2021 FIM MXGP of Sardegna Results

Cycle News Staff | September 22, 2021

Jeffrey Herlings is the new red-plate holder in the 2021 MXGP Championship after winning both motos at the Grand Prix of Sardegna, located on the Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea, September 19. The Red Bull KTM rider won both motos (for the first time this season), while teammate Jorge Prado went 2-2 for second overall.

**Jeffrey Herlings is the new MXGP points leader after winning both motos at the MXGP of Sardegna**

Photos: Ray Archer

The sweep puts Herlings into the championship lead by one point over defending champ Tim Gajser, who came into the race recovering from a broken collarbone (and surgery) suffered during the week while training.

Gajser was involved in a first-turn incident in the first moto that put him in the back of the pack, from which he could only muster a 19th-place finish. Gajser started better in moto two but the Honda rider, who wasn’t feeling 100 percent due to injury, finished eighth.

Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) was third overall with a 3-3.

Herlings is on top of the leaderboard with 371 points to Gajser’s 370. Febvre is third with 367, followed by Prado with 359.

Antonio Cairoli, who recently announced his upcoming retirement, was injured in practice, and he did not race. It is not known yet if the injury will prevent him from representing Italy in this weekend’s Motocross of Nations.

“With the injuries to Tim and Tony it is a sad way to take this red plate,” Herlings said. “It means nothing at the moment. I know what injury is like, so hopefully they will get healthy before the next GP.”

“It was a small mistake that cost a lot of energy and affected me,” Cairoli said. “When I was on the ground, I didn’t feel everything so well. I was pretty scared. With the check afterwards, it was a relief to know everything was okay.”

Red Bull KTM’s Tom Vialle won both MX2 motos, with Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) second overall with a 2-3 and Dutchman Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) third overall with a 4-4.

Renaux leads the championship with 403 points, followed by KTM’s Mattia Guadagnini (who DNF the second moto) with 332. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) is third with 325 points.

Liam Everts, the son of 10-time World Champion Stefan Everts, made his highly anticipated debut in the MX2 class. The Belgian qualified 23rd and went 16-11 for 13th overall.

Everts will fill in for fellow countryman Jago Geerts, who recently pulled out of the MXoN, in order to concentrate on the MX2 Championship. Everts will race alongside Brent Vandoninck and Cyril Genot. CN