Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team’s Calvin Vlaanderen has placed seventh overall after delivering a consistent 8-7 result at the MXGP of France, with teammate Maxime Renaux close behind in ninth. Jago Geerts finished the Grand Prix with 10th in Race Two on his way to securing 15th overall.
Following his strong fifth-place finish at the previous round of the MXGP World Championship in Spain, Vlaanderen headed to Ernee in northern France focused on challenging for the top five. In Race One, the 28-year-old came close to his goal, finishing seventh. Then, in Race Two, Vlaanderen battled forward from a mid-pack start to cross the line in eighth for seventh overall. After a consistent day of racing, Vlaanderen remains eighth in the series standings.
With high hopes of a successful home Grand Prix, Renaux started the day with a strong fourth in Race One. However, a crash in the second turn of Race Two ruled out any chance of an overall podium result, with another fall later on restricting him to a 15th-place finish for ninth overall. Following nine rounds, Renaux sits sixth in the MXGP World Championship.
Geerts’ speed improved throughout the weekend, and after a couple of crashes led to him placing 20th in the opening race of the day, he charged hard for a strong 10th in Race Two. The Belgian now lies 15th in the championship.
After a mixed weekend of racing for the team, the trio now head to Teutschenthal in Germany for round 10 of the season. With all riders taking away positives from France, the stage is set for a strong showing as the series reaches the halfway mark.
Click here for all the results from the MXGP of France.
Calvin Vlaanderen
7th MXGP of France, 27-points
8th MXGP Championship Standings, 228-points
“Today was OK. My results don’t show it, but I’m happy with how I rode. My speed is good – I just need better starts to run up front like I did in Lugo. So that’s what I’ll be working on ahead of the next Grand Prix.”
Maxime Renaux
9th MXGP of France, 24-points
6th MXGP Championship Standings, 289-points
“A tough day. I didn’t ride my best in the first race but the result was good. I was hoping for a much better ride in Race Two, but I crashed in turn two and then again when I tangled with a lapped rider. So, overall, it’s been a disappointing GP for me.”
Jago Geerts
15th MXGP of France, 12-points
15th MXGP Championship Standings, 137-points
“My riding was good and I felt more comfortable on the track as the weekend went on. But two crashes in Race One held me back from finishing closer to the top 10. My start in Race Two was really good, but then I made a big mistake and lost a lot of time. So, another challenging weekend for me, but 10th in Race Two was a good result.”
Photocredits – Fullspectrum Media
