Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings has won his 83rd GP of his career, adding Assen 2018 to his impressive list of wins. It wasn’t easy though as a small crash in the second moto saw him have to catch and pass last years MXGP champion Antonio Cairoli in another great battle between the two.
“We try to never give up. It was awesome, picture perfect first moto and it was hard to concentrate for that second moto, but I came from a first lap crash and around 10th to win it in my own country. I can’t ask for a better day.”
The second MXGP moto saw another MXoN moment as Coldenhoff and Herlings are first and second as they pass the massive MotoGP grandstand, and the Dutch public, usually so passive in their support go crazy. You really have to be here to feel the emotion in this crowd, it is something I am not sure I have experienced at a Dutch GP.
Herlings goes down, and drops to fifth, and as Coldenhoff continued to lead, the MXGP world champion will be making a charge, which suddenly makes this race exciting.
Eight seconds down in fifth Herlings quickly passed Anstie and closing quickly on Gajser for third place. The champ went past Gajser for third. Cairoli went past Coldenhoff for the lead, and after three laps the top ten was Cairoli, COldenhoff, Herlings, Gajser, Anstie, Simpson, Desalle, Seewer, Lieber and Monticelli.
Herlings all over Coldenhoff and made a nice pass for second place and is just three seconds behind Cairoli. Herlings all over Cairoli on lap six and both Cairoli and Herlings look amazing. Paulin into the top ten as Monticelli drops to 17th place.
Herlings all over Cairoli and these two are pushing to their maximum. Herlings and Cairoli nearly collide as Herlings went for a pass and once again we get a real race. Cairoli isn’t a legend for nothing and is making Herlings work for this GP victory.
Cairoli going for his 86 GP win and Herlings his 83rd. Cairoli gets baulked by a lapper and Herlings went past. Herlings just blows away from the Italian now. Top ten after 10 laps was Herlings, Cairoli, Coldenhoff, Anstie, Gajser, Simpson, Desalle, Paulin, Seewer and Lieber in 10th.
Herlings just seven seconds ahead of Cairoli with two laps to go, but 40 seconds ahead of third placed Coldenhoff. Herlings lapped up to ninth place, and won the race and the GP.
MXGP - World Championship Classification
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 883 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 782 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 645 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 625 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 544 p.; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 541 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 511 p.; 8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 445 p.; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 404 p.; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, HUS), 366 p.; 11. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KAW), 283 p.; 12. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, SUZ), 267 p.; 13. Julien Lieber (BEL, KAW), 257 p.; 14. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 255 p.; 15. Shaun Simpson (GBR, YAM), 235 p.; 16. Maximilian Nagl (GER, TM), 227 p.; 17. Tommy Searle (GBR, KAW), 183 p.; 18. Tanel Leok (EST, HUS), 131 p.; 19. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HON), 111 p.; 20. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 97 p.; 21. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 96 p.; 22. Maxime Desprey (FRA, KAW), 89 p.; 23. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, YAM), 70 p.; 24. Todd Waters (AUS, HON), 61 p.; 25. Petar Petrov (BUL, HON), 53 p.; 26. Graeme Irwin (GBR, KTM), 46 p.; 27. Benoit Paturel (FRA, KTM), 40 p.; 28. Harri Kullas (EST, HUS), 18 p.; 29. Jeffrey Dewulf (BEL, KTM), 16 p.; 30. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 15 p.; 31. Lewis Stewart (AUS, HUS), 13 p.; 32. Sven Van der Mierden (NED, YAM), 10 p.; 33. Erki Kahro (EST, KTM), 8 p.; 34. Ander Valentin (ESP, HUS), 8 p.; 35. Aldi Lazaroni (INA, HUS), 6 p.; 36. Rizky Hanif Kusparwanto (INA, HUS), 6 p.; 37. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 5 p.; 38. Jetro Salazar (PER, HON), 5 p.; 39. Brian Bogers (NED, HON), 5 p.; 40. Panagiotis Kouzis (GRE, HON), 5 p.; 41.