Round nine of the 2022 MXGP season took place in the backyard of both Jorge Prado and Ruben Fernandez in central Spain. Two months ago, Prado won a hop, skip, and a jump away over in Portugal, and last won in Spain in 2020. A win here would be big to get back into title contention, with Tim Gajser under the weather as of two weeks ago. To the MX2 class, the two-horse race of Jago Geerts and Tom Vialle rages onward. The Belgian Monster Energy Yamaha rider entered the weekend up just six points over his French Red Bull KTM rival. More impressively, both riders also entered the weekend up nearly 100 points up on third-place Simon Laengenfelder, despite missing a Moto each to this point.
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MX2 Class Recap
Moto 1
Rick Elzinga picked up the opening holeshot of the afternoon ever so slightly over Geerts. The points leader filtered into the lead by the end of lap one, but his day was about to turn disastrous. On the second lap, Geerts wrecked out of the lead on a tabletop double, losing 20 spots in the process. Even worse was that Vialle got into the lead, ensuring he would have the provisional points lead no matter what going into Moto 2.
A pair of risers in this first Moto were Simon Laengenfelder and Stephen Rubini, who started in sixth and eighth respectively. Slowly and methodically, the pair made their way from outside the top five into the latter two podium spots by the end. Vialle picked up a big Moto win, while Geerts admirably got from 21st to 9th in a matter of 16 laps.
Moto 2
Another surprise name picked up the holeshot in the MX2 class in Spain, this time being Liam Everts. Geerts once again gained the lead on lap one, making it a Belgian 1-2 in the early goings. Two laps later, Vialle would also get by the young Everts to move into second. For the young KTM rider, he held firm in this Moto, only losing one more spot and finishing the day with a career-best 6-4 for fourth Overall.
Geerts also once again lost the race by his own doing. Entering a rutted inside corner, he tipped over on corner exit with Vialle not that far behind. Given that this was close to midway, Geerts lost no spots but essentially handed Vialle a free 1-1 day off of two mistakes. For Vialle, he regains the red plate, holding a 10-point advantage with this series shifting to his home turf at the Ernee circuit in France.
MX2 Class Top 10 Results
1st No. 28 Tom Vialle 1-1
2nd No. 516 Simon Laengenfelder 2-3
3rd No. 93 Jago Geerts 9-2
4th No. 72 Liam Everts 6-4
5th No. 38 Stephen Rubini 3-9
6th No. 189 Thibault Benistant 5-7
7th No. 80 Andrea Adamo 7-6
8th No. 11 Mikkel Haarup 5-11
9th No. 24 Kevin Horgmo 4-13
10th No. 253 Jan Pancar 12-8
MXGP Class Recap
Moto 1
Prado started out his homecoming strong, stealing a holeshot over Maxime Renaux by a matter of inches. Renaux however found another gear to get by Prado at the very end of the first lap and began to pull a big lead. The Spaniard then lost second to Gajser all of one lap later. All eyes then turned to the ensuing battle of Renaux and Gajser but that didn’t last long. Gajser was able to reel in the Frenchman, but once he got to the rear wheel, Renaux dropped a gear and disappeared as the saying goes. For the Monster Energy Yamaha rider, this was Moto win No. 2 of the year.
Moto 2
Prado once again pulled off a holeshot over Renaux, with Glenn Coldenhoff and Mattia Guadagnini not far behind. Just like Geerts in his second Moto, he lost the lead via going down on his own, only in this case Prado lost significantly more spots. After getting up in seventh, the No. 61 Red Bull GasGas bike proceeded to lose an additional four spots. Certainly not the homecoming Prado was hoping for.
Gajser meanwhile was having his own troubles in this Moto. He didn’t wreck, but could not find a way by Guadagnini for fifth. The current points leader ended up with a 2-6 day, marking his second consecutive ‘GP off the podium after seven straight to open the year. Out in front, Renaux completed his breakout performance, picking up a dominant 1-1 day with his teammate Coldenhoff right behind with a 5-2 for second. Additionally, how about Brian Bogers with a 4-3 for third?
MXGP Class Top 10 Results
1st No. 959 Maxime Renaux 1-1
2nd No. 259 Glenn Coldenhoff 5-2
3rd No. 189 Brian Bogers 4-3
4th No. 243 Tim Gajser 2-6
5th No. 61 Jorge Prado 3-11
6th No. 101 Mattia Guadagnini 8-5
7th No. 70 Ruben Fernandez 6-7
8th No. 91 Jeremy Seewer 11-4
9th No. 41 Pauls Jonass 9-9
10th No. 303 Alberto Forato 7-12
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