Cycle News Staff | November 4, 2020
Antonio Cairoli and Jago Geerts took back valuable points in the race for MX World Champion in their respective classes at the MXGP of Trentino, in Pietramurata, Italy, November 1. But it was of little concern for the championship leaders.
Antonio Cairoli (222) captured the overall MXGP win in front of the home crowd but gained little ground on championship leader Tim Gajser. Photo: Ray Archer
Cairoli captured his 92nd career GP win in the MXGP class, while the Belgian, Geerts, managed to erase one point from Tom Vialle’s comfortable championship lead in the MX2 division.
Unfortunately for Cairoli, like Geerts, the Italian was only able to gain just one point on MXGP-class leader Tim Gajser, who is poised to claim the 2021 title with two rounds left to go, both coming at Pietramurata, Wednesday, November 4, and Sunday, November 8.
Gajser dominated the first moto. The Honda HRC rider grabbed the holeshot, fought back Cairoli for a few laps and then pulled away for the win, taking the checkered flag seven seconds ahead of the former champ.
It didn’t go as well for Gajser in the second moto, however. A bad start led to a fourth-place finish, but he was happy to get second overall and give away just one point to Cairoli, who was second in the moto, in the championship.
Gajser leads Cairoli by 73 points and could very well clinch the MXGP Championship on Wednesday.
“I’m quite happy,” Gajser said. “The first race was almost perfect, with the holeshot and then making a little gap. Tony was pushing from the beginning, but I managed to increase the gap every lap and could win the race. The second race, I didn’t get the start, I messed up on the jump out of the gate. Then I had a couple of sketchy moments in the first lap with the other guys but then I took it easy from the beginning. It wasn’t easy to pass, I was trying all outside lines but then in the end I managed to fourth for second overall.”
Jago Geerts took the MX2 win but still trails points leader Tom Vialle by 73 points with two rounds left in the championship.
Belgian Clement Desalle ended up winning the second MXGP moto. Desalle, who announced earlier that he would be retiring at the end of the season, was thrilled to get the win so close to the end of his racing days. It marked his 36th career win. Desalle got on the podium with a 6-1.
“It’s a really nice moment,” the Kawasaki rider, Desalle, said. “After the first race, I was running sixth, I said to the team I felt good for fourth or fifth and then mathematically I still believed that the podium was possible, and it was still on my mind. I had a good start [in the second moto] and was third and could pass Tony [Cairoli]. Then Jeremy Seewer made a mistake and then I was leading, and it was a feeling I haven’t had in a long time and it was so nice, I really appreciated it. I took it lap by lap. In the beginning, I was making a mistake in one of the sectors as I didn’t have such a good line and then I could try another line and it was working, so then I was really happy about my riding, I was focused, and I thought maybe I can do it and finally I did it so I’m supper happy.”
In MX2, Geerts traded moto wins with Denmark’s Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna). In the first race, Olsen ran down leader Tom Vialle (KTM), passed him, and took the win just two seconds ahead of the KTM rider, with Brit Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) taking third right behind Vialle. Geerts finished a close fourth after stalling his bike earlier in the race.
Geerts came back and won the second moto. The Yamaha rider, Geerts, got a little bit of help when leader Vialle went down, handing Geerts the eventual win. Vialle dropped back to third after the fall, with French rider Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) finishing second.
First-moto winner Olsen fell in the second moto and crossed the finish line in fourth.
Geerts went 4-1 for the overall win, while Olsen took second with a 1-4. Vialle was third overall with 2-3.
In the championship, Vialle enjoys a comfortable 73 points over Geerts. Vialle could also clinch the title at the next round.
2020 FIM MXGP of Trentino Video Highlights
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