2022 MXGP of Sardegna Results

Cycle News Staff | May 16, 2022

The eighth round of the MXGP Championship played out in extreme heat at the MXGP of Sardegna in Sardinia, Italy, May 15. But the challenging conditions on a soft and physically demanding track didn’t seem to faze The Netherlands’ Calvin Vlaanderen (Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing) who had a perfect week in the sun, topping Saturday’s time qualifying and qualifying race, and both MXGP motos on Sunday. While many riders wilted in the heat, Vlaanderen stayed strong, going 1-1 for his first career MXGP win, and his first victory since 2019 in the MX2 division.

2022 MXGP of Sardegna Video Highlights

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“I’m speechless,” said the Dutchman. “Just honestly, it was a perfect weekend. I was first in every single session that mattered. First in time practice, first in the qualifying race and then both races. It’s just, I don’t know what to say, just years and years of hard work, this is what I dreamed of coming into MXGP. You know, winning and to be here right now. It’s like a dream.

Calvin Vlaanderen at 2022 MXGP of Sardegna — **Calvin Vlaanderen claimed his first career MXGP win in the heat at the MXGP of Sardegna.**

Photos by Ray Archer

“I think it all started with the week leading up to this, like mentally it’s such a big thing in the sport, especially at this level to believe you can win,” Vlaanderen said. “And coming to this weekend, I honestly believed for the first time in my career, I can win it. And it’s such a nice feeling, just confidence and it showed today that I could do it.”

Red Bull KTM’s Jorge Prado was second overall with a 3-3, while Dutchman Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) was third overall with a lopsided 8-2.

The heat got to many of the riders by late in the second moto, including championship leader Tim Gajser, who struggled in race two after taking second in moto one. Gajser was seventh overall on the day. However, Gajser still enjoys a comfortable lead in the MXGP Championship, 367-288 over Yamaha rider Maxime Renaux, who was fourth on the day with a 6-4.

Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha), fifth overall, is third in points, 24 points down from Renaux.

“I hadn’t been feeling well at all, and I knew that with the high temperatures and the difficulty of the surface, I would need to be at my best to be able to compete in this MXGP class,” said Gajser. “In race one, I got my second holeshot of the year and controlled the majority of the race. It was just the final two laps I ran out of energy and had to settle for second. Unfortunately, in race two, I didn’t get as good a start and, although I was feeling like I could run the pace and move through the field, I crashed while I was in sixth and that really hurt my momentum as I re-joined the race in 12th. I kept running, and finished the moto there, only dropping a couple of points in the championship battle but I am a little disappointed how it turned out overall.”

In MX2, championship rivals Tom Vialle of the Red Bull KTM factory team and Jago Geerts of the Monster Energy Yamaha factory team went at for the overall win. The Belgian, Geerts, held off Vialle to win the first moto, crossing the finish line 8.8 seconds ahead of the Frenchman, Vialle, who dropped his bike on the last lap without losing a position.

Tom Vialle and Jago Geerts at 2022 MXGP of Sardegna — **Tom Vialle (28) out-dueled Jago Geerts for the MX2 win.**

In the deciding second moto, the two were at it again, only the positions were reversed with Vialle leading and Geerts chasing. It was a thrilling battle to the end with Vialle holding Geerts off by less than a second at the finish line. Vialle’s second-moto win gave the KTM rider the overall victory, with Geerts taking second.

“I’m really happy to win today,” Vialle said. “It was a tough track, and it was really hot, also. In the first race I didn’t have a super start and I was around sixth in the first corner. I passed quickly after two laps, was already behind Jago and just tried to push all the race, but the track is not easy to pass when you ride the same speed, and then I had a small mistake on the last lap. But anyway, I was feeling actually pretty good and in the second race I had a much better start, I took the lead after a few corners until the end. I could control the race, and it was really nice to win. I am pretty happy.”

“It was quite a tough day,” Geerts said. “The track was really rough and then with the hot weather, it didn’t make it easier. But I rode two good races today, first race I took the lead in the first or second lap and just had a good pace until the end. Tom was also pushing me so I knew the second race would be tough for sure. And then Tom got a better start in the second heat that made it a bit easier for him, and it was me that time around trying to follow him and finished second. I’m happy about today, didn’t make big mistakes and took second place.”

French rider Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) was third overall, while Norway’s Kevin Horgmo (Kawasaki) and Italian Andrea Adamo (GasGas) rounded out the top five overall.

Geerts still leads the MX2 Championship but by only six points over Vialle. CN