Antonio Cairoli takes the double in Qatar
Antonio Cairoli has become the winner of the MXGP opening Grand Prix in Qatar. The Italian Red Bull KTM rider won both series and also took his very first GP victory at the Losail circuit. Second place went to an ill defending champion Tim Gajser and third was our compatriot Clement Desalle who took second and fourth place in the series.
Antonio Cairoli from start to finish…
In the first series we really got to see a one-man show by Antonio Cairoli. The Red Bull KTM rider grabbed the holeshot and rode straight to victory without any opposition. For second place we had a battle between the HRC boys Bobryshev-Gajser and Kawasaki rider Clement Desalle. Yet it was our compatriot Clement Desalle who took second place ahead of Gajser and Bobryshev. In fifth place we got our second compatriot with Jeremy Van Horebeek, and finally we got eleventh place for Suzuki World MXGP rider Kevin Strijbos. The injured Jeffrey Herlings, who traveled to Qatar to limit the damage, could barely score three points in this first series.
Antonio Cairoli strikes again in the penultimate round…
In the second series, Romain Febvre took the holeshot, but he quickly gave up first place to Tim Gajser. Antonio Cairoli followed Tim closely and remained calm until a few laps from the end. Behind the two leaders there was a nice duel between Febvre and Clement Desalle, but despite several attempts Desalle was unable to get past the Frenchman. Gautier Paulin closed the top 5 with a strong performance. Our compatriots Jeremy Van Horebeek finished 6th, Kevin Strijbos could not beat Jeffrey Herlings and finished 12th.
MXGP – Race 1 – Classification
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:02.202; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:08.904; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:12.554; 4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:22.042; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:23.434; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:26.076; 7. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:29.380; 8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:33.072; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:34.933; 10. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:39.219; 11. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:40.572; 12. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:59.430; 13. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:10.721; 14. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Honda), +1:12.710; 15. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +1:13.267; 16. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna), +1:23.131; 17. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +1:25.849; 18. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +1:27.083; 19. Rui Goncalves (POR, Husqvarna), +1:27.845; 20. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +1:39.629; 21. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), -5 lap(s);
MXGP – Race 2 – Classification
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:00.353; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:04.918; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:23.375; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:25.782; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:30.096; 6. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:31.689; 7. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:33.559; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:47.517; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:49.816; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:57.389; 11. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:59.949; 12. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +1:00.742; 13. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:09.378; 14. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +1:11.221; 15. Rui Goncalves (POR, Husqvarna), +1:27.939; 16. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +1:31.223; 17. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna), +1:41.367; 18. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Honda), +1:41.886; 19. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +1:42.325; 20. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +1:51.526; 21. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), -17 lap(s);
MXGP – Championship Classification
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 50 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 42 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BELL, COW), 40 p.; 4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 32 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 31 p.; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 31 p.; 7. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 31 p.; 8. Jordi Tixier (FRA, CAW), 24 p.; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 19 p.; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 19 p.; 11. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 19 p.; 12. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 18 p.; 13. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 17 p.; 14. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 16 p.; 15. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 13 p.; 16. Shaun Simpson (GBR, YAM), 11 p.; 17. Alessandro Lupin (STONE, HON), 10 p.; 18. Tunnel Leok (EST, HUS), 9 p.; 19. Rui Goncalves (POR, HUS), 8 p.; 20. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 2 p.;
Text: @Kris…
Photo: CDS
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