Motocross

Febvre and Covington Take MXGP of Lombardia Qualifying Race Wins

Posted:

Sunday, June 17th, 2018

10:44 AM

Frenchman Romain Febvre finished first in the MXGP class.. Photo: Youthstream

Romain Febvre and Thomas Covington have claiming the MXGP and MX2 class qualifying Race wins at the 2018 Fiat Professional MXGP of Lombardia in Italy.

The summer heat along with the sandy circuit of Ottobiano gave the riders difficult conditions but gave the fans amazing racing for Round 10 of the FIM Motocross World Championship! Both the MXGP and MX2 Qualifying races were full of action.

Starting the weekend many eyes where on Red Bull KTM Factory Racing‰Ûªs Antonio Cairoli. From the Italian fans to media and more the Italian superstar was the center of attention but at the start of the MXGP Qualifying Race it was Wilvo Yamaha MXGP Official Team‰Ûªs Jeremy Seewer who stole the show. The MX2 overall winner from last year took the holeshot and lead while Cairoli was buried towards the back of the pack.

Chasing Seewer was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP‰Ûªs Romain Febvre and Standing Construct KTM‰Ûªs Kevin Strijbos. The opening lap was a struggle for Cairoli who not only had a bad start but also clipped another rider and went down. Rejoining the race in last position Cairoli had to work hard to achieve decent gate pick for tomorrow‰Ûªs pair of championship races.

The MXGP Class head into the Italian sand for round 10 of the FIM Motocross World Championship.. Photo: Youthstream

Belgian Clement Desalle was fourth at the beginning of the race and had Brit Max Anstie and Gautier Paulin chasing him. First to make a move was Paulin who pushed past his teammate for fifth as Febvre started to pressure Seewer for the lead.

On lap 5 Febvre took over the lead from Seewer and Desalle took 3rd from Strijbos. During next lap Strijbos lost 2 more positions to Paulin and Anstie. Around the same time Cairoli moved past HRC's Tim Gajser after a short battle over 16th.

Cairoli continued his charge forward for the next seven laps. With the final turn to go the Sicilian was 9th but with his fighting spirit managed to pass both Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP‰Ûªs Jeremy Van Horebeek and Brit Tommy Searle before the finish for 7th.

Jeremy Seewer made it a Yamaha 1-2 when he finished second in MXGP and for the first time this season there was no KTM in the top three with Clemenet Desalle taking the final podium spot.

Romain Febvre claimed the qualifying win with Seewer in second and Desalle took third after a last lap battle with Paulin.

‰ÛÏI‰Ûªm feeling very good, I‰Ûªm getting better and better every week so that‰Ûªs really important," Febvre said. "Today I was good all day long, I was third in time practice and took a good start, it was almost the holeshot and then after three laps I took the lead from Jeremy Seewer.‰Û

American Thomas Covington greeted the chequered flag first in the MX2 class.. Photo: Youthstream

Just as MXGP‰Ûªs Qualifying race was difficult for Cairoli the MX2 Qualifying race was a challenge for Championship Leader Pauls Jonass. American Thomas Covington however had the perfect race. The American scored the holeshot and checked from the field within the first laps.

Also strong off the start was LRT KTM‰Ûªs Davy Pootjes in second position. Behind Pootjes was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing‰Ûªs Jorge Prado and then, after a series of passes during the opening lap, Pauls Jonass. By the end of lap two the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team rider was passed his team-mate Prado and pressuring Pootjes for second.

On lap six both Jonass and Prado where past Pootjes who then lost another pair of spots in the next two laps to Team HRC‰Ûªs Calvin Vlaanderen and Kemea Yamaha Official MX2 Team‰Ûªs Ben Watson.

Spaniard Jorge Prado was second in the MX2 class after a close battle with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team-mate Pauls Jonass

On the 9th lap Jonass could be seen restarting his bike and in the meantime lost positions to Prado, Vlaanderen, and Watson. At the finish line it was Covington who took the qualifying race win, his 3rd this season and second in row, with Prado 2nd, Vlaanderen 3rd, Watson 4th, and Jonass 5th. Covington‰Ûªs teammate, Thomas Kjer Olsen, fought his way up to 9th following a crash on start.

‰ÛÏEvery weekend this is how you plan for a race to go but it is pretty rare for it to actually happen. Two consistent starts and being strong at the end tomorrow is going to be really important," Covington said.

Yamaha SM Action M.C. Migliori‰Ûªs new rider, Michele Cervellin, took 13th during today‰Ûªs qualifying which is his 2nd home GP of the season. Michele in the press conference said: ‰ÛÏThis is home GP‰Û_ I will try to do my best and tomorrow is for sure going to be difficult with two longer races but we will fight for a good result.‰Û

South African Calvin Vlaanderen rounded out the podium in MX2. Photo: Youthstream

MXGP Qualifying Race Top Ten:
1. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), 23:45.610
2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:03.260
3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:04.700
4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:06.325
5. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:08.975
6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +0:16.010
7. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:20.156
8. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:20.330
9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:20.331
10. Maximilian Nagl (GER, TM), +0:24.015
21. Todd Waters (Aus, Honda), +1:12.582

MX2 Qualifying Race Top Ten:
1. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), 23:58.093
2. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:07.842
3. Calvin Vlaanderen (RSA, Honda), +0:13.121
4. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:15.931
5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:23.208
6. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), +0:24.636
7. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +0:25.513
8. Iker Larranaga Olano (ESP, Husqvarna), +0:27.659
9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:27.869
10. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:35.619
14. Hunter Lawrence (Aus, Honda), +0:42.252