Up there amongst some of the best modernized old favorites Saint Jean d’Angely gears up to host round nine of the FIM Motocross World Championship and is all set and ready for the halfway hype. Halfway? It seems like the year has gone by in a blink of an eye, it’s amazing we are about to embark on the second leg of the journey but as we do we will travel to the west of France to find a typical French style track, fast and flowing, hard packed clay surface with a lot of elevation most famous for the 2000 and 2011 editions of the FIM Motocross of Nations in which Team USA was victorious on both occasions.
MXGP
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli redefined strength last weekend when he came from “the worst two weeks you could ever have” were his words to take a win and a second for the overall at MXGP of Great Britain. After his awe-inspiring display of heart and courage the Italian seven-time world champ validated what we all had assumed that he is the strongest player in this game.
After raising the intensity in his riding over the last couple of rounds, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle continues his quest to dethrone the MXGP red plate holder Antonio Cairoli.
More than a few people will be betting on Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek to top the box this weekend especially after openly saying during the press conference in Matterley Basin “I’m looking forward to going to France, I really like the track there!” MXGP’s competitors are going to have their work cut out for them this weekend with the Belgian adding extra confidence to his propulsion.
Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray had his season best finish in Matterley with fourth overall. The South African 2008 FIM MX2 World Champion said, “ This result is the confidence boost I needed. This weekend is MXGP of France and I will keep pushing to improve. With a top five result secured my next goal is to get on the podium.”
Fifth place last weekend at MXGP of Great Britain was about all the fan favorite CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MXGP’s Tommy Searle could expect after his five round hiatus. “A fifth overall is not so bad for my first race in twelve weeks but I know we can do a lot more. We need now to move forward and work with the team and try to improve my feeling with the bike for the coming races,” the Brit said.
Meanwhile Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Frenchman Steven Frossard could be the hottest prospect this weekend for a few reasons. 1. He was literally hauling last weekend in Great Britain when blitz past Desalle to take over second and charge after a brisk and agile Cairoli for the win but couldn’t get quite close enough. Still a respectable effort for second in race one. 2. He has won an FIM Motocross World Championship round in St. Jean d’Angely before, back in 2011. 3. He will have a ton of roaring fans rooting for him.
In other news, Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev is basically breathing fire after the frustration of being forced to sit Matterley Basin out due to visa denial. This weekend in France he will be back on the gate and ready to take back those lost points. Meanwhile local hero and French motocross legend Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin is still out with injury with his return yet to be confirmed.
MXGP World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 351 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 323 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 316 p.; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 250 p.; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 205 p.; 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 166 p.; 7. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 164 p.; 8. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 159 p.; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, HON), 153 p.; 10. Xavier Boog (FRA, HON), 145 p.
2012 MXGP Podium
1. Antonio Cairoli
2. Christophe Pourcel
3. Gautier Paulin
2012 MXGP POLEMAN: Christophe Pourcel
MX2
Fireworks can be expected in MX2 this weekend with three fiery Frenchmen all about to enter the ring in a battle of pride.
As the best placed Frenchman in the championship standings Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre has had a pretty impressive run so far. It has been seen this kid is a fighter and this weekend will be no different as he sets his sights on a home Grand Prix podium.
Meanwhile Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier sits fourth, ten points shy of his fellow countryman Febvre. Currently the vice world champion Tixier was expected to set the world alight this year but instead he has been struggling to step up to the plate. It will be interesting to see if the support from his fans can bring out the Tixier we’ve been anxiously awaiting.
Another super fast Frenchman with a super sweet style CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis is one of a handful to have won a race this year. Last weekend he was frustrated with his result, so if he can successfully channel that frustration into his two races this weekend, a podium is definitely achievable.
Seemingly confident stating he always has good results in St Jean d’Angely CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus was happy with his speed last weekend as he matched the lap times of Jeffrey Herlings in the second moto. The Swiss rider finished up MXGP of Great Britain saying “I’m happy with my riding and my speed. Next weekend we’ll move to St Jean for the French GP; it’s a kind of home GP for me and I always got good results there.”
The youngest rider in the class and quite possibly the hottest future prospect Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser continues to turn heads uncorking his first bottle of champagne last weekend in Matterley. At the ripe age of seventeen the Slovenian couldn’t even take a sip but spraying it all over two of the best ever MX2 riders in the world would have been just as sweet.
Last but not least, all aboard ‘The Bullet’ express. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings will undoubtedly be the hot favorite this weekend with his confidence soaring sky high. The only thing going up against the nineteen-year-old MX2 legend is the speed of the French on their home soil although the Dutchman has proved before and will more than likely prove it again he is phased by no one.
MX2 World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 344 points; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 305 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 263 p.; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 253 p.; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 248 p.; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 209 p.; 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 197 p.; 8. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 184 p.; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, SUZ), 176 p.; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 173 p.
2012 MX2 Podium
1. Jeffrey Herlings
2. Tommy Searle
3. Jeremy Van Horebeek
2012 MX2 POLEMAN: Tommy Searle
All the photos of the MXGP of France will be available here
TIMETABLE
SATURDAY: EMX125 Group 1 Free/Timed Practice 08:35; EMX125 Group 2 Free/Timed Practice 09:10; WMX Free Practice 09:45; MX2 Free Practice 10:15; MXGP Free Practice 10:45; WMX Time Practice 11:15; EMX125 Last chance qualifying race 12:20; MX2 Time practice 14:00; MXGP Time practice 14:35; WMX Race 1 15:20; MX2 Qualifying race 16:10; MXGP Qualifying race 17:00; EMX125 Race 1 17:40.
SUNDAY: WMX Warm-up 08:15; EMX125 Warm-up 08:30; MX2 Warm-up 09:15; MXGP Warm-up 09:40; WMX Race 2 11:10; EMX125 Race 2 12:00; MX2 Race 1 13:15; MXGP Race 1 14:15; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.