MXGP Preview

MXGP of Argentina - Preview

Posted on March 01, 2018

The 2018 FIM Motocross World Championship season is upon us and set to start at the beloved circuit of Patagonia-Argentina this weekend. Villa La Angostura, Neuquen Province will once again host the MXGP series but for the first time ever the picturesque region with crystal clear lakes and towering mountain peaks will open the season. It will be the first time this year that the riders of the MXGP and MX2 World Championships are to battle against one another.

The rich volcanic soil of the Argentinian track will develop well throughout the weekend and will undoubtably get rough and technical challenging the world’s best riders and their off season preparation.

In 2015 when MXGP first raced on the Neuquen track it was Max Nagl on the top step of the podium.  The German has now changed to the TM Racing Racing Factory team for the new season. The past 2 years the win has however been taken by the Slovenian Team HRC rider and 2016 MXGP World Champion Tim Gajser. With the defending winner not in attendance due to a pre-season injury many other title contenders will be looking to add their name to the list of winners on Argentinian soil.

This year, once again, it’s anyone guess who could win, though of the many returning to compete in 2018 one might say that Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli or Jeffrey Herlings are the most likely to succeed, but it doesn’t end there.

Antonio Cairoli has also had a very strong off season and is looking fit and well prepared for 2018 and of course is one of the best the sport has ever seen with 9 world championships to his name, only 1 behind all time leader Stefan Everts, including his resurgence in 2017 after the two injury laden seasons prior. And yes, Jeffrey Herlings proved to be the man to beat once healthy in 2017 but both are just two of the many former champions present in the premier class.

Romain Febvre, the 2015 MXGP World Champion will be aboard an all new YZ450F, comes off his 2017 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations victory, and is hungry for wins after a disappointing 2017 season. Once again joining on the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing machine is Jeremy Van Horebeek who placed 2nd overall in the 2017 visit in Argentina.

Then you also must look at Febvre’s MXoN French teammate, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory RacingMXGP rider Gautier Paulin. Paulin showed not only that he is fast and consistent by finishing the 2017 MXGP season 3rd in the points but that he is fast enough to win after taking the 2017 MXGP of Europe overall. Both Paulin and Febvre are very capable of crashing the Herlings and Cairoli party many expect this year.

The #99 of Max Anstie who will again be riding for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing squad ended his 2017 on a high not with MXoN success and will look to keep that momentum going.

Another name that has found his way to Argentina is the BOS GP hosted Evgeny Bobryshev. Bobryshev saw success here last year when he reached the podium even while feeling under the weather.

If you consider all of those who have won a GP at one point or another then you are considering the near majority of the starting grid! The level of competition heading into the 2018 MXGP season is at an all time high full of veterans and young stars all fighting for the top spot.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team will come into Argentina a mix of new with old as MXGP rookie Julien Lieber joins the factory effort alongside the strong Belgian, Clement Desalle.

The same can also be said for the Wilvo Yamaha MXGP team who will have both the 2017 MX2 title contender, Jeremy Seewer, and returning MXGP veteran Shaun Simpson riding the new Yamaha 450. The Wilvo team is set to host three riders in 2018 but will miss Arnaud Tonus at the season start as he bounces back from an off season shoulder injury.

2017 MXGP of Patagonia Argentina MXGP Top 3:

1. Tim Gajser
2. Jeremy Van Horebeek
3. Evgeny Bobryshev