Steve Cox | September 10, 2017
2017 Dutch MXGP Results: Red Bull KTM’s Antonio Cairoli had solidified himself as among the greatest motocross racers of all time well prior to the 2017 season, but his legend just grew stronger at the Dutch MXGP.
After winning an incredible six MXGP (MX1) World Championships in a row, from 2009 through 2014, Cairoli seemed to have lost a step in the last couple of years. He had to deal with some injuries, but in a sport like motocross, that’s nothing new. It wasn’t just that he was missing races with injuries, but even when he was there, he simply wasn’t winning like he used to.
But after two championship losses in succession, 31-year-old Cairoli (who will be 32 before the Motocross of Nations at the end of this month) set out determined this year to get back to his winning ways. And he did.
He started things out winning the opener in Qatar, and although he had a few below-average motos, he was always up there somewhere while his competition made costly errors. In the end, he carried a massive points lead into the Dutch MXGP, and all he needed was to finish in the top 15 in the first moto to win the overall.
He finished second, just one second behind teammate and title rival Jeffrey Herlings on his home (sandy) soil. And that was it. Antonio Cairoli is the 2017 MXGP World Champion. One more will tie him with the great Stefan Everts for the most world championships in motocross history.
2017 Dutch MXGP Results
Herlings managed to dominate the event, winning both motos, while Cairoli spent most of moto two pressuring Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Max Nagl for second. Cairoli went down on the final lap while battling for the spot, ending up sixth in the moto, but there was no reason for him to fret. He’s the champ.
“We didn’t start as a favorite for sure this year. I know what I work for and I know what it takes to have a solid and consistent championship so we made it and I am really happy about this,” Cairoli said. “It was an amazing season, I think one of my best, it is amazing that I can still improve after 14, now 15 years in the world championship, I really am proud of this. I just want to enjoy this title, we had a very good weekend especially today…but I’m really happy because the championship is the most important thing for me. To take it here in Holland with all the fans it was very nice, the track was amazing even with the rain it still worked out and it was very technical, the organizers did a really good job so nothing could be better.”
Monster Energy Yamaha’s 2015 champ Romain Febvre hung on for third in the moto, and his 4-3 gave him second overall, just in front of the 3-4 of the second Max on the Husky team, Max Anstie. Cairoli was fourth overall with a 2-6, and then Nagl was fifth with a 10-2.
2017 Dutch MXGP Results
In the MX2 class, points leader Pauls Jonass led his Red Bull KTM teammate Jorge Prado Garcia for the entire first moto in the Dutch sand, Garcia finishing less than a second behind. American Thomas Covington (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) came in third about 12 seconds later, in front of KTM’s Calvin Vlaanderen and Suzuki’s Jeremy Seewer, who is solidly second in the points standings.
In moto two, Garcia worked his way around Conrad Mewse, who led the opening handful of laps, to take the win. Mewse fell late in the moto and ended up 12th.
Seewer came through for second in front of Husky’s Thomas Kjer Olsen, Vlaanderen, KTM’s Brian Bogers, Suzuki’s Aussie Hunter Lawrence, and Jonass, while Covington suffered a terrible start, and a fall, to come in 13th. Covington’s 3-13 was good enough for seventh overall, but now Covington sits fifth in points, within striking distance of injured Benoit Paturel in fourth.
2017 Dutch MXGP Results
Garcia took the victory overall, in front of Jonass and Seewer, and Jonass now enjoys a 41-point lead over Seewer as they head to the final round of the championship. All Jonass needs is to finish 11th or better in the first moto to clinch his first MX2 World Championship.
The series now heads to its final World Championship round, the MXGP of Pays de Montbeliard in Villars sous Ecot, France, this coming weekend, where the MX2 title will be decided.
2017 Dutch MXGP Results
Results:
MXGP
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 1-1
2. Romain Febvre (Yam) 4-3
3. Max Anstie (Hus) 3-4
4. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 2-6
5. Max Nagl (Hus) 10-2
MX2
1. Jorge Prado Garcia (KTM) 2-1
2. Pauls Jonass (KTM) 1-7
3. Jeremy Seewer (Suz) 5-2
4. Calvin Vlaanderen (KTM) 4-4
5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Hus) 8-3
MXGP Points Standings
1. Antonio Cairoli 710
2. Jeffrey Herlings 627
3. Gautier Paulin 571
4. Clement Desalle 544
5. Tim Gajser 485
MX2 Points Standings
1. Pauls Jonass 735
2. Jeremy Seewer 694
3. Thomas Kjer Olsen 556
4. Benoit Paturel 504
5. Thomas Covington 485
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