IThe first MX2 race was held in Riola Sardo, Sardinia. Sacha Coenen, also the winner of the qualifying heat on Saturday, was too fast for everyone. He beat Simon Längenfelder (KTM) and Liam Everts (Husqvarna).

Sacha Coenen (KTM) shot out of the starting blocks like a comet, with Simon Längenfelder and Liam Everts close behind. Kay Karssemakers and Cas Valk were also comfortably in the top ten at the start. Bad luck for Mathis Valin, who retired from the race in the very first lap.

The two Triumph riders Farres and McLellan had to fight their way back from outside the top ten after a poor start. At the front, Sacha Coenen pulled away from the rest. A surprising Julius Mikula had already been holding fourth place for several laps at that point. Just past the halfway point, Janis Reisulis then overtook Everts and claimed P3.

Simon Längenfelder pushed hard and came within a hair's breadth of closing the gap on Coenen in the second part of the series. The leader, in turn, stepped up a gear and thus won this first series in the dunes of Riola Sardo. Längenfelder finished second ahead of Liam Everts, who had overtaken Reisulis again in the final stages. JuliusMikula, from the Czech Republic, finished a commendable fifth.

The second series will be held later at 16:10 am.

MX2 Race 1

1. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 35:26.597; 2. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:12.967; 3. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:28.886; 4. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:35.822; 5. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), +0:37.946; 6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:38.661; 7. Guillem Farres (ESP, Triumph), +0:48.135; 8. Kay Karssemakers (NED, Kawasaki), +0:53.443; 9. Cas Valk (NED, TM), +0:57.828; 10. Valerio Lata (ITA, Honda), +1:12.315; 11. Carlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +1:19.079; 12. Scott Smulders (NED, Husqvarna), +1:24.722; 13. Maxime Grau (FRA, Honda), +1:40.508; 14. Pelle Gundersen (NOR, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 15. Noel Zanocz (HUN, KTM), -1 lap(s); 16. Andrea Rossi (ITA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 17. Joshua Voelker (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 18. Lotte Van Drunen (NED, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 19. Rodolfo Bicalho (BRA, KTM), -2 lap(s); 20. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Ducati), -4 lap(s); 21. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), -18 lap(s);

Editorial team: Danny Hermans

Photos: JP Acevedo

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