Dutch top sloppy home sand MXoN | Australia 15th due to mechanicals

2019 Motocross of Nations (MXoN)

Images by Hoppenworld

Team Netherlands were the favourites heading into the 73rd running of the Motocross of Nations, and proved that form guide correct with riders Glenn Coldenhoff, Jeffrey Herlings and Calvin Vlaanderen dominating in the tricky conditions. 

Serving up extremely wet, windy and challenging conditions, the deep Assen sand presented a myriad of challenges for all riders with the 2019 edition of the MXoN widely considered one of the hardest ever.

A rainstorm lashed the white sand of Assen but that didn’t stop thousands of spectators filling the stands of the TT-circuit.

The atmosphere was incredible as 20 nations battled it out for pride and glory for their home country as well as the highly sought after Chamberlain trophy.

Team Netherlands victorious

Glenn Coldenhoff had a perfect  1-1 score card, with Jeffrey Herlings bringing home a 2-4, and Calvin Vlaanderen going 10-10. With the team’s worst score removed, as is the scoring procedure for MXoN,  that left Team Netherlands on 18-points, almost 30-points ahead of the next closest contender.

Jeffrey Herlings

“The weather was not in the plan! I messed up my starts twice today so from an individual point of view I’m not satisfied. I almost won the first moto and then when down three times in the second but still managed to finish fourth. We wanted a 1-1 and that didn’t happen but what we really came here for today was to win as a Nation and we did that. My teammates did a great job and for such a small country to win this is amazing.”

Calvin Vlaanderen

“Last year didn’t go as planned but we came into this year feeling confident and even though the rain made it a bit harder, we still knew we had a really good chance of winning. For myself, I had a pretty good day and I came close to winning the MX2 class, which was my goal, but I came second and that was still good enough. I was second and third for the MX2 riders in each race, 10-10 in the overall classifications and I was happy with how I rode and especially happy to help the Netherlands win the Motocross of Nations. Last year I felt terrible and I felt like I let down the team but this year I am extremely proud to be a part of this winning team.”

Glenn Coldenhoff

“It was an amazing weekend and we had the crowd behind us: that gave us something ‘extra’. Tim rode well in the second moto and kept some pressure on me but I could keep him behind me. 1-1 again, and it definitely feels nicer than last year because of where we are.”

Second overall was Team Belgium as Jeremy Van Horebeek, Kevin Strijbos and Jago Geerts were consistent enough for yet another podium with 47 points.

Third overall was Team Great Britain with Shaun Simpson, Nathan Watson and Adam Sterry on 58 points.

Team Australia was represented by Dean Ferris, alongside debutantes Kyle Webster and Regan Duffy, looking to improve on Australia’s 2018 placing of fourth with a podium.

The Aussies kicked off the weekend in strong form in qualifying, with Kyle Webster third, after taking the holeshot. Regan Duffy qualified sixth, while Dean Ferris was tenth despite having to ride with no goggles.

It wasn’t to be however, with the team finishing in 15th on 93-points in the extremely challenging conditions. Dean Ferris claimed 15-30 results in the MXGP class with a mechanical DNF in the second moto for 15th overall, while Kyle Webster took a strong seventh in MX2 on the back of a 23-14 result. Regan Duffy was 10th in the Open class with an 11-33 result, with the latter another mechanical DNF.

Dean Ferris

“It wasn’t the result which we were after. We gave it everything. Heading into the last moto we had a real shot at the podium but the elements got the better of our bikes. So proud of Kyle Webster and Regan Duffy for stepping up for the challenge. Thanks for all the support everyone! Bit rough having a double mechanical DNF with just a few laps to go, but anyway we gave it our all and had a killer time playing in the mud.”

Kyle Webster

“Unfortunately it wasn’t the result which we were looking for, but the boys had a good go and I can’t thank them enough for helping me to get here.”

Regan Duffy

“Massive thanks to everyone. I tried my hardest but the bike didn’t end up making it. Awesome riding by both Dean and Kyle. This weekend has been the greatest experience of my life.”

Gajser claims first Slovenian win & top MXGP honours

Overall class winners were Tim Gajser (Team Slovenia) in the MXGP class with a 1-2 result, Thomas Kjer Olsen (Team Denmark) in the MX2 class with an 8-8 and Glenn Coldenhoff (Team Netherlands) in the Open class with his 1-1.

Gajser made a bit of history for Slovenia as his race win in the MXGP + MX2 moto was the first ever for their nation in this event. The HRC rider grabbed the holeshot but was pushed out in the second corner and had to spend the first half of the moto looking for a way to get back into the lead. Eventually he made the pass and despite some late pressure, he won the moto and proved once again that he is fastest 450cc rider in 2019.

In the third moto, his second, he once again grabbed the holeshot and led for the first three laps before a small tip-over dropped him two places. He regrouped quickly though and set about trying to regain the lead, and although he had the fastest lap of the race, he couldn’t make the pass he needed to go one-one.

Tim Gajser

“It was a good day. The weather wasn’t the best and the track became a bit of a mess but I took two good starts, two holeshots and then I was able to win the first moto too so it was good. I’m a bit disappointed to make that little mistake in the second moto when I was winning but I came back very close to the leader at the end so overall I’m super happy. It’s been an incredible season and this is just another great moment to win a moto and to become the first Slovenian rider ever to do so.”

Thomas Kjer-Olsen top MX2 performer

Placing a highly-creditable eighth overall in both the combined MXGP/MX2 and MX2/Open races, Kjer Olsen wrapped-up his 2019 season in style. Focused on enjoying the prestigious end-of-year event, as well as wanting to deliver winning MX2 class performances, the Dane remained positive throughout the day despite the dismal weather conditions, claiming two eighth place positions, which left him with the MX2 win.

Thomas Kjer-Olsen

“I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the season. Finishing as the best overall MX2 rider is amazing – it’s what I hoped to achieve but in these conditions anything can happen. We had so much rain here it’s hard to believe. I really tried to stay positive and just focus on riding as well as I could. The sand was so deep in places you really had to keep focused everywhere. The conditions were even harder on the 250 bikes, but my bike was perfect in both motos. I made some passes on a few 450 riders, which was cool, but I’m just pleased nothing crazy happened to me. Racing with the 450s is tough, but both motos went well. This is a great way to end the season.”

Glenn Coldenhoff dominates Open class

Team Netherlands’ triumph was thanks to a second consecutive 1-1 scorecard by Coldenhoff. The rider pushing his KTM 450 SX-F through the sandy swamp to repeat his success from RedBud in 2018 and bring a very bright second phase of 2019 to a close, having scored two GP wins and five podiums in the last five rounds.

Glenn Coldenhoff

“It was an amazing weekend and we had the crowd behind us: that gave us something ‘extra’. Tim rode well in the second moto and kept some pressure on me but I could keep him behind me. 1-1 again, and it definitely feels nicer than last year because of where we are.”

MXGP & MX2 Race 1

Jorge Prado led the opening MXGP/MX2 race from Tim Gajser, Ivo Monticelli, Tom Koch, and in fifth place was Jeremy Seewer. Jeffrey Herlings was in back 13th, Jason Anderson in 38th, and the other Team USA rider Justin Cooper was back in last place after the two crashed into each other.

After four laps Prado held a two second lead over Gajser, then came Jeremy Van Horebeek, Seewer, Monticelli, Herlings, Team Australia’s Dean Ferris, Gautier Paulin, Nathan Watson and Australia’s Kyle Webster 10th. Anderson moved into 20th while Team Great Britain’s Adam Sterry found himself in trouble and back in 33rd place.

Webster’s bike got stuck in the mud and dropped well back in the field to 16th place as Cooper was still riding, but dead last. Ferris went down and dropped to ninth place while after eight laps it was Prado leading with more than three seconds over Gajser.

At lap 10 Gajser passed Prado for the lead while Seewer was third, followed by Van Horebeek in fourth and Monticelli in fifth. Herlings moved into fifth place and then passed Van Horebeek to move into fourth closing up on the leaders.

Herlings was on fire, two seconds a lap quicker than the leaders, but after 14 laps it was Gasjer with six seconds over Herlings, then came Seewer, Van Horebeek, Paulin, Prado, Monticelli, Olsen, Fredriksen, and Vlaanderen into the top ten. Anderson was up to 14th place and Ferris 17th.

Herlings was right up on Gajser with two laps to go, as he moved in to take the lead. Geerts found himself in 20th place and then out of the race with a broken bike, which saw Belgium suddenly dropped from second to fifth in the standings.

Anderson moved up to 13th as Gajser took the win from Herlings and Seewer. The Netherlands going 2-10 for a big lead with Switzerland on 23-points and third were France also with 23-points.

Open & MX2 Race 2

In the Open/MX2 Race 2 Harri Kullas took an early lead from Glenn Coldenhoff, Shaun Simpson, and Alessandro Lupino. Calvin Vlaanderen was 11th, Zach Osborne was 13th and his teammate Justin Cooper back in 32nd. Coldenhoff quickly moved into the lead as Simpson also moved past Kullas, then came Jonass and Ullrich.

Jonass moved into third place as the race progressed and Vlaanderen flew into eighth place as he closed up on Osborne. Olsen also was on the move as he passed Vlaanderen and then Osborne. After four laps it was Coldenhoff with a 10 second lead, then Jonass, Simpson, Kullas and Ullrich.

Seven laps in and the top ten was Coldenhoff, Jonass, Simpson, Kullas, Ullrich, Olsen, Osborne, Campano, Geerts, and Tixier. Coldenhoff held a four second lead over Jonass, then came Simpson, Kullas, Ullrich, Osborne, Tixier, Olsen, Campano and Geerts.

Coldenhoff continued to lead with more than five seconds over Jonass, then Simpson was a further 33 seconds back while Kullas was still fifth. Coldenhoff went on to win the second heat from Jonass and Simpson.

MXGP | Open Race 3

The MXGP/Open Race 3 start saw Gajser take the FOX Holeshot and lead from Van Horebeek, Monticelli, Jonass, Seewer, Coldenhoff, Watson, Simpson, Kullas and Anderson. Disaster struck for Herlings, who crashed and dropped back to 23rd place while Osborne was in 15th, Tixier 34th and Strijbos 36th.

After a lap Gajser held a one second lead over Van Horebeek, Coldenhoff, Jonass, Monticelli, Seewer, Watson, Anderson, Simpson, and Bengtsson in 10th. Ferris was running 12th, Prado 13th and Herlings 14th.

Gajser rode well from the front with more than a two-second lead over Van Horebeek while Herlings was on the move as he passed Prado and Paulin, back up through the ranks. Gajser then crashed and Van Horebeek took the lead and Coldenhoff was into second place.

Coldenhoff next took the lead and the Dutch were on their way to the top of the podium, while Herlings continued to forge ahead moving into 10th place as the top ten was Coldenhoff, Van Horebeek, Gajser, Jonass, Seewer, Watson, Anderson, Simpson, Monticelli, and Herlings. Herlings then made the move into ninth as he passed Simpson and Anderson passed Watson for sixth position.

After six laps it was Coldenhoff with a six-second lead over Van Horebeek, with Gajser third. Herlings crashed once again and dropped back to 11th place, before moving back into the top 10 in ninth. His team-mate Coldenhoff continued to lead over Gajser and Van Horebeek meanwhile.

Jonass moved past Van Horebeek for third place while Osborne continued to struggle back in 16th position. Gajser started closing up on Coldenhoff for the lead, and Herlings moved into seventh place, with Prado eighth, Watson ninth and Paulin 10th.

Coldenhoff continued to control the race up front, leading by four seconds with Gajser second and Jonass third. Herlings moved into sixth place, dropping Anderson to seventh and Prado was also closing up on the American.

Paulin dropped out of the race with mechanical problems and put Team Great Britain on the podium for the third year in a row. Coldenhoff won the race for The Netherlands ahead of Gajser and Jonass ensuring the first ever victory of Team Netherlands in history.

Ricky Carmichael MXoN youngest talent Award

Also receiving an award this weekend was Austria’s René Hofer who was the recipient of the Ricky Carmichael MXoN youngest talent Award. Hofer had a good ride and despite the tough track conditions and the disadvantage of riding a 250cc bike, the Austrian finished 12-26 in the races. Next season, Hofer will be making the move to the Red Bull Factory KTM squad to compete in the MX2 World Championship.