The MXGP jumped back to Italy on Sunday at the world-class Maggiora facility. Tim Gajser looked to keep the train rolling at the host track of the 2016 Motocross Des Nations, in a field that had a notable absence this weekend. Meanwhile, in the MX2 class, Tom Vialle and Jago Geerts both looked for a statement day, as the pair entered tied for the series points lead. Maggiora also marked the beginning of a stretch of five Grand Prixs in six weekends. Here is how the first stop in this crucial stretch began.
Be sure to catch up on all of our Motocross coverage.
MXGP Injury News
Starting off was the big story of the week, that being Jorge Prado suffering an injury in midweek practice. According to Lewis Phillips of MXVice, it was a dislocated shoulder that has already been popped back in. The good news is it he may only miss this week. The bad news is that the Red Bull GasGas rider, who was second in points, was now certainly set to lose upwards of 40 points on Gajser as a best-case scenario. Keep in mind, that Prado entered the weekend already down 66 points after a brutal outing in Latvia.
Next up is a great update on DIGA KTM’s Thomas Kjer Olsen. During the MXGP of Latvia weekend, TKO had a major incident in the MXGP class qualifying race on Saturday of that weekend. This crash resulted in the Danish rider being put into a medically induced coma once he made it to the hospital. As of the 30th of April, TKO is now conscious and has feeling in his extremities. Even better, is that he is either already, or will soon be moved from Latvia to Denmark. We wish nothing for the best for Kjer Olsen as he begins the road to recovery at home.
MX2 Class Recap
Moto 1
In the dry muddy conditions, native Italian Mattia Guadagnini secured his first holeshot of 2022. However, the already gutted track bit him just a couple of corners later, he went down, and took Vialle, along with another half dozen riders with him. Geerts filtered into the lead, with rookie Kay Karssemakers and Stephen Rubini, who just missed that wreck on the outside, in the early podium spots.
Not a surprise, but plenty more riders hit the ground at some point in this Moto, including Mikkel Haarup as well on the opening lap. Kay De Wolf also had an odd incident, going down after a scrub attempt gone wrong on one of the big hills. Geerts cruised to a big win meanwhile, with Rubini and Isak Gifting finishing second and third. Additionally, how about Liam Everts bringing it home in fourth?
Moto 2
Karssemakers, in what was a career day for himself, picked up a holeshot over Vialle by railing the outside of turn one. However, the co-points leader snatched the lead back headed into turn two. Karremakers’ teammate Rubini meanwhile, got into his rear wheel and lost a ton of spots exiting turn three. As Vialle began to pull away, the battle for the final podium spot got interesting, with Rubini, De Wolf, and Simon Laengenfelder all in contention. Rubini was able to rally from 10th to 6th and got third over Laengenfelder by just two points. Vialle picked up a wire-to-wire win, but Geerts’ 1-2 got him the ‘GP win and sole possession of the points lead.
MX2 Class Top 10 Results
1st No. 93 Jago Geerts 1-2
2nd No. 28 Tom Vialle 5-1
3rd No. 38 Stephen Rubini 2-6
4th No. 516 Simon Laengenfelder 6-3
5th No. 74 Kay De Wolf 9-4
6th No. 11 Mikkel Haarup 7-5
7th No. 517 Isak Gifting 3-12
8th No. 72 Liam Everts 4-13
9th No. 23 Kevin Horgmo 12-7
10th No. 33 Kay Karssemakers 11-9
MXGP Class Recap
Moto 1
Calvin Vlaanderen picked up his first holeshot in nearly four years to kick off the 450 action on Sunday. Better than that, the Dutchman, by way of South Africa, led the opening seven laps of this moto over Gajser and Maxime Renaux. The rookie Frenchman eventually did find his way by, as did the 243 one lap later. Renaux then did what he could for four laps out in front, but Gajser was too much on Sunday, rallying to a sixth consecutive Moto win.
Moto 2
Factory Kawasaki’s Ben Watson, who has had a miserable season to this point, got a much-needed holeshot over Jeremy Seewer and Pauls Jonass. The latter ended up outbreaking Watson on the final downhill section of lap one and got credit for the first lap led. Also getting by Watson was Gajser, along with his former teammate Seewer. Then in a repeat of Latvia, Gajser got by Jonass for the eventual win, but a mistake on the last lap cost Jonass multiple spots. A 5-8 put the Latvian to seventh on the weekend, while Gajser rattled off his third consecutive 1-1. His points lead over Renaux is 81 points just seven rounds in.
MXGP Class Top 10 Results
1st No. 243 Tim Gajser 1-1
2nd No. 91 Jeremy Seewer 2-2
3rd No. 959 Maxime Renaux 3-3
4th No. 10 Calvin Vlaanderen 4-7
5th No. 71 Ruben Fernandez 6-5
6th No. 919 Ben Watson 10-4
7th No. 41 Pauls Jonass 5-8
8th No. 89 Jeremy Van Horebeek 7-9
9th No. 43 Mitch Evans 10-9
10th No. 259 Glenn Coldenhoff 8-12
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @primetimesportstalk
Follow Jack Gaffney on Twitter @JackGaffneyPTST
Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
