Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 duo Clement Desalle and Tanel Leok took their factory RM-Z450s to third positions for Team Belgium and Team Estonia respectively in the MX1 and MX Open classes in front of a massive crowd at the Motocross of Nations in Belgium today.

The sandy terrain at Lommel, in the heart of Limburg, welcomed a mass of people for the 66th edition of this historic annual event and the rough surface was typically draining and difficult for a selection of the world’s best from 30 countries.

Desalle made a decent start in his heat race and once he had overtaken Marc de Reuver settled into a steady pace to record third spot and help Belgium – along with his two team-mates – to second position overall for the gate and the three main motos tomorrow. Leok took to the line for the third moto of the day – in the MX Open category – and across a more rippled and rutted layout. The ‘Estonian Express’ suffered a small crash in the opening phases of the sprint but recovered for another third place and his nation will head behind the gate in eighth.

Elsewhere, Australian racer Todd Waters took his works-spec RM-Z450 to sixth in MX Open (Australia were 10th) and Yohei Kojima was 23rd in the same outing, although the Japanese team missed the cut for the A-Final (the top-20 nations) and will try for ‘last chance’ entry in the B-Final tomorrow morning. Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Jeremy Seewer helped Switzerland to 17th with his 20th place in the MX2 race aboard the RM-Z250.

Clement Desalle:

“It was pretty exciting this morning in free practice but I took my time and had a good look at the track. I had a great start from our balloted position of 28th and I was in fourth. I lost a bit of momentum trying to pass De Reuver and that let the two riders ahead of me escape a little bit, but it was fine for tomorrow, and as a team, Belgium are in a good place. We kept our sandy set-up on the bike but we’ll have a little look at the mapping for tomorrow.”

Tanel Leok:

“I’m pretty happy. I crashed on the first lap and lost some positions and also some time to the front guys as I had to catch back up. I got to third and spent the time learning the track and trying some new lines. I hope team Estonia can take another good finish tomorrow. The track has been changed a bit and is more wide-open, but it will be difficult tomorrow.”

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MX1 Race Result:

1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 25:24.630.
2. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:09.489.
3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki), +0:30.660.
4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:41.400.
5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:45.882.
6. Ryan Dungey (USA, KTM), +0:57.835.
7. Marc de Reuver (NED, Kawasaki), +1:05.243.
8. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +1:06.462.
9. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +1:10.189.
10. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +1:36.040.

MX2 Race Result:

1. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), 24:24.394.
2. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:09.837.
3. Blake Baggett (USA, Kawasaki), +0:20.057.
4. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), +0:37.998.
5. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:44.152.
6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:57.232.
7. Alexander Tonkov (RUS, Honda), +0:58.437.
8. Luke Styke (AUS, Yamaha), +1:05.699.
9. Priit Rätsep (EST, KTM), +1:08.215.
10. Even Heibye (NOR, KTM), +1:17.428.

MX Open Race Result:

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 24:23.539.
2. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:02.024.
3. Tanel Leok (EST, Rockstar Energy Suzuki), +0:28.861.
4. Max Anstie (GBR, Honda), +0:46.358.
5. Davide Guarneri (ITA, KTM), +1:11.885.
6. Todd Waters (AUS, Suzuki), +1:23.898.
7. Marcus Schiffer (GER, Suzuki), +1:36.198.
8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), +2:10.253.
9. Luis Correia (POR, Yamaha), +2:11.165.
10. Filip Bengtsson (SWE, KTM), -1 lap(s).

Overall Classification: 1 Germany 3 pts., 2 Belgium 4 pts., 3 Italy 6 pts., 4 Netherlands 7 pts., 5 France 8 pts., 6 Great Britain 9 pts., 7 USA 9 pts., 8 Estonia 12 pts., 9 Russia 12 pts., 10 Australia 14 pts.

Author

Dan Lamb is a 12+ year journalist and the owner of MotoXAddicts.