Geerts gives a demonstration for his own audience
Jago Geerts has performed a one-man show in the Grand Prix of Flanders. The Balenian won both series in the Lommel sand with force majeure and thus comes within 13 points of World Cup leader Andrea Adamo. Rick Elzinga finished sixth, Thibault Benistant unfortunately had to forfeit.
The circuit in Lommel was given a completely new look for this edition. The start and pit lane were moved to a different location (on the outside) and more corners were added, making the course slower and therefore even harder. Jago Geerts felt like a fish in water in… sand. The Balenaar completely controlled the qualifying race. He was in the lead from start to finish. “I didn't really have to push. I mainly tried to save energy for Sunday,” said Geerts. Rick Elzinga set a solid eighth time, Thibault Benistant was 13th. The Frenchman was clearly not in his normal mood. He still had too many after-effects from his fall in the Czech Republic last week and unfortunately had to decide to forfeit on Sunday morning - after the warm-up. “I tried, but my health comes first,” said the Frenchman.
Same tactic
Rain in the morning made the circuit even more difficult on Sunday. Geerts didn't let it get to him and used the same tactics as the day before: taking the holeshot and leading from start to finish. Although Lucas Coenen grilled him for fifteen minutes. But the Iceman stayed cool and took his tenth series victory. Elzinga fought the entire race for a place in the top 10. And he succeeded. The Dutchman crossed the line in ninth place.
Strong Elzinga
Geerts wrote an almost identical story in series two. The only difference: he surprisingly had to leave the holeshot to Osterhagen. One bend further, Jago was already in the lead. And he held on to that leading position until the finish, without getting into trouble for a single moment. His sixth GP victory of the season. Rick Elzinga entered the first corner in seventh place and then drove a hell of a series. The Dutchman moved up to fifth place. Good for sixth place in the final standings. His second best result – after fifth place in Argentina – of the year. For Geerts it was his third victory in a row in front of his own audience. One that earned him 60 World Cup points. Jago made up no less than 27 points on World Cup leader Adamo this weekend and is now within 13 points of the Italian.
#93 Jago Geerts
“On Saturday we won the qualifying race and on Sunday we were the best in both series. Good for 60 World Cup points. The perfect weekend. However, the new course was very difficult: slower, with many deep holes. Passing was also a lot more difficult. So it was a lot of hard work. Still, I felt good about this course. In the first series, Lucas Coenen resisted for a long time, but I remained calm. In the second series I had a reassuring gap much faster. All the pieces of the puzzle came together nicely this weekend. Wonderful for your own audience.”
#44 Rick Elzinga
“Things can sometimes be strange. Last week I didn't feel so good: not completely fit, sleeping poorly,... And on Saturday I also struggled with the set-up. So I didn't have a good feeling when I got up on Sunday. But in the first series I got into it pretty quickly. The set-up was better too. That gave me a boost. In the second series I did even better. I found better lines and was faster. Sixth overall. Nice. I was already taking steps, but that did not immediately translate into good results. Now it is. I have to build on this.”
Posted: Steven van Kempen/KEMCO
Gallery: Yamaha
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