
MX2 Race 2 top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39:59.717; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:05.696; 3. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +0:07.504; 4. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), +0:11.672; 5. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:17.524; 6. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), +0:20.958; 7. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:21.805; 8. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:31.110; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:35.715; 10. Jason Clermont (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:39.720;
MX2 Overall top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 44 p.; 3. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 32 p.; 4. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), 31 p.; 5. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 31 p.; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 30 p.; 7. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 29 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 23 p.; 9. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), 21 p.; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, Suzuki), 21 p.;
MX2 Championship top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 397 points; 2. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 287 p.; 3. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 247 p.; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 237 p.; 5. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 230 p.; 6. Dean Ferris (AUS, Yamaha), 197 p.; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, Suzuki), 193 p.; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 181 p.; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), 162 p.; 10. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 149 p.;
MX2 Manufacturers: 1. KTM, 400 points; 2. Yamaha, 279 p.; 3. Kawasaki, 231 p.; 4. Suzuki, 215 p.; 5. Honda, 163 p.; 6. TM, 37 p.; 7. Husqvarna, 1 p.;
— Rockstar Energy Suzuki Report
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1’s Clement Desalle scooped his sixth trophy of the season with third position overall at a 39,000 spectator-lined Ernee for a cloudy and cool Grand Prix of France and the eighth round of 17 in the FIM Motocross World Championship today as team-mate Kevin Strijbos was seventh on his factory RM-Z450.
France is always a special stop on the grand prix schedule, simply for the passion and enthusiasm of the fans, and Ernee was no exception: The steep, narrow and slippery circuit provided a hard test for the riders. Traction was at a premium and some of the rougher sections were sketchy to negotiate. Both Desalle and Strijbos had to adapt to the old-fashioned course in the best way possible but it was clear that the start and first corners of the two motos would hold the clearest indication as to the identity of the podium contenders.
Desalle (23) had two decent getaways and fairly uneventful first laps to be able to establish himself in a position with the leading group. The Belgian was able to gain more confidence with the surface but did not have the speed to disturb the battle for the lead between Antonio Cairoli and Gautier Paulin. A lonely third spot set-up the first part of a champagne spray, and his impressive points-haul for the day was confirmed with another effective performance to gain second place to Cairoli and ahead of the charging Tommy Searle in the second moto. Desalle remained largely error-free and was able to walk the box as a result.
Strijbos suffered a disastrous start in the first moto. At the end of the first lap he was 17h and put in a shift through the 35 minutes and two laps to try and gain positions. He reached 11th but remained unmoved by his efforts. The second outing promised more when ‘#22’ broke into the top 10 in the crucial early corners but the Belgian could not get near a repeat of his podium finish in 2006.
In the MX1 FIM World Championship standings, Desalle maintains his position as one of the three principal contenders for the 2013 crown. He is third and 68 points behind Cairoli and 12 behind Paulin. Strijbos is fifth and 34 points from further promotion.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 now travels to the Maggiora circuit for the Grand Prix of Italy next weekend. The site enjoys heralded status as a motocross venue in the country and the recent reinvestment and overhaul of the facility promises to create a headline event.
Clement Desalle: “Two consistent motos and when I saw how I was riding yesterday it is good result! I was so slow yesterday. My starts were better today and the riding also, so that is positive. It is really hard to pass here so the starts were essential because you can lose a big gap. I didn’t enjoy the track too much and some important sections needed some work to make it safer and better for us. Overall it was a good weekend. I stayed on two wheels and made the podium and it will be good to get home after some busy weeks.”
Kevin Strijbos: “It was not my day today. I just could not get going with that track and with the bad start in the first moto…I don’t know…I was just riding my laps and fell into a bit of a lull. I had a better start in the second but couldn’t run the pace of the other guys and lost a bit. I felt a bit tired and I think I am not totally over the jet-leg from arriving home earlier this week. I think it will be positive to get back into the normal routine and training in the next couple of days and then look to Italy.”
— Yamaha Report
Christophe Charlier’s first podium result of the season and the second of his career was the highlight from a dramatic weekend of action for the factory Monster Energy Yamaha team at Ernee for the Grand Prix of France. The eighth round of seventeen was run in front of an excited and appreciative 39,000 crowd to welcome the FIM Motocross World Championship back to the region and the traditional and old-school circuit for the first time since 2009.
The difficult and sketchy course was also narrow and slippery and it was in the most challenging of conditions on Saturday that Maxime Desprey and Dean Ferris battled for pole position in the qualification heat, with Ferris eventually earning victory after a thrilling last lap battle. YZ250F technology went 1-2 into the gate for Sunday’s race programme.
The first moto saw a magical start for the Monster Energy Yamaha as Ferris, Pocock and Charlier headed the pack around the opening lap. Sadly a malfunction with the start gate meant that the race had to be red-flagged and re-run. The second start was not so advantageous for the crew and a technical problem would stop Ferris from scoring 7th position halfway through the moto. Pocock would withdraw after a painful right heel (the result of a crash on a jump landing on Saturday) meant that he could not clasp the bike. Charlier worked hard to reach 9th spot – gaining a place on the penultimate lap – but a problem with a pulled groin muscle did not assist his progress. Desprey was buried deep in the pack around the first corner but was diligent with his overtaking to reach 13th.
After the break the second sprint took place and Charlier defied his discomfort to produce an all-action attacking display that must rank as one of his best of the season so far. A mid-top ten start set the base and he passed three riders to move up to third position. The eventual points tally was good enough to put the excited former European Champ on the box. It was Ferris who had earned the holeshot but a couple of mistakes pushed the Australian down to a final slot of sixth. Desprey enacted a similar race to the first and ended the day with 12th while Pocock gritted his teeth to bag a few points in 19th.
The French Grand Prix finished with Charlier 3rd, Desprey 11th, Ferris 13th and Pocock 23rd in the final MX2 listing with all Yamaha machinery nevertheless playing the role of protagonists in the class throughout this vibrant event. Charlier keeps 5th in the MX2 points table head of Ferris with Pocock 11th and Desprey 15th.
On the other side of the continent in Slovenia, FIM Women’s World Champion Kiara Fontanesi comfortably owned both motos on her YRRD-kitted YZ250F to maintain her perfect win record after two rounds and four races of the competitive female series. ‘Fonta’ has another five fixtures in her title defence starting with the Italian Grand Prix next weekend in Maggiora, which will also constitute the ninth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship for Monster Energy Yamaha.
Christophe Charlier – “For sure I am very happy with my first podium of the season. In the first race I couldn’t get a good rhythm. I think it was because of the start. I was quite far back and couldn’t really get smooth and make as many positions as I wanted. In the second I was higher up at the start and that made a bit of a difference. I could push more and I was happy. The track was also a bit easier to handle. Anyway I have to thank my team and everyone who has been behind me and I want another podium at Maggiora!”
Dean Ferris – “I had a ‘mechanical’ in the first moto and there is not much more I can say about that. In the second moto I holeshotted and finished sixth…normally I can start last and get up to that position so I’m not real happy about the way I rode. I made a couple of crucial mistakes that cost me positions and I couldn’t find the speed to catch back up. I got my first win yesterday so I have mixed emotions about this weekend. I found the track very slick. It is not my favourite surface and I had a couple of big moments. We’ll just move on and hope for better in Italy.”
Maxime Desprey – “I had the holeshot yesterday, led the Heat and finished second, so I was really happy with that. Today was more difficult with the bad starts. I was outside the top twenty both times and pushed to win some positions. I was eleventh overall, so that is not too bad. I’m not sure why I didn’t get the good starts today…I think I wasn’t far enough over the front of the bike and lost some ground when it started to rise. It was a nice experience being here and for sure I can take some confidence from Saturday.”
Mel Pocock – “In the qualifying race I had a crash and landed on my heel. I don’t know what I have done to it but it seems to be really badly bruised. It’s black and blue and swollen. I had an x-ray and they said it wasn’t broken but the bottom of my foot is so painful. I managed to salvage a couple of points. I need to get it worked on this week and get that blood shifted. The track was hard and with those square-edged bumps I could not grip the bike. It is OK for the first fifteen minutes but after that it was unbearable. It is what it is…don’t crash; it hurts!”
Roelants takes points in hard French GP
The Grand Prix of France represented the eighth round of seventeen in the FIM Motocross World Championship and Monster Energy Yamaha’s Joel Roelants left a difficult and narrow Ernee circuit with 15th position overall in the MX1 class on his YZ450FM.
The Belgian suffered a setback on Saturday when an off-track excursion saw him clip an ad boarding and knock his elbow. The incident also put him low into the gate for Sunday’s two 35 minute and 2 lap motos that were run in front of a bumper 39,000 crowd and in considerably cooler conditions.
Roelants didn’t get the best of starts at the first time of asking and tried to set a rhythm to guarantee the maximum amount of points. He reeled off the laps to take 16th place. Not content with the direction of his set-up he again was unable to make many inroads into the leading group and ended a tough day with 14th in the second moto. Steven Frossard was present in the paddock in Ernee and will have another scan in the coming week to determine the full extent of his right knee injury and the time scale for a return to racing.
Monster Energy Yamaha will now focus on their home Grand Prix with the Italian round of calendar taking place next weekend at Maggiora.
Joel Roelants – “I was dead-last going into the gate because of the crash yesterday. I didn’t get away that badly but my riding wasn’t good enough. I didn’t get a good feeling out there and couldn’t find my groove. We have to do some work now and try something else for the set-up. We tried our best this weekend but my riding is frustrating at the moment. I feel good physically and trained really well after Brazil. We’ll try some changes to see what we can do for Italy and beyond.”
— Honda Report
Honda World Motocross duo Evgeny Bobryshev and Max Nagl demonstrated good speed in both motos today in Ernée, France, although the result doesn’t really portray their potential, as they battled the field for 10th and 11th overall during round eight of the MX1 World Championship.
In the opening race of the day neither rider got a good start, with Nagl around 23rd and Bobryshev well outside of the top 10. Nagl fought hard around the narrow, technical, hardpack track, picking his way through lap by lap until he reached Tommy Searle mid-moto. In an epic battle that saw the two exchange places a number of times, they elevated their way through the field right until the chequered flag with Nagl taking a well-earned eighth position aboard his Dunlop-shod factory CRF450R.
Bobryshev found it tough going, as he struggled to relax and find his racing rhythm with his sore leg from an injury sustained earlier in the year. In the closing stages of the race the Russian star did begin to make progress, passing two riders on the last lap, to cross the finish line in 12th position.
In the second moto disaster struck for the Honda men after they both powered down the start straight in what looked to be good positions heading into turn one. Nagl was sure he had clinched the holeshot, but nearly collided with Kevin Strijbos as he came out of the turn, which saw a melee of riders run into the back of the Honda racer as he slammed on the brakes, including his teammate Bobryshev.
Bobryshev managed to get back on to get away with the back of the pack and, as he relaxed into the race, made good passes while finding a much better pace to the first moto to finish in ninth position and 10th overall.
After remounting dead last Nagl fought his way back to the top 10, when a stone from the roost was caught in his throttle, forcing the power to stay open as he jumped into a tight turn and causing the German racer to crash hard. After restarting again, an incredibly unlucky Nagl had another slip off after the exhaustion of battling so hard set in, and the Honda racer concluded the race in 13th position for 11th overall.
Gautier Paulin won race one in front of his home crowd, while Cairoli won the second race and the overall.
Evgeny Bobryshev #777: 10th overall
“The track wasn’t great for passing, and it’s been tough from the beginning of the weekend. On top of that, a lot of the passing has to be done by pressuring the guy in front into a mistake to get around him. In the warm-up this morning I tried to push for a good lap, but it wasn’t as good as I wanted. In the first race I didn’t get a good start, and after this I was just battling with my bike and myself, as I had so little confidence, and I was just trying to find the good rhythm. I was like wood on the bike; just so stiff and no flexibility, as I was not finding the balance in the right corners, as well as using the pressure of the left leg too much. In the second race it was much better, because I was riding better, but I was involved in the first turn crash. I had better lines and better speed, but I had to come through. I came back from nearly last to ninth, although it was still tough, as race by race I am coming back to form again. To be honest when I broke the bone I thought it would be possible to be back in a couple of weeks, and I never expected it to be like this, but it is getting better every week, and I have to be patient, although I’m disappointed not to achieve more.”
Max Nagl #12: 11th overall
“At the moment it really isn’t going in the direction I want. I can improve the riding week-by-week and today I was really fast, but in the first race I had a terrible gate jump. I fought through to eighth position, had the second fastest lap time, and I was really happy with my riding. I had a big battle with Tommy, which was tough, as he is riding really aggressively and I had to be quite careful. In the second heat we made some small adjustments, and I had a really good gate jump. I thought I was first into the first turn, but I nearly hit another rider and then the riders behind me collided with my bike, so I basically just fell down. I was so disappointed, as when you crash in the first turn you know it is going to be so hard, and I was dead last. I fought my way through to a top 10, but then my throttle stuck open on a jump from a stone that got stuck after I was roosted down the straight, and I crashed. So then I tried to get myself going again, but my arms were getting tired and I crashed again on a downhill, so it was just a ride to the finish after that. Grip was hard to find here, but I liked it and my speed was good, although there just always seems to be something stopping me achieving what we should be. At the moment I am missing that part of the puzzle, and we need some luck on our side.”
Lorenzo Resta: Honda World Motocross Team Manager
“It was a hard weekend on a difficult track. For the first race I believe Max rode his best moto of the year, as he came from outside the top 20 to eighth position, and he was fighting like a tiger against the other riders. He had the second best lap time of the race, which demonstrates the speed is there. In the second moto we had a lot of bad luck with both riders crashing in the first turn. Bobby rode a lot better in that heat, as he came back to ninth place, and Max came from last to tenth, although a couple of issues in the last few laps meant he crashed again. On a positive note, we can see the speed is there in both riders, and Bobby’s injury is improving, but we need that little bit of luck to get back to where we should be; I hope this will be next weekend at the team’s home race.”
— KTM Report
Red Bull KTM riders had another top day out at the MX GP of France with both Tony Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings winning the MX1 and MX2 GPs respectively.
For the Italian Cairoli it was a 2-1 outing on the very technical track at Ernee for his fifty-ninth career GP victory. He had an epic battle with French favorite Gautier Paulin in the opening moto, conceding by just over one second to the Frenchman only in the final meters of the race. Then in the second moto, Cairoli shot out of the starting gates to grab the holeshot and led during the entire race. He was more than 10 seconds ahead when he crossed the line. Cairoli now has a 56-point lead in the championship standards and has laid the foundation for a solid season where he hopes to take his seventh world title.
Tony Cairoli: “In the first moto I had some trouble with a lapped rider near the end but Paulin found a way past him. I tried to come back but Paulin was riding very well and it wasn’t easy to pass on this track. We pushed hard in the second race. After I got the holeshot in the second moto I was able to push to make a 10-second gap but then I just tried to put in some good laps and not make any mistakes.”
Meanwhile in MX2 and in what was possibly one of the toughest races of his career so far, Herlings achieved what the pre-race pundits said was improbable. He won both motos after a mega crash in Saturday’s qualifying that saw him badly bang up his ankle, shoulder and wrist. He was mobile only on crutches but rallied to take his eighth GP win for 2013 with an epic 1-1 result.
Only classified twenty-seventh after qualifying, Herlings shot out of the gates in the opening moto, took an early lead and even though he was up against hungry French riders, hung on all the way to the flag. He crossed the line just under three seconds ahead of second placed Dylan Ferrandis.
Herlings found himself in fourth place at the first corner of the second moto after a great start by his teammate Jordi Tixier. But while Herlings worked his way up to the lead, Tixier crashed and had to fight his way back from way down the order to eventually finish ninth. Herlings meanwhile took control of the lead with just over 16 minutes to go and never looked back. The Dutch teenager has won every moto except one in 2013 and has a commanding lead of 110 points in the MX2 World Championship. Tixier is second.
Jeffrey Herlings: I had a very big crash on Saturday and some pretty bad injuries but we made a lot of treatment on my ankle and wrist and the team helped me a lot. But I had a lot of pain when I put my foot down and when I went over the jumps. We worked hard this weekend and we took two good starts and I did what I had to do to take the wins.”
Cairoli’s MX1 factory teammate Ken de Dycker of Belgium picked up a pair of fifth places. Like Tixier in MX2, he also finished his MX1 in sixth position. De Dycker said he was quite satisfied to be consistent this weekend although he had wanted to be back on the podium. “But training went well, and so did qualifying so after two not so good starts I’m quite happy. My riding is okay and there was not too much difference in the speed compared to the first guys,” he said.
Tixier admitted he had got a bad start in the opening moto but he won the holeshot in the second. “I thought I was going pretty good after the holeshot but then I crashed in the first lap when I got a bad bump in one of the waves. I managed to come back from last place to ninth. It wasn’t so bad but not what I expected,” he said.
Earlier in the day Ernee hosted Rd. 2 of the EMX 250 European Championship, which saw victory for KTM’s Swiss rider Valentin Guillod.“Now I’m leading the championship with two wins but today was not easy because it was very slippers. We had just one line and it wasn’t easy to pass but I took my time, I tried to find a good line and to ride smoothly,” Guillod commented.
— Kawasaki Report
Gautier Paulin of the Kawasaki Racing Team delighted French fans as he consolidated second place in the FIM World MX1 Motocross World Championship with a race win in his home GP at Ernée.
The Frenchman appeared confident throughout practice but overambitious track watering prior to the qualification race saw him line up only eleventh of 29 starters. However, when the gate dropped for the opening moto on race day Gautier was immediately amongst the leaders, quickly moving up to second place before mounting a successful charge for the lead at half distance, sweeping around the defending champion to record an emphatic victory. The unfortunate qualification result of the previous day sadly prevented a repeat in race two as another rider forced the Kawasaki star to run wide at turn one and he faced a tough ride back through the pack to salvage fourth place; this was however sufficient to ensure his sixth podium finish of the year and consolidate his second place in the championship.
Tommy Searle of Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy Pro Circuit narrowly failed to join Paulin on the overall podium but secured the first top three moto finish of his rookie MX1 GP season as he charged up the leader board from sixth to third in race two. Earlier in the day he had made the best of a bad start to advance from twelfth to seventh during the 40-minute race. The Englishman retains sixth place in the championship, but has moved significantly closer to the rider immediately ahead of him and has every prospect of advancing further up the table in the coming rounds.
Jeremy Van Horebeek raced to a stunning second place in the qualification race to confirm that he has finally shrugged off his early season injury woes, and a solid fourth place in the opening moto raised hope that he could join Kawasaki Racing Team colleague Paulin on the podium at the end of the day. Unfortunately the Belgian was hit by another rider at the first corner of the second race in the same incident which disrupted Paulin’s race but he showed great courage and resilience to recover to sixth place in the moto and fifth overall, his points haul lifting Jeremy to eighth in the championship standings.
Gautier Paulin: “It was a good GP. We all know that Cairoli is very strong and I was happy to beat him in the first race. I had a good feeling today; the track was better prepared than yesterday and I had another great start in the second race but Nagl pushed everyone outside in the first corner and I was too far back to recover to better than fourth. Second in the GP is another good result; Antonio beats me today but I will try to win next week in Maggiora.”
Tommy Searle: “This was my best race so far in the MX1 GPs, and the first time this year that I’ve been happy with my riding! I felt confident on this track, and I feel like I have ended my run of bad luck so I hope that will continue next week in Italy. The track was slippery but I found some good lines; I’m happy to get my first top three moto finish but now I want an overall podium. The atmosphere was good here in Ernée; it was like a British GP but for the French riders.”
Jeremy Van Horebeek: “ I’m a little disappointed as I felt I could score my first MX1 podium after my fourth place in the first moto but another rider hit me at the start of the second race. I had to push hard to come back from nearly last to sixth, so I was naturally tired in the last few laps of the race. Fifth in the GP is not bad, especially as I was sick, but that’s not what I am looking for. Now that I have got over my injuries I want to get some podiums; I have proved that I have the speed and a good rhythm on a 450. I am sure that elusive podium will come soon.”
— Results Summary
Result MX1 Race 1
1. Gautier Paulin (FRA), Kawasaki
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA), KTM
3. Clement Desalle (BEL), Suzuki
4. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL), Kawasaki
5. Ken de Dycker (BEL), KTM
6. David Philippaerts (ITA), Honda
7. Tommy Searle (GBR), Kawasaki
8. Maximilian Nagl (GER), Honda
9. Davide Guarneri (ITA), KTM
10. Rui Goncalves (POR), KTM
11. Kevin Strijbos (BEL), Suzuki
12. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS), Honda
13. Shaun Simpson (GBR), TM
14. Xavier Boog (FRA), KTM
15. Gregory Aranda (FRA), Kawasaki
16. Joel Roelants (BEL), Yamaha
17. Jonathan Barragan (ESP), KTM
18. Cedric Soubeyras (FRA), Honda
19. Nicolas Aubin (FRA), Honda
20. Milko Potisek (FRA), Yamaha
21. Matiss Karro (LAT), KTM
22. Dennis Ullrich (GER), KTM
23. Fabien Izoird (FRA), Suzuki
24. Charles Lefrancois (FRA), Suzuki
25. Loic Leonce (FRA), Yamaha
26. Santtu Tiainen (FIN), Honda
27. Mikola Paschynskyi (UKR), KTM
28. Alexis Gaudree (FRA), Honda
29. Kasper Lynggaard (DEN), Yamaha
Result MX1 Race 2
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA), KTM
2. Clement Desalle (BEL), Suzuki
3. Tommy Searle (GBR), Kawasaki
4. Gautier Paulin (FRA), Kawasaki
5. Ken de Dycker (BEL), KTM
6. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL), Kawasaki
7. Xavier Boog (FRA), KTM
8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL), Suzuki
9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS), Honda
10. Davide Guarneri (ITA), KTM
11. Nicolas Aubin (FRA), Honda
12. Rui Goncalves (POR), KTM
13. Maximilian Nagl (GER), Honda
14. Joel Roelants (BEL), Yamaha
15. Gregory Aranda (FRA), Kawasaki
16. Fabien Izoird (FRA), Suzuki
17. Loic Leonce (FRA), Yamaha
18. Cedric Soubeyras (FRA), Honda
19. Matiss Karro (LAT), KTM
20. Dennis Ullrich (GER), KTM
21. Santtu Tiainen (FIN), Honda
22. Charles Lefrancois (FRA), Suzuki
23. Kasper Lynggaard (DEN), Yamaha
24. Mikola Paschynskyi (UKR), KTM
25. Alexis Gaudree (FRA), Honda
26. Jonathan Barragan (ESP), KTM
27. Shaun Simpson (GBR), TM
28. David Philippaerts (ITA), Honda
29. Milko Potisek (FRA), Yamaha
GP classification MX1
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA), KTM, 47 p.
2. Gautier Paulin (FRA), Kawasaki, 43 p.
3. Clement Desalle (BEL), Suzuki, 42 p.
4. Tommy Searle (GBR), Kawasaki, 34 p.
5. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL), Kawasaki, 33 p.
6. Ken de Dycker (BEL), KTM, 32 p.
7. Kevin Strijbos (BEL), Suzuki, 23 p.
8. Davide Guarneri (ITA), KTM, 23 p.
9. Xavier Boog (FRA), KTM, 21 p.
10. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS), Honda, 21 p.
11. Maximilian Nagl (GER), Honda, 21 p.
12. Rui Goncalves (POR), KTM, 20 p.
13. David Philippaerts (ITA), Honda, 15 p.
14. Nicolas Aubin (FRA), Honda, 12 p.
15. Joel Roelants (BEL), Yamaha, 12 p.
16. Gregory Aranda (FRA), Kawasaki, 12 p.
17. Shaun Simpson (GBR), TM, 8 p.
18. Cedric Soubeyras (FRA), Honda, 6 p.
19. Fabien Izoird (FRA), Suzuki, 5 p.
20. Loic Leonce (FRA), Yamaha, 4 p.
21. Jonathan Barragan (ESP), KTM, 4 p.
22. Matiss Karro (LAT), KTM, 2 p.
23. Dennis Ullrich (GER), KTM, 1 p.
24. Milko Potisek (FRA), Yamaha, 1 p.
25. Santtu Tiainen (FIN), Honda, 0 p.
26. Charles Lefrancois (FRA), Suzuki, 0 p.
27. Kasper Lynggaard (DEN), Yamaha, 0 p.
28. Mikola Paschynskyi (UKR), KTM, 0 p.
29. Alexis Gaudree (FRA), Honda, 0 p.
World Championship classification MX1
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA), KTM, 377 p.
2. Gautier Paulin (FRA), Kawasaki, 321 p.
3. Clement Desalle (BEL), Suzuki, 309 p.
4. Ken de Dycker (BEL), KTM, 277 p.
5. Kevin Strijbos (BEL), Suzuki, 243 p.
6. Tommy Searle (GBR), Kawasaki, 239 p.
7. Maximilian Nagl (GER), Honda, 190 p.
8. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL), Kawasaki, 171 p.
9. Rui Goncalves (POR), KTM, 168 p.
10. David Philippaerts (ITA), Honda, 145 p.
11. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS), Honda, 127 p.
12. Joel Roelants (BEL), Yamaha, 124 p.
13. Shaun Simpson (GBR), TM, 120 p.
14. Davide Guarneri (ITA), KTM, 120 p.
15. Xavier Boog (FRA), KTM, 111 p.
16. Tanel Leok (EST), Honda, 108 p.
17. Jonathan Barragan (ESP), KTM, 84 p.
18. Steven Frossard (FRA), Yamaha, 47 p.
19. Augusts Justs (LAT), Honda, 43 p.
20. Matiss Karro (LAT), KTM, 41 p.
21. Jason Dougan (GBR), Honda, 19 p.
22. Kasper Lynggaard (DEN), Yamaha, 17 p.
23. Nicolas Aubin (FRA), Honda, 12 p.
24. Adam Chatfield (GBR), Honda, 12 p.
25. Gregory Aranda (FRA), Kawasaki, 12 p.
26. Lauri Lehtla (EST), KTM, 12 p.
27. Nikolaj Larsen (DEN), Honda, 10 p.
28. Santtu Tiainen (FIN), Honda, 10 p.
29. Antonio Balbi (BRA), Kawasaki, 9 p.
30. Kenny Van Dueren (BEL), KTM, 6 p.
31. Nathan Watson (GBR), KTM, 6 p.
32. Cedric Soubeyras (FRA), Honda, 6 p.
33. Jens Getteman (BEL), Honda, 6 p.
34. Fabien Izoird (FRA), Suzuki, 5 p.
35. Mikola Paschynskyi (UKR), KTM, 5 p.
36. Jamie Law (GBR), KTM, 4 p.
37. Loic Leonce (FRA), Yamaha, 4 p.
38. Hugo Santos (POR), KTM, 3 p.
39. Jean Carlo Ramos (BRA), Kawasaki, 3 p.
40. Marc de Reuver (NED), KTM, 2 p.
41. Masanori Ito (JPN), Yamaha, 2 p.
42. Fabio Ferrari (ITA), Honda, 1 p.
43. Dennis Ullrich (GER), KTM, 1 p.
44. Stefano Dami (ITA), Yamaha, 1 p.
45. Ivo Steinbergs (LAT), KTM, 1 p.
46. Milko Potisek (FRA), Yamaha, 1 p.
47. Mateus Basso (BRA), Kawasaki, 1 p.
Result MX2 Race 1
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), KTM
2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Kawasaki
3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), KTM
4. Jordi Tixier (FRA), KTM
5. Jose Butron (ESP), KTM
6. Jake Nicholls (GBR), KTM
7. Max Anstie (GBR), Suzuki
8. Alexander Tonkov (RUS), Honda
9. Christophe Charlier (FRA), Yamaha
10. Petar Petrov (BUL), Yamaha
11. Harri Kullas (FIN), Honda
12. Kevin Fors (BEL), Yamaha
13. Maxime Desprey (FRA), Yamaha
14. Even Heibye (NOR), KTM
15. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT), KTM
16. Jason Clermont (FRA), Kawasaki
17. Priit Ratsep (EST), KTM
18. Elliott Banks-Browne (GBR), KTM
19. Roberts Justs (LAT), Honda
20. James Decotis (USA), Kawasaki
21. Lewis Tombs (GBR), Honda
22. Giacomo Del Segato (ITA), KTM
23. Viacheslav Golovkin (RUS), KTM
24. Mathias Plessers (BEL), Honda
25. Nicolas Dercourt (FRA), Yamaha
26. Dean Ferris (AUS), Yamaha
27. Romain Febvre (FRA), KTM
28. Stefan Kjer Olsen (DEN), Honda
29. Ivo Monticelli (ITA), TM
30. Mel Pocock (GBR), Yamaha
31. Alessandro Lupino (ITA), Kawasaki
32. Steven Lenoir (FRA), KTM
Result MX2 Race 2
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), KTM
2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Kawasaki
3. Christophe Charlier (FRA), Yamaha
4. Alexander Tonkov (RUS), Honda
5. Jake Nicholls (GBR), KTM
6. Dean Ferris (AUS), Yamaha
7. Alessandro Lupino (ITA), Kawasaki
8. Jose Butron (ESP), KTM
9. Jordi Tixier (FRA), KTM
10. Jason Clermont (FRA), Kawasaki
11. Petar Petrov (BUL), Yamaha
12. Maxime Desprey (FRA), Yamaha
13. Steven Lenoir (FRA), KTM
14. Max Anstie (GBR), Suzuki
15. Stefan Kjer Olsen (DEN), Honda
16. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT), KTM
17. Harri Kullas (FIN), Honda
18. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), KTM
19. Mel Pocock (GBR), Yamaha
20. Kevin Fors (BEL), Yamaha
21. Even Heibye (NOR), KTM
22. Ivo Monticelli (ITA), TM
23. Roberts Justs (LAT), Honda
24. Elliott Banks-Browne (GBR), KTM
25. Nicolas Dercourt (FRA), Yamaha
26. Lewis Tombs (GBR), Honda
27. Giacomo Del Segato (ITA), KTM
28. Mathias Plessers (BEL), Honda
29. Priit Ratsep (EST), KTM
30. Viacheslav Golovkin (RUS), KTM
31. James Decotis (USA), Kawasaki
GP classification MX2
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), KTM, 50 p.
2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Kawasaki, 44 p.
3. Christophe Charlier (FRA), Yamaha, 32 p.
4. Alexander Tonkov (RUS), Honda, 31 p.
5. Jake Nicholls (GBR), KTM, 31 p.
6. Jordi Tixier (FRA), KTM, 30 p.
7. Jose Butron (ESP), KTM, 29 p.
8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), KTM, 23 p.
9. Petar Petrov (BUL), Yamaha, 21 p.
10. Max Anstie (GBR), Suzuki, 21 p.
11. Maxime Desprey (FRA), Yamaha, 17 p.
12. Jason Clermont (FRA), Kawasaki, 16 p.
13. Dean Ferris (AUS), Yamaha, 15 p.
14. Alessandro Lupino (ITA), Kawasaki, 14 p.
15. Harri Kullas (FIN), Honda, 14 p.
16. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT), KTM, 11 p.
17. Kevin Fors (BEL), Yamaha, 10 p.
18. Steven Lenoir (FRA), KTM, 8 p.
19. Even Heibye (NOR), KTM, 7 p.
20. Stefan Kjer Olsen (DEN), Honda, 6 p.
21. Priit Ratsep (EST), KTM, 4 p.
22. Elliott Banks-Browne (GBR), KTM, 3 p.
23. Mel Pocock (GBR), Yamaha, 2 p.
24. Roberts Justs (LAT), Honda, 2 p.
25. James Decotis (USA), Kawasaki, 1 p.
26. Ivo Monticelli (ITA), TM, 0 p.
27. Nicolas Dercourt (FRA), Yamaha, 0 p.
28. Lewis Tombs (GBR), Honda, 0 p.
29. Giacomo Del Segato (ITA), KTM, 0 p.
30. Mathias Plessers (BEL), Honda, 0 p.
31. Viacheslav Golovkin (RUS), KTM, 0 p.
32. Romain Febvre (FRA), KTM, 0 p.
World Championship classification MX2
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), KTM, 397 p.
2. Jordi Tixier (FRA), KTM, 287 p.
3. Jose Butron (ESP), KTM, 247 p.
4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), KTM, 237 p.
5. Christophe Charlier (FRA), Yamaha, 230 p.
6. Dean Ferris (AUS), Yamaha, 197 p.
7. Max Anstie (GBR), Suzuki, 193 p.
8. Jake Nicholls (GBR), KTM, 181 p.
9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA), Kawasaki, 162 p.
10. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Kawasaki, 149 p.
11. Mel Pocock (GBR), Yamaha, 140 p.
12. Petar Petrov (BUL), Yamaha, 135 p.
13. Alexander Tonkov (RUS), Honda, 112 p.
14. Romain Febvre (FRA), KTM, 98 p.
15. Maxime Desprey (FRA), Yamaha, 96 p.
16. Harri Kullas (FIN), Honda, 86 p.
17. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT), KTM, 75 p.
18. Julien Lieber (BEL), Suzuki, 71 p.
19. Stefan Kjer Olsen (DEN), Honda, 68 p.
20. Elliott Banks-Browne (GBR), KTM, 47 p.
21. Valentin Teillet (FRA), Kawasaki, 42 p.
22. Even Heibye (NOR), KTM, 39 p.
23. Ivo Monticelli (ITA), TM, 37 p.
24. Kevin Fors (BEL), Yamaha, 36 p.
25. Priit Ratsep (EST), KTM, 31 p.
26. Jason Clermont (FRA), Kawasaki, 24 p.
27. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Suzuki, 20 p.
28. Tim Gajser (SLO), KTM, 20 p.
29. James Decotis (USA), Kawasaki, 11 p.
30. Steven Lenoir (FRA), KTM, 8 p.
31. Paulo Alberto (POR), Honda, 8 p.
32. Thales Vilardi (BRA), Honda, 8 p.
33. Brent Van Doninck (BEL), KTM, 7 p.
34. Brian Bogers (NED), KTM, 7 p.
35. Anderson Hauptli Cidade (BRA), Yamaha, 6 p.
36. Ceriel Klein Kromhof (NED), KTM, 5 p.
37. Roberts Justs (LAT), Honda, 5 p.
38. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS), Honda, 5 p.
39. Rodrigo Andrade (BRA), TM, 4 p.
40. Micha-Boy De Waal (NED), KTM, 3 p.
41. James Dunn (GBR), KTM, 1 p.
42. Benoit Paturel (FRA), Husqvarna, 1 p.
— MX3 – Gercar wins at home and claims back the red plate
Round four of the FIM MX3 World Championship continues to heat up as local boy Klemen Gercar triumphs his home round of Slovenia. Frantisek Smola finished second overall and Gert Krestinov completed the top three.
Immediately revving up the fans Klemen Gercar took the holeshot in race one followed by yesterday’s top qualifier Frantisek Smola and red plate holder Matthias Walkner. While Gercar used the encouragement of the crowd to run away with the win, Frantisek Smola was left to battle with the current world champion Matthias Walkner. Although it was not easy Walkner managed to find a way around the determined Smola to claim second forcing Smola to settle for third.
Martin Michek was forced to push hard after a terrible start left him outside the top ten, the fiery Czech made a series of great passes to eventually finish fourth ahead of the third placed qualifier Günter Schmidinger in fifth.
Race two saw the fan favorite Slovenian Klemen Gercar claim yet another holeshot followed by championship toppers Günter Schmidinger, Frantisek Smola, Gert Krestinov and Martin Michek.
Fresh off the victory in race one a confident Gercar looked in great shape to take the victory again in race two, after leading every lap all his hard work came undone when he crashed with less than a quarter of a lap to go handing Gert Krestinov the win.
Following Gert Krestinov through to claim second place was the top qualifier Frantisek Smola, who spent most of the race engaged in battle with the eventual race winner Gert Krestinov. Also benefiting from the mistake of Gercar was Martin Michek who after battling back from yet another bad start was more than happy to cross the finish line in third. In the end Klemen Gercar managed to recover for fourth just ahead of Günter Schmidinger in fifth.
Klemen Gercar used his first and fourth place results to take the overall win as well as the championship point’s lead. Runner up for the round of Slovenia was Frantisek Smola leaving third overall to the second race winner Gert Krestinov.
It was a rough day for the current world champion Matthias Walkner as technical problems and a small crash hindered his results in race two forcing him to finish outside the top five in the round overall, as well as loose the red plate to Klemen Gercar.
MX3 Race 1 top ten: 1. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), 34:58.111; 2. Matthias Walkner (AUT, KTM), +0:06.761; 3. Frantisek Smola (CZE, KTM), +0:18.418; 4. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), +0:30.632; 5. Günter Schmidinger (AUT, Honda), +0:31.749; 6. Gert Krestinov (EST, Kawasaki), +0:34.047; 7. Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), +0:53.336; 8. Christian Brockel (GER, KTM), +1:04.735; 9. Lukasz Lonka (POL, Honda), +1:08.107; 10. Petr Bartos (CZE, KTM), +1:10.027;
MX3 Race 2 top ten: 1. Gert Krestinov (EST, Kawasaki), 35:48.628; 2. Frantisek Smola (CZE, KTM), +0:01.505; 3. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), +0:03.952; 4. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), +0:07.870; 5. Günter Schmidinger (AUT, Honda), +0:11.445; 6. Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), +0:45.521; 7. Lukasz Lonka (POL, Honda), +0:47.404; 8. Christian Brockel (GER, KTM), +0:47.832; 9. Martin Zerava (CZE, Suzuki), +0:56.010; 10. Petr Michalec (CZE, Honda), +1:07.254;
MX3 Overall top ten: 1. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), 43 points; 2. Frantisek Smola (CZE, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Gert Krestinov (EST, Kawasaki), 40 p.; 4. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), 38 p.; 5. Günter Schmidinger (AUT, Honda), 32 p.; 6. Matthias Walkner (AUT, KTM), 32 p.; 7. Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), 29 p.; 8. Lukasz Lonka (POL, Honda), 26 p.; 9. Christian Brockel (GER, KTM), 26 p.; 10. Alain Schafer (SUI, Kawasaki), 18 p.;
MX3 Championship top ten: 1. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), 155 points; 2. Matthias Walkner (AUT, KTM), 150 p.; 3. Gert Krestinov (EST, Kawasaki), 143 p.; 4. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), 141 p.; 5. Timur Muratov (RUS, KTM), 95 p.; 6. Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), 94 p.; 7. Christian Brockel (GER, KTM), 86 p.; 8. Ludvig Söderberg (FIN, Honda), 77 p.; 9. Frantisek Smola (CZE, KTM), 74 p.; 10. Petr Michalec (CZE, Honda), 62 p.;
— Women’s Motocross
Round two of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship took place today at the circuit of Orehova Vas in sunny Slovenia where Monster Energy Yamaha’s Chiara Fontanesi added another two wins to her so far perfect season. Stephanie Laier was on the second step of the podium and Meghan Rutledge completed the top three.
Race one started with a hiss and roar when more than ten riders were caught up in a first corner crash. Avoiding all the carnage was yesterday’s top qualifier Chiara Fontanesi who was not phased by the slipperiness of a recently watered track running away from the field to add yet another victory to her 2013 world championship campaign.
Chasing Fontanesi in the early stages of the race was HM Plant KTM UK’s Natalie Kane. Kane looked eager to catch Fontanesi but despite a good effort on the opening laps, the Irish Kane couldn’t match the speed of the Italian Fontanesi.
Further back, former world champion Stephanie Laier found herself under pressure from Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge. Rutledge managed to find a way around the Rabbit Racing Kawasaki of Laier to take third place leaving Laier to finish fourth almost forty seconds ahead of Francesca Nocera in fifth.
Race two saw Monster Energy Yamaha’s Chiara Fontanesi prove to be just too good this weekend leading every lap unchallenged from start to finish.
Improving on her performance in race one, Rabbit Racing Kawasaki’s Stephanie Laier managed to ride a smooth race comfortably in second place to finish twenty seconds ahead of Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge in third. Meanwhile HM Plant KTM UK’s Natalie Kane made hard work for herself getting off to a terrible start; despite being outside the top ten on lap one, the feisty Irish lady managed to fight her way back to a fourth place finish. Rounding out the top five was another Italian in the form of Francesca Nocera.
In the end Monster Energy Yamaha’s Chiara Fontanesi dominated the round of Slovenia with perfect points while Stephanie Laier, Meghan Rutledge and Natalie Kane tied for second on forty points. Based on the result of the second race Rabbit Racing Kawasaki’s Stephanie Laier stood on the second step of the podium and Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge on the third leaving HM Plant KTM UK’s Natalie Kane to finish fourth ahead of Francy Racing Team’s Francesca Nocera in fifth.
WMX Race 1 top 10: 1. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), 25:54.781; 2. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), +0:07.144; 3. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:19.255; 4. Stephanie Laier (GER, Kawasaki), +0:25.898; 5. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +1:03.549; 6. Britt van der Wekken (NED, Honda), +1:04.245; 7. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, KTM), +1:09.127; 8. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:32.116; 9. Marianne Veenstra (NED, KTM), +1:34.612; 10. Justine Charroux (FRA, Yamaha), +1:35.952;
WMX Race 2 top 10: 1. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), 26:21.551; 2. Stephanie Laier (GER, Kawasaki), +0:06.576; 3. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:26.815; 4. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), +0:42.757; 5. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +0:57.623; 6. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, KTM), +1:04.253; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:18.189; 8. Virginie Germond (SUI, Suzuki), +1:24.629; 9. Gabriela Seisdedos (ESP, Kawasaki), +1:33.866; 10. Nina Klink (NED, KTM), +1:37.972;
WMX Overall top 10: 1. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), 50 points; 2. Stephanie Laier (GER, Kawasaki), 40 p.; 3. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki), 40 p.; 4. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), 40 p.; 5. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), 32 p.; 6. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, KTM), 29 p.; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), 27 p.; 8. Virginie Germond (SUI, Suzuki), 22 p.; 9. Gabriela Seisdedos (ESP, Kawasaki), 22 p.; 10. Britt van der Wekken (NED, Honda), 22 p.;
WMX Championship top ten: 1. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), 100 points; 2. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki), 84 p.; 3. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), 80 p.; 4. Stephanie Laier (GER, Kawasaki), 76 p.; 5. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, KTM), 56 p.; 6. Britt van der Wekken (NED, Honda), 48 p.; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), 48 p.; 8. Justine Charroux (FRA, Yamaha), 37 p.; 9. Nina Klink (NED, KTM), 36 p.; 10. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), 32 p.;