Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre dug deep to jump back to fourth, two points off third, in the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship standings after missing the podium on the tie-break at Riola Sardo, only headed by three ultimate sand experts in the Sardinian dunes.
An excellent fourth-placed start in the first moto formed the basis for a solid ride to third in the demanding conditions which favoured the riders from Benelux who were raised on such tracks. The Frenchman surrendered one position to the eventual winner at the final turn of the first lap and faced a lonely ride after following through to third; he was so far ahead of the rest that even a fall three laps from the finish could not endanger his position. After taking a classic holeshot in race two he was already pushed back to third on the opening lap but never settled into his usual flow and was eventually demoted to fourth six laps from the finish. He finished on the same points as third overall, missing the podium on the second-moto tie-break, but could seek consolation in the fact that he jumped from sixth to fourth, just two points shy of third, in the series standings.
Romain Febvre: “I was quite strong in the first race but I missed my flow on the track in the second moto. Today was not great but it was still good points for the championship. The starts were really positive all weekend and I hope we can carry those on to all types of track; we made some changes about the front fork and it was working really good in the deep sand. I crashed three laps from the end of the first moto; it didn’t lose me any positions but it cost me some energy which was missing in the second moto so I couldn’t find my flow. I try my best every time I race but today it was not quite enough for the podium.”
KRT teammate Pauls Jonass regrouped after a frustrating Saturday to race from outside the top-ten to ninth at one stage before losing one position two laps from the end of the first moto. An excellent getaway in race two was quickly negated at turn two where confusion reigned and the Latvian ran out of track. Rejoining the race last he persevered to the finish to finish seventeenth and retain twelfth in the series standings.
Pauls Jonass: “The first moto was a big improvement on yesterday but I lost my rhythm a little mid-moto before I got going again at the end. I made a good start in race two but then I crashed at the second turn; I wanted to go for the inside but I couldn’t turn in traffic and went over the berm into the wall. That was a pity and I came forward again; I felt good riding alone but it was difficult to make passes. It was a typical Riola; it’s always tough here.”
