One week after MX1 World Champion Tony Cairoli carved a small piece of modern motocross history by giving the factory Red Bull KTM 350 SX-F victory at his home Grand Prix, the Sicilian added another notch to the landmark by guiding the machine through the many bumps and ripples of the Valkenswaard circuit in Holland for his first 1-1 shut-out in orange.
The third round of fifteen in the FIM World Championship was played out under hot (and rare) Dutch sunshine and the 22,000 fans in attendance were given ample motivation for vocal expression thanks to the phenomenal performance of Red Bull KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings (above right). The 15-year-old dominated the MX2 class in front of his home crowd – his first triumph in just his third GP. Herlings was close to breaking the record for the youngest ever GP victor, but that accolade still belongs to Teka Suzuki Europe’s Ken Roczen by 168 days.
KTM continues to dominate in the 2010 championship as its riders have now won every class (even Women’s) at all three events and have only missed a chequered flag once from a total of twelve MX1/MX2 motos. The wins have been achieved thanks to four different riders such as Italian sensation Antonio Cairoli (pictured right) and three types of different motorcycle; it is a launch to the championship that could not have been expected or hoped for in the halls of Mattighofen.
Teka Suzuki Europe’s Ken Roczen was again runner-up with two lonely rides to second position and simply had no answer to his rival’s sand acumen. Herlings dusted off suggestions that he might be considered a title candidate and Roczen also batted away any notion of expectation despite rising to the top of the standings for the first time after just fourteen Grand Prix in his career.
“This is incredible and I am still searching for words to explain how I feel,” said Herlings. “It has been a crazy few days. I now know how it feels to win a GP and can learn from the experience.”
“I am now the leader of the championship but I want to keep on having fun on the bike,” offered Roczen (pictured left). Third on the MX2 podium was a welcome change in color thanks to CLS Kawasaki’s Steven Frossard, showing a marked improvement on his capabilities in the terrain that had stood as a weakness for the Frenchman in past seasons.
In the premier class, Cairoli blitzed the first moto and left a squabble for the lower podium steps between Yamaha Monster Energy’s David Philippaerts, Rockstar Teka Suzuki’s Steve Ramon, Yamaha Monster Energy’s Ken De Dycker, LS Motors Honda Tanel Leok, CAS Honda’s Evgeny Bobryshev and Red Bull KTM’s Max Nagl. Philippaerts, vibrant and forceful all day, defeated a lagging Ramon in the final two laps to take second while Ramon filled out the Moto1 podium.
The GP ended prematurely for Ramon’s factory Suzuki team-mate Clement Desalle who tested the consistency of the sand with his right shoulder and dislocated the joint. The Belgian’s crash ended his run of podiums and he remains a doubt for Portugal in two weeks.
The same cast of characters engaged in combat in Moto2 across a rougher and slower track with Cairoli out front and Ramon in second once again. In the battle for third, it was Leok who was the aggressor until the flag, bumping Philippaerts to fourth in the final corners. Despite the relegation the 2008 World Champion was able to give the YZ450FM it maiden GP podium with third overall behind Cairoli and Ramon.For American interest emotions ranged from positive and encouraging to utter frustration. Martin Honda’s Jimmy Albertson had his first taste of European sand and despite a scare with a twisted ankle in the second moto, took an esteem-boosting eighth overall in MX1. Bike it Cosworth Yamaha’s Zach Osborne (pictured right) was routinely among the top four fastest MX2 riders in practically every session aside from the GP motos themselves. Two errors on the opening laps disregarded his good work made out of the gate (from fourth place) and around the tight ‘S’ initial turns and dumped him deep into the buzzing throng. Osborne was furious with himself for only managing 11th overall when he should have been fighting for his first podium of the season.
“The track was gnarly, really rough,” Albertson, holding 11th in the MX1 table, said after just his third GP. “Actually with all the horror stories I had heard I thought it would be worse but man, it was a work-out. The first moto was worse because the track was faster whereas in the second you started jumping everything and it turned into big rhythm sections. It was fun.
“Back in the US sand was one of my weak areas but working with John Van Der Berk and everybody at Honda it has helped to become one of my strong points. I know this was not a ‘true’ sand race but this is sandier than anything we have back in the States so to get two 8th places was really good.”
“A huge missed opportunity,” offered Osborne, now eighth in the MX2 standings, contesting only his third GP fully fit after breaking his wrist in Portugal last year. “I was really good all weekend but ruined my chances on both first laps. It is tough to swallow after good times all weekend and a genuine chance of the podium but I will take the positives and that was some good starts and the improvement in my sand riding.”
Briefly…
Factory MX2 Yamaha Monster Energy Gautier Paulin was still unable to make his GP debut due to the expected fulfilment of a recovery period from the broken left fibula. Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Greg Aranda (concussion) and Aprilia’s Manuel Priem (back and lung injury) were other casualties from Mantova two weeks ago. Returning to the Grand Prix flock however were Red Bull KTM’s Rui Goncalves and Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX’s Loic Larrieu. Goncalves won the 2009 MX2 Grand Prix at Valkenswaard and finished as runner-up in last year’s campaign. Even though not fully race fit the Portuguese could at least put two 350SX-Fs on the gate for the first time.
The World Championship paddock is an authentic playground for energy drinks with invaluable support and notable presence from several brands. Most prominent is Red Bull but Monster Energy brought a chilled-out hospitality rig to Grand Prix for the first time and Rockstar have significantly increased their profile thanks to co-title sponsorship of the factory Teka Suzuki team and alliance with the Bud Racing Kawasaki crew. There are even some new products on the way with the British Bike it Cosworth Yamaha squad (home to Zach Osborne) wearing the emblem of Spanish company Wild Wolf, even though the drink is not yet on the market.
A press conference Sunday morning saw Eric Geboers, the government of Wallonie and the Mayor of Lommel, together with Youthstream and the FIM announce the 2012 Motocross of Nations at Lommel in Belgium. The ministers insisted that the recent political upheaval seen in the last week will not affect the funding of the Grand Prix for the next three years, as well as the annual flagship event, as the regional backing has been secured. With regards to the enclosed nature of the circuit Geboers explained that developments would take place to reach a 40,000 capacity on specially constructed banking involving the shift of 180,000 cubic metres of sand.Valkenswaard, Netherlands
Results: April 25th, 2010 (Round 2 of 15)MX1 Moto1: 1. Tony Cairoli (KTM); 2. David Philippaerts (Yam); 3. Steve Ramon (Suz); 4. Max Nagl (KTM); 5. Tanel Leok (Hon); 6. Ken De Dycker (Yam); 7. Davide Guarneri (Hon); 8. Jimmy Albertson (Hon); 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (Hon); 10. Marc De Reuver (Suz); 11. Xavier Boog (Kaw); 12. Gareth Swanepoel (Hon); 13. Manuel Monni (Yam); 14. Kevin Strijbos (Suz); 15. Tom Söderltrön (Yam); 16. Sebastien Pourcel (Kaw); 17. Rui Gonçalves (KTM); 18. Cedric Soubeyras (KTM); 19. Anthony Boissiere (TM); 20. Yentel Martens (KTM).
MX1 Moto2: 1. Tony Cairoli (KTM); 2. Steve Ramon (Suz); 3. Tanel Leok (Hon); 4. David Philippaerts (Yam); 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (Hon); 6. Max Nagl (KTM); 7. Ken De Dycker (Yam); 8. Jimmy Albertson (Hon); 9. Josh Coppins (Apr); 10. Gareth Swanepoel (Hon); 11. Davide Guarneri (Hon); 12. Kevin Strijbos (Suz); 13. Sebastien Pourcel (Kaw); 14. Manuel Monni (Yam); 15. Xavier Boog (Kaw); 16. Matthias Walkner (KTM); 17. Tom Church (CCM); 18. Yentel Martens (KTM); 19. Rui Gonçalves (KTM); 20. Günter Schmidinger (Suz).
MX1 Overall Result: 1. Tony Cairoli (KTM); 2. Steve Ramon (Suz); 3. David Philippaerts (Yam); 4. Tanel Leok (Hon); 5. Max Nagl (KTM); 6. Ken De Dycker (Yam); 7. Evgeny Bobryshev (Hon); 8. Jimmy Albertson (Hon); 9. Davide Guarneri (Hon); 10. Gareth Swanepoel (Hon); 11. Kevin Strijbos (Suz); 12. Xavier Boog (Kaw); 13. Manuel Monni (Yam); 14. Sebastien Pourcel (Kaw); 15. Josh Coppins (Apr); 16. Marc De Reuver (Suz); 17. Rui Gonçalves (KTM); 18. Tom Söderström (Yam); 19. Matthias Walkner (KTM); 20. Tom Church (CCM).
MX1 World Championship standings (After 3 of 15 rounds): 1. Tony Cairoli (138); 2. Max Nagl (120); 3. Steve Ramon (101); 4. David Philippaerts (100); 5. Ken De Dycker (94); 6. Clement Desalle (79); 7. Xavier Boog (70); 8. Tanel Leok (66); 9. Jonathan Barragán (56); 10. Davide Guarneri (56); 11. Jimmy Albertson (55); 12. Evgeny Bobryshev (53); 13. Gareth Swanepoel (51); 14. Sebastien Pourcel (50); 15. Josh Coppins (49); 16. Manuel Monni (46); 17. Kevin Strijbos (31); 18. Marc De Reuver (27); 19. Anthony Boissiere (23); 20. Tom Söderström (14).
MX2 Moto1: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM); 2. Ken Roczen (Suz); 3. Shaun Simpson (KTM); 4. Steven Frossard (Kaw); 5. Arnaud Tonus (Suz); 6. Christophe Charlier (Yam); 7. Joel Roelants (KTM); 8. Marvin Musquin (KTM); 9. Harri Kullas (Yam); 10. Zach Osborne (Yam); 11. Jeremy Van Horebeek (Kaw); 12. Loic Larrieu (Yam); 13. Dennis Verbruggen (KTM); 14. Nikolaj Larsen (Hon); 15. Petr Smitka (KTM); 16. Mel Pocock (Yam); 17. Aleksandr Tonkov (Suz); 18. Nicolas Aubin (Kaw); 19. José Butrón (Suz); 20. Jake Nicholls (KTM).
MX2 Moto2: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM); 2. Ken Roczen (Suz); 3. Steven Frossard (Kaw); 4. Jeremy Van Horebeek (Kaw); 5. Marvin Musquin (KTM); 6. Joel Roelants (KTM); 7. Shaun Simpson (KTM); 8. Christophe Charlier (Yam); 9. Arnaud Tonus (Suz); 10. Jake Nicholls (KTM); 11. Harri Kullas (Yam); 12. Dennis Verbruggen (KTM); 13. Zach Osborne (Yam); 14. Alessandro Lupino (Yam); 15. Matiss Karro (Suz); 16. Loic Larrieu (Yam); 17. Khounsith Vongsana (TM); 18. Petr Smitka (KTM); 19. Michael Van Wezel (KTM); 20. Nikolaj Larsen (Hon).
MX2 Overall Result: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM); 2. Ken Roczen (Suz); 3. Steven Frossard (Kaw); 4. Shaun Simpson (KTM); 5. Marvin Musquin (KTM); 6. Joel Roelants (KTM); 7. Jeremy Van Horebeek (Kaw); 8. Christophe Charlier (Yam); 9. Arnaud Tonus (Suz); 10. Harri Kullas (Yam); 11. Zach Osborne (Yam); 12. Dennis Verbruggen (KTM); 13. Loic Larrieu (Yam); 14. Jake Nicholls (KTM); 15. Petr Smitka (KTM); 16. Nikolaj Larsen (Hon); 17. Alessandro Lupino (Yam); 18. Matiss Karro (Suz); 19. Mel Pocock (Yam); 20. Khounsith Vongsana (TM).
MX2 World Championship standings (After 3 of 15 rounds): 1. Ken Roczen (130); 2. Marvin Musquin (129); 3. Jeffrey Herlings (122); 4. Steven Frossard (107); 5. Arnaud Tonus (90); 6. Shaun Simpson (87); 7. Jeremy Van Horebeek (80); 8. Zach Osborne (78); 9. Harri Kullas (61); 10. Christophe Charlier (60); 11. Jake Nicholls (59); 12. Joel Roelants (54); 13. Dennis Verbruggen (47); 14. Alessandro Lupino (31); 15. Matiss Karro (22); 16. Nikolaj Larsen (21); 17. Petr Smitka (20); 18. Nick Triest (18); 19. Mel Pocock (18); 20. José Butrón (14).
