24MX Honda rider Xavier Boog rode to a fighting sixth in the scorching Spanish Grand Prix in Talavera de la Reina. The seventh round of the FIM MXGP World Championship was Boog’s best performance of the season thanks to 7th and 9th place moto finishes. With 10 GP’s left in the series Xavier is currently 10th, although he’s only 8 points away from Steven Frossard in seventh. Jens Getteman pulled out of the event after warm-up this morning. The young Belgian felt too much hindered by his painful wrist.
Setting the sixt time in time practice Xavier Boog showed that he immediately felt at ease on the scenic hard pack circuit. After a strong start he rode a consistent qualifying race again to seize sixth. While the experienced Frenchman thrived in the subtropical conditions, his team mate Jens Getteman suffered. Getteman posted a solid 18th time in the time practice session, just one tenth behind David Philippaerts. Unfortunately he didn’t fair well in the qualifying race and came in after two crashes when circulating in 22nd.
Today Boog powered his Dunlop-shod Honda CRF450R to an authoritative holeshot in the first moto. While Xavier had to let some faster riders by in the first few laps he managed to pull his best riding of the season out of the bag. Ever consistent the fast 24MX Honda rider finished just 4,3 seconds adrift of reigning world champion Antonio Cairoli.
The author of a textbook-perfect start in the first race, Boog had a catastrophic jump from the gate in the second moto. Starting second last the 26 year-old made good progress and climbed through the field to hunt ninth-placed Tyla Rattray. In spite of his energy-sapping comeback ‘Boogie’ never relented and was rewarded with 9th spot and 12 hard-earned championship points.
Xavier Boog: “Of course we always fight to do better but it was an encouraging Grand Prix. It was the first time when all weekend I was up there with the top 6,7 guys. My start in the first moto was just perfect! All the riders who finished ahead of me were simply faster but my lap times were pretty solid and only around one second from the podium. I had terrible wheelspin in the second moto and my awful start complicated everything. It was really hot, but I gave everything I had so still to finish 9th in the end was not so bad. Tyla Rattray was just ahead of me for most of the race and passing him on the final lap was sweet!”
Jens Getteman: “My 18th time in the time practice session was not so bad but the qualifying moto was a disaster. I stalled the engine, crashed twice and I just couldn’t find my rhythm. On Sunday morning I felt some pain in my wrist again so after the warm-up we decided not to race. I didn’t want to risk aggravating the problem I have. On Tuesday I will consult with a specialist doctor to see what’s going on.”
MXGP moto 1
1. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 34:16.039; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:05.376; 3. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:11.106; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:18.572; 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:20.806; 6. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:26.363; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Honda Racing), +0:30.702; 8. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Husqvarna), +0:33.979; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, Honda), +0:35.869; 10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:51.498; 11. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:54.973; 12. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), +0:57.011; 13. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:57.373; 14. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), +1:14.799; 15. Rui Goncalves (POR, Yamaha), +1:20.531; 16. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), +1:21.741; 17. Milko Potisek (FRA, Yamaha), +1:33.314; 18. Valentin Teillet (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:38.074; 19. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +2:04.836; 20. Herjan Brakke (NED, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 21. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), -1 lap(s); 22. Raul Alvarez (ESP, Yamaha), -2 lap(s); 23. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), -11 lap(s);
MXGP moto 2
1. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 33:58.407; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.732; 3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:03.845; 4. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:15.603; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:23.521; 6. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:43.618; 7. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:50.876; 8. Rui Goncalves (POR, Yamaha), +0:52.007; 9. Xavier Boog (FRA, 24MX Honda Racing), +1:06.104; 10. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Husqvarna), +1:12.517; 11. Joel Roelants (BEL, Honda), +1:14.760; 12. Milko Potisek (FRA, Yamaha), +1:17.158; 13. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +1:23.136; 14. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), +1:23.642; 15. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +1:24.905; 16. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), +1:25.396; 17. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 18. Klemen Gercar (SLO, Honda), -1 lap(s); 19. Herjan Brakke (NED, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 20. Raul Alvarez (ESP, Yamaha), -2 lap(s); 21. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), -12 lap(s); 22. Valentin Teillet (FRA, Kawasaki), -12 lap(s); 23. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), -16 lap(s)
MXGP of Spain classification
1. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 50 points; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 40 p.; 3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 38 p.; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 37 p.; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 36 p.; 6. Xavier Boog (FRA, 24MX Honda Racing), 26 p.; 7. David Philippaerts (ITA, YAM), 24 p.; 8. Tyla Rattray (RSA, HUS), 24 p.; 9. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 23 p.; 10. Joel Roelants (BEL, HON), 22 p.; 11. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 22 p.; 12. Rui Goncalves (POR, YAM), 19 p.; 13. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 19 p.; 14. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), 16 p.; 15. Milko Potisek (FRA, YAM), 13 p.; 16. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), 9 p.; 17. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), 7 p.; 18. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), 5 p.; 19. Klemen Gercar (SLO, HON), 3 p.; 20. Herjan Brakke (NED, KAW), 3 p.; 21. Valentin Teillet (FRA, KAW), 3 p.; 22. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 2 p.; 23. Raul Alvarez (ESP, YAM), 1 p.;
FIM MXGP standings after 7 rounds
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 304 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 280 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 276 p.; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 220 p.; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 205 p.; 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 166 p.; 7. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 142 p.; 8. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 136 p.; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, HON), 134 p.; 10. Xavier Boog (FRA, 24MX Honda Racing), 134 p.; 11. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 132 p.; 12. Rui Goncalves (POR, YAM), 111 p.; 13. Todd Waters (AUS, HUS), 107 p.; 14. David Philippaerts (ITA, YAM), 106 p.; 15. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), 100 p.; 16. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 92 p.; 17. Tyla Rattray (RSA, HUS), 85 p.; 18. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), 75 p.; 19. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), 72 p.; 20. Tommy Searle (GBR, KAW), 29 p.; 21. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT, KTM), 28 p.; 22. Milko Potisek (FRA, YAM), 24 p.; 23. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), 20 p.; 24. Klemen Gercar (SLO, HON), 18 p.; 25. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KAW), 17 p.; 26. Filip Bengtsson (SWE, KTM), 15 p.; 27. Marc de Reuver (NED, HON), 13 p.; 28. Herjan Brakke (NED, KAW), 13 p.; 29. Jens Getteman (BEL, 24MX Honda Racing), 11 p.; 30. Augusts Justs (LAT, HUS), 10 p.; 31. Filip Thuresson (SWE, 24MX Honda Racing), 5 p.; 32. Antonio Balbi (BRA, KAW), 4 p.; 33. Valentin Teillet (FRA, KAW), 3 p.; 34. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 2 p.; 35. Arnon Theplib (THA, HON), 2 p.; 36. Amirezza Sabetifar (IRI, YAM), 2 p.; 37. Raul Alvarez (ESP, YAM), 1 p.