At round five of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Sevlievo, Bulgaria, riders were put to the ultimate test. Mud, ruts and clay set the scene in the morning, but come afternoon, the skies had opened up and the rain set in. Despite extremely difficult conditions, when the chequered flag waved for the final time today, it was all about the two FIM Motocross World Champions Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings.
MXGP
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli finally broke the curse of Bulgaria, winning in Sevlievo for the first time since his MX2 days back in 2007. Ever modest, the seven-time world champion admitted it wasn’t easy, “In race one, Gautier was riding really fast and in race two the track was really difficult, but I tried to ride smooth. I did make some small mistakes near the end but I had an ok lead so it was ok.”
Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin mixed a brilliant race with an average one for second overall. In race one, the flying Frenchman put an amazing pass on the reigning world champion Antonio Cairoli when he railed around the outside and scrubbed down the hill to take over the lead. Despite finishing race one with a convincing win, the best he could do in the treacherous conditions of race two was fourth, but was still satisfied with his riding saying, “I am ok with this result, my riding was good so I am happy”.
Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek continues his climb up the championship ladder as he takes home yet another podium with third overall. After taking home fourth in race one, the Belgian proved his worth in race two when he took the gnarly conditions with a grain of salt, finishing second, a remarkable three seconds behind the seven-time world champ Antonio Cairoli.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s dynamic duo Clement Desalle and Kevin Strijbos both rounded out the weekend with a fourth and a third place finish in their races for fourth equal. Going up against the consistency of fellow Belgian Jeremy Van Horebeek, Desalle drops four points to his countryman and is now tied with the Yamaha rider for second overall in the championship standings.
Meanwhile yesterday’s top qualifier Team HRC’s Max Nagl didn’t have the best day in the office. After going down early in race one, the German put in an outstanding ride, battling all the way from last place to salvage ninth. In the slop of race two, Nagl, in a battle for fifth, wedged his bike between the wheel and fender of Shaun Simpson. After finally untangling and re-grouping he managed to move back up to sixth, but a last lap fault ended up dropping him back to ninth meaning he would have to settle for a disappointing ninth overall.
MXGP RACE 1 (16 laps = 27.760 Km)
- PAULIN, Gautier / FRA / Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team / Kawasaki / 35:19.641
- CAIROLI, Antonio / ITA / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 35:27.723
- STRIJBOS, Kevin / BEL / Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP / Suzuki / 35:35.756
- VAN HOREBEEK, Jeremy / BEL / Yamaha Factory Racing / Yamaha / 35:49.984
- DESALLE, Clement / BEL / Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP / Suzuki / 36:21.407
- BOOG, Xavier / FRA / 24MX Honda Racing / Honda / 36:29.175
- BOBRYSHEV, Evgeny / RUS / Team HRC / Honda / 36:32.339
- RATTRAY, Tyla / RSA / Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory racing / Husqvarna / 36:44.070
- FROSSARD, Steven / FRA / Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team / Kawasaki / 36:47.423
- NAGL, Maximilian / GER / Team HRC / Honda / 36:55.308
- PHILIPPAERTS, David / ITA / DP19 Racing Yamaha / Yamaha / 37:01.740
- SIMPSON, Shaun / GBR / HM Plant KTM UK / KTM / 37:03.416
- GONCALVES, Rui / POR / Bike It Yamaha Cosworth / Yamaha / 37:07.321
- KARRO, Matiss / LAT / Wilvo Forkrent KTM / KTM / 37:09.278
- GUARNERI, Davide / ITA / TM Ricci Racing / TM / 37:15.766
- WATERS, Todd / AUS / Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory racing / Husqvarna / 37:16.080
- NICHOLLS, Jake / GBR / Wilvo Forkrent KTM / KTM / 37:16.150
- LEOK, Tanel / EST / TM Ricci Racing / TM / 37:21.039
- ULLRICH, Dennis / GER / KTM Sarholz / KTM / 37:26.575
- BRAKKE, Herjan / NED / HB Gebben Kawasaki Team / Kawasaki / 35:54.255
Fastest Lap: PAULIN, Gautier; 2:03.084 in lap 12 with 50.746 Km/h
MXGP RACE 2 (14 laps = 24.290 Km)
- CAIROLI, Antonio / ITA / FMI / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 35:40.651
- VAN HOREBEEK, Jeremy / BEL / Yamaha Factory Racing / Yamaha / 35:44.221
- DESALLE, Clement / BEL / Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP / Suzuki / 35:51.202
- PAULIN, Gautier / FRA / Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team / Kawasaki / 36:22.632
- STRIJBOS, Kevin / BEL / Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP / Suzuki / 36:25.612
- RATTRAY, Tyla / RSA / Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory racing / Husqvarna / 36:57.091
- SIMPSON, Shaun / GBR / HM Plant KTM UK / KTM / 37:03.379
- WATERS, Todd / AUS / Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory racing / Husqvarna / 37:06.985
- GONCALVES, Rui / POR / Bike It Yamaha Cosworth / Yamaha / 37:08.602
- NAGL, Maximilian / GER / Team HRC / Honda / 37:19.359
- BOOG, Xavier / FRA / 24MX Honda Racing / Honda / 37:20.099
- PHILIPPAERTS, David / ITA / DP19 Racing Yamaha / Yamaha / 37:50.005
- LEOK, Tanel / EST / TM Ricci Racing / TM / 37:53.771
- ROELANTS, Joel / BEL / J-Race Racing Team / Honda / 38:00.466
- NICHOLLS, Jake / GBR / Wilvo Forkrent KTM / KTM / 38:05.084
- GERCAR, Klemen / SLO / Honda Jtech / Honda / 35:29.602
- KARRO, Matiss / LAT / Wilvo Forkrent KTM / KTM / 36:21.512
- ULLRICH, Dennis / GER / KTM Sarholz / KTM / 36:23.947
- GUARNERI, Davide / ITA / TM Ricci Racing / TM / 36:56.850
- BRAKKE, Herjan / NED / HB Gebben Kawasaki Team / Kawasaki / 35:50.244
Fastest Lap: DESALLE, Clement; 2:15.287 in lap 1 with 46.169 Km/h
MXGP Overall top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 47 points; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 43 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 36 p.; 5. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 36 p.; 6. Tyla Rattray (RSA, HUS), 28 p.; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, HON), 25 p.; 8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 23 p.; 9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 22 p.; 10. Rui Goncalves (POR, YAM), 20 p.
MXGP World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 222 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 194 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 194 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 180 p.; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 166 p.; 6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 145 p.; 7. Todd Waters (AUS, HUS), 107 p.; 8. Xavier Boog (FRA, HON), 96 p.; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 95 p.; 10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 95 p
MXGP Manufacturer: 1. KTM, 222 points; 2. Suzuki, 200 p.; 3. Yamaha, 194 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 193 p.; 5. Honda, 170 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 117 p.; 7. TM, 88 p.
MX2
After arm-pump plagued his qualifying heat race, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings came out all guns blazing today in Sevlievo. Although winning race one proved no easy feat, the young Dutch sensation is ever a fighter and fought right to the end to claim the win in both races for his second perfect score of the season.
While the result for Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus was not quite what he wanted, his impressive racing is what caught the attention of many. The flamboyant Swiss was throwing big scrubs as he stayed in contention for the win for the entire duration of both races. After taking two second place finishes behind the two-time world champion Jeffrey Herlings, Tonus remains the championship points leader, four points clear of Jeffrey Herlings. Tonus said in the press conference, “It was really a balance between pushing and trying to stay on two wheels, so it was really difficult, but I really wanted to stay on two wheels and I did that so I am happy.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier hasn’t had the greatest start to the season, but after his solid set of thirds, even despite the fact he ditched his goggles early in race two, the Frenchman looks to be turning things around as he seals the deal on his first podium finish of the season. “This season has not gone really good, I have had bad starts and just put too much pressure on myself, which is not the best, but today I came in not expecting to be on the podium because I have broken a little bone in my hand and now here I am, so I am really happy.”
Even though CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis found himself in the thick of the battle for a podium finish, the stylish Frenchman made a few too many errors this weekend, which in turn landed him in fourth over all with two consistent fourth place finishes.
Rounding out the top five Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre was forced to settle for fifth, after a tangle with a lapped rider saw him loose his easy third place finish in race two.
The local hero Kemea Yamaha Racing’s Petar Petrov was one of the most impressive performers of the day. The friendly Bulgarian had all the fans on their feet as he carved his way from last place in race one to a remarkable eighth and then placed the cherry on top with his seasons best place finish in race two, sixth, for sixth overall.
MX2 RACE 1 (16 laps = 27.760 Km)
- HERLINGS, Jeffrey / NED / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 35:45.533
- TONUS, Arnaud / SUI / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 35:49.964
- TIXIER, Jordi / FRA / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 35:58.340
- FERRANDIS, Dylan / FRA / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 36:03.433
- FEBVRE, Romain / FRA / Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing / Husqvarna / 36:04.243
- GAJSER, Tim / SLO / Honda Gariboldi / Honda / 36:23.114
- COLDENHOFF, Glenn / NED / Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe / Suzuki / 36:34.942
- PETROV, Petar / BUL / Kemea Yamaha Racing Team / Yamaha / 36:39.486
- SEEWER, Jeremy / SUI / Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe / Suzuki / 36:41.709
- TONKOV, Aleksandr / RUS / Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing / Husqvarna / 36:45.819
- LIEBER, Julien / BEL / Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe / Suzuki / 36:56.506
- MONTICELLI, Ivo / ITA / Marchetti Racing Team KTM / KTM / 36:58.020
- ANSTIE, Max / GBR / Bike It Yamaha Cosworth / Yamaha / 37:03.397
- KULLAS, Harri / FIN / Sahkar KTM Racing / KTM / 37:03.726
- STYKE, Luke / AUS / Kemea Yamaha Racing Team / Yamaha / 37:19.038
- COVINGTON, Thomas / USA / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 37:45.957
- BUTRON, Jose / ESP / KTM Silver Action / KTM / 37:56.787
- GUILLOD, Valentin / SUI / Standing Construct KTM / KTM / 35:53.455
- DESPREY, Maxime / FRA / Honda Jtech / Honda / 35:56.847
- HJORTMARKER, Eddie / SWE / CEC I.S. Racing / KTM / 36:00.959
Fastest Lap: TONUS, Arnaud; 2:03.093 in lap 7 with 50.742Km/h
MX2 RACE 2 (16 laps = 27.760 Km)
- HERLINGS, Jeffrey / NED / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 36:18.566
- TONUS, Arnaud / SUI / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 36:23.077
- TIXIER, Jordi / FRA / Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM / 37:07.722
- FERRANDIS, Dylan / FRA / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 37:10.653
- FEBVRE, Romain / FRA / Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing / Husqvarna / 37:12.814
- PETROV, Petar / BUL / Kemea Yamaha Racing Team / Yamaha / 37:15.437
- COLDENHOFF, Glenn / NED / Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe / Suzuki / 37:15.697
- GAJSER, Tim / SLO / Honda Gariboldi / Honda / 37:26.003
- TONKOV, Aleksandr / RUS / Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing / Husqvarna / 37:37.686
- SEEWER, Jeremy / SUI / Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe / Suzuki / 37:40.873
- MONTICELLI, Ivo / ITA / Marchetti Racing Team KTM / KTM / 37:58.925
- GUILLOD, Valentin / SUI / Standing Construct KTM / KTM / 38:01.680
- KULLAS, Harri / FIN / Sahkar KTM Racing / KTM / 38:02.428
- COVINGTON, Thomas / USA / Team CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MX2 / Kawasaki / 38:24.197
- ANSTIE, Max / GBR / Bike It Yamaha Cosworth / Yamaha / 38:43.698
- STYKE, Luke / AUS / Kemea Yamaha Racing Team / Yamaha / 36:29.674
- JUSTS, Roberts / LAT / Latvia – Husqvarna Racing / Husqvarna / 36:44.143
- LIEBER, Julien / BEL / Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe / Suzuki / 36:46.631
- HJORTMARKER, Eddie / SWE / CEC I.S. Racing / KTM / 36:47.568
- BUTRON, Jose / ESP / KTM Silver Action / KTM / 36:51.556
Fastest Lap: HERLINGS, Jeffrey; 2:06.106 in lap 13 with 49.530 Km/h
MX2 Overall top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 44 p.; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 36 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 32 p.; 6. Petar Petrov (BUL, YAM), 28 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, SUZ), 28 p.; 8. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 28 p.; 9. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 23 p.; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 23 p
MX2 World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 198 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 194 p.; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, SUZ), 176 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 158 p.; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 154 p.; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 147 p.; 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 130 p.; 8. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 121 p.; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 107 p.; 10. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 105 p.
MX2 Manufacturer: 1. KTM, 224 points; 2. Kawasaki, 216 p.; 3. Suzuki, 179 p.; 4. Husqvarna, 164 p.; 5. Yamaha, 141 p.; 6. Honda, 131 p.; 7. TM, 6 p
HRC Report
Honda World Motocross’ Max Nagl scored ninth position overall with the works CRF450R in difficult conditions at the award winning Sevlievo circuit in the Grand Prix of Bulgaria and the fifth round of eighteen in the FIM Motocross World Championship. Team-mate Evgeny Bobryshev endured another frustrating weekend with only a finish in the first moto recorded on his scorecard
Antonio Cairoli (KTM) celebrated victory in the premier MXGP class at a rutty and muddy Grand Prix. The Sicilian was chased around the hilly and rough track by Gautier Paulin (Kawasaki) and Jeremy Van Horebeek (Yamaha) who finished second and third overall.
The event attracted 20,000 spectators to the fan-friendly venue that offered a contrast of racing conditions to the tight, bumpy and slippery hard-pack of Italy the previous week. Rainfall in the build-up to the Bulgaria fixture forced organisers to reduce the Saturday practice and qualification programme in the interests of track preservation. The soft and wet mud churned into a series of long and treacherous ruts even if the traction level of the terrain was prime – the riders were even complaining of too much grip from the soil! During Sunday afternoon the rain returned and the second motos of both classes were run in full-on muddy conditions with all the perils that the climate entails.
On Saturday Max Nagl sprinted free from the MXGP pack to record his first pole position since the Grand Prix of Brazil almost a year ago. The German had first choice in the start gate for the two thirty minute and two lap motos on a potentially brighter Sunday and used the potent bottom-end engine performance of the CRF to drill along the start straight and get into the first hairpin turn in a decent position. However, a potential top five slot was ruined soon after when Nagl could not avoid the fallen Steven Frossard (Kawasaki) through turn six of the track. It was the start of a dramatic sequence of events. While ‘12’ recovered to capture tenth by the chequered flag a sustained period of rainfall before and during the second race turned the moto into a slippy lottery. In the second moto, Nagl had the same bad luck that cost him so many positions, this time when Shaun Simpson (KTM) fell over in a deep rut in front of him while the pair battled for fifth place. Recovering ground again, Nagl was smashed off the track on the very last lap by Tyla Rattray (Husqvarna) and had to restart once more again recovering to finish tenth high enough for ninth position overall.
Evgeny Bobryshev classified thirteenth but only finished one moto. The Russian was competing several days after medical checks on his back gave the all-clear of any serious damage in the wake of his scary crash and collision at the Grand Prix of Trentino last Sunday. Showing typical, tough resilience and bearing up to the pain, ‘Bobby’ still managed to secure seventh spot in the first sprint. Under the darkening cloudy sky of the second outing while team-mate Nagl was amidst the turmoil at the front, Evgeny was having his own nightmare as a blameless first lap impact and damaged throttle eventually forced a retirement.
Nearing the end of the first third of the MXGP campaign Nagl is sitting in fifth place in the championship points table with one hundred and sixty-six points and just fourteen away from Gautier Paulin in fourth. Bobryshev has been dealing with injury niggles since the start of the season and holds ninth place.
Tim Gajser (Honda Gariboldi) again showed what an exciting prospect he is aboard the CRF250R in the MX2 category. The seventeen year old was fighting for a top three position in the Saturday qualification heat until a pair of crashes undid his best efforts. The Slovenian set-off from twenty-seventh on the gate and while he had to watch Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) snatch victory followed home by Arnaud Tonus (Kawasaki) and Jordi Tixier (KTM) to complete the MX2 podium, he was able to depart Sevlievo with twenty-eight points for eighth in the final standings courtesy of sixth and eighth place finishes respectively in the two motos. Team-mate Kei Yamamoto was outside the top twenty and failed to add to his rookie season championship tally.
After back-to-back fixtures the FIM Motocross World Championship hits a hiatus for one week before the Grand Prix of the Netherlands takes place in the sand of Valkenswaard on May 4th.
Max Nagl: Race Result: 10th/10th Championship position: 5th – “I had a great Saturday and was feeling good all day. I liked the track and had the pole from the qualifying race. So I was hopeful for Sunday. My start clip on the front fork released when I came out of the gate in the first moto so I wasn’t that good off the line but I still managed to be fifth. On the first lap Frossard crashed in front of me in a deep rut and I had no chance to move. We were stuck with a lot of bikes and it took twenty or thirty seconds to get free, so everybody was gone. My riding was pretty good then and I was catching a lot of people in the race and reached tenth. We had big rain for the second Heat and my start was better. I didn’t want to take any risks for crashing in the first laps so I was passed by a few people. I was still top five but when I came across the finish line jump Shaun Simpson had fallen off in the rut in front of me and I jammed into his rear wheel. It meant I lost another load of time. It was difficult to ride and then on the last lap – heading down the hill – I took the outside line because it was the safest. Tyla was behind me and he went way too fast and lost control of the bike. He wiped me off the track big-time. I’m lucky I did not get hurt. I lost another few positions so it was a terrible day for us.”
Evgeny Bobryshev: Race Result: 7th/DNF Championship position: 9th – “I’m still suffering from my back injury from Arco and there is a lot of pain, even to move my right leg pulls all the muscles. In the first moto I was struggling for balance in all these deep ruts. I was too tense and made a stupid mistake on the last lap to let Boog pass me. The second moto was worse unfortunately. On the first lap somebody hit the rear of my bike and we both crashed. My throttle was a bit damaged from the mud and on one jump it stuck open and I went too far. I landed and went down again and this time the throttle broke and I had to retire. It was a disastrous day and to have three ‘0s’ in the championship is not good for me. I hope things will get better in these two weeks and I can get into good shape for Valkenswaard.”
Tim Gajser: Race Result: 6th/8th Championship position: 8th – “I had a bad start in the first race but felt good and was able to pass many riders to reach sixth. Coldenhoff was behind me but I was riding easy and precise. I got away a bit better in the second moto and reached fourth place but then started to get a bit of pain in my knee. A few riders got me and I finished eighth. It wasn’t a bad day even if I did start the weekend with a lot of crashes! We now have a weekend off before the sand.”
Yamaha Report
The premier MXGP class of the FIM Motocross World Championship continues to be a happy hunting ground for Yamaha Factory Racing and Jeremy Van Horebeek. The combination of the Belgian and the YZ450FM linked together positively at Sevlievo today to gain third position in the overall standings. The result meant a fourth rostrum appearance in the five rounds of eighteen in the 2014 term so far and brings JVH joint second in the MXGP standings.
Sevlievo was battered – and actually benefitted – from heavy rain in the lead-up to the Grand Prix. The weather helped to create a soft, rough and immensely rutted racing terrain with a plethora of grip. The hard-pack was mostly transformed into a technical and difficult layout and with modifications for 2014 (two new sections of turns) the course was slower compared to previous years and more of a challenge. The steep downhills and uphill drags still placed hard emphasis on engine and suspension performance but the possibility for riders to try different lines and make up time on their rivals was an important factor. On Sunday afternoon – midway through raceday – the rain started again and the second moto was run in muddy and slippery conditions.
Van Horebeek rolled into the start gate with second position after an effective outing in the qualification heat on Saturday (a day that saw the timetable amended to help the state of the track). A largely static first moto in the sunshine saw the Yamaha circulating in third place and Van Horebeek was frustrated to finally cross the line in fourth after a small crash (through a problem with his goggles and also a backmarker) allowed Kevin Strijbos to demote him by one slot. With the weather reversal for the second race JVH played a percentage game and rode smoothly and smartly to secure second and register his tenth consecutive top five finish for a final scorecard of 4-2 and the bottom step of the podium. Jeremy now guards second position in the MXGP championship table with Clement Desalle and is 28 points behind leader Tony Cairoli.
DP19 Yamaha Racing’s David Philippaerts was competing at the venue where he took his first victory for Yamaha back in 2008. The former World Champion didn’t enjoy the best of starts but produced two solid races on the fringes of the top ten to bag some valuable points. The Italian rode to 11th and 12th for 11th overall.
Bike it Yamaha Cosworth’s Rui Goncalves had a difficult day on the bumps. The Portuguese veteran had twinged his back in the first session on Saturday and had to complete the first day with painkillers. Rui came through the motos in discomfort but was able to dig out some effective results in the circumstances with a 13-9 delivering a top ten overall placing for the day.
The Grand Prix of the Netherlands will occur at the staple venue of Valkenswaard, near Eindhoven, in two weeks time.
Jeremy Van Horebeek – “This is not my favourite track and I have never been on the podium here before so I’m pretty stoked about this result. I struggled all weekend and was not feeling comfortable but together with the team we have made a great bike – which made things easier – so I’m really happy for that. We still need to work on the starts, and these have to get better if I want to win races. In the second moto it was not that muddy actually, more slick, and we were sliding a lot because the track was so hard. I rode like an enduro rider! Trying to be smooth and standing on the pegs a lot; this helped. Four podiums in four rounds now and Valkenswaard is close to my place. I love sand riding and I have worked a lot on this in the winter because I felt I was having difficulty with the MX1 bike. Now I feel good and I’m looking forward to going there.”
David Philippaerts – “Today things were a little bit better and I’m happy to have two solid motos. In the first one I was riding well, and finished eleventh. The speed was good, even if my start wasn’t from the thirteenth gate. In the second moto it was really difficult in that rain and especially when coming through the pack. I had some problems with the handlebar grip but anyway it was a consistent day. The bike was good, my form OK and the team is working well. Now we will push for Valkenswaard.”
Rui Goncalves – “I wasn’t happy on Saturday because I hurt my back and my right leg in the first practice. I got cross-rutted on one of the jumps and although I saved the crash I landed quite hard. I pulled a muscle. I could not ride at my best today I was tight and trying to protect my back. I knew it would be a tough one and wanted to survive it with as many points as I could. In the first moto I didn’t ride well but still made it up to thirteenth. In the second I was dead-last but rode smooth and kept on two wheels. I made positions and got up to ninth; that I was happy with. I’ll take this result and sort myself out in the next days. I hope to do some good training and we go to Valkenswaard next. I like the sand and I want to get steady and consistent in the top ten before we can reach forward.”
Kemea Yamaha Racing’s Petar Petrov was the standout performer for Yamaha in the MX2 division of the FIM Motocross World Championship as he rode to sixth position at a rutty and difficult-to-judge Sevlievo circuit for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria.
Sevlievo was under grey clouds and incessant rain during the days before the MXGP paddock rolled into town but the watering helped to soften the hard-pack. The effect on the track made the fast and hilly layout more technical and tacky but also extremely rough. 20,000 spectators took advantage of the Easter holiday weekend to take-up a vantage point on the Sevlievo slopes and were cheering on Petrov – locally born – as the only Grand Prix regular from Bulgaria on the international MXGP stage.
‘152’ gave the fans plenty to shout about. A first lap crash saw him restart from last position in the first moto but his speed and determination was inspiring. The nineteen year old fought all the way back to an excellent eighth place. In the second moto a more beneficial start meant he could concentrate on a higher slot. Rainfall descended midway through the afternoon and this changed the track conditions but Petrov was unstoppable and reached sixth spot for the same ranking overall for the day.
Team-mate Luke Styke was seventeenth as he continues a hard adaptation process to grand prix in his first international season and Bike it Yamaha Cosworth’s Max Anstie also had a tough day. The Briton is in the midst of a development programme with the team’s technology and was thirteenth overall with a 13-15 score.
In other news factory rider Christophe Charlier is taking positive steps in his recovery from a broken leg suffered at the Grand Prix of Thailand and will soon be able to concrete a firm return date to the GP track. Sevlievo saw the second round of the EMX125 championship (the second stop of eight) and steering the YZ125 was David Herbreteau who gunned the YRRD-kitted machine to his very first win at this level and was one of five YZ125 two-strokes in the top fifteen. Bulgaria also witnessed the launch of the EMX250 series – the final rung on the European ladder into MX2 GP racing – and Arnaud Aubin was the highest placed with tenth.
The shallow sand of Valkenswaard will be the next setting for the FIM Motocross World Championship and its support classes as the Grand Prix of the Netherlands will constitute round six of the calendar and the first of three meetings in May.
Petar Petrov – “Finally a good weekend, and it feels so much better doing it at my home race. Usually I ride bad over here but this year was really good! The track was so much different than other years. In the past it was fast and wide-open all the time but now there were deep ruts and you could make a difference. In the first moto I crashed after a couple of corners and was in last position. I put my head down and attacked as hard as I could. My speed was good and I enjoyed the race. The public was fantastic! They were cheering so hard and it literally gave me an extra boost. I finished 8th and was one of the fastest on the track, so that was good. In the second race my start was better. The track was tricky with the rain and I didn’t take too many risks. I finished 6th and had a good battle with Coldenhoff. I’m relieved I managed to finish two good races and this gives confidence for Valkenswaard, which suits me well.”
Max Anstie – “We not quite there yet and we need to work a bit more. The start of the season went well and we cannot afford to give away points like we did this weekend. We’ve got a couple of weeks now and we’ll see what we can do. I hope we’ll go to Valkenswaard with an open mind. The track was alright and quite cool. It was difficult, rutty and technical. I felt good about there and that’s the frustrating thing.”
Luke Styke – “Saturday went good for me. I had a good feeling on the track and finished 12th. On Sunday it was more difficult. The first moto I was in 15th for pretty much the whole race. On a jump I hurt my wrist a little and after that I rode tight and cautious so as to not to hit the wrist again. In the second race I was riding tight once more to finish 16th. Back to Belgium now and we will continue to work hard for the next race.”
Husqvarna Report
Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray recorded a season’s best sixth overall at round five of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Sevlievo, Bulgaria. Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre secured a top five result in MX2.
Scoring a season’s best of sixth overall in the MXGP category, Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray had a highly productive MXGP of Bulgaria. Despite a bad start in race one, Rattray, who continues to recover from a pre-season finger injury, steadily worked his way inside the top ten. Delivering a fast pace throughout the moto on his FC 350, the Husqvarna rider eventually finished eighth. With conditions deteriorating in race two due to the heavy rain, Rattray recorded his best race result of the season. Starting inside the top ten, he pushed hard to end the race in sixth position.
Struggling to find his form in race one, Todd Waters was unable to fair any better than 16th. But with the heavy rain turning the track into a mud bath in the second moto the Australian picked up his pace. Fighting his way from 15th up to sixth position, Waters looked set to secure his best result of the season until another rider collided with him resulting in a costly crash. Caked in mud, Waters slipped outside the top ten. Determined to finish the race on a high he battled his way back to eighth for 12th overall.
In the MX2 class, Frenchman Romain Febvre continued to deliver Husqvarna Motorcycles best result. Qualifying in a highly impressive third place, the Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing rider grabbed the all-important holeshot in race one. Fighting hard at the sharp end of the field, Febvre crossed the finish line in fifth. With rain falling in race two, Febvre was again fastest out of the gate as he claimed his second holeshot at the MXGP of Bulgaria. Holding third position for the majority of the race, Febvre was on course to record his second podium result of the season until the slippery conditions saw him crash with two laps to go. Remounting to finish the race in sixth, he ended his day in fifth overall.
For Aleksandr Tonkov, his MXGP of Bulgaria was one of mixed fortunes. Enjoying a race long battle for a top ten result in race one, the Russian eventually placed 10th. Victim of a first corner crash in race two, the Husqvarna rider spent the duration of the race fighting his way forward. Despite the increasingly difficult conditions he carved his way through the pack to finish ninth and end his GP in ninth overall.
The FIM Motocross World Championship continues with round six in Valkenswaard in The Netherlands on May 4th.
Tyla Rattray: “I’m really pleased with how things have gone this weekend. I feel like I’ve made a step in the right direction. Race one was going really well. I didn’t get the start I hoped for but was making up places as the race went on. I managed to get as high as seventh until I ran out of steam and slipped back to eighth. The heavy rain made race two a bit of a lottery but I got stuck in and enjoyed it. I found some good lines, stayed out of trouble and finished sixth. Overall I’m happy with my results, it’s been a big confidence boost for me.”
Todd Waters: “It’s been one heck of a weekend. Rain on Saturday left the track with some massive ruts and it was really technical to ride. I was out of my comfort zone a little in race one trying to deal with the ruts but I gave it my best shot. Even though I don’t get a lot of mud in Australia I had a lot of fun in race two. I got up as high as sixth but then crashed with another rider. Even though my gloves were caked in mud I kept pushing on and finished sixth.”
Romain Febvre: “I’m pleased with this weekend but at the same time I was hoping for a better result. Getting the holeshot twice was brilliant but I’m also frustrated to have missed out on a podium result because my speed was really good. I was riding strong in race two and held third position for most of the race until I had a small crash and lost my position. Fifth overall is good points for the championship but I want to get back on the podium again.”
Aleksandr Tonkov: “I seemed to have no luck on the first lap of either race. In race one I got boxed out on the first corner and had to fight my way back to 10th. Then in race two I got caught up in a crash in the first corner and was almost last to get going. I rode hard and ended the race ninth. I know my speed is good and my fitness is strong, I just needed a little better luck and things will come together for me.”
Rockstar Energy Suzuki
Rockstar Energy Suzuki’s MXGP Factory rider Clement Desalle kept pace with the leaders of the premier MXGP class as the Belgian grabbed fourth overall at Sevlievo for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria today; the fifth round of 18 in the FIM Motocross World Championship.
The Belgian took his works RM-Z450 to fifth and third positions in the two motos watched by 20,000 spectators and classified just ahead of team-mate Kevin Strijbos in fifth.
It was a day of two halves: The rutted-and-rough Bulgarian mud that had been chiselled through the presence of five racing categories through the weekend – and had been hit by rain during the week – was a different prospect to the flat hard-pack normally found at Sevlievo. The deep ruts were hard and demanding for the first motos but a deluge of rain arrived after lunch to make the second races a mud-fest.
Desalle, who won at Sevlievo in 2010, struggled to get a good feeling in the varying race conditions. The MXGP of Trentino-winner was a distant fifth in the first sprint. He was higher placed, third, in the second and was briefly applying pressure to the back of Jeremy Van Horebeek in the closing stages but could not rise up another position.
Strijbos showed some excellent speed to recover from a first-lap crash to secure sixth position in the qualification heat on Saturday. It set a common theme for the Belgian over the weekend; good pace blunted by less-than-ideal starts. Strijbos was able to profit from Van Horebeek’s mistake in the closing stages of the first moto to break into the top-three for the second time this season. He was again ‘on the chase’ in the second race and rode consistently in the wet. Strijbos tried to reach Paulin in fourth but a rapid pit-stop for more goggles did not help his cause.
Suzuki continues to push at the forefront of the Championship standings. Desalle is joint-second with 194 points, in arrears of Tony Cairoli with 222 while Strijbos is sixth. Round six of the series – on May 4th – is almost a home Grand Prix with Valkenswaard, near the south Dutch border, hosting the Netherlands stop on the calendar and a venue that is a short hop from the team’s Lommel base in Belgium.
Clement Desalle: “I don’t think the track conditions were acceptable. There were so many categories here this weekend. When you see the track it is one thing; when you ride it is another. I’m pretty sad about it. I managed to finish fourth but did not have a good feeling. When I’m not confident then it is easy to see it with my riding and the result also. The rain helped to slow the speed down. I had a good start and was second and riding quite within myself but I had crash and lost time. We need to make an analysis of how we performed in these conditions but a positive was the starts this weekend; again I was in the top-three.”
Kevin Strijbos: “I’m not happy with the top five. I was riding well this weekend. I was pressuring Van Horebeek all race and finally he crashed so I could take third and I was pleased with this. It started to rain before the second race and that was OK for me because I’m good in the mud. The track was tricky for passing and like many people I had problems with my goggles. With three laps to go I quickly came in to change and I almost managed to pass Paulin at the end. Overall I should have been on the podium with the speed I have. Things did not work out and for that I’m disappointed. I think the track was just part of racing. We always ask for ruts and lines and we had plenty today! I don’t think people can complain too much because it was not dangerous. You just had to pick the good line.”
Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe
The Grand Prix of Bulgaria drew the FIM Motocross World Championship up to the fifth round of 18 and the spectacular but rutted-out Sevlievo circuit was the stage on which Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Glen Coldenhoff took seventh position overall on his works RM-Z250.
Some 20,000 spectators found some dry spots on the Sevlievo hillside as decent weather on Saturday – and in the first part of race-day – dried the facility that had been hit by rain during the week. The effect of the showers on the track helped to create a bumpy and rutty surface for what is usually a hard-pack, one-lined racing course. The soil was softer than usually found at the impressive circuit near the small town of the same name and the riders enjoyed more traction; especially compared to the slick dirt found last week in Italy. From the middle of the afternoon on Sunday, the black skies returned and the second moto for the MX2 collective was a muddier and deceptive greasy challenge.
Coldenhoff, holder of three consecutive podium finishes and just six points from the very top of the MX2 championship standings, struggled to get going around the altered Bulgarian layout. His starts were not terrible but neither near the point of putting him in contention for the holeshot. From his top-10 slots around the opening laps of both dry and wet motos, Coldenhoff reached seventh position twice for the same ranking overall.
Jeremy Seewer backed-up his personal best finishes at the Grand Prix of Trentino last week with another solid display: The rookie was forced wide on the first turn of Moto1 and was actually part of an opening corner pile-up in Moto2 but both times rallied through the pack to register ninth and 10th positions by the chequered flag.
Julien Lieber is striving for confidence and some racing-form to match his ability and potential for top-10 results. In Bulgaria, the young Belgian was returning to the scene of his knee injury in 2013 that unfortunately cast him to the sidelines for the rest of that season. Lieber scored a decent 11th in the first moto but was part of the same crash as Seewer at the start of the second and manfully completed the rest of the race without a rear fender and a damaged set of handlebars. He at least bagged some points with 18th.
Sevlievo saw yet another almost-full compliment of the Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe team in action: Brian Hsu joined the ranks and racked-up combined results of third on Saturday afternoon and fifth Sunday morning with his RM125. The teenager was slightly disappointed with the second race in which some mistakes and discomfort around the track meant he was unable to catch the top three. Hsu has accumulated 69 points after two races and faces a 26 gap to Davy Pootjes at the top of the table.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe will now switch its attention to domestic competition with the first round of eight in the German ADAC MX Masters championship starting in Drehna next weekend before the Grand Prix of the Netherlands awaits at Valkenswaard on May 4th.
Glenn Coldenhoff: “For sure tough! The track was really difficult and I was struggling all weekend long. In the first moto I gave it my ‘all’ but finished in seventh; not good and I’m disappointed but I did the best I could. The second moto was better but still not what it should be. I passed Ferrandis and got caught in a rut. It dragged my gear lever and hit the bike into neutral. It cost me a lot of time. So, I’m disappointed but it is my home GP next and I will be going very hard for payback there. I have two weeks of training now and two races next weekend which I have chosen to do in order to get some mileage but in between we will be doing what we can to be ready for Valkenswaard.”
Jeremy Seewer: “Not too bad today; first race ninth and second race 10th and my speed was there but my starts were not the best. I got pushed-out in the first corner of the first moto and was knocked down in the second! I came back well in the first race and I was battling with Anstie. I was happy with my fitness. In the second I did what I could from the back of the pack and my pace was really good. Even though I was a little bit unlucky, I will try to be further ahead in the starts. I think one problem was the muddy ground just outside of the gate and the only way to avoid it was to go for a slot right on the outside which I did not want. Anyway I’m happy with the speed and that’s the most important thing.”
Julien Lieber: “A hard day but the top-10 is getting closer. I didn’t have much luck today and in the second moto it felt like half of the gate was on top of me in the first corner. I had to come back as hard as I could in both motos. The results are not good but I am doing what I can to take confidence and be better.”
Brian Hsu: “I’m a little bit disappointed. I preferred the track more today than yesterday. It was drier whereas yesterday it was too tacky. I rode tight in the second moto and was making mistakes. It meant I could not catch the others and I should have been further forward. I’m getting points in the championship but I came here to win and didn’t manage that. We will look at the reasons why and try to put it right for the next round.”
