Six-time world motocross champion, and Team The Netherlands rider, Jeffrey Herlings has put together a very solid victory in the Open class qualification race today in Ernee, France. The HRC factory man more or less led from start to finish and continues to show why he is the favourite to win the individual honours this weekend.

Jeffrey Herlings: My jump wasn't great, but the bike got me to the front. As a team, it will be difficult as both my team-mates were 10th today, but I am looking forward tomorrow.

France control the team situation with just three points, while Spain with six points, then Belgium third best with seven points. Sunday this huge French crowd can feel confident their team win this thing.

Open Qualification Race

Vialle and Herlings in a great battle in the opening metres of the Open qualification race. Everts was third, then Jonass, Tanti, Webb, Adamo, Watson, Garcia and Lopes. Herlings passed Vialle and Webb was fourth, with Adamo fifth.

Lap two Herlings lead was two seconds over Vialle, then Everts, Webb, Adamo, Jonass, Garcia, Tanti, Wright and Ludwig. Watson a mistake and back in 17th position. Herlings doing what Herlings does with a small lead over Vialle but not pushing too hard.

Adamo into fourth with a pass on Webb and Jonass catching the American, with Garcia also only a couple of seconds back. Herlings lead was 2.4 seconds over Vialle, with Everts 5.5 back, and Adamo 16 seconds back.

Webb dropped to sixth place as Jonass moved into fifth and Garcia wanting to get a little closer to the American rider. Lap four it was Herlings, Vialle, Everts, Adamo, Jonass, Webb, Garcia, Wright, Tanti and Ludwig. Garcia moved past Webb and Team USA not looking very strong at this point.

Top ten on lap seven was Herlings, with an eight second lead, as Everts moved into second with a pass on Vialle, and then came Adamo, Jonass, Garcia, Webb, Wright, Ludwig and Brumann, with Tanti 11th and Watson 12th. Herlings wins the open qualifier, but France in command of the Team results.

Qualifying Heat Open - Classification

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda), 24:16.770; 2. Liam Everts (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:19.625; 3. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), +0:43.237; 4. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:49.072; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +0:52.382; 6. Francisco Garcia (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:57.044; 7. Cooper Webb (USA, Husqvarna), +0:58.140; 8. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), +1:21.780; 9. Kevin Brumann (SUI, Husqvarna), +1:29.576; 10. Ben Watson (GBR, Triumph), +1:32.659; 11. Dylan Wright (CAN, Honda), +1:34.812; 12. Aaron Tanti (AUS, Yamaha), +1:37.574; 13. Alvin Östlund (SWE, Triumph), +1:43.374; 14. Enzo Lopes (BRA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 15. Jere Haavisto (FIN, KTM), -1 lap(s); 16. Vaclav Kovar (CZE, KTM), -1 lap(s); 17. Kaarel Tilk (EST, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 18. Pavol Repcak (SVK, KTM), -1 lap(s); 19. Sander Agard-Michelsen (NOR, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 20. Michael Sandner (AUT, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 21. Jason Meara (IRL, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 22. Erlandas Mackonis (LTU, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 23. Trey Cox (RSA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 24. Lukas Osek (SLO, KTM), -1 lap(s); 25. Fabricio Chacon (CLAT, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 26. Erick Ismael Vazquez Diaz (MEX, Ducati), -2 lap(s); 27. Noam Jayal (MAR, Kawasaki), -2 lap(s); 28. Tristan Berg Arason (ISL, Yamaha), -3 lap(s); 29. Mykhailo Vasko (UKR, Husqvarna), -4 lap(s); 30. Matej Jaros (CRO, Kawasaki), -8 lap(s); 31. Yuki Okura (JPN, Honda), -10 lap(s);

Nation Results - Top 15