Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle won qualifying and carried that momentum into Race 1 and Race 2 to claim the overall victory.
The weekend started well for Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle as he took pole position, winning the Qualifying session.
Desalle started Sunday looking to keep the momentum on his side but a 4th place in Race 1 wasn’t what he was capable of or expecting. In Race 2 the #25 came out on a mission when he jumped past Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli for the lead on lap 2 and then led every lap to the finish winning his first race and overall of the year.
Desalle in the press conference said: “It’s really nice to be back on the podium and it’s a good feeling to win a race after a while. I’m very satisfied about the job me and my team did in the last few weeks and we’ll keep working to be consistent for the rest of the season and enjoy riding”.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli, the current championship points leader, had somewhat of an off weekend where he struggled to pick lines and put in the laps he wanted.
In Race 1 Cairoli was 3rd for 16 laps but he made it into second for the final two laps. Race 2 started with the FOX Holeshot but he was passed by both Desalle and Paulin, an uncommon occurrence. Overall it was a positive weekend for Cairoli though with a 2-3 finish for a second overall, an extended points lead, and he surpassed a milestone of 8,000 championship points throughout his career.
Cairoli in the race press conference said: “I don’t think of the championship so far as there are a lot of races to go but I got points this weekend which is a very positive thing. I’m very happy about the weekend, I had a very good start and I eventually found a good rhythm”.
Tony Cairoli
Third overall but first in the French fans hearts was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Gautier Paulin.
Paulin admittedly struggled in yesterday’s qualifying race and today’s Race 1 where he finished 6th. Paulin and his team made some adjustments between the races and found a noticeably improved setting.
Paulin was 4th on the start of race 2 but methodically worked his way to challenge Desalle. Paulin finished 6-2 for 3rd overall. He stated in the race press conference: “Fighting for the top today was great! The feeling on the bike was really good and I wish to thank my team for that. Thinking of the next race in Russia, I don’t know the track but I always try to do my best at every GP.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl had his first race win this season today which was also his first top five of the season.
The German has been making strides in his performances and today was rather impressive when he took the FOX Holeshot and led every lap to win Race 1. In Race 2 he had another good start amongst the top 10 before moving up to sixth but he was then passed twice and later fell. Even with the fall Nagl had a stellar weekend and finished 4th overall.
Team HRC’s Tim Gajser withdrew from racing due to shoulder pain. The Slovenian was at one point the red plate holder and coming into this weekend was second in the championship. Gajser is now 4th in the championship and his status outside this weekend is yet to be determined.
MXGP Race 1 Top Ten:
1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), 35:35.189;
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:06.733;
3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:08.460;
4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:09.028;
5. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:10.996;
6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:18.286;
7. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:30.885;
8. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:35.172;
9. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:41.628;
10. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki), +0:46.421.
MXGP Race 2 Top Ten:
1. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), 35:08.044;
2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:02.439;
3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:08.169;
4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:11.832;
5. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:17.245;
6. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:22.475;
7. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:42.570;
8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:48.221;
9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:57.579;
10. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:06.009.
MXGP Overall Top Ten:
1. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 43 points;
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 42 p.;
3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 37 p.;
4. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 37 p.;
5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 35 p.;
6. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 32 p.;
7. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 32 p.;
8. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 27 p.;
9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 23 p.;
10. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 22 p.
MXGP Championship Top Ten:
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 347 points;
2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 297 p.;
3. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 289 p.;
4. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 261 p.;
5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 261 p.;
6. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 253 p.;
7. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 214 p.;
8. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 209 p.;
9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 200 p.;
10. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 176 p.
MX2 Results
MX2 Race 1 Top Ten:
1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 35:40.293;
2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:02.395;
3. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:03.324;
4. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +0:19.084;
5. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki), +0:24.152;
6. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +0:40.842;
7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:44.865;
8. Brian Hsu (GER, Husqvarna), +0:55.028;
9. Stephen Rubini (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:57.490;
10. Conrad Mewse (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:01.587.
MX2 Race 2 Top Ten:
1. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), 34:00.096;
2. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:01.699;
3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:03.626;
4. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Suzuki), +0:45.346;
5. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +1:11.119;
6. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), +1:16.485;
7. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), +1:22.585;
8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +1:26.415;
9. Conrad Mewse (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:30.988;
10. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki), +1:32.488.
MX2 Overall Top Ten:
1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 47 points;
2. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 45 p.;
3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 42 p.;
4. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, SUZ), 34 p.;
5. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 33 p.;
6. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 31 p.;
7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 27 p.;
8. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 24 p.;
9. Conrad Mewse (GBR, HUS), 23 p.;
10. Stephen Rubini (FRA, KAW), 19 p.
MX2 Championship Top Ten:
1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 372 points;
2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 330 p.;
3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 291 p.;
4. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 282 p.;
5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 265 p.;
6. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 208 p.;
7. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 206 p.;
8. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 174 p.;
9. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, SUZ), 171 p.;
10. Darian Sanayei (USA, KAW), 157 p.