Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing raced through a challenging weekend at the MXGP of Portugal; highlighted by Mattia Guadagnini’s return and solid performances from Kay de Wolf and Lucas Coenen.
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing faced a rollercoaster weekend at the challenging Agueda track for round five of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship, marked by the eagerly awaited return of Mattia Guadagnini, as well as standout performances from Kay de Wolf and Lucas Coenen.
In MXGP, Mattia Guadagnini made a strong comeback to the series having missed the initial four rounds due to pre-season injuries. Showing solid pace, Mattia finished 11th in qualifying and was running 9th in the first of Sunday’s motos, before a heartbreaking mechanical issue on the last lap forced him out of a top-ten finish. He continued to show his resilience in the second moto; battling to a 14th place finish under difficult conditions.
Kay de Wolf demonstrated his skill around the treacherous Agueda circuit, recovering from a challenging start and a fall in the opening moto, to secure a commendable 3rd place finish. In the second moto, despite another early crash, Kay fought hard through the pack to finish 9th, showcasing his determination and skill.
Lucas Coenen, riding with a pre-existing shoulder injury, displayed equal speed as his team mate, starting race one from 5th on the grid. However, a couple of crashes due to the deep mud-bath conditions relegated him to finish 16th. In the second moto, Lucas made significant progress to secure an 8th place finish, and a haul of important championship points to boot.
Despite the challenging weekend both Kay and Lucas still place first and fifth in the championship standings respectively, with Husqvarna topping the MX2 Manufacturers Classification, ahead of KTM and GASGAS in second and third.
The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team are now focusing ahead to the next round – the MXGP of Galicia in Lugo on the 12th of May – determined to build on the experiences from Agueda and continue challenging for podiums and the championship.
#101 – Mattia Guadagnini: “It’s great to be back racing, though this wasn’t the easiest race to come back to! Qualifying on Saturday went well; I was really focused on building my pace. But Sunday was a whole different story – it felt more like we were just trying to survive out there. I was in a good position, running up to sixth at one point, and then on the last lap when I was in 9th the bike stopped – so I couldn’t finish the race. I know it was a tough day for everyone. I managed to finish 14th in the second race, and get 17th overall under such wild conditions—it’s honestly just great to be back. These challenging races are just part of motocross, and I want to say thankyou for the team and family for the support to get me back here!”
#74 – Kay de Wolf: “This weekend at Agueda was a true test for us. Facing a tough track and early falls in the races, it was all about fighting back and proving what we can do. Keeping the red plate means a lot for sure, and looking forward to the upcoming rounds, we’re fired up to keep pushing and improving. With a third place in the first moto and a ninth in the second, it’s clear we have good speed. The support from the team and fans has been phenomenal, and I’m excited to go again next weekend.”
#96 – Lucas Coenen: “This weekend at Agueda threw everything at us, and despite the setbacks, and my shoulder not being 100%, we pulled through with some points for the championship. The conditions were brutal, especially with my injury, but my focus was on managing my pace and staying as consistent as possible. Finishing 16th and then 8th in the motos under such circumstances really tests you. We’re still in the fight for the championship, and I’m determined to hit the ground running in Galicia.”
Results – 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Five
MXGP – Overall:
1. Pauls Jonass (Honda) 44pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 38pts; 3. Tim Gasjer (Honda) 36pts; 9. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 25pts; 13. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 15pts; 17. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 11pts
MXGP – Moto One:
1. Tim Gasjer (Honda) 36:39.323; 2. Pauls Jonass (Honda) 37:23.183; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 37:52.907; 15. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 39:04.842; 17. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 34:28.172; 23. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) +6 laps
MXGP – Moto Two:
1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 38:10.525; 2. Pauls Jonass (Honda) 38:34.091; 3. Cornelius Toendel (KTM) 38:37.327; 12. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 38:12.666; 14. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 38:58.138
MXGP Standings:
1. Tim Gasjer (Honda) 252pts; 2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 238pts; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 220pts; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 198pts; 25. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 11pts
MX2 – Overall:
1. Liam Everts (KTM) 50pts; 2. Rick Elzinga (Yamaha) 40pts; 3. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 34pts; 4. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 32pts; 5. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 29pts; 9. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 22pts; 10. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 18pts; 16. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 14pts;
MX2 – Moto One:
1. Liam Everts (KTM) 35:04.844; 2. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 35:10.724; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:37.865; 6. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 36:07.753; 8. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 37:31.026; 16. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 36:11.746
MX2 – Moto Two:
1. Liam Everts (KTM) 38:19.181; 2. Rick Elzinga (Yamaha) 39:40.354; 3. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 40:44.494; 7. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 38:40.185; 8. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 38:59.001; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 39:28.252; 20. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 29:00.497; DNF. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) +8 Laps
MX2 – Standings:
- Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 246pts; 2. Simon Längenfelder (GASGAS) 216pts; 7. Liam Everts (KTM) 188pts; 5. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 171pts; 6. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 168pts; 10. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 104pts; 11. Marc-Antoine Rossi (GASGAS) 101pts;
Photocredit: Fullspectrum
