MX1 World Championship: reactions after Saint-Jean d'Angely
The French MX1 GP proved once again that this world championship can go either way. The days of absolute rider supremacy are apparently over. The many crashes, changes in status and plot twists also resulted in beautiful prose.
GP winner: Steve Frossard, Monster Energy Yamaha (1-2)
“I was very focused on my riding today and of course the goal here was to win the GP. I drove smoothly, without taking too many risks. It's my first season in MX1 and to win in Saint-Jean d'Angély is fantastic. I would like to thank my sponsors, my parents and everyone else. It was a really great day, especially because I hadn't trained with the bike for three weeks. It's good to be third in the World Cup standings, but I'm still paying the price for my mistakes at Glen Helen. I have to concentrate more from now on and make up for the points I lost.”
Second: Antonio Cairoli, Red Bull Teka KTM (2-3)
“I haven't been able to cycle or run for more than a month due to my knee injury. Now it's time to get back in shape and hunt for the red leader plate. I am already looking ahead to the next two GPs in Portugal and Spain and I would like to close the points gap there (at Desalle).”
Third: Clément Desalle, Rockstar Energy Suzuki (11-1)
“Max Nagl turned earlier than I expected, I hit his wheel and crashed. I had to roll the bike back down the ramp to be the last to start. At such a moment you just have to remain calm even if the rest of the suit disappears from view. I did what I could to advance but made another mistake and ended up in the mud. After that I focused on finishing the race. Afterwards I was disappointed because I had made even more mistakes and actually wanted to ride at a faster pace. I was fast on this circuit and I was able to show that in the second heat. You had to be careful on this circuit. The soil type is typical for this region. In one place it is very soft, in another very hard. But as always, the circuit is the same for everyone. I continue to give the best of myself. I did lose points today, but the second heat still makes me satisfied.”
Fourth: Xavier Boog, Kawasaki Racing Team (4-7)
“A crash cost me the podium here today, but it was still a good weekend. I was always able to find a good rhythm and rode two strong heats. In the first I had a good start, but maybe I lacked the confidence to stay close to the top 3. My second start was not so good, after ten minutes I crashed again, which would cost me four places. My lap times were good and I managed to get from thirteenth to seventh place. I had a good feeling about the 2012 model that we drove for the first time this weekend. Moreover, I feel like I rode a GP at my best level for the first time this season.”
Sixth: Ken De Dycker, LS Honda Racing (5-8)
“Because of those bad starts, it was two tough series. But I had some good lines, stayed consistent and I gave it everything. All in all, I am satisfied with the results. The two heats were similar, but my start in the second heat was worse. Too bad because otherwise there would have been a bit more room, I was behind Barragan for a long time but I couldn't pass him. I want to continue this line in the coming GPs, if I can be there at the start I should be able to reach the top five.”
Seventh: Max Nagl, Red Bull Teka KTM (7-9)
“Both my starts were OK, but I always messed up in the first corner. In the first moto I just didn't ride aggressively enough. So I started the second moto very aggressively, but crashed on the second lap. I managed to get back, but then I got blocked behind Townley. And again I crashed. We are now going to Portugal and Spain, two GPs that I really like. Hopefully I can achieve good results there.”
Ninth: David Philippaerts, Monster Energy Yamaha (3-18)
“I felt good here today, but I'm not satisfied. We still have problems with the starts, but I was happy with my speed. I am also in good physical shape. The first moto went well until I crashed. In the second moto I had another crash when I hit another rider on a fast section. That was a really bad crash. I had another problem in a corner that cost me a lot of time to restart. I was far back. That eighteenth place was simply not good enough and also bad for the title fight. I wasn't lucky today, but we now have two more GPs in a row and that gives us the opportunity to make up for a lot quickly.”
Twelfth: Jonathan Barragan, Kawasaki Racing Team (15-6)
“The first moto was difficult for me. I had a bad start and couldn't find the right tracks afterwards. The second moto was much better, I was in better shape and after a good start I finished in the top 6, my best performance since Bulgaria. I enjoyed the new model. Hopefully I can get closer to the podium in Portugal or Spain.”
Thirteenth: Shaun Simpson, LS Honda Racing (13-12)
“I felt good on this track and on Saturday it went well. It's hard to explain, but on Sunday it just went smoothly. In the first heat I was cut off by Bobryshev, so I never really got into the rhythm that I did in qualifying. I'm having a hard time running my own race at the moment. If I get pressure from pursuers, it is immediately reflected in the way I drive, that should not be allowed. We keep fighting, after my fourth place on Saturday I know I can do it.”
Fifteenth: Steve Ramon, Rockstar Energy Suzuki (12-17)
"It was a tough day. My riding wasn't that bad, but I was just unlucky with a few crashes. I had a bad start in the first moto but on this track it's really difficult to overtake and find other lines. There were also many gullies. In the second moto my start was better, my first lap went well. But then I slipped on the waves section and crashed. The engine was still running but the throttle was covered in mud. So it took a while before I had a good grip on the bike. Then I fell again over a deep gully. From then on I just wanted to finish the race in the best possible way. My speed was good, but I didn't finish where I should have. The results are disappointing but better days are likely to come.”
Sixteenth: Ben Townley, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki (8-22)
“The team found better settings and my riding just got better with every session. This was still a match in the build-up phase. It is disappointing that something went wrong in a very important round, the last of the weekend. Still, the result was much better than what you see on paper. I am happy with the progress we made. As I entered the last lap of the second heat, Nagl passed me on the finish mountain. I kept my line, but he crossed it and we hit each other. I still have a long way to go physically. So I was happy with what we achieved this weekend. I now know what is possible.”
Eighteenth: Davide Guarneri, Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki (19-16)
“After my heavy crash in Brazil I couldn't train as much and that was reflected when I couldn't qualify very well on Saturday. My position behind the starting gate was not that good. I hung in thirteenth place for a long time during the opening heat. In the second moto I was in tenth place for about 20 minutes. But in the final stages of both heats, I started getting headaches, which caused me to fall back.”
Photo Credits: Suzuki Racing, Yamaha Racing, Kawasaki Racing/Sarah Guttierez, Honda Pro Images/Ray Archer, LS Honda Racing/CDS Images
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