Tough day in qualifying at the MXGP of Europe for Team HRC
The qualifying race of the MXGP of Europe proved a challenge today for the HRC duo of Tim Gajser and Evgeny Bobryshev, as they battled their CRF450RW’s through the black Valkenswaard sand.
The track has undergone some fairly big changes recently. There is a new start straight and some jumps have been removed, making the track much faster than in previous years. There has also been a lack of rain in the area recently, which has made the track firmer than usual. This only added to the challenge of the day as the riders adapted to the new layout and the tough terrain.
The start looked hopeful for Gajser who was running in third place behind Cairoli and Desalle. The Slovenian couldn’t find his rhythm to flow against the changeable track conditions so settled for a sixth-place finish. Bobryshev started in fourth but a setup change that had been made earlier in the day no longer suited the Russians riding style as the track grew rougher. He collided with another rider in the last lap giving him a ninth-place finish.
The pair will regroup overnight to make sure that tomorrow is a different day. With a fresh setup for the difficult track conditions and a good start, Tim and Bobby could both see themselves on the podium tomorrow.
The first MXGP Race starts tomorrow at 14:15 local time.
Tim Gajser 243
The qualification race for me today was a little disappointing. The start was ok and the first couple of laps were ok, then I got arm pump as I was not relaxed and riding too hard. I wasn't changing my lines enough and I fell back to sixth. The gate pick is not so bad but I was disappointed with how I was riding today. The track is hard as on the top is sand but underneath it is hard pack so it is different than it was before. This is the same for everyone though so I will regroup, refocus and tomorrow is another day.
Evgeny Bobryshev 777
Today I struggled a little bit in the race. I couldn't find my rhythm and I struggled with my lines and made a few more mistakes. I had a good start as I was in fourth place but I didn't have the speed in the beginning as I was riding too stiff. I then had a little issue with my suspension setup as the track was really rough compared to this morning so I will change this for tomorrow to suit my style against the track conditions. I made a mistake in the last lap and lost the front after a 'kicker' and I hit Coldenhoff and we crashed together meaning I lost one place. We will do some work over night to prepare for tomorrow and then I hope to find my rhythm so that I can push harder.
Roger Harvey
Today we didn't have the best qualifying result. Both Tim and Bobby looked a little tense and stiff out there on track which didn't help them in the rough track conditions. The track is more difficult than in previous years but it is the same for everyone. Their results means they will be able to pick a reasonable place on the start line for tomorrows race. The start is critical in the race so the CRF450RW will be modified overnight to suit the track conditions ready for a better day tomorrow.
Qualifying
| Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Team | Constructor | Time/Gap |
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Rider standings
| Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Points | Team | Constructor |
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Location Information
Eurocircuit, Valkenswaard, The Netherlands - View in Google Maps
