Both Team Suzuki World MXGP and its number-one MXGP rider Kevin Strijbos turned back the clock during round 14 of the FIM World Motocross Championship in Lommel, Belgium, Sunday.
Suzuki chose to go retro by splashing a rather garish graphic design that paid homage to the livery of the 1992 production RM motocrossers, and Strijbos took it to the top of the podium, earning his first overall MXGP win since 2007 at the FIAT Professional MXGP of Belgium.
On a day in which the top contenders for the 2016 MXGP title struggled in the Lommel sand, the 30-year-old Strijbos used consistent third-place finishes in both motos to score an emotional win in front of his countrymen, win all the more meaningful as Strijbos was battling back from a recent wrist injury.
“This is good, so nice,” Strijbos said. “I really don’t have the words for my feelings at the moment. In the first moto I ran with Max [Nagl] but then had to drop my speed a bit, which I wasn’t happy with, but found a rhythm again by the end. In the second moto I had to catch-up but I had some good lines, and when I got to third I thought about the podium…and then tried not to think about it! All the crew were out of the pitbox on the last lap [saying] that I had won the GP. This is a special moment, and it has been a long time since I was last on top; nine years and many of the young guys here were not even in GPs then! I’m so stoked for the team because we have worked so hard and not had any results until now; it was tough for them too.”
Strijbos ran just outside the top five in Moto 1 as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Max Nagl led the race with Wilvo Virus Performance KTM’s Shaun Simpson running second. Strijbos battled with reigning MXGP Champion Romain Febvre, Clement Desalle, multi-time former champion Antonio Cairoli and current MXGP series point leader Tim Gajser. The Honda Gariboldi rookie sensation then crashed and would end the race in 15th place. Strijbos maintained a solid pace to move up to third behind winner Nagl and runner-up grab Simpson. It was Strijbos’ first top-three finish of the year, and it would set him up for glory in Moto 2, where another third-place finish behind winner Gasjer and runner-up Cairoli allowed him to score the overall win by a single point.
The win was the first in the MXGP class for Suzuki World since the legendary Stefan Everts took over as the team’s General Manager.
“To be honest we did not expect this and Kevin was coming back from injury,” Everts said. “I joked to someone in the team this morning that today would give us two wins and a podium; and it did! Maybe not in the order I was imagining as I hoped Jeremy [Seewer] could win his first GP but in the end it was Kevin and Jeremy was second; either way was great! So this was a little surprise, but Kevin showed good fighting spirit–which I like…Hopefully this can give him some extra confidence for the last GPs of the year.”
With Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings still out of commission after suffering a broken collarbone, the MX2 field was once again wide open, but Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Anstie would prove to be the man to beat. The British rider cruised to a 1-1 sweep to claim his third consecutive MX2 win at Lommel.
“I wasn’t sure I could make it happen this weekend,” Anstie said. “Everyone was telling me I should win, I crashed in the qualifying race, and I didn’t sleep last night. I was pushing hard and I’m glad to get this result for my team.”
Team Suzuki World MX2’s Jeremy Seewer finished second overall after posting 4-2 moto finishes. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Petar Petrov finished third overall after posting 2-6 finishes.
The series now to Switzerland for only the second time this century, for round 15 at the brand new circuit of Frauenfeld-Gachnang.
2016 FIM Motocross World Championship
FIAT Professional MXGP of Belgium
Stedelijk Motorcrossterrein Lommel vzw
Lommel, Belgium
Results: July 31, 2016 (Round 14 of 18)
MXGP Overall
1. Kevin Strijbos (BEL)-Suz/3-3
2. Max Nagl (GER)-Hus/1-7
3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA)-KTM/6-2
4. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL)-Yam/7-4
5. Tim Gajser (SLO)-Hon/15-1
6. Shaun Simpson (GBR)-KTM/2-12
7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED)-KTM/8-5
8. Clement Desalle (BEL)-Kaw/4-10
9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS)-Hon/10-6
10. Tanel Leok (EST)-KTM/9-11
2016 FIM MXGP World Championship Series Points Standings (after 14 of 18 rounds)
1. Tim Gajser-607
2. Antonio Cairoli-504
3. Maximilian Nagl-490
4. Romain Febvre-464
5. Evgeny Bobryshev-445
6. Jeremy Van Horebeek-417
7. Valentin Guillod-292
8. Glenn Coldenhoff-277
9. Clement Desalle-273
10. Kevin Strijbos-264
MX2 Overall
1. Max Anstie (GBR)-Hus/1-1
2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI)-Suz/4-2
3. Petar Petrov (BUL)-Kaw/2-6
4. Brian Bogers (NED)-KTM/5-4
5. Benoit Paturel (FRA)-Yam/3-7
6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED)-KTM/7-5
7. Michele Cervellin (ITA)-Hon/9-10
8. Lars van Berkel (NED)-Hus/13-8
9. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA)-Kaw/30-3
10. Alvin Östlund (SWE)-Yam/10-13
2016 FIM MXGP World Championship Series Points Standings (after 14 of 18 rounds)
1. Jeffrey Herlings-597
2. Jeremy Seewer-510
3. Pauls Jonass-403
4. Benoit Paturel-393
5. Dylan Ferrandis-378
6. Max Anstie-366
7. Aleksandr Tonkov-320
8. Petar Petrov-319
9. Samuele Bernardini-294
10. Brian Bogers-280
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