Read what a host of MXGP and MX2 riders had to say about their weekends at the MXGP of Trentino.
MXGP
Jorge Prado: “Starting from P17 in the first moto wasn’t easy, but I have been saying that I’m a good starter – and I think I proved that today! In the first moto I didn’t really have a good flow; I tried but the conditions were sketchy and I felt like the guys were riding a little bit better than I was. In the second moto, we made some very small bike adjustments. I think we just touched the right clicks on the bike and made it work. We had a great start again, and I had a fun battle with Febvre in the first laps – but then he fell. Honestly I’m just really happy to come away with the win from this weekend – things could easily have gone in the wrong direction, but we turned it around. Four in a row – let’s keep going!”
Romain Febvre: “We worked hard on the starts this week to find some good solutions and it paid off with the holeshot yesterday and two second-placed starts today. Once I took the lead in the first moto I just concentrated on riding safe and managed the gap to Tim after he passed into second. The last lap was pretty hectic with the lapped riders but it was to my advantage that it is not easy to pass here even when you get closer. I tried to attack at the beginning of the second race; I knew I was faster and the track was quite slippery so there was a chance to make the difference. I knew I would win the GP in second so I wasn’t taking chances and I was usually careful in that corner because there was quite a lot of water there but somehow I lost the front wheel; my fault. After that I tried to catch Tim again but we both had the same pace so I had to settle for fifth. Of course I am disappointed not to win the GP but there were a lot of positives this weekend and I made good points for the championship.”
Tim Gajser: “I felt my riding was good for the most part, but I didn’t get the best starts, especially in race two and that really made my job difficult. So, two-four for third overall is still a podium but I really wanted to get on the top step for me, the team and for all the fans that supported me this weekend. It was great to see so many people coming out and I missed this race last year so it was really cool to see everyone again. Now we have a couple of weekends to re-group and try to get that victory that I feel like I’m close to achieving.”
Calvin Vlaanderen: “I’m definitely happy with my results this weekend! I was fast all weekend. First in Free Practice, third in Timed Practice, and then again today, I had good speed. I’m really happy with the steps we’ve been making, and it was nice to show the result of all the hard work in Race Two. We’re getting better and better, and I’m motivated for more, but first I’ll get some rest before we line-up again for round five.”
Jeremy Seewer: “It was a very solid weekend. Of course I am used to podiums and wins but it’s coming; I was very consistent and took a step closer in every race with no sketchy moments and always in my comfort zone. My starts were good but the first corner here is always a battle. The overall doesn’t really show what we did but I had a moto podium; all the hard work is starting to pay off and I’m going to get stronger and stronger as the season goes on. Now we have a break in the schedule, then three GPs in a row; I’m looking forward to that as everyone knows I am one of the fittest.”
Jeffrey Herlings: “I clearly had the speed to be on the podium today. I came from P20 to pass many guys and reach P4 in the first moto and in the second I had a really good start but the rear end washed away and it meant another charge back, this time to 7th. It’s pretty devastating because I had the pace to maybe even to go for the win. Two out of three starts this weekend were good and my feeling was really good, especially with my ribs…we just didn’t have the result! Anyway, we go home in one piece and we have sixteen more races to come. I should be fully fit and ready to go in Portugal.”
Roan van de Moosdijk: “Overnight I made the difficult decision to pull out of the GP. I didn’t have a good qualification race and I know my body and it just wasn’t feeling right, and I knew it was similar to how I was feeling in the pre-season and that wasn’t good for me. Now I have to get it checked out properly and once we get that information, we will make a decision how to proceed. A big thank you to all of Team HRC who have helped me these past couple of weeks and accepted my decision in a supportive way.”
MX2
Liam Everts: “This weekend was a step in the right direction. It wasn’t a perfect weekend but we got the job done. It’s nice to be back on top, especially at this iconic venue. I had struggled in Sardinia, so I wanted to do better and get on the podium. I wanted to get that burden off my shoulders, and I hope now I have that sense of freedom to continue. We’ll have a small break now and then work hard towards the next Grand Prix.”
Thibault Benistant: “It wasn’t an easy weekend for me despite being on the box. I rode well, but there is still room for improvement and to show what I am really capable of. I know my speed can be better. Of course, I’m happy to finally be on the podium for the first time this year; it’s a big step in the right direction. But I want more, so we will keep working. It’s still a long season.”
Simon Langenfelder: “Finally I got a good start, and I know I can win. I know I have everything I need to get these results, and finally I made it happen in the second moto! I just tried to control the race – I knew I was lapping faster than everyone, so it was just a case of bringing it home. Thank you to all my team who are always behind me. Also a special mention to my trainer – who came to see me race for the first time in three years, I’m so happy he made it here. Going home with a trophy -third overall – and now a great feeling before we race in Portugal!”
Kay de Wolf: “It was an OK weekend—I lost three points in the championship, but overall, I am pretty happy with my riding throughout the weekend. In the first moto, I had a really good flow and rhythm, and just did my own thing! It was a fun race. Then, in the second moto, there was a crash in the first turn, which put me back to last, but I managed to fight my way back to eighth. The riding was amazing in the second moto, so I have lots of positives to take from the weekend, and I’m really looking forward to the next race in Portugal.”
Andrea Bonacorsi: “Today I was able to show what I can do with a good start. I know I can run up front in MX2 and I proved that I can in race two. I’m really proud of myself with sixth overall and now we’ll keep working and focus on the next race in Portugal.”
Andrea Adamo: “After yesterday I was confident for today but this is the way it is and we cannot change the result. The speed was there and everything was on-point but I didn’t make the best starts. It was really difficult to pass. I made a mistake in the first moto and I was in the middle of the mess at the start of the second. We’ll recover, relax and work in the next weeks now to reset the motivation for Portugal.”
Rick Elzinga: “I’m not a ‘hard-pack’ rider, but I tend to ride well here. I felt good on the bike all weekend and put in a really good ride in Race One after making a mistake. I really pushed and made it all the way up to fourth. So, I was happy with that. In the second one I had another good start but in turn one a few of us crashed and my bike got tangled with another rider. It took two laps to catch the pack, but I kept pushing and ended up in 13th. My speed is good, and I’m happy with my riding, so we’ll keep working ahead of Portugal.”
Lucas Coenen: “The weekend didn’t go as I had hoped. On Tuesday, I had a crash during training and injured my right shoulder. I came into the weekend still in pain from this injury and really just tried my best. During qualifying, I got off to a good start—I was around P6—but the pain was too intense, and I couldn’t manage to hold on, so I DNF’d. I actually said then that I wouldn’t race on Sunday, but somehow, I managed to motivate myself to push through the pain. The first moto was pretty difficult; my shoulder was bothering me, but we still managed to secure some important points. Then in the second moto, I had a good start but was completely on the outside, which made it difficult. I finished P9 and got P10 overall, so it’s positive, all things considered. Now we have some time to recover before Portugal, and I’m aiming to come back strong!”
Marc-Antoine Rossi: “After a good start in qualifying and a strong performance in the first race, it’s fair to say the weekend had a mix of highs and lows for me. 7th in qualifying was really good, and managing to fight through to 6th in the first moto, especially after some tough battles with Haarup, shows our potential. We had a good rhythm, and I felt good in the conditions. The second moto, however, was a completely different story. The start was crazy with that big crash. I had to grit my teeth because of the pain. Finishing 20th wasn’t what we aimed for, but it’s all part of racing. Overall, taking 13th place is something we’ll learn from. Thanks to everyone for the support, and we’ll be pushing hard to turn things around at the next round!”
Sacha Coenen: “A really good first moto. I led for a while and then got passed by two riders but couldn’t make the finish. It was a technical issue and just bad luck. I really wanted to win the second one but we had the start collision. Disappointing. Last to 11th and not what I wanted but we’ll hope for better In Portugal.”
Lead Image: GasGas/JP Acevedo
