MxLarge Story

Grand Prix of Benelux - Rider Comments

Share |

Ken Roczen was Mister Unlucky in Lierop - Ray Archer image

News Monday 06th September 2010 By World Press

Lierop is one mean mother of a race circuit. On the World Motocross scene only Lommel in Belgium can be compared to this rough, dirty circuit in Holland. Some mastered it, and some didn't. Here is what many riders had to say about it.

Marvin Musquin

"Two titles in two years, that's really great for me, also for KTM and Red Bull. It was a great season and I rode well all year, although this wasn't so easy in the last GPs. The bike has been fantastic and now I go to Italy for the final round and of course I also want to win there."

Antonio Cairoli

"For sure I enjoyed racing here in the sand at Lierop. I have lots of good memories of here. This is where I won the championship last year and now I win the GP. I won the title in Brazil but I didn't get to celebrate with friends and family so there are many here now and tonight we will have a big part. For sure I also want to win in next weekend In Italy. It's the last race of the season and there will be a lot of Italian fans there."

Gautier Paulin

"My goal, as always, was to win and I had spent a lot of time on sand tracks this year - I think around three months in Belgium - and the work paid off. I am really happy to have won this race, especially being in the sand and me being a Frenchman from the south! I came close to Ken in the first moto but then he had the problem. I would have preferred to have had the fight with him but this is part of the sport. My start was not so good in the second race and I was third for a long time until I was able to reach Marvin on the last lap. We had a nice battle and I really wish I could have overtaken him at the line! Last year it was difficult for me in the sand, I think I barely scored and then had a DNF, and now I have a win so that's fantastic."

Max Nagl

"I am happy to be second on the podium and I had very good starts this weekend. The first race was not easy but I was able to control it and managed to win and make up some points on David (Philippaerts). I made a couple of small mistakes in the second turn in race two and some riders went past me but I managed to finish overall fourth and David was behind so I got some more points. Now I will go to Italy and try hard to finish in third place in the championship. It won't be easy because the Italian riders are always very fast at home but I will do my best."

Steve Ramon:

"It was a hard weekend with a really tough track. The first moto was a struggle because I did not feel comfortable on the bike but I had a better rhythm in the second race until I crashed in the waves section around the back which interrupted things! I had to restart the bike and find my way back into the moto. Anyway, I am happy to be back on the podium because the last couple of weeks have been tricky with my leg."

Harri Kullas

"Yesterday we had problems but everybody worked really hard and things went much better today, the bike was awesome and I got good starts. I had a good battle with Tonus at the end of the first moto for sixth but he was just a bit stronger. I was really happy with my first holeshot in the second moto and it felt great to lead, if only for a little bit! Roczen, Musquin and Paulin passed me but they were so strong and fast so I let them go and focussed on my own race and speed to take fifth. To be fifth overall means this is my best GP. It was hard but really enjoyable and I have to thank my mechanic and the team who did a good job yesterday."

Zach Osborne

"The first race was not brilliant but at least I got some points. In the second race I put in a solid charge and I think that was the benefit of the recent fitness work I have been doing and the effort to get back on form after the recent concussion. I'm pretty happy with the second race and have good momentum going into Fermo. I think I can be up there going for the podium again next week. Like a lot of people I have never been to Fermo but I seem to pick up new tracks pretty fast, we'll see. I really want to get that fourth place in the championship."

Ken Roczen:

"This could have been another GP win but we had a problem with the chain in the first race and it meant another DNF. The second moto went really well and I was riding smoothly until I had a bit of arm-pump but I still had some energy in reserve. I felt fresh and it was positive to take something away. We go to Fermo now and can only hope for better."

Arnaud Tonus:

"It has been a good day for me; normally I am not a sand rider! I had two good races and a great start in the first one but then couldn't find my rhythm and was tight on the bike. I did not crash but my speed was not that great; still sixth was a half decent result. I went down at the beginning of the second moto in a big crash when I hit Karro's bike after he had fallen right in front of me. I pushed really hard after that with a strong rhythm and to reach eighth was good."

Jake Nicholls:

“I’m a bit disappointed with today but I am looking at the results in another way and that’s two point-scoring rides when I haven’t been able to train because of a sore groin and my ankle still bothers me. My starts weren’t great but this was my best finish yet at Lierop so I will take them. I took my first points in four motos and it was important to come back from that little and unlucky dip. I’m over the moon with the news about being selected for the Nations. It was one of my ultimate goals to be picked for the team and I cannot wait to get there.”

Tanel Leok

“I guess you could call it an okay day, still I felt it could have been a lot better. After a weak start in the second moto I was catching up on Ramon and Nagl who were third and fourth. I knew that I would be on the podium when I could pass Ramon. That’s when I pushed too hard and crashed quite hard! My handlebars were bent which made things even more complicated. Again the start could have been better in the first moto, but my riding was good and fourth, only 18 seconds behind the winner, was not so bad either.”
Davide Guarneri

“For a sand race today was a pretty good result with eighth and ninth place. Especially because I knew before Lierop was going to be one of the toughest races off the season. The top five guys were not necessarily faster but they were certainly stronger! Anyway I kept on fighting in both motos and I didn’t lose time because of a big mistake so it was a positive weekend.”

Clement Desalle:

"It was a crazy weekend. The first two sessions were good but I had a big crash in the qualification heat. There is a double around the back and I wanted to do it but I caught my footpeg in the sand on the inside line and the front of the bike dipped, putting me straight into the ground. I don't know how I damaged my mouth. I think I must have gritted my teeth. I was lucky that my dentist is a fan of motocross and was here and I must thank him a lot because not many people would work as late as he did; I did not get to bed until 1.30. I didn't feel so bad in the morning. I knew I had to start well from a bad gate position but I had another bad crash on the first corner when someone touched my rear wheel. I tried to come back and managed 10th. In the second moto I was 15th on the first lap when the bike spun around and I couldn't catch it. I started last again. The sand tracks have not been good for me this year! I think I will sleep for three days now."

Back to previous page