AFYON (Turkey) 8 September 2019 – The MXGP of Turkey proved to be brilliant under perfect weather conditions and in front of a large crowd as the best motocross riders in the World performed at their very best. The penultimate round of the FIM Motocross World Championship marked the 85^th GP win of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings, his first GP win of the season on a hard park track he fitted very well. Herlings won the MXGP of Turkey in the MXGP class with 1-1 results, while second was fellow Dutchman Standing Construct KTM team Glenn Coldenhoff with 3-2 and third Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass with 2-5.

In the MX2 class it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado who once again went 1-1 for his 30^th GP win of his career, while Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha MX2’s Jago Geerts was second overall with 2-5 and third was F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Roan Van De Moosdijk who went 5-3.

In the first MXGP race, it was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass who took his first FOX Holeshot of the season and led from Standing Construct KTM team rider Glenn Coldenhoff, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team’sJeremy Seewer and Team HRC’s Tim Gajser. Further back was Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP Arnaud Tonus, Team HRC’s Brian Bogers, Gebben Van Venrooy Kawasaki team rider Alessandro Lupino, JWR Yamaha Racing team’s Kevin Strijbos and Honda SR Motoblouz rider Jeremy Van Horebeek. 

Herlings quickly moved into second place, and Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP’s Gautier Paulin entered the top ten in ninth position. Herlings took the lead as the riders entered the second lap while Gajser moved into fourth place, then went down hard and dropped well back in 14^th position. 

Three laps in and the lead by Herlings was two seconds from Jonass, followed by Coldenhoff. Seewer was fourth and Bogers in fifth place. While Herlings led, Jonass, Coldenhoff and Seewer were not letting the KTM rider get too far ahead with just three seconds separating the top four.

After seven laps Herlings had opened the lead up to two seconds over Jonass, and Gajser moved back into the top ten as he rounded in 10^th place while Tonus moved past Bogers for fifth, and Gajser did the same to move into ninth position. Paulin and Van Horebeek also both passed Bogers. 

After 10 laps the lead by Herlings was three seconds over Jonass but Herlings made a mistake and slipped over while Jonass caught right up to his back wheel.

Gajser back into seventh place as he passed both Bogers and Van Horebeek and he managed to finish in 6^thposition while Paulin moved into fifth place. Jeffrey Herlings wins his second race of the season from Jonass and Coldenhoff. 

The second MXGP gate dropped and Coldenhoff led from Seewer and Herlings, with Gajser in fourth and Bogers in fifth place.  Herlings was quickly past Seewer, who dropped to sixth place, and Gajser moved to third on the first lap.

Seewer crashed hard and dropped to 16^thposition and after three laps it was Coldenhoff, Herlings, Gajser, Monticelli, and Bogers rounding up the top five. Standing Construct KTM team’s Ivo Monticelli passed Gajser for third place, as the World MXGP champion crashed and dropped to fifth position.

Herlings was all over the leader Coldenhoff for the lead on lap seven, as the two Dutch riders showed they are in great form for the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in three-week’s time. Bogers and Jonass had battled with Jonass moving into fifth and Bogers dropped back to sixth.

Herlings started reeling in Coldenhoff for the lead and on lap 10 they were locked together while Gajser moved into third place followed by Monticelli and Jonass. Coldenhoff continued to lead, but Herlings was hounding him, and Gajser was 23 seconds further back in third place. A few seconds before the end of the race a sensational pass was made by Herlings as he took the lead on the final lap and took the third race win of the season and the GP overall for the first time in 2019. 

Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tommy Searle after a crash during the warm up on Sunday morning wasn’t able to race this 17^th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship and he was forced to withdraw from the race.

Tommy Searle posted the twelfth fastest lap in both practice sessions on Saturday and later qualified in eleventh position for the GP. But during the warm up on Sunday morning Tommy crashed and suffered a shoulder contusion which forced him to withdraws from the GP. Tommy Searle normally will be back on track next weekend in China for the final round of the 2019 championship.

Jeffrey Herlings: “It is getting better and better, in Sweden I wasn’t that prepared, but now just after three weeks on the bike, it is amazing what I can do. It has been a crazy weekend and I am super happy with my win. I had that line and I knew I had to make it perfect. I want to thank my mum the team and everyone who supported me and I wish to congratulate Glenn, he rode amazingly.”

Glenn Coldenhoff: “We are close to the end of the Championship and I really need those points as I still have a chance for third in the standings. I’m pushing hard for that. I don’t like to get passed on the last lap but it’s really amazing to see two Dutch flags on the box so I am really happy.”

Pauls Jonass: “We have been working hard with the team and it’s been a tough year, but finally I am feeling better and better and it’s nice to get back to back podiums. I made some mistakes but I feel good and look forward to the last GP in China.”

Main Photo: Jeffrey Herlings

Bottom Photos: 1. Glenn Coldenhoff; 2. Pauls Jonass

Prado led the opening MX2 race, with Team SM Action Yamaha team’s Maxime Renaux in second, then Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, Richard Sikyna, F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Adam Sterry, F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Roan Van De Moosdijk. Van De Moosdijk quickly dropped to eight position, and Team HRC’s Calvin Vlaanderen moved into seventh place. 

After a lap the lead by Prado was two seconds, with Renaux second, Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha MX2’s Jago Geerts third, Vialle fourth and Honda Redmoto Assomotor’s Mathys Boisrame fifth. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen, who struggled with a virus, was holding down ninth position and Vlaanderen and Van De Moosdijk were in a battle for sixth. Van De Moosdijk then went after Sterry, passed him, but crashed to lose some positions again.

After eight laps Prado held a 10 second lead over Geerts, with Vialle third, Renaux fourth and Boisrame in fifth. After 12 laps Prado lead over Geerts was 15 seconds, followed by Renaux and Boisrame who got passed and Vialle. Olsen pulled out of the race with his sickness finally catching up.

Vlaanderen was on another charge when he moved into fourth place, putting Boisrame in fifth. Renaux was showing an amazing speed as he started pushing Geerts for second place, he then went down, but only lost one spot as he picked himself up in third place, but soon after Vlaanderen passed him. Prado won MX2 Race 1 from Geerts and Vlaanderen. 

Prado led the second MX2 race, this time from Vialle, Evans, Geerts, Van De Moodsijk, Boisrame, Renaux, Vlaanderen, Sterry and Pichon. After a lap it was Prado, Vialle, Geerts, Renaux, Van De Moosdijk, Evans, Vlaanderen, Pichon and Sterry.

Three laps in and Prado held four seconds over Vialle and Van De Moosdijk moved into third place while Geerts was back in fourth, and Renaux fifth. Vlaanderen was on the gas as he battled with Geerts and Renaux for fourth.

The lead was six seconds on lap six and the top ten was Prado, Vialle, Van De Moosdijk, Renaux, Vlaanderen, Geerts, Evans, Sterry, Forato, and Guadagini in 10^th. Sterry worked his way past Evans for seventh place, and on lap nine the lead was 10 seconds.

Vlaanderen made a mistake and lost ground on Van De Moosdijk and Renaux and then he lost a place to Geerts who pushed past the South African. Prado continued to pull away from the field, and he managed to win race 1 and the MXGP of Turkey with a perfect 1-1 with Geerts and a surprising Van De Moosdijk, who claimed his first MX2 Podium rounding up the Top three. 

Jorge Prado: “I’m enjoying it, and the first race was very fun while the second race was rougher but I got the start, which is the key and I want to go to the next round and get another one. I love winning GPs and hopefully we can do it again next weekend.”

Jargo Geerts: “It was a pretty good weekend, a first good race for second place and the second race I got another good start, but I wasn’t very comfortable, I finished fifth for second overall. I am happy with that.”

Roan Van De Moosdijk: “It is unbelievable, I had a strong qualifying race but the first race was tough then I battled with Adam Sterry and then crashed and finished in fifth. The second race was better and I worked my way to third, it was a long race for me, the longest in my career. I want to thank the team, my family, and Marc De Reuver.

Main Photo: Jorge Prado

Bottom Photos: 1. Jago Geerts; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk

MXGP of Turkey – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1,725m

Type of ground: Hard Pack

Temperature: 28°

Weather conditions: sunny

Weekend Crowd Attendance: 25,000

NEXT STOP

The next and Final Stop pf the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship is taking place in Shanghai, China in 1-week time.