Take a look what the riders thought of their weekend in Sweden. Victories for Jeremy Seewer and Tim Gajser, bad luck for Jeffrey Herlings and some great racing.
Tim Gajser: It is good to be back on the top step after quite a long time! We have been working so hard for this, we have had some bad weekends and some bad races but we are now getting better and better. I am grateful for everything my team have done and I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone around me. My goal for the end of the season is now to do try and win some more GP’s to finish the season strong. I knew in the second race that if I got second I would take the overall. I made a small mistake at the beginning of the race and then Jeffrey passed me for second. Then, he had a problem with his bike which allowed me to get back into second and catch Romain. It was tough to pass him so the last couple of laps I stepped back a little bit as I knew I had done enough to take the win.
Romain Febvre: It has been a tough season so far for me. We made some changes in the winter that were fine in practice but I had some difficulty when racing. We finally made a good step forward and we can start at the front. The main point is that I’m almost making the holeshot every time now and can ride how I want. We finally got on the podium after finishing fourth three times. I’m really happy and I want to thank the whole team. When things are going badly then you see who has your back and is really pushing you. I’m really happy.
Gautier Paulin: We had a good weekend in Sweden. With the rain falling on Saturday and Sunday morning we were faced with changing track conditions. It took some time for me to get a good feeling but once this happened I was able to get a good speed and keep that throughout both motos. In the opening moto I got off to a good start and after making some mid race passes I managed to get third. Then in the second moto I lost some time right after the gate dropped, but my bike was so good that I could remain inside the top five going into the first corner. It was tough to remain fast on this track and you had to rely a lot on a good technique. I pushed hard for another third-place result and I was happy to earn one more podium result.
Jeremy Seewer: In the first moto I got a decent start and made my way to third position, where I then made a small mistake. That only cost me a few seconds, but it would prove crucial in the end as I came home in second, really close to Jorge Prado in first. And then in the second moto I got a really good start with the KTM duo up front. I made the passes happen and moved into the lead really quickly. I had my team mate Lawrence on my back in second place, in between me and Thomas Covington who was riding really well. I did my best all the race, I made a few mistakes near the end and of course I’m frustrated he passed me on that last corner but he was just on another level on those last couple of laps. It was frustrating on one side but I’m really happy to have got my fifth GP win this year, which is awesome for everyone in the Suzuki World MX2 team. I’m just enjoying racing so much at the moment and I’m having a lot of fun. The championship is important and it won’t be easy with just three to go, but we shall see how it goes.
Pauls Jonass: For the second weekend in a row we are third and I’m not too happy with that but we made the podium again and it is always good to be consistent. I didn’t have my best weekend and it seemed Saturday went better than today! I made some mistakes in both motos but still managed to salvage two third places and only lost a couple of points in the championship. I need to focus in the last races. I am feeling good. We’ll have a few days off now and then get right back to work.
Photo by: Ray Archer
Clément Desalle: I realised already on Saturday that the start would be important, maybe even more than on other tracks, and for the last two weekends my starts have not been quite as good as they were earlier this season. In the first race I was seventh or eighth at the start and finished fourth; I was trying to make some passes earlier in the race but each failed and it was frustrating but thankfully in the last lap two riders made mistakes so I could finish fourth. The second start was a little bit better; I was sixth, then fifth but I lost time to pass Coldenhoff. I was coming back at Paulin but made a small mistake and I finished fourth again. I missed the podium by a couple of points, but I will continue to work as it is now very close from the second to the fourth position in the championship.
Tommy Searle: I saw some improvements since last week; in the first race I had some troubles when the front fork was damaged early in the race so it was difficult for my hands but I finished fifteenth. In the second race I finished twelfth; I had a better pace than last week, running near the front for the full race distance so I can see a big improvement, which is what I need at the moment. I’m very pleased with the bike and the team.
Hunter Lawrence: The first moto was difficult”, said Lawrence. “I got an ok start, around 15th but on the fifth corner another rider ran into the back of me and I crashed and had to start from last. I passed a lot of riders and got back to 12th but it wasn’t great to have to do that. In the second moto I got a very good start in the top five or six. I moved into second quickly but Covington was on my rear and putting pressure on me. I took a line a bit too rushed and came off just before the wall jump. It was the worst place to crash on the track and it took a bit to get going. I fought hard to come home in sixth, it just could have been better. A lot of positives though, riding is good, speed is good both motos, I just needed to put it all together.
Zach Pichon: In the first moto I got an ok start, around 20th and was feeling good in the first 20 minutes. I was pushing hard and having some good battles. The last 10 minutes were difficult though, I made some mistakes and didn’t have a good rhythm on the track and lost some places. In the second moto I didn’t get off to the best start but I passed a lot of riders around the first corner and I think I was pretty close to the top 10. I was riding ok, but then I had a big crash on the table-top, nearly going over the bars. It was a good experience though, the results weren’t there, but overall it was ok for the first GP and I had fun.
Jorge Prado: I made two really good starts today and in the first moto I didn’t spent too much energy. The set-up on the bike was just perfect. The track was a bit different in the second moto and I just couldn’t go any faster. I fought all the way until the last lap and passed Paturel and Lawrence back to get second overall. I was really happy with my riding. I cannot say this is my best track but I think I am riding well quite now and physically I am quite strong. I hope I can do some nice races before the end of the season.
Jeffrey Herlings: It’s a shame and things like that can happen in this sport. I didn’t have any luck today. I came from mid-pack to second in the first moto and was then about to attack the leader in the second race and I’m sure I would have won both the race and the overall. These things happen. I was trying to win three races in a row. I’m very motivated.
Glenn Coldenhoff: It was a good weekend, for sure, and didn’t start that well with a crash in free practice and also with Van Horebeek in the heat which meant only 15th in the gate today…but I came out really good. I was second for a long time in the first moto but didn’t feel so comfortable with the rhythm and had to slow down a little bit. My riding was a lot better in the second one. I’m quite happy with the results and they are what I should be taking every weekend.
Antonio Cairoli: This weekend was OK. It is important to look for the championship and I don’t care too much about single races. We are nearly at the end and it is easy to make a mistake and hurt yourself and we really want to bring the title back to KTM. I’m really looking forward to that and I don’t have any pressure to make it happen quickly. We are experienced and can deal with some average results like today. This was never one of my favourite tracks but I have won here six times – equal with Stefan Everts – but I always arrived before without championship pressure and more in ‘attack’ mode. I made some mistakes today and we struggled a little bit. Overall it was OK to finish here safe and healthy for the next one.
Evgeny Bobryshev: The first race went really good for me, I got the holeshot which I was really pleased with. I ended up in fourth and was controlling the race comfortably from there but in the last lap it rained and I had used all my tear-offs so had to take off my goggles off. My vision was bad so I went off the track and got stuck in the mud! Second race was worse, I didn’t have a good start but then I had a little collision with Cairoli and then went down. I managed to come back to tenth place. I can take some positives from this weekend so that is good, I had the speed but it doesn’t seem to be coming together for me at the moment but I am trying to push myself.
Max Anstie: I felt I had the speed to battle for the top five this weekend but things didn’t actually work our way. Not getting a great result in qualifying made my life a lot harder for the final motos. In moto one I started outside the top 20 and had to push hard to passes. I really feel I did my best and ended up finishing in 13th place. Going into the second moto I was feeling good on the bike despite changing conditions in the track. My start wasn’t perfect again so had to battle my way through the pack again. Coming home in eighth was a positive result, it made me feel good considering my bad start. Overall, I’m pleased with my speed here in Sweden and I’m looking forward to the coming GP in the States.
Max Nagl: I really like the Uddevalla track and I had a really good feeling coming into this GP. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on our side this weekend. Getting fourth in the qualifying race I had a good starting position for the final motos. In moto one my start was great and I was racing in fifth position until Romain Febvre crashed in front of me. Hitting the ground hard my front brake lever broke so I had to pull in. Then in moto two I got another good start and was racing in fourth until I felt another rider landing in my back. We went down and when I got back into the race I was last. None of these incidents were really my fault. I’m hoping for some better luck in the coming GP in the US.
Conrad Mewse: I’m really happy with getting fourth overall in Sweden. It’s the best overall result of my career in MX2 and it’s the best reward for all the hard work we’ve been putting in. Following my good fifth place result in qualifying I got off to a good start in the opening moto and was running in third for the first corners. After a few laps things cleared out and I could focus on myself. I rode my own moto and came home in fourth place. Then in moto two my start wasn’t that good. I started the race outside the top 10 and slowly got myself up to eighth at the finish line making a few good passes along the way. I’m now hoping we can continue this momentum going into the last part of the series.
Thomas Covington: It’s been a tough GP for me so I’m satisfied I managed to turn things around and get the victory in the final moto. Following a crash in the qualifying moto I didn’t have a great starting position. In moto one I got a good start but a few laps into the race another rider crashed in front of me. I got back up and started charging but then again I made a mistake coming off the track. Eventually I crossed the line in 16th place. For moto two I decided to make a few changes. I had a different plan for the start and it worked out pretty well. Spending the first half of the race battling for the top three, I could see that my speed was good compared to the riders in front. Putting myself in second five laps before the end I saw that Jeremy Seewer had a steady pace. I decided to go for it and on the jump before the last corner I stayed on the gas and managed to make the pass for the win. We’re now heading to the US and I can’t wait to race on my home soil.
Thomas Kjer-Olsen: I’m satisfied with my performance in the second race. In the opening moto I didn’t manage to get a good feeling. I was struggling to remain fast so I had to settle for a ninth-place result at the chequered flag. I decided to approach moto two with a completely different mind-set and that worked out quite well. Starting outside the top 10 I made a few good passes. I was feeling good on my bike so managed to get fourth at the line for sixth overall at the GP. We take the positives from this second moto and move on to the next round in the US.
Michele Cervellin: I had two 11ths today which isn’t exactly where I want to be but I know my riding was good. The second race was much better for me as I had a good start and was holding eighth then I had a small crash whilst pushing for a better position which meant I came in 11th again. I am looking ahead now to the US where I will be riding the new CRF250RW.
Jeremy Van Horebeek: This weekend was not too bad, 7th and 6th for 6th overall which is pretty good because yesterday was a disaster with the crash and the guys hitting my bike and damaging it. I had to have 30th gate pick. I still managed to get inside the top-ten off of the start which was the key to my weekend. The other boys also had good starts, they were all inside the top-ten so it was hard to move forward, but I didn’t do so bad. I still want to be on the podium but I still felt as though we took a step forward in comparison to last weekend. I just feel like it’s a shame I got hurt, it broke my rhythm big time, but it is what it is. I will keep working. We still have three GP’s and the nations to go. Plenty of time to get back on the podium.”
Shaun Simpson: I am really pleased with how the weekend has gone. Coming in, I just wanted to get through the weekend, ride, and get some information about the bike. But it seems that we were still competitive. I was just outside the top-ten in both races, which I can’t complain about. In the first race I was behind Herlings for a few laps and he didn’t pull away too quickly. I feel really good about the new 2018 bike and about the new set-up. We had some small problems in the second race like I think a lot of people had, I think the really deep ruts bent my gear lever. But I feel positive and look forward to going out to America and getting inside the top ten and before the season is out, hopefully the top-five. I am loving to be back out riding. I am happy to be going home healthy and I am looking forward to the rest of the year.
Arminas Jasikonis: It’s been a struggle all weekend with my riding but it turned out quite good today actually”, said Jasikonis. “My riding was much better, and I was making good passes despite getting stuck behind Jeremy van Horebeek. I couldn’t make the pass and I made mistakes when I was changing the lines, which allowed Antonio Cairoli and Romain Febvre to pass me and that’s why I finished in 10th place. The second moto I rode even better, I didn’t have the best start but after a couple of laps I made some good passes again and got into sixth place. Everyone was there, not too far in front but a few silly mistakes dropped me back from that unfortunately. My riding was good though, I was happy with that, and now we are going to build upon that to prepare myself for the USA, and take another step forward.
Kevin Strijbos: In the first moto I didn’t get the best start and then in the first lap I just stuck out my left leg and it got caught in the rut and I ran over my leg with my own footpeg. I twisted it really badly and it was really painful. I couldn’t stand on it, and it was throbbing in my boot and if it does that I know it’s not good. I even thought it could be broken so I pulled into the pits and got my boots off. I put some ice on it, took some painkillers and taped it up. It was still painful to walk but I wanted to try for the second moto still and it actually felt better when I put my boot on again. Unfortunately I got a similar start in race two and in the beginning my mobility was limited but it gradually got better and I put in some good laps. I think I had the third fastest laptime in the second race so that shows I have the speed, I just need to get better starts. Now we’re going to go back and find something for America, so people can see my true potential on the track.
Benoit Paturel: “Not such a good day for me. Again, I had really bad starts and had to come from so far back. I gave everything I had but this track was difficult to make up the difference on the other riders and make passes. I am disappointed with the result, but I will go back home and work hard to be better in the USA. I’m looking forward to the next round.”
Brent Van doninck: My starts let me down this weekend. You really need good starts in MX2 at the moment because when you start from behind it’s hard to move forward. I felt good in the practice sessions but I struggled to make passes. The result is not what I want, I should be inside the top ten at least, but I am looking forward to going to the USA, it looks like a nice track and I look forward to riding there.
Darian Sanayei: This weekend was a little bit similar to Switzerland, but I think there were more improvements. In the qualifying race I had a good start and ran up front, holding second place for nearly the entire race; it felt really good to have the same speed as these front guys, even if Seewer passed me at the end. Today with the rain the track was becoming slippery; in the first moto I had a good start but made a few mistakes on the first lap and got passed by a couple of guys. I was seventh and finished sixth; it was not a great moto but it was OK. In the second moto I felt good but didn’t have the speed compared to the guys in front and finished ninth for eighth overall. Its not a really good result but we’re still improving each week and I feel better on the bike; it’s positive for the end of season and next year.
Morgan Lesiardo: It was a tough weekend after the good one in Switzerland. The MX2 GP class is really different to the European series; I’m here racing this weekend to get experience but I was expecting better results. However that’s racing. I got two bad starts and then lost some positions on the first lap each time so, even though I passed a couple of riders later in the race, it was not enough to score points. The conditions were not easy with the rain; the track was different every lap so it was difficult for everyone.
Stephen Rubini: It was another difficult weekend and I never felt comfortable on the track except during the warm up. But I learned a lot if we forget the results; my bad starts didn’t helped me either, but now I have two more weeks to prepare the next round.
