On a circuit that he loves, Jeffrey Herlings of the Red Bull KTM Factory team has won the opening MXGP moto around the Kegums circuit. A good start, after doing a lot of testing this week on his starts, the Dutchman was looking very much like the Herlings of old and gains a handful of points on former red plate man, Jorge Prado, who finished in seventh place after a crash. Tim Gajser grabbed the red plate finished second and Glenn Coldenhoff was third.

Championship points are now Tim Gajser 432pts, Jorge Prado 425pts, Jeffrey Herlings 366pts.

Jeffrey Herlings: Obviously I had a good start in the mud. I was second and passed Jorge and controlled the moto. That is what a good start can do and I am looking forward to the second moto and hopefully get a good start again.

Pouring rain greeted the MXGP riders for their opening moto and it was going to be another mudder. Prado led from Herlings, Gajser, but Herlings quickly into the lead and the riders are already covered in mud. Coldenhoff was fourth, then Bogers, Toendel, Jazdauskas, Vlaanderen, Horgmo, and Bonacorsi in 10th. Gajser into second and Prado once again struggles somewhat in the mud.

Bogers moved past Coldenhoff as we have three Dutchies loving the mud in Latvia. Vlaanderen sixth, as he passed Jazdauskas and four Dutchies in the top six. Seewer way back in 20th place and his average season really not improving in Latvia.

Gajser all over Herlings for the lead as the two five time World champions get away from Prado, who was three seconds back in third place. Gajser doing his best to not get too close to Herlings as the roost if causing all sorts of problems.

Gajser off the track and Prado tried to pass, but didn’t get it done straight away and Herlings gets away from the Slovenian, but then Prado does down and back in eight place. On lap three the lead by Herlings was three seconds and Prado is now 23 seconds off the leaders.

Lap four and the lead by Herlings was 2.7 seconds, with Bogers third, then Coldenhoff, Toendel, Horgmo, Vlaanderen, Prado and Bonacorsi. Herlings continued to get away from Gajser, with the lead three seconds a lap later.

On lap six the lead was four seconds and Herlings finally showing what he is capable of and gaining some points on series leaders Gajser and Prado. Gajser in his position takes the red plate back and Prado making no ground on seventh places man Vlaanderen. The sun is out now, but Prado still not going forward and Gajser closing a little on the leader, Herlings.

Herlings making little mistakes and Gajser close the gap a little, but Herlings fired back to do hi best lap of the race and the quickest lap of anyone so far. The lead back to 3.5 seconds. On lap eight the top ten was Herlings, Gajser, Coldenhoff, Bogers, Toendel, Horgmo, Vlaanderen, Horgmo, Vlaanderen, Prado, Bonacorsi and Ostlund.

Herlings again the best lap of the race, a full second quicker than Gajser and the lead was 4.3 on lap nine. Prado now 39 seconds off the lead of Herlings. Herlings betters his best again and Gajser also does his best lap, Herlings a 2.11.443 and Gajser a 2.12.853. The lead was six seconds with six minutes and two laps remaining.

Lap 11 and the lead was 8.2 seconds, with Gajser 10 seconds ahead of Coldenhoff and Prado was now 45 seconds away from “The Bullet”. Both Herlings and Gajser have slowed with their lap times now three or four seconds slower than a few laps ago. The lead by Herlings was nearly 10 seconds. Herlings wins it from Gajser and Coldenhoff.

MXGP - Grand Prix Race 1 - Classification

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 36:13.461; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:14.806; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:23.809; 4. Brian Bogers (NED, Fantic), +0:28.396; 5. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +0:33.427; 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:50.478; 7. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), +0:56.234; 8. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, KTM), +1:01.587; 9. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +1:15.559; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +1:30.619; 11. Alvin Östlund (SWE, Honda), +1:33.939; 12. Jere Haavisto (FIN, KTM), +1:35.305; 13. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Husqvarna), +1:36.493; 14. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +2:17.495; 15. Josh Gilbert (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s); 16. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, Beta), -1 lap(s); 17. Uldis Freibergs (LAT, GASGAS), -1 lap(s); 18. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), -1 lap(s); 19. Albin Gerhardsson (SWE, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 20. Mark Scheu (GER, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 21. Tomass Sileika (LAT, GASGAS), -2 lap(s); 22. Tomas Kohut (SVK, KTM), -7 lap(s); 23. Nikolaj Skovgaard (DEN, KTM), -7 lap(s); 24. Domantas Jazdauskas (LTU, KTM), -10 lap(s); 25. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), -10 lap(s); 26. Kevin Brumann (SUI, Husqvarna), -11 lap(s); 27. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), -13 lap(s); 28. Andero Lusbo (EST, GASGAS), -16 lap(s); 29. Aleksei Vinogradov (EST, KTM), -16 lap(s);

MXGP - World Championship Classification

1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 432 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 425 p.; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 366 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 327 p.; 5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 285 p.; 6. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 274 p.; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 274 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 259 p.; 9. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 177 p.; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 162 p.; 11. Brian Bogers (NED, FAN), 156 p.; 12. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, KTM), 123 p.; 13. Ben Watson (GBR, BET), 110 p.; 14. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, YAM), 92 p.; 15. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 87 p.; 16. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 85 p.; 17. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 82 p.; 18. Isak Gifting (SWE, YAM), 77 p.; 19. Alvin Östlund (SWE, HON), 75 p.; 20. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 63 p.; 21. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, BET), 59 p.; 22. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 54 p.; 23. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), 35 p.; 24. Josh Gilbert (GBR, KTM), 29 p.; 25. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 25 p.; 26. Jere Haavisto (FIN, KTM), 17 p.; 27. Kevin Brumann (SUI, HUS), 15 p.; 28. Henry Jacobi (GER, KTM), 13 p.; 29. Tim Edberg (SWE, HON), 13 p.; 30. Ander Valentin (ESP, YAM), 7 p.; 31. Giuseppe Tropepe (ITA, HON), 6 p.; 32. Emilio Scuteri (ITA, HON), 6 p.; 33. Todd Kellett (GBR, YAM), 5 p.; 34. Lars van Berkel (NED, HON), 5 p.; 35. Miguel Cordovez (ECU, YAM), 4 p.; 36. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 37. Uldis Freibergs (LAT, GAS), 4 p.; 38. Cato Nickel (GER, HUS), 3 p.; 39. Fabio Aparecido dos Santos (BRA, YAM), 3 p.; 40. Jakub Teresak (CZE, HUS), 3 p.; 41. Anton Nagy (SWE, YAM), 3 p.; 42. Nicolas Rolando (URU, HUS), 2 p.; 43. Albin Gerhardsson (SWE, HUS), 2 p.; 44. Mark Scheu (GER, HUS), 2 p.; 45. Andres Benenaula (ECU, KAW), 1 p.; 46. Sergio Ignacio Villaronga Muga (CHI, HON), 1 p.;

Ray Archer image