Pourcel Masters Muddy Brazil MX GP

Cycle News Staff | May 21, 2012

Both Christophe Pourcel and Tommy Searle earned their second victories of the year at a very wet and muddy Grand Prix of Beto Carrero in Brazil, May 20. And did they ever earn their wins.

Heavy rain Sunday morning left the Beto Carrero track a muddy mess and it was all the riders could do just to get their bikes and their steaming hot clutches to the finish line.

Pourcel, on the CP377 Monster Energy Kawasaki, led the whole way in the first MX1 moto but struggled a bit in the second moto, slipping from first to fourth before it was all over. However, Pourcel’s 1-4 was good enough to claim the overall win over Monster Energy Yamaha’s David Philippaerts and HM Plant KTM UK’s Kevin Strijbos.

Philippaerts went 2-6 on the day, while Strijobs went 5-3.

For Strijbos, it was his first podium finish since 2007.

Class points leader Antonio Cairoli struggled in the mud, finishing eighth overall in what he said was one of his worst GPs ever. However, he still enjoys a comfortable points lead over Clement Desalle, 203-179.

Desalle finished seventh overall on the day.

In the MX2 class, Searle simply flourished in the mud. He managed good starts in both motos and ran off with the wins, but he did have to stop for new gloves following a fall in the first moto. He lost the lead because of the stop but had no problems getting it back.

The win moved Searle up to second place in the points standings.

Second overall went to French Yamaha rider Christophe Charlier who went 2-5 on the day.

Third went to Spain’s Jose Butron, followed by Belgians Jeremy van Horebeek and Joel Roelants.

Points leader Jeff Herlings had troubles with his starts, which were compounded by a fall in the first moto. He ended up going 12-7 for seventh overall.

Herlings still has a comfortable points lead, which is now 20 points over Searle. Van Horebeek is third with 189 points.