First, a freakishly monstrous storm packed the sandy stadium-style motocross circuit, wreaking havoc on even the most experienced sand masters in the paddock. Second both the MXGP and MX2 series points leaders experienced freaky days, although Red Bull KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings still managed to pull off the overall win in MX2 in his first race back from a broken collarbone. It was also a big day for Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Clement Desalle, who scored his first Grand Prix victory since the MXGP of Germany in 2014.
Desalle was hardly dominant, but he was the most consistent, stringing together a pair of runner-up finishes on the deep, rut-infested Assen track to claim the overall win.
“Finally I am back on top of the box,” he said, “it’s really special, especially in the sand because while I know I can ride in the sand, a lot of people don’t believe it so much, so I am happy to do it here.”
Red Bull KTM’s Antonoi Cairoli just missed out scoring another win this season by carding a fourth-place in Moto 1, but the Italian came back and scored a win in Moto 2 to ensure second overall. With a DNF by the MXGP series points leader Tim Gasjer in the moto after the Honda Gariboldi man finished 18th in Moto 1, Cairoli’s hopes for a ninth World Championship received a small kick. Cairoli gained 34 points on Gasjer and now trails him by 65 points as the World Championship heads to America for its final two rounds.
“Anything is possible,” Cairoli said, “There are still 100 points left in the championship. We know it’s difficult, but we want to win, so we will see what the others do. That’s all we can do.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff had a great day in front of his countrymen, landing on the podium for the first time in 2016 via 3-3 moto finishes. Coldenhoff also set the fastest lap time of the day.
“It was an amazing weekend,” Coldenhoff said. “I really enjoyed it and I’m happy I made it, and also for the fans.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl finished fourth overall, ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek and Wilvo Virus Performance KTM’s Shaun Simpson, the latter earning the Moto 1 win, only to card a disappointing 16th after a shunt with Team HRC’s Gautier Paulin in Moto 2.
Despite earning his 13th win of the season and the 60th GP win of his career, Jeffery Herlings described the track conditions as a nightmare, and he suffered an honest defeat in Moto 1 after crashing just two turns away from the starting gate on the opening lap. A true sand specialist, Herlings showed that he feeling no ill effects from his collarbone injury by passing his way up to second place before the finish. In Moto 2, he was the normal Herlings, or in other words, practically superhuman, as he scored the moto win over Red Bull KTM teammate and young Spanish sensation Jorge Prado Garcia, who hung tough for second place in the moto and landed podium position for the first time in his career at just 15 years of age. When Herlings moves on to the MXGP class in 2017, it appears as though the young Garcia could take his place as the Orange Brigade’s dominator in MX2.
HSF Logistics Motorsport KTM, Brian Bogers challenged Herlings for second place in Moto 1 and maintained his momentum in Moto 2 to finish second overall via 3-3 moto scores. Husqvarna riders Max Anstie and Thomas Kjer Olsen finished fourth and fifth overall respectively.
A noteworthy performance as turned in by American Thomas Covington as he score the Moto 1. A crash in Moto 2 derailed Covington’s hopes for a podium finish, but perhaps the moto win will give his confidence a boost as the series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway next weekend for the Red Bull GP of Americas before finishing up at Glen Helen Raceway with the Red Bull GP of the U.S. in two weeks’ time.
2016 FIM Motocross World Championship
MXGP of the Netherlands
Dutch TT Circuit
Assen, Holland
Results: August 28, 2016 (Round 16 of 18)
MXGP Overall
1. Clement Desalle (BEL)-Kaw/2-2
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA)-KTM/4-1
3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED)-KTM/3-3
4. Max Nagl (GER)-Hus/6-4
5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL)-Yam/5-6
6. Shaun Simpson (GBR)-KTM/1-16
7. Tanel Leok (EST)-KTM/9-8
8. Jordi Tixier (FRA)-Kaw/8-10
9. Romain Febvre (FRA)-Yam/14 -5
10. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS)-Hon/11-9
2016 FIM MXGP World Championship Series Points Standings (after 16 of 18 rounds)
1. Tim Gajser-653
2. Antonio Cairoli-588
3. Max Nagl-542
4. Romain Febvre-522
5. Evgeny Bobryshev-494
6. Jeremy Van Horebeek-477
7. Glenn Coldenhoff-347
8. Clement Desalle-342
9. Valentin Guillod-326
10. Shaun Simpson-307
MX2 Overall
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED)-KTM/2-1
2. Brian Bogers (NED)-KTM/3-3
3. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP) 12-2
4. Max Anstie (GBR)-Hus/8-4
5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN)-Hus/7-5
6. Thomas Covington (USA)-Hus/1-16
7. Benoit Paturel (FRA)-Yam-5-10
8. Bas Vaessen (NED)-Suz/9-8
9. Lars van Berkel (NED)-Hus/4-14
10. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED)-KTM/13-6
2016 FIM MXG2 World Championship Series Points Standings (after 16 of 18 rounds)
1. Jeffrey Herlings-644
2. Jeremy Seewer-568
3. Benoit Paturel-460
4. Max Anstie-447
5. Pauls Jonass-403
6. Dylan Ferrandis-378
7. Petar Petrov-351
8. Brian Bogers-349
9. Samuele Bernardini-341
10. Aleksandr Tonkov-320
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