Cycle News Staff | July 22, 2018
The 2018 Monster Energy FIM Motocross World Championship visited the Loket Circuit in the Czech Republic, July 22, where Jeffrey Herlings continued to put the hurt on the MXGP class, and a new leader emerged in the MX2 Championship.
Herlings Hauling In MXGP
In MXGP, Herlings (Red Bull KTM) passed his teammate Antonio Cairoli during the first lap of both motos and simply ran away for a 1-1 sweep. He was pretty much unchallenged all day, winning both motos by 31 seconds over Cairoli.
In the first moto, Tim Gajser (Honda HRC) finished three seconds behind Cairoli in third, while Clement Desalle (Monster Energy Kawasaki) took fourth, seven seconds behind Gajser. Jeremy Van Horebeek (Monster Energy Yamaha) finished another five seconds back in fifth.
Gajser again took third in the second moto, well clear of fourth-place Romain Febvre (Monster Energy Yamaha) and Van Horebeek.
In the overall classification, Herlings, Cairoli and Gajser made up the MXGP podium, while Febvre took fourth and Van Horebeek fifth.
Herlings is now 33 points clear of Cairoli in the championship standings with six rounds to go. The next-closest rider is Desalle who is 124 points behind Cairoli with 479 points. Gajser is fourth with 450 points, and Febvre fifth with 432.
Prado Takes Over In MX2
In MX2, Spain’s Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM) is the new championship leader, overtaking his teammate Pauls Jonass, who had led since the opening round, 14 rounds ago.
Prado traded moto wins and 1-3 moto finishes in Loket with Dutch rider Calvin Vlaanderen (Honda), but it was Prado who was awarded the overall victory for winning the tie-breaking second moto. Prado earned 45 points on the day versus Jonass’ 34 and now leads the championship by 11 points over Jonass, who struggled to find his rhythm on the day after going 4-5 for fourth overall.
Vlaanderen was second overall, while American Thomas Covington (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) was third overall despite finishing second in both motos. For Covington it was a solid weekend, though, as he also won Saturday’s qualifying race.
“Considering everything it was a really solid weekend for me getting the win yesterday and two consistent races today,” Covington said. “I am happy to be on the podium.” CN
Video Highlights
RESULTS
MXGP of Czech Republic
Loket, Czech Republic
RESULTS: July 22, 2018
MXGP RESULTS
MXGP Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 34:28.981; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:31.992; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:35.048; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:42.339; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:47.791; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:51.183; 7. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:53.685; 8. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:57.076; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +1:00.975; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +1:01.390.
MXGP Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 34:33.827; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:31.568; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:37.056; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:51.917; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:57.637; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +1:00.420; 7. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:02.022; 8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +1:02.791; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +1:03.549; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +1:30.621.
MXGP Overall Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 44 p.; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 40 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 32 p.; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 32 p.; 6. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 32 p.; 7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 30 p.; 8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 24 p.; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 24 p.; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 19 p.
MXGP Championship Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 633 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 603 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 479 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 450 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 432 p.; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 419 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 353 p.; 8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 319 p.; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 312 p.; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 231 p.
MXGP Manufacturers: 1. KTM, 697 points; 2. Kawasaki, 498 p.; 3. Yamaha, 480 p.; 4. Honda, 465 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 443 p.; 6. TM, 227 p.; 7. Suzuki, 226 p.
MX2 RESULTS
MX2 Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Honda), 33:49.461; 2. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:02.429; 3. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:03.000; 4. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:04.957; 5. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda), +0:06.680; 6. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:16.661; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:31.581; 8. Henry Jacobi (GER, Husqvarna), +0:37.706; 9. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:43.039; 10. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:47.676.
MX2 Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 33:59.877; 2. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +0:01.736; 3. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Honda), +0:10.271; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:14.561; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:20.793; 6. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda), +0:40.508; 7. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), +0:45.749; 8. Henry Jacobi (GER, Husqvarna), +0:46.400; 9. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:53.877; 10. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:57.247.
MX2 Overall Top Ten: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 45 points; 2. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, HON), 45 p.; 3. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 44 p.; 4. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 34 p.; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 32 p.; 6. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, HON), 31 p.; 7. Henry Jacobi (GER, HUS), 26 p.; 8. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 24 p.; 9. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 24 p.; 10. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 22 p.
MX2 Championship Top Ten: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 595 points; 2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 584 p.; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 454 p.; 4. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 427 p.; 5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, HON), 414 p.; 6. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 375 p.; 7. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 310 p.; 8. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 279 p.; 9. Henry Jacobi (GER, HUS), 249 p.; 10. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), 218 p.
MX2 Manufacturers: 1. KTM, 673 points; 2. Husqvarna, 569 p.; 3. Honda, 482 p.; 4. Yamaha, 475 p.; 5. Kawasaki, 326 p.; 6. TM, 119 p.