Difficult Kegums III for JM Honda Racing
Although the final Latvian MXGP round certainly contained some positive elements, the results at the end of the day told a completely different story. Crashes and bad luck left the JM Honda Racing riders without points on Sunday. MXGP rookie Dylan Walsh briefly caught the spotlight with two strong starts.
Hot temperatures and a treacherous Zelta Zirgs circuit once again tested the best motocross riders in the world. The third race in a row in Kegums, the fifth GP of the season, certainly started well for Benoit Paturel.
The Frenchman was no longer bothered by sore arms in the morning, a problem that had bothered him in the past two GPs. In the free practice Benoit rode with confidence. Unfortunately, things went wrong during qualifying. Due to an unforeseen obstacle on the take-off of a table jump, Paturel fell spectacularly forward. A medical check and scan revealed a fracture in the T12 vertebra and a cracked tailbone.
Although Dylan Walsh hit exactly the same line, fortunately he came away unscathed by his unwanted stunt and flying work. Walsh qualified 23th. Not a top time, but the New Zealander did manage two excellent starts. In the first moto the British MX2 champion finished just outside the points in 23rd place. A mistake on a jump ended his second heat prematurely.
Teammate Paturel still tried to ride, but had to give up early in the first heat due to pain. Artem Guryev also fell in the early stages of the opener. The painful back he suffered would also put a brake on his second race.
Dylan Walsh: “All in all, it went well. Admittedly the learning curve was just very steep for me this weekend. It was my first time on the JM Honda race bike and my first time in MXGP! The intensity of racing at this level is really something you have to get used to. When I was right at the front, I got a bit carried away and forgot to breathe properly. Moreover, I rode the 450 much too much like a 250. These are all points that we need to work on. But I am sure that from now on it will get better and better the more I can ride the bike.”
Jacky Martens, team manager: “This was definitely not how we hoped to end our week in Latvia! However, in the morning everything looked good as Benoit rode much more at ease than last Wednesday and Sunday. It was hard to see him fall like that, especially since it wasn't his fault. He will be further examined tomorrow in Belgium and we hope he can recover quickly.”
Dylan showed a lot of fighting spirit and started strong every time. He was even sixth at the start of the second moto, but he clearly needs more time on the bike. With more preparation he can really show his worth in MXGP. Artem was also unlucky. Even from his very unfavorable position on the outside, he rode to an excellent start in the first moto. He was in the middle of the pack when he hit someone in the air on the first lap and then crashed with several other riders. This caused him to hurt his back. Although he had a large bruise on his back, he finished the final heat in 25th place, his best result to date. Days like this are tough for everyone, but we stay positive and keep working hard.”
Photos: shotbyBavo/Honda Pro Racing
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