A look at round two of MXGP
The upcoming round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, Valkenswaard, may be the most highly-anticipated event of the season. Jeffrey Herlings and Antonio Cairoli are expected to face off on a track that they both enjoy and have experienced success on in the past, which is a mouth-watering prospect. MXGP has been in desperate need of a rivalry that features as many layers as this.
There is no doubt that Jeffrey Herlings is considered the favourite and this MX Vice poll serves as proof. The start is going to play a large role, however, as Antonio Cairoli is the best at getting out of the gate and will be able to establish an immediate advantage. The track may not develop in a stereotypical fashion, because of the freezing temperatures, which could make it harder for a rider to pull through and topple his foe. Herlings managed it on the one-lined track in Argentina though and left Cairoli powerless. This is going to be a battle that is watched across the globe.
Jeffrey Herlings is undoubtedly the favourite for the MXGP win (KTM Images/Ray Archer)
Gautier Paulin and Tim Gajser should be placed into that conversation, although their stories are rather different. Paulin has won two of the last three events that have been run at the Eurocircuit so, for whatever reason, the shallow sand plays to his strengths. Will he pull off another shock win this weekend? It would be quite the upset, but round one was not a true reflection of how he is feeling currently. A sickness dragged him down on that weekend. The same could be said for his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate, Max Anstie, as some poor luck stopped him from fulfilling his potential at the first Grand Prix of the current term.
Whilst those two could be considered potential spoilers in the all-KTM fight at the head of the field, it may be wise to temper expectations of Tim Gajser. There is a chance that the former world champion could surprise, for that reason, but he has only ridden three times since he fractured his jaw towards the end of February. One could certainly argue that he has rushed his comeback. It seems as though that has been done with the aim of sacrificing some points, to put himself in a positive position in the championship, but what position in the rankings would he even strive for at this stage?
There are a lot of question marks surrounding the Yamaha riders in the premier division. Can Romain Febvre contend for the win, much like he did at this track two years ago? Where does Shaun Simpson slot in exactly? Is Jeremy Seewer actually okay after that crash at the Grand Prix of Patagonia-Argentina? Is Jeremy Van Horebeek capable of being a consistent contender for podiums? Some of those questions will not be answered immediately, of course, but it will be intriguing to follow. There are some diverse personalities in blue this season, but all of them have a point to prove to pundits.
This plate is expected to be red again at RedSand next week (KTM Images/Ray Archer)
The MX2 class is expected to be the Pauls Jonass show. It would not be surprising at all to see him stand atop the podium, so most will be eager to see if anyone can get close. Thomas Kjer Olsen should be very good at this track, as conditions will not be too dissimilar to Kegums in Latvia, and Jorge Prado is typically blazing fast here too. It remains to be seen what should be expected of Prado though, as he is battered and bruised. Prado only returned from a broken elbow a month ago as well, remember, so the cards are really stacked against him.
Rising stars will undoubtedly hog headlines in the MX2 class. Can Ben Watson land on the podium? Watson told us that he hated Neuquen in a post-race podcast so, with that in mind, he should be brimming with confidence on Sunday. It is hard to point to a weakness that he had at round one, although he admitted that he needs to adapt quicker through the opening laps. If Watson is slicing through the field on laps one and two, take that as proof that he is feeling the flow and ready to push towards another milestone. British fans are on the edge of their seats.
Calvin Vlaanderen is overlooked more often than not and this year has been no different. The Team HRC pilot was one of the fastest riders on track at the Grand Prix of Patagonia-Argentina and would have challenged for a position on the overall podium, had he not tangled with Jorge Prado early on in a race. A track like Valkenswaard is typically where he is at his best so, considering that it is effectively his home Grand Prix as well, he may be one to watch. Vlaanderen has stood up on the overall podium just once before and never finished better than third.
It seems as though that will be a theme in the MX2 division this year, as different riders should reach new heights with each weekend that passes. Darian Sanayei is on the verge of great things, for instance, and Conrad Mewse could breakthrough on any given weekend. Jed Beaton has shown great potential, along with Jago Geerts and Vsevolod Brylyakov, plus there are guys like Bas Vaessen who just need a bit of luck. The point is that there are going to be surprises every single weekend and that is going to make the class particularly gripping. Everything is going to constantly chop and change.