MXGP – Victory for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

A staggering 45,000 people gathered in Semigorje, Russia, for the eleventh Grand Prix of the FIM Motocross World Championship over the weekend. The high standard of racing in both MX1 and MX2 classes resulted in one of the most successful rounds of the season so far. Antonio Cairoli was the overall winner in the MX1 class, while Clement Desalle and Ken De Dycker were second and third respectively being tight in forty-two points. In the MX2 class Jeffrey Herlings was back on the top of the podium and Tommy Searle and Jeremy Van Horebeek completed the top three.

MX1

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli obtained his 49th Grand Prix victory and is now only one GP away from motocross legend Joel Robert. The Italian had a perfect first race, taking the holeshot and leading the moto with superb authority, but things got a bit complicated in the second race. Cairoli again took the holeshot, but made a mistake in the second lap and dropped down to third. However, by lap seven Cairoli was already back in second and with just four laps to go, the five times World Champion overtook Desalle and crossed the finish line in first.

The second overall position was for Clement Desalle, who was third in the first race and second in the final one. The Rockstar Energy Suzuki World rider admitted that he was very satisfied with his riding this weekend, but would have liked to conquer the first step of the podium. Desalle remains second in the championship standings, twenty points behind Cairoli.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ken De Dycker was back again on the podium this weekend thanks to his 2-3 result. The Belgian had excellent starts in both races; in the first one he started at the front and he led the first five laps. However, De Dycker admitted that he got a little bit too nervous and couldn’t keep the lead, crossing the finish line second behind Cairoli. In the second race he started from the fifth position and he was able to finish third, which gave him the third overall position.

Christophe Pourcel missed the podium this weekend, but managed two solid race performances and finished fourth overall. Evgeny Bobryshev obtained a 6-5 result in front of his home crowd, completing the top five.

MX1 Race 1 Top Ten:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 39:45.999;
2. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:05.960;
3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:07.579;
4. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:09.938;
5. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +0:30.092;
6. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:35.017;
7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:37.056;
8. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +0:48.946;
9. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), +0:50.714;
10. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Honda), +0:52.555;

MX1 Race 2 Top Ten:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 39:21.770;
2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:07.892;
3. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:25.744;
4. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:33.416;
5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:36.099;
6. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +0:40.135;
7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:52.103;
8. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Honda), +1:03.761;
9. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:15.308;
10. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), +1:18.144;

MX1 Overall Top Ten:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 50 points;
2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 42 p.;
3. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 42 p.;
4. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 36 p.;
5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), 31 p.;
6. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 28 p.;
7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 28 p.;
8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 25 p.;
9. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Honda), 24 p.;
10. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), 23 p.;

MX1 Championship Top Ten:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 442 points;
2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 422 p.;
3. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 393 p.;
4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 376 p.;
5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 341 p.;
6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 304 p.;
7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 277 p.;
8. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), 253 p.;
9. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 247 p.;
10. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 212 p.;

MX2

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings had a superb weekend winning both heats with authority, conquering again the first step of the podium, after having missed it in the last four rounds. The Dutch rider revealed that he enjoyed a lot of the hard, sandy sections of the Semigorje track.

Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Tommy Searle had difficult starts, beginning at the the very outside of the gate. However, Searle completed two incredible races, starting from almost the very last position and crossing the finish line third and second respectively.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek had a tough qualifying race, but managed to ride and secure a third Overall. In the first race he obtained a consistent second position, but in the second moto couldn’t keep his initial place until the end, with Searle coming too fast from behind, causing the Belgian to settle with the third position.

Maiden winner for Latvia, Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Joel Roelants, was not able to take the step on the podium again, but all in all, was satisfied with his fourth overall position. Jake Nicholls completed the top five of the Russian Grand Prix thanks to his 4-5 result.

MX2 Race 1 Top Ten:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39:53.338;
2. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:36.909;
3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:51.053;
4. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:53.904;
5. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:54.708;
6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:06.916;
7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +1:17.646;
8. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:26.459;
9. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +1:27.903;
10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), +1:28.828;

MX2 Race 2 Top Ten:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 39:17.233;
2. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:36.562;
3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:40.536;
4. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:45.992;
5. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +1:00.572;
6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:07.705;
7. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), +1:15.805;
8. Zachary Osborne (USA, Yamaha), +1:35.061;
9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:40.633;
10. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +1:44.341;

MX2 Overall Top Ten:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points;
2. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 42 p.;
3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 42 p.;
4. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), 34 p.;
5. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 34 p.;
6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 30 p.;
7. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), 23 p.;
8. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 23 p.;
9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 22 p.;
10. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 21 p.;

MX2 Championship Top Ten:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 478 points;
2. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 429 p.;
3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 417 p.;
4. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), 344 p.;
5. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 309 p.;
6. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 289 p.;
7. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), 238 p.;
8. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 218 p.;
9. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 213 p.;
10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 196 p.;