On the docket for the MXGP lads this weekend was the annual trip to Latvia at the Kegums facility. The former Motocross Des Nations host track serves as the home race for native Latvian and former MX2 World Champion Pauls Jonass. The Standing Construct Husqvarna rider has not run well on home soil in recent years but entered the weekend with top fives in 2-of the last-3 Grand Prixs. Like everyone else in the ‘GP class, he had to beat Tim Gajser to get the biggest win of his career. As for the MX2 Championship, things are beginning to shape up for a Tom Vialle and Jago Geerts duel.
Be sure to catch up on all of our Motocross coverage.
Jeffrey Herlings Update
Tony Cairoli is good to go for the AMA Nationals, but the biggest question in the Motocross world has been if Herlings could be U.S. bound. The odds on if that will be the case have fluctuated over the last several weeks, but there was a major update on that front Sunday afternoon. Via Lewis Phillips of MXVice, the Bullet will be back on the bike this week. That, and the possibility of him running Lucas Oil Pro Motocross is not dead just yet. The countdown is on with just under five weeks until Pala.
MX2 Class Recap
Moto 1
Simon Laengenfelder, aboard his GasGas MC250F, snuck around the inside in the mud to secure the first MX2 holeshot on Sunday. The conditions played a big role here, with Vialle, Kay De Wolf, Mikkel Harrup, and Mattia Guadagnini all going down, and in the case of Harrup, back to the truck early. Laengenfelder led the opening five laps, but all the rest went to Geerts, who picked up a big Moto win with Vialle ending up out of a podium spot.
Moto 2
F&H Kawasaki’s Kevin Horgmo picked up his second holeshot of the year in Moto 2 with Guadagnini and Geerts in tow. The former took the lead from Horgmo on the opening lap but gave it up to the Kawasaki rider before it ended. Although he seemed primed for a Moto win, it was not meant to be. On lap 12 of 16, Horgmo nailed some tuff blocks on the transfer back onto the start straight and fell back to fourth by the end of this day. This ended up giving Geerts a clear path to a 1-1 day, and additionally a tie for the points lead with Vialle who went 5-3.
MX2 Class Top 10 Results
1st No. 93 Jago Geerts 1-1
2nd No. 24 Kevin Horgmo 2-4
3rd No. 28 Tom Vialle 5-3
4th No. 74 Kay De Wolf 12-2
5th No. 198 Thibault Benistant 3-10
6th No. 516 Simon Laengenfelder 4-12
7th No. 427 Hakon Fredriksen 8-8
8th No. 517 Isak Gifting 10-7
9th No. 101 Mattia Guadagnini 14-5
10th No. 80 Andrea Adamo 6-16
MXGP Class Recap
Moto 1
Jorge Prado (shocker) picked up the first holeshot of the day over fellow Spaniard Ruben Fernandez to kick things off for the 450s. Gajser and Jonass filtered their way behind the No. 61 before too long, with Jonass manning second place up until lap 11. All of one lap later, Gajser completed a quick run of going from third to first, getting by Prado, ensuring a Moto win. The latter would have had a sure podium result, had he not collided with Gajser’s rear wheel on the last lap in mid-air. That incident put Prado back in 12th.
Moto 2
The Latvian fans who gutted it out in the rain got a treat in ‘GP Moto 2, with Jonass beating Gajser to the holeshot line. Jonass was even able to lead the first six laps, but Gajser proved too strong for the former MX2 Champion. Prado had his brutal day continue into this second race meanwhile. A fall on lap two put him back near 20th, forcing the holeshot king to carve his way to a salvageable finish.
That result ended up being a 13th, which is bad news for Prado’s title hopes, as for the second Grand Prix in a row, it’s a 1-1 for Gajser and Honda HRC. He has now won 5-of-6 to open the year, along with a 75 percent Moto winning percentage through 12. Furthermore, Gajser’s points lead over Prado now sits at 66 points, not even 10 events into the season. As for the home countryman Jonass, a 2-2 gets him to a season-best result of second.
MXGP Class Top 10 Results
1st No. 24 Tim Gajser 1-1
2nd No. 41 Pauls Jonass 2-2
3rd No. 70 Ruben Fernandez 3-4
4th No. 259 Glenn Coldenhoff 5-3
5th No. 959 Maxime Renaux 6-5
6th No. 303 Alberto Forato 4-9
7th No. 189 Brian Bogers 8-6
8th No. 91 Jeremy Seewer 7-8
9th No. 10 Calvin Vlaanderen 14-7
10th No. 919 Ben Watson 13-10
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