MXGP at Loket prove milestones for Van Horebeek, Tixier and Fontanesi

Riders went in pursuit of traction this weekend with the steep and pebbly clay based circuit of Loket hosting round fourteen of the FIM Motocross World Championship and shelving what was, arguably, the most emotionally charged Grand Prix this season with Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier both reaching the peak of their careers with their first ever race wins and overall victories.

 

MXGP

It was the moment we had all been waiting for, and when it arrived there was not one person at the venue here in Loket who couldn’t help but smile and applaud Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek as he took one of the most deserving race victories and overall Grand Prix wins of the season. After thirteen rounds of podium riddled performances the young Belgian’s hard work, heart and determination finally paid its dues rewarding him with his first ever MXGP race win and overall victory. "I came into this weekend thinking this weekend is my time, after I made a mistake in Finland I was happy I did it, it’s great. The feeling is a little difficult to explain but these guys here in MXGP are the best riders in the world so it’s a special one, it won’t be my last, I’ve tasted it and now I want more.”

Even Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Kevin Strijbos, who rode flawlessly to victory in race one, couldn’t help but smile for his fellow countryman even though he was clearly guttered to have come so close to taking his first Grand Prix win since Lierop 2007 and having it not pan out. Despite the smidge of disappointment, the Belgian admitted, "I almost got Tony on the last lap, it was so close, so I have to be happy even though it’s a little bit of both, but I am happy to be back on the podium for sure.”

It’s no secret Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli is not a fan of Loket but nevertheless the defending champion was content with third overall, "I find Loket very difficult on a 350cc, I have to rev a lot which causes a lot of wheel spin and it’s difficult to find the balance with my power and corner speed, so I was looking forward to putting this GP behind me, but I did my best like I do every time but Jere (Van Horebeek) was on the gas today. Now I am looking forward to Lommel, I always look forward to going in the sand because I like it a lot.”

Taking home a respectable fourth after his seven round absence, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin posted a pair of sixths, both being hard fought with race two being his best performance of the day after making life difficult for himself when he flogged the gate about one second too soon and started from dead last.

Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Shaun Simpson appears to have found his groove and is starting to make a dent in his FIM Motocross World Championship campaign after locking down his season’s best finish with fifth overall.

As for Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle, his team has confirmed the super smooth Belgian has broken his scaphoid and will be shifting his focus toward healing up and he will miss the rest of the season.

MXGP Race 1 top ten: 1. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 33:50.286; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:09.231; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:16.050; 4. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), +0:23.810; 5. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:27.157; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:27.751; 7. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:33.766; 8. Milko Potisek (FRA, Yamaha), +0:34.639; 9. Dean Ferris (AUS, Husqvarna), +0:37.721; 10. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), +0:39.701.

MXGP Race 2 top ten: 1. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), 35:16.829; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.531; 3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:01.840; 4. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), +0:46.421; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:58.054; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:06.979; 7. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), +1:11.092; 8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +1:12.509; 9. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +1:13.837; 10. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), +1:17.578

Jeremy Van Horebeek

MXGP Overall top ten: 1. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 47 points; 2. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 45 p.; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 42 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 30 p.; 5. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 29 p.; 6. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 26 p.; 7. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), 23 p.; 8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 22 p.; 9. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), 21 p.; 10. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), 20 p.

MXGP World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 619 points; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 562 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 484 p.; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 469 p.; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 333 p.; 6. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 325 p.; 7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 291 p.; 8. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 235 p.; 9. David Philippaerts (ITA, YAM), 234 p.; 10. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), 232 p.

MXGP Manufacturer: 1. KTM, 619 points; 2. Suzuki, 587 p.; 3. Yamaha, 566 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 510 p.; 5. Honda, 426 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 280 p.; 7. TM, 273 p.

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MX2

With so much hype surrounding MX2 this weekend it was expected to be epic and it definitely didn’t fail to deliver. All twenty-one thousand spectators were captivated by the speed, drama and intensity as the eager youngsters rode with their hearts on their sleeves in hopes of taking home their first ever FIM MX2 Grand Prix victory.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier silenced all his critics today with his unfaultable performance in race one when he made quick work of the hot starters KTM Silver Action’s Jose Butrón and Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod, and demonstrated a surprisingly high level of comfort out front as he rode toward his first ever MX2 race victory. With one race down and another to go, the highest ranked Frenchman was put to the ultimate test after an average start left him brawling for points in what was one of the gnarliest battles of the season. At the end of it, the KTM rider banked fourth to reach yet another milestone in his career with first ever MX2 Grand Prix overall. "I can not believe it, the hole weekend was really good for me, already on Saturday I had a good feeling on the track only Romain (Febvre) was a little bit faster than me but I had such a good feeling on the track and so much pleasure to ride and I won today, so it was really good.”

Speaking of race one’s FOX Holeshot getter, Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod rode incredibly this weekend to uncork a bottle of bubbles on the MX2 podium for the first time in his career with second overall.

Probably the most surprising performances of the weekend was that of Yamaha Factory Racing’s Christophe Charlier who came into this weekend completely over looked with three of his fellow French competitors in the running for the MX2 title stealing the limelight. After missing six Grand Prix’ this season after fracturing his shin in Thailand, Charlier buried his seventh in race one with a stellar performance in race two which saw him gobble up the competition to claim his first MX2 race victory and podium finish this year with third.

Meanwhile yesterday’s qualifying heat winner Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre was forced to settle for fourth, a result that doesn’t reflect the speed or effort that went into his racing this weekend. After a solid second place in race one, the Frenchman fought tooth and nail in race two after a bad start left him buried at the back of the pack, to work his way up to third only to have it all come undone a few laps from home with a clumsy error.

In typical Jose Butrón fashion, the KTM Silver Action Spaniard started at the front of the pack in both races. Despite his best efforts to run the pace, for one reason or another he couldn’t maintain it for the entire 30 minute plus two lap duration meaning he would have to be content with two fifths for fifth.

MX2 Race 1 top ten: 1. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 33:47.424; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:08.612; 3. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), +0:10.278; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:11.309; 5. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:17.799; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:19.199; 7. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), +0:20.819; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:31.801; 9. Julien Lieber (BEL, Suzuki), +0:44.708; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:47.282.

MX2 Race 2 top ten: 1. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 34:06.646; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:07.592; 3. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), +0:11.540; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:12.187; 5. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:13.544; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:22.485; 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:23.517; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Yamaha), +0:25.208; 9. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:27.164; 10. Julien Lieber (BEL, Suzuki), +0:30.741.

MX2 Overall top ten: 1. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 43 points; 2. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Christophe Charlier (FRA, YAM), 39 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 37 p.; 5. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 30 p.; 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 27 p.; 8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 25 p.; 9. Julien Lieber (BEL, SUZ), 23 p.; 10. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 22 p.

MX2 World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 594 points; 2. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 492 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 453 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 425 p.; 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 420 p.; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 389 p.; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 354 p.; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 335 p.; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 321 p.; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 282 p.

MX2 Manufacturer: 1. KTM, 669 points; 2. Kawasaki, 530 p.; 3. Husqvarna, 469 p.; 4. Honda, 430 p.; 5. Suzuki, 407 p.; 6. Yamaha, 389 p.; 7. TM, 6 p.

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Leading the way by a miniscule four points into race one yesterday Yamaha MXFonta Racing’s Kiara Fontanesi came out all guns blazing. Not even a bad start could slow down the defending champion as she went on to dominate the penultimate race of the season ahead of archrival Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge and Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot.

In race two this morning, reaction speed was on point this weekend for Suzuki rider Francessca Nocera who hauled out of the gate to take her second holeshot here in Loket. Sneaking up the inside of the Italian around turn one to pull across and take the line away, rookie Nancy Van De Ven snatched the early lead. With Van De Ven blocking Nocera into turn two, the door was left wide open for the likes of Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot and Team Dragon Moto’s Stephanie Laier to follow through.

While Van De Ven, who was sporting a four stroke for the first time this season, was left with the 2008 FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion Lancelot breathing down her neck, the hottest title contenders Yamaha MXFonta Racing’s Kiara Fontanesi and Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge were hustling from outside the top ten.

Before the end of lap one Lancelot carried more momentum through the waves to go around the outside of the hard charging Van De Ven and take over the lead only to lose it less than half a lap later when she washed out her front end on a slick corner at the bottom of the circuit.

Meanwhile both Rutledge and Fontanesi were on the ‘slice and dice’ as they had both chopped through the field and tagged onto the back of the leader young Nancy Van De Ven.

With Lancelot scrambling back to the front of the pack around mid-race, intensity levels hit the roof with four riders right in the thick of a possible race win. Not only was a WMX round win up for grabs, the championship was too with only seven points separating Fontanesi and Rutledge. At one point in the race, Rutledge led Van De Ven who was under the attack of Fontanesi who was also preoccupied with trying to hold off a prying Lancelot. When Lancelot found a way around the defending champion, the championship for Fontanesi was put in jeopardy, had it of finished in the order of Rutledge, Van De Ven, Lancelot, Fontanesi; Rutledge would have been crowned champion.

Fortunately for Fontanesi, all commotion was put to rest when Lancelot, a proven master of hilly, rocky, clay based circuits, decided she’d turn up the heat and charge past all three riders to run away with a convincing race win.

Rutledge held on for second while Fontanesi backed off the pace to secure third and wrap up the championship. Meanwhile Laier leapt past Van De Ven in the closing stages of the race to take fourth with Van De Ven being forced to settle for fifth.

While the WMX title was a long shot this weekend for Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot, she was the strongest rider in the second half of the season winning half of the final eight races with a winning performance here at the final round.

Yamaha MXFonta Racing’s Kiara Fontanesi celebrated her hat trick of WMX championship titles from the second step of the podium here in Loket while Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge, banker of the most round wins this season, defended her number two ranking with a pair of seconds for third.

Team Dragon Moto’s Stephanie Laier was fourth in both races for fourth overall for the day and for the championship, while Nancy Van De Ven did a similar thing taking two fifths for fifth as well as a world ranking of five.

WMX Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), 24:58.926; 2. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:03.650; 3. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:07.808; 4. Stephanie Laier (GER, Suzuki), +0:36.083; 5. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:44.275; 6. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:44.771; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:05.803; 8. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +1:10.252; 9. Julie Dalgaard (DEN, Yamaha), +1:14.825; 10. Genette Vaage (NOR, KTM), +1:25.332.

WMX Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 25:12.507; 2. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:09.602; 3. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:15.727; 4. Stephanie Laier (GER, Suzuki), +0:19.650; 5. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:20.959; 6. Mariana Balbi (BRA, Honda), +0:22.689; 7. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +0:46.877; 8. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:58.879; 9. Julie Dalgaard (DEN, Yamaha), +1:14.277; 10. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:17.307.

WMX Overall Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 45 points; 2. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 45 p.; 3. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, KAW), 44 p.; 4. Stephanie Laier (GER, SUZ), 36 p.; 5. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 32 p.; 6. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 28 p.; 7. Francesca Nocera (ITA, SUZ), 27 p.; 8. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 25 p.; 9. Mariana Balbi (BRA, HON), 24 p.; 10. Julie Dalgaard (DEN, YAM), 24 p.

WMX Championship Standings Top Ten: 1. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 255 points; 2. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, KAW), 250 p.; 3. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 232 p.; 4. Stephanie Laier (GER, SUZ), 212 p.; 5. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 182 p.; 6. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 172 p.; 7. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), 151 p.; 8. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 145 p.; 9. Marianne Veenstra (NED, HUS), 127 p.; 10. Francesca Nocera (ITA, SUZ), 115 p.

WMX Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki, 282 points; 2. Yamaha, 260 p.; 3. Suzuki, 212 p.; 4. KTM, 195 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 127 p.; 6. Honda, 69 p.