It is the final showdown in this season’s motocross world championships in Mexico this weekend and, with the MXGP crown safely locked away again by Italian Antonio Cairoli, the main point of interest on Sunday will perhaps be seeing if fellow KTM rider Jeffery Herlings can claim the MX2 crown.

Since talented young Dutchman Herlings was injured heading into round 14 of the FIM MX2 World Championship, the race to the top step of the podium has been literally thrown wide open.

So far, from the three rounds Herlings has missed, three riders have joined the exclusive circle of MX2 Grand Prix winners with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier to be the first to step up to the plate followed by BikeIT Yamaha Cosworth’s Max Anstie and Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre.

It has been confirmed that Herlings will be able to front up and race at this weekend’s 18th and final round at Leon, in Mexico, and perhaps he will just need to show up and circulate to earn enough points to stave off his challengers.

With Herlings there, it will be one of the most exciting MX2 finales in history.

But, if Herlings can’t be competitive, then Tixier only needs to finish inside the top nine in both races to win his first ever FIM Motocross World Championship.

MXGP CLASS

The top four positions in the MXGP class have been locked down with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cairoli claiming his sixth consecutive premier class world title last weekend in the State of Goias, Brazil, extending his staggering tally of FIM Motocross World Titles to eight.

Meanwhile, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek will go to see a specialist in Mexico this week where he will undergo an MRI scan to check the extent of the muscle or ligament damage in his ankle. At Goiania airport a couple of days ago the Belgian said, “Yamaha Mexico have arranged for me to have my foot checked out over there, if it is ok I might ride, we will see.”

Whether he lines up or not, the 24-year-old was crowned vice world champion after he bravely nursed his injured ankle home in race one at State of Goias in Brazil last weekend.

As for the Rockstar Energy Suzuki World duo Kevin Strijbos and Clement Desalle, both have secured their positions for the year with Strijbos wrapping up third and Desalle fourth. While Desalle will not be on the line since he recently underwent surgery on his scaphoid (hand) injury, Strijbos will definitely be one to watch this weekend as he takes his final stab at his first MXGP race, and or, GP win of the season.

With the top four all set, the focus of the championship turns to the battle for fifth, between Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Steven Frossard who overtook this year’s fastest privateer Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Shaun Simpson last weekend in Goias when the Scot dislocated his shoulder in race one. Remarkably, a bit of magic tape and Simpson lined up for race two.

Simpson has since said his shoulder feels fine and he will be fit to fight this weekend as he trails Frossard by 10 points.

In terms of potential race or MXGP round winners, if last weekend’s dominating force, Germany’s Max Nagl, keeps the momentum he was carrying in Brazil, the Team HRC rider could in fact wrap up the year with a perfect finish.

Meanwhile, the usual suspects Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin, and of course, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cairoli are also certain to be lingering around up front. Cairoli was the Grand Prix winner at the last Mexican round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, which took place in 2012, while a determined Paulin never lines up for anything less than a race win.

MX2 CLASS

Heading into this weekend, Febvre will be carrying some extra confidence coming fresh off of his first ever race and Grand Prix win, which were both also firsts for Husqvarna since the re-launch of the brand.

Meanwhile CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis has been itching to get a Grand Prix win under his belt. The Frenchman is more than capable, but in order to do so he will have to minimise his mistakes. Remember, he is in fact one of the very few race winners to have won a race fair and square against ‘The Bullet’, Herlings, which he did in the opening race of the year in Qatar.

Most have come to realise Grand Prix wins will be rolling in sooner rather than later for Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser, who turned 18 years old on Monday.

After claiming his first-ever MX2 race victory last weekend, the seriously talented Slovenian has proved he is a genuine threat to the top step of the podium.

But the hottest topic remains, the championship chase. Twenty-three points separate the two Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders, Herlings and Tixier, with 50 points still up for grabs.

Fingers are crossed that Herlings will be a force and his rivals will be compelled to dig deep.

© Photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

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MXGP World Championship Classification Top Ten:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 705 points; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 596 p.; 3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 530 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 484 p.; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 392 p.; 6. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 382 p.; 7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 357 p.; 8. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 315 p.; 9. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), 270 p.; 10. David Philippaerts (ITA, YAM), 258 p.

MX2 World Championship Classification Top Ten:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 594 points; 2. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 571 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 534 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 511 p.; 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 487 p.; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 422 p.; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 412 p.; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 384 p.; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 345 p.; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 328 p.