MXGP World Championship
The Moment: MXGP of Russia
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The key moment that occurred at the Grand Prix of Russia, the first round of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, was one that did not happen until the very end of the event. Tim Gajser climbed onto the top step of the premier-class podium and had Jeffrey Herlings below him. That must have happened in the past though, right? Wrong.
A frankly shocking MX Vice statistic that has just been uncovered is that this is the first time that Gajser has won a Grand Prix that Herlings has completed both motos at (passed the chequered flag) in a while. Gajser had won 24 stops aboard a CRF450RW and Herlings had only finished both races at three of those – the Grand Prix of Russia two years ago, where he returned from injury and was far from healthy, and then the other two were back in the spring of 2017. Another point to consider is that at the two events that term, held in Argentina and Mexico, Herlings was riding with a fractured wrist and outside of the top eight each time. It was obvious that he was present to limp around and obtain points, not race for victories.
The Grand Prix of Russia was particularly poignant, for that reason, as it was the first time that Gajser took an overall win in the premier class with a fully healthy Herlings on the starting line. A crazy thing to consider and something that certainly means something moving forward. It is unlikely that Gajser is aware of this statistic and the exact details from the past four seasons, but he would be aware that toppling Herlings in a straight-up duel is a rarity. The confidence that he can extract from that could be pivotal moving forward, especially at the hard-pack tracks on the horizon.
Herlings will undoubtedly just shrug the situation off, on the other hand, as Orlyonok is a unique beast and can only be likened to one other circuit on the calendar. Matterley Basin has already been highlighted as a great track for a rebound by him – the win column still massively favours the KTM pilot as well. Any talk of a panic button is just unwarranted, but this could indicate that things are not going to be as simple for him as they once were. Gajser is in a better place than ever before, more so off the bike than on, and that was evident in his calculated charge through the field in moto two on Sunday.
“The point here is this: This is the first time that Tim Gajser has celebrated a Grand Prix win in the premier class and been joined on the podium by Jeffrey Herlings. Like ships passing in the night, these two rarely meet on top form.”
A previous version of Gajser would have re-joined the race after the altercation, overridden and then done further damage. That has always been a weakness that those who aspire to beat him can rely on – a lot of guys tend to presume that an error from Gajser will ensure the pendulum swings back in their direction. It seems that those spectacular faults are becoming less common, as they seemed to disappear in the second half of last year (that being his fourth title-winning term). There are no signs that those will return this year either, despite the fresh competition, and that must have crossed the mind of Herlings as he looked up to Gajser on the Grand Prix of Russia podium.
Words: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: Ray Archer
MX Vice Podcasts
Between The Races Podcast: Adam Sterry – MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina Recap and Spain Preview
Listen now.
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.
The Between The Races podcast is always available to listen to on Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher and Google Play. Thanks to Fly Racing, Monster Energy, Fox Racing, Parts Europe, Scott, Bell Helmets, Acerbis, AS3 Performance, Kawasaki UK, KTM UK, O’Neal and Even Strokes for supporting the show. If you would like to become a part of the show, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Lead Image: Triumph Racing/Ray Archer
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British MX Nationals
Thank you. It’s been a hell of a ride.
Since buying back MX Vice in November 2019, it has been challenging. One of those crystal balls would have been handy for navigating some problematic situations. Who would have thought COVID-19 would be a thing?
Those who follow MX Vice know we started from nothing but an idea. A fan who loved the sport created a Facebook page, website, and social media presence that would become disruptive. It has made numerous talented media people who were allowed to run with it for over thirteen years. Being in the UK/Europe has always been difficult; I’ve always believed that if we were a US media company, we would have been embraced and appreciated for our work ethic and the content we produce. We always cast one eye over the US in Europe, and you can’t blame the top European riders for doing the same.
MX Vice has always tried to give people a voice, especially the riders who are not in the limelight and the teams that put so much into the sport. We love people’s passion and sacrifice to improve and challenge themselves. That, for me, was the natural pull, not the money but the passion and sacrifice. We all know we would not be in motocross if it were about the money. I always considered MX Vice the media version of Steve Dixon’s team in MXGP (which I have a huge amount of respect for), where we have always tried to challenge without the factory budgets.
We knew it would be tough this year with so many businesses and brands cutting marketing budgets and reducing costs; this was never going to be good for us. We have just had two incredible months of stats, with January and February bringing in over 1 million people to the website, which is quite bittersweet. As much as the funds are low, so is my energy and health. COVID impacted me more than I could ever envisaged. My health has deteriorated ever since I caught COVID; my immune system is not in a great place, and when I try and work to the standard I set myself, my body breaks on me, and it takes me days to recover. Ed Stratmann has been a revelation since he took the editorial reigns and has pushed MX Vice to new heights, which is incredible given the lack of resources he has had to work with and support from myself. I have been missing from the podcast show to reduce my time, as I am now self-employed and working for two companies to pay the bills.
Every journey ends, and that’s not what we want. Over the past 13 years, we have given it everything, leaving no stone unturned. We’re proud of how we have disrupted, challenged decisions, held organisations accountable, and illuminated incredible stories.
We will have an auction for signed shirts donated by riders, podcast equipment, and memorabilia to pay off the invoices of some contributors. If, however, you want to see MX Vice continue, you can donate here: https://ko-fi.com/mxvice or purchase a shirt or memorabilia. If we meet our target of £25,000, which is currently outstanding to run this year, then Ed and I will continue. However, we fully expect this won’t happen due to the large sum required.
It’s hard out there at the moment. Take care of your health and family, and never lose your passion for the most fantastic sport in the world.
Burf.
Check out some of the freshest fits, helmets and more from the MXGP of Patagonia – Argentina. Lead Image: Nestaan Husqvarna – Full Spectrum.
Photo credits: Red Bull KTM – Ray Archer / Nestaan Husqvarna – Full Spectrum / Yamaha MXGP – Full Spectrum + Eva Szabadfi / JM Honda / Kawasaki MXGP / Fantic MXGP / Yamaha MX2 – Full Spectrum / HRC MXGP / GasGas – Juan Pablo Acevedo
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