Motocross

Coldenhoff and Prado top qualifying at MXGP of Turkey

Posted:

Sunday, September 8th, 2019

7:33 AM

Glenn Coldenhoff

Glenn Coldenhoff and newly crowned MX2 World Champion Jorge Prado have won their qualification races as the 2019 MXGP of Turkey kicked off at Afyon.

Team HRC‰Ûªs Tim Gajser took the lead early in the MXGP qualification race from Standing Construct's Glenn Coldenhoff, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team‰Ûªs Jeremy Seewer, Alessandro Lupino, and Jeffrey Herlings in fifth. Lupino quickly dropped back to eight as Herlings, Ivo Monticelli and Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP‰Ûªs Arnaud Tonus went past while Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP‰Ûªs Gautier Paulin followed soon after. Paulin also moved past Tonus to go into seventh position.

After four laps it was Gajser with a three second lead over Coldenhoff, then Seewer, Herlings and Monticelli. An uneventful race followed for some laps as not a lot of passing happened in the front group.

Gajser crashed and handed the lead to Coldenhoff, and Seewer and Herlings also both passed the new MXGP champion as Herlings was all over Seewer for second place. Gajser found himself eventually back in seventh position and dropped back slowly.

Jeffrey Herlings

Herlings looked brilliant closing on Seewer and Coldenhoff until he moved past Seewer and set out after Coldenhoff on lap eight while Gajser dropped out of the top ten as he continued to struggle.

The two Dutch riders were in a brilliant battle for the top spot as Herlings was closing right up on the back wheel of Coldenhoff. Seewer was third and Monticelli fourth. The pace of MXGP was just incredible with the two leaders colliding but continued their charge up front with only one second separating the Dutch riders. Coldenhoff held on though and won his first Qualifying race of the season from Herlings and Seewer.

Jeremy Seewer

‰ÛÏI had a good start and I was behind Tim, I kept focusing and in some places I was faster. Then he went down and then Herlings was pushing me. It was fun battling with him and I won, which is always good," Coldenhoff said.

Jorge Prado

In the MX2 qualifying race it was freshly crowned champion Jorge Prado who led from Tom Vialle, F&H Kawasaki Racing‰Ûªs Roan Van De Moosdijk, Team SM Action Yamaha team‰Ûªs Maxime Renaux, F&H Kawasaki Racing‰Ûªs Adam Sterry and Honda Redmoto Assomotor‰Ûªs Mathys Boisrame while in the first corner a number of riders went down including new Junior World Champion Mattia Guadagnini and Alberto Forato.

Van De Moosdijk moved into second after passing Vialle. After a lap Prado held a two second lead over Van De Moosdijk, with Vialle a further second back, then came Renaux and Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha MX2‰Ûªs Jago Geerts.

Roan Van De Moosdijk

Bike It DRT Kawasaki‰Ûªs Darian Sanayei crashed forcing himself out of the race and so does Vialle in lap five but he dropped to fifth position while Renaux moved into third place. After seven laps the lead by Prado was more than eight seconds, with Van De Moosdijk second, then Renaux, Geerts and Team HRC‰Ûªs Calvin Vlaanderen. Prado won the MX2 Qualifying race from Van De Moosijk and Renaux.

‰ÛÏI was enjoying riding as the track was really good, I enjoyed even more than last year as I feel more relaxed and It wasn‰Ûªt too warm. I feel very good for tomorrow," Prado said.

Australia's Mitch Evans finished in 14th place.

Maxime Renaux

MXGP - Qualifying Race Top Ten:
1. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 23:41.215
2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:00.897
3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:10.485
4. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), +0:22.893
5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:24.461
6. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:27.303
7. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:30.935
8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Yamaha), +0:33.469
9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:35.955
10. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Husqvarna), +0:36.991

MX2 - Qualifying Race Top Ten:
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 23:58.615
2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, Kawasaki), +0:15.813
3. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:20.600
4. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:24.424
5. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), +0:39.422
6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Honda), +0:39.926
7. Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:41.700
8. Mathys Boisrame (FRA, Honda), +0:44.182
9. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, KTM), +0:48.691
10. Brian Strubhart Moreau (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:50.332