Pressure on the Red Plates
FIM MX World Champs 2014
Around a hard and slippery Loket circuit an intense duel between world champion Antonio Cairoli and Van Horebeek saw the Belgian take the victory with a 2-1 scorecard.
It also constituted Van Horebeek’s very first victory in the premier MXGP class of the FIM Motocross World Championship finally achieved today in round fourteen of seventeen in the 2014 series.
The Belgian was superb on one his preferred circuits to give Yamaha their first MXGP success since Lierop (Netherlands) last summer and for his works team since the 2011 Swedish Grand Prix.
“It is difficult to explain how this feels,” Van Horebeek said. “I think this is one of my best days ever. It is a special one but it won’t be my last one. The first moto was pretty good but the start wasn’t great and I had to come through the pack and Kevin had already gone. In the second I was second right away with Tony. I had to fight the whole moto and we were both sliding around and losing control. We were on the limit. With two laps to go I knew I had a great chance but I wanted to do it cleanly. I showed my front wheel once on the uphill just to let him know I was there and then did it. I’m so stoked. It is unbelievable. Once I started to get on the podium every weekend this season I knew I had to work harder and also get the rest I needed. I did a great job and I feel really fit. The bike has also felt better and better because this is my first year with the team and every GP you learn about it [the bike]. I think the combination of my personal development and with the Yamaha made this result. I’m looking forward to Lommel now. Tony is one of the best sand riders in the world and I plan to have something special for my fans. First we’ll enjoy this for a day and then start work for that one.”
After previously accumulating eleven podium finishes in a row up until his fourth position in Finland two weeks ago, Van Horebeek was back on the box in style and with the added bonus of trimming the deficit to Cairoli in the MXGP standings to 57 points with 150 still to win.
Tixier also captured a career first MX2 GP win. Tixier of France was in good form but under pressure knowing it was time for him to step up and take the place of his injured team partner and championship leader Jeffrey Herlings. Herlings, the dominant rider throughout the season, suffered a fractured femur in a charity race last week and is currently rehabilitating.
“I’ve been waiting for this Gp win since I was a kid. Now I did it and it was my goal. I tried not to think about it but it crept into my head and that’s why I didn’t ride so good in the second moto. Now we go to Lommel and there is no pressure on me.”
Tixier got away well in the first moto and had hit the front by the second lap. From then on he rode smoothly on the hard and slick hard pack Czech track and wrapped up the race with a dominant 8-second lead.
If anything the pressure was even greater on Tixier to perform in the second moto. This time he did not get away as cleanly and was sitting at about sixth after the opening lap. He worked his way up to fourth place in the first 10 minutes but then a fierce four-way battle ensued for third. With Christoph Charlier and Dylan Ferrandis comfortably out in front, Tixier had to fend off attacks as Spain’s KTM rider Jose Butron, Romain Febvre of France, Swiss Standing Construct KTM rider Valentin Guillod and Alexandr Tonkov were all prepared to fight it out. In the final shakeout it was Guillod who claimed third place in the second moto, with Tixier, Butron and Febvre coming in behind him.
Tixier’s 1-4 result was enough to give him his first career GP win on his KTM 250 SX-F but he did admit he had put a lot of pressure on himself in the second race. Herlings still has a dominant lead in the championship points with 594 but Sunday’s victory moves Tixier up to 492. He is second in the standings.
FIM World Motocross Championship – GP of Loket Results
MXGP Moto One
1. Kevin Strijbos (BEL), Suzuki
2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL), Yamaha
3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA), KTM
4. Maximilian Nagl (GER), Honda
5. Shaun Simpson (GBR), KTM
6. Gautier Paulin (FRA), Kawasaki
7. Clement Desalle (BEL), Suzuki
8. Milko Potisek (FRA), Yamaha
9. Dean Ferris (AUS), Husqvarna
10. Tanel Leok (EST), TM
MXGP Moto two
1. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL), Yamaha
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA), KTM
3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL), Suzuki
4. Dennis Ullrich (GER), KTM
5. Steven Frossard (FRA), Kawasaki
6. Gautier Paulin (FRA), Kawasaki
7. Davide Guarneri (ITA), TM
8. Shaun Simpson (GBR), KTM
9. Tommy Searle (GBR), Kawasaki
10. Matiss Karro (LAT), KTM
MXGP Overall
1. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL), Yamaha, 47 p.
2. Kevin Strijbos (BEL), Suzuki, 45 p.
3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA), KTM, 42 p.
4. Gautier Paulin (FRA), Kawasaki, 30 p.
5. Shaun Simpson (GBR), KTM, 29 p.
6. Steven Frossard (FRA), Kawasaki, 26 p.
7. Dennis Ullrich (GER), KTM, 23 p.
8. Maximilian Nagl (GER), Honda, 22 p.
9. Tanel Leok (EST), TM, 21 p.
10. Matiss Karro (LAT), KTM, 20 p.
11. Milko Potisek (FRA), Yamaha, 20 p.
12. Dean Ferris (AUS), Husqvarna, 18 p.
13. Nathan Watson (GBR), Husqvarna, 16 p.
14. Tommy Searle (GBR), Kawasaki, 15 p.
15. Davide Guarneri (ITA), TM, 14 p.
16. Clement Desalle (BEL), Suzuki, 14 p.
17. Rui Goncalves (POR), Yamaha, 11 p.
18. Graeme Irwin (IRL), Suzuki, 9 p.
19. Martin Michek (CZE), KTM, 9 p.
20. Ken de Dycker (BEL), KTM, 6 p.
21. Herjan Brakke (NED), Kawasaki, 4 p.
22. Klemen Gercar (SLO), Honda, 1 p.
23. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT), KTM, 0 p.
24. Petr Smitka (CZE), KTM, 0 p.
25. Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA), Yamaha, 0 p.
MXGP World Championship Points
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA), KTM, 619 p.
2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL), Yamaha, 562 p.
3. Clement Desalle (BEL), Suzuki, 484 p.
4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL), Suzuki, 469 p.
5. Steven Frossard (FRA), Kawasaki, 333 p.
6. Shaun Simpson (GBR), KTM, 325 p.
7. Maximilian Nagl (GER), Honda, 291 p.
8. Gautier Paulin (FRA), Kawasaki, 235 p.
9. David Philippaerts (ITA), Yamaha, 234 p.
10. Davide Guarneri (ITA), TM, 232 p.
MX2 Moto one
1. Jordi Tixier (FRA), KTM
2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Husqvarna
3. Valentin Guillod (SUI), KTM
4. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda
5. Jose Butron (ESP), KTM
6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Suzuki
7. Christophe Charlier (FRA), Yamaha
8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS), Husqvarna
9. Julien Lieber (BEL), Suzuki
10. Pauls Jonass (LAT), KTM
MX2 Moto two
1. Christophe Charlier (FRA), Yamaha
2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Kawasaki
3. Valentin Guillod (SUI), KTM
4. Jordi Tixier (FRA), KTM
5. Jose Butron (ESP), KTM
6. Romain Febvre (FRA), Husqvarna
7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS), Husqvarna
8. Max Anstie (GBR), Yamaha
9. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda
10. Julien Lieber (BEL), Suzuki
MX2 overall
1. Jordi Tixier (FRA), KTM, 43 p.
2. Valentin Guillod (SUI), KTM, 40 p.
3. Christophe Charlier (FRA), Yamaha, 39 p.
4. Romain Febvre (FRA), Husqvarna, 37 p.
5. Jose Butron (ESP), KTM, 32 p.
6. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 30 p.
7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS), Husqvarna, 27 p.
8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Suzuki, 25 p.
9. Julien Lieber (BEL), Suzuki, 23 p.
10. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Kawasaki, 22 p.
MX2 World Championship Points
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), KTM, 594 p.
2. Jordi Tixier (FRA), KTM, 492 p.
3. Romain Febvre (FRA), Husqvarna, 453 p.
4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Kawasaki, 425 p.
5. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 420 p.
6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI), Kawasaki, 389 p.
7. Valentin Guillod (SUI), KTM, 354 p.
8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS), Husqvarna, 335 p.
9. Jose Butron (ESP), KTM, 321 p.
10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Suzuki, 282 p.
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