Gajser and Herlings share Maggiora MXGP wins

2024 FIM Motocross World Championship
Round Ten – MXGP of Italy – Maggiora Park

Saturday at Maggiora Park proved a muddy affair, but come Sunday the sun burst through and a drying track provided an incredible day of racing. In MXGP, the leading three Championship contenders provided a nail-biting first race, won by Team HRC’s red plate holder, Tim Gajser.

Race two saw a multi-rider pile-up between turns one and two, which saw reigning World Champion Jorge Prado pull out of the race with his Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing machine. After a late fall by Gajser, Jeffrey Herlings took the second race win for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, but it was not enough to deprive the Slovenian of his 47th career Grand Prix win as he extended his series points lead.

For the second weekend in a row, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sacha Coenen won the MX2 class. Two wildly different races saw crashes for several riders and reduced the points lead for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s red plate holder Kay de Wolf.

MXGP – Qualifying Race

Tim Gajser had a perfect start to the day with the fastest lap in both Free Practice and Time Practice sessions, four seconds faster than second-placed rider Brian Bogers, who took the inside start gate on his Fantic Factory Racing machine.

Gajser rocketed into the lead as Herlings carved across the front of Bogers to claim second, although he had to deal with Andrea Bonacorsi to make sure of the position. Bogers pulled an amazing move through the second and third corners to fire from sixth into third. The Dutchman would chase his record-holding countryman Herlings right to the flag, but the leading three positions would not change from there.

Bonacorsi got cross-rutted up the first big hill, and Kevin Horgmo could not avoid him. The two riders did get up and charged back to an eventual ninth and tenth, deserving their small points haul with brilliant riding through the pack.

One rider who didn’t get a good start, for once, was Jorge Prado. Rounding the first corner in the mid-pack, he gradually moved forward through the race to claim sixth position by the chequered flag, almost catching the fight for fourth between the lone Kawasaki Racing Team pilot Jeremy Seewer and Calvin Vlaanderen.

The Swiss rider held off the Dutchman to claim that position. Behind Prado, Horgmo’s teammate Valentin Guillod scored points for seventh, and Mattia Guadagnini, resplendent in his Italian football kit colours for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing, took eighth ahead of Bonacorsi and Horgmo.

MXGP – Qualifying Race Results

MXGP Race One

Tim Gajser took to the starting line first, with closest Championship rival Jorge Prado coming to the line in sixth position after the difficult race in the mud on Saturday.

It mattered little to the reigning Champion, however, who fired out of the gate faster than anyone, apart from Jeremy Seewer, who took FOX Holeshot. Gajser was right with them and took his chance to make a move on Prado, launching himself into second as the Spaniard stumbled into the third corner.

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Jeffrey Herlings had his hands full with Calvin Vlaanderen, as the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP rider kept his more experienced countryman at bay until the KTM man leaned into a faster line coming around the second corner to make a clean pass.

Just when Seewer looked like he was going to register a full lap in the lead, Gajser railed the outside of the final turn to lead across the finish line jump, then the Swiss got the following corner all wrong and fell after colliding with the track marker barriers.

This put the top three in the Championship in the same running order for the race, Herlings attacked Prado, then the pair of them caught the leader as the Spaniard set the fastest lap of the whole race on lap 14 of 17. He needed to in order to hold back the advances of Herlings, who very nearly got through on several occasions.

Behind them, Vlaanderen held onto fourth despite a small tip-over and a late run from Seewer, who finished fifth at the flag ahead of the Fantic Factory Racing pair of Brian Bogers in sixth and Glenn Coldenhoff in seventh.

Andrea Bonacorsi, in his first home GP on a 450, took eighth from Valentin Guillod, with Benoit Paturel just behind him.

Ultimately, despite the tense and exciting battle of the top three, who were all on the limit and making small mistakes with the intensity, none of them could pass each other and it stayed as a win for Gajser, Prado second, and Herlings third with just 2.3 seconds covering all of them!

MXGP Race One Results

MXGP Race Two

Race two saw an explosive start, firstly as Mattia Guadagnini looked good until he overshot the first corner and had to take to the grassy bank outside the track.

He was almost lucky he did so, as Guillod tried to squeeze between Prado and Seewer into the second corner, hit the floor, and started a domino effect that took down nearly a dozen riders, including Yamaha men Vlaanderen and Bonacorsi, Coldenhoff, and Cornelius Toendel.

Most significantly of all, however, was the figure that limped to his feet with the number 1 on his back. Prado had got tangled with Vlaanderen’s bike on the ground and looked to be in serious discomfort. He tried to carry on with the race but ultimately had to surrender to the pain and pull into the paddock.

Fox Holeshot Award winner Gajser had Herlings for company, with Seewer giving chase in what was a lonely third position. The Dutchman drew near, just as Bogers won an entertaining back-and-forth battle with Isak Gifting, who would finish a great sixth on his first weekend back from injury, just succumbing to a last lap pass from the recovering Vlaanderen for fifth behind Bogers. The Fantic man took 4th overall to continue his good run of form.

Guadagnini also got back into the top ten to claim seventh ahead of TEM JP253 Racing privateer Jan Pancar, with Paturel ninth ahead of another first lap survivor, Glenn Coldenhoff.

After setting the Acerbis Fastest Lap for the weekend on lap nine, Herlings went for an inside pass on Gajser over the steep cambered “horseshoe” section opposite the start straight, and nearly got it badly wrong, running over a trackside tuff block.

A couple of laps later, it was Gajser who made the mistake, washing out the front end on a banked left-hander, putting him on the floor and allowing Herlings through for the victory. It puts the Dutchman on 198 career Grand Prix race wins.

MXGP Race Two Results

MXGP Overall

Gajser took the round overall on 47-points, just two clear of Herlings, with a 1-2 result, beating out the KTM rider’s 3-1. Seewer was a distant third on 36-points, ahead of Vlaanderen (34) and Bogers (33).

Gajser leads the standings with 511 points, compared to Prado’s 470. Herlings is a more distant fourth with 440, with Vlaanderen fourth (339) and Seewer fifth (332). Romain Febvre is not far off the top five, however, with 327 points, and Coldenhoff is seventh with 302.

Tim Gajser – P1

“It is great to win another GP and put in three good races. I’m a little bit disappointed to have that small tip-over otherwise I’d have gone one-one-one and that would have really been great, but still, I can’t complain about how this weekend went. Everyone in the whole of Team HRC works so hard and they do it for days like this so a big thanks to everyone and now we have a weekend off before going to Indonesia which I think is an important couple of rounds for the series. I am looking forward to them because they will also be at a new track for me, and that is always nice.”

Jeffrey Herlings – P2

“I feel I am getting better and better each weekend and, here, even my starts were OK! Being on the inside kept me safe and at the front. Hard to overtake in the first moto. With all the rain we had and because it was a tight track it was just so hard to pass when the speed was very close. I tried all I could but not making that move unfortunately cost me the ‘Overall’. I was on Tim’s [Gajser] rear wheel all the time in the second moto but it was like being in a paintball game because I was only eating roost! He was riding perfectly and with good lines and I couldn’t get him until he made a small mistake and that was to my benefit. So, 3-1, but the most important thing is that I am closing to the gap to the others guys. If you see the races at the start of the season [then] they were pulling away from me but now I’m coming closer and closer. We’ll keep fighting from here.”

Jeremy Seewer – P3

“It’s nice to be back on the box. I should be up there more often but it just hadn’t happened this year until today; I was a little lucky that Jorge crashed out but I’ll take it. But I think I deserved the podium; this is my kind of track where I am strong and I am physically ready. I don’t know exactly what happened in that second turn until I see the images. I was third turning in and I got hit from behind; I was lucky to stay up. I didn’t push as the track was still pretty sketchy after the rain and I had a solid gap to those behind. Now the goal will be to close the gap to the front guys in the next races.”

Calvin Vlaanderen – P4

“It’s a little disappointing to be involved in that huge crash in Race Two as I knew my chance of an overall podium was thrown away. But I put my head down and charged all race. I found a good line out on the back of the track where I could make passes and just used it to move forward. I’m really happy with my bike, my riding and my fitness, and it was just unfortunate to start Race Two like that. I had a pretty good start and a few riders crashed in front of me and I just couldn’t avoid hitting Jorge Prado. Now it’s onto Indonesia for two back-to-back races and another shot at the podium.”

Andrea Bonacorsi – P9

“Today was ok I guess. In Race One I didn’t get the best of starts but managed to pass a lot of riders quite quickly, so that was good and I finished in eighth. For Race Two I was hoping to be nearer the top five but then there was a big crash at the start. It was then a tough race back to 12th for ninth overall Next up is Indonesia, so we’ll keep working and go again.”

Jorge Prado – P10

“We finished the GP of Maggiora, though not in the best way. It was a tough weekend for sure. On Saturday, it was pretty much all mud riding. During the qualifying race, I finished sixth, which was okay – I didn’t want to take any risks in those conditions. Then on Sunday, the conditions were a little better and drier, but that meant the track was pretty much a single line. For the first moto, I got out of the gate quite well, but then in the third corner, Gajser cross-rutted and came into me. He passed me there, and then we were battling pretty much for the whole moto. I caught up to him a little more at the end, and we were pretty close at the finish line. It was a good P2. During the second moto, I also had a very good start, but I went a bit wide into the second corner as I got off balance. Then the guy in front of me crashed, and though I tried to avoid him, I crashed as well. From there, it was difficult to say; there were many riders involved. I got a bit hurt, and the bike was damaged. I pulled off after a lap because I felt a little hurt, but everything seems fine. I just need to take it easy for a couple of days, and I should be okay to fight for the win in Indonesia!”

Mattia Guadagnini – P11

“Overall, I had a really good feeling about this weekend. On Saturday, the rain and conditions made things difficult, and then on Sunday, the track was a little strange because it was almost just one line. This meant that getting a good start in every race was super important. I made some good passes in the qualifying race and finished 8th, which was good for the gate position I had. Then on Sunday, for the first moto, I got stuck behind some guys in front of me and just couldn’t make the passes I wanted. I think in trying so hard, I had two small crashes and lost a lot of time. I went from 17th to 14th in the end, so I wasn’t happy with that. The second moto was much better at the start. I made some mistakes again, but I finished 7th in the end, which I’m a bit more happy about. I’m a little disappointed to have thrown away the first moto, which cost me a good result at my home GP. But there were still plenty of positives to focus on from my riding to keep building on, so I can fight for better results at the next GP.”

MXGP Round Overall

MXGP Championship Points – Top 20

MX2 – Qualifying Race

Lucas Coenen being fastest in Free Practice was no surprise, although with a late run in Time Practice, local hero Ferruccio Zanchi put his name on top of the timesheets for Team HRC, to grab the first gate pick for the RAM Qualifying Race.

Into the first corner Laengenfelder claimed the holeshot, just railing around the outside of Zanchi, who in turn held of a move from last weekend’s GP winner Sacha Coenen. The Belgian had his two Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammates, Everts and Andrea Adamo, immediately behind him, but Adamo dropped the bike on the top corner before the “Elevator Shaft” downhill.

Problems happened to the two Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing teammates, who were 1-2 in the Championship before the race, as Kay de Wolf collided with the Monster Energy Triumph Racing rider Mikkel Haarup, and Lucas Coenen also left the circuit on the opening lap. His brother briefly came to a halt as well, but managed to stay in fourth place until the flag.

De Wolf remounted and worked forward to take tenth position, keeping his perfect Saturday scoring record intact for the year, even if he was a lap down at the finish.

Laengenfelder built a considerable lead and looked certain to take his first RAM Qualifying Race win of the season, but Everts had other ideas after passing Zanchi for second on lap four.

EMX250 riders, Valerio Lata for Beddini GASGAS Factory Juniors and Cas Valk for Gabriel SS24 KTM, on a weekend off from that series, had their own little battle in the top ten, with Lata holding on for fifth ahead of a recovering Adamo at the finish. Valk would finish eighth behind WZ Racing’s Oriol Oliver, but ahead of Fantic Factory Racing MX2 rider David Braceras.

After lapping De Wolf, Laengenfelder got held up behind some riders he was lapping for the second time, and suddenly Everts was right with him as they took the one-lap board.

Going for an outside move at the top of the biggest hill, Everts had the speed, but Laengenfelder made a move to block the Belgian just a fraction of a second too late, and instead the German hit the floor.

With a quick remount, he would still collect second place, but it was mud master Everts who claimed his second Saturday win of the year.

MX2 – Qualifying Race Results

MX2 Race One

Liam Everts went to the line first, ahead of Simon Laengenfelder, while series leader De Wolf was left with the tenth gate pick, and Lucas Coenen was two places further down, so many wondered if the two Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing riders would have to charge through the pack from average starts.

However, those starts didn’t go as expected. De Wolf hit the floor in a first corner pile-up with Fantic Factory Racing MX2’s David Braceras and VRT Yamaha’s debutant Gavin Towers, then Lucas Coenen fell into the outside bank of the second turn.

Brother Sacha Coenen, fresh from his first GP win a week ago, took the Fox Holeshot Award for the eighth time this season, and Everts was right with him. Laengenfelder, was there in third ahead of the third factory KTM of Andrea Adamo.

Early on lap two, Sacha tipped over in the tight left hander before the biggest downhill, and Everts happily inherited the lead ahead of Laengenfelder and Adamo. With the crowd urging on their reigning World Champ, the Italian attacked the back wheel of the German, but could not make a move to get past. That was the order the top trio finished in.

Behind them, Beddini GASGAS Factory Juniors wild card Valerio Lata was impressive in moving up to fifth at the flag behind Sacha Coenen. Meanwhile, De Wolf and Lucas Coenen were fighting through the pack together, as well as against each other on occasion.

The red plate holder made a break from his teammate, however, and fought up to seventh at the flag, just behind the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 machine of Rick Elzinga.

Monster Energy Triumph star Mikkel Haarup tagged along with De Wolf’s charge to claim eighth position at the finish, while Lucas Coenen could only get as high as tenth behind F & H Racing’s Quentin Prugnieres.

MX2 Race One Results

MX2 Race Two

The slightly younger of the twins, Sacha Coenen, grabbed a ninth Fox Holeshot Award for the season, and with the Acerbis Fastest Lap in his pocket from the fifth lap, he simply never made a mistake, even with Lucas chasing him all the way.

Holding third, also throughout the race on a track that was proving difficult to pass on, was the wildcard sensation Valerio Lata.

Laengenfelder made a run at the youngster on lap eight, but then fell on the approach to a jump and would come home in eighth. Zanchi and Prugnieres would finish behind him to round out the top ten.

De Wolf also found it difficult to pass, ending the race in sixth just ahead of Haarup, while the frustrated factory KTM men Everts and Adamo, despite being all over the back of Lata, could not make a move.

There was no taking it away from Sacha Coenen, however, who makes it two straight GP wins in the MX2 class, and five straight for the family.

MX2 Race Two Results

MX2 Overall

Sacha Coenen and Liam Everts ended the weekend tied on 43-poinst, with the win going to Sacha, local Valerio Lata taking the final step on the overall round podium on 36-points, also tied with Andrea Adamo. Simon Laegenfelder rounded out the top five on 35-points, just a point off the podium!

Kay de Wolf retains his MX2 standings lead with 473-points, despite only collecting 29 in seventh for the weekend, Laegenfelder narrowing the gap slightly to now sit on 425-points. Lucas Coenen is the leading brother in the standings on 421-points, Sacha in eight on 278. Liam Everts and Andrea Adamo round out the top five, on 394 and 368-points respectively.

Sacha Coenen – P1

“I felt really good this weekend. I was leading the first moto but then had a tip-off and finished 4th. Not so bad but I made the holeshot and then led the whole way in the second. I carried on my good feeling from Latvia, and now I want to keep it going.”

Liam Everts – P2

“Very positive weekend. I’m obviously happy but I’m a racer so I want to win! I gave my ‘all’ to make the pass in the second moto but it was impossible and I have no regrets. Anyway, I’m super-happy to be back to form and on the podium again. Improving my training intensity during the week from Latvia, and also Germany, helped this weekend. I just want to keep on giving the maximum for the races to come.”

Valerio Lata – P3

“It’s unbelievable; I don’t have the words right now – this is an absolute dream come true! I work every day for moments like this! This is the first time I’ve cried after a race. Finishing 5th in the first moto and 3rd in the second moto, and securing a third place overall podium here at home in Italy is beyond my wildest dreams! Thank you to my family, my team, mechanics, and sponsors; your support is incredible and means the world to me.”

Andrea Adamo – P4

“I’m a little bit disappointed because my speed and feeling was good and I gave everything but it didn’t pay off. There haven’t been many weekends where I’ve felt this competitive so I want to take this positive and we’ll try to keep working in this way. The results are not great today…and it was so hard to pass, there was very little overtaking without a crash or mistake from another rider. The conditions were the same for everybody though. We’ll regroup and aim for more in the next GPs.”

Simon Längenfelder – P5

“I was having a good weekend until my crash in the second moto, so it was a shame about that. I made some great starts and thought I was riding really well with good speed. It was very difficult to pass on this track – even getting past the lapped riders was almost impossible. I was having a great time; my bike felt fantastic, but unfortunately, the crash took away the podium. I’m a little bit angry about that. However, the important thing is that we are healthy and can fight again in Indonesia!”

Lucas Coenen – P6

“Maggiora is always a unique challenge, and this weekend was no exception. Starting from 26th in the first moto was tough, but I pushed hard to get 10th place. The second moto was a different story, battling for the lead with my brother Sacha. Finishing just 1.7 seconds behind him in second place was a great feeling; but of course I want to win! Our progress this season shows how much everyone is pushing, and I’m excited to keep building as we head to Indonesia.”

Kay de Wolf – P7

“Not an easy weekend, but still overall positive! I still have a good margin on the Red Plate, so I’m feeling good! Saturday was difficult; I had a crash on the opening lap, and the bars on my bike were bent, making it hard to fight back. I managed to get back up to 10th and earned one point. Then on Sunday, during the first moto, I had a crash at the start because I couldn’t avoid the riders in front of me. So, I had to work my way up to eighth from last, which I thought was okay. In the second moto, it felt like a train ride; everyone was just lined up behind each other, and no one could really pass. I saw Simon and Haarup crash, and that was the only real event during the moto. As the track dried, there was really only one line. So, in general, it was a positive weekend, and I’m looking forward to Indonesia!”

Ferruccio Zanchi – P10

“I feel that after my performance on Saturday, that I could have done better than 10th overall, however on a track that was so difficult to pass on, those couple of mistakes I made really cost me. In race one, I was in sixth place and then a small crash which dropped me to 16th, and then I just got a really bad start in race two and had to fight through to get 10th. Still, I really enjoyed the experience in front of my home fans and I can’t wait to do it again. I am also really looking forward to my first trip to Indonesia where I hope to keep battling near to the front.”

Rick Elzinga – P11

“In the Qualifying Race on Saturday I crashed and hurt my elbow so for today I had to manage it the best I could. I had a really good start in Race One and ran upfront but because of my elbow, I was overcompensating with my riding so I couldn’t really challenge the guys at the front. My start in Race Two was also good but I almost crashed on lap one and tweaked my wrist. I didn’t feel strong and lost a lot of places. I dropped quite a way back but then when I found my strength and flow again I was able to get back to 14th.”

MX2 Round Overall

MX2 Championship Standings