Viewpoint: Thomas Covington

Thomas Covington on another podium finish

Thomas Covington is nearing the end of his Grand Prix career now, as he has just one race left. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider, a four-time overall winner, is going out with a bang too, as he has reeled off countless moto victories and podiums in the last three months. Assen was another successful outing, as he stood on the podium in second overall.

MX Vice: Had I told you that you would finish on the box after that qualifying race yesterday, with the gate pick and everything, I imagine you would have been pretty happy. Considering everything, today was pretty good.

Thomas Covington: Yeah, for sure. Like you said, considering the circumstances, I am really happy with the way the weekend turned out and being on the podium. With the way the gates were angled here, I did not really know if I had a chance at all at the start. The gates on the outside were like pointed into pit lane, basically, but I just came out of the gate and hooked up really good the first moto and came over hard on everyone. Probably clipped a few front wheels but came out good.

The second one I was a little bit more confident and came over even earlier. I nearly got the holeshot, I just could not brake in time to turn. I was really happy with my starts there. For me in the sand it is a really good result, because I am not really a sand specialist to say the least. [Jorge] Prado is just better than me in the sand, that is all it is. Pretty happy overall.

Thomas Covington still has a chance to claim fourth in the standings (Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo)

 After the qualifying race yesterday, heading into the first moto did you just think that you did not have a chance off the gate? Honestly, knowing that you are a good starter and everything, I just thought it was impossible.

Yeah. Even though I am a good starter I was just like, I do not think there is any way. I actually debated maybe I should brake and try to cut back to the inside, but the first turn was just too slow here to do that. Jacky [Martens] just told me, "You just need to go for it and just move over as hard as you can." Actually, when I was sitting on the gate the first moto and I looked down there, I was like, "Even though the gates are pointed to the left, it is not that far around." I have been on the outside where it is a longer distance to get to the inside, so that made me feel a little bit better. I just decided to go for it.

All things considered after the start, I thought your motos were pretty good. You moved forward and even when you lost time you would then gain it back. That is kind of the ultimate test of proving that you have got what it takes, I guess.

Yeah. I felt really good physically. I think I was pretty rested after only doing two laps yesterday in the qualifying race and also my bike was just working really well. The first moto, after Hunter [Lawrence] went down and I was in a solid second place, I got a little bit tight and lost my rhythm a bit but was able to push through to the end. Then for the second moto we made a few adjustments to the bike just to get the front end up out of that sand a little bit more. It was perfect.

In the second moto I just felt strong all the way to the end. Luckily my teammate went down and gave me those points that I needed for the podium. The whole moto my mechanic was telling me, "You need third." You need third? I am like, "What? 3-4. Come on, I should be on the podium." I was just pushing so hard to catch [Thomas Kjer] Olsen and then I look up and he is laying on the ground. I was like, "Yes! Thank you!"

Thomas Covington has landed on the podium eight times this season (Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo)

 After Turkey and getting that win finally, do you feel a bit more relaxed now? It has been obvious for months and months that you have the potential to win and you can do it, but then with every GP that was passing I was thinking, "Sh*t, you are running out of time. This might not happen." Just having that under your belt must be nice now.

Yeah, for sure. It is a little bit more relaxed. I do not know if it is a good thing or a bad thing. It is like I can take a breath. I got that GP win before I go back home to America. I do not feel like I had it in me to run Prado's speed this weekend. Really happy to come away with second overall. We'll give it a run in a couple weeks in Imola. I think that is a track that will suit me a little bit better. Hopefully get those starts again and give Jorge a run for his money.

I guess you are done with the Belgian and Dutch sand, as far as training, doing motos and all of that stuff. On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you about that?

Probably a ten, if I am being honest. Last week, I do not know what was my last day riding. I think Wednesday I was riding at Lommel. I was like, "This might be my last time ever riding at Lommel." Then obviously it starts to rain a little bit and the track is just gnarly. I am in the back of the van prepping roll-offs for a practice moto and I am just like, "I am not going to miss this next year."

That was my next question. Obviously, you are really close to the end now. Are there any emotions coming into it at all? Are you starting to look around and be like, "Sh*t, I might never see this paddock or these people again?"

I have been feeling that way this whole second half of the season, ever since I decided I am going to go. I am just like, "Man, this is my last time going to all these places." Just trying to enjoy every bit of it and spend time with all the guys that I have gotten pretty close with over the years. It has been awesome. I have been camping out at the track the last few weekends too. I have been loving that. Last night I spent most of the night with the Pocock's, just hanging out. It has been a good time this last season. I am definitely going to miss it.

Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo

Billy Bolt interview

Hawkstone

Great Britain’s Billy Bolt is aiming to deliver a memorable result in front of his home crowd when the World Enduro Super Series heads to Hawkstone Park this weekend, September 22/23.

Returning to a WESS podium at round five 111with a third-place result at Red Bull 111 Megawatt in Poland, a rejuvenated and highly motivated Bolt is fit and fired up ahead of his home race. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider sits second in the WESS championship standings, well aware that a strong result at the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country might well see him move to the top of the championship…

MXlarge: Billy, you’re close second in the 2018 WESS championship standings and this weekend it’s your home round of the series at Hawkstone Park. How important will the ‘home support’ be at this stage in the series?

Bolt: “It’s going to be an awesome weekend, and such an important one for me. British Enduro fans are so passionate, so to have them on my side at Hawkstone Park is going to be a big advantage. Hawkstone’s going to be a difficult race, but I can’t wait. If I need a lift mid-race I’m sure there’ll be plenty of fans cheering me on, helping me dig deeper. I’m looking forward to putting on a show for them and can’t wait to get stuck in.”

MXlarge: Third last time out at Red Bull 111 Megawatt, that must have given your confidence a real boost after your knee surgery during the summer break?

Bolt: “It felt great to be back on the podium again. I really wanted a good result there, especially as in 2017 I didn’t ride my best. I made it hard on myself this year though. I had a bad time in the Motocross section and actually crashed three times there on lap one. It wasn’t until lap three that I felt confident in the loose, deep sand. I knew both Manni Lettenbichler and Nathan Watson were close, but if I was within range I could finish top three. I managed to pass Manni in the Motocross part, then got Nathan on the Extreme stuff and broke free. Hawkstone will be different to Megawatt but knowing that things went well in Poland has certainly given me a boost at just the right time.”

MXlarge: There is a real Cross-Country feel to the remainder of the series, how do you feel about stepping out of your Hard Enduro comfort zone?

Bolt: “I’m enjoying it. I’ve always said that I want to be a rider who’s not just known for being a Hard Enduro specialist, but one who can race it all. It’s good to jump in at the deep end with things — learn new skills and race different disciplines. In Hard Enduro we’re the guys who are pushing the boundaries regards to techniques and what’s possible, whereas when it comes to being a sand specialist I’ve still the basics to learn and master. But it’s good, it’s all fun.”

MXlarge: You made the switch to the Husqvarna four-stroke for Red Bull 111 Megawatt, how are you finding the change in machinery?

Bolt: “I’m really enjoying the switch to the four-stroke. I raced it indoors during the winter so it’s nice to be able to ride it in WESS too. I feel like it suits my riding style. I can be more aggressive with it and play with the power delivery more. So far in these faster races it’s working well and I’ll be on it for the rest of the season.”

MXlarge: With the unfortunate injury of Jonny Walker at Red Bull 111 Megawatt we’ve seen a big shakeup in the championship standings. How do you see things with three rounds remaining?

Bolt: “What happened to Jonny in Poland shows just how quickly things can change in this championship. There’s still a long way to go, so we can’t take anything for granted. It was a real shame to see him crash and get injured because he’s my friend as well as a championship rival. And honestly, although it’s had a massive impact on the championship, as a rider you never want to inherit a position because another rider gets injured.”

MXlarge: Finally, Hawkstone Park has a fearsome reputation for being tough on bikes, bodies and minds – do you see it as an exercise in survival, more than being about speed or the need for Hard Enduro skills?

Bolt: “I think you need everything – that’s why it’s going to be such a good race. Managing the race, knowing when to push and when to settle into a rhythm will be important. I’m hoping there’ll be some technical stuff – some of the climbs in the woods will hopefully suit me – but I also need to try and match the pace of the faster riders like Josep Garcia and Watson on the Motocross track. Come the end of the race I don’t think anyone’s going to have much left in the tank…”

Jeffrey Herlings - World Champion

With the Dutch Motocross community behind him at his home round in Assen, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings has made history by taking his first ever MXGP World Championship title with 3 other FIM Motocross World Championship titles to his name in MX2. Herlings first competed in the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2010 during the MXGP of Bulgaria in Sevlievo. Since his first MX2 race in Bulgaria at age 15 the Dutchman has gone on to win 83 World Championship GP’s including the MXGP of the Netherlands in Valkenswaard only 2 weeks after his premier in Bulgaria.

In only his second season in the premier MXGP class Herlings has won 31 of the 38 races held across 16 different countries. 19 rounds into the 20 of the year Herlings has only missed the podium once at a race he didn’t even attend in Ottobiano. In 16 of the podiums achieved Herlings took the top spot and the other 2 marked his worst finishes of the year in 2nd only to Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing’s Clement Desalle and 9 time World Champions from Red Bull KTM Antonio Cairoli.

The “Bullet” from Geldrop, Netherlands, had not only a consistent season but a dominant one, leading 428 laps, Herlings has led 127 laps more than the rest of the field combined. Winning the first 2 rounds of the championship in Argentina and Valkenswaard with fights through the pack and past defending Champion Cairoli the Dutchman showed he was more than ready to fight for his first MXGP title.

The competition from Cairoli however pushed Herlings to be on his game at all times especially after losing to the Italian at round 3 in Spain. Herlings quickly took the fight back to Cairoli his home round, nicknamed the “Lions Den” by Herlings, in Trentino, Italy for round 4 and again in Portugal. The second defeat for Herlings came in Russia to Desalle but unaffected by the loss he went on to win the next 12 rounds he entered via 11 double race wins. Herlings season was not without problems though as he suffered a broken collarbone just prior to the Fiat Professional MXGP of Lombardia and was forced to sit the weekend out.

Questioned by many if his form and fitness would stay true after the injury Herlings returned to racing at the first of 2 Indonesian rounds and proved that he had barely skipped a beat and even with the pain of a healing fracture was faster than the other competitors. Now crowned the best rider in the World Championship Herlings’ amazing season is still not over with the final round of the MXGP championship at Imola and the Monster FIM Motocross of Nations still to come at RedBud.

The ever popular question of “who can stop the Bullet” is still yet to be answered and by the looks of it will remain a mystery for the unforeseeable future, with a well deserved fourth FIM Motocross World Championship gold plate in his hands at age only 24 Herlings is far from done.

Congratulations to Jeffrey and your whole team at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing on your fourth FIM Motocross World Championship title!

Toni Bou Rounds Out 2018 With Another Victory in Italy

With seven out of a possible nine wins for Toni Bou, the 2018 TrialGP World Championship has concluded with the Repsol Honda Team rider claiming the final victory at the Italian TrialGP.

TYLER “ONE PUNCH” EVANS DEAD AT 38

REST IN PEACE | TYLER “ONE PUNCH” EVANS DEAD AT 38

On Sep 17, 2018

 

The 38 year old Tyler Evans was once a fan favorite in Supercross stadiums. 

Reports on Instrgram started appearing Sunday night, September the 16th that Tyler Evans had died. We are unsure of the details as many of his friends reached out on their Instagram accounts mourning the death of their friend. His friends say that he has been in a dark place lately. Below are some of the Instagram posts from people that knew him.

Tyler raced 10 seasons as a professional racer. In the last five years of his career he raced Supercross only. Tyler had four podium finishes in the 125 class in Supercross and multiple top ten finishes in the 250 Supercross class. He was a fan favorite to many inside the stadiums as he was both a showman and a racer. Rest in peace, Tyler.

Equipment Recommendations for Photographing Motocross

by Douglas Turney

 

Let’s talk some more about photographing motocross, and this time, let’s get down to the technical aspect of photographing this great sport. Don’t worry, you don’t need lots of expensive gear to get decent photographs, especially if you are shooting at your local track.

My last article, "Tips on How to Photograph Motocross," addressed the types of images you want to capture at the track, but this article is about the technical aspects of shooting motocross. What technical article would be complete without talking about gear? So, let’s get the gear part of the article out of the way first. You don’t need any fancy gear to get started, but some more expensive gear will make it easier and make your photos look better. Any DSLR or mirrorless camera that permits you to take control of the shutter speed is going to work. Because the speeds of motocross can be rather high at times, having a camera body that lets you control the shutter speed is a must so that you can shoot all the action. Cell phones just aren’t going to cut it for lots of the action. I’ll discuss the typical shutter speeds you need a little later in the article. 

Sticking with the camera body, a body that has continuous shooting capability is a plus but not mandatory. When I was a young kid, I shot numerous races with a Minolta XG-1 with no motor drive. It was single shot action for me. So, if for some reason your camera does not have a continuous shooting mode, don’t worry, you don’t have to have it. If your camera has a continuous shooting mode of 3 to 6 frames a second, that is absolutely fine too. I’m currently shooting with a D500 that gives me 10 frames per second, and I’m finding that more often than not I’m dropping it down to perhaps 7 frames per second. Why? Because at the end of shooting an event all day, I don’t want to view 4,000 shots to pick the 50 I owe my editor. Yes, there are times when I bump it up to 10 frames per second, like at the start and the finish. So, don’t worry if you don’t have continuous shooting or a very high frame rate. Nice to have, but by no means required.

 

Lenses are more important than the camera body, and the lens you pick is going to determine the look you get and the ease of getting the shot. If you are shooting at your local amateur track, a long lens like a 300mm or more is not needed. A 200mm is not required. I’ve shot many local tracks with a 24-70mm. 70mm gives you enough reach so that you don’t have to be right next to the track, which makes it a little safer for you and the riders. I like the 24mm to get those wider angle shoots that capture several riders at the same time or to get those environmental shots of the track. If you have the money, then the next lens I would recommend is something that goes out to about 200mm. At this range, you can zoom in on the riders and get some great, tight images without being too close to the track. I prefer to keep some distance between myself and the riders. If you have it, then something like a 300mm is excellent, but that 300mm, especially the f/2.8, can get heavy quickly. While I know it isn’t exactly the same, I choose to use the D500 crop sensor with a 70-200mm f/2.8. I get very similar results, and it's a lot easier on my body. Another lens I like to use sparingly is my 10mm fisheye. I only use it a couple of times during the race to give a different look. Most of the time, I don’t use the photos, but every once in a while, I will. Notice I didn’t mention too much about the speed of the lens. I shoot with f/2.8 lenses, but this is not a must. f/4 or f/5.6 lenses are excellent also, but the faster f/2.8 will help isolate the rider from background clutter by providing a nice blur. 

That’s it for gear. Nothing too special to start with, and if you want, you can quickly add to the gear as you go. A flash can come in handy for those shots in the pits or at the winner's podium, and again it doesn’t have to be anything special.

Now, let’s get to the camera settings and start with shutter speed since I mentioned it earlier. This is probably the most important setting you need to control. To get lovely, sharp photographs, you are going to need a shutter speed in the neighborhood of 1/1000 s, even for those slow speed turns, since both the rider and the bike are bouncing around. One thing to consider about higher shutter speeds is that you are also going to freeze the rotation of the wheels. This tends to give the photograph a very static look, almost as if the bike and rider aren’t moving. So again, a shutter speed of around a 1/1000 s can give you some wheel blur and dropping even lower will help with the wheels. Or go really slow, like 1/20 s, and grab a panning shot. Remember, some part of the rider needs to be sharp; you can’t have a completely blurry shot and call it a panning shot.

Aperture settings aren’t as crucial, so a less expensive lens that has a low aperture of f/4, f/5.6, or even f/6.3 can be used for daytime races. Get into the evening or under the lights, and the need for a lower aperture is going to be needed. As I mentioned earlier, a smaller aperture is going to give you a beautiful bokeh background. Just because you have that f/2.8 aperture doesn’t mean you should always shoot at f/2.8. Seeing the fans behind the rider with their signs and flags can provide a great background that helps to tell the story.

I shoot raw format, so white balance isn’t a concern for me since I will adjust it in post. But, if you prefer to shoot JPEG, I would recommend using a cloudy day setting to give a bit of warmth to your photos. Of course, this really comes down to personal choice.

Colton Haaker Wins Costa Mesa EnduroCross

Husqvarna’s Colton Haaker took a dominating win at round two of the 2018 AMA EnduroCross championship at the Orange County Fairgrounds. For the second race in a row, the seats were packed and the crowd was treated to an exciting night of racing. Trystan Hart rode his SRT-Husqvarna to a second-place finish after passing defending champion Cody Webb on the final lap.

FMF KTM’s Webb got the day started by narrowly beating SRT-Husqvarna’s Kyle Redmond for the fastest hot-lap time. Cooper Abbott rode a great lap on his RPM KTM to set the third fastest time. Ty Tremaine set the fourth fastest time on the Alta electric bike and Hart rounded out the top five. Haaker had a big crash that resulted in a 25th place time and second row start in the heat races.

Cody Webb kept the momentum going by winning the first of the two pro class heat races. South American, Benjamin Herrera finished second on a Beta. Hart, Noah Kepple, Abbott and Dustin McCarthy took the remaining direct transfers to the main. In the second heat race, Haaker quickly moved to the front, despite his second row starting position, and easily held on for the win. Tremaine, Redmond, Geoff Aaron, Ryan Wells and Wally Palmer took the other main event qualifying spots.  Webb and Haaker each earned a bonus championship point for their heat race wins. 

The top four from each of the above heat races faced off in head-to-head bracket races. Haaker and Webb worked through the brackets to face off for the bracket win. Haaker won a close race to take the additional bonus point and first gate pick for the main.

Tremaine rocketed to the holeshot on the Alta to take the lead and held that to the end of the first lap. Webb then took over the point position while Haaker, his main rival, found himself in eleventh position after a first lap crash. Haaker quickly sliced through the field and made his way to second by the fifth lap and then closed in on Webb over the next five laps. Haaker made a pass on Webb for the lead at the start of lap eleven of what ended up being a 21-lap main. Haaker looked set to pull away but then fell in a rock corner a few laps later, allowing Webb to close to his rear wheel. But Haaker was on a mission and pulled away again for the remainder of the race to take his first win of the season.

Webb looked set for a second-place finish, but Hart snuck up on him and the two battled wheel to wheel through the rock pile on the last lap with Webb crashing and Hart continuing on to take second. Webb recovered for the final podium spot.

Tremaine continued his strong night with a fourth-place finish, the best ever for an electric powered motorcycle. Cristobal Guerrero traveled all the way from Spain to ride his Yamaha to a fifth-place finish. He is a regular in the FIM Super Enduro series where he finished this season seventh overall.

Herrera rode his Beta to a sixth-place finish in only his second ever EnduroCross. Aaron finished seventh on his GasGas. Redmond was eighth on his Husqvarna. Abbott finished ninth on the RPM KTM and Ty Cullins rounded out the top ten on a Beta.

Colton Haaker

“I started the day off with a full loop out in the hot-lap so that put me on the second for the heat race. So that wasn’t a good start, but I knew I was fast today and somehow, I got into the lead right away in the heat and won that. Then I won the bracket race in a good battle with Cody. In the main, I crashed on the first lap, but I was still calm and worked my way to the front. It was just one of those nights where I knew I could be patient because I had good speed. It’s great to get the win with my daughter here for her first ever race.”

Trystan Hart

“Once again, I got a bad start but then I got by Ty Tremaine to get into third and I could tell I was closing in on Cody, which is easier than having him chasing me. And then on that last lap, we both just sent it into those rocks and either one of us could have crashed but fortunately, I made it and Cody is okay. I am so happy with how I rode.”

Cody Webb

“I had a rough week and am a little beat up right now after a crash this week. I didn’t even know that Trystan was closing on me until he was there and then I crashed on that last lap. So I am not happy with the result but will go get some physio on my shoulder this week to be more ready for Reno next weekend.”

main event results

1. Colton Haaker, Husqvarna
2. Trystan Hart, Husqvarna
3. Cody Webb, KTM
4. Ty Tremaine, Alta
5. Cristobal Guerrero, Yamaha
6. Benjamin Herrera, Beta
7. Geoff Aaron, GasGas
8. Kyle Redmond, Husqvarna
9. Cooper Abbott, KTM
10. Ty Cullins, Beta

Brayton Wins Another SX

Brayton and Wilson emerge victorious at Jimboomba opening

Fox and Taylor claim wins in junior categories at round one of AUS Supercross.

Reigning champion Justin Brayton (Penrite Honda Racing) earned a commanding SX1 main event victory today at Jimboomba’s opening round of the Australian Supercross Championship in Queensland.

The number one plate holder capitalised on early mistakes from his rivals to cross the line a convincing 5.260s ahead of teammate Brett Metcalfe (Penrite Honda Racing).

After overtaking early leader Jace Owen (Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing), Metcalfe stormed into the lead and looked set for victory, however a stall moments later saw him relegated down the field and forced to regain positions.

In a spirited performance, Luke Clout (KTM Motocross Racing Team) closed out the 20-lap encounter in third despite a crash at turn one, displaying incredible form as he negotiated his way through the competitive class.

The top five was rounded out by Dan Reardon (Yamaha) and Owen, while sixth through to 10th was completed by Dylan Long (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team), Jesse Dobson (KSF Racing Suzuki), Nick Sutherland (Honda), Jesse Madden (KSF Racing Suzuki) and Robbie Marshall (Honda).

Three-time motocross champion Dean Ferris (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team) suffered a heavy fall during his heat and is currently under going head and chest scans in hospital.

Image: Foremost Media.

In the SX2 category, Yamalube Yamaha Racing’s Jay Wilson reigned supreme with a strong 4.981s advantage ahead of American import Bradley Taft (Penrite Honda Racing).

Fellow American Josh Osby (Raceline Pirelli KTM) initially led the main until he was overcome by a charging Wilson, ultimately settling into third behind Taft at the conclusion of the race.

Hayden Mellross (DPH Motorsport Husqvarna) pushed through for fourth ahead of Jacob Hayes (Serco Yamaha), while the top 10 was fulfilled by Dakota Alix (KTM Motocross Racing Team), Wilson Todd (Serco Yamaha), Richie Evans (Yamalube Yamaha Racing), Dylan Wills (DPH Motorsport Husqvarna) and defending champion Jackson Richardson (CRF Honda Racing).

Brayton Wins Another

Brayton and Wilson emerge victorious at Jimboomba opening

Fox and Taylor claim wins in junior categories at round one of AUS Supercross.

Image: Foremost Media.

Reigning champion Justin Brayton (Penrite Honda Racing) earned a commanding SX1 main event victory today at Jimboomba’s opening round of the Australian Supercross Championship in Queensland.

The number one plate holder capitalised on early mistakes from his rivals to cross the line a convincing 5.260s ahead of teammate Brett Metcalfe (Penrite Honda Racing).

After overtaking early leader Jace Owen (Complete Parts Kawasaki Racing), Metcalfe stormed into the lead and looked set for victory, however a stall moments later saw him relegated down the field and forced to regain positions.

In a spirited performance, Luke Clout (KTM Motocross Racing Team) closed out the 20-lap encounter in third despite a crash at turn one, displaying incredible form as he negotiated his way through the competitive class.

The top five was rounded out by Dan Reardon (Yamaha) and Owen, while sixth through to 10th was completed by Dylan Long (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team), Jesse Dobson (KSF Racing Suzuki), Nick Sutherland (Honda), Jesse Madden (KSF Racing Suzuki) and Robbie Marshall (Honda).

Three-time motocross champion Dean Ferris (CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team) suffered a heavy fall during his heat and is currently under going head and chest scans in hospital.

Image: Foremost Media.

In the SX2 category, Yamalube Yamaha Racing’s Jay Wilson reigned supreme with a strong 4.981s advantage ahead of American import Bradley Taft (Penrite Honda Racing).

Fellow American Josh Osby (Raceline Pirelli KTM) initially led the main until he was overcome by a charging Wilson, ultimately settling into third behind Taft at the conclusion of the race.

Hayden Mellross (DPH Motorsport Husqvarna) pushed through for fourth ahead of Jacob Hayes (Serco Yamaha), while the top 10 was fulfilled by Dakota Alix (KTM Motocross Racing Team), Wilson Todd (Serco Yamaha), Richie Evans (Yamalube Yamaha Racing), Dylan Wills (DPH Motorsport Husqvarna) and defending champion Jackson Richardson (CRF Honda Racing).

Herlings wins Championship!

Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings has won his 83^rd 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 10^th 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 17^th 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 83^rd. 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 10^th.

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.