To attack or respect, the riders in round seven of the FIM Motocross World Championship were forced to decide as the sun baked clay sculpted their stage here in Talavera de la Reina, dictating line selection and demanding a combination of both mental and physical strength.
Both proving to have returned to their expected form, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings dominated their respective races to claim victory here at the MXGP of Spain in perfect score style.
MXGP
The real Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle took a stand today proving he’s still a real player in this game. The Belgian looked more aggressive than he has of late, getting off to two great starts and going on to lead every lap from start to finish for his first ever FIM Motocross World Championship win in Spain, as well as his first perfect score of the season.
The podium almost wouldn’t look right without Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek as he makes himself the most consistent podium placer in the MXGP class this season. “Today I had an awesome feeling, but my starts were not that good and that is where I lost it, but overall I am really happy, second on the podium to make it six times in a row, and I am really happy.”
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Kevin Strijbos fought hard from an average start in race one to take a hard fought fourth when he passed both Cairoli and Bobryshev with two-laps to go. After making a change to his bike to help with the start in race two, the Belgian got the FOX Holeshot and rode solid to make the podium a complete Belgian domination for the second time this year. “I think the track was good, it was a little bit like old school and overall the track was nice to ride.”
The saying goes ‘Championships are not won on your good days, but on your bad days’, which can be said forRed Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli as he looked uncharacteristically uncomfortable out on the roasted clay today, but with fourth place being the result of a bad day, the Italian still has a lot to smile about as he continues to lead the championship by twenty-four points.
After having some big falls already this year like the one at Arco di Trento and then again two weeks ago in Valkenswaard, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Steven Frossard is happy to have kept his KXF450 on two wheels this weekend to bring home a solid fifth.
MXGP Race 1 top ten: 1. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 34:16.039; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:05.376; 3. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:11.106; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:18.572; 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:20.806; 6. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:26.363; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Honda), +0:30.702; 8. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Husqvarna), +0:33.979; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, Honda), +0:35.869; 10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:51.498.
MXGP Race 2 top ten: 1. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 33:58.407; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.732; 3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:03.845; 4. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:15.603; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:23.521; 6. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:43.618; 7. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:50.876; 8. Rui Goncalves (POR, Yamaha), +0:52.007; 9. Xavier Boog (FRA, Honda), +1:06.104; 10. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Husqvarna), +1:12.517
MXGP Overall top ten: 1. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 50 points; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 40 p.; 3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 38 p.; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 37 p.; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 36 p.; 6. Xavier Boog (FRA, HON), 26 p.; 7. David Philippaerts (ITA, YAM), 24 p.; 8. Tyla Rattray (RSA, HUS), 24 p.; 9. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 23 p.; 10. Joel Roelants (BEL, HON), 22 p
MXGP World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 304 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 280 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 276 p.; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 220 p.; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 205 p.; 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 166 p.; 7. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 142 p.; 8. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 136 p.; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, HON), 134 p.; 10. Xavier Boog (FRA, HON), 134 p.
MXGP Manufacturer: 1. KTM, 304 points; 2. Suzuki, 290 p.; 3. Yamaha, 276 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 269 p.; 5. Honda, 230 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 169 p.; 7. TM, 124 p.
MX2
For the majority of this season Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings has been claiming he’s lacking on-the-bike training and therefore is not as dominant as he has been in the past. After today’s performance on a surface which is the complete opposite end of the spectrum to the sand of Valkenswaard, it is almost safe to say “The Bullet” has been training hard and now he is back, and he means business.
CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s young Frenchman Dylan Ferrandis put his hard pack knowledge to good use this weekend utilizing a smooth and solid riding style to bring home two consistent third place finishes for second overall for the second time this year. “Today in the race we had some nice battles, it was really close for first to eight, but I am very happy to be back on the podium, three and three is good for me”
Meanwhile his CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy teammate Arnaud Tonus did exactly what he needed to do here in race one, riding his own pace to take second. In race two the creativity of the Swiss was put to the ultimate test as he was forced to make new line combinations in order to make passes stick. After his plausible efforts in race two, where he scrapped his way into second only to lose it after going into a berm a little too hot and catching an edge which tipped him off his bike, he still managed to come home for fifth which landed him on the podium for the fourth time this year.
Persistent is one word that sums up Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre. The young French star on the rise fought tooth and nail this weekend, which left him face first in the dirt a couple of times. Nevertheless the youngsters never give up attitude kept him moving forward which rewarded him with fourth overall for the Grand Prix of Spain.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier can’t get the monkey off his back this year. While the Frenchman had moments of greatness where he looked at home and on the move around the hilly circuit here in Talavera, a few costly mistakes forced him backwards in both races leaving him in fifth overall.
It was heartbreak for KTM Silver Actions local kid Jose Butrón after he caused a thirty-five minute fence line fiesta when he snapped up the FOX Holeshot and led the best part of race two. After throwing his heart on the table to bring a podium home for his frenzy of screaming fans, the Spaniard appeared to have second place already in his pocket when he made an error over the back of the track and dropped back to sixth with a gut wrenching quarter of a lap to go.
Also making his MX2 Grand Prix comeback, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Christophe Charlier, who qualified an outstanding third place yesterday, crashed twice in race one and only managed to salvage twelfth, but bounced back strong in race two to come home in eighth. Although the return from injury could have been better, Charlier is satisfied with his results and progress from today, and is now looking forward to the next round of MXGP in two weeks time.
Luke Styke scored 11th in race one but struggled to 21st in race two – “Riding went pretty well this weekend. On Saturday and in the first race I could follow the top ten riders quite well. I finished eleventh in the first race and that’s my best finish so far. My first goal was to reach the top ten and I’m getting closer. In the second race the bike stopped in a corner and I fell back to very last place, so that moto was over early. I’ll keep working hard and I believe that a top ten result will be there soon.”
MX2 Race 1 top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 35:08.693; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:32.142; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:41.915; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:44.578; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:52.004; 6. Julien Lieber (BEL, Suzuki), +1:06.023; 7. Damon Graulus (BEL, KTM), +1:10.108; 8. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:12.316; 9. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), +1:13.364; 10. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +1:14.768.
MX2 Race 2 top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 34:48.430; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:05.468; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:05.958; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:07.510; 5. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:08.977; 6. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:14.974; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), +0:17.417; 8. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +0:20.364; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:23.987; 10. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), +0:37.601.
MX2 Overall top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 40 p.; 3. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 38 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 34 p.; 5. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 30 p.; 6. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 28 p.; 7. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 26 p.; 8. Julien Lieber (BEL, SUZ), 25 p.; 9. Petar Petrov (BUL, YAM), 23 p.; 10. Christophe Charlier (FRA, YAM), 22 p.
MX2 World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 294 points; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 267 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 232 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 225 p.; 5. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 215 p.; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, SUZ), 176 p.; 7. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 171 p.; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 170 p.; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 159 p.; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 153 p.
MX2 Manufacturer: 1. KTM, 324 points; 2. Kawasaki, 293 p.; 3. Husqvarna, 238 p.; 4. Suzuki, 229 p.; 5. Yamaha, 188 p.; 6. Honda, 181 p.; 7. TM, 6 p.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki Report
Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s Clement Desalle was virtually perfect in both races on his dependable factory RM-Z450 to take his first double-victory of the season and his second overall triumph of 2014 at today’s seventh-round World MXGP Championship race at Talavera de la Reina in Spain.
The Belgian also rose to second place in the MXGP championship standings as a result and narrowed the difference in points to just 24 from leader Antonio Cairoli.
Around 16,000 fans witnessed the action in what had been a long, three-year wait to welcome MXGP back to Spain and were treated to a masterclass of riding from Desalle and a showcase of aggression and effort from team-mate Kevin Strijbos, who finished third overall for his third podium celebration of the year and another impressive Suzuki trophy double.
Turn, climb, drop, turn, climb, turn: Talavera weaved across the low Spanish hills like a frenzied snake and the narrow layout pushed the riders together and was frugal with overtaking opportunities. A mix between hard-pack and some softer sections along with plenty of ruts in the turns meant the track was not overly difficult but had a technical edge and temperatures in the low 30s signified a tough day for the Belgian crew.
Desalle in particular was struggling with a stomach problem on Saturday, so his speed and form on Sunday was a little surprising; even to the rider himself. His motos were almost carbon-copies: superb starts at the peak of the MXGP field around the first three turns, rapier pace; and unfaltering consistency. The first race was clear-cut as he pulled away in his won rhythm. In the second, Desalle weathered some pressure from Cairoli but held firm and maintained his lap-times to again drift clear of the Italian in the closing stages. The day represented his first 1-1 scorecard since last year’s Grand Prix of Czech Republic.
While Desalle set the pace, Strijbos had to gain positions and work at eroding time differences to other riders. His attack on Cairoli and Evgeny Bobryshev in the last two laps of Moto1 to rise to fourth place was excellent and he helped push Cairoli into a Suzuki sandwich in Moto2 by running a high tempo in third position and Strijbos took the lowest step of the podium for the third time in 2014.
While Desalle retains second spot in the MXGP points table, Strijbos is not far away in fourth. All back to Lommel now for Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP and a free weekend ahead. The eighth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship will take the series into the sloping confines of Matterley Basin for the British Grand Prix on May 25th. The length of the 2014 contest is expected to slim from 18 to 17 rounds with confirmation of the cancellation of the date previously reserved for the Ukrainian Grand Prix in August coming this week.
Clement Desalle: “This weekend started out as difficult because when I woke up yesterday I had a really bad stomach problem, and I had never really felt that way at a race before. I struggled, especially in the qualification Heat. I had to slow down quite a lot. I had some medicine and tried to have a good night but it was not easy. I wanted to do the best I could today and I’m quite surprised! My feeling on the bike was much better; really good. It was so nice to get two moto wins like I did. It is good for the confidence and the championship. I was really happy about my riding and I enjoyed myself out there. The track was technical and when it is like this – that you need to find a good line to go fast – I like it a lot. I have to say I’m pleased to win in Spain because I appreciate this country. The start was so important and I managed to have two really good ones. I want to say thanks to the team because we have worked a lot so I can feel good on the bike and it is going better and better.”
Kevin Strijbos: “It was a good day. I had a bad start in the first moto but I could push all the way and passed Tony and Bobby and I was happy with fourth. I had the holeshot in the second moto but ran a bit wide and came out second. The race was not so easy, very warm and I was tired out there. We are all doing our best and our work is paying off. I thought the track was good. It was old-school with the layout and nice to ride. I think they put a bit too much water in the morning and maybe it should have been lesser and more frequent. We made a small change on the bike before the second moto to help with the start and to get the power smoother and it worked.”
Yamaha Report
Hot sunshine coated the Grand Prix of Spain and the seventh round of the FIM Motocross World Championship today as Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek finished as runner-up for the third time this season and has now accrued six consecutive podium results on the works YZ450FM. Talavera de la Reina was the site for another solid display by the Belgian in front of 16,000 spectators for the country’s first taste of MXGP since 2011.
The small but sheer slopes of Talavera was a picturesque setting for a narrow, technical and demanding circuit; a course largely intact since the days of being a staple venue for the old 250cc championship. The ground was loose in places and hard-pack in others and the constant flow of the curves meant that overtaking required a considered and sometimes aggressive approach.
Van Horebeek took a confident second position in the qualification Heat on Saturday after refining the set-up of the YZ450FM. JVH then rode towards his sixth podium on the spin with results of second and fourth despite less-than-ideal starts and thanks to his now trademark relentless pace. He was clear of Steven Frossard in the first moto, although unable to catch runaway leader and eventual GP winner Clement Desalle. In the second he had to circulate outside of the top three but endured the heat and an increasingly rougher soil to make sure of the second step. Van Horebeek has now earned more silverware than any other rider in the series and is third in the standings; 28 points in arrears of Antonio Cairoli.
DP19 Yamaha Racing’s David Philippaerts had some set-up issues on Saturday, which forced a lowly gate position for the two 30 minute and 2 lap motos. The Italian however was impressive with his riding. In a static first moto he could do little to catch Shaun Simpson in tenth position and so finished eleventh. A better start in the second race meant he was able to fight for seventh place for his best ranking of the season so far – also claiming seventh in the MXGP standing for the day. Bike it Yamaha Cosworth’s Rui Gonçalves also had a better second moto and seemed to gel in a more efficient way with the rougher bumps. The Portuguese took a 15-8 scorecard for twelfth at this Grand Prix.
After back-to-back races in Holland and Spain the Grand Prix paddock will break for one week before heading north and to the UK where Matterley Basin – installed on the MXGP calendar since 2011 – will once again entertain the British round.
Jeremy Van Horebeek – “Overall I’m happy; second on the podium and six in a row. What can I say?! About the GP…on Saturday morning I did not feel comfortable but we changed some things on the bike and the team did a great job. I was better in the qualification Heat and ready for the races today. I had an awesome feeling on the track but my starts were not that good and we need to work on this. It was hot today and I like it when the track is hard and slick and you have to look for your lines.”
David Philippaerts – “I’m happy with the results and seventh overall. It is good for me and the team and especially because we really had to work for it. We had problems yesterday but changed things and found a solution. The first moto was OK but the second was much better. We adjusted the settings with the tyres and front suspension and my riding was also improved. I think 6-10 is my position at the moment and we need to focus on that. The next GPs coming are good for me with Matterley, St Jean and Maggiora. I want to stay on this path and we need to!”
Yamaha Factory Racing’s Christophe Charlier made an encouraging return to FIM Motocross World Championship action at a sunny and stuffy Talavera de la Reina for the Grand Prix of Spain by taking tenth position overall at the seventh round of eighteen. The Corsican climbed aboard his YZ250FM for the first time at a GP since injuring his leg in Thailand for round two. Kemea Yamaha Racing’s Petar Petrov was also in the top ten with ninth place after shrugging off the effects of a sore ankle and a virus in recent weeks.
The narrow and relentless course at Talavera was packed strong with 16,000 spectators for a triumphant return to Spain for the first time since 2011. Hilly, winding and tight, the track was tricky for passing and demanding due to the temperatures that touched thirty degrees across two 30 minute and 2 lap motos.
The weekend delivered fitting conditions for Charlier who has been training and preparing for his comeback at his home and also in Italy over the past fortnight. As expected the former European Champion needs some time to reacclimatise to the frantic nature of the MX2 class with banging bars, frequents spills and surges of speed commonplace throughout the pack. Charlier slipped off twice in the first moto and did his best to recover to twelfth. Christophe fared better in the second sprint and gained valuable race time to finish eighth.
Petrov buried memories of his recent adversities and some misfortune to place ninth and tenth on the day. The Bulgaria had the pace and the fitness in the heat but lacked the essential ground won around the first corner to be able to trouble the leading group. Team-mate Luke Styke’s eleventh place in Moto1 was the Australian rookie’s best result yet since joining the FIM World Championship. Some problems in the second moto scuppered an overall result as he ranked outside of the points in twenty-first.
Bike it Yamaha Cosworth’s Max Anstie continues his evolution of race equipment both at and away from the Grand Prix circuits. The Brit, two weeks ahead of his home event in the UK, could only manage nineteenth overall and commented his best volley of speed came in the second moto as he pushed to fourteenth. He was twentieth earlier in the day.
The FIM Motocross World Championship will now pause for one week before shifting north and to England where the popular Matterley Basin circuit will host the Grand Prix of Great Britain for round eight.
Christophe Charlier – “I had a good feeling with the bike today and that was important for me. I now need to progress with my starts because all the riders are going at the same speed so I need to be further forward at the beginning. I lost four rounds of the series and started riding two weeks ago. Training is not the same at GP racing! It was a difficult track to come back to; very bumpy and long jumps. There was a lot of water around, but, overall I’m happy with today. I will continue to work and look to be top five for the next race. I will be counting the time until I can get back on the GP track.”
Max Anstie – “I guess from the outside looking in it might not look like much but I do feel like we are making steps in the right direction. Where we started the year and where we are now means we had to sacrifice a few points in these European rounds but I believe that things are going in the right direction. Obviously a lot of testing and development to be done in the next couple of weeks but we will get there.”
Petar Petrov – “I’m happy I made two top ten results after a difficult last two weeks. I couldn’t train for two weeks after my ankle injury and then last week I struggled with a virus. My speed was good though all weekend long and I’m happy to have that back. In the first race, I had a faster lap time than Ferrandis but he ended up third and I finished ninth… It was so hard to pass on the track so the start was important, and that made the difference. In the second race I was last in the first corner and it took so much time to go forward. I’m working hard on my starts now to get those better. After all I’m happy it went better than last week, I feel better and now we can work towards the British GP in two weeks time.”
Luke Styke – “Riding went pretty well this weekend. On Saturday and in the first race I could follow the top ten riders quite well. I finished eleventh in the first race and that’s my best finish so far. My first goal was to reach the top ten and I’m getting closer. In the second race the bike stopped in a corner and I fell back to very last place, so that moto was over early. I’ll keep working hard and I believe that a top ten result will be there soon.”
Husqvarna Racing Report
Moving to the classic circuit of Talavera de la Reina in Spain for round seven of the FIM Motocross World Championship, Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre claimed a hard fought fourth overall in the MX2 classification. Eighth overall at the GP of Spain, Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray continued to close in on a top five result in the highly competitive MXGP class.
With the MXGP series returning to the hard packed Talavera venue following a 14-year absence, Frenchman Romain Febvre was confident of repeating his podium result from round six at last weekend’s GP of The Netherlands. Fourth in qualification, the Husqvarna rider got his weekend off to a great start.
Ending the opening lap of race one in sixth position, Febvre pushed hard to improve his pace on the challenging track. But with the course only offering one fast line, he eventually ended the race in fifth. Gating strongly in third position for race two, Febvre found himself in a five-rider battle for the race lead. Reaching second position by mid distance, a mistake on an uphill jump saw him slip back to fifth. Fighting back to third place on the final lap – and a potential podium result – an aggressive move by close rival Jose Butron saw Febvre crash and end his race in fourth and fourth overall at the Spanish GP.
For teammate Aleksandr Tonkov, it was a weekend of misfortune. Despite riding well, Tonkov crashed twice in race one and finished 10th. Eager to improve in race two a bad start left him with a lot of ground to make up. Unfortunately a broken battery wire stopped the Russian in his tracks and he was forced to retire.
Making positive strides towards the front of the MXGP class, Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray ended the GP of Spain in a well-earned eighth overall, only two points off a top five result. Showing good speed in both motos, Rattray powered his FC 350 around the hard packed and bumpy hillside circuit to eighth position in race one. Hoping to better that result in race two, Rattray collided with another rider on lap one. Dropping as far back as 16th, he recovered well to place 10th.
Romain Febvre: “It’s been an eventful GP for me. Race one was ok. My start was good but the track was difficult to pass on and I could only move up to fifth. Starting third in race two was a big help and I was right in the battle for the lead until a mistake on a jump dropped me back to fifth. I was riding strong and closed back in on the leading group. I got into third on the final lap but Butron put a hard pass on me and I crashed. It’s frustrating because I could have got onto the podium.”
Aleksandr Tonkov: “I’m disappointed with the weekend. At the moment I seem to be out of luck. My speed is good, and I’m riding well but after two crashes in race one 10th was the best I could do. Race two ended before it really got going due to a broken battery wire. It was a freak occurrence and there was nothing the team could do. The British GP is in two weeks time so hopefully things will go my way there.”
Tyla Rattray: “I feel positive about the weekend – I was riding well and my speed was good. A couple of small things held me back but in the first race I managed to get a good start and run upfront for a while. That felt good. Race two I hoped for the same but collided with another rider and damaged my radiator scoop in the process. It was flapping about all race and was catching in my boot in the corners so I had to ride a bit cautious. I definitely feel a top five result in on the cards next time out at Matterley Basin. I like that track and know I can do well there.”
TALAVERA DE LA REINA (Spain), 11 May 2014 – The old school track of Talevera de la Reina which had been lathered with water in order to keep the dust down in the sizzling hot temperatures, proved to be a challenge for the second rounds of the European Championships EMX250 and EMX300 classes. Proving they’ve got a solid base on traditional style tracks, Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Sullivan Jaulin and GL12 Racing’s Lewis Gregory had their lines dialed to win their first European Championship rounds of their careers.
EMX250
When the gates dropped for the EMX250’s race two, race ones runner-up Sullivan Jaulin had his Bud Racing Kawasaki KXF250 cranking, leading KTM Sarholz’ Henry Jacobi, CNC KTM’s Steven Clarke, Spanish hero Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Jorge Zaragoza and Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Ben Watson around turn one. While the Frenchman Jaulin stole the show looking at home on the tricky hard pack surface of Talavera, a battle for second flourished in the closing stages of the race.
Henry Jacobi, who at one stage of the race had a gap of five seconds over the Brits race one winner Steven Clarke and red plate holder Ben Watson, soon began to come undone dropping back to fourth with only two laps to go. Meanwhile the battle of the Brits raged on as the duo Clarke and Sterry continued to bang bars while another Brit in the form of Wilvo Forkrent KTM’s Adam Sterry was laying the pressure on German Jacobi.
While Jaulin brought home his first win of the season to win round two of the European Championship EMX250 on his debut appearance, it was a nail biting final lap for the four that followed. Clarke held on for second only marginally ahead of his fellow countryman Watson, to tie with Jaulin for the win but was forced to be happy with second overall for the round due to Jaulin having the best result in the second race. Meanwhile KTM Sarholz’ Henry Jacobi got the job done for fourth only just fending off a charging Wilvo Forkrent KTM’s Adam Sterry who settled for fifth which in combination with his seventh place yesterday landed him on the third step of the podium.
Local talent Jorge Zaragoza who took a hard fought third place in race one yesterday, struggled to find traction out on the slippery hills here in his homeland of Spain. A few spills and a lot of mistakes saw the likeable Spaniard struggle his way to a nineteenth place finish.
After today’s result’s CNC KTM’s Steven Clarke takes the red plate from his fellow countryman Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Ben Watson. Watson drops back to second pushing the Spaniard Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Jorge Zaragoza back to third.
Jaulin mentioned before taking to the top step of the podium, “It is not so easy in this heat but it was ok for me. Yeah, I was tired in the heat at the end of the race, but I got a good start and took the holeshot and pulled a gap from eight seconds so it was ok. I am happy and I will finish out the rest of the European Championship with Bud Racing Kawasaki”.
EMX250 Race 1 Top ten: 1. Steven Clarke (GBR, KTM), 30:52.163; 2. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:15.162; 3. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:20.365; 4. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:24.530; 5. James Cottrell (GBR, KTM), +0:26.005; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Honda), +0:33.379; 7. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), +0:42.372; 8. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Honda), +0:53.305; 9. Robin Kappel (FRA, Yamaha), +1:00.585; 10. Nil Arcarons (ESP, KTM), +1:01.831.
EMX250 Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 30:38.886; 2. Steven Clarke (GBR, KTM), +0:03.716; 3. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), +0:04.969; 4. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), +0:06.576; 5. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), +0:07.911; 6. Brent Van doninck (BEL, KTM), +0:20.217; 7. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Honda), +0:38.500; 8. Arnaud Aubin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:41.282; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, KTM), +0:51.684; 10. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:54.646.
EMX250 Overall Top Ten: 1. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, KAW), 47 points; 2. Steven Clarke (GBR, KTM), 47 p.; 3. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 30 p.; 4. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 29 p.; 5. Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 27 p.; 6. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), 26 p.; 7. James Cottrell (GBR, KTM), 23 p.; 8. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, KAW), 22 p.; 9. Brent Van doninck (BEL, KTM), 20 p.; 10. Ander Valentin (ESP, YAM), 19 p.
EMX250 Championship Standings: 1. Steven Clarke (GBR, KTM), 83 points; 2. Ben Watson (GBR, KTM), 63 p.; 3. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, KAW), 59 p.; 4. Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 55 p.; 5. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 51 p.; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HON), 48 p.; 7. Sullivan Jaulin (FRA, KAW), 47 p.; 8. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 47 p.; 9. Brent Van doninck (BEL, KTM), 46 p.; 10. Ander Valentin (ESP, YAM), 40 p.
EMX300
The sweet smell of pre-mixed smoke filled the air as the EMX300 gate got set to drop and when it did it was Team Maddii Racing’s Marco Maddii who got off to a ripper of a start taking the holeshot and running away with his first race win of the season. Meanwhile, the red plate holder TM Racing Team’s Samuele Bernardini had a better grip on the track today, setting the fastest lap time of the race on lap five and redeeming himself after yesterdays errors to take second ahead of race one winner GL12 Racing’s Lewis Gregory.
Chasing the top three CEC I.S Racing’s Toms Macuks found a way around Wilvo Forkrent KTM’s Kenny Vandueren around mid race and started reeling in Gregory for third. Upon approach with two laps to go, the Latvian Macuks buried the front end in a sticky section while trying to pass Gregory and went down. With his chances of a top three more or less out the window, he decided to ride easy for the remainder of the race to take home an easy fourth ahead of Vandueren.
After taking a remarkable win yesterday, Gregory bagged third in race two today for his first ever European Championship overall victory. Team Maddii Racing’s Marco Maddii combined fourth with his momentous victory today for second overall while CEC I.S Racing’s Toms Macuks rounded off the podium with second and fourth place results.
Wrapped with his career best finish, Gregory said, “I’m over the moon, I’m a little bit lost for words a little bit. Yesterday I got out of the gate good and just rode good and today I knew I just had to be mistake free and I stood a chance. I’m just so happy right now, I want to thank all my sponsors and every one that helps me”
After this weekends results, the championship leader board remains the same. TM Racing Team’s Samuele Bernardini holds on to the red plate three points clear of Team Maddii Racing’s Marco Maddii, while CEC I.S Racing’s Toms Macuks remains in third a further five points back.
EMX300 Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Lewis Gregory (GBR, Yamaha), 30:42.520; 2. Toms Macuks (LAT, KTM), +0:02.623; 3. Kenny Vandueren (BEL, KTM), +0:12.020; 4. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), +0:12.937; 5. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), +0:54.929; 6. Miguel Gaboleiro (POR, Yamaha), +1:41.277; 7. Bence Szvoboda (HUN, KTM), +1:41.773; 8. Txomin Arana (ESP, Yamaha), +2:06.435; 9. Stephane Watel (FRA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 10. Michele Cencioni (ITA, KTM), -1 lap.
EMX300 Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), 31:15.104; 2. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), +0:08.726; 3. Lewis Gregory (GBR, Yamaha), +0:17.981; 4. Toms Macuks (LAT, KTM), +0:43.191; 5. Kenny Vandueren (BEL, KTM), +0:49.435; 6. Miguel Gaboleiro (POR, Yamaha), +1:41.184; 7. Stephane Watel (FRA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 8. Michele Cencioni (ITA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 9. Txomin Arana (ESP, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 10. Martin Vanleeuw (BEL, Yamaha), -2 lap.
EMX300 Overall Top Ten: 1. Lewis Gregory (GBR, YAM), 45 points; 2. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), 43 p.; 3. Toms Macuks (LAT, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 38 p.; 5. Kenny Vandueren (BEL, KTM), 36 p.; 6. Miguel Gaboleiro (POR, YAM), 30 p.; 7. Stephane Watel (FRA, KTM), 26 p.; 8. Txomin Arana (ESP, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Michele Cencioni (ITA, KTM), 24 p.; 10. Bence Szvoboda (HUN, KTM), 23 p.
EMX300 Championship Standings: 1. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, TM), 88 points; 2. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), 85 p.; 3. Toms Macuks (LAT, KTM), 80 p.; 4. Lewis Gregory (GBR, YAM), 72 p.; 5. Bence Szvoboda (HUN, KTM), 61 p.; 6. Stephane Watel (FRA, KTM), 54 p.; 7. Michele Cencioni (ITA, KTM), 51 p.; 8. Txomin Arana (ESP, YAM), 51 p.; 9. Jean Loup Lepan (FRA, YAM), 40 p.; 10. Martin Vanleeuw (BEL, YAM), 38 p.
