The Grand Prix of the Czech Republic, the 12th round of 19 in the FIM Motocross World Championships, was another fabulous chance for Frenchman Romain Febvre to showcase his skills.
The Kawasaki Racing Team rider raced to his third consecutive GP victory in the series and gained a valuable point on Spain’s series leader Jorge Prado (GasGas) in the process.
Febvre confirmed his speed already during morning Warm-Up as he lapped seven-tenths of a second faster than any of his rivals and he wasted no time in taking control of the first moto; edged out by the narrowest of margins for the holeshot, he immediately launched over the following triple-jump to carry outrageous speed into turn two, railing the outside berm to take the lead and immediately sprinting clear.
By the completion of the first complete lap he was already more than two seconds clear and gradually opened up his advantage to five seconds before backing off slightly through the final laps to bring home safely his fourth moto win of the campaign.
The top three series contenders each gated up front in race two but no-one else had an answer to the Kawasaki leader as he set the fastest lap in each moto.
After an inside move for second on lap two he made an enthralling pass on the previous leader on a steep climb four laps later and, quickly opening up a commanding lead, he appeared to be on the way to his first perfect two-moto GP victory of the season.
But it was not to be; four laps from the end a small error saw him thrown to the ground. He remounted fourth and, despite bent handlebars and a painful shoulder, gritted it out to the finish to record his third GP victory in four weekends, having also won each of the two previous GPs in Indonesia.
Post-race medical examinations revealed no damage to the shoulder and he now heads to round 13 next week in Belgium, having consolidated second in the series standings.
“I didn’t win three GPs in-a-row since 2015; that’s why I’m happy despite this crash in the second moto,” said Febvre afterwards.
“It could have been the perfect day with two moto wins; my speed was good, my riding was good, everything … until this mistake in the second moto. I controlled the first race, then in the second I had another good start.
“I passed Prado for second, then I followed (Swiss rider Jeremy) Seewer for several laps and could compare our lines; sometimes it’s good to be the hunter! I saw that I was faster than him in several sections and after I passed him I made a gap on my rivals.
“I was riding consistently until the front wheel slipped away in a corner and I crashed. I lost a few positions but I knew if I kept fourth I had at least a podium result. My shoulder hurt but I could forget the pain until the end of the race.
“I’m happy to win the GP; it’s the third time I have won here at Loket and it was good to win again after several tough years here. I can’t say that it’s my favourite track but my riding style seems to suit the layout. The medical examinations didn’t reveal any damage to the shoulder, but I will take some rest to be ready for Lommel next weekend.”
KRT colleague Mitch Evans, from Australia, made it two green bikes in the top-six off the start of race one and he maintained that position until losing one position on lap seven but he regrouped quickly to bring home a secure seventh-placed finish. A midfield start in race two left him 15th on lap one but he made quick advances to 12th and three laps from the end made the final decisive pass for eleventh in moto and ninth overall.
The 24 points also see him move up to 14th in the series standings and, with seven rounds remaining, the top-ten is still a realistic target despite having been forced to sit out the first four GPs through injury.
Photo courtesy Kawasaki
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RESULTS AND STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 12 OF 19:
MXGP – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification:
1. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), 34:50.813; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:00.822; 3. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), +0:08.411; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), +0:09.577; 5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:19.677; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:39.139; 7. Mitchell Evans (AUS, Kawasaki), +0:45.613; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:52.012; 9. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:55.651; 10. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:58.075.
MXGP – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification:
1. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), 35:14.549; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), +0:04.404; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:05.542; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:09.000; 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:10.943; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:17.862; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), +0:26.106; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:29.697; 9. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), +0:45.062; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, KTM), +0:59.589.
MXGP – Grand Prix Top 10 Classification:
1. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 43 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 42 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 42 p.; 4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 41 p.; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 32 p.; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 30 p.; 7. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 28 p.; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 26 p.; 9. Mitchell Evans (AUS, KAW), 24 p.; 10. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 17 p.
MXGP – World Championship Top 10 Classification:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 614 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 510 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 465 p.; 4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 452 p.; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 428 p.; 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 402 p.; 7. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 386 p.; 8. Alberto Forato (ITA, KTM), 302 p.; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 276 p.; 10. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, GAS), 203 p.
MX2 – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification:
1. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), 33:46.123; 2. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Kawasaki), +0:02.248; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:08.918; 4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:12.608; 5. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:19.683; 6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Honda), +0:24.963; 7. Emil Weckman (FIN, Honda), +0:25.791; 8. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:26.807; 9. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, Husqvarna), +0:29.718; 10. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +0:30.440.
MX2 – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification:
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 35:41.660; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:05.279; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:13.877; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:18.190; 5. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Honda), +0:19.355; 6. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:19.813; 7. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:33.345; 8. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:35.908; 9. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Kawasaki), +0:40.559; 10. Marcel Stauffer (AUT, KTM), +0:43.099.
MX2 – Grand Prix Top 10 Classification:
1. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 45 points; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 40 p.; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 38 p.; 4. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 34 p.; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 33 p.; 6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, HON), 31 p.; 7. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 30 p.; 8. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 26 p.; 9. Marcel Stauffer (AUT, KTM), 21 p.; 10. Emil Weckman (FIN, HON), 20 p.
MX2 – World Championship Top 10 Classification:
1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 506 points; 2. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 478 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 471 p.; 4. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 462 p.; 5. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 433 p.; 6. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 432 p.; 7. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 368 p.; 8. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 359 p.; 9. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 316 p.; 10. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 248 p.