Arminas Jasikonis has set the pace in the MXGP class while Jago Geerts was once again fastest in the MX2 class as the MXGP of the Netherlands got underway in the muddy trying conditions at Valkenswaard.
In MXGP qualifying race it was the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP pilot
Gautier Paulin with a flying start out of the gate, closely followed by Team HRC‰Ûªs
Tim Gajser and Spaniard
Jorge Prado. Gajser made a quick pass on Paulin, moving into the lead a few moments later.
As Gajser led the way on the opening laps, Prado was in second after passing Paulin and battling with
Jeffrey Herlings and
Pauls Jonass, who was being chased down by his team-mate
Arminas Jasikonis.
By lap two, the racing in the top 6 was extremely close, with Herlings losing two positions to the two Husqvarna factory riders, Jonass and Jasikonis, meaning that there was no room to relax. But it wasn‰Ûªt long before the Dutch rider reacted, passing both riders back and setting his sights on higher positions, with Prado and Paulin ahead.
On lap 6, disaster struck Gajser who was forced out of the race due to an electrical issue, meaning that he would have to line-up last on the gate for tomorrow‰Ûªs races. This allowed the MXGP rookie Prado to take the lead, with Herlings on his tail pushing for the race win. Meanwhile Jasikonis was already moving quick, moving past his team-mate Jonass and then Paulin, to go after Herlings and Prado.
