Bikesportnz

Belgium’s sandy Lommel circuit was once again the stage for the 15th round of the FIM MXGP world championship and this time New Zealand’s Dylan Walsh equalled his best performance.

The man from Christchurch scored another 14th overall in the MXGP class.

The Lommel circuit was not only wet and heavy due to the rainfall this time around, riders also had to cope with a modified race track. With the returning Benoit Paturel joining his team-mates Walsh and Artem Guryev, the JM Honda Racing Team entered three riders for the second time this season.

Walsh, Paturel and Guryev respectively placed 23rd, 25th and 30th in qualifying. This was not ideal, but each of the riders had proven before that they can get great starts on the JM Honda CRF450R.

The first “Lommel III” moto was no exception to Walsh’s excellent start habit. The young Kiwi crossed the holeshot line fourth but lost some positions in the following corners. Although Walsh managed to stay inside the top-15 for more than 9 laps, he had to settle for 17th in the end.

A complicated getaway and a near crash in the second moto were not what Walsh needed, but he still he delivered a consistent performance.

With P13 within his grasp, Walsh made a small error late in the race that saw him drop back to 14th. His 14th overall for the day, 12th equal on points with Brent Van Doninck and Evgeny Bobryshev, boosted him from 24th to 23rd in provisional championship standings.

“It was nice to ride a new layout today. Overall Lommel III was an improvement and I was quite happy with my riding,” said Walsh.

“Especially the second moto went pretty good until my crash at the end. Still I’m feeling that we’re gradually getting better in this type of conditions. After playing in the sand for a week I’m looking forward to a change in scenery and the next race in Arco di Trento!”

Walsh may be only 23rd overall in the world series standings but this is still a solid position because he had not joined the team and therefore did not contest the first four rounds of the championships earlier this year.

Photo courtesy JM Honda Racing Team

 Words by Tom Jacobs

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RESULTS AND STANDINGS:

MXGP Race 1:

1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 36:25.583; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:22.638; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:39.629; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:55.783; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +1:00.705; 6. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:09.550; 7. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:14.677; 8. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +1:14.890; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +1:23.600; 10. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:43.515; 11. Nathan Watson (GBR, Honda), +1:49.611; 12. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), +2:25.235; 13. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 14. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GASGAS), -1 lap(s); 15. Milko Potisek (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 16. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 17. Dylan Walsh (NZ, Honda), -1 lap(s); 18. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 19. Kay Ebben (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s); 20. Rene Rannikko (FIN, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 21. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s); 22. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, Honda), -3 lap(s); 23. Heikki Geens (BEL, KTM), -3 lap(s); 24. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Husqvarna), -4 lap(s); 25. Artem Guryev (RUS, Honda), -7 lap(s); 26. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), -8 lap(s); 27. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), -11 lap(s); 28. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Honda), -13 lap(s); 29. Manolis Kritikos (GRE, KTM), -13 lap(s); 30. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), -14 lap(s); 31. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), -16 lap(s); 32. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), -16 lap(s).

MXGP Race 2:

1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 36:31.050; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:18.740; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:23.084; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:30.972; 5. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:55.849; 6. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:10.025; 7. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:25.726; 8. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Husqvarna), +1:31.433; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:36.101; 10. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +1:49.623; 11. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Husqvarna), +1:58.837; 12. Dylan Walsh (NZ, Honda), +2:09.702; 13. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +2:10.945; 14. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KTM), +2:11.826; 15. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), -1 lap(s); 16. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 17. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GASGAS), -1 lap(s); 18. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), -1 lap(s); 19. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s); 20. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), -1 lap(s); 21. Milko Potisek (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 22. Nathan Watson (GBR, Honda), -1 lap(s); 23. Kay Ebben (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s); 24. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 25. Heikki Geens (BEL, KTM), -2 lap(s); 26. Artem Guryev (RUS, Honda), -9 lap(s); 27. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, Honda), -11 lap(s); 28. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), -13 lap(s); 29. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), -16 lap(s).

MXGP Lommel III final classification:

1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 50 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 44 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 38 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 34 p.; 5. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 31 p.; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 29 p.; 7. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 29 p.; 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 26 p.; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 26 p.; 10. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 18 p.; 11. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 16 p.; 12. Brent Van doninck (BEL, HUS), 13 p.; 13. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HUS), 13 p.; 14. Dylan Walsh (NZ, HON), 13 p.; 15. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GAS), 11 p.; 16. Tanel Leok (EST, HUS), 10 p.; 17. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), 10 p.; 18. Nathan Watson (GBR, HON), 10 p.; 19. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 7 p.; 20. Milko Potisek (FRA, YAM), 6 p.; 21. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 3 p.; 22. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 2 p.; 23. Kay Ebben (NED, KTM), 2 p.; 24. Rene Rannikko (FIN, HUS), 1 p.; 25. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 0 p.; 26. Heikki Geens (BEL, KTM), 0 p.; 27. Artem Guryev (RUS, HON), 0 p.; 28. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, HON), 0 p.; 29. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 0 p.; 30. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 0 p.; 31. Benoit Paturel (FRA, HON), 0 p.; 32. Manolis Kritikos (GRE, KTM), 0 p.

MXGP standings after 15 rounds:

1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 583 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 509 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 499 p.; 4. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 476 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 465 p.; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 403 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, GAS), 375 p.; 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 362 p.; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 289 p.; 10. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 263 p.; 11. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 248 p.; 12. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 233 p.; 13. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 228 p.; 14. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 212 p.; 15. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 206 p.; 16. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GAS), 161 p.; 17. Henry Jacobi (GER, YAM), 134 p.; 18. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 122 p.; 19. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 84 p.; 20. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, YAM), 82 p.; 21. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HUS), 75 p.; 22. Tanel Leok (EST, HUS), 72 p.; 23. Dylan Walsh (NZ, HON), 67 p.; 24. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), 66 p.; 25. Brent Van doninck (BEL, HUS), 53 p.; 26. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 52 p.; 27. Benoit Paturel (FRA, HON), 45 p.; 28. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 44 p.; 29. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 31 p.; 30. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 26 p.; 31. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 21 p.; 32. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT, KTM), 19 p.; 33. Karlis Sabulis (LAT, KTM), 18 p.; 34. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, KTM), 15 p.; 35. Thomas Covington (USA, YAM), 15 p.; 36. Harri Kullas (EST, HON), 11 p.; 37. Nathan Watson (GBR, HON), 10 p.; 38. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 9 p.; 39. Lars van Berkel (NED, HUS), 9 p.; 40. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, YAM), 9 p.; 41. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 9 p.; 42. Milko Potisek (FRA, YAM), 6 p.; 43. Ander Valentin (ESP, HUS), 4 p.; 44. Zachary Pichon (FRA, HON), 2 p.; 45. Kay Ebben (NED, KTM), 2 p.; 46. Artem Guryev (RUS, HON), 2 p.; 47. Rene Rannikko (FIN, HUS), 2 p.; 48. Anton Gole (SWE, HON), 2 p.