Image: Supplied.

Defending champion Tim Gajser admits Valkenswaard isn’t a favoured track of his as the MXGP World Championship visits the Dutch venue this weekend for round two.

The Team HRC rider revealed he travelled directly to the Netherlands after claiming second in Great Britain last weekend, however a lack of practice tracks has forced him to travel to Germany in order ride ahead of Saturday and Sunday’s event.

“I’m happy with my speed, with my fitness and with how the new CRF450RW performed so I’m really looking forward to going racing in Valkenswaard,” Gajser explained. “It’s not my favourite track, but I’ve had some good results there in the past so hopefully I can repeat those and enjoy my races.

“This week, I came straight to the Netherlands from England but we have struggled to find any good tracks that are open to practice on, so I will go to Germany to train one day, just to make sure we are ready for the weekend.”

Gajser is positioned nine points behind Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings.

Image: Supplied.

Team HRC’s Mitch Evans says there’s reduced pressure ahead of Valkenswaard’s second round of the MXGP World Championship after making his premier class debut last weekend.

Evans, who recorded a highly-impressive 3-7 scorecard for fifth overall at Matterley Basin, is eager to race in more familiar conditions this Saturday and Sunday, with the Dutch venue set to serve up a deep sandy circuit.

“I’m really happy with how the British GP went, going 3-7 for fifth overall, so no complaints,” Evans explained. “Really happy with my riding over the weekend and definitely glad to get the season underway.

“A little bit of pressure has gone now that we’ve done the first race, and now we can just concentrate on each weekend as it comes. This week we’ll just do one day of riding and I can just get ready for the sand in Valkenswaard.

“Last year it was a little bit hard pack but with the weather being so wet, I think it’ll be a lot deeper and rougher this year, so I’m looking forward to getting out there and doing my best.”

Evans is the sole Australian MXGP rider, while the MX2 class features regular Jed Beaton (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) and rookies Wilson Todd (DRT Kawasaki), Nathan Crawford (Team Honda 114 Motorsports) and Bailey Malkiewicz (Team Honda 114 Motorsports).

Image: Octopi Media.

Red-plate holder Eli Tomac says his nudge on Justin Barcia (Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing) was ‘just battling’ after the pair engaged in a heated war of words moments following the chequered flag at Atlanta’s Monster Energy Supercross.

Barcia called out the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider on the podium, however Tomac responded by downplaying the incident, stating he’ll return what he’s served out on-track.

It wasn’t the only incident Tomac was involved in, as laps after the Barcia clash he came into heavy contact with Blake Baggett (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM), resulting in the pair crashing. The number three rebounded in a spirited ride to salvage fourth.

“It was just battling – if I’m going to get bumped, I’ll bump back,” Tomac declared on the podium. “That’s the way it is – mine may have a been little more of a hit, but really I’m just giving it back.

“It was a tight track tonight, and that’s what leads to those situations. It was hard to make the pass stick, so you had to go inside on the bowl turns – that was the only spot tonight. I was in a hurry and Kenny was out front, it’s all I could do.

“The one with Blake [Baggett] – I didn’t mean for it to be that bad, I thought I had good momentum to slingshot from the outside to in, and he was already coming down. The tight track makes it really hard to make moves.”

Tomac is equal on points with Atlanta winner Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC), which will see the duo share the red-plate at Daytona International Speedway this weekend in Florida.

Image: Octopi Media.

Premier class rookie Adam Cianciarulo is eyeing a return to Monster Energy Supercross at Seattle’s 13th round on 28 March as he continues to recover from a broken collarbone.

The Monster Energy Kawasaki contender suffered the injury during practice at Arlington’s eighth round, and underwent surgery just days later to repair the damage.

“My goal right now is to be back racing by Seattle,” Cianciarulo stated. “With this type of injury, stability wise you can come back really quickly – as I’m sure you’ve seen other riders do in the past.

“At this point, in my situation, we want to limit the risk and make sure the bone is strong when I do return. Doing what I can right now to improve so we can pick up right where we left off.”

Monster Energy Supercross heads to Daytona International Speedway this weekend in Florida for the 10th round, where Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki) and Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC) will share the 450SX red-plate.

Image: Supplied.

Dual MX2 world champion Jorge Prado says he experienced a pain-free weekend in his maiden premier class outing in the MXGP World Championship at Matterley Basin, the Spaniard still recovering from a broken femur sustained just three months ago.

Prado only returned to riding two week’s prior to the British grand prix, prompting the teenager to have low expectations for the beginning of his rookie season.

The 19-year-old managed to put together a respectable scorecard in demanding conditions, racing to 9-13 moto results for 10th overall.

“I’m a world champion so finishing 10th is not something I am used to – the last two years have been really good,” Prado explained. “But if I look at it the other way and after just two weeks of riding then I have to feel very happy about today.

“I didn’t have any pain and I have been working hard – this was the best I could do. I would say that last 6-7 minutes and two laps of the second moto were quite hard. The track was super-rough and I was pretty tired.

“I did not want to crash, and the sun was very low. First race of the season, first race with the 450 and the last time I raced was in Assen – what a weekend.”

Prado’s teammate Jeffrey Herlings (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) ultimately opened the season with victory, the championship now heading to Valkenswaard in the Netherlands.

Image: Supplied.

MX2 World Championship rookie Bailey Malkiewicz endured a challenging debut at Matterley Basin’s MXGP of Great Britain, the Australian nursing a knee injury that he sustained in the pre-season.

The 18-year-old qualified 22nd before racing to 38-29 moto scores in demanding conditions, crediting him 32nd overall in his first appearance in the series.

Honda Europe Off-Road Manager Gordon Crockard spoke of the former junior world champion’s weekend, hailing him for pushing through the adversity in what was a trying start to his campaign.

“I think next weekend will bring a great sense of relief when we hopefully return to more normal racing conditions,” said Crockard. “Our new starters in MX2 – Nathan Crawford and Bailey Malkiewicz – did well as they’ve not competed in the MX2 class previously.

“So I think they did really well under the circumstances and the reduced track time due to the weather. They had a lot to consume and a lot to learn in a very short space of time. Bailey is carrying some injuries, so hats-off to him for persevering with all that he was up against.”

The MXGP World Championship will be staged in the sands of Valkenswaard this weekend in the Netherlands.

Image: Supplied.

Multi-time world champion Antonio Cairoli has revealed information on a knee injury he dealt with at the British grand prix, the Italian favourite admitting he thought his season was over before it started.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing entry confirmed he twisted his knee in the lead up the Matterley Basin’s MXGP World Championship opener, which scans determined was a second-degree PCL tear.

Despite the setback, Cairoli pushed through the injury in highly-challenging conditions to notch up a 4-3 scorecard for third overall.

“It is nice to be back on the podium after so many months without racing,” Cairoli commented. “My shoulder has improved a lot in recent weeks but last week in Belgium I twisted my right knee and heard a crack. I thought ‘the season is finished already’.

“I went to the doctor and he confirmed a second-degree PCL tear. I taped the knee very hard yesterday and today and all the ruts out there were not helping. I just need to work as much as possible on the muscle to make it as stable as possible.

“So to be on the podium at this track and these conditions is amazing and I’m motivated again to work really hard and try to build it up. We will see what we can do next.”

The 34-year-old missed majority of last season after damaging his shoulder in July 2019.

Image: Supplied.

Former world champion Romain Febvre was absent from Sunday’s racing at Great Britain’s opening round of the 2020 MXGP series, the Frenchman opting out of the pair of motos as he deals with a knee injury.

It’s understood the Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing newcomer tweaked his knee one week prior to Matterley Basin, however he attempted to compete across the weekend’s event, completing qualifying on Saturday in 24th position.

It’s another blow for Febvre, who recently returned to riding after sustaining a broken femur in the 2019 MXGP World Championship.

“Dealing with the injury is sometimes possible, but today it wasn’t,” Febvre said in a statement. “Hurt my knee nine days ago in practice, even without crashing – nothing is damaged but it’s painful. I did try because I want to give my all – [it’s] a tough moment with the consecutive injuries.”

It’s not yet clear if Febvre will line-up at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands this weekend.