After a two-week break, the MXGP Motocross World Championship kicks again into life with the MXGP of Portugal on the gorgeous Crossódromo Internacional de Águeda within the north-western a part of the nation.
With a historical past stretching again to 1985, when Dutchman Davy Strijbos took the win on a 125cc Honda, the Agueda circuit has seen victories for legends similar to Eric Geboers, Jacky Martens, Alessio Chiodi, and Ben Townley in its wonderful historical past. For the riders with probably the most wins, you want solely go to the highest of the all-time GP winners listing, as each Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings have gained 5 occasions, with Stefan Everts the report holder earlier than them with 4 victories. Amazingly, Cairoli is clearly out in entrance with a complete of 12 particular person race wins in comparison with Herlings on 7 and Everts on 6.
With its immediately recognisable crimson filth and darkish inexperienced forest as a backdrop, the Portuguese venue is a photographer’s delight, and with each native Portuguese and travelling Spanish followers packing the trackside banking, the environment is sure to drive the riders to additional heights as they begin a three-week run of back-to-back-to-back Grand Prix motion!
The EMX125 Championship Introduced by FMF holds its third spherical of the 12 months in Portugal, with Fantic Manufacturing unit Racing EMX125 rider Noel Zanocz from Hungary holding a slender 8-point Championship lead over Racestore KTM Manufacturing unit Rookies star Gyan Doensen. Spain’s Salvador Perez holds third for the RFME GASGAS MX Junior Workforce.
The EMX250 collection can be on to its third spherical, and Italian Valerio Lata has gained three of the 4 races up to now this season for the Beddini GASGAS Manufacturing unit Juniors squad, constructing a 16-point hole over BUD RACING Kawasaki’s Mathis Valin. The Frenchman gained an EMX125 race at Agueda final 12 months so he’ll really feel assured of closing down the chief. Spanish teen Francisco Garcia ought to take pleasure in some Iberian assist as he lies 4th for the RFME GASGAS MX Junior Workforce, behind Gabriel SS24 KTM’s Cas Valk who seems to enhance on third. 
The reigning MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado nonetheless leads the Championship for Purple Bull GASGAS Manufacturing unit Racing, though he misplaced just a few factors over the MXGP of Trentino weekend to his most important opposition, so Tim Gajser is now simply 13 factors behind for Workforce HRC. Kawasaki Racing Workforce chief Romain Febvre re-passed Jeffrey Herlings for third within the collection after successful the primary race at Pietramurata, however nonetheless lies 45 factors behind the crimson plate holder, ten forward of the Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing spearhead.
The Champion has, like Everts, gained six races on the Portuguese venue up to now, taking double race victories in each of his MX2 title-winning years of 2018 & ’19, in addition to the general in MXGP in 2022, and the primary race right here final season. His streak of 4 straight GP wins to start out the 12 months will definitely pull many followers throughout the border from his native Spain, though just a few would possibly wait till the MXGP of Galicia the next weekend at Lugo, the city the place Prado was born.
Herlings gained final 12 months’s MXGP of Portugal, a end result which pulled him degree with Stefan Everts on 101 all-time Grand Prix wins, earlier than he went on to assert two extra final season. He’ll be wanting so as to add to that tally additional, even after revealing that he truly sustained 4 damaged ribs in his apply crash on the MXGP of Sardegna! “The Bullet” gained at Agueda for 3 straight years in MX2 from 2011 to 2013, in addition to a double defeat of Cairoli in MXGP in 2018.
Gajser has gained three races right here, however the one time he gained total was with a double victory in 2019. Febvre completed second to Herlings final 12 months, which was his first podium look at Agueda, a uncommon circuit at which he has by no means gained! Fantic Manufacturing unit Racing’s Brian Bogers has good reminiscences of the observe, having completed third total right here behind Prado and Gajser in 2022.
Final 12 months’s RAM Qualifying Race winner was Workforce HRC’s Ruben Fernandez, however he’ll miss this version by way of accidents sustained in Argentina. Mattia Guadagnini is seeking to return from harm for Nestaan Husqvarna Manufacturing unit Racing, whereas the 2023 EMX250 winner, Andrea Bonacorsi, strikes as much as make his MXGP debut for the Monster Vitality Yamaha Manufacturing unit MXGP Workforce.
Kawasaki Racing Workforce star Jeremy Seewer gained an MX2 Grand Prix right here in 2017, and he lies simply sixth within the title chase, one level behind the person he beat into second that day, Standing Assemble Honda rider Pauls Jonass. The pair break up the race wins that day, with Seewer taking the general on the second race tiebreaker.
The query nonetheless stays as as to if Jorge Prado will be capable to maintain his successful streak alive, or will anybody be capable to cease the freight practice in Portugal?!
MXGP – World Championship High 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 219 Factors; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 206 Factors; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 174 Factors ; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 164 Pts; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 142 Pts; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 141 Pts; 7. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 131 Pts; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 118 Pts; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON) 88 Pts; 10. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON) 64 Pts; 
Dutch star Kay de Wolf carries the crimson plate for Nestaan Husqvarna Manufacturing unit Racing into Portugal, and though he did not win the Grand Prix for the primary time this 12 months in Trentino, he solely misplaced three factors over the weekend to his most important chaser, Simon Laengenfelder of the Purple Bull GASGAS Manufacturing unit Racing workforce. The hole on the prime is now 26 factors, with third-placed Thibault Benistant an extra 39 factors behind for Monster Vitality Yamaha Manufacturing unit Racing MX2. Liam Everts took the win in Trentino for Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing, and moved himself as much as seventh within the standings as he catches up from lacking the MXGP of Argentina resulting from a pre-season thumb harm.
As is the case at a number of circuits this 12 months, no one within the present MX2 line-up has gained a GP earlier than at Agueda. De Wolf has bought closest with 3-2 finishes for 2nd total final season behind Jago Geerts, whereas Mikkel Haarup of the Monster Vitality Triumph Racing squad took 2nd total right here in 2022 with 4-2 scores. Amazingly they’re the one riders at the moment in MX2 to have taken a prime three GP trophy away from Portugal. Andrea Adamo was 2nd within the first race final 12 months for Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing, and after a disappointing couple of GPs on Italian soil, the reigning MX2 World Champion will likely be hoping to elevate himself from fifth within the standings, the place he sits simply 8 factors behind Nestaan Husqvarna Manufacturing unit Racing’s Lucas Coenen, who himself is only a level behind Benistant in third!
The wildly unpredictable nature of the MX2 class leaves prospects of the outcomes going wherever among the many main manufacturing facility riders, and solely the bravest would guess on any final result!
MX2 – World Championship High 10 Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 213 Factors; 2. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 187 Factors; 3. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 148 Factors; 4. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 147 Pts;. 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 139 Pts; 6. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 131 Pts; 7. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 128 Pts; 8. Camden McLellan (RSA, TRI), 126 Pts; 9. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 110 Pts; 10. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, GAS), 101 Pts;
Don’t miss your probability to observe the MXGP motion in Portugal this weekend. Get your tickets HERE! and VIP TICKETS HERE
TIMETABLE
SATURDAY: 08:20 EMX125 Free apply Group 1, 08:50 EMX125 Free apply Group 2, 09:20 EMX250 Free apply, 09:50 EMX125 Qualifying apply Group 1, 10:30 MX2 Time Follow, 11:00 MXGP Free Follow, 12:20 EMX125 Qualifying apply Group 2, 13:00 EMX250 Qualifying apply, 13:40 MX2 Time Follow, 14:15 MXGP Time Follow, 15:00 EMX125 Race 1, 15:45 EMX250 Race 1, 16:35 MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, 17:25 MXGP RAM Qualifying Race.
SUNDAY: 09:45 EMX125 Race 2, 10:25 MX2 Heat-up, 10:45 MXGP Heat-up, 11:30 EMX250 Race 2, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 14:15 MXGP Race 1, 16:10 MX2 Race 2, 17:10 MXGP Race 2.
For extra information take a look at our devoted MXGP/MX2 Information web page
Or go to the official MXGP web site mxgp.com
©Phrases/Photographs are from official press launch posted courtesy of www.mxgp.com
