Tony Cairoli wins in Neuquen, JvH89 surprises with podium!
After qualifying yesterday, today was for real! The first points of the 2019 MXGP World Championship were awarded. Antonio Cairoli's poor qualification, which meant he had to go to the gate in twenty-eighth and last position, gave the competitors some hope.
However, hoping is a waste of effort. The now 33-year-old Sicilian started strongly in the first moto and was able to take the lead from Julien Lieber, who started in the lead, on the first lap. This immediately opened up the road to victory for the old Italian. He did not miss this opportunity and TC222 immediately won his first series victory of the season. Behind him we had some rumblings between Romain Febvre, who was able to keep up with Antonio Cairoli in the first half of the race, but lost his rhythm after a mistake and dropped back to third place behind Tim Gajser. The first lowlander finished fourth with Clément Desalle, the Walloon Kawasaki pilot ahead of Gautier Paulin and Jeremy Van Horebeek, riding the Privé SR Honda Motoblouz! The man from the Belgian East Cantons, Julien Lieber, quickly fell back after his holeshot and eventually finished seventh.
MXGP Neuquen – Grand Prix Race 1
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 34:41.270; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:06.253; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:09.838; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:11.464; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:14.030; 6. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:32.226; 7. Julien Lieber (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:39.435; 8. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Husqvarna), +0:49.752; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:50.285; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:59.164; 11. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +1:00.619; 12. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +1:03.350; 13. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +1:07.067; 14. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:19.027; 15. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +1:29.965; 16. Brian Bogers (NED, Honda), +1:32.387; 17. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +1:33.684; 18. Joaquin Poli (ARG, Honda), -1 lap(s); 19. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), -1 lap(s); 20. Jethro Salazar (PER, Honda), -1 lap(s); 21. John Paul Luzzardi (ARG, KTM), -1 lap(s); 22. Mark Antezana (BOL, Honda), -1 lap(s); 23. Victor Garrido (ARG, Honda), -2 lap(s); 24. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), -12 lap(s); 25. Francisco Urrutia (URU, KTM), -14 lap(s); 26. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), -16 lap(s); 27. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), -19 lap(s); 28. Hector Assuncao (BRA, Honda), -19 lap(s);
In the second heat we were very disappointed to see Clément Desalle crash in the first corner after a very poor start, together with Gautier Paulin. Once again a sign that the start is extremely important! Those who got off to a good start were Romain Febvre, Tim Gajser and of course Tony Cairoli. These three fighters had a short fight until the Sicilian used a clever maneuver to suddenly eat both men. The DiCarli KTM pilot took the lead after five laps, a place he would not relinquish. Tim Gajser, in the wake of Tony Cairoli, also made quick work of Romain Febvre and tried to limit the damage on Antonio Cairoli and finished second at just over two seconds. Behind these two gentlemen, it seemed like Romain Febvre would finish third.
Don't look good for Febvre😬 pic.twitter.com/8FQhR2NiTP
— Phil (@philmalins) March 3 2019
This led to the former world champion having a very hard hit in the well-known waves of the Patagonia course. The leader of the Yamaha Rinaldi team immediately grabbed his ankle. Jeremy Van Horebeek benefited from this accident, who saw his strong race rewarded with a third place in the heat and also with a podium place, his 32nd Grand Prix podium! A great achievement for the private team to climb onto the podium together with Factory KTM pilot Antonio Cairoli and Factory HRC HSF Honda pilot Tim Gajser!
In the series itself, Jeremy Van Horebeek, Max Anstie and the duo Gautier Paulin and Clément Desalle, who started from last place, were ahead! Julien Lieber finished fourteenth in this heat.
The Dutch did not have a very good weekend. Brian Bogers scored sixteenth and seventeenth in the first moto, good for a total of 9 points. Glenn Coldenhoff finished seventeenth and eighteenth and scored seven points.
MXGP Neuquen – Grand Prix Race 2
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 34:56.475; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:02.386; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:37.829; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), +0:42.332; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:43.070; 6. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:47.509; 7. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:49.602; 8. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Husqvarna), +0:58.810; 9. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +1:01.941; 10. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +1:03.513; 11. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +1:06.816; 12. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +1:10.204; 13. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +1:12.688; 14. Julien Lieber (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:19.272; 15. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:30.001; 16. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +1:37.593; 17. Brian Bogers (NED, Honda), +1:39.530; 18. Glenn Coldenhoff (NOW, KTM), -1 lap(s); 19. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), -1 lap(s); 20. John Paul Luzzardi (ARG, KTM), -1 lap(s); 21. Joaquin Poli (ARG, Honda), -1 lap(s); 22. Victor Garrido (ARG, Honda), -2 lap(s); 23. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), -6 lap(s); 24. Jethro Salazar (PER, Honda), -6 lap(s); 25. Hector Assuncao (BRA, Honda), -14 lap(s); 26. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), -16 lap(s); 27. Mark Antezana (BOL, Honda), -16 lap(s);
MXGP Neuquen – Grand Prix results
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 50 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 44 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 35 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BELL, COW), 33 p.; 5. Gautier Pauline (FRA, YAM), 32 p.; 6. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 26 p.; 7. Tommy Searle (GBR, CAW), 22 p.; 8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 22 p.; 9. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 21 p.; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 21 p.; 11. Julien Lieber (BELL, COWS), 21 p.; 12. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 20 p.; 13. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), 18 p.; 14. Alessandro Lupino (NOW, CAW), 17 p.; 15. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 13 p.; 16. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 11 p.; 17. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), 11 p.; 18. Brian Bogers (NED, HON), 9 p.; 19. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 7 p.; 20. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 4 p.; 21. Joaquin Poly (ARG, HON), 3 p.; 22. John Paul Luzzardi (ARG, KTM), 1 p.; 23. Jethro Salazar (PER, HON), 1 p.; 24. Victor Garrido (ARG, HON), 0 p.; 25. Hector Assuncao (BRA, HON), 0 p.; 26. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 0 p.; 27. Mark Antezana (BOL, HON), 0 p.; 28. Francisco Urrutia (URU, KTM), 0 p.;
MXGP – Standings in the MXGP World Championship after Neuquen
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 50 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 44 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 35 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BELL, COW), 33 p.; 5. Gautier Pauline (FRA, YAM), 32 p.; 6. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 26 p.; 7. Tommy Searle (GBR, CAW), 22 p.; 8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 22 p.; 9. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 21 p.; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 21 p.; 11. Julien Lieber (BELL, COWS), 21 p.; 12. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 20 p.; 13. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), 18 p.; 14. Alessandro Lupino (NOW, CAW), 17 p.; 15. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 13 p.; 16. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 11 p.; 17. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), 11 p.; 18. Brian Bogers (NED, HON), 9 p.; 19. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 7 p.; 20. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 4 p.; 21. Joaquin Poly (ARG, HON), 3 p.; 22. John Paul Luzzardi (ARG, KTM), 1 p.; 23. Jethro Salazar (PER, HON), 1 p.;
Text: Matthias Van Eeckhoven
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