Cycle News Staff | June 16, 2019
Once again, it was Tim Gajser and Jorge Prado scoring the overall wins in round nine of the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship at the MXGP of Latvia (Kegums), June 16, 2019. Gajser (Honda HRC) took the overall victory in the MXGP class and Prado (Red Bull KTM) did the same in MX2.
Tim Gajser won again in MXGP of Latvia. Photo: Honda Racing
Gajser, however, took the overall by the skin of his teeth, as three riders—Gajser, Roman Febvre and Arnaud Tonus—tied on combined points for the overall win. After both MXGP motos, Gajser, Febvre and Tonus had all tallied 40 points on the day, but Gajser (6-1) was awarded the day’s victory having won the second, tie-breaking moto. Febvre (4-2) and Tonus (2-4) filled out the podium.
“I am so happy about today,” Gajser said. “First race I was struggling, but the second one I found a good rhythm, and I had a good battle with Jeremy [Seewer]. I am so happy for the team. Yesterday I had good speed but at the qualification race I had a big crash, and I was a little sore today with some pain in my neck, but I got enough for sixth in the first race. Second race I tried to ride my race, and I didn’t know I had won the overall. This is everything we work for and I am happy for the team.”
Video Highlight MXGP Of Latvia (Kegums)
It was a brutal day for the Red Bull KTM Team. Both Jeffrey Herlings and Antonio Cairoli went down with injuries. Herlings actually suffered his injury during the sighting lap before the first moto. He went down and was tagged by another rider. Still, Herlings got up and started the race and even took the win! He didn’t start the second moto having discovered his leg was broken from the earlier crash.
Cairoli, who finished third in the first MXGP moto, fell in the second moto and pulled out with a dislocated shoulder.
“On Saturday I had the flu and a fever, and my arm was not as strong as I wanted after the crash in Russia,” Cairoli said. “I could battle with the guys for first position in the first moto, but then I got a bit tired and settled for third, which was good for the championship. In the second moto, I was fourth and trying to follow [Arnaud] Tonus. I had quite a big crash and when I stood up I felt my shoulder was out. My hope is to be ready to at least start next week in Germany. I don’t want to give up at all, and I want to be there as much as possible for the championship.”
Jeffrey Herlings Crash
KTM Assistant Team Manager, said, “In the second race [Cairoli] was gaining some positions but missed power in his arm, and the crash caused his shoulder to pop put. There is no damage to the bone or the ligament so we will see if he can try to ride in Germany. We will make some checks this week.”
The team’s Dirk Guebel said, “MXGP started very weirdly with Jeffrey’s crash on the sighting lap. We had to straighten the bike, and he then rode great and won the race: this was also outstanding. Afterwards we found out he had another small fracture in his leg [a hairline fracture of his lower tibia], and he was unfit to continue, so we had to call it a day.”
In MX2, Prado won both motos to extend his lead in the championship to 30 over Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna), who was second on the day with a 2-2.
Jago Geerts (Yamaha) filled out the podium with a 3-3.
Ben Watson (Yamaha, 4-4) and Bas Vaessen (KTM, 6-7) rounded out the top five overall.
2019 FIM Motocross World Championship
Round 9
MXGP OF LATVIA (KEGUMS)
RESULTS: June 13, 2019
MXGP
MXGP Race 1 Top Ten:1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 34:02.925; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:01.599; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:12.059; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:14.205; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:15.980; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:17.943; 7. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:24.661; 8. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:26.842; 9. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), +0:27.942; 10. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +0:34.864.
MXGP Race 2 Top Ten:1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 35:56.037; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:02.189; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:02.738; 4. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:15.871; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:22.078; 6. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:26.723; 7. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Husqvarna), +0:30.127; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:32.947; 9. Julien Lieber (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:39.120; 10. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +0:46.611.
MXGP Overall Classification Top 10: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 40 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 40 p.; 3. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 36 p.; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 30 p.; 6. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 25 p.; 7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 23 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 22 p.; 9. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), 22 p.; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), 20 p.
MXGP – World Championship Classification Top 10: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 391 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 358 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 256 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 254 p.; 5. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 246 p.; 6. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 226 p.; 7. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 208 p.; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 200 p.; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 190 p.; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 186 p.
MX2 RESULTS
MX2 Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 34:06.293; 2. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:04.953; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:09.229; 4. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:28.798; 5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +1:01.552; 6. Bas Vaessen (NED, KTM), +1:02.074; 7. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), +1:05.903; 8. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), +1:09.602; 9. Mitchell Evans (AUS, Honda), +1:11.443; 10. Jed Beaton (AUS, Husqvarna), +1:12.339;
MX2 Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 35:45.289; 2. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:16.407; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:17.948; 4. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:34.377; 5. Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:51.633; 6. Henry Jacobi (GER, Kawasaki), +0:55.760; 7. Bas Vaessen (NED, KTM), +1:00.908; 8. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +1:03.748; 9. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), +1:04.762; 10. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), +1:06.145;
MX2 Overall Top Ten: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 50 points; 2. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 44 p.; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 40 p.; 4. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 36 p.; 5. Bas Vaessen (NED, KTM), 29 p.; 6. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 29 p.; 7. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 26 p.; 8. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 24 p.; 9. Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 22 p.; 10. Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 19 p.;
MX2 Championship Top Ten: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 397 points; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 367 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 301 p.; 4. Henry Jacobi (GER, KAW), 251 p.; 5. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 246 p.; 6. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 242 p.; 7. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 226 p.; 8. Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 191 p.; 9. Davy Pootjes (NED, HUS), 157 p.; 10. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 156 p.;
