The famous hard-packed conditions of Teutschenthal, Germany, June 10-11, set the scene for round nine of the FIM Motocross World Championship, where GasGas’ Jorge Prado nabbed his first 1-1 of the season and Liam Everts claimed his first career race win and overall victory. In doing so, Prado extended his championship lead in MXGP and Everts chalked up another milestone grand prix victory for the Everts name.
MXGP
Jeremy Seewer led early on over Jorge Prado, Jeffery Herlings and Romain Febvre in the first MXGP moto. Herlings did what Herlings does and caught fire as the race wore on, passing both Prado and Seewer just a few laps apart. But the same turn where Herlings had made his earlier passes bit him when he cross-rutted and was ejected from his bike, landing hard on his shoulder. He soldiered on but rode slowly to finish 20th taking one championship point. Herlings did not line up for race two with pain in his neck.
Prado then found himself back in the lead and claimed the win over Seewer and Ruben Fernandez.
Prado again started up at the front in race two, this time with another Yamaha of Glenn Coldenhoff. The duo stayed in the two lead spots until a mistake from Coldenhoff late in the race allowed Prado to slip by. The GasGas rider went on to claim his second win of the year and his first 1-1 sweep of the 2023 campaign. Coldenhoff took second in the race and second overall with Febvre coming in third in the final moto. With Herlings not racing moto two, Prado further extended his points lead to 67.
“Winning the qualification race and then both motos was just perfect,” said Prado. “The bike was very good and so was my riding. I knew that I could do this more often, but it is just about putting everything together and building my confidence. I think today was a perfect example of what I can do. I feel very confident going to Indonesia.”
VIDEO | 2023 FIM MXGP of Germany Highlights
FIM MXGP
MX2
There was drama in the MX2 division when points leader Kay De Wolf suffered an ankle injury in Saturday’s qualifying race and former points leader Jago Geerts was back after missing the previous round due to a wrist injury.
Everts, the son of multi-time World Champion Stefan Everts and the grandson of four-time World Champion Harry Everts, blasted out of the gate as he took the Fox Holeshot in the first MX2 race. The young KTM rider put himself in a good position early on but was overtaken on lap one by 16-year-old Lucas Coenen.
The Husqvarna-mounted Coenen took off with the race lead and let the rest of the MX2 field duke it out for the podium. Everts and Roan van de Moosdijk battled for second and third, but Van de Moosdijk eventually hit the deck and dropped to fifth. This allowed the KTMs of Everts and Adamo to round out the podium. De Wolf and Geerts both finished outside the top 10.
Everts grabbed his second holeshot in race two, but it was Coenen again who passed for the lead on lap one. The two youngsters ran up front until a broken chain derailed Coenen’s race. This put Everts into the lead and allowed him to take his first-ever race win. A 2-1 also earned him the grand prix overall. Adamo took second in race two and second overall with Thibault Benistant claiming third. Adamo continues to lead Benistant by 13 in the championship points.
“It’s definitely nice to win this one,” said Everts. “We made some good steps with the bike, and I felt at one with it. The pressure is not easy in my shoes. I’m the third generation of our family and I have to perform. I proved something this weekend. It is a load off my shoulders, but I want to keep going. I felt good and could push right to the end of that second moto.” CN
2023 FIM MXGP of Germany Round 9 Results
Overall
MXGP (Top 10)
- Jorge Prado (GG) 1-1
- Glenn Coldenhoff (Yam) 4-2
- Ruben Fernandez (Hon) 3-4
- Jeremy Seewer (Yam) 2-5
- Romain Febvre (Kaw) 6-3
MX2
- Liam Everts (KTM) 2-1
- Andrea Adamo (KTM) 3-2
- Thibault Benistant (Yam) 4-3
- Roan Van De Moosdijk (Hus) 5-5
- Mikkel Haarup (KTM) 8-4
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