BELLPUIG (SPAIN), 15 May 2010 – Kevin Strijbos left his mark on the opening day of the Catalan GP by returning to pole after two troubled seasons paying the Belgian no podiums. Both Strijbos and MX2 qualifying race winner Steven Frossard aim at a podium finish tomorrow.
Antonio Cairoli was leading the MX1 qualifying race before Strijbos but made a couple of mistakes to fall back to second place. Max Nagl was third with Bobryshev and Ramon completing the top five.
In MX2 instead Jeffrey Herlings worked his way up to a final second place ahead of American Zach Osborne. Musquin and Roczen were seventh and eighth respectively while Paulin was tenth at his comeback race.
Jordi Tixier and Benoit Paturel made it a French one-one by winning the respective qualifying races at this second round of the EMX 125 series.
MX1
A perfect start granted Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX1’s Cairoli the lead of the qualifying race from rivals Strijbos and Ramon both on Suzuki with heavy rain falling on the track right after the moto started. The Italian pulled away to build a comfortable gap in between himself and runner up Strijbos but a slip allowed the Belgian by with four laps to go.
Despite not being in the lead of a race since 2007, the Beursfoon Suzuki MX racer looked comfortable and held on until the chequered flag. Job done for Strijbos, taking his first Lovemytime MX1 Pole Position Award and to start from pole tomorrow.
Cairoli instead tried to recover and take back the lead but a crash made him settle for an eventual second.
Battling for third, Ramon and Nagl tangled up with Albertson, who had crashed moments before the two arrived. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX1’s Nagl was able to restart quickly and put an end to his recovery by taking third. Ramon of Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1 instead struggled to get back into the race and dropped to an eventual fifth behind CAS Honda’s Bobryshev.
The winner of the previous GP in Portugal Desalle took ninth. Albertson instead crashed and dislocated his left shoulder, which is a big blow with his home GP in the USA just two weeks away.
Aranda was out at the opening lap with a broken leg while other American Laninovich qualified in 28th.
MX1 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 25:57.676; ; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:23.833; 3. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:42.644; 4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:46.534; 5. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:52.839; 6. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:55.773; 7. Tanel Leok (EST, Honda), +1:05.317; 8. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +1:17.426; 9. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +1:21.548; 10. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:27.341;
Complete results available at www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx
Photos available at www.motocrossmx1.com/gallery
MX2
Kawasaki CLS’ Frossard made it to his first pole position of the 2010 season by winning today’s qualifying heat under mixed weather conditions – rain started falling from mid race.
Shineray MX China’s Triest took the holeshot but two laps after the gate dropped it was Frossard moving up into first. The French just pulled away to take victory as Belgian Triest dropped down to fourth.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MX2’s Herlings recovered from the bottom of the top ten to a positive second as he suffered a gap of five seconds from Frossard.
Bike-it Cosworth Yamaha UK’s Osborne of America made it to his best qualifying result of the season by taking third here in Catalunya ahead of early leader Triest.
Yamaha Gariboldi Monster Energy’s Kullas was fifth ahead of Van Horebeek.
Instead it was a tough qualifying for the first and the second placed riders in the Championship, with both Musquin and Roczen finishing seventh and eighth respectively.
Entering his first GP of 2010, Paulin took a positive tenth as the French is still on his way to recover from a leg injury.
This is the first GP of 2010 also for USA young gun Leib taking 36th at his first ever GP appearance.
MX2 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), 25:20.034; ; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:05.175; 3. Zach Osborne (USA, Yamaha), +0:05.503; 4. Nick Triest (BEL, KTM), +0:18.069; 5. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), +0:18.442; 6. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:30.038; 7. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), +0:31.954; 8. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +0:32.271; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:35.606; 10. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:39.363;
Complete results available at www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx
Photos available at www.motocrossmx1.com/gallery
EMX 125
UEM EMX 125cc series leader Tixier took victory in the first qualifying race of this second round of the Championship to secure pole position for tomorrow. Second to line up will be other French Paturel, winning the second qualifying race. Ferrandis and Ciucci completed the top three in heat one while Rauchenecker and Janvier completed heat two’s top three.
GP OF CATALUNYA – QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1571 mt
Type of ground: hard pack
Temperature: 18° C
Weather conditions: mixed, rain and sun
Sunday: EMX 125 Warm up 8:00; WMX Warm up 8:30; MX2 Warm up 9:00; MX1 Warm up 9:30; EMX 125 race 1 10:20; WMX Race 2 11:15; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 12:10; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 13:10; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 15:03; MX1 Grand Prix race 2 16:03; EMX 125 Race 2 17:20.
As the whole FIM Motocross World Championship, this Grand Prix and the FIM Women’s World Championship Race 2 will be broadcast live and delayed. Click here to see schedule and coverage online.
LINKS
Youthstream
FIM
Grand Prix of Catalunya
Photo: Strijbos happy with his Lovemytime MX1 Pole Position Award
