PR: MXGP breakthrough for Damon Graulus!
Damon Graulus (Vossem) finished 13th on the Talkessel circuit in Tetschenthal where the German GP took place. The 24MX Honda rider thus achieved his best result ever in the strong MXGP class. Graulus was also the second best privateer, just behind Estonian veteran Tanel Leok.
Heavy rain on Friday made the hard circuit the next day difficult, full of ruts and potholes. Exactly the kind of circumstances where you as a driver should approach the track with respect and also the kind of circuit where Damon Graulus feels very comfortable. On Saturday, Graulus managed to qualify 13th.
After a good start, the 22-year-old Belgian rode just outside the top 10 in the first moto. When he lost 12th place to Tim Gajser, Damon seemed to lose his rhythm for a moment. This caused him to drop to 19th place. However, Graulus pushed his way to the front and rode his CRF450R determinedly to a 14th position. He finished two seconds behind Leok.
In the second heat Graulus had an even better start. He seemed to have a claim to the top 10, but had to slow down a little later. Once up to cruising speed, the 24MX Honda regularly posted lap times that rivaled those of the top 10. Ultimately he finished 13th, Damon crossed the finish line three seconds after Valentin Guillod.
Graulus, who did not participate in the overseas GPs, is currently 22nd in the FIM MXGP World Championship. The 24MX Honda will travel to France this weekend for the GP at the famous Ernée circuit, about 300 kilometers south-east of Paris.
Damon Graulus: “I'm very pleased that I was (finally) able to complete two solid heats! My starts were good and the riding went well. In the first moto I had a hard time after Gajser passed me and I lost a few places. Still, I kept fighting so I was able to come back and finished 14th. I was also in a good position at the start of the second race. I had a view of 10th place, but I felt that the pace was still a little too high for me. However, step by step we are getting closer and it was nice to finish 13th. Going for the top 15 at every GP remains my main goal.”
MXGP Race 1 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 35:19.364; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.872; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:23.634; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:25.211; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:29.976; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:34.390; 7. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:39.939; 8. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:46.754; 9. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:47.075; 10. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:57.503; 11. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki), +1:05.655; 12. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +1:19.782; 13. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna), +1:24.839; 14. Damon Graulus (BEL, 24MX Honda), +1:26.879; 15. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:27.429; 16. Ken De Dycker (BEL, Suzuki), +1:31.401; 17. Valentine Guillod (SUI, Honda), +1:48.952; 18. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), +1:50.348; 19. Jens Getteman (BEL, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 20. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 21. Rui Goncalves (POR, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 22. Jaromir Romancik (CZE, KTM), -1 lap(s); 23. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), -1 lap(s); 24. Andy Baumgartner (SUI, KTM), -1 lap(s); 25. Tomasz Wysocki (POL, KTM), -1 lap(s); 26. Ander Valentine (ESP, Honda), -1 lap(s); 27. Bryan Boulard (BEL, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 28. Ryan Houghton (GBR, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 29. Lukas Neurauter (AUT, KTM), -1 lap(s); 30. Jeremy Delince (BEL, Honda), -1 lap(s); 31. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), -12 lap(s); 32. Iron Irt (SLO, Husqvarna), -15 lap(s);
MXGP Race 2 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35:28.768; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:05.978; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:09.350; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:14.689; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:21.857; 6. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:26.104; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:38.006; 8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), +0:42.990; 9. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki), +1:04.821; 10. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +1:10.288; 11. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna), +1:19.231; 12. Valentine Guillod (SUI, Honda), +1:21.801; 13. Damon Graulus (BEL, 24MX Honda), +1:24.621; 14. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Honda), +1:28.311; 15. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +1:29.472; 16. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:31.421; 17. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Suzuki), +1:41.014; 18. Rui Goncalves (POR, Husqvarna), +1:41.813; 19. Jens Getteman (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:51.102; 20. Jaromir Romancik (CZE, KTM), +1:54.581; 21. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 22. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 23. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), -1 lap(s); 24. Ander Valentine (ESP, Honda), -1 lap(s); 25. Jeremy Delince (BEL, Honda), -1 lap(s); 26. Tomasz Wysocki (POL, KTM), -1 lap(s); 27. Luke Neurauter (AUT, KTM), -1 lap(s); 28. Bryan Boulard (BEL, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 29. Ryan Houghton (GBR, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 30. Nicolas Bender (SUI, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 31. Andy Baumgartner (SUI, KTM), -15 lap(s);
MXGP Germany 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 47 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 47 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 40 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BELL, COW), 36 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 30 p.; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 29 p.; 7. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 28 p.; 8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 24 p.; 9. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, SUZ), 22 p.; 10. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 22 p.; 11. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 20 p.; 12. Tanel Leok (EST, HUS), 18 p.; 13. Damon Graulus (BEL, 24MX HONDA), 15 p.; 14. Valentine Guillod (SUI, HON), 13 p.; 15. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 12 p.; 16. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 11 p.; 17. Ken de Dycker (BEL, SUZ), 9 p.; 18. Alessandro Lupin (STONE, HON), 8 p.; 19. Jens Getteman (BELL, COW), 4 p.; 20. Rui Goncalves (POR, HUS), 3 p.; 21. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), 3 p.; 22. Jaromir Romancik (CZE, KTM), 1 p.; 23. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), 0 p.; 24. Ander Valentine (ESP, HON), 0 p.; 25. Jeremy Delince (BEL, HON), 0 p.; 26. Tomasz Wysocki (POL, KTM), 0 p.; 27. Luke Neurauter (AUT, KTM), 0 p.; 28. Bryan Boulard (BEL, YAM), 0 p.; 29. Ryan Houghton (GBR, YAM), 0 p.; 30. Nicholas Bender (SUI, HUS), 0 p.; 31. Andy Baumgartner (SUI, KTM), 0 p.; 32. Jordi Tixier (FRA, CAW), 0 p.; 33. Iron Irt (SLO, HOUSE), 0 p.;
MXGP standings after 8 laps 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 305 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 261 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 260 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BELL, COWS), 246 p.; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 226 p.; 6. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 221 p.; 7. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 214 p.; 8. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 177 p.; 9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 163 p.; 10. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 153 p.; 11. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 145 p.; 12. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, SUZ), 128 p.; 13. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 124 p.; 14. Shaun Simpson (GBR, YAM), 123 p.; 15. Tunnel Leok (EST, HUS), 91 p.; 16. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 90 p.; 17. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 66 p.; 18. Rui Goncalves (POR, HUS), 52 p.; 19. Jordi Tixier (FRA, CAW), 52 p.; 20. Valentine Guillod (SUI, HON), 47 p.; 21. Alexander Lupin (STONE, HON), 38 p.; 22. Damon Graulus (BEL, 24MX HONDA), 28 p.; 23. Harry Kullas (EAST, HUS), 21 p.; 24. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 15 p.; 25. Ken de Dycker (BEL, SUZ), 14 p.; 26. Philip Bengtsson (SWE, KTM), 8 p.; 27. Maxime Desprey (FRA, CAW), 7 p.; 28. Jeffrey DeWolf (BEL, KTM), 7 p.; 29. Yentel Martens (BEL, HUS), 6 p.; 30. Priest Ratsep (EST, HON), 5 p.; 31. Jethro Salazar (ECU, HON), 4 p.; 32. Jens Getteman (BELL, COW), 4 p.; 33. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), 3 p.; 34. Gert Kristinov (EST, HON), 3 p.; 35. Steven Lenoir (FRA, COW), 3 p.; 36. Peter Irt (SLO, YAM), 2 p.; 37. Joaquin Poly (ARG, HON), 1 p.; 38. Jaromir Romancik (CZE, KTM), 1 p.; 39. Farhan Hendro Fahrodjie (MOTHER, COW), 1 p.;
Photos: father
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