A lot of drama in the opening MXGP/MX2 moto, with expected winner, Jett Lawrence, ahead of a fired-up Lucas Coenen and five-time world motocross champion Tim Gajser.

It was Belgium thought, with the Coenen brothers with 2-10 on the final lap, before Sasha Coenen went from 10th to well back to 20th after a late crash.

Team France with Romain Febvre fifth and Mathis Valin in 9th place and 14 points, with Team USA with 4-10 for 14 points are equal first. Lawrence’s team-mate, Kyle Webster crashed on the opening corner and finished in 15th place, so the Aussies with 16 points. Belgium and Spain were on 22 points each.

Jett Lawrence: The track is tough and hard to push. It was a good moto, but I cross rutted and nearly hit the flag marshal. I hope Kyle got a good position and good luck to the boys in the second one.

MXGP/MX2 Moto

Lucas Coenen with the lead over Jett Lawrence in the opening moto of the day, for MXGP and MX2 riders. Roczen down and gets hit by riders, with Gilbert also down. Coenen ahead of Lawrence, but the Aussies straight into the lead Langenfelder out of the race and both Germans crashed in the early going.

Gajser in third, then Febvre, Tomac, Gifting, Sasha Coenen, Smith, Seewer, Fernandez, de Wolf, Talviku and Valin. Webster in 31st place after a turn one crash. Drama already here at Ironman. Cairoli 21st. Lap one the lead was 2.3 seconds, with Gajser 3.7 back in third and Febvre 5.6.

Coenen actually catching Lawrence for the lead, but the Aussie just looks so smooth. Lap two and Lawrence again 2.4 ahead of Coenen and de Wolf moved into ninth place. Justin Cooper the second American rider in 12th place after a slow start and Andrea Adamo also well back in 13th.

Lawrence not getting away from Coenen, who is showing good speed, but Gajser losing ground as he was seven seconds off the leader. Both Tomac and Sasha Coenen moved past Febvre and Webster still struggling in 20th spot.

Cairoli in 37th spot and Roczen up to 30th place after his early crash. The lead by Lawrence was suddenly 4.4 seconds over Coenen, with Gajser more than eight seconds back and Tomac 13 seconds off the leader.

Lap six and the lead was 6.2 seconds, with Gajser 12 seconds off the pace and Tomac 14 seconds back, with Febvre 24 seconds off Lawrence’s lead. Febvre back past Sasha Coenen, and de Wolf into eight places, but unfortunately, his team-mate Glenn Coldenhoff out for the day after his crash yesterday. Sasha Coenen a crash and back in 10th place, while de Wolf now the leading MX2 rider in eight places.

On lap eight it was Lawrence, Coenen, Gajser, Tomac, Febvre, Fernandez, de Wolf, Gifting, Valin, Sasha Coenen, Cooper, Seewer, Adamo, McLellan, and Lopez 15th. Webster up to 17th place. Tomac suddenly all over Tomac for third place.

Coenen suddenly catching Lawrence, but traffic for the leader a big problem as he comes across the much slower riders. Back to 5.2 seconds and Gajser fighting to keep Tomac behind him. At this stage, its Belgium on 12 points, France 13, USA 15 and Australia 18.

Tomac not giving up on Gajser, but the Slovenian also pushing really, really hard. Webster up to 16th place. Belgium still leading the points with 2-10 scores for 12 points, but Team USA pushing well with 4-11 and 15 points, and France 5-7 and 12 points. Australia 1-16 for 17 points.

Lawrence 6.1 ahead of Coenen, with Gajser still third 18 seconds off the pace and Tomac 20 seconds off the leader. Lawrence wins from Coenen and Gajser.

Race 1 (MXGP + MX2) - Classification

1. Jett Lawrence (AUS, Honda), 34:51.650; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:07.012; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:17.417; 4. Eli Tomac (USA, Yamaha), +0:19.361; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:37.927; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:55.921; 7. Isak Gifting (SWE, Yamaha), +0:59.758; 8. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +1:00.895; 9. Mathis Valin (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:01.052; 10. Justin Cooper (USA, Yamaha), +1:24.233; 11. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Ducati), +1:27.241; 12. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +1:30.718; 13. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +1:34.175; 14. Enzo Lopes (BRA, Yamaha), +1:45.758; 15. Kyle Webster (AUS, Honda), +1:51.319; 16. Guillem Farres (ESP, Triumph), +1:54.228; 17. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Triumph), +1:54.802; 18. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +2:00.121; 19. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +2:08.120; 20. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), -1 lap(s); 21. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 22. Josh Gilbert (GBR, Honda), -1 lap(s); 23. Anthony Rodriguez (VEN, KTM), -1 lap(s); 24. Nico Greutmann (SUI, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 25. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Ducati), -1 lap(s); 26. Bernardo Tiburcio (BRA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 27. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 28. Albin Gerhardsson (SWE, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 29. Pelle Gundersen (NOR, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 30. Joosep Parn (EST, GASGAS), -1 lap(s); 31. Yuki Okura (JPN, Honda), -1 lap(s); 32. Hakon Osterhagen (NOR, KTM), -2 lap(s); 33. Jaka Peklaj (SLO, Husqvarna), -2 lap(s); 34. Carlos Badiali (VEN, Yamaha), -2 lap(s); 35. Slade Smith (RSA, Honda), -2 lap(s); 36. Soya Nakajima (JPN, Yamaha), -2 lap(s); 37. Dylan Walsh (GBR, Kawasaki), -2 lap(s); 38. Simon Längenfelder (GER, KTM), -16 lap(s);