The notoriously punishing Lommel track hosted its first of three consecutive MXGP rounds, with Kiwi hero Dylan Walsh in the thick of the action.
Although there were glimmers of promise the GP of Flanders, round 13 of the world series, proved extremely challenging for all three JM Honda Racing riders. However, Canterbury’s Walsh once again showcased the performance of the CRF450R by grabbing the holeshot in race one.
In timed practice Walsh was the highest-placed team rider. He qualified 18th, yet the gap to Ivo Monticelli, in 13th, was less than half a second.
With close to no competitive riding since last year, his team-mate Kyle Webster was understandably rusty in qualifying. The young Australian managed 22nd while Russian team-mate Artem Guryev qualified 27th.
Underlining the hard work the JM Honda Racing crew have put into the development of the team’s race bike, Walsh rode his CRF450R to a massive holeshot in moto one. Walsh tried to find his rhythm among the front runners but his efforts were blight by two mistakes. The second one in the waves sent him way down the leaderboard. From 27th place after lap one the popular New-Zealander grinded his way back to P19 after the 30 minute plus two laps affair.
In race two, Walsh was dicing for the holeshot again, unfortunately a slight wobble meters before the line knocked him back to fifth. Walsh kept in touch with the top-10 for two laps but he suffered another crash in the wave section. Walsh eventually crossed the line 22nd.
MXGP rookie Webster experienced a difficult first Lommel round. After a decent jump from the gate, Webster got caught up in the first corner melee and was sent over the berm. With a painful upper back and neck as a result the Australian decided to concentrate on moto 2. Unfortunately he suffered more bad luck in the final race of the day. When his neck locked up after slight spill Webster was forced to pull in.
The JM Honda Racing riders will get their shot at redemption this Wednesday for what’s dubbed the MXGP of Limburg on the very same race track.
“Today I had two really good starts but unfortunately I crashed quite hard in the waves in both races,” said Walsh.
“So I had to come through every time. It’s definitely been a disappointing and one I want to forget about! We’ll get back after it on Wednesday for redemption.”
Kyle Webster: “A shocking day to be honest! I took quite a hit when I was taken out in the first corner in moto 1. I tried to ride in the second moto but I a couple of riders crashed in front of me. When I got back up and going I laid it down in a corner and my neck fully locked up. Unfortunately that was it. Not ideal whatsoever. Let’s try and get better to have another go on Wednesday.”
Walsh has slipped from 22nd to 25th overall in the world series standings, still a solid position despite his not having joined the team and therefore not having contested the first four rounds of the championships earlier this year.
Photo courtesy JM Honda Racing Team
Words by Tom Jacobs
Find BikesportNZ.com on FACEBOOK here
RESULTS & STANDINGS:
MXGP Race 1:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 34:13.277; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:07.125; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:09.513; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:16.409; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, GASGAS), +0:17.950; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:31.813; 7. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:37.419; 8. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:41.385; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:49.693; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:54.604; 11. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:02.054; 12. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +1:08.880; 13. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GASGAS), +1:12.314; 14. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +1:14.588; 15. Henry Jacobi (GER, Yamaha), +1:24.840; 16. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:26.025; 17. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), +1:27.955; 18. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), +1:36.785; 19. Ander Valentin (ESP, Husqvarna), +1:42.226; 20. Artem Guryev (RUS, Honda), -1 lap(s); 21. Dylan Walsh (NZ, Honda), -5 lap(s); 22. Mitchell Evans (AUS, Honda), -14 lap(s);
MXGP Race 2:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 34:32.685; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:04.455; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:17.405; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, GASGAS), +0:21.940; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:27.027; 6. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:29.646; 7. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:35.318; 8. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:40.176; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:43.221; 10. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:46.577; 11. Henry Jacobi (GER, Yamaha), +0:55.400; 12. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GASGAS), +0:58.732; 13. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:09.113; 14. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +1:15.908; 15. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), +1:35.848; 16. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +1:38.742; 17. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), +1:40.679; 18. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:48.468; 19. Ander Valentin (ESP, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 20. Artem Guryev (RUS, Honda), -1 lap(s); 21. Dylan Walsh (NZ, Honda), -15 lap(s).
GP of Spain classification:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 50 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 42 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 42 p.; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, GAS), 34 p.; 5. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 32 p.; 6. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 29 p.; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 27 p.; 8. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 26 p.; 10. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 24 p.; 11. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 18 p.; 12. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GAS), 17 p.; 13. Henry Jacobi (GER, YAM), 16 p.; 14. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 14 p.; 15. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 14 p.; 16. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 9 p.; 17. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), 8 p.; 18. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 8 p.; 19. Ander Valentin (ESP, HUS), 4 p.; 20. Artem Guryev (RUS, HON), 2 p.; 21. Dylan Walsh (NZ, HON), 0 p.; 22. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 0 p.
MXGP standings after 13 rounds:
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 488 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 440 p.; 3. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 429 p.; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 429 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 383 p.; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, GAS), 375 p.; 7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 352 p.; 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 312 p.; 9. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 263 p.; 10. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 248 p.; 11. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 248 p.; 12. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 228 p.; 13. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 172 p.; 14. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 164 p.; 15. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 151 p.; 16. Henry Jacobi (GER, YAM), 134 p.; 17. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GAS), 132 p.; 18. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 91 p.; 19. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, YAM), 82 p.; 20. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 81 p.; 21. Tanel Leok (EST, HUS), 51 p.; 22. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HUS), 49 p.; 23. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), 48 p.; 24. Benoit Paturel (FRA, HON), 45 p.; 25. Dylan Walsh (NZ, HON), 43 p.