Gautier Paulin topped the MX1 class. Photo by M. Zazani/ Youthstream 2012
Team KRT Factory Kawasaki riders Gautier Paulin and Tommy Searle were the big winners in Sevlievo for round three of the FIM World Motocross Championship in Bulgaria, April 22. Paulin recorded his first overall victory of the season in the MX1 class, while Searle took top honors in the MX2 division.
Paulin went 2-1, and Searle 1-4.
Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Christophe Pourcel led from start to finish in the first MX1 moto and got off to a fast start in the second but was unable to match Paulin’s speed that time around.
His 1-2 gave Pourcel second overall.
The third step of the podium was reserved for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli who went 4-3. The Italian, who is still leading the championship, suffered from arm pump in the beginning of both motos, so it was difficult for him to keep the speed. Cairoli decided to ride safe and simply get as many points as possible before the series heads to his more preferred hard-pack soil of his home country.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ken De Dycker did not have a good start in the first race and was only seventh, but he got a much better start in the second moto. He fought against Cairoli and Clement Desalle and moved up to the third position at one point of the race. In the end, De Dycker was fourth in the second moto, which gave him an overall fourth position.
For Honda World Motocross’ Evgeny Bobryshev it was not an easy weekend, as his injured right thumb is still bothering him, but he battled against the pain and finished fifth overall.
In MX2, Searle not only won the qualifying race on Saturday, but he also led both GP motos from the beginning. However, in the first moto, he lost his front brake and had to settle down with a third-place position. In the second moto, he dominated from beginning to end.
Tommy Searle was the MX2-class winner. Photo by M. Zazani/ Youthstream 2012
Second overall went to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeff Herlings, who finished second both times out.
Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Joel Roelants succeeded in winning the first moto, but he couldn’t match that performance in the second moto, finishing fourth in the moto and third overall.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek rode two solid motos and ended fourth overall. In the first moto, he didn’t get a very good start and had to move up from about 10th. In the second moto, he rode comfortably in third place from beginning to end.
Honda Gariboldi – Esta’s Max Anstie completed the top five with 6-5 results.
American Michael Leib, who is currently filling in for the Monster Energy Yamaha team, went 10-11
RESULTS
MX1 Race 1 top ten: 1. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 39:09.159; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:05.667; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:07.718; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:08.467; 5. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:20.631; 6. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:21.770; 7. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:36.027; 8. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:44.249; 9. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +0:44.410; 10. Gregory Aranda (FRA, Yamaha), +0:57.539;
MX1 Race 2 top ten: 1. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 39:17.879; 2. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:02.427; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:23.189; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:26.379; 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:29.251; 6. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:29.975; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:31.978; 8. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), +1:05.762; 9. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +1:07.483; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +1:08.192;
MX1 Overall top ten: 1. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 47 points; 2. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 47 p.; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 32 p.; 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), 29 p.; 6. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 29 p.; 7. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 24 p.; 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 23 p.; 9. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), 22 p.; 10. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 21 p.;
MX1 Championship top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 88 points; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 79 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 67 p.; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 63 p.; 5. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 59 p.; 6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 51 p.; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 49 p.; 8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), 45 p.; 9. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 44 p.; 10. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), 42 p.;
MX2 Race 1 top ten: 1. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), 39:43.795; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:09.286; 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:17.680; 4. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:24.904; 5. Harri Kullas (FIN, Suzuki), +0:39.615; 6. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), +0:44.290; 7. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:50.642; 8. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:53.251; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:54.123; 10. Michael Leib (USA, Yamaha), +1:09.346;
MX2 Race 2 top ten: 1. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 39:24.388; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:02.231; 3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:43.372; 4. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:52.201; 5. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), +0:59.616; 6. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), +1:18.428; 7. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:23.833; 8. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), +1:26.744; 9. Harri Kullas (FIN, Suzuki), +1:29.499; 10. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:29.660;
MX2 Overall top ten: 1. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 45 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 44 p.; 3. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), 43 p.; 4. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 38 p.; 5. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), 31 p.; 6. Harri Kullas (FIN, Suzuki), 28 p.; 7. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 24 p.; 8. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), 23 p.; 9. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 23 p.; 10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 22 p.
MX2 Championship top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 94 points; 2. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 87 p.; 3. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), 85 p.; 4. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 74 p.; 5. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), 57 p.; 6. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 51 p.; 7. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 48 p.; 8. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), 48 p.; 9. Harri Kullas (FIN, Suzuki), 43 p.; 10. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 38 p.;
