HRC factory rider, Jeffrey Herlings has shown his liking for hard pack on the Honda as he swept to victory over Lucas Coenen and Tim Gajser. The Dutchman was simply beautiful to watch as he showed us his comments about the Honda being better on hard pack, than in sand, were correct.

Jeffrey Herlings: I couldn’t believe I wasn’t inside on the gate but was second behind Andrea (at the start). I wanted to make a clean pass, but he was holding me up. We are friends, but I needed to make the pass. It’s cold and I had some arm pump. We want better weather tomorrow. This track isn’t easy for me, but I liked it today. It was tricky with the rain and very slippery. I wasn’t struggling with vision too much, but the drizzle made it difficult. They didn’t rip it too deep, but tomorrow I hope they do rip it.

Lucas Coenen: I mean, it was difficult and I was left and right in the start. I was a little blind with the rain. I was good in the whoops. I didn’t want to wipe my goggles, because the mud would have made it worse.

Tim Gajser: It was good, good start and that helped a lot, it was slippery with the rain and I rode a good smart race and tomorrow we need to see how the weather will be, but I think we will have a mudder. I mean, I was comfortable and close to the top two guys and we need that, to get a good start, but overall, it was good.

Championship points are now Lucas Coenen 111 points, Jeffrey Herlings 104pts, Tom Vialle 89pts, Tim Gajser 82pts, and Maxime Renaux 81pts.

MXGP Qualification Race

Adamo lead the MXGP qualifier from Herlings, Gajser, Seewer, Coenen, Vialle, Jonass, Fernandez, Renaux and Febvre 10th. De Wolf 12th and Jonass slipped over and dropped back. The track looking very slippery as the riders slip and slide around the surface.

Gajser pushing Herlings with Coenen sitting behind them and waiting. Gajser looking more comfortable on the Yamaha, but then made a big mistake and nearly fell. Febvre up to fifth place and de Wolf into ninth place. Tonus showing nice lines in his return to MXGP.

Herlings all over Adamo for the lead and the Dutchman has gotten away from Gajser, with Seewer and Tonus 9th and 10th and giving the local fans something to cheer about. Coenen just riding safely and a sandwich between all these world champions. Amazingly, from the top eight, Coenen the only one without a world title.

Herlings into the lead on lap four and you just get a feeling about “The Bullet” this weekend. Gajser now pushing Adamo and Coenen also wanting some of those top three spots. Top ten was Herlings, Adamo, Gajser, Coenen, Febvre, Vialle, Renaux, De Wolf, Tonus and Jonass.

Gajser into second place and so nice to see him looking so smooth on the blue bike. Coenen now all over Adamo and runs off the track trying to pass Adamo. Herlings lead over Gajser was 1.4 and Coenen into third place. Herlings, Gajser and Coenen all going for this moto win.

Herlings a little over a second ahead of Gajser, with Coenen a distance back in third and seemingly not going for the win today. Herlings looking so smooth on his Honda, while both Gajser and Coenen are slipping around a little more.

Vialle moved past Febvre for fifth place and on lap nine the top ten was Herlings, Gajser, Coenen, Adamo, Vialle, Febvre, Renaux, de Wolf, Jonass and Forato. Coenen now all over Gajser and Herlings not getting away too much.

Vialle a mistake and dropped back to ninth and Coenen moved past Gajser and now hunting down the leader. Vialle now in 10th after what was a crash. Herlings getting a little out of shape now and Coenen all over the Dutchman. Herlings will NOT want this young Belgian to get the win today.

Three laps remaining and the both front men pushing harder no and they are getting away from Gajser. De Wolf up to sixth place ans riding very well. Herlings made a little gap over Coenen, with 1.3 between those two and Gajser three second back. Vialle another crash and dropping back.

Gotta love this battle for the win. Our two GP winners so far and both Herlings and Coenen don’t want to give an inch. Herlings now a couple of seconds ahead as he looks likely to be the winner here. Herlings wins from Coenen and Gajser. Tomorrow is going to be epic.

MXGP - Qualifying Race - Classification

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda), 24:40.782; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:02.010; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +0:03.801; 4. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:07.136; 5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:08.354; 6. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:09.496; 7. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:29.648; 8. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +0:31.009; 9. Alberto Forato (ITA, Fantic), +0:33.891; 10. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:40.560; 11. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +0:51.275; 12. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Ducati), +0:53.306; 13. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Ducati), +0:54.348; 14. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:55.230; 15. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Fantic), +1:13.358; 16. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +1:22.806; 17. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), +1:30.068; 18. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), +1:31.259; 19. Cato Nickel (GER, Honda), +1:33.570; 20. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), +1:38.988; 21. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), +1:40.163; 22. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), +1:40.822; 23. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), +1:41.604; 24. Jago Geerts (BEL, Beta), +1:41.793; 25. Nico Greutmann (SUI, Honda), -1 lap(s); 26. Romain Pape (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 27. Nicolas Bender (SUI, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 28. Nico Häusermann (SUI, Triumph), -1 lap(s); 29. Loris Freidig (SUI, Fantic), -1 lap(s); 30. Ben Watson (GBR, Triumph), -1 lap(s); 31. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), -1 lap(s); 32. Ramon Keller (SUI, KTM), -2 lap(s); 33. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), -6 lap(s); 34. Robin Scheiben (SUI, Triumph), -6 lap(s); 35. Rick Elzinga (NED, Beta), -7 lap(s);

MXGP - World Championship Classification

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 111 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, HON), 104 p.; 3. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 89 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 82 p.; 5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 81 p.; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 79 p.; 7. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 76 p.; 8. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 52 p.; 9. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 49 p.; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 43 p.; 11. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 38 p.; 12. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 29 p.; 13. Alberto Forato (ITA, FAN), 29 p.; 14. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 29 p.; 15. Brent Van doninck (BEL, FAN), 28 p.; 16. Thibault Benistant (FRA, HON), 24 p.; 17. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 21 p.; 18. Ben Watson (GBR, TRI), 20 p.; 19. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, DUC), 15 p.; 20. Jago Geerts (BEL, BET), 15 p.; 21. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 13 p.; 22. Enzo Lopes (BRA, HON), 7 p.; 23. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 5 p.; 24. Joaquin Poli (ARG, KAW), 5 p.; 25. Lars van Berkel (NED, FAN), 3 p.; 26. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 2 p.;

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