De Dycker and Herlings take pole in Loket

Sunday 04 August: Once again all the riders had to cope with extremely high temperatures and most of them preferred to safe some energies to give it all tomorrow at the main races.

Loket Castle - Youthstream image

In the EMX125 Semi Final ‘Group A’ Wilvo Nestaan JM Racing KTM’s Pauls Jonass dominated once again winning his heat by over thirty seconds ahead of Swedish Anton Lundgren and Italian Riccardo Righi. In the Semi Final ‘Group B’ Frenchman Nicolas Dercourt led from start to finish while KTM Sarholz Racing Team’s Henry Jacobi was second and Dutchman Davy Pootjes was third.

Meanwhile in the EMX250 Semi Final ‘Group A’ Guillod Motorsports Valentin Guillod was looking very smooth and confident to win ten seconds ahead of KTM Scott Racing’s Brent Van Doninck and Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Jorge Zaragoza. In the Semi Final ‘Group B’ Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Jeremy Seewer had his work cut out riding under the pressure of Stabilo Progrip MX Team’s Brian Bogers. Seewer managed to hold off Bogers for the win with Husqvarna Junior Factory Team’s Benoit Paturel rounding out the top three.

MX1

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ken De Dycker had a really good start and he managed to dominate the whole qualifying race. The Belgian rider felt really good in the track and he explained that he really likes the modifications that have been done in the Czech lay out. De Dycker is very confident for tomorrow’s main races and he said that if he manages to start at the front he might be able to fight for the overall victory.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle started right behind De Dycker, but even if he tried to overtake him in several occasions, Desalle crossed the finish line in second. The Rockstar Energy Suzuki World rider was the fastest in the pre-qualifying practice, so he is looking forward to tomorrow’s races, as he knows that he has a lot of possibilities to win the Czech Grand Prix tomorrow.

Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jeremy Van Horebeek did a very consistent moto today and he was able to keep his initial third position until the chequered flag. His compatriot Kevin Strijbos rode right behind his rear wheel during the whole qualifying race, but Van Horebeek managed to keep the pressure. The Kawasaki rider is very positive for tomorrow, as he is also one of the favourites to finish among the top three.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Kevin Strijbos was very satisfied with his riding today, as he clinched the second best lap time during the pre-qualifying practice and he also managed to ride among the top five riders since the beginning of the qualifying heat. The Belgian was really close to overtake Van Horebeek, but in the end he decided to ride safe and ensure a good gate pick for tomorrow.

After a very difficult Grand Prix in Germany, Honda World Motocross’ Evgeny Bobryshev rode a very consistent qualifying race in the fifth position. The Russian rode the whole heat in front of Antonio Cairoli and he was able to cross the finish line six seconds ahead of him. Tomorrow’s races are very important for Bobryshev, as he really needs a good result after such a difficult season.

Antonio Cairoli did not feel really comfortable today in the Czech track, so he did not want to take many risks and rode a solid moto in sixth. Seventh was Tommy Searle, who managed to move up from his initial tenth position, and David Philippaerts obtained a strong eighth position. Shaun Simpson ended ninth and Tanel Leok completed the top ten.

MX1 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 24:35.074; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:01.413; 3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:03.344; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:06.733; 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:23.029; 6. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:29.644; 7. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:33.207; 8. David Philippaerts (ITA, Honda), +0:33.984; 9. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:35.595; 10. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), +0:49.465.

MX2

It is a very important weekend for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings, as he has the first opportunity to be crowned for second time in a row FIM MX2 World Champion. The Dutch rider needs to cope with all media and fans that have travelled to the Czech Republic this weekend, but at the same time he needs to be fully focused to do well in the track. Herlings obtained the best lap time in the pre-qualifying practice, but he did not have a good start in the qualifying heat and he had to push really hard to move from his initial tenth position to the lead.

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Christophe Charlier had a really good start and after riding second behind José Butrón during the first three laps, the French rider managed to take the lead. However, Charlier could not stop Herlings to pass him and he had to settle down with the second position. The French rider felt really good today, so he might be able to fight for a podium finish tomorrow.

KTM Silver Action’s José Butrón was at the front after the start and he dominated the first laps of the qualifying race. However, he could not keep the rhythm and he lost two positions, first with Charlier and then with Herlings. The Spanish rider is satisfied and confident for tomorrow, as he felt really comfortable on the Czech track.

CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy Pro Circuit’s Alessandro Lupino did not have a good start, but lap after lap he improved his rhythm and he found the good lines to move up to the fourth place. The Italian has been struggling in the last races, so he really wants to do well tomorrow and finish among the top five MX2 riders.

The fifth place was for Wilvo Nestaan JM Racing KTM’s Romain Febvre, who also had a bad start in eleventh but he managed to move up to sixth by the middle of the race. In the last stages of the qualifying race, the French rider caught Aleksandr Tonkov, and with two laps to go Febvre moved up to fifth.

Aleksandr Tonkov had obtained the best fourth lap time in the pre-qualifying practice and in the qualifying heat he managed to start sixth behind Pascal Rauchenecker. The Russian moved up to the fourth position, but he could not keep his rhythm and he dropped down to the sixth place.

Jordi Tixier did not have a good start either and he struggled to find the good lines to move up to the front. In the end Tixier finished seventh, followed by Rauchenecker who did an incredible qualifying heat. Max Anstie was ninth and Mel Pocock crossed the finish line in tenth.

Glenn Coldenhoff had a really good start, but while he was riding in third he had to enter the pitlane because a stone got stuck in his break. His team made a good job to sort the problem out very quickly, and Coldenhoff was able to finish eleventh.

Dean Ferris crashed right after the start and had to push really hard from almost the very last position to cross the finish line in the 17th position.

Dylan Ferrandis had a really good start and he was riding in the third position when he had a problem in the rear wheel. He had to stop in the pitlane to have the wheel changed and the French rider was only able to finish twenty- sixth.

MX2 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 25:02.799; 2. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +0:06.823; 3. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:12.873; 4. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:13.712; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, KTM), +0:15.652; 6. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Honda), +0:16.391; 7. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:27.707; 8. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT, KTM), +0:30.315; 9. Max Anstie (GBR, Suzuki), +0:36.247; 10. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), +0:39.148.