Tim Gajser took the overall win at Mantova as Jorge Prado’s good starts left him in a crucial race two. Prado had taken the win in race one after holding Gajser bay all moto then pushing hard to get a safe gap in the last two laps in an impressive ride.
Both knew they needed the start again in race two and it was Gajser who executed best getting away top three with Prado outside the top five. Gajser got into second then was gifted the lead when Seewer crashed.
From there Gajser controlled the race and even a mistake that almost let Renaux into the lead was quickly forgotten as he found his rhythm quickly to pull away again and become the man to beat so far in 2022.
Gajser said: “It was good, I’m really happy to win the overall again. We were struggling with the set up because the track is quite hard – not what we are used too. The second moto we finally adjusted the bike correctly.”
Behind them Brian Bogers had a great ride in third as Prado worked his way well up to fight behind Thomas Kjer Olsen who was having his best weekend in MXGP. Prado was faster but couldn’t find a way by and then, with two laps to go it was Prado made a rare mistake going down and losing two spots and dropping to seventh when fourth was right in front of him.
An expensive moto in terms of points but Prado, who said he had distinct his eyes from lap three and couldn’t see ruts and bumps properly, still made the podium. However with Gajser’s starts and speed, he is putting the pressure Prado already to be perfect out of the gate and on the track to challenge him for the title.
Maxime Renaux is positioning himself well in the championship with his first podium in MXGP to put himself third in the series and looking like the most likely guy to run with Gajser and Prado.
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 47 points; 2. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 42 p.; 3. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 39 p.; 4. Brian Bogers (NED, HUS), 34 p.; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 34 p.; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, KTM), 33 p.; 7. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 31 p.; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, BET), 25 p.; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 18 p.; 10. Ben Watson (GBR, KAW), 15 p.; 11. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 15 p.; 12. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 14 p.; 13. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 13 p.; 14. Alberto Forato (ITA, GAS), 13 p.; 15. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, BET), 11 p.; 16. Henry Jacobi (GER, HON), 11 p.; 17. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 11 p.; 18. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 11 p.; 19. Jed Beaton (AUS, KAW), 10 p.; 20. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 6 p.; 21. Alvin Östlund (SWE, YAM), 6 p.; 22. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, YAM), 2 p.; 23. Filippo Zonta (ITA, GAS), 1 p.; 24. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP, HON), 0 p.; 25. Hardi Roosiorg (EST, KTM), 0 p.; 26. Lorenzo Locurcio (VEN, KTM), 0 p.; 27. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, FAN), 0 p.; 28. Ismaele Guarise (ITA, KTM), 0 p.; 29. Charles Lefrancois (FRA, HON), 0 p.;
World MXGP – World Championship Classification
1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 94 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 82 p.; 3. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 77 p.; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 74 p.; 5. Brian Bogers (NED, HUS), 57 p.; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, KTM), 57 p.; 7. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 48 p.; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, BET), 48 p.; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 43 p.; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, GAS), 41 p.; 11. Jed Beaton (AUS, KAW), 40 p.; 12. Ben Watson (GBR, KAW), 33 p.; 13. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 32 p.; 14. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 28 p.; 15. Henry Jacobi (GER, HON), 26 p.; 16. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 23 p.; 17. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 18 p.; 18. Alvin Östlund (SWE, YAM), 13 p.; 19. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 12 p.; 20. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, BET), 11 p.; 21. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 11 p.; 22. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 10 p.; 23. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, YAM), 3 p.; 24. Hardi Roosiorg (EST, KTM), 2 p.; 25. Filippo Zonta (ITA, GAS), 1 p.;1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 94 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 82 p.; 3. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 77 p.; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 74 p.; 5. Brian Bogers (NED, HUS), 57 p.; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, KTM), 57 p.; 7. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 48 p.; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, BET), 48 p.; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 43 p.; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, GAS), 41 p.; 11. Jed Beaton (AUS, KAW), 40 p.; 12. Ben Watson (GBR, KAW), 33 p.; 13. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 32 p.; 14. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 28 p.; 15. Henry Jacobi (GER, HON), 26 p.; 16. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 23 p.; 17. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 18 p.; 18. Alvin Östlund (SWE, YAM), 13 p.; 19. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 12 p.; 20. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, BET), 11 p.; 21. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 11 p.; 22. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 10 p.; 23. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, YAM), 3 p.; 24. Hardi Roosiorg (EST, KTM), 2 p.; 25. Filippo Zonta (ITA, GAS), 1 p.;
MX2 was sensational drama, except for Jago Geerts who was drama free and imperious, going 1-1 and showing mental fortitude maybe not seen before as he let Tom Vialle make the mistakes.
Geerts held Vialle off all the way in race one and it was Vialle who tipped over. Then in race two it was Vialle with the holeshot and Geerts making his way through into third when Vialle had a barely believable crash that saw him flip through the air over a jump without his bike and onto the deck. Fortunately Vialle was okay but he could only get back to 21st and no points.
Big crash 😱 for Tom Vialle in the second race of the MX2 class. Rider OK!#MXGPLomabrdia #MXGP #MX2 #Motocross pic.twitter.com/N08jVnIfLK
— MXGP (@mxgp) March 6, 2022
That left Andrea Adamo in the lead of his home GP and he led quite a few laps before Geerts finally found his way by. De Wolf got by as well as did an on the gas Simon Laegenfelder who came from outside the top ten to third and then set about catching De Wolf. On the last lap he was right there and making the move would get him on the podium at the expense of Adamo. Laegenfelder made the move but De Wolf fought back, they collided, with Laegenfelder staying up, De Wolf going down and handing Adamo third and getting his first ever podium back!
Laegenfelder ended up fourth overall but that second ride showed he is for real in 2022 especially considering his crash yesterday and injured back when Vialle took him down in the qualifying race.
But Jago Geerts has sent a warning to the rest of the field and might be on the best form of his career as Andrea Adamo probably won’t sleep tonight with the adrenaline of a career best ride and podium at home in Mantova, saying: “I think it’s the best day of my life, I don’t have words!”
Superb drama in MX2.
MX2 – GP Classification
1. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 50 points; 2. Andrea Adamo (ITA, GAS), 38 p.; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 38 p.; 4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 36 p.; 5. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 28 p.; 6. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, HON), 27 p.; 7. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, KAW), 27 p.; 8. Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), 25 p.; 9. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, GAS), 22 p.; 10. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 22 p.; 11. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 22 p.; 12. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), 20 p.; 13. Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 16 p.; 14. Petr Polak (CZE, HON), 14 p.; 15. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 12 p.; 16. Kevin Brumann (SUI, YAM), 12 p.; 17. Jeremy Sydow (GER, KTM), 12 p.; 18. Gianluca Facchetti (ITA, KTM), 11 p.; 19. Tim Edberg (SWE, YAM), 3 p.; 20. Glen Meier (DEN, KTM), 3 p.; 21. Filip Olsson (SWE, HUS), 3 p.; 22. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), 1 p.; 23. Paul Haberland (GER, HON), 0 p.; 24. Jakob Kristof (HUN, HUS), 0 p.; 25. Samuel Nilsson (ESP, KTM), 0 p.;
MX2 – World Championship Classification
1. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 90 points; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 86 p.; 3. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 74 p.; 4. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 64 p.; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, GAS), 60 p.; 6. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 55 p.; 7. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 54 p.; 8. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, KAW), 54 p.; 9. Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), 47 p.; 10. Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 43 p.; 11. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, GAS), 43 p.; 12. Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, HON), 39 p.; 13. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), 38 p.; 14. Jeremy Sydow (GER, KTM), 28 p.; 15. Kevin Brumann (SUI, YAM), 23 p.; 16. Gianluca Facchetti (ITA, KTM), 20 p.; 17. Petr Polak (CZE, HON), 20 p.; 18. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 19 p.; 19. Kay Karssemakers (NED, KTM), 10 p.; 20. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), 7 p.; 21. Filip Olsson (SWE, HUS), 3 p.; 22. Tim Edberg (SWE, YAM), 3 p.; 23. Glen Meier (DEN, KTM), 3 p.; 24. Samuel Nilsson (ESP, KTM), 1 p.;
Report: Jonathan McCready
Images: InFront Moto Racing
