MXGP World Championship
Day One: MXGP at Assen
MXGP analysis, insight and comments.
The Grand Prix of The Netherlands is underway at a road-race facility north of Amsterdam, as qualifying races are complete along with the rest of the Saturday programme. It has been an entertaining day, with a handful of noteworthy points and surprises, which is actually great to see at this point in the season.
The biggest surprise of all was that Jeffrey Herlings dominated proceedings during the twenty-minute heat. Who saw that coming? It is something that everyone expects, even his competition, at rounds such as this. It was a dominant yet controlled ride, as he did not do anything stupid and just logged consistent laps that were quicker than his competitors. It was just uneventful. Herlings did what he has done many times in the last six months and snuck around the inside to take the early lead, despite the fact that he did not take the holeshot. It is something that must infuriate so many of his rivals on a weekly basis.
An interesting point that most would not have caught is that Jeffrey Herlings was running gold boots in the free practice session, then switched to the regular white pair for the following two sessions. It is likely that he was just breaking in a new pair before racing in them tomorrow, as everyone knows that it takes a while to get adjusted to a new set of boots, so that was a sneak peek of what is to come. It is most likely that the folks at Alpinestars will provide him with some unique gear too, but perhaps that will not emerge until he has won the title? It will happen in moto one tomorrow as long as he finishes in sixteenth or higher and he appears to be more than capable of doing that.
“We did what we had to do, stay out of trouble,” Jeffrey Herlings said in a post-race statement. “Tomorrow is going to be D day hopefully. I am very excited. Today was good. Fastest in free practice, fastest in pre-qualifying by two seconds and then winning the qualifying race in a pretty dominant way. Today they flattened the track a lot before the MX2 moto again, so hopefully tomorrow they leave it like it is. It is a sand race, a pretty tight track and not that easy to pass. Hopefully they leave the track like it is and we will work from there. I thought I would be getting more nervous, but I am actually pretty calm and relaxed.
“Even last night I slept like a baby,” Herlings continued. “I thought that maybe I would wake up and it would be hard to just have a good night, because you only think about the championship and do not want anything to happen. Everything went well. Even today I feel very calm. Definitely there is pressure, but I don’t even feel it that much. Hope to have the same thing tomorrow, you know, and also the riding was good today. It was definitely a crazy week last week, but mainly the last few days. It has been really hectic with so many people texting me and calling me from the media, then also doing the training programme and travelling or whatever.”
Antonio Cairoli was the rider who Jeffrey Herlings demoted immediately exiting the first corner, but he was not just dropped. Cairoli did not manage to match the times that Herlings was setting, not that he was expected to, but he just lost a tenth or two on a few of the laps. It was not catastrophic. The times below offer a better look at that. What does that go down to? Was Cairoli just as capable as Herlings? Did Herlings have a lot more in the tank? It is probably best to lean towards the latter, seeing as he has stated that he can go faster on a few occasions this year and was never truly challenged. Who knows what is in store tomorrow, especially once the bigger picture comes into play.
Jeffrey Herlings |
Antonio Cairoli |
Difference |
|
Lap 2 |
1:39.615 |
1:40.063 |
-0.448 |
Lap 3 |
1:39.047 |
1:40.228 |
-1.181 |
Lap 4 |
1:39.987 |
1:41.907 |
-1.920 |
Lap 5 |
1:39.952 |
1:40.037 |
-0.085 |
Lap 6 |
1:40.100 |
1:40.201 |
-0.101 |
Lap 7 |
1:40.437 |
1:41.827 |
-1.390 |
Glenn Coldenhoff and Max Anstie were easily the next best riders, even without taking their finishes into consideration, and will be vying for a spot on the box tomorrow. Those two guys actually ended up quite close to Antonio Cairoli at the chequered flag, as backmarkers played a huge role throughout the heat. It was actually crazy how many of them were out on track. Those slower guys were not really spread out either. It seemed as though they were in groups of five or six whenever the frontrunners would get near and that made it very chaotic. It is certainly something to watch tomorrow, as it had an impact on the race today. It adds to the risk factor as well.
There were not really many more talking points in the premier division, as everyone slotted in where they were expected to. The other class, MX2, was just crazy though. Crashes on lap one left Anthony Rodriguez, Thomas Covington, Thomas Kjer Olsen, Adam Sterry, Ben Watson, Hunter Lawrence and Marshal Weltin outside of the top twenty and obviously watching them charge through the field together made for incredible entertainment. Olsen was the most successful, as he made it into eighth, then Lawrence and Watson were not too far behind him. Those two shadowed each other for the duration and proved they will be contenders for a spot on the box tomorrow. The results were not a good indication of what is to come though.
The fact that Jorge Prado won obviously means something though, especially considering that he did so in a dominant fashion. Prado led right out of the gate, just as one would expect him to, and really did not look back at all. It was very similar to Jeffrey Herlings in the way that he did not stand out from the crowd, simply because it was just uneventful. The lap times that he recorded definitely jump off of the page when pulling through the in-depth results though. Those are highlighted in the table below and are stacked up against the times that Calvin Vlaanderen, who finished a very strong second, did. The numbers really do all of the talking.
Jorge Prado |
Calvin Vlaanderen |
Difference |
|
Lap 2 |
1:40.120 |
1:41.929 |
-1.809 |
Lap 3 |
1:40.771 |
1:41.511 |
-0.740 |
Lap 4 |
1:41.118 |
1:41.950 |
-0.832 |
Lap 5 |
1:41.804 |
1:42.316 |
-0.512 |
Lap 6 |
1:42.289 |
1:43.560 |
-1.271 |
Lap 7 |
1:41.203 |
1:42.369 |
-1.166 |
Lap 8 |
1:41.348 |
1:43.041 |
-1.793 |
“Yeah, I feel really good on this track already since last year,” Jorge Prado said in a statement. “Today went pretty good I think. I felt pretty good all day long. Once the gate dropped for the qualifying race I had a good start and that made everything way easier. They flattened a lot of the track, so it was also difficult to get a gap, but it was a good race. I am happy with the win and looking forward to tomorrow.”
Pauls Jonass had a mediocre outing, by his standards anyway, and did not really make progress. The riders who he was battling with, Bas Vaessen and Henry Jacobi, were the most impressive though. Vaessen has plenty of potential and has not actually had an opportunity to show it this season, so most have been waiting for some kind of breakthrough similar to what Jacobi had at the Grand Prix of Trentino in April. Perhaps that is going to happen tomorrow? The Dutchman had no issues sticking to the rear wheel of Jonass, although there will be a lot more frontrunners in the mix in the motos and those guys could change the way that the class is viewed.
Who else deserves props? Conrad Mewse was strong in his return, although it was obvious that he would be from the moment that the free-practice session begun, and the same goes for Adam Sterry. The latter actually ended up with a faster time than Hunter Lawrence and Ben Watson, despite the fact that he was a little further down the order. The second guy on F&H Racing Kawasaki, Marshal Weltin, impressed during the heat too, as he charged from the back and slotted into fourteenth. The progress that Weltin, who has very little experience in the sand, has made is unbelievable. Charging from twenty-fifth to fourteenth here at Assen deserves credit.
Words: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image:Â Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo
MXGP World Championship
2024 Spain Intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos – MXGP Results
We will post the 2024 MXGP results of Spain Intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos GP all weekend. Get the latest updates to your phone through MX Vice.
MXGP Championship
MXGP Overall
MXGP Race Two
MXGP Race One
MXGP Qualification Race
MXGP Timed Practice
MX2 Championship
MX2 Overall
MX2 – Race Two
MX2 – Race One
MX2 – Qualification Race
MX2 Timed Practice
WMX Race Two
WMX Race One
EMX 250 Overall
EMX 250 – Race 2
EMX 250 – Race 1
EMX 250 – Timed Practice
MXGP World Championship
//PEARCY Stats Preview MXGP Intu Xanadu-Arroyomolinos
Once again, our resident stats guru, Paul Pearcy, provides a breakdown of the MX2 class going into Intu Xanadu. Famed more for its access to a shopping mall and McDonald’s than actual passing, the MX2 contenders will be looking to make their mark. Last year, Simon Laengenfelder reigned supreme and was unstoppable on Sunday, with no rider able to match his pace. If you were a betting man, who would be your winner?
MXGP Intu Xanadu-Arroyomolinos Preview
MX2
Kay de Wolf
Venue Visits: 21’, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 3rd
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 3rd
- Qualifying Race Finish: 4th
- Qualifying Points: 7
- Race First Lap Position: 6th
- Race Finishes: 5th in Race 1, 11th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 8th
- Race Points: 54
Total Points: 61
Simon Laengenfelder
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
- Race Podiums: 4; 22’, 23’
- Race Wins: 2; 1-1 in 23’
- Overall Podiums: 2; 22’, 23’
- Overall win: 1; 23’
- Race Laps Led: 34; all in 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 4.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 4th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 3rd
- Qualifying Points: 8
- Race First Lap Position: 5.167
- Race Finishes: 4.333 in Race 1, 5th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 4.333
- Race Points: 113
Total Points: 121
Thibault Benistant
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
- Race Podium: 1; 23’
- Race Laps Led: 1, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 6.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 4th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 5.5
- Qualifying Points: 5
- Race First Lap Position: 12.667
- Race Finishes: 5.667 in Race 1, 6.333 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 6.333
- Race Points: 92
Total Points: 97
Mikkel Haarup
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 9th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 12th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 12th
- Race First Lap Position: 12.5
- Race Finishes: 12.333 in Race 1, 9.667 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 10.667
- Race Points: 60
Total Points: 60
Andrea Adamo
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
- Race Podium: 1; 23’
- Overall Podium: 1; 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 11th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 9.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 6.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 6
- Race First Lap Position: 11.667
- Race Finishes: 9.333 in Race 1, 12.667 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 10.333
- Race Points: 70
Total Points: 76
Lucas Coenen
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 6th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 2nd
- Qualifying Points: 9
- Race First Lap Position: 17.5
- Race Finishes: 6th in Race 1, 26th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 14th
- Race Points: 15
Total Points: 24
Sacha Coenen
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 19th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 24th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 17th
- Race First Lap Position: 8.5
- Race Finishes: 9th in Race 1, 11th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 9th
- Race Points: 22
Total Points: 22
Rick Elzinga
Venue Visits: 22’, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 10th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 14th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 21.5
- Race First Lap Position: 4.25
- Race Finishes:13th in Race 1, 10th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 14.5
- Race Points: 27
Total Points: 27
Jack Chambers
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 22nd
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 15th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 15th
- Race First Lap Position: 24.5
- Race Finishes:17th in Race 1, 16th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 17th
- Race Points: 9
Total Points: 9
Oriol Oliver
Venue Visits: 21’, 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 17.5
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 16th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 13th
- Race First Lap Position: 12.75
- Race Finishes:17th in Race 1, 17th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 17.5
- Race Points: 19
Total Points: 19
David Braceras
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 16th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 14.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 15.5
- Race First Lap Position: 12.75
- Race Finishes:14.5 in Race 1, 16th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 16.5
- Race Points: 23
Total Points: 23
Emil Weckman
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 17th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 10th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 11th
- Race First Lap Position: 12.5
- Race Finishes: 15th in Race 1, 19th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 18th
- Race Points: 8
Total Points: 8
Bobby Bruce
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 20th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 12th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 26th
- Race First Lap Position: 23rd
- Race Finishes: 27th in Race 1, 21st in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 17th
MXGP
Jorge Prado
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
- 1st in Timed Practice: 1; 22’
- Qualifying Race Podiums: 2; 22’, 23’
- Qualifying Race Win: 1; 23’
- Qualifying Race Laps Led: 12
- Race Podiums: 6
- Race Wins: 2
- Overall Podiums: 2; 20’, 21’
- Overall Win: 1; 20’ (1-1 in 20’)
- Race Laps Led: 56
Averages
- Timed Practice: 3rd
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 1.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 10
- Race First Lap Position: 2.125
- Race Finishes: 2nd in Race 1, 5th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 3rd
- Race Points: 160
Total Points: 170
Romain Febvre
Venue Visits: 20’, 21’, 23’
- Race Podiums: 3
- Race Win: 1; 21’
- Overall Podium: 1; 20’
- Race Laps Led: 11
Averages
- Timed Practice: 5.667
- Race First Lap Position: 8.5
- Race Finishes: 1.5 in Race 1, 5th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 3.5
- Race Points: 81
Total Points: 81
Tim Gajser
Venue Visits: 20’-22’
- 1st in Timed Practice: 1; 20’
- Race Podiums: 4
- Overall Podiums: 2; 20’, 21’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 1.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 5th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 11th
- Race First Lap Position: 3.5
- Race Finishes: 3rd in Race 1, 3.333 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 3rd
- Race Points: 119
Total Points: 119
Pauls Jonass
Venue Visits: 21’, 22’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 8.5
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 3rd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 9th
- Race First Lap Position: 7.25
- Race Finishes: 7.5 in Race 1, 7th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 7.5
- Race Points: 55
Total Points: 55
Maxime Renaux
Venue Visit: 22’, 23’
- Race Wins: 2; 22’ (1-1 in 22’)
- Overall Win: 1; 22’
- Race Laps Led: 31
Averages
- Timed Practice: 4th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 5th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 13th
- Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Race Finishes: 1st in Race 1, 1st in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 1st
- Race Points: 50
Total Points: 50
Jeremy Seewer
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
- Qualifying Race Podium: 1; 23’
- Qualifying Race Laps Led: 1; 22’
- Race Laps Led: 5
Averages
- Timed Practice: 6.5
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 4th
- Qualifying Race Points: 8
- Race First Lap Position: 5.375
- Race Finishes: 8.5 in Race 1, 5.25 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 7th
- Race Points: 115
Total Points: 123
Jeffery Herlings
Venue Visits: 21’, 23’
- 1st in Timed Practice: 2; 21’, 23’
- Qualifying Race Podiums: 1; 23’
- Race Podiums: 4;(Jeffrey has podiumed 100% of the races he has competed in)
- Race Wins: 3; (Herlings has won 75% of the victories he has vied for)
- Overall Wins: 2; (100% win rate)
- Race Laps Led: 27
Averages
- Timed Practice: 1st
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 2nd
- Qualifying Race Points: 9
- Race First Lap Position: 4.75
- Race Finishes: 2nd in Race 1, 1st in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 1st
- Race Points: 95
Total Points: 104
Glenn Coldenhoff
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
- Qualifying Race Win: 1; 22’
- Qualifying Race Laps Led: 12
- Race Podium: 1; 22’
- Overall Podium: 1; 22’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 7.25
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 4th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 3.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 5
- Race First Lap Position: 5.125
- Race Finishes: 6th in Race 1, 6.5 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 5th
- Race Points: 123
Total Points: 128
Calvin Vlaanderen
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 12th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 14.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 11th
- Qualifying Race Points: 2
- Race First Lap Position: 15.625
- Race Finishes: 11.5 in Race 1, 12.75 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 12.25
- Race Points: 71
Total Points: 73
Valentin Guillod
Venue Visits: 20’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 18th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 19.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 12.5
- Qualifying Race Points: 1
- Race First Lap Position: 14.75
- Race Finishes: 12th in Race 1, 15.25 in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 14.25
- Race Points: 62
Total Points: 63
Ben Watson
Venue Visits: 21’-23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 14.667
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 20.5
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 24.5
- Race First Lap Position: 16.5
- Race Finishes: 19th in Race 1
- Overall Finishes: 22nd
- Race Points: 2
Total Points: 2
Ivo Monticelli
Venue Visits: 20’, 22’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 12th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 9th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 24th
- Race First Lap Position: 16.75
- Race Finishes: 15th in Race 1, 13th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 13th
- Race Points: 28
Total Points: 28
Kevin Brumann
Venue Visit: 23’
Averages
- Timed Practice: 17th
- Qualifying Race First Lap Position: 20th
- Qualifying Race Finishes: 20th
- Race First Lap Position: 20th
- Race Finishes: 14th in Race 1, 17th in Race 2
- Overall Finishes: 15th
- Race Points: 11
Total Points: 11
Photo: KTM Group
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Between The Races Podcast: Adam Sterry – MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina Recap and Spain Preview
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The Between The Races podcast returns with Adam Sterry, Ed Stratmann and Brad Wheeler, as they review the 2024 MXGP season opener and look ahead to Spain.
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