Magnificent Jago Geerts in Maggiora
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider Jago Geerts was magnificent in Maggiora. The Balenian took his 13th GP victory on Italian soil and now has six points more than Tom Vialle in the World Championship. Thibault Benistant had a difficult day and finished eleventh.
After previous competitions in Mantova and Pietramurata, the FIM World Championship stopped in Italy for the third time this year. This time in the hilly and prestigious Maggiora Park. Although rain was forecast, it remained dry in northern Italy on Saturday. Jago Geerts and Thibault Benistant felt good on the dry and fast track and qualified second and fourth respectively, which gave them both a good starting position for the heats on Sunday.
However, the circuit was completely different on Sunday after a night of rain: from flat and fast on Saturday to technical and 'one-line' on Sunday. With all its consequences. So a lot happened at the start of the first race. Guadagnini and Vialle crashed in the difficult second and third corner combination. Geerts can barely avoid the duo, but Benistant unfortunately cannot. Geerts took the lead from the third corner and then stormed authoritatively to his seventh series victory of the season. The unfortunate Benistant - who won a series in Maggiora last year - struggled to recover and did not get further than 15th place.
13th GP victory
Some extra rain just before the second series made the course even more treacherous. Geerts steered his YZ250FM to fifth place in the first corner, while teammate Benistant came through in 13th. In the initial phase, the Balenian had difficulty finding his normal rhythm and the right lines. Nevertheless, he managed to move up to second place quite quickly. Although he was already looking at a gap of six seconds on leader Vialle. Halfway through the series, Geerts finally found his way. He immediately went after the Frenchman. With only two laps to go he was breathing down Vialle's neck. Jago wanted to tackle his rival in the last round, but could not find a spot to launch that one decisive attack. Anyway, Geerts won the Grand Prix – the thirteenth of his career – and now has six points more than Vialle in the World Championship. Teammate Benistant managed to move up a few places and finished eighth.
#93 Jago Geerts
“Two solid starts, two good series and a nice end result. I managed to avoid getting into trouble in both series. Something that is not so easy on this treacherous and technical track. My first heat was almost perfect: a good start, quickly to the lead, making a gap and controlling. The second series was a lot more difficult. Especially in the initial phase. I had trouble finding the right rhythm. Once found, I started hunting for Vialle. I came close, very close. But at the end there was only one good line and my final jump came just too late. But like I said, I'm very happy with my 1-2 today. I'm already looking forward to next weekend, in the deep sands of Riola Sardo. A circuit that should suit me even better.”
#198 Thibault Benistant
“It is not easy to accept this result. Eleventh is not what I had in mind, especially after some good matches in recent weeks. My weekend had started well with a fourth place in the qualifying race on Saturday. After that we did get rain, but normally those difficult conditions should suit me even better. Not so this time. I also had bad luck in the first series, when I could no longer avoid two riders who crashed right in front of me. I had difficulty recovering and could not even match my training level. Same story in the second series. I have to forget this race as quickly as possible and I have to keep working hard so that I can compete for the podium again soon.”
Posted: Steven van Kempen/KEMCO
Gallery: CDS
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