Gajser’s first MXGP overall at Loket
Words and images courtesy MXGP
With temperatures nearly matching those at the previous two GPs in Indonesia, the daunting slopes of the Loketske Serpentiny circuit presented an even tougher challenge than usual for the riders, and with an incredible crowd on hand to add to the intensity, the MXGP of Czech Republic gave us a memorable weekend for round 13 of the MXGP World Championships!
With some overnight rain adding to the brilliant track preparation, the circuit overlooking the beautiful town of Loket, on the western fringes of the country, stood up to the ordeal it was put through with over 250 riders giving their all over the two GP classes and multiple EMX races.
MXGP World Championship leader Tim Gajser claimed his first ever overall Grand Prix win at the classic Czech circuit, bouncing back from third in race one to claim the second race and victory on the day for Team HRC.
It was all green at the top of the morning Warm-Up time charts as the Kawasaki Racing Team saw Romain Febvre and Jeremy Seewer take the first two positions, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings in third, and yesterday’s RAM Qualifying Race winner Tim Gajser in a lowly ninth.
The green trend continued in the opening MXGP race, as Seewer fought off the challenge from Jorge Prado to claim his fourth Fox Holeshot Award of the year, with De Baets Yamaha man Benoit Paturel running in third early on! While the Frenchman was quickly pounced on by both Gajser and Herlings, Seewer led for several corners before the reigning Champ took control for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing with a forceful move at the bottom of the circuit! Behind them, Herlings passed Gajser to move into third halfway around the lap, then muscled his way past Seewer to claim second and give chase to Prado!
On the second lap, Gajser also made a move on Seewer, so the big three were out in command once more. As we have seen before this season, Prado is amazing at riding under pressure, not making a mistake to allow his rivals an easy overtake. Herlings was finding this as he tried time and again to pass the reigning World Champion.
Their efforts to better each other left Gajser a lonely third, and Seewer a similarly solitary fourth in a consistent ride. Paturel had to yield to Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP rider Calvin Vlaanderen and Febvre in the second half of the race, but still scored a fine 7th place finish, his best since October 2021!
As for the leaders, Herlings generated one of his piercing bursts of speed to fire alongside Prado and make the Spaniard back off into the next left-hander, after which “The Bullet” then powered away to win by over eight seconds at the chequered flag. In his first visit to the track since 2018, he looked to be in dominant form.
The second race started disastrously for the Dutchman, however, as a poor jump from the gate left him having to avoid a first corner crash, then in turn two a domino effect of collisions saw him on the floor!
His main rivals were soon first and second, as Prado rediscovered his starting touch to claim his twelfth Fox Holeshot Award of the year, and Gajser soon moved past Vlaanderen to grab second! Febvre was a solid fourth ahead of Fantic Factory Racing’s Brian Bogers, back from his Indonesian shoulder dislocation, and Team Ship To Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz veteran Valentin Guillod.
All eyes were on Herlings, however, as he sliced through to twelfth on the second lap, before tripping over the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP machine of a sliding Andrea Bonacorsi, clipping the Italian’s back wheel and tipping over again!
Undaunted, the Dutchman was back with the same rider two laps later, and continued to advance this time! As Seewer recovered from his poor start, he clashed with Bogers, who fell from fifth as a result, and suddenly Herlings was up to sixth spot and getting a pit board of “17 seconds to the leader!” He passed Seewer on lap seven, then crossed the gap to Febvre by lap 14 and made an easy pass for fourth as the Frenchman struggled with a bike problem.
Meanwhile, Gajser had taken the lead, after out-foxing his rival with an inside pass on the cambered corner before the Pit Lane, then actually banging bars as they passed their pit boards! The Slovenian held the inside line and took the lead, to the roar of the many fans who had made the trip up from his homeland! Prado seemed to have no answer, and on a circuit where he had never had overall success before, “Tiga” won the race by three seconds to secure his 48th career Grand Prix victory!
Tim Gajser: “It’s a big one! Especially when you do it on a track where you always struggle you know. Since I’m coming here, I never enjoyed riding that track due to its characteristics. But this first win in many times trying is special. A big thank you to the team as we made many changes to the bike, and it was working great. I was feeling good. Again huge thank you to all my team and everyone around me and yeah it’s a special one!”
Prado added: “I mean, I would say three P2s this weekend starting from Saturday so pretty consistent result-wise. I know I’ve been struggling here a lot with traction and stuff. I didn’t ride very comfortable but tried my best and give it all. I finished P2 and that’s the best I could manage with good points in the Championship. But of course I’m not super happy because w want to catch up on Tim (Gajser) and we lost some points again but it is what it is and the sand riding is coming up. I trained on the sand and grew up riding sand so I’m really looking forward to Lommel next weekend and make a good bounce back.”
Once more, Herlings stole the limelight as he attacked Vlaanderen on the final two laps, raising excitement with two near crashes as he closed to within striking distance! Ultimately, the Yamaha man held on for third in the race to give him fourth overall, and Herlings had to settle for third on the podium behind Prado and winner Gajser. It was a stunning Grand Prix all around that anyone present will remember for a long time to come.
Herlings said: “The first lap for me was maximum chaos. I mean, Gudagnini crashed in the first turn and I went over him and was still in it in tenth or something and then on the second turn somebody braked and suddenly I hit his rear wheel and crashed. I was dead last and made up 15 places I think and then Bonacorsi got a high-sider line and I turn to go inside and hit his rear wheel again, went over the bar again. But I came back from last again but and nearly made it to third. I got this close. Third overall in the end today which is okay but next one is Lommel and look forward to it!” “
They now head to the MXGP of Flanders, where Prado and Herlings will dispute that “King of Sand” title once again, but Gajser now has a 36-point lead over the Spaniard and is no slouch in the soft stuff himself! What will happen next in this titanic battle for the world title?!
MXGP – Grand Prix Race 1:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 35:28.261; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), +0:08.082; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:10.394; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:20.053; 5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:35.095; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:46.623; 7. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:49.544; 8. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:53.690; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:57.355; 10. Brian Bogers (NED, Fantic), +1:03.997
MXGP – Grand Prix Race 2:
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 35:31.253; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), +0:03.031; 3. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:04.360; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:09.534; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:38.391; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:40.718; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:45.949; 8. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Honda), +1:14.162; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +1:15.674; 10. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +1:16.965
MXGP Overall:
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 45 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 44 p.; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 43 p.; 4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 36 p.; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 33 p.; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 31 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 26 p.; 8. Brent Van doninck (BEL, HON), 23 p.; 9. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 22 p.; 10. Brian Bogers (NED, FAN), 20 p.
MXGP – World Championship Standings:
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 663 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 627 p.; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 608 p.; 4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 471 p.; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 451 p.; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 389 p.; 7. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 363 p.; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 283 p.; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 274 p.; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 273 p
MXGP – Manufacturers:
1. Honda, 680 points; 2. GASGAS, 627 p.; 3. KTM, 620 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 552 p.; 5. Yamaha, 509 p.; 6. Fantic, 415 p.; 7. Husqvarna, 205 p.; 8. Beta, 149 p