Steve Cox | September 16, 2018
2018 MX GP of The Netherlands Results: With one round still left to race, Red Bull KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings clinched his first-ever MXGP (MX1/450cc) World Championship at his home race, going 1-1 at the GP of The Netherlands at Assen.
Red Bull KTM’s defending champ Antonio Cairoli did what he could to stop the much younger speedster, leading in both motos only to succumb to Herlings’ raw speed like he has been forced to do for much of the 2018 season.
“I don’t really know what to say, it has been an amazing day,” Herlings said after clinching the title. “It has been a blessing to be in my shoes today. Everyone says to enjoy the day but it is so hard, I remember waking up this morning and now we are here, everything has happened so fast. To do this in front of the home crowd at Assen’s TT circuit it is amazing. It is really a special day.”
Cairoli went 2-2 on the day, and with the title chase over, he was able to give credit where it was due.
“For me it is an honor to be second behind Jeffrey because he is definitely the fastest rider in the world at the moment and I’m not taking second to just anyone,” Cairoli said. “I know I can be more competitive but it is a nice challenge and congratulations to him and thanks to Red Bull KTM for helping us to 1st and 2nd this season.”
Britain’s Max Anstie (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) was third overall on the day with a 3-4 score. There’s one more round this coming weekend in Italy before the bulk of these racers head over to RedBud to take on Team USA on their home soil the first weekend in October at the Motocross of Nations.
MX2
In the MX2 class, Red Bull KTM’s Jorge Prado continued his late-season run of success with a 1-1 score to extend his points lead to 46 with one round left to run, while American Thomas Covington finished second overall yet again with a 3-3 score on the day.
“I am pretty happy to be back on the podium in the sand since it is not really my forte,” Covington said. “In the second race I knew I needed to pass one more guy to get on the podium, I saw TKO [Thomas Kjer Olsen] ahead of me and I was just giving everything to get ahead of him…he ended going down but we both ended up on the podium so it is good for the whole team.”
Covington has one more race left in his European career before he heads back to the States in 2019 with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna squad.
Video Highlights
2018 MX GP of The Netherlands Results
2018 MX GP of The Netherlands Results
2018 MX GP of The Netherlands Results
2018 MX GP of The Netherlands Results
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