Comments assembled by: Geoff Meyer
Here are the rider comments from the leading MXGP and MX2 riders from the weekend.
Max Nagl: I didn’t expect this really. There was no pressure because everyone was looking at the fight between Antonio and Ryan, so it made it a little easier. I expected both those guys to be on the podium. I have no idea how long ago it was that Husqvarna won a Grand Prix, but it feels good to win this for the team and of course myself.
Jeffrey Herlings: I was emotional, not many people know what I have gone through in the last months. I’ve only been on the bike a couple of weeks and I just had to get that operation to get the pins out because if I crashed again and hurt my leg the bone would have just shattered (with the pins in). I felt maybe 65%. I will go home now and train really hard for Thailand, do a lot of 45 minute motos.
Clement Desalle: “It is a strong result and I am happy with my riding and my feeling with the bike and the new stuff. We try to improve every year and this was a good beginning to the season. My starts can be better; this is something we can work on for the next race. We will fly back now and benefit from the time at home to get ready for Thailand.”
Gautier Paulin: “It’s the first race in the World Championship for me with Team HRC so I’m really happy to start the season like this, and it’s always good to be on the box. We’re not at the top, but the season is long so it’s already good to be in third place. For sure you always want better but it’s been a very smooth first grand prix. I’m really happy to work with my crew. We improve every time I go on the bike so we’re in good shape.”
Evgeny Bobryshev: “It’s been a long time since I’ve raced like this so it’s good to be back for sure. I now have to build it up. We have lots of races so I just want to be consistent, stay positive and build from here now that I’m back. In the beginning it was difficult because I was fighting in the middle and the front group already pulled away so when I got the space I was alone in the middle so it’s difficult to find the right speed. It could be better for sure but I have to be happy. Yesterday I had problems with the stone in the brake so I had last gate pick and was right on the outside of the first corner so to finish 9 and 8 is ok. Overall I’m really happy with the bike, it’s all working really good so thanks to the team who have done a great job.”
Kevin Strijbos: “I had a lot of pain in my wrist all weekend. It was difficult because I had a good winter and I want to do well and go for the podium; at least top five. The first moto was really bad. I had pain in the morning so we tried to strap it…and on top of that I had a bad start. I could not ride the way I wanted to, which meant I tightened up and had arm-pump. I felt better in the second race and the start helped. I went from third to sixth and stayed there all moto. My wrist was not hurting, which was good. I think I made a mistake because I should have taken painkillers before warm-up and repeated the dosage before the motos. At least we know for next week. Overall I can be happy with how things went considering the problems.”
Antonio Cairoli: “For sure it is normal that he’s (Villopoto) getting used to these kinds of tracks. He was struggling a bit but that’s what we do when we’re in America. He will be in front in the next races when he’s adapted a bit.”
Julien Lieber: “The beginning of the weekend was difficult for me. Really bad. I was low down in the practice sessions and managed to recover to seventh for the qualification race but my start was bad! My speed was good in the race; I could come back from some bad starts quite well and gained some important positions. I’m really happy and I want to thank the Standing Construct Yamaha team because they did a really good job in the winter. We didn’t have much time because the race engine and suspension came late and the testing period was short. I’m really surprised with the result today. It would be great to try and do the same next week.”
Pauls Jonass: “For sure I am very satisfied. I got two hole shots and the bike is awesome getting away from the start. Also my riding was pretty good and I have to thank Stefan (Everts). He has helped me to be where I am today. I also beat some of the top guys in the pre-season races but the track here was pretty rough and gnarly and it wasn’t so easy to keep it on two wheels. I’m satisfied with my riding and my speed. Now I just have to bring the intensity to make the top speed for 35 minutes.”
Dylan Ferrandis: “I’m happy and at the same time a little bit disappointed, as I crashed in the second race and could have done better. In the first race I passed Herlings and led the race, but I felt some pressure and made a few mistakes so he passed me back as he was faster. I got the holeshot in the second race, but he surprised me when he made a move at the third corner; I had a good rhythm behind him and I didn’t want to try to pass him so early in the race but I crashed when I didn’t see a big hole after I changed lines. I stalled the engine and lost time but I recovered and finally got on the podium even if I’m far from being 100% as I was sick this week.”
Ryan Villopoto: “I haven’t raced since May last year, and it wasn’t a good day but we scored points and that’s definitively something we have to work on. I never had a schedule like that one for a long time, but I’ve got to get used to that and all the rest, including how the gate drops, how they do everything. We struggled a little bit with the start today, a little me and a little the bike, but we came back and got points. We’ve definitively some work to do, but that’s part of it. We learned a lot this weekend and will be stronger at the next GP; we have to work on setup stuff, which make thinks a little bit easier. For me every time I went on the track this weekend things went better; in the second race I had some issues as my rear brake felt strange; I don’t know if it’s a rock or what, but it’s part of the deal. We can make some stuff this week, even if the team doesn’t go back home, and we will be better next weekend.”
Tyla Rattray: “It was a tough weekend for me, for the team, for Ryan, for everyone. We’re not where we want to be; we did a lot of testing, with suspensions, we thought we had good settings coming here, but the GP tracks are much different than the US tracks and where we’ve been testing in Europe. In this case we return to the drawing board, and do some testing; we return with Ryan to Belgium before going to Thailand, we’ll do some more testing this week and will continue to work hard. Sometimes you have to deal with the circumstances, and do the best that you can, but we’ll be ready for Thailand.”
Ken De Dycker: “I just didn’t have a good feeling. The first moto I got an okay start but then I crashed and I bent the handlebars, so it was difficult. Then in the second moto I got very tired and I just didn’t have the strength. I think maybe I put a bit too much pressure on myself.”
Tommy Searle: “I put in a lot of hard work, as did Claudio (De Carli Team Manager) and the whole team to come into this season 100 percent so to be in this position is hard to take. I tried to race (in the second moto) but with so much pain I just couldn’t manage it.”
Thomas Covington: “It wasn’t a bad weekend for me, a lot better than last year as I rode consistent. I scored a top ten overall even though I crashed in both races, that’s not so bad. In the first race I collided with Tonkov and went off the track, unfortunately I couldn’t find a place to get back on the track and lost a lot of time. I came back to eleventh and then in the second moto I was running in fifth after a decent start, but I crashed before the big double and had to come back again from 19th to 10th. I’m happy with the way I’m riding, the bike was running very good and I never gave up as I wanted a top ten result here.”
Jordi Tixier: “Not so much to say about this first GP, it was not a good one for me and I’m very disappointed tonight. I had a good start in the qualifying race but Herlings pushed me down in the third corner, so I didn’t have a good gate for the races. Today I crashed; I’m not where I want to be after so much training this winter, but I hope next weekend will be a different story in Thailand.”
Jeremy van Horebeek: “It was the first GP and I was not really relaxed and I struggled to find a good setting because the track was really sketchy. I don’t like it at all. The design is very nice but there are many deep, square bumps. I struggled also with the starts and they were the key this weekend. I think I have the speed; it is not like the guys are pulling away from me. I was better in the second moto and the gap to the others stayed the same from the first lap. I could see the others ahead. I think I changed what could have been a bad weekend into a good one because I wasn’t comfortable out there. So, the same as last year and I will be ready to pull the trigger next week.”
Romain Febvre: “It was a pretty good first GP except that my starts were not that great. I was tenth on the first corner of the first race but I made some moves to seventh. I was stuck behind Shaun Simpson and it was really difficult to pass him. He made a mistake with three or four laps to go and I could get by. The result was good because the track was difficult with many sharp bumps. The grip varied and it was difficult to get a feeling with the bike. My start was worse in the second moto and I made a mistake by coming short on a double jump and almost crashed. I was really lucky. I was behind Villopoto for many laps and passed him. I think I used too much energy with Villopoto, which meant that I had nothing left to chase Strijbos. Anyway sixth overall with the new team, new bike, new class is positive and I’m happy.”
David Philippaerts: We had one good moto after a bad start. In the second I had a good lap-time – a 1min 51 – which was one of the best for me today. I passed three riders in one lap but half way through the moto we broke the rear wheel on a jump landing. I had to stop because it was the second wheel we broke this weekend. I’m happy to get into the top ten because I think the level this year is very difficult. My speed was good and I’m faster than last year here…but the wheel was a shame. I think many other riders had the same problem. We have to focus for Thailand and Argentina now and keep that top ten position.”
Max Anstie: “We have worked hard with the team for several weeks, and tonight I’m just disappointed with the way it has turned out. I had a few issues yesterday, but it was the first race for us this season and we needed to know where the bike was. I had a decent first moto with a seventh, the second race was even better; I felt really good and was in fourth when I had a big crash in a difficult section. The good news is that I’m still alive, even if I’ve got some pain in my leg.”
Mel Pocock: “My starts are not so good so far this year as we’re still getting used to the new bike. I have good speed but unfortunately I twisted my left knee halfway through the first race. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to start the second race, but I soon had to retire because another rider’s footrest went in my wheel and broke the spokes.”
Glenn Coldenhoff: “I was struggling all weekend long. I was riding way-too stiff with arm-pump and tired shoulders. I got a great start in the first moto and was fourth and started to drop back. I finally started to find my rhythm in the second moto; like I should be riding and passing a few guys. It was a good way to end the weekend.”
Jeremy Seewer: “A pretty good start to the season. I’m happy and the first moto was very positive. The result was good and my riding was OK also. For a long time it was comfortable to do that pace. I made some mistakes in the second race but the track was tricky. We’ll go again in Thailand.”
