The RAM Qualifying Races on the sandy circuit of Lommel are now done and dusted. The Monster Energy MXGP of Flanders has started with a bang with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Glenn Coldenhoff winning his first RAM Qualifying Race of the season in MXGP and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Jago Geerts dominating his RAM Qualifying Race.
The new layout offered a tough challenge to the riders who rode back on sand for the first time since Kegums in Latvia. As usual in Lommel, Belgian fans came up in really large numbers to cheer and support the riders in all categories and created an amazing atmosphere throughout the whole day.
Along with the RAM Qualifying Races, the first races in EMX125 presented by FMF Racing and in the EMXOpen took place on Saturday and it was Karel Kutsar in EMXOpen and MJC Yamaha Official EMX125’s Janis Reisulis in EMX125 who came out victorious.
Following the RAM Qualifying Races, the Belgian fans were treated to the Paddock Show with the winners of the RAM Qualification Races plus the MXGP and MX2 Red Plates Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Andrea Adamo along with the Belgian riders Sacha Coenen, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Lucas Coenen and Standing Construct Honda MXGP’s Jeremy Van Horebeek.
In the MXGP RAM Qualifying Race, Jorge Prado got again the best start and took the lead in front of Glenn Coldenhoff, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Jeremy Seewer and Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre. Febvre overtook Seewer on lap 2 to go 3rd behind Prado and Coldenhoff. A battle between the front three ensued over the rest of the race. Prado got the advantage and looked so composed at the lead while Febvre was threatening Coldenhoff over the first part of the race. As both riders were pushing each other, Coldenhoff closed in on Prado on lap 9 and decided to put his efforts to chase the lead. On lap 9 of 12, Coldenhoff made an amazing pass, showing off his great skills along the way to squeeze past Prado on the inside for the lead. Coldenhoff edged away to race to his first RAM Qualifying Race win in style.
Prado took some time get his groove back and crashed, leaving Febvre capitalising on that mistake to move 2nd on lap 10 while Prado moved down to 3rd. Febvre finished 2nd in the end. However, the race was not finish for Prado who got threatened by Seewer. Seewer pushed a lot and managed to muscle his way past Prado on the last lap but crashed a corner later. Prado could not avoid him and fell too. These mistakes benefitted Team Gebben Van Venroy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen who keeps on performing to very high standards after his race win in Loket last weekend. Vlaanderen moved up and finish 3rd. In the end, Prado picked his bike up quicker than Seewer in 4th but got overtaken by the Swiss on the very last corners. Seewer finished 4th while Prado settled for 5th in the end losing few points to Febvre in the Championship.
The winner of the 2022 edition, Standing Construct Honda MXGP’s Brian Bogers is getting his flow back as he performed greatly again in Lommel to finish 6th and get his best result of the season. Team HRC’s Rubén Fernández managed to get into the points again as he rode solidly into 7th.
Jeremy Van Horebeek keeps displaying great ridings after his two top 10s this season and finished 8th just in front of another great performer KTM Kosak Team’s Maximilian Spies who went from 12th on lap 1 to finish into the points in 9th place and his season-best finish. Team HRC’s Tim Gajser started strongly as he overtook Fernandez on the first lap but made a mistake on lap 3 to move down to 9th. He then could do nothing when Spies passed him on lap 4. Gajser finished 10 and got another point for the Championship.
Glenn Coldenhoff: “It is really quite tough for a Saturday. This new layout is hard an demand more physically. I tried to save some energy but I knew I could win too so I decided to go for it. I was fast on one part the track and I managed to pass Prado there. Its good, it’s the first RAM Qualifying Race so I am looking forward for tomorrow!”
MXGP – RAM Qualifying Race – Top 10 Classification: 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), 26:14.735; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:03.117; 3. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:21.645; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:29.500; 5. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), +0:34.635; 6. Brian Bogers (NED, Honda), +0:40.686; 7. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:46.028; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:55.610; 9. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), +1:01.901; 10. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +1:13.222
MXGP – World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 620 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 519 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 472 p.; 4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 456 p.; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 438 p.; 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 410 p.; 7. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 386 p.; 8. Alberto Forato (ITA, KTM), 302 p.; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 276 p.; 10. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, GAS), 203 p
In the MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, Jago Geerts took the best start and took the lead over the first corner. Geerts kept going with the lead and looked very composed until Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Simon Laengenfelder started to get dangerously close to Geerts. Laengenfelder went 4th on the turn of lap 1 but quickly overtook on lap 2 of 12 Sacha Coenen and F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo who both made a great start. Laengenfelder now 2nd, kept charging forward, setting the fastest lap of the race. As the german got really close to Geerts, he made a mistake and Geerts was off the hook to win the RAM Qualifying Race.
Laengenfelder looked to finish second but Lucas Coenen was determined to finish strongly after a solid race. L.Coenen was 6th on lap 1 and gained a position each lap to get to 3rd on lap 4. The young Belgian kept a strong pace to finally be able to pass Laengenfelder on the very last lap and finish 2nd while Laengenfelder settled for 3rd.
S.Coenen made a great start on his home GP as he got to 3rd on lap 1. Unfortunately, he crashed while he was riding in front of his brother Lucas in lap 3. L.Coenen could not avoid him and rolled over his brother’s bike to continue his charge forward. S.Coenen picked himself 16th but managed to finish 12th. Horgmo on the other side was 2nd on lap 1 and moved down the rank to finish at a good 7th place to take 4 points.
It was a great race for Andrea Adamo who rode cleanly and strongly. Adamo who was 8th on lap 1 made his own race and benefitted from other riders’ mistakes few times. In the end the Red Plate finished at a really good 4th place in front of his teammate Liam Everts who rode consistently around the 5th place. Everts got threatened by Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf and had to defend for most of the second part of the race. De Wolf was pushing a lot, maybe a bit too much as he buried his front wheel towards the end of the race and crashed which let Everts finished comfortably 5th. De Wolf didn’t lose a position and finished in 6th place.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Rick Elzinga is getting better and better since his comeback as the Dutch managed to keep his composure and clinch the 8th place and 3 points. Equally good, VHR Racing Team’s Isak Gifting showed that he can perform on this tough track and that he has the skills. The Swedish managed to finish 9th.
It was the first MX2 point for Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing Team’s Ivano Van Erp who rode excellently to gain three positions during the race and didn’t get overtaken. He went from 13th on lap 1 to finish 10th in the end.
It was not the dreamed race for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Thibault Benistant who had to fight his way up couple of times after some mistakes to finish outside the points in 13th place.
Jago Geerts: “I was in the lead after the first corner. I felt quite good, I wasn’t pushing that much but really trying to ride as comfortable as possible and don’t waste too much energy for tomorrow. In the end I am very happy with the RAM Qualifying win”
MX2 – RAM Qualifying Race – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), 26:30.635; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:04.054; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:07.357; 4. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:20.295; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:21.499; 6. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:43.463; 7. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Kawasaki), +0:45.016; 8. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +1:02.267; 9. Isak Gifting (SWE, GASGAS), +1:03.378; 10. Ivano Van Erp (NED, Yamaha), +1:08.390
MX2 – World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 538 points; 2. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 501 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 501 p.; 4. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 462 p.; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 453 p.; 6. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 433 p.; 7. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 398 p.; 8. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 381 p.; 9. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 332 p.; 10. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 253 p
