Photo: Youthstream
AGUEDA (Portugal), 9 June 2012 – Day one of the Portuguese Grand Prix started this morning with menacing clouds which ended up with some light showers during both qualifying races, which did not stop Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings winning their qualifying heats. The rain did not affect much the riding of the riders, but if it keeps on raining the track conditions may change significantly for tomorrow.
The first race of the third round of the UEM EMX125 took also place today in Agueda; Tim Gajser obtained a comfortable win, crossing the finish line almost 25 second before second classified Calvin Vlaanderen. Magne Klingsheim was third and James Dunn and Simone Furlotti completed the top five.
MX1
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli had a good start and he rode third during the first laps of the qualifying moto behind Belgian rider Clement Desalle. Evgeny Bobryshev crashed when he was leading, so Cairoli moved up to second and he succeeded in overtaking Desalle by the end of the heat. It was actually the fourth MX1 pole position of the season for the Italian.
The second place was finally for Clement Desalle, who had a really good start, took advantage of Bobryshev crash and led the race during five laps. The Rockstar Energy Suzuki World rider could not win the qualifying race as he did last year, but he is very confident for tomorrow and he expects to fight for the overall victory.
CP377 Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Christophe Pourcel rode a solid qualifying race and he finished in the third position. The French rider rode safe by the end of the heat because both Cairoli and Desalle had already opened a big hap at the front, so Pourcel decided to save some energy for tomorrow’s races.
Honda World Motocross’ Rui Gonçalves started really well his home Grand Prix by finishing fourth in the qualifying race. The Portuguese rider has always obtained really good results in Agueda and although he admitted that he is still struggling with some pain in his thumb and also his leg, he is very positive for the main races tomorrow.
The fifth position was for Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin, who did a really good qualifying race even not having had a great start. The French rider was back in the eighth position in the beginning of the moto, but his lap times were really good and managed to finish fifth, which gives him good hopes for tomorrow.
Italian Davide Guarneri obtained the best sixth result during the pre-qualifying session and he rode a consistent qualifying race, keeping his initial sixth position until the chequered flag. Xavier Boog, who did not have a good start, succeeded in finishing seventh, followed by Jonathan Barragán. Tanel Leok, fastest today in the pre-qualifying session, was only able to finish ninth and Kevin Strijbos completed the top ten.
Italian David Philippaerts finished his roll-off of his goggles during the qualifying heat and had some visibility problems by the end of the race. Besides, he made a mistake in a double jump and he lost two positions. In the end, Philippaerts finished twelfth.
Evgeny Bobryshev took the holeshot of the qualifying heat and dominated the first laps, but he then made a mistake and crashed. The Russian tried to start the bike again but he finally couldn’t, and he had to pull out from the heat with some pain in his chest.
Ken De Dycker did also crash in the beginning of the heat while he was tenth, he had to enter the pitlane and the qualifying heat was over for the Belgian rider. However, De Dycker is feeling well and he will be at the starting line tomorrow ready to clinch another top five result.
MX1 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 25:21.612; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:07.754; 3. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:20.028; 4. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +0:21.244; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:29.755; 6. Davide Guarneri (ITA, KTM), +0:39.140; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:39.985; 8. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Honda), +0:41.311; 9. Tanel Leok (EST, Suzuki), +0:42.285; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +0:44.445;
For full MXGP of Portugal qualifying results>>>
MX2
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings won the qualifying race today in Agueda, crossing the finish line 15 seconds ahead of second classified, Tommy Searle. Herlings was fourth in the opening lap, but his fast lap times made him move up to the first position already in lap three. The leader of the series admitted that he felt really comfortable today, so he is determined to go 1-1 and win the Portuguese GP like he did last year.
Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Tommy Searle did not have a good start and rode fifth during the first laps of the qualifying heat. At that point it was Teillet, Van Horebeek, Herlings and his teammate Roelants riding in front of Searle, but the Brit started improving his rhythm and in lap four he was already second, position he managed to keep until the end of the heat.
Jeremy Van Horebeek had a really good start and led the opening lap, but the Belgian could not keep such position, and by lap three he was already third. However, the Red Bull KTM Factory rider is felling well and he expects to have another top three result tomorrow.
The fourth position was for Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Joel Roelants, who managed to ride up front and fight for the top five positions. The Belgian rider did a solid moto, so he might be able to finish on the podium again, as he did in the two first Grand Prix of the season.
Completing the top five was Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Valentin Teillet. The French rider took the holeshot of the qualifying race and led the first three laps of the moto, but in the end, he could not keep such position and had to settle down with the fifth place. In any case, the main races are tomorrow and his performance today proved that he can fight even for a podium finish.
His compatriot Tixier did a consistent qualifying moto and finished sixth, followed by another French rider Dylan Ferrandis, who is riding with some pain on his hand due to a crash he suffered in France last weekend. Coldenhoff was eighth, Petrov ninth and Febvre completed the top ten. Both Anstie and Tonus did not have great starts and had to settle down with the eleventh and tenth positions respectively.
MX2 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 25:06.499; 2. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:15.272; 3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:18.102; 4. Joel Roelants (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:19.467; 5. Valentin Teillet (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:33.513; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:38.694; 7. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:47.544; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:49.931; 9. Petar Petrov (BUL, Suzuki), +0:54.849; 10. Romain Febvre (FRA, KTM), +0:58.641;
For full MXGP of Portugal qualifying results>>>
GP OF PORTUGAL – QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1500
Type of ground: intermediate ground
Temperature: 22° C
Weather conditions: cloudy and some showers during the qualifying heats
The Grand Prix will be broadcasted LIVE on MX-LIFE.TV, the Portuguese National TV channel RTV, as well as on Sport TV. By clicking here you will obtain the full schedule and coverage of the Portuguese Grand Prix.
TIMETABLE
Sunday: EMX125 Warm up 8:30; MX2 Warm up 9:00; MX1 Warm up 9:30; EMX125 Race 2 10:15; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 12:10; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 13:10; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 15:03; MX1 Grand Prix race 2 16:03.
