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Beaton wraps up 2020 in fourth at MXGP of Garda Trentino

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2020 MXGP

MXGP of Garda Trentino – Round 18

As the races of the MXGP of Garda Trentino finished for the day, it concluded an intense season of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, which saw Champions decided a round early, when Team HRC’s Tim Gajser claimed his fourth World Title in MXGP and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle secured his very first Championship in MX2.

Tim Gajser claimed another round win to close out the season

For the final round this shifted the focus onto who would finish the season off with a medal alongside the two victors, with Tim Gajser also presented with the MXGP Trophy, wrapped with plagues which are engraved with all the world champions’ names from 1957 until now in the main class.

Tim Gajser took the overall round win, narrowly beating Romain Febvre on account of a final race victory, with both riders taking a win and a runner up position a-piece. Gautier Paulin took the final podium position, from Jeremy Seewer, both on 38-points and with identical results, but Paulin the better performer in the final race.

Tim Gajser

“As I’ve said many times, I was super happy to win my fourth world title on Wednesday. Today, my goal was just to go out there and have fun and we did that, winning the last overall of the year and it couldn’t have gone better. I want to say a huge thank you to all my team who have worked so hard and put in so much effort. In March, we did two GPs in Matterley and Valkenswaard and they went well, but then we had a long break and when we returned, I wasn’t feeling good, I was struggling. Now, the second half of the season I found good speed, I was consistent, and I was able to win the title.”

Tim Gajser

Second and third in the MXGP championship were also still up for grabs, with Jeremy Seewer claiming the silver medal on the day with the addition of 38-championship points to his name. Tony Cairoli had a mixed weekend, with sixth in Race 1, but no points in Race 2. It was enough for the bronze medal however.

Romain Febvre was fourth overall, followed by Gautier Paulin. Jorge Prado was sixth, Clement Desalle seventh, Glenn Coldenhoff eighth, and Jeremy Van Horebeek and Brian Bogers ninth and 10th respectively. Despite still being out injured Mitch Evans finished the season in 14th.

In MX2 Tom Vialle was already crowned champion and Jago Geerts had cemented his place as runner up, with the final championship podium position between Maxime Renaux and Australian Jed Beaton.

While Ben Watson won the MX2 round overall from Tom Vialle and Maxime Renaux, Jed Beaton finished fourth, four-points behind Renaux. Unfortunately for Beaton that left him in fourth overall – an amazing result nevertheless, while Renaux’s 581 championship points was enough to claim the bronze.

Ben Watson

“I really want to congratulate the whole team. They work really hard and it’s really nice for me and Jago to give them a 1-2 on the podium. It is a little bit difficult to pass out there, but I have been feeling really good on the bike. I had a mediocre start in the first race, but I came through good and then in the second one, I took a good start and it’s always a nice race when you can battle with your teammate up front. I finished second, but I am really happy with second overall.”

Ben Watson

Overall Beaton enjoyed a highly positive year in 2020. Showing race-winning speed throughout the season, he came agonisingly close to a maiden overall win at the penultimate round. Proving to be a capable racer on any surface, the 22-year-old claimed three overall podium finishes, along with nine moto podiums and was the first rider in the standings to score points in every race. A memorable season with many career milestones reached.

Jed Beaton

“It’s been great to end the year with a runner-up finish in the last moto of the season. I had a great start and challenged for the win, so it’s positive to end the season like this. It’s a shame about the first moto but moto two proved I can be up there with a good start. It’s been a long season. Many ups and downs but all in all it’s been a positive year for me and the team. Having completed a full season I know what it takes now and I know what I need to work on over the winter ahead of 2021. I’m actually really glad that we got a season in as at one point it looked like we weren’t going racing at all. The three GPs in a week, that was different, racing so frequently was different, but it was always a good time and it’s been a lot of work for the team as well as myself. The team has done a phenomenal job with such a tight schedule. It can’t have been easy so credit to them, they’ve done an awesome job.”

Jet Beaton

Bailey Mailkiewicz finished 15th in Race 1, improving to ninth in Race 2, and was 11th overall for the weekend, claiming 18-championship points. This saw him finish the 2020 season in 14th overall.

MXGP

The MXGP races saw great battles, especially between Gajser and Romain Febvre, who challenged the four-time world Champions in both of the heats, one of which he won. But it was Gajser who finished the 2020 season with his fifth Grand Prix victory at the MXGP of Garda Trentino, with a 2-1 result.

Tim Gajser

Febvre was forced to settled for second with a win in the opening heat, that saw him chase down Gajser, before passing him on lap 6 and lead the race until the end, to take his second race win of the year. In race two, the Kawasaki rider worked hard to get around a couple of riders before catching up to Gajser once again, though this time he could not make a pass stick and eventually dropped the gap, to finish the race in second.

Romain Febvre

It was also a special day for Gautier Paulin who lined up for the last MXGP races of his professional racing career. The Frenchman battled well inside the top five in both heats and finished race one in fourth and race two in third position, after a battle with his teammates Jeremy Seewer and Arnaud Tonus. He claimed the third step on the podium, his second podium this season, on his final GP.

Gautier Paulin

Clement Desalle and Tanel Leok also took part in their final MXGP of their careers, with Desalle narrowly missing out on a podium spot, as he was tied on points with Seewer in fifth, and Leok finishing 21st overall.

With Gajser crowned as world champion at the previous round, this left the door open for second and third in the championship standings, which was to be decided between Seewer and Antonio Cairoli.

Jeremy Seewer

Seewer had a strong first race, starting well inside the top five and then worked hard to get past his teammate, Tonus, for third. While Seewer finished third, Cairoli placed sixth, giving Seewer a one-point advantage heading into race two. As the gate dropped for the second heat, Seewer was able to get another good start and squeeze into the lead, before being passed by Gajser, Febvre and then eventually Paulin.

Romain Febvre

Cairoli had a dramatic start to the second race, which saw him pushed out wide in the first corner, as he hit the bank, which as a result caused unrepairable damage to his bike and forced him out of the race, meaning he could not fight for the silver medal. All while Seewer had another strong race to finish fourth and cement himself as this year’s vice world champion, for the second season in a row.

Tim Gajser – 2020 Champion

“I want to say a huge thanks to everyone, to all my team, we were really working hard, and everybody was putting so much effort into preparing the bike, getting better and better. The last couple of GPs I started to find good speed and started to put consistent races together and win the title, so I’m super happy and I want to say congratulations to all the guys here, but also to Gautier [Paulin] for an amazing career, wishing you all the best in the next chapter.”

Tim Gajser
Jeremy Seewer – 2020 Runner-up

“It was a strange year for us, starting that early and then a big break. But, Valkenswaard was really horrible, I scored seven points and I think that’s one of the worst GPs in many years for me, so it was hard to not race for that long after a GP like that, because you would love to go back the next day and show different. Somehow, I did my homework and put many good races together after that, had some awesome races in Latvia, won my first races in Faenza and stuff like this. I definitely made a step and improved. I could battle with these guys. Overall Tim [Gajser] was the man, he put things together, especially for the last few races and he was just that little better but overall for me, I’m happy, I got second today in the championship, ok the thing I wanted was first but I can’t wait now to get back to work and for next year.”

Jeremy Seewer
Antonio Cairoli – 2020 P3 Overall

“I’m really happy. It’s another season that I finish on the podium, my fourteenth season that I finish on the podium, so it’s something amazing, after so many years of racing. Of course, Tim [Gajser] was very difficult to beat this year, especially in the last part of the season, he was very strong. After Latvia, my knee was getting worse every time, so I couldn’t really train, so for me it’s really important and I lost a little bit of fitness and confidence because when the track gets rough and slippery, I need to slow down. In the end, we are all ok and that is the most important thing, ok we lost second place but we try to look forward to the next year, we have another season to see what we can do.”

Antonio Cairoli
Romain Febvre – 2020 P4 Overall

“It’s always nice to end the season on the podium and go into the winter feeling confident for next year. I had a nice battle with Tim in the first moto and could catch him for the win; I think he hoped to pick up on my lines when I passed him but I could keep him behind me and I knew it would be all on the second moto for the overall GP win. My start wasn’t bad in the second moto but also not as good as Tim’s; I could see him in front so I knew I needed to pass the other guys quickly. He had a gap of nearly four seconds when I got to second; I was pushing but I couldn’t see anywhere to make up the time and in the end I fell just before the waves with five minutes to go. I was still a safe second but the chance of victory was gone.“

Romain Febvre
Gautier Paulin – 2020 P5 Overall

“It was a pretty tough day today. In the first moto, the rider next to me anticipated the start too soon, and that made me move too soon for the start, and then right after the gate a rider cut across. I started from really far back after that, but I made my way back to the top-10. The riding was good, but it was difficult to make a good result after a start like that. In the second moto, we had a red flag on the first lap, and hopefully the rider involved is well and the injury is not too bad. After that we had to start with dirty tyres and I had a big spin on the mesh, so I didn’t start so good. On this type of track, it’s hard to pass, everyone forms a train. Here it is really important to have a good start, but on the bright side, the pace is good and physically I feel good.”

Gautier Paulin

MXGP Results

Source: MCNews.com.au

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Gajser & Vialle crowned 2020 Champions at Pietramurata

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2020 MXGP

MXGP of Pietramurata – Round 17

The 2020 MXGP of Pietramurata in Italy proved to be a day of champions as Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle claimed the MXGP and MX2 World titles, both in the opening races of the GP and with a round to spare.

Tim Gajser and team celebrate the world title win

Tim Gajser 2020 MXGP Champion

For Gajser, the 2020 season came with ups and downs. The Slovenian looked strong in the first two rounds in Matterley Basin and Valkenswaard, where he finished second both times. But then we saw him struggle in Latvia, as the season resumed, before he turned things around for the MXGP of Lombardia where he finally got his hands on the red plate. He then got his first overall victory two rounds later during the MXGP of Europe in Mantova, before following that up with a string of podiums and race wins.

The Slovenian turned the red plate gold, as he claimed his fourth world title with a fourth overall Grand Prix victory of the season, along with a 14th heat win in race two. The stats for Gajser are pretty impressive in 2020, he has 13 podiums to his name, has led a total of 205 laps along with eight pole positions this season, more than any other rider in the category.

Tim Gajser

Trentino is a circuit that Gajser knows how to win at, as he secured his first ever Grand Prix victory in Pietramurata back in 2015, the same year he asserted his first world title in MX2 and then followed it up with an MXGP world title in Charlotte, USA, during his rookie season in the 450cc class. Title number three came last season in Imola, as he wrapped things up three rounds early and now his fourth at the MXGP of Pietramurata during the penultimate round of the year.

Tim Gajser – 2020 MXGP Champion

“It feels unbelievable to be world champion for a fourth time. Winning one time is amazing, but four times, I’m just speechless. It was a weird season with the COVID-19 and then the break between the rounds two and three, but in the end, everything came together and we won another title! Racing today was very nice, in the first race, I didn’t have the best start but I was still able to come through the field and finish second and that meant that if I could win race two, I would take the overall. In the second moto I grabbed the holeshot and then had a really good battle with Romain all the way to the chequered flag. We were pushing the whole time so I’m super happy to win this title and the overall on the same day. A big thanks to the whole of Team HRC, there are a lot of people who are involved who couldn’t be here today so a big thank you to all of them and to everyone who has supported me all year long. It is a privilege to ride for this team and I appreciate every single person who has helped me. Thank you!”

Tim Gajser

MX2 crowns Tom Vialle Champion a round early

Meanwhile in MX2, Vialle had a close battle with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts all season long. Geerts was the early championship leader, though by the second round Vialle was able to take over the spot and retain that position, as he swapped the red plate for a gold one. He confirmed his first world title with a confident race win, which saw him take the Fox Holeshot from the outside. This was his 13th heat win of the season and while the Frenchman missed out on a spot on the podium, the only thing that mattered was the championship.

Tom Vialle

Last year, Vialle joined the Red Bull KTM Factory squad and was already a key player in the championship. His first podium in MX2 came in Uddevalla during the MXGP of Sweden, last season and he ended the season fourth, just 5 points down on Geerts. This season, the Frenchman entered as the leading factory KTM rider and he took on the role with confidence as he racked up a total of seven GP wins, his first at the MXGP of the Netherlands, 13 podiums and led a total of 309 laps. He is also this year’s winner of the Fox Holeshot Awards with a total of 20 points, with one round remaining.

Tom Vialle – 2020 MX2 Champion

“I’m so happy but there have been a lot of emotions today. I was a bit angry with the verdict this morning but to make the holeshot and lead the first moto was fantastic. I was almost crying on the last lap. There was so much emotion. It was really special. Crazy. In the second moto I was around sixth position and someone hit me and bent the gear shifter under the bike. I was stuck in second gear. I tried hard to get the bike into third but it was not possible, so I had to come into the pits. I still finished the moto. It was a bit of a shame because I was feeling so good today. Sometimes bad luck happens though. The important thing is that we achieved our goal. I want to say a big thanks to the whole team and everybody who worked together to make this happen. It was tiring to have a lot of races so close together and also keep the concentration through the training. I think we did it pretty good.”

Tom Vialle

Jed Beaton claimed third overall in MX2, with a second-place finish in race one followed up with a solid fourth in moto two, earning the Australian a well-deserved place on the final step of the podium, just one-point away from the eventual GP winner Jago Geerts who cemented his MX2 championship runner up position, and tied on points with Ben Watson. Beaton currently sits 13-points off Maxime Renaux in the standings, a gap he’ll need to close in the final round this weekend to end the season on the overall podium in third.

Jed Beaton

“I gave everything I had in that second moto. I knew the overall was there and I just rode as hard as I could, but it wasn’t to be. It’s disappointing that I couldn’t get it done but at the same time I’m happy to be back on the podium. It’s great for the team too. They’ve been working really hard and it’s nice to pay them back with a solid result. One more round to go so I’m looking to end the season with another podium.”

Jed Beaton

Bailey Malkiewicz had a consistent weekend with two 12th place results, to claim 11th overall for the round. He now sits 16th in the MX2 standings.

MXGP

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser sealed his fourth world title in style, with a 2-1 result that saw him take to the top step of the box. Following a tough start to the first race, Gajser was able to make a good recovery, passing Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Alessandro Lupino and Brent Van Doninck. The Slovenian caught up to the race leader, Jeremy Seewer of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing, who he pushed until the end, though could not manage to get around the Swiss. But a second-place finish was enough for him to secure the gold plate.

Tim Gajser

In race two (the re-run), Gajser was able to get a good jump out of the gate and grab the Fox Holeshot to then lead every lap of the race, despite immense pressure from Romain Febvre of Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team, to claim his 14th race win of 2020.

There was a re-start of the second MXGP race, due to a red flag which was caused by an incident involving Gajser and Honda SR Motoblouz rider Jeremy Van Horebeek, who was taken off track, but luckily walked back to the camper in decent conditions.

MXGP Start

Seewer finished second overall, the Swiss was looking strong all day, as he took his first pole position in time practice, then managed to grab the Fox Holeshot in race one and lead the race from gate drop to chequered flag. This was his 3rd heat win of the year. Then in the second race, the factory Yamaha rider was able to grab another good start, though was quickly passed by Febvre for P2 and eventually finished the race in 3rd, which gave him a solid overall result, to keep third position in the championship standings, just 4 points behind Cairoli.

Jeremy Seewer

Febvre was the last rider to claim a podium spot, as he worked hard in race one to get up to 5th and then in race two had a much better start, inside the top 5 and made some quick passes on the opening lap to get behind Gajser, where he kept him tight all race long. The Frenchman really applied the pressure onto the 4-time world champion, though in the end was forced to settle for 2nd, which put him third overall.

Romain Febvre

With Gajser crowned champion, the door is now wide open for the vice-champion position. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli had not such a bad day, though may not have been what he had expected, following an overall victory last time around. The Italian finished the first race 6th after a crash while pushing Seewer for the lead, though he did try to re-group and had some nice battles with Lupino and Febvre. While in the second race we saw the 9-time world champion battle with Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing’s Clement Desalle though he could not get around the Belgian and had to settle for 5th. This has allowed Seewer to close in, in terms of championship points, as there’s only 4 points in it, heading into the final round.

It was a good day for Alessandro Lupino who took a season best result in race one as he crossed the line in 3rd. Race two was a bit tougher for the local rider, who finished 11th which gave him 6th overall.

Tim Gajser – 2020 MXGP Champion

“It feels just unbelievable. Like I said many times, winning one is incredible but now four is just…speechless. I’m really happy. It was a weird season, but anyway in the end everything came together, and we won another title. In the first race, I was already struggling with the clutch and was riding without the clutch the whole race, finishing second. Then in the second race, I had a nice battle with Romain [Febvre] who was really pushing and I’m super happy to win the title and the overall on the same day.”

Tim Gajser
Jeremy Seewer – P2

“First pole position and then got a great start…I’ve been second many times in qualifying this year so it didn’t really matter for the start, it is just a good feeling to be on pole and then after an amazing first race, Tim [Gajser] had some technical problems, so hats off to him for riding that fast without a clutch and also congratulations on the world championship, he’s done great this year. Anyway, I’m really happy, solid results, second overall and good points for the championship, especially on this kind of track, where I kind of struggled the last few years and not got a podium here, not even in my MX2 days, so it felt great. I know it’s going to go between me and Tony [Cairoli] for the vice world championship, but honestly I hope for some more races like today. I mean my goal was to be up front and win, to be on the podium and I will hope to do the same on Sunday.”

Jeremy Seewer
Romain Febvre – P3

“Last Sunday, I had a really bad first race, crashed at the start so I was last and then crashed two more times after that. Anyway, today in the first race, I didn’t really get the start and came back to 5th, so I was really happy about my riding, but I knew they key was the start. We focused for the second start and I had a really good start, maybe third or something, and moved to second quick and battled with Tim [Gajser] for the whole race, congrats to him on the championship of course and today’s win, he was the best this year.”

Romain Febvre

Gajsers injured teammate, Australian Mitch Evans congratulated him on a great season.

Mitch Evans

“It has been a great season for Tim, and he thoroughly deserves to win this title. He works extremely hard and I couldn’t be happier for him and the whole team. It is a great group of people here and having now experienced the atmosphere this year, I am really happy to be here again next year. The injury is progressing really well and I’m aiming to come into 2021 just how I started this year, knowing that I’ll be riding a championship-winning bike.”

MXGP Results

Source: MCNews.com.au

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Cairoli wins MXGP of Trentino | Beaton P4 in MX2

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2020 MXGP

Grand Prix of Trentino – Round 16

MXGP rolled into Pietramurata over the weekend for the 2020 MXGP of Trentino, the first of the final three rounds to be held in Italy, with plenty of surprises in store, including a new race winner of 2020 in MXGP.

Tony Cairoli celebrates with his team

Antonio Cairoli claimed his 92nd GP victory on home soil, while championship rival, Tim Gajser, was forced to settle for second, after taking a comfortable race win in the first heat but struggling to get a good start in the second race which made things tough. But it was Clement Desalle of Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team who was the man of the day, as he made his first podium appearance since the MXGP of the Netherlands in 2019. The Belgian took an incredible race win in the second race, to confirm his spot in third on the box.

Cairoli topped the podium from Gajser and Desalle

Gajser (626) currently leads the MXGP standings from Cairoli (553) and Jeremy Seewer (535), with Romain Febvre fourth on 487, and Jorge Prado fifth on 476.

In MX2, Jago Geerts made his return to the top step of the podium, following some tough races during his home rounds in Lommel. Geerts took a fourth in race one, and a race win in the second heat which gave him the advantage for the overall.

Jago Geerts

Joining him was Thomas Kjer Olsen, who proved that he has the speed to win races in Pietramurata, as he claimed the victory in the opening heat and then a fourth in race two, for second overall on the day. The last rider to take to the podium was the championship leader, Tom Vialle who finished the races second and third, after a couple of small mistakes, including the crash in the second heat, which cost him the race win.

Australian Beaton held strong to claim a solid third place in moto one after an impressive turn of speed during the early stages of the race. Coming together with another rider in the first turn resulted in a poor start for Beaton in race two, and he had to fight back into 10th by the end of lap two, before advancing to eighth by the halfway stage of the race. Unfortunate to lose a position in the closing stages of the moto, Jed’s ninth-place finish rewarded him with fourth overall.

Jed Beaton – P4

“It’s been a decent day for me. Overall, I feel really good on the bike, it was just a shame that I clipped someone at the start of race two. I felt great in race one, really comfortable and was on the pace, but third was the best that I could do in that one. I was looking forward to another good result in race two but it wasn’t to be. Two more rounds here though and I’m ready to get in the battle again.”

Jed Beaton

Fellow Australian Bailey Malkiewicz had a mixed weekend, with a strong Race 1 result, finishing in 12th for nine championship points, however 24th in Race 2 meant he had to settle for 18th overall.

Vialle now leads the MX2 standings on 693, with Geerts on 620 and Maxime Renaux third on 505. Thomas Kjer Olsen is fourth, a point ahead of teammate Jed Beaton, the duo on 489 and 488 respectively. Malkiewicz now holds 16th.

MXGP Race 1

In the opening MXGP race it was Gajser who claimed the first Fox Holeshot of the day, as he led Cairoli, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Arnaud Tonus and Jeremy Seewer, and Alessandro Lupino of Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing.

Tim Gajser claimed the Race 1 holeshot

Meanwhile, Brian Bogers of Marchetti Racing KTM, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre and Evgeny Bobryshev of PAR Homes RFX Husqvarna, were among the riders who went down in the first turn.

As Gajser and Cairoli checked out of the race, Seewer was working away at his teammate, Tonus for third. It took six laps to get around him, by which point the top two were too far ahead for him to have a chance to go for higher positions, which meant Seewer had to settle for third.

Jeremy Seewer

Febvre was making good progress as he got himself back into points after the first corner crash, though he went down once again which meant he had to re-group again. Eventually he finished the race in 14th.

Gajser though edged out lap after lap, to eventually win the race by 7.891 seconds over Cairoli, with Seewer crossing the line in third, a further 22.214 seconds down.

Tim Gajser

Things got interesting towards the end of the race, as Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Gautier Paulin put on a late charge to pass Lupino for 5th on lap 14 and then he also got Tonus for 4th with two laps to go.

MXGP Race 2

In the second heat, it was Cairoli who claimed his first Fox Holeshot of the season, though the Italian lost a bit of ground in the second corner, which allowed Seewer to sneak through into the lead.

Tony Cairoli took his first holeshot of the season in Race 2

Seewer didn’t lead for long, as he crashed out, which allowed Desalle to take first place. The Swiss was able to quickly pick himself up to re-join the race in 5th.

Gajser had a tough start to the race and was down in 7th on the opening laps, though made a couple of good passes on Lupino and JM Honda Racing’s Dylan Walsh, to get onto the rear wheel of Seewer and Paulin.

Gautier Paulin

Paulin, Seewer and Gajser then had a nice three-way fight for 3rd and after 9 laps of trying, the Slovenian was eventually able to pass Seewer to move into 4th, though he couldn’t quite get Paulin, who managed to hold on to a solid 3rd place.

But all eyes were on the two leaders, Desalle and Cairoli. The pair held a nice tight gap throughout the race, with the close battle giving us all flashback moments to the days when the Belgian and the Italian fought one another for world titles. Though Desalle was able to ride a calm and controlled race to take his first race win since MXGP of Russia in 2018.

Clement Desalle

With two GP’s remaining, Gajser continues to lead the MXGP Championship by 73 points, over Cairoli and Seewer, who is a further 18 points down in third.

Antonio Cairoli – P1

“I’m really happy to win the overall and to ride with Clement in the second moto; it was like a few years ago when we used to fight for the title! We were riding fast today. It’s always good to win in Italy but it’s not the same without any public so thanks to all those who were supporting from home. We’ll try to do our best for the rest of the championship. Tim is far ahead but we’ll try to enjoy the last two races and see what happens.”

Antonio Cairoli
Tim Gajser – P2

“Overall I am quite happy with how things went. The first race was almost perfect, getting the holeshot and then making a gap at the beginning. Tony was pushing to start with but I managed to increase the gap every lap and controlled the race to take the win. In the second race I messed up the jump out of the gate and had a couple of difficult moments in the first lap as I battled through the field. I tried to take it easy at the beginning, not rush things and not make a mistake. In the end I came back to fourth place which was good enough for second overall. I did try everything to make the pass for third, which would have been good enough for first but I couldn’t quite make it happen. It was still a good result though and there are four motos left to go, so I will keep focused and try do my best.”

Tim Gajser
Clement Desalle – P3

“It’s a really nice moment. I have continued to believe in myself and back at the truck after the first moto I even said to my team that I felt I could be fourth or fifth; mathematically even perhaps the podium was possible. That second moto will stay in my memory for a long time. I got a good start in third; I could pass Toni in a corner and then Jeremy made a mistake and I was leading. It’s a feeling I didn’t have for a long time; it was so nice and I appreciate it. I took it lap-by-lap. In the beginning I was making some mistakes in one sector; I didn’t have a good line there at first but I found a better one. After that I was really happy with my riding; I found a good rhythm and stayed focused. Toni came back at me some laps but I went again and with a few laps to go I realised that perhaps I could do it to the end. I gave what I had and I did it ! I’m super happy; such a nice feeling. I will take the next two GPs race-by-race but for sure I know what I can do and I would like another podium and another race win.“

Clement Desalle
Gautier Paulin – P4

“We are in good shape, with the bike, and myself too. No regrets today, I had really good rhythm, it was really tough to pass. I woke up a little bit too late in first moto to get back to third place. I came really close to Jeremy (Seewer) but it was too late to attack. In the second race I had quite a good start. I came close to the podium and I did everything I could to make the box, unfortunately it didn’t work out, but I still feel really good. It was a really good race. I know we can’t always make the podium, but the riding was strong, and I leave here happy today. We still have two more times to enjoy Trentino so there is still a lot to look forward to.”

Gautier Paulin
Jeremy Seewer – P5

“I threw away a podium or a really good result in the second moto when I crashed out of the lead, but overall it was a super solid day. I had good results with no big mistakes, it’s a fast track and everyone is running quite a similar pace. Fourth or fifth overall is not where I want to be, I want to be on the podium and battling up front, but still some solid points.”

Jeremy Seewer

MXGP Results

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Jed Beaton P8 at MXGP of Lommel | Gajser sweeps MXGP

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2020 MXGP

Round 15 – MXGP of Lommel – Belgium

The weekend saw the running of the 2020 MXGP of Lommel, as the final round of the Belgian triple-header, with a new track layout introduced to up the ante in sectors three and four, upping the tempo of the races, while adding an additional challenge for riders.

In MXGP it was Tim Gajser claiming top honours, winning both races, with Romain Febvre runner up in both races for second overall. Jeremy Seewer completed the overall podium, going 4-3.

Tim Gajser

Tim Gajser extended his standings lead as a result, now leading Tony Cairoli by 74-points, 583 to 509. Jeremy Seewer sits third on 499-points, while Jorge Prado was unable to compete in MX2 after testing positive for COVID-19 and was in self-isolation. The rest of his Red Bull KTM team had returned negative test results, however he dropped to fourth. Mitch Evans, still out with injury, sits 13th in the standings as the top Aussie.

The MX2 class was hard fought with Ben Watson and Roan Van De Moosdijk sharing the wins, with just eight-points separating the top six. Watson came out on top adding a fourth place result to his win for the overall on 43-points. Van De Moosdijk had to settle for second on 40-points, with Maxime Renaux third, ahead of Thomas Kjer Olsen, GasGas’s Isak Gifting and Tom Vialle.

Roan Van De Moosdijk took one of the MX2 race wins

Jed Beaton was inside the top-10 in eighth, claiming 27 championship points. He had a consistent day, not getting the best jump from the start in race one, and moving up through the ranks throughout the race, before making the pass for seventh on lap 13, Jed then chased Roan Van De Moosdijk to the chequered flag to end his race in seventh.

Moto two saw a much better start for the FC 250 rider. Moving into ninth early in the race, Jed progressed into seventh at the halfway stage of the race as he found his rhythm around the demanding Lommel track. Losing just one position as the moto neared the end, he finished eighth.

Jed Beaton

“A disappointing day today. Not my greatest day of racing but I’m healthy, which is important with three rounds to go. I found my flow in both races but not until towards the end, which was frustrating. By then there was a big gap ahead of me in each race. Overall, I felt like my riding was good, it just took me a little while to get going. Looking forward to some hardpack next weekend in Italy.”

Jed Beaton

Bailey Malkiewicz took 13th overall for 12-points, racing to 16th in Race 1, and improving that result to 14th in Race 2.

In terms of the championship, Geerts has lost some ground on Vialle who now heads into the final three rounds with a 74-point advantage, with Renaux down in third with 476 points. Beaton now sits fourth on 456-points, with fellow Australian Bailey Malkiewicz 16th on 119.

The world series now heads to Pietramurata in the north Italian province of Trentino next weekend for the last of five triple-header GPs which will complete the eighteen-round series.

MXGP Race 1

In the opening race, it was Gajser who claimed the Fox Holeshot. He was closely followed by Seewer and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli, who wasted no time to pass into second by the end of the opening lap. Febvre also went through on Seewer on the opening lap, pushing him down to fourth.

Romain Febvre

Febvre then passed Cairoli and put in some solid laps, as he worked away at the 3.906 second gap between himself and the race leader. A lap later the gap was halved as just 1.716 was in it between the Honda and Kawasaki rider.

Seewer was pushing to go after Cairoli, in the early stages of the race, to claim back third, though eventually lost a bit of ground on the 9-time world champion.

Tony Cairoli

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Arnaud Tonus was having a really solid ride in the opening race, as he went after Jordi Tixier of JT911 for fifth. At one point in the race the factory Yamaha riders, Seewer, Tonus and Gautier Paulin were fourth, fifth and sixth in the race, before Paulin found a way through on his teammate, who came into the goggle lane towards the end of the race and lost a couple of more spots.

Gajser and Febvre kept things close for the first half of the race, though towards the latter stages, the HRC rider showed that he was on another level as he edged out further and by the end finishing the race with a 22.638 second gap. Febvre was second and Cairoli in a solid third. Seewer settled for fourth, while his teammate Paulin finished behind him in fifth.

Tim Gajser

Marchetti Racing Team KTM’s Brian Bogers and Tixier both had a solid race to finish sixth and seventh.

MXGP Race 2

Race two saw Gajser out in the lead once again, with Tonus, Febvre, Seewer and SR Honda Motoblouz rider Jeremy Van Horebeek also getting a good start. Meanwhile Cairoli had an unlucky beginning to the heat, as he picked himself up in last after crashing in the first couple of corners.

Tony Cairoli

There was also drama for Gajser on the opening lap, as he went down while in first, which allowed Seewer to quickly sneak into the lead. The Swiss led briefly as Febvre pushed hard to get around him and eventually moved into first.

Tim Gajser

Febvre then edged away from Seewer, while Gajser was making his way back up the order as he caught onto the back of Van Horebeek. It took a couple of laps for Gajser to get around the #89 and when he was eventually able to do so he then went after Tonus who was third at the time.

By lap 5 Gajser was already ahead of Tonus, as he set his sights on Seewer. The Slovenian carved his way around the deep sand in impressive fashion, and two laps later was up in second, as Seewer dropped to third.

Arnaud Tonus

With 10 minutes on the clock the gap was 6.168 between Febvre and Gajser, though Gajser was able to take almost two seconds out of the Frenchman by the next lap and then worked away at the gap even further and by lap 11, the Honda rider, was the new race leader.

With three laps to go, Tonus came under fire from Paulin and Van Horebeek, though Van Horebeek did not finish the race due to what looked like a bike issue.

Romain Febvre

In the end it was Gajser who claimed a double race win, with Febvre second and Seewer third.

Tim Gajser – P1

“I’m very happy with how the whole week went. All three rounds my speed was good and I was enjoying the riding. In the first moto I took a really important holeshot because it was raining and the track was wet so it was a lot easier to ride in front rather than get roosted. At the beginning Romain was pushing but I managed to get a good gap and control the race. The second race I got the holeshot again but on the first lap I fell after getting sideways. I went back to seventh or so and it took me a couple of laps to regroup a bit. Then I found some good lines, made some passes and worked all the way back into the lead. I was riding really well and I’m super happy to go one-one here and finish off this week with such a good performance. A big thanks to everyone in the team who continues to work so hard in these difficult times, and I’m really looking forward to getting to Trentino!”

Tim Gajser
Romain Febvre – P2

“In the second heat I was really comfortable in the lead and doing some good things so I just tried to keep my rhythm but I knew I could be better on two particular sections of the track and could see Tim coming back at me. I knew for sure he must have better lines than me in those parts of the track so I hoped to see his lines but two corners after he passed me I crashed so I could not follow him. It’s not really what I would have hoped but at least we are back on the box after just missing it on the same points in the first two races here. I’m looking forward to Arco; maybe it will be cold, maybe not, but we feel good and will be looking for more podiums there.”

Romain Febvre
Jeremy Seewer – P3

“It’s nice to be back on the podium after a tough week here in Lommel. It was really brutal out there, the rain, the weather, the track, three GP’s in a row, Lommel, it was just really tricky. I am happy to be back on the podium with two solid motos and no big mistakes. I’m looking forward to the next three GP’s in Arco di Trento because this is more my type of track so there are still some positive races left.”

Jeremy Seewer
Gautier Paulin – P4

“I feel strong. I missed the podium by 1 or 2 points. I am disappointed about this. I am happy with my riding. I had an okay start in Race 1, but I hit the rear wheel of Cairoli and had to make my way back to the front. This was not easy because I had a lot of roost on the goggles and stuff. In the second race, I started better with three or four strong corners to get close to the front, but I stalled the bike. I was passed by many riders because of this mistake and in the end, it cost me the podium. I missed something a little bit today, but the feeling was there, and the riding was strong.”

Gautier Paulin
Arnaud Tonus – P6

“Lommel is already a tough track even before we had to come here and do three GP’s in a row. It was super challenging mentally. Honestly, I was really tired after the first race. It was a real mental challenge to overcome. I am super happy to finish strong like I did. I made a couple of mistakes at the end and crashed but it is how it is, I think everyone did. The rain made it super tough today.”

Arnaud Tonus

MXGP Results

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Jed Beaton seventh at MXGP of Flanders

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2020 MXGP

Round 13 – MXGP of Flanders, Belgium

The 2020 Monster Energy MXGP of Flanders saw epic action over the weekend, as the MXGP and MX2 riders took on the challenge of what is known as one of the toughest sand tracks in the world.

In MXGP Tim Gajser took to honours with a 2-1 result handing him the round win over Gautier Paulin, with Jorge Prado third overall. Antonio Cairoli was down in ninth meanwhile, allowing Gajser to extend his championship lead.

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Gajser now sits on 488-points, to Cairoli’s 440, with Jorge Prado closes in on his fellow KTM teammate, with 429-points, the same number held by Jeremy Seewer. Aussie Mitch Evans falls to twelth in the standings with a broken wrist at the previous round requiring surgery during the week, with the rider absent as a result.

In MX2 Tom Vialle had a solid day to finish 2-2 in the races with that consistency enough to claim his sixth overall win of the 2020 campaign. Vialle was only a single point ahead of Jago Geerts, who took one of the MX2 wins, while his teammate Ben Watson was third overall and was the other MX2 winner, in a strong result for Yamaha.

Tom Vialle
Tom Vialle

Jed Beaton went 7-7, for seventh overall and 28-championship points, while fellow Australian Bailey Malkiewicz was 18th, finishing 15th in Race 2.

Jed Beaton

“Not the greatest day but we’re here for two more rounds so it’s a solid start to the week. My starts weren’t great in both races, which didn’t help but we’ll be better on Wednesday. It took me a while to get going in race one, by around 20 minutes into the race I found my flow and felt really good, but it was too late to move forwards. Race two I felt good from the start and rode a smart race. I know what to expect for the next two, so we’ll be ready for them and I look forward to Wednesday.”

Jet Beaton
Jet Beaton

Vialle now sits on 569-points to Geerts 516, with Maxime Renaux and Beaton both tied on 407-points. Malkiewicz sits 16th, on 98-points.

MXGP Race 1

In the opening MXGP race of the day, it was Dylan Walsh who grabbed the Fox Holeshot, as he led Tim Gajser, Arnaud Tonus and Gautier Paulin. There were a few riders caught up in a crash on the first turn, two of them being Adam Sterry and Calvin Vlaanderen.

MXGP Start
MXGP Start

It didn’t take long for Gajser to take the lead, as Walsh crashed, Prado and Paulin also followed through and those were the top three for the next few laps. Brian Bogers had a great start to the race, sitting in fourth.

Both Romain Febvre and Jeremy Seewer didn’t have the best start to the race as they were down in 16th and 17th in the opening laps. Though Seewer was able to quickly pull through, he passed six riders in a single lap to get himself into the top 10.

Paulin went after the #61 of Prado and was able to pass him by the second lap, to get himself into P2. The Frenchman then set his best lap of the race and was 2.808 seconds down on Gajser who led the way. But Gajser was quick to respond with a flying lap, which put the gap back up to 4.383.

Gautier Paulin
Gautier Paulin

Championship rival, Antonio Cairoli had a tough first race after starting outside the top 15. He managed to finish the race in 13th, not where the nine-time world champion would have hoped to be.

Paulin, Prado and Bogers then clocked their best laps of the race at the same time, as Paulin got the gap down to 2.386. Further down the field, Seewer was applying the pressure to Jeremy Van Horebeek for P6. The pair then caught up to Tonus, as Seewer passed the two riders within a couple of laps.

Jorge Prado

On lap 11 we saw a change of lead, as Gajser crashed out of first place, which allowed Paulin to make of this opportunity to go after his first race win since Valkenswaard 2017.

Seewer was the next rider to go down, as he lost the two spots he worked hard to gain, to Van Horebeek and Tonus. And despite his best efforts he had a small issue with the bike, which he needed to pull over to fix, that also lost him two more spots – he eventually finished the race in eighth.

In the end it was Paulin who claimed the first race victory in Lommel, while Gajser finished second and Prado third.

Gautier Paulin
Gautier Paulin

Coming into the day’s races, Glenn Coldenhoff was among the favourites for the podium. Unfortunately, the Dutchman did not line up for the races, as a crash in the MXGP timed practice session forced him out of today’s action.

MXGP Race 2

As the gate dropped for the second MXGP race of the day, it was Prado who grabbed the Fox Holeshot, with Gajser, Seewer, Tonus and Bogers right behind him. Gajser then started to go after Prado for the top spot, as just 0.5 seconds separated the pair, and he was able to make the pass stick by the second lap, as Prado made a mistake.

Jeremy Seewer
Jeremy Seewer

Seewer then started to come under pressure from Bogers who was keen to put on a good performance. Cairoli was also having a much better start to the race as he was sitting in seventh just behind Paulin.

Gajser continued to lead the way as he gradually stretched out his lead, while Seewer started to catch up to Prado, as Febvre joined in on the battle too.

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

Bogers crashed out of fifth, which allowed Paulin and Cairoli through, as the two continued their race long battle.

With six-minutes plus 2 laps to go, Seewer and Prado were having a close battle. The pair made contact in one of the corners, after Prado lost a bit of ground, which also saw the Spaniard go down as a result. Febvre benefited from this as well, as Prado re-joined in fourth.

Three laps to go saw Gajser had a comfortable 10.447 second lead to Seewer, who made a mistake on the final lap and went off the circuit. As a result, he lost a position to Febvre.

Tim Gajser

In the end it was Gajser who was victorious, as Febvre crossed the line in second and Seewer holding on to third.

Tim Gajser – P1

“From the beginning of the day, I felt great on the track and on the bike. In the first moto, I got a good start, in second place around the first corner and then I moved quickly into the lead, pulling out a little gap. Unfortunately, I made a small mistake and fell, which allowed Gautier to pass me and I finished second. In the second moto, I had a good first corner and came out second again. I passed Jorge in the second lap and then pulled out a decent gap to control the race and take the overall. I’m really happy to take the victory here because we have worked so hard to get better in the sand and this is toughest race to win. Everyone in the team has been great and we just keep on pushing to get better and better and I can’t thank everyone enough!”

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser
Gautier Paulin – P2

“This is an emotional high. I am really happy to be back on the podium especially for myself and for my team. It has been a tough road, it has been a long time since I had a win, so in the first moto I could have it, I was really pushing hard on a good rhythm. I didn’t really talk about it, but at the end of May I broke my back and knocked myself hard, so to be back at this level I am really happy because from the ground, in hospital where I broke two vertebra, it was a really hard time and then I crashed again in Faenza (Italy) and hurt myself again. Now I am feeling 100% and I am really happy to be back again.”

Gautier Paulin
Gautier Paulin
Jorge Prado – P3

“It was a positive day. The track was very rough and it was good to get used to the conditions because we still have another two rounds to go here. We also made some improvements to the bike, so that was useful. I had a perfect start in the second moto and was block-passed by Seewer while holding a good position. I rode strongly to make sure of 4th though and 3rd overall was pretty decent. I’m very happy to be 3rd in the championship after the way the year started. We are still charging.”

Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado
Romain Febvre – P4

“It was a good GP with a great second moto! My start was good and as always there was confusion in the first corner but I made my way through and rode a good opening lap. I found a good rhythm and came back to second; I was very happy with that! The first moto was not so good. I was fourth at the start but during the first lap I made a mistake in a corner and crashed; that’s never good as everyone is so close together during the first laps of a race and you lose so many places. I was seventeenth and came back to sixth, which is not so bad, but that cost me the podium. I was happy with my speed and my physical shape; the track was difficult but I found a good feeling and overall it was a good day. Now my goal is to win a GP here in Lommel; I have two more opportunities on Wednesday and Sunday!”

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre
Jeremy Seewer – P5

“Lommel is always tough except when you are winning, and then I think you enjoy it. I felt okay today. I had a tip over on the first lap and was caught in the pack, almost last, but I had good speed and rhythm and I came back to fifth but then I made another small mistake and had a technical problem which cost me another three positions. I had a good start in the second race which paid off. I felt solid in second position but I threw it away with a stupid crash, but this is how it is in Lommel. If you’re on the limit it’s really sketchy, but I am still happy with third in that race but a little bit disappointed. At least we have another two rounds to make up.”

Jeremy Seewer
Jeremy Seewer

MXGP Results

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Beaton sixth at MXGP of Spain | Evans out with injury

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2020 MXGP

Round 12 – MXGP of Spain

The weekend was the very first time the MXGP and MX2 riders got their chance to test out the hard-pack circuit in Arroyomolinos, which shaped up well and created some exciting races. The return of the Spanish Grand Prix saw Jorge Prado take a clear win from Tim Gajser and Romain Febvre in MXGP, claiming 50-points, while the runner ups had to settle for 42-a-piece.

Jorge Prado proved unstoppable in Spain
Jorge Prado proved unstoppable in Spain

As a result Prado closes in on Gajser, who still holds the championship lead on 441-points. Tony Cairoli is second overall on 417, while Jeremy Seewer is third on 396. Prado is fourth on 391, with injured Aussie Mitch Evans sitting in 11th with 228 points, despite being knocked out for the weekend.

Mitch Evans had to retire from the first race at the MXGP of Spain due to a left wrist injury, which he sustained whilst running in fourth position. The Australian misjudged a landing and came down in an awkward position causing him to immediately pull off the race track. The Honda CRF450RW rider will now get further medical assessment in order to know the extent of the damage, which will then decide his plan for the rest of the season.

Mitch Evans

“Shitty day! Over jumped a double and the landing was so hard it blew both hands off the handle bars and broke my left wrist in the process. Gutted but that’s the way she goes sometimes. Looking at the positives, we came back once and we will do it again!”

A crash and injured wrist ended Mitch Evans weekend
A crash and injured wrist ended Mitch Evans weekend

MX2 also saw a KTM rider claim the win, with Tom Vialle the front-runner, but not without a race 2 challenge from Jago Geerts, who was second overall. Vialle went 1-2, while Geert’s 5-1 result was enough for second overall. Thomas Kjer Olsen was third, while a strong first race in third for Jed Beaton, was followed by a Race 2 10th, for sixth overall. Bailey Malkiewicz finished 15th in Race 2 to collect six championship points.

Vialle currently holds a significant championship lead with 525-points, with Geerts second on 473. Jed Beaton is third overal on 379-points, with Maxime Renaux nipping at his heels on 372.

Jed Beaton

“The day started off really well. I felt great in the first moto, track was fast, but it was coming around. I was in second and briefly led the race, which was good but I just wasn’t able to make another pass. I was confident going into race two. My speed and fitness are on point but going into the first turn a few of us came together and I had a pretty big crash… and smacked my head pretty hard, 15 mins into the race my vision started going all funny and the last four laps were just survival had a lot of sketchy moments not being able to see exactly where I was going… I was lucky to not be injured and it was disappointing, but I came back to 10th for sixth overall so, not bad for the championship. I’m still third so I’m hoping for two strong races next weekend.”

Third in Race 1 was a good start to the weekend for Beaton
Third in Race 1 was a good start to the weekend for Beaton

MXGP Race 1

Jorge Prado started the opening MXGP race with a FOX Holeshot, as he led Romain Febvre of Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team, Team HRC’s Mitch Evans. JM Honda Racing’s Dylan Walsh and Gautier Paulin of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing also got a good start as they were running fourth and fifth on the opening lap.

MXGP Race Start
MXGP Race Start

Tim Gajser of Team HRC then pushed his way into the top four, while his teammate passed Febvre for second. Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer didn’t have the best start to the race and was down in 9th after the first few laps.

Febvre then eventually passed Evans back for second, with Gajser managing to get around his teammate as well, before the Australian crashed out of the race, sustaining a left wrist injury.

Prado then continued to lead the way by 2.361 seconds over Febvre, Gajser and Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle, while further down the order, Walsh dropped a few more positions and was down in 11th.

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing Team’s Glenn Coldenhoff was having a good ride in 6th as he applied the pressure onto Paulin. This battle carried on for a couple of laps before Coldenhoff forced his way past the Factory Yamaha rider. Meanwhile Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli and Seewer were also there in 7th and 8th having a fight of their own.

A few laps later, Cairoli made a little mistake which allowed Seewer to close in, though as the Swiss pushed for the pass, a small mistake turned into a big crash. He was able to quickly re-join in 10th just behind Jeremy Van Horebeek of Honda SR Motoblouz.

Glenn Coldenhoff
Glenn Coldenhoff

Walsh then went out of the race with what looked like a broken chain, all while Coldenhoff was looking for another position, as he got onto the rear wheel of Desalle.

After leading every single lap of the race, Jorge Prado went on to take the first race win, with Febvre finishing second and Gajser third.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, Prado repeated his start success from the first race, as he took another FOX Holeshot and led the way with Seewer and Febvre closely behind him. Gajser though was able to quickly move up into second on the opening lap as he started to push for the win.

Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado

Walsh had another good start inside the top 10, though had a big crash which saw him pull out of the second race too, which meant that the JM Honda Racing pilot scored no points this time around.

Coldenhoff then started to push Seewer for fourth, though Seewer was able to respond by setting his fastest lap of the race on the fourth lap. By lap 5, the top 10 included Prado, Gajser, Febvre, Seewer, Coldenhoff, Cairoli, Desalle, Brian Bogers of Marchetti Racing Team KTM, Van Horebeek and Henry Jacobi of Yamaha SM Action MC Migliori J1 Racing.

Prado then continued to put in lap after lap as he led the way by just over 5 seconds, as Gajser looked to have settled for P2 in the race, while the battle was heating up between Coldenhoff and Seewer. The factory GasGas rider, eventually took 4th from the Swiss rider on lap 13.

There were no changes in positions for the next few laps, and in the end, Jorge Prado went to take his first ever 1-1, to end the day in a perfect way, as he took the overall on home soil. Gajser crossed the line in 2nd, while Febvre finished third.

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

The podium looked exactly the same as the second race, as Prado took his second GP victory of the season, while Gajser made it his 8th podium, with Febvre making his 3rd podium of the year.

As it stands, Tim Gajser will now head to Belgium with a 24-point advantage to Antonio Cairoli, while Jeremy Seewer is a further 21 points behind.

Jorge Prado – P1

“Exactly what I wanted to do today. This was my goal here in Spain. My first 1-1 in MXGP! I felt I was the best out there and I was really excited when I crossed the finish line. The second race was really good. The first laps were intense with Tim and the track was very technical and a lot of ruts. You had to be very precise and smooth, no mistakes. It was an amazing day.”

Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado
Tim Gajser – P2

“It was a good day today, and I really liked the track here in Spain. I didn’t have a good start in either race but I was still able to finish third in race one and second in race two. The second moto, I was especially happy with the line I chose for the second corner as I swept all the way from seventh into second. I then tried to push, had some nice lines, and briefly passed Jorge before he passed me back. We stayed together for quite a lot of the moto but then I saw that Romain wasn’t so close behind me so I finished second, for second overall. The championship gap has increased but my focus for Lommel is to go out there and have fun. A big thanks to the team who have worked hard, and I hope that Mitch will recover quickly because he was riding really well.”

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser
Romain Febvre – P3

“It was a good GP for me with two top-three moto finishes and an overall podium; that’s important for both the team and myself. I was very happy with my starts today; we have worked hard with the team to find the solution and when you start twice in second position it makes life so much easier! In the first moto I felt good; I was not far from Prado and I thought that it would be possible to go for the win in moto two when I got another good start but in the first few corners Gajser passed me and after ten minutes I saw that he and Prado were a little faster than me. I tried new lines but that didn’t change anything; I had a very good feeling but they were simply faster than me so I had to be satisfied with third.”

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre
Glenn Coldenhoff – P4

“I’m happy with today. I felt really good on my bike all day, which really helped. The level in MXGP is really high so starts are important and in race one I was able to start in third. In turn three though, everyone bunched up and I had to stop to avoid crashing. It was frustrating as I went back to ninth. I found some good lines and I moved up to fifth so, this was ok before race two. My jump in race two wasn’t great, but I stayed out wide, missing all the ruts and chaos and was fifth after a few corners. I passed Seewer when he made a mistake and finished fourth. Not bad. Good points and onto Lommel for three in a row so I know I’ll be better there.”

Clement Desalle – P5

“It was another good day for me, starting with a fifth in the timed practice session. My first start was not good at all but I made many passes in the first few corners to come to eighth and I was sixth by the end of the first lap; I passed two more riders during the next three laps to finish fourth; that was positive. My second start was better but I made a mistake at the third corner and that dropped me to eighth; I was soon seventh and came close to Cairoli but it was very difficult to make the difference as there was mainly one line on this track. I’m getting better results each weekend; that’s encouraging.”

Clement Desalle
Clement Desalle
Tony Cairoli – P6

“A bad start in the first moto and I managed to make it back to 7th place. It wasn’t so easy to pass here but I didn’t want to lose many points so I had to make it happen. I wasn’t too happy, but the second moto start was better. I tried to do the second corner aggressively but caught my knee and it felt painful for a while. I pushed again. I lost some positions and won some but finished 6th. Not really a good weekend but we can re-group to make a push in the last six races. There are still plenty more points on the plate. We go to Lommel now and a lot can happen in the sand.”

Jeremy Seewer – P7

“Result wise, of course this is not what I want, 10-5 is one of the worst results I’ve had this year. I feel like I still made the most out of this day with my second race. We came from some tough times and struggling but luckily the team, especially the mechanics, and myself, we were able to make some positive changes. It’s always tricky on race-day to adapt the bike but it worked out well and I could finish fifth in the second moto which is solid. Although, top-three is my goal but there are 18 GP’s and this is racing. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. Now we put this one behind us and move to the next one.”

2020 MXGP of Spain Results

Source: MCNews.com.au