Following the first moto at the MXGP of Portugal, Glenn Coldenhoff was handed a five-point penalty for failing to respect yellow flags. In challenging conditions, the Dutch rider expressed understandable frustration, stating he had not even seen the warning flag. Words: Live Motocross Editor
“I’m really frustrated with my weekend, but even more frustrated about the penalty I got in moto one,” he stated on social media. “Same situation as what happened last year in Saint Jean with some riders. Last year we almost had to cross a river on that part of the track; now we had ruts half a metre deep and maybe 20 metres long.
“I was following Vlaanderen and Renaux closely. Calvin crashed on the finish line in between the finish jump. I jumped over Calvin and didn’t see any yellow flag at all. There was no chance for me to see it in such a short time. I think everyone in the MXGP class always respects the rules and flags. We are risking everything and trying to stay safe at the same time. It’s so easy to judge and say we are not respecting yellow flags from the sidelines, especially in those conditions.
“It doesn’t matter what we as riders/teams say or think, because their decision is the only right decision. Unlucky for me, just focus on next week now and try to be better. Thanks team for the big effort.”
The experienced Dutch star, who currently sits fourth in the MXGP title standings, will now quickly shift his focus to Lugo, where he’ll look to improve on his sixth overall in Portugal and continue what’s been a strong season so far.
Image: Fantic
