Gajser takes back red-plate after strong showing in Latvia

MXGP

Over the three races, Team HRC’s Tim Gajser went one-two-two at the Kegums circuit in Latvia, to take second step on the podium, and reclaim the championship-leading red-plate once again. In what were completely different conditions in the two GP-scoring races today, Gajser showed that it doesn’t matter if it is wet or dry, and that he is a threat to win in any weather.

Yesterday’s victory in the qualification race gave him first gate-pick and although he wasn’t able to repeat yesterday’s holeshot, he was still able to get round inside the top five. Unfortunately he was behind his two main rivals in both motos, but he was quickly able to pass one of them early-on in each moto to move into second.

Race one was a really wet moto, with standing water and wet sand making things difficult for everyone, but Gajser showed his skills to keep the leader in sight and pull away from the rest of the field. With the wet roost causing issues, he eventually had to settle for second place, which was still a good points tally and kept his chances of an overall alive.

In race two, he once again moved into second place and although he was able to keep the winner of race one well behind him, he knew he had to win to get the GP overall and despite intense pressure on the leader, he wasn’t able to make the pass happen on what was now a dry one-lined Kegums track. Once again he crossed the line, just over a second behind the race winner, knowing that his two-two would see him on the second step of the podium. Still, it was good enough for him to now be leading the championship by four points as they head to the 10^th round of the series, which will take place at the prestigious Maggiora track in northern Italy.

MX2

It was a tough points-day for Ferruccio Zanchi in the MX2 class, but his riding told a different story, as he came through the field in both races to narrowly miss out on the top 10 overall. In race one, he got a good start and was in seventh when he just slipped over and dropped to just inside the top 20. Knowing that time was on his side, he charged all the way up 10^th in a really impressive display of riding, but on the last lap as he tried to pass the rider in ninth, he was involved in an incident and eventually crossed the line in 15^th place.

Motivated to make amends, he was unfortunately caught up in the first lap chaos and had to remount almost last. Once again, the young Italian showed some good speed to move right the way through the field to 11^th during the race, just running out of time before he could pass into the top 10. So his results were 15-11 for 13^th, but the riding was much better than the numbers suggest and he’ll head to his home GP full of confidence that he is one of the faster riders in this MX2 class.

Race 1
1. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), 35:07.196; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:02.853; 3. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:20.027; 4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:35.495; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:47.451; 6. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +1:04.675; 7. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Triumph), +1:11.179; 8. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +1:21.322; 9. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:22.884; 10. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), +1:30.275; … 15. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), +2:01.040;

Race 2
1. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 34:26.176; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:15.755; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:25.504; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:26.304; 5. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +0:27.044; 6. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Triumph), +0:35.945; 7. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:37.074; 8. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:50.356; 9. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +1:09.782; 10. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), +1:11.423; 11. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), +1:11.962;

Overall
1. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 45 points; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 42 p.; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 40 p.; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 37 p.; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 34 p.; 6. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 29 p.; 7. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 29 p.; 8. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 29 p.; 9. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 21 p.; 10. Jens Walvoort (NED, KTM), 21 p.; … 13. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, HON), 16 p