A long list of riders performed well in Loket last weekend. From winners Romain Febvre and Jorge Prado to podium guys, top five and top ten riders. Here is what they all thought.
Romain Febvre: “I feel amazing. The whole weekend has been good for me. Right from the beginning my speed has been good, and I managed to go 1-1. I am really happy. It has been a long road back to victory and not an easy one. Many tough GP’s and some injuries. We are back! I am so happy, and happy for my team Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP. It means everything.”
Jeremy Seewer: “I struggled to set-up the bike here, on a 450cc it’s really tricky because on a track like Loket we have a bike with so much power, but no traction. I managed to turn it around and find my flow. Romain was on another level today, but I think I had the same speed as Tim (Gajser), so it would have been nice to have kept second position. I am happy to be on the podium though, and the most amazing thing was to take three holeshots.”
Tim Gajser: “The track was really tough, it was hard and slick so I didn’t feel so comfortable on the track, but I’m quite happy with how the motos turned out. I took two good starts and I was riding smart and I didn’t want to push too much because it was easy to make a mistake. Overall it was a good weekend and I’m happy I could give all the Slovenian fans something to cheer about. They support me so much on the track and I could really hear them around the start straight bend each lap. So many of them made the trip and I am just really thankful for every one of them and it is just an awesome feeling to be out there and celebrating with them.”
Jorge Prado: “I didn’t feel so good in the first moto but was way-better in the second and it was a great weekend; winning both motos again and making that championship gap even bigger. Lommel next and it is a track that many people ride and I know it well. I won there last year and will be happy to go back.”
Henry Jacobi: “Ever since my last podium at Matterley Basin we knew that I had the speed for podium results, but I got too many fourth positions! Finally I rode without any mistakes again and after two good starts I could ride two strong races. All the lines were broken on the track after the first MXGP race; I watched that race so I knew that you had to use the outside lines in our second moto. It was good for me to get a great start in the second moto, then when Adam came I knew that a third position was enough to get the podium so I didn’t risk making any stupid mistakes. And two-three is great for spirit in the entire team.”
Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Considering how the last GP ended for me, to finish third overall here at Loket is awesome. I knew things would be tough for me, and that I’d maybe lack a little intensity having not been able to train and ride that much the last week, but I’m pleased with the way things came together for me. I didn’t get the best start in the first race but sneaked around the first turn and was in a pretty good position. It took me a while to get into fifth and I didn’t want to push too hard on this track. When Vialle and Vlaanderen went down it helped me a lot. I just tried to be smooth in the second race and do my best. I found the track pretty tough but kept pushing. Getting an overall podium result is a great way to start the final European GPs of the season.”
Gautier Paulin: “4-4 was my place today. I was fast all weekend. Starts were key on this track. I did make a few mistakes, but that is part of racing. I am happy with the full crew and I am happy to be back at a good level and to be pain free, which is a big deal. Fourth was my place this weekend, so it was a good weekend overall.”
Arnaud Tonus: “With how I felt, this weekend was quite OK. I was really sick for a week and a half. I had a bad bacterium that infected my body and made me very sick. In the last 10 days I could only ride once, so I knew it was going to be a tough GP. To come away with 10 and 5 in the races, was not so bad considering how I felt.”
Calvin Vlaanderen: “It wasn’t a great pair of races to be honest. I’m a bit disappointed with the results, but I’m happy with my riding. I didn’t feel fast, but I proved in a lot of sessions that I was one of the fastest out there, especially in the first race. I had a good start and was riding behind Tom (Vialle) and for 20 minutes I was getting roosted by him and I was trying everything to pass him but the track was so one lined and I couldn’t find a way. In the end I tried and he cut me off at the last second and we came together and we both went down. This was unfortunate but I was able to pick the bike up and finish ninth. Second race I had a pretty good start again, I moved from fourth to third and I then I had a small tipover. I didn’t feel great in that second moto but overall I’m happy with my speed and I’m going to keep working in order to make the most of these five remaining GPs.”
Jago Geerts: “It was not such a bad day today. I didn’t have a good gate-pick after qualifying yesterday, I was fourteenth. Both my heats today were almost the same. I managed to pass some guys in the opening laps and then rode my own race. I tried to get closer to the guys in front of me, but it didn’t work out, so I finished 5thand 6th. I have moved back into third in the championship and now I am looking forward to my home GP where I hope to do good.”
Brian Bogers: “I’m quite happy with the results today. In the first moto I got a good start and was in fifth and I felt good there. I showed some good speed at the beginning of the race but then I got arm pump and had to slow down. Still, I finished ninth and that’s good. Unfortunately the start didn’t work in the second race and I had to start from around 20th. I fought back to 12th though and I’m happy with how I rode. It was much better than Indonesia and it was important to bounce back. I’m certainly looking forward to next weekend on a sand track that I enjoy riding on.”
Jed Beaton: “It’s been a good weekend for me, especially the first moto. I got a decent start and was in around third or fourth coming out of the first turn, but some wheel spin dropped me back a few spots. I had a pretty good moto after that, following Thomas. Obviously, when Vialle and Vlaanderen went down it helped both of us, it was good to get fourth. My start wasn’t so good in the second moto and it was hard to make passes. I lost some time behind a few riders, so I wasn’t able to get as far forward as I wanted. But it’s been a solid weekend and I’m up to seventh now in the championship. I just need to focus on good point scoring finishes in both motos at each of the remaining GPs now, starting in Lommel next weekend.”
Shaun Simpson: “This weekend was good, I probably had some slightly better results in mind but I feel like I rode pretty good. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I came into this weekend under prepared as I’ve been putting a lot of effort into riding the sand getting ready for Hawkstone Park and with Lommel coming up and the nations selection, I wanted to be ready for the sandy races. Bike set up was key this weekend, I really struggled with that, I felt like a burnt myself out this weekend trying to ride the bike this weekend rather than letting the bike do the work and this cost me in the latter part of both motos. Overall it was great to be back at MXGP, but it’s just a shame that I’ve missed so much of the season due to my injury. i’m really looking forward to Lommel this weekend and hopefully get back inside of the top ten and hopefully get myself on that nations team.”
Tom Vialle: “The weekend started very good and I had a decent feeling with the track and on my bike. Today was a bit of a different story. I was fast in the first moto and followed Jorge for about twenty-five minutes until Vlaanderen hit me. I couldn’t restart and I had some pain in my neck which affected me after about ten minutes of the second race. Anyway, I am happy with my speed and now I need to focus for Lommel and the sand.”
Rene Hofer: “A solid weekend. In the first race I didn’t get a good start at all but managed to move up to 11th with three laps to go. Unfortunately I made a small mistake that cost me some positions but I still took my first GP points. In the second race I had a better start and some nice battles. 11th is a very decent result in the end. I definitely gained some confidence this weekend.”
Pauls Jonass: “I guess I can say it’s been a decent GP for me – certainly not the worst, but also not the best. I had hoped to get better results coming back to Europe, but it’s like this. It’s good championship points, and sixth is a good overall result. Starts are so important here and I didn’t get the best of starts in either race. But I felt good in the first race and managed to make a few passes and, yeah, sixth was a good result. My pace wasn’t quite what I needed in the second moto. I felt ok, but I didn’t want to push too hard and take risks. Riding here is very different on a 450, but I enjoyed the GP. There aren’t too many races to go now, so the focus is to keep working and try and improve my position in the championship.”
Arminas Jasikonis: “I’m pleased with the way the weekend has gone. It didn’t start in the best way when I got caught up in the first turn crash in the qualification race. But I rode well to come from almost last to 10th. I really pushed hard and was feeling good coming into today’s races. My start wasn’t the best in the first race, but I felt like I made some good passes during the early laps and kept a good pace going throughout the race. I was behind Paulin during the last laps but couldn’t find a way pass and didn’t want to take risks. Fifth was a really good result. The second moto went pretty well but I felt like I wasn’t quite flowing with the track like I needed. Seventh overall is a big step in the right direction after the last few GPs and I’m really looking forward to Lommel now.”
Adam Sterry: “This has been a very positive weekend for me. In the first moto I didn’t get a great start and worked my way up to sixth, then my start in the second moto was better and I pushed all race to finish second. I just missed the podium by one point, but the most important thing is that I was very happy with my riding and I’ll take that to Lommel next weekend.”
Kevin Strijbos: “The first moto was going good and I had a chance to get a top-ten finish but halfway I felt that there was something wrong with my rear wheel, so I had so slow down to finish the moto. After the moto I saw that I broke some spokes in my wheel. Lucky I could finish! The second moto I did not have such a great start and, when I came into eleventh position, the guys in front of me was too far away and I was not able to catch them. Overall, I felt good in the second moto.”
Tommy Searle: “This is a great opportunity for me and I have a good feeling with the factory bike but the start was important and I only had two days on the bike before I got here because I broke my ribs earlier in the summer.”
Alessandro Lupino: “I spent a lot of time in therapy every day after Russia and I could ride again after one month. I still feel a little pain but it’s amazing that I’m back here racing less than two months later. Hardpack is what I was brought up on, so I hoped for a good result if I could get a good start but of course I was a little short of race practice during the hectic first few laps.”
Anthony Rodriguez: “I didn’t have a team for the outdoors in the US and BOS contacted me. It was a big change for me to a 450 and I’ve only had two weeks to get ready. I was fast here last year and I like the track so I was looking forward to the GP but I need time; I expect I can get up to speed for the race at Imola next month.”
Vsevolod Brylyakov: “After struggling at the past rounds and having health problems, which I was lucky enough to manage quite quickly, this was a positive weekend. I was lucky enough to have three consistent races with a twelfth in the qualifying race, a fifteenth in the first moto and a thirteenth place in the second moto. I have to be happy with that. I am looking forward to the next races. I am still not one hundred percent, but I am working for it and hopefully we can do some good races at the next few rounds. I am really looking forward to all of them!”
Courtney Duncan: “I’m just so happy for myself and the whole team both here in Europe with Steve Dixon and back home in New Zealand; everyone has been working so hard to achieve this success. It was pretty much a perfect weekend as I even set fastest lap in practice, which is something I rarely do. I got two good starts and could immediately make good passes to lead every lap. This track is pretty tricky but I could stay concentrated and managed a good lead to the finish of each race. I’ve also got a good lead in the championship now so I just need to keep focused and bring it home. It was really nice to race with the 2020 bike this weekend; I tested it a couple of weeks ago and after just ten minutes I knew it would be the bike I’d love racing with here. I’m very happy with the refinements Kawasaki have made. It’s a new engine so the power is a lot different, but it’s just so good and I could really feel the difference from my old bike.”
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