Read what a host of MXGP and MX2 riders had to say about their weekends at the MXGP of Italy.
Tim Gajser: “It is great to win another GP and put in three good races. I’m a little bit disappointed to have that small tip-over otherwise I’d have gone one-one-one and that would have really been great, but still, I can’t complain about how this weekend went. Everyone in the whole of Team HRC works so hard and they do it for days like this so a big thanks to everyone and now we have a weekend off before going to Indonesia which I think is an important couple of rounds for the series. I am looking forward to them because they will also be at a new track for me, and that is always nice.”
Jeffrey Herlings: “I feel I am getting better and better each weekend and, here, even my starts were OK! Being on the inside kept me safe and at the front. Hard to overtake in the first moto. With all the rain we had and because it was a tight track it was just so hard to pass when the speed was very close. I tried all I could but not making that move unfortunately cost me the ‘Overall’. I was on Tim’s [Gajser] rear wheel all the time in the second moto but it was like being in a paintball game because I was only eating roost! He was riding perfectly and with good lines and I couldn’t get him until he made a small mistake and that was to my benefit. So, 3-1, but the most important thing is that I am closing to the gap to the others guys. If you see the races at the start of the season [then] they were pulling away from me but now I’m coming closer and closer. We’ll keep fighting from here.”
Jeremy Seewer: “It’s nice to be back on the box. I should be up there more often but it just hadn’t happened this year until today; I was a little lucky that Jorge crashed out but I’ll take it. But I think I deserved the podium; this is my kind of track where I am strong and I am physically ready. I don’t know exactly what happened in that second turn until I see the images. I was third turning in and I got hit from behind; I was lucky to stay up. I didn’t push as the track was still pretty sketchy after the rain and I had a solid gap to those behind. Now the goal will be to close the gap to the front guys in the next races.”
Brian Bogers: “Another top 5 and this time a completely unexpected one because I got sick on Friday. I still felt good in the motos though. Normally, Maggiora is a difficult track for me. But before the weekend I said, with how I feel with this Fantic, I can ride on any track. I think that is what I showed, on the mud on Saturday and in the dry on Sunday. I was in the top 5 all weekend long, except for the sixth place in the first moto. Having missed the beginning of the season, I am still catching up on my physical form compared to the other riders. I miss a bit of the basic fitness which means they recover a bit faster during the week but in the motos I don’t feel it, that is where I am getting better and better. I feel good.”
Calvin Vlaanderen: “It’s a little disappointing to be involved in that huge crash in Race Two as I knew my chance of an overall podium was thrown away. But I put my head down and charged all race. I found a good line out on the back of the track where I could make passes and just used it to move forward. I’m really happy with my bike, my riding and my fitness, and it was just unfortunate to start Race Two like that. I had a pretty good start and a few riders crashed in front of me and I just couldn’t avoid hitting Jorge Prado. Now it’s onto Indonesia for two back-to-back races and another shot at the podium.”
Mattia Guadagnini: “Overall, I had a really good feeling about this weekend. On Saturday, the rain and conditions made things difficult, and then on Sunday, the track was a little strange because it was almost just one line. This meant that getting a good start in every race was super important. I made some good passes in the qualifying race and finished 8th, which was good for the gate position I had. Then on Sunday, for the first moto, I got stuck behind some guys in front of me and just couldn’t make the passes I wanted. I think in trying so hard, I had two small crashes and lost a lot of time. I went from 17th to 14th in the end, so I wasn’t happy with that. The second moto was much better at the start. I made some mistakes again, but I finished 7th in the end, which I’m a bit more happy about. I’m a little disappointed to have thrown away the first moto, which cost me a good result at my home GP. But there were still plenty of positives to focus on from my riding to keep building on, so I can fight for better results at the next GP.”
Glenn Coldenhoff: “I was struggling big time on Saturday and I was still a bit off on Sunday. The riding was a bit better but my starts weren’t great this weekend. In the first moto I made some good moves and the result was acceptable. In the second moto I was not able to pass, I should have been much more in front but it was just one of those weekends. It didn’t start off well on Saturday and in the end, it is good that I ‘survived’ this one. Now we have a weekend off, to work hard and get ready for Indonesia. I got a podium there last year, so I keep the positives and I hope to be on the box there again.”
Andrea Bonacorsi: “Today was ok I guess. In Race One I didn’t get the best of starts but managed to pass a lot of riders quite quickly, so that was good and I finished in eighth. For Race Two I was hoping to be nearer the top five but then there was a big crash at the start. It was then a tough race back to 12th for ninth overall Next up is Indonesia, so we’ll keep working and go again.”
Image: Red Bull KTM / Ray Archer
