The fifth Grand Prix of the 2013 FIM Motocross World Championship took place Sunday in Sevlievo, Bulgaria, where Gautier Paulin and Jeffery Herlings took the overall victories. In MX1 Antonio Cairoli finished second and Clement Desalle third, while Jordi Tixier and Alessandro Lupino completed the MX2 podium.
MX1
Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin obtained his first overall victory of the season, winning in Sevlievo for the second year in a row. The French rider dominated the qualifying race on Saturday and the first moto, but in the second moto he was deprived of a 1-1 with Tony Cairoli taking the win ahead of him.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tony Cairoli did not have a good qualifying race Saturday, but on race day he finishing second overall with a 4-1 result.
In the first moto the Italian had a good start, but in the first corner Nagl pushed him to the outside and he was down to the seventh position. The red plate holder rode the first half of the race behind Nagl, but once he overtook him he gave chase to Tommy Searle who was holding fourth. In the end Cairoli overtook the British rider and ended the race in fourth.
The Italian had another great start in the second moto, but this time he avoided any trouble and went into the first corner in second place behind Paulin – he quickly made the pass on the French rider and comfortably led the race until the checkers.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle was back on the podium this weekend after finishing third in both races. It was a great team battle between Desalle and Kevin Strijbos with Strijbos finishing ahead of his teammate in moto one and Desalle keeping ahead of Strijbos in moto two.
Strijbos was unlucky to miss the podium this weekend after being level on 40 points with teammate Desalle. Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Strijbos was a little disappointed with his fourth position in the second moto after a problem with his goggles stopped him from closing the gap with Desalle – every time he got close a lot of sand got into his eyes.
Tommy Searle is looking better with each Grand Prix and he started third in the first moto but he lost one position to Desalle after a couple of laps. The Kawasaki Monster Energy Pro Circuit rider rode well but he could not hold off defending World Champion, Cairoli and the British rider took fifth at the checkers.
In the second moto he started seventh but when he was trying to pass Van Horebeek on the inside line he found the door was already shut and he went down to 15th. Searle pushed hard to regain some places and crossed the finish line eighth, giving him a sixth overall.
It was not an easy weekend for Red Bull KTM’s Ken De Dycker, who struggled with his starts and could only finish ninth in the first moto. In the second moto he recovered incredibly well, moving from 11th to fifth, which gave him seventh overall.
De Dycker has gone from second to fourth in the point standings, but he is only six points behind Desalle who is third.
MX2
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings has tried to win at the Bulgarian track for nine years and this weekend he finally got the win. The Dutch rider imposed once again an incredible rhythm at the front and while in the first moto he crossed the finish line 25 seconds ahead of teammate Jordi Tixier – in the second moto he finished 40 seconds ahead of the nearest rider and again that nearest rider was Tixier. Herlings said in the press conference that he is now comparing his lap times with the MX1 riders and his goal is to keep on improving his speed race after race.
Jordi Tixier had two great starts once again and he managed to lead the first six laps of the first moto, but once his teammate Herlings overtook him there was nothing he could do but try and stop Herlings from pulling to far ahead.
In the second moto Tixier claimed that Jake Nicholls pushed him a little bit to the outside in the first corner and he was too wide to get the holeshot, but the French rider managed to move up to second within the opening lap.
Tixier tried to follow Herlings’ lines in the first laps, but it was impossible for him to hold on to the Dutch ace, so he settled on keeping a comfortable gap from Alessandro Lupino and Max Anstie.
It was a great day for Alessandro Lupino who was able to finish eighth and third and obtained his maiden podium in the MX2 class.
The CLS MX2 Kawasaki Monster Energy Pro Circuit rider was riding with two ribs broken from a crash he suffered in Arco di Trento, but he said that he could not feel the pain when he was riding third in the second moto.
When he crossed the finish line the Italian rider did not know that he had grabbed a podium spot and it was only when he saw a delighted Cairoli waiting for him at the winning circle that he realised what he had just achieved.
Silver Action KTM’s Jose Butron rode once again this weekend for a podium finish, but this time the Spanish rider ended fourth overall just one point behind Lupino.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Max Anstie starred in an incredible recovery in the first moto moving from an initial 21st position to ninth at the checkers.
In the second moto Anstie was fourth inside the first six laps. For a number of laps he pushed hard to overtake Lupino but could not find the pass – he eventually had to settle for a well deserved fourth place, which gave him fifth overall.
Ninth overall went to Jake Nicholls, who had excellent starts in both motos but several mistakes in both races made for a disappointing sixth and fourteenth at the Bulgarian Grand Prix.
Valentin Teillet finished third in the first moto but a crash in moto two aggravated his injured shoulder and he decided to retire from the race. The French rider ended tenth overall.
Monster Energy Yamaha’s Mel Pocock started well but the young Brit has been struggling with his stamina and he lost ground later in moto one, finishing 11th. He was flying in the top five of the second moto and after nailing his first ever GP holey he experienced some mechanical trouble and had to retire.
CLS Kawasaki newcomer Jimmy Decotis came close to grabbing the holey – narrowly missing out to Butron in moto one but the American is still adapting to GP racing conditions and a second lap error left him trailing before he was forced to withdraw from the race after an awkward landing.
Despite a painful knee injury he bravely went to the start of moto two and he battled to the finish but has yet to open his points scoring account.
MX Grand Prix of Bulgaria – Sevlievo Results 2013
MX1 Race 1
Pos |
Nr |
Rider |
Nat. |
Bike |
Time |
Bestlaptime |
1 |
21 |
Paulin, Gautier |
FRA |
Kawasaki |
40:14.945 |
1:48.338 |
2 |
22 |
Strijbos, Kevin |
BEL |
Suzuki |
40:19.634 |
1:49.104 |
3 |
25 |
Desalle, Clement |
BEL |
Suzuki |
40:20.951 |
1:49.072 |
4 |
222 |
Cairoli, Antonio |
ITA |
KTM |
40:45.150 |
1:49.472 |
5 |
100 |
Searle, Tommy |
GBR |
Kawasaki |
40:50.678 |
1:49.973 |
6 |
12 |
Nagl, Maximilian |
GER |
Honda |
40:55.551 |
1:50.248 |
7 |
89 |
van Horebeek, Jeremy |
BEL |
Kawasaki |
41:00.267 |
1:50.831 |
8 |
19 |
Philippaerts, David |
ITA |
Honda |
41:07.680 |
1:50.738 |
9 |
9 |
de Dycker, Ken |
BEL |
KTM |
41:20.518 |
1:50.232 |
10 |
39 |
Guarneri, Davide |
ITA |
KTM |
41:29.570 |
1:51.335 |
12 |
24 |
Simpson, Shaun |
GBR |
TM |
41:50.651 |
1:52.941 |
18 |
85 |
Dougan, Jason |
GBR |
Honda |
41:23.999 |
1:55.236 |
MX1 Race 2
Pos |
Nr |
Rider |
Nat. |
Bike |
Time |
Bestlaptime |
1 |
222 |
Cairoli, Antonio |
ITA |
KTM |
40:00.784 |
1:47.190 |
2 |
21 |
Paulin, Gautier |
FRA |
Kawasaki |
40:03.672 |
1:48.122 |
3 |
25 |
Desalle, Clement |
BEL |
Suzuki |
40:08.199 |
1:48.370 |
4 |
22 |
Strijbos, Kevin |
BEL |
Suzuki |
40:09.285 |
1:48.558 |
5 |
9 |
de Dycker, Ken |
BEL |
KTM |
40:41.660 |
1:49.351 |
6 |
89 |
van Horebeek, Jeremy |
BEL |
Kawasaki |
40:45.192 |
1:49.997 |
7 |
999 |
Goncalves, Rui |
POR |
KTM |
40:48.467 |
1:50.376 |
8 |
100 |
Searle, Tommy |
GBR |
Kawasaki |
40:48.862 |
1:49.473 |
9 |
19 |
Philippaerts, David |
ITA |
Honda |
40:57.202 |
1:50.141 |
10 |
39 |
Guarneri, Davide |
ITA |
KTM |
41:02.622 |
1:50.645 |
12 |
24 |
Simpson, Shaun |
GBR |
TM |
41:16.046 |
1:51.212 |
18 |
85 |
Dougan, Jason |
GBR |
Honda |
41:04.890 |
1:54.647 |
MX1 Overall
Pos |
Nr |
Rider |
Nat. |
Bike |
Race 1 |
Race 2 |
Total |
1 |
21 |
Paulin, Gautier |
FRA |
Kawasaki |
25 |
22 |
47 |
2 |
222 |
Cairoli, Antonio |
ITA |
KTM |
18 |
25 |
43 |
3 |
25 |
Desalle, Clement |
BEL |
Suzuki |
20 |
20 |
40 |
4 |
22 |
Strijbos, Kevin |
BEL |
Suzuki |
22 |
18 |
40 |
5 |
89 |
van Horebeek, Jeremy |
BEL |
Kawasaki |
14 |
15 |
29 |
6 |
100 |
Searle, Tommy |
GBR |
Kawasaki |
16 |
13 |
29 |
7 |
9 |
de Dycker, Ken |
BEL |
KTM |
12 |
16 |
28 |
8 |
19 |
Philippaerts, David |
ITA |
Honda |
13 |
12 |
25 |
9 |
12 |
Nagl, Maximilian |
GER |
Honda |
15 |
10 |
25 |
10 |
39 |
Guarneri, Davide |
ITA |
KTM |
11 |
11 |
22 |
12 |
24 |
Simpson, Shaun |
GBR |
TM |
9 |
9 |
18 |
19 |
85 |
Dougan, Jason |
GBR |
Honda |
3 |
3 |
6 |
MX1 Standings
Pos |
Nr |
Rider |
Nat. |
Total |
1 |
222 |
Cairoli, A. |
ITA |
235 |
2 |
21 |
Paulin, G. |
FRA |
195 |
3 |
25 |
Desalle, C. |
BEL |
189 |
4 |
9 |
de Dycker, Ken |
BEL |
183 |
5 |
22 |
Strijbos, K. |
BEL |
160 |
6 |
100 |
Searle, Tommy |
GBR |
147 |
7 |
999 |
Goncalves, Rui |
POR |
109 |
8 |
12 |
Nagl, M. |
GER |
100 |
9 |
121 |
Boog, Xavier |
FRA |
90 |
10 |
777 |
Bobryshev, E. |
RUS |
87 |
16 |
24 |
Simpson, Shaun |
GBR |
72 |
21 |
85 |
Dougan, Jason |
GBR |
15 |
24 |
997 |
Watson, Nathan |
GBR |
6 |
29 |
81 |
Law, Jamie |
GBR |
4 |
MX2 Race 1
Pos |
Nr |
Rider |
Nat. |
Bike |
Time |
Bestlaptime |
1 |
84 |
Herlings, Jeffrey |
NED |
KTM |
39:21.965 |
1:51.147 |
2 |
911 |
Tixier, Jordi |
FRA |
KTM |
39:47.362 |
1:52.993 |
3 |
737 |
Teillet, Valentin |
FRA |
Kawasaki |
39:58.665 |
1:52.276 |
4 |
17 |
Butron, Jose |
ESP |
KTM |
40:04.182 |
1:53.370 |
5 |
259 |
Coldenhoff, Glenn |
NED |
KTM |
40:06.484 |
1:53.414 |
6 |
45 |
Nicholls, Jake |
GBR |
KTM |
40:09.710 |
1:53.226 |
7 |
23 |
Charlier, Christophe |
FRA |
Yamaha |
40:17.319 |
1:53.013 |
8 |
300 |
Lupino, Alessandro |
ITA |
Kawasaki |
40:18.854 |
1:53.466 |
9 |
14 |
Anstie, Max |
GBR |
Suzuki |
40:19.416 |
1:51.988 |
10 |
111 |
Ferris, Dean |
AUS |
Yamaha |
40:32.323 |
1:53.805 |
11 |
119 |
Pocock, Mel |
GBR |
Yamaha |
40:34.303 |
1:54.505 |
22 |
20 |
Dunn, James |
GBR |
KTM |
40:44.252 |
1:57.959 |
25 |
44 |
Banks-Browne, Elliott |
GBR |
KTM |
41:15.196 |
1:57.770 |
26 |
711 |
Cottrell, James |
GBR |
Honda |
41:17.571 |
2:01.568 |
MX2 Race 2
Pos |
Nr |
Rider |
Nat. |
Bike |
Time |
Bestlaptime |
1 |
84 |
Herlings, Jeffrey |
NED |
KTM |
40:29.060 |
1:48.377 |
2 |
911 |
Tixier, Jordi |
FRA |
KTM |
41:09.447 |
1:51.559 |
3 |
300 |
Lupino, Alessandro |
ITA |
Kawasaki |
41:13.362 |
1:51.623 |
4 |
14 |
Anstie, Max |
GBR |
Suzuki |
41:17.027 |
1:51.090 |
5 |
23 |
Charlier, Christophe |
FRA |
Yamaha |
41:31.931 |
1:51.575 |
6 |
111 |
Ferris, Dean |
AUS |
Yamaha |
41:39.252 |
1:52.319 |
7 |
17 |
Butron, Jose |
ESP |
KTM |
41:40.102 |
1:52.006 |
8 |
259 |
Coldenhoff, Glenn |
NED |
KTM |
41:52.837 |
1:52.881 |
9 |
122 |
Ferrandis, Dylan |
FRA |
Kawasaki |
41:53.803 |
1:53.043 |
10 |
76 |
Rauchenecker, Pascal |
AUT |
KTM |
42:05.060 |
1:52.995 |
14 |
45 |
Nicholls, Jake |
GBR |
KTM |
40:32.671 |
1:52.313 |
20 |
44 |
Banks-Browne, Elliott |
GBR |
KTM |
41:22.203 |
1:55.208 |
27 |
711 |
Cottrell, James |
GBR |
Honda |
40:33.353 |
1:59.179 |
28 |
20 |
Dunn, James |
GBR |
KTM |
40:51.378 |
2:00.023 |
30 |
119 |
Pocock, Mel |
GBR |
Yamaha |
11:36.573 |
1:53.905 |
MX2 Overall
Pos |
Nr |
Rider |
Nat. |
Bike |
Race 1 |
Race 2 |
Total |
1 |
84 |
Herlings, Jeffrey |
NED |
KTM |
25 |
25 |
50 |
2 |
911 |
Tixier, Jordi |
FRA |
KTM |
22 |
22 |
44 |
3 |
300 |
Lupino, Alessandro |
ITA |
Kawasaki |
13 |
20 |
33 |
4 |
17 |
Butron, Jose |
ESP |
KTM |
18 |
14 |
32 |
5 |
14 |
Anstie, Max |
GBR |
Suzuki |
12 |
18 |
30 |
6 |
23 |
Charlier, Christophe |
FRA |
Yamaha |
14 |
16 |
30 |
7 |
259 |
Coldenhoff, Glenn |
NED |
KTM |
16 |
13 |
29 |
8 |
111 |
Ferris, Dean |
AUS |
Yamaha |
11 |
15 |
26 |
9 |
45 |
Nicholls, Jake |
GBR |
KTM |
15 |
7 |
22 |
10 |
737 |
Teillet, Valentin |
FRA |
Kawasaki |
20 |
0 |
20 |
18 |
119 |
Pocock, Mel |
GBR |
Yamaha |
10 |
0 |
10 |
23 |
44 |
Banks-Browne, Elliott |
GBR |
KTM |
0 |
1 |
1 |
29 |
711 |
Cottrell, James |
GBR |
Honda |
0 |
0 |
0 |
30 |
20 |
Dunn, James |
GBR |
KTM |
0 |
0 |
0 |
MX2 Standings
Pos |
Nr |
Rider |
Nat. |
Total |
1 |
84 |
Herlings, J. |
NED |
250 |
2 |
911 |
Tixier, Jordi |
FRA |
185 |
3 |
259 |
Coldenhoff, G. |
NED |
157 |
4 |
17 |
Butron, Jose |
ESP |
143 |
5 |
23 |
Charlier, C. |
FRA |
137 |
6 |
14 |
Anstie, Max |
GBR |
128 |
7 |
111 |
Ferris, Dean |
AUS |
115 |
8 |
300 |
Lupino, A. |
ITA |
109 |
9 |
45 |
Nicholls, Jake |
GBR |
104 |
10 |
461 |
Febvre, Romain |
FRA |
98 |
11 |
119 |
Pocock, Mel |
GBR |
87 |
21 |
44 |
Banks-Browne, E. |
GBR |
32 |
34 |
20 |
Dunn, James |
GBR |
1 |