MXGP – KTM near title success following Benelux Grand Prix

After a one-year absence on the FIM Motocross World Championship calendar, all the Dutch fans weren’t going to miss the opportunity to watch Jeffrey Herlings back riding for the first time in Lierop. Over 20,000 spectators gathered to witness the incredible show featuring their home rider on the sand. In the MX1 class, it was Antonio Cairoli who dominated both motos.

MX1

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli obtained his sixth Grand Prix win in a row this season, and secured overall victory number 52 of his career this weekend, at a track where he has claimed two world titles. Although Cairoli went 1-1, he admitted that he made several mistakes at the beginning of both motos. In moto 1, he suffered a bit of arm pump during the first few laps, but was able to push through and make his way to the top. In the second, he made a mistake in the waves section and had a nasty crash. Fortunately, the bike wasn’t damaged and he had only twisted his thumb, so he was able to recover quickly and go on to win the race comfortably.

Second overall was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ken De Dycker, after finishing third and second in today’s races. In the first heat, the Belgian couldn’t start at the front, but he gave it his all to work into third, a position he managed to keep maintain until the finish line. In the second moto, De Dycker rode comfortably in second place.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Tanel Leok was third overall this weekend in Lierop. He was very satisfied, as the last time he had been on the podium was back in 2010. The Estonian made an incredible recovery in the first moto, going from ninth to fourth. He did exactly the same in the second moto, where he crossed the finish line in third and completed the top three of the Dutch Grand Prix.

Currently sitting in second place for the championship, Clement Desalle had a difficult Grand Prix. He’s still struggling with a hand injury, but he did his best to finish sixth overall.

MX1 Race 1 Top Ten:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 40:53.149;
2. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:08.556;
3. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:34.571;
4. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), +0:44.142;
5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:46.058;
6. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:47.362;
7. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +1:22.867;
8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +1:27.570;
9. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +2:03.584;
10. Marcus Schiffer (GER, Suzuki), -1 lap(s);

MX1 Race 2 Top Ten:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 41:45.714;
2. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:15.837;
3. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), +0:23.817;
4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:33.733;
5. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:35.324;
6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +1:00.708;
7. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +1:09.225;
8. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +1:11.132;
9. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:34.509;
10. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Honda), +2:06.153;

MX1 Overall Top Ten:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 50 points;
2. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 42 p.;
3. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), 38 p.;
4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), 32 p.;
5. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), 29 p.;
6. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 29 p.;
7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 28 p.;
8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 27 p.;
9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 22 p.;
10. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 20 p.;

MX1 Championship Top Ten:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 592 points;
2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 516 p.;
3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 468 p.;
4. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 452 p.;
5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 446 p.;
6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 369 p.;
7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 355 p.;
8. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), 338 p.;
9. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 315 p.;
10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), 271 p.;

MX2

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings showed once again his outstanding talent riding on the sand. The 17 year old admitted that he was really impressed when he overlapped all the MX2 riders in the first race, except teammate Jeremy Van Horebeek, so in the second moto, he actually set himself the goal to overtake them all. Herlings couldn’t quite achieve his objective, but he won the race with a two minute and four second advantage over his teammate. The second overall position was for Van Horebeek, who in the end managed to go 2-2.

Honda Gariboldi-Esta’s Max Anstie obtained his maiden podium of the season this weekend, after finishing third in both motos. Before the Grand Prix started, Anstie was really confident because he had grown up in the Netherlands, so he knows how to ride on the sand . The British rider didn’t start at the front in either of the races, but was able to move up easily and keep the third place until the chequered flag.

Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Tommy Searle gave it his all today, but could only finish fourth overall.

MX2 Race 1 Top Ten:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 40:41.884;
2. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +2:07.139;
3. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), -1 lap(s);
4. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s);
5. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s);
6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), -1 lap(s);
7. Zachary Osborne (USA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s);
8. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), -1 lap(s);
9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s);
10. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), -1 lap(s);

MX2 Race 2 Top Ten:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39:32.414;
2. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +2:04.344;
3. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), +2:07.174;
4. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +2:27.492;
5. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), -1 lap(s);
6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s);
7. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), -1 lap(s);
8. Zachary Osborne (USA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s);
9. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s);
10. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s);

MX2 Overall Top Ten:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points;
2. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 44 p.;
3. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), 40 p.;
4. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 36 p.;
5. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), 31 p.;
6. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 28 p.;
7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 27 p.;
8. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 27 p.;
9. Zachary Osborne (USA, Yamaha), 27 p.;
10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 20 p.;

MX2 Championship Top Ten:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 622 points;
2. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 557 p.;
3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 519 p.;
4. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 387 p.;
5. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), 367 p.;
6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 367 p.;
7. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), 314 p.;
8. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 272 p.;
9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 263 p.;
10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 241 p.;