Cycle News Staff | September 16, 2019
The final round of the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship marked the first ever MXGP held in China, at the Shanghai Off-Road Circuit, September 14-15.
Jeffrey Herlings won his second MXGP overall of the season, while Jorge Prado made a statement by winning the last round of the season, and both Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders will be remembered as the first to get Chinese gold.
Taking the top three spots in the final MXGP Championship standings were Team HRC’s Tim Gajser, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer, and Standing Construct KTM’s Glenn Coldenhoff, while in MX2 class, Prado, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen, and Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha’s Jago Geerts finalized the 2019 Championship standings.
Herlings, the 2018 MXGP Champion who sat out most of the season due to injuries, capped off the final two rounds with back-to-back wins (his only two wins of the season).
In China, Herlings came from behind to place second in the first moto. He was closing in on KTM rider Coldenhoff, who led most of the race, when the checkered flag came out. Less than a second separated the two riders.
Gajser, who had already clinched the MXGP Championship several race prior, took third, while Seewer survived a couple of crashes and a rock to the face to place fourth.
“I got a rock in my eye and then cut my chin when I crashed, and I was fighting hard to get third position,” said Seewer. “I didn’t want to risk too much anymore.”
Coldenhoff again took the early lead in moto two, but this time he couldn’t hold back Herlings, who passed Coldenhoff for the lead late in the race.
Herlings held on for the win, and his 2-1 moto combination netted the Dutchman the overall victory for the day, topping Coldenhoff’s 1-2.
Seewer took third in the moto, third in the overall column and third in the championship, beating out Gautier Paulin by just eight points after 40 motos of racing this year.
“The first race I just couldn’t make to win, but I am very thankful to win the last two races of the season, and I am looking forward to next year,” said the day’s champion Herlings. “I wanted to save some energy in the first race, but the second race, I missed the start a bit, and it was a bit tricky. I managed to win it at the end, and I am pretty happy.”
“I feel like we did a great job this weekend,” said Coldenhoff who finished of the season strong. “It was a solid start in the second race, and I was second and led all the races. I started making mistakes, and I was looking at the bigger picture that is the bronze medal, and I got a podium, which was good. First race was great. I am so pumped, I was able to hold of Jeffrey [Herlings] and Tim [Gajser].”
“I am very happy to win my third World championship title,” Gajser said. “We had a great off-season, the beginning was just amazing, and then I won seven rounds in a row which was so special. Now at the end of the season, I am struggling and not finding the flow, unfortunately. Coming to this weekend I felt good, yesterday I was fast on the track and enjoyed it. In the qualifying race, I had the holeshot and then made a mistake and hit my neck, and I was sore.”
As he has done all year, Prado ruled the MX2 class, winning both motos in what was his final race in the MX2 class before stepping up to MXGP. But Prado didn’t run away from the pack like he had so many times this season. In China, the Spaniard edged out Honda rider Calvin Vlaanderen in the first moto by less than two second and his Red Bull KTM teammate Tom Vialle in the second moto by less than a second.
Vialle’s 3-2 nipped Vlaanderen’s 2-4 for runner-up honors.
Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) was fifth on the day but second in the MX2 Championship.
Belgian Jago Geerts (Yamaha) edged out Vialle by just second points for the season’s bronze medal.
KTM took the Manufacturers Championship, followed by Husqvarna, Yamaha, Honda, and Kawasaki. CN
2019 FIM Motocross World Championship
Final Round
Shanghai Off-Road Circuit
Shanghai, China
RESULTS: September 15, 2019
MXGP
MXGP – Grand Prix Race 1 Top Ten:1. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 35:20.563; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:00.841; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:02.268; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:23.103; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:25.636; 6. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Husqvarna), +0:28.101; 7. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:31.951; 8. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:40.088; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:59.916; 10. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +1:15.332
MXGP – Grand Prix Race 2 Top Ten:1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 35:24.258; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:08.514; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:25.810; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:33.249; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:40.121; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:45.179; 7. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:49.883; 8. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +1:01.483; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:12.717; 10. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Husqvarna), +1:17.759;
MXGP – GP Top Ten:1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 points; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 47 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 38 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 38 p.; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 30 p.; 6. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 30 p.; 7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 28 p.; 8. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 26 p.; 9. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), 24 p.; 10. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 24 p
MXGP – World Championship Top Ten: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 782 points; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 580 p.; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 535 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 527 p.; 5. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 462 p.; 6. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 458 p.; 7. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 442 p.; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 433 p.; 9. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 384 p.; 10. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 358 p.
MXGP – Manufacturers Classification:1. Honda, 791 points; 2. KTM, 769 p.; 3. Yamaha, 729 p.; 4. Husqvarna, 559 p.; 5. Kawasaki, 367 p.
MX2
MX2 – Grand Prix Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 34:18.828; 2. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Honda), +0:01.736; 3. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), +0:04.084; 4. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:19.028; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:23.844; 6. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:28.357; 7. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), +0:48.900; 8. Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:51.886; 9. Brian Strubhart Moreau (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:54.000; 10. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:55.032
MX2 – Grand Prix Race 2 Top Ten:1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 34:08.720; 2. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), +0:00.650; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:16.159; 4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Honda), +0:20.472; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:23.718; 6. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, Kawasaki), +0:44.878; 7. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:50.508; 8. Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:51.687; 9. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), +0:54.312; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:54.662
MX2 – GP Top Ten:1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 50 points; 2. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, HON), 40 p.; 4. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 38 p.; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 32 p.; 6. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 29 p.; 7. Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 26 p.; 8. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Alberto Forato (ITA, HUS), 20 p.; 10. Mitchell Harrison (USA, KAW), 20 p
MX2 – World Championship Top Ten:1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 837 points; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 624 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 543 p.; 4. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 537 p.; 5. Henry Jacobi (GER, KAW), 442 p.; 6. Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 410 p.; 7. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 405 p.; 8. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, HON), 399 p.; 9. Mathys Boisrame (FRA, HON), 303 p.; 10. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 282 p
MX2 – Manufacturers Classification:1. KTM, 879 points; 2. Husqvarna, 674 p.; 3. Yamaha, 665 p.; 4. Honda, 608 p.; 5. Kawasaki, 573 p.