The Grand Prix of Sweden, round 11 of 15 in the FIM Motocross World Championship, at the Uddevalla circuit saw some incredible developments in the MX2 title dispute. While Max Nagl clinched his second victory of 2009 in the MX1 class, MX2 series leader Marvin Musquin had to sit out the event after a French court ruled that he was in breach of contract by defecting from his NGS Honda team to the factory Red Bull KTM set-up for round seven in the UK. Musquin, who had won three from the last four GPs with the SX-F, faced heavy financial penalties if he again appeared in orange, and a last-ditch attempt to preserve some of his 49-point lead in the standings by returning to steer the CRF250R was nullified after his race license had already been entered by the Austrians. In his absence teammate Rui Goncalves prevailed for the fourth occasion this year and the second week in a row after winning in Latvia. KTM’s clean sweep of proceedings in Uddevalla was complete with Stephanie Laier acing her second successive event in the penultimate outing of the season for the Women.
Uddevalla provided two days of contrasting weather conditions with near 90 degree temperatures and bright sunshine blessing practice and qualification across the rough and fine-soiled terrain. Race-day dawned overcast and cooler, and the track was a curious test with the loose top dirt barely concealing a harder and slippery ground underneath. More than 20,000 spectators scaled the adjacent rocky hillside.
The circumstances with Musquin dominated talk in the paddock. His Saturday-morning request to his Honda team to participate in the Grand Prix was too late by 45 minutes to pass technical control and KTM had already checked his bike and race license (perhaps understandably as Musquin’s return to the red fold would have created even more of a farce of the situation and championship).
The MX2 class was instead won by Goncalves who, despite his four triumphs in 2009, is undergoing a topsy-turvy season and keeps touching distance of the title dispute. Goncalves had his victory overshadowed to a degree by the fuss involving Musquin and his ever-present and now-notorious management team. KTM Off-Road Sport Director Pit Beirer gave an emotional press conference next to Musquin on Saturday in which he advocated for the rights of riders and then launched into a tirade lambasting Honda’s past financial irregularities from which he was able to add episodes of sad personal experience.
Teenager Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 sensation Ken Roczen created more landmarks in just his seventh Grand Prix by not only registering his second podium of the season but also capturing his first moto victory after comfortably defeating the Portuguese in the first sprint. A bad start and seventh place in moto two meant that the German was second overall. Third on the rostrum was Bud Kawasaki’s Gautier Paulin, second in the World Championship and no doubt pleased to see the 47 point deficit to Musquin reduced to 13 in Sweden.
A static set of MX1 motos saw Max Nagl (Red Bull KTM) once more take benefit of a set of decent starts to run to first and second places. By contrast series leader Tony Cairoli (Yamaha Rd Bull De Carli) was boxed-in at the commencement of moto one and was hesitant to force his way past the unpredictable Clement Desalle (an impressive fifth after a fall on Saturday meant a gate position of 21st for Sunday) for third. The Sicilian and MX1 rookie made amends after lunch and led from gate to flag for his ninth moto success from 22. Ken De Dycker (Teka Suzuki World MX1) secured the last step of the podium. World Champion David Philippaerts (Yamaha Monster Energy MX Team) was fourth after a lackluster first moto and still missing a competitive edge after suffering illness last week.
“I should know by next week what I will be doing with my future,” said Cairoli, after Yamaha’s withdrawal of support for the De Carli team effectively (and incredibly) leaves the Sicilian a partially-free agent and number one target for the Teka Suzuki squad.
On Sunday morning Giuseppe Luongo, who earlier in the weekend had excused Youthstream’s role in the Musquin debacle by insisting he had no legal right to deny the Frenchman entry irrespective of his motorcycle, then commented to press that he will push through a process in which teams have to submit sealed contracts to the FIM so the governing body can act as an arbitrary force in the event of a dispute. The Grand Prix of Sweden was also confirmed as part of the calendar for a further five years.
The World Championship now enters a summer hiatus with a four week spell preceding round 12 in the deep Lommel sand of Belgium for the Grand Prix of Limburg on August 2.
Grand Prix of Sweden Results
MX1 Race 1 top ten: 1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 39:02.962; ; 2. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Suzuki), +0:18.573; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Honda), +0:22.408; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), +0:25.497; 5. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:46.418; 6. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +0:50.709; 7. Tanel Leok (EST, Yamaha), +0:52.170; 8. Gregory Aranda (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:18.423; 9. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA, Kawasaki), +1:23.629; 10. Bryan Mackenzie (GBR, Honda), +1:30.245;
MX1 Race 2 top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), 39:39.929; ; 2. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:02.994; 3. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:06.508; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Suzuki), +0:14.103; 5. Clement Desalle (BEL, Honda), +0:26.194; 6. Tanel Leok (EST, Yamaha), +0:39.085; 7. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +0:59.922; 8. David Vuillemin (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:03.833; 9. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA, Kawasaki), +1:15.007; 10. Julien Bill (SUI, Aprilia), +1:17.891;
MX1 Overall top ten: 1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 47 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), 43 p.; 3. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Suzuki), 40 p.; 4. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 36 p.; 5. Clement Desalle (BEL, Honda), 36 p.; 6. Tanel Leok (EST, Yamaha), 29 p.; 7. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), 29 p.; 8. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA, Kawasaki), 24 p.; 9. Julien Bill (SUI, Aprilia), 19 p.; 10. Bryan Mackenzie (GBR, Honda), 18 p.;
MX1 Championship top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), 428 points; 2. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 375 p.; 3. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 363 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Honda), 345 p.; 5. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), 343 p.; 6. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Suzuki), 338 p.; 7. Tanel Leok (EST, Yamaha), 299 p.; 8. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), 215 p.; 9. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA, Kawasaki), 175 p.; 10. Aigar Leok (EST, TM), 167 p.;
MX1 Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha, 489 points; 2. KTM, 435 p.; 3. Honda, 380 p.; 4. Suzuki, 353 p.; 5. Kawasaki, 223 p.; 6. TM, 167 p.; 7. Aprilia, 162 p.; 8. CCM, 114 p.; 9. Husaberg, 0 p.; 10. Husqvarna, 0 p.;
MX2 Race 1 top ten: 1. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), 39:13.731; ; 2. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +0:06.358; 3. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:14.886; 4. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), +0:15.737; 5. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:17.328; 6. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Yamaha), +0:17.961; 7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:18.318; 8. Matiss Karro (LAT, Suzuki), +0:38.142; 9. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:43.848; 10. Nick Triest (BEL, KTM), +0:47.549;
MX2 Race 2 top ten: 1. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), 39:58.707; ; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:06.783; 3. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Yamaha), +0:08.291; 4. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:23.305; 5. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), +0:26.256; 6. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Yamaha), +0:32.772; 7. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +0:35.382; 8. Matiss Karro (LAT, Suzuki), +0:40.653; 9. Marcus Schiffer (GER, KTM), +0:42.685; 10. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:45.835;
MX2 Overall top ten: 1. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), 47 points; 2. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), 39 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 36 p.; 4. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Yamaha), 35 p.; 5. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 34 p.; 6. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), 34 p.; 7. Matiss Karro (LAT, Suzuki), 26 p.; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 23 p.; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Yamaha), 22 p.; 10. Marcus Schiffer (GER, KTM), 21 p.;
MX2 Championship top ten: 1. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), 371 points; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 358 p.; 3. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), 348 p.; 4. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Yamaha), 331 p.; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), 284 p.; 6. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), 239 p.; 7. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, Yamaha), 203 p.; 8. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), 199 p.; 9. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), 197 p.; 10. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 180 p.;
MX2 Manufacturers: 1. KTM, 467 points; 2. Kawasaki, 427 p.; 3. Yamaha, 382 p.; 4. Suzuki, 345 p.; 5. Honda, 277 p.; 6. TM, 9 p.
