BELGOROD-DNESTROVSKIY (Ukraine), 26 May 2013 – Sunny blue skies welcomed round three of the 2013 FIM MX3 World Championship to the circuit of Belgorod-Dnestrovskiy, Ukraine, where the current MX3 world champion Matthias Walkner claimed his second consecutive overall MX3 round victory for 2013.Race one saw Matthias Walkner, Timur Muratov and Martin Michek all get off to great starts, taking the first, second and third positions around turn one. While Walkner was the official holeshot receiver, Muratov was quick to respond taking the lead less than fifty meters after the first corner. Muratov continued to ride strong out in front until a mistake half way through the race allowed Walkner to take back the lead. Also capitalizing on Muratovs’ mistake was red plate holder Klemen Gercar who moved into second dropping Muratov back to third. While it looked as though Muratov had lost his rhythm, he had no time to rest as coming up behind him was a determined Gert Krestinov who was in the process of winning back positions after a not so great start.
The duo engaged in battle as the race came to a close but in the end it was Muratov who took third place forcing Krestinov to settle for fourth. Meanwhile top qualifier Martin Michek made an error in the early stages of the race which dropped him outside the top seven, forcing him to fight his way back to a remarkable fifth place finish.
MX3 Race 1 top ten: 1. Matthias Walkner (AUT, KTM), 34:36.447; 2. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), +0:08.643; 3. Timur Muratov (RUS, KTM), +0:09.537; 4. Gert Krestinov (EST, Kawasaki), +0:10.266; 5. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), +0:21.952; 6. Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), +0:39.832; 7. Ludvig Söderberg (FIN, Honda), +0:41.364; 8. Matevz Irt (SLO, Suzuki), +0:45.165; 9. Christian Brockel (GER, KTM), +0:47.838; 10. Mykola Paschinskiy (UKR, KTM), +0:49.174;
Top qualifier Martin Michek was out to prove something in race two, despite suffering from a little pain in his hand after his fall in race one, Michek took the holeshot and led the entire race. While Michek was never passed, he did have to deal with the pressure of a persistent Matthias Walkner, who sat hot on his heels from start to finish. Only four seconds behind Michek and Walkner was Gert Krestinov who after just missing the podium in race one was eager to make up for it in the race two.
Further back, red plate holder Klemen Gercar was more than thirty seconds behind the top three front runners but was unchallenged in fourth ahead of KTM-GST Team Berlin duo Christian Brockel and Timur Muratov who came home in fifth and sixth.
MX3 Race 2 top ten: 1. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), 34:53.325; 2. Matthias Walkner (AUT, KTM), +0:00.310; 3. Gert Krestinov (EST, Kawasaki), +0:04.723; 4. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), +0:36.820; 5. Christian Brockel (GER, KTM), +0:41.951; 6. Timur Muratov (RUS, KTM), +1:00.913; 7. Mykola Paschinskiy (UKR, KTM), +1:13.261; 8. Ludvig Söderberg (FIN, Honda), +1:18.182; 9. Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), +1:26.234; 10. Matevz Irt (SLO, Suzuki);
After an intense days racing Matthias Walkner took the overall with his 1-2 finishes ahead of the top qualifier Martin Michek whose 5-1 results gave him second overall one point ahead of Klemen Gercar whose 2-4 results rewarded him with third.
Matthias Walkner receives the red plate as he has become the championship point’s leader.
MX3 Overall top ten: 1. Matthias Walkner (AUT, KTM), 47 points; 2. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), 41 p.; 3. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), 40 p.; 4. Gert Krestinov (EST, Kawasaki), 38 p.; 5. Timur Muratov (RUS, KTM), 35 p.; 6. Christian Brockel (GER, KTM), 28 p.; 7. Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), 27 p.; 8. Ludvig Söderberg (FIN, Honda), 27 p.; 9. Mykola Paschinskiy (UKR, KTM), 25 p.; 10. Matevz Irt (SLO, Suzuki);
MX3 Championship top ten: 1. Matthias Walkner (AUT, KTM), 118 points; 2. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), 112 p.; 3. Gert Krestinov (EST, Kawasaki), 103 p.; 4. Martin Michek (CZE, KTM), 103 p.; 5. Timur Muratov (RUS, KTM), 95 p.; 6. Ludvig Söderberg (FIN, Honda), 67 p.; 7. Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), 65 p.; 8. Christian Brockel (GER, KTM), 60 p.; 9. Tomas Simko (SVK, KTM), 47 p.; 10. Mike Kras (NED, Suzuki), 45 p.;
MX3 Round of Ukraine – QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1500m
Type of ground: hard pack mixed with sand
Temperature: 26° C
Weather conditions: Sunny and Windy
NEXT MX3 ROUND
The fourth round of the 2013 FIM MX3 Motocross World Championship will take place in Orehova Vas, Slovenia, on the weekend of 9 June.