A week removed from the FIM Motocross Des Nations, the final leg of the MXGP season began Sunday at the Teutschenthal circuit in Germany. A number of title contenders such as Tim Gajser, Romain Febvre, then Maxime Renaux in the MX2 class all had some fresh legs after opting out of the team event. In contrast to the likes of Antonio Cairoli, Mattia Guadagnini, Jeffery Herlings, and Tom Vialle who all had varying results at the event. After this week, only two non-Italian rounds remain on the schedule, with France and Spain.
Be sure to follow all of our Motocross coverage.
Early Graduation
The big news heading into Germany was that an MX2 rider was making the jump to MXGP early. With Ivo Monticelli of Monster Energy Kawasaki on the mend, the team has tabbed 250 rider Mathys Boisrame as his interim replacement. Despite a so-so season in the MX2 class this year, he performed admirably in Des Nations a week ago. Going 19-9 in some brutal conditions in Mantova as France’s Open class rider. While Boisrame did not make his premier class debut this weekend, the young Frenchman has already been getting situated with his new team.
MX2 Class
Moto 1
Vialle coming off of a DNF in Des Nations Moto 2, found himself taking the holeshot but lost the lead shortly after to teammate Rene Hofer. On the downhill before the finish line, Thibault Benistant went on an off-track excursion trying to pass Renaux. Beyond that, it was yet another dominant run for Vialle, who bided his time and got back by Hofer with eight minutes to go. They finished one-two with Renuax in third place. Guadagnini, who was the X-factor for Team Italy in Des Nations, would have an all-around poor race and finished 13th after a fall midway.
Moto 2
Vialle completed another two for two holeshot day, with Renaux and Jed Beaton in tow. Benistant once again had another fall in the downhill, this time directly on the downside, taking him out of third going into lap four. Guadagnini, who once again had a bad start, was able to slightly rectify a bad Moto 1. He made a nice three-wide pass past halfway to move from tenth to eighth over Mikkel Haarup and Simon Laengenfelder.
Vialle would cruise to yet another Grand Prix win on the year, fifth in total and fourth in a row. Despite this, he has as many missed Motos as wins and sits over 120 back of Renaux in the points. The latter continues to just rack up the points and with the pace, he is on with where the season is, he may clinch the title three or four rounds early.
Top 10 Overall in MX2 Class
No. 28 Tom Vialle 1-1
No. 959 Maxime Renaux 3-2
No. 711 Rene Hofer 2-4
No. 93 Jago Geerts 5-3
No. 14 Jed Beaton 4-5
No. 74 Kay De Wolf 8-6
No. 515 Simon Laengenfelder 6-11
No. 426 Conrad Mewse 7-12
No. 11 Mikkel Haarup 12-8
No. 118 Stephen Rubini 9-13
MXGP Class
Moto 1
There are seemingly three guarantees in life now. Death, taxes, and Jorge Prado MXGP holeshots. After surrendering the lead to Herlings four corners in, the young Spaniard responded laps later to retake the lead. Behind the battle for the win, Gajser made a couple of key passes to jump into the top 3 over Febvre and Cairoli, but most of the top 10 was a cordial affair. The big story would be the finish.
Coming to the checkered flag, Herlings had got back to Prado and it was a drag race to the line. The good news for Prado is that he won the Moto, the bad news, however…
What you don’t see in this clip is Prado coming across from the complete other side of the track to take the jump. Absolutely unacceptable riding given the situation. Prado is very lucky this did not end up being worse than it was. Herlings ended up being relatively ok, but Prado went off to get some stitches and was done for the day.
Moto 2
Febvre would take the holeshot here in Prado’s absence. Jeremy Seewer and Pauls Jonass would not be too far behind the Frenchman, as were Herlings and Glenn Coldenhoff. Gajser ended up making a pass later on over Febvre in the exact spot he got him in Moto 1. That would end up be the winning move and due to Herlings hanging around fifth for most of the Moto, Gajser won the Grand Prix.
Even more so he retakes the points lead as well. Although he is only two points up, every point counts in a title fight as close as this. Febvre is also just a meager seven points back as well, while Prado and Cairoli have faded out of the picture. Just seven rounds and 14 Motos remain.
Top 10 Overall in MXGP Class
No. 243 Tim Gajser 3-1
No. 84 Jeffery Herlings 2-3
No. 3 Romain Febvre 4-2
No. 41 Pauls Jonass 4-6
No. 91 Jeremy Seewer 8-5
No. 259 Glenn Coldenhoff 7-6
No. 222 Antonio Cairoli 5-10
No. 189 Brian Bogers 9-7
No. 61 Jorge Prado 1-DNS
No. 89 Jeremy Van Horebeek 10-9
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @primetimesportstalk
Follow Jack Gaffney on Twitter @JackGaffneyPTST
Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
