KTM Riders perform well at the MX1 & MX2 GPs of Brazil‏

The
Red Bull Teka KTM teenage duo Jeffrey Herlings and Ken Roczen were in a
class of their own at the MX2 GP of Brazil on Sunday when they split
victory in two thrilling motos but it was the Dutch teenager who got
the better of his KTM teammate and rival to snatch the second race and
the GP title.

Roczen
had already thrown down the gauntlet in the first moto when he put in a
stunning performance from gate drop to checkered flag. The young
German, fresh from his win in the USGP last weekend steamed into the
first turn to grab the holeshot and never looked back from then on.
Herlings kept him in his sights for the first half of the race but the
young German super kid just progressively pulled away from the rest of
the field to cross the line an impressive 11.45 seconds in front.

Roczen
shot out of the gates in the second race, grabbed the holeshot and
looked like he was about to repeat his first moto performance. But
Herlings was tenacious and kept him in his sights, applying the
pressure until mid race Roczen made several uncharacteristic mistakes
was twice briefly of the bike and in doing so left the door open for
Herlings. The Dutch teenager needed no encouragement to charge through
and once he had grabbed the advantage, the race was as good as over.
The two riders have now split the victory in all of the four GPs so
far. Roczen won in Bulgaria and the USA, victory went to Herlings in
Valkenswaard and now in Indiaituba, Brazil. Roczen still holds the red
plate as championship leader and said he was happy to leave Brazil
without losing any points in the championship. The game is on between
the two talented teenagers and the stage set for more exciting duels as
the season progresses. The next episode will be in France in two weeks
time.

Jeffrey
said he was sorry that Ken had crashed because “I want to beat him fair
and square”. “It felt good on the bike, the riding was good today and
the crowd was great. This is the second GP win this season and the
fourth of my career so now I am really looking forward to the next GP
in France,” he said.

Roczen
said he had possibly braked a bit too much going down hill. “Both
wheels slipped away but I was back on the bike real quick,” he said. “I
was closing the gap but then I made another mistake, the bike went into
neutral and I went over the handlebars. I hurt my finger a bit and bent
the handlebars so I lost my rhythm.”

Factory
team boss Stefan Everts was satisfied with his two young riders. “I am
happy for Jeffrey. He’s still young and he’s learning fast. It’s good
for his future to do this kind of race and this kind of victory. Ken is
still in the lead, he’s still confident and he’s still the one to beat.
Today he had the best speed!”

The
two KTM riders mastered conditions in the deeply rutted and very twisty
track and were spurred on by a sell-out crowd at the Indiaituba track
about an hour away from Sao Paolo. They also had to tough it out in hot
and humid temperatures even though it is officially autumn in southern
hemisphere.

MX2 Results
1, Jeffrey Herlings, Netherlands, KTM (2-1)
2, Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM (1-2)
3, Gautier Paulin, France, Yamaha
4, Tommy Searle, Britain, Kawasaki
5, Zach Osborne, USA, Yamaha
Other KTM
9, Joel Roelants, Belgium KTM
11, Jordi Tixier, France, KTM
12, Pascal Rauchenecker, Austria, KTM
14, Nicolas Aubin, France, KTM

MX2 Standings
1, Ken Roczen, Germany KTM, 191 points
2, Jeffrey Herlings, Netherlands, KTM 177
3, Tommy Searle, Britain, Kawasaki, 156
4, Zach Osborne, USA, Yamaha, 122
5, Gautier Paulin, France, Yamaha, 120
Other KTM
9, Joel Roelants, Belgium KTM 90
11, Nicolas Aubin, France, KTM 73
12, Jordi Tixier, France, KTM 61
13, Pascal Rauchenecker, Austria 42
15, Jeremy van Horebeek, Belgium 31 (since Bulgaria out injured)

MX2 Manufacturers Classification
1, KTM, 200
2, Kawasaki 160
3, Yamaha 150

Red
Bull Teka KTM factory rider and reigning world champion Toni Cairoli
put in two stunning rides at the MX1 GP of Brazil for a 1-2 result and
second place on the GP podium in what were races that had the
20,000-plus Brazilian crowd on their feet and cheering wildly.

Cairoli
was clearly back to his usual winning ways as he put in two hugely
entertaining and hard fought battles on the tight, deeply rutted track
at Indiaituba about one hour away from Sao Paolo. He tenaciously fought
his way back into contention in the first moto, all the time fending
off constant attacks from two Yamahas and a Suzuki with David
Philippaerts, Steven Frossard and Clement Desalle at the handlebars.
Two laps before the close of the race everything was still in the
balance but Tony turned up the heat and prevailed against the others by
just over two seconds at the finish.

He
then went out and fought equally hard in the second moto second moto
but this time he had to settle for second behind fellow Italian David
Philippaerts in the closing stages.

“It’s
always nice to win but I also have to look out for the championship,”
Tony said. “I needed to take some points from Desalle and that was my
goal. I knew I could have won today but after 20 minutes into the
second race I didn’t feel so good but I am happy for the championship
and I’m looking forward to the next race.”

It
was not a happy weekend for teammate Max Nagl who was suffering from
back pain. “It was very difficult for me this weekend. I already had a
lot of pain yesterday and today also my speed was not so good even if I
was not too far off the leaders. I messed up the start in the second
moto and I got stuck behind Xavier Boog and couldn’t pass him so I
wasn’t riding well this weekend,” the German conceded.

Team
Boss Stefan Everts: “Tony made two holeshots today. He won the first
moto and he tried right up till the end of the second moto to get past
Philippaerts but he just didn’t make it. He was a bit disappointed but
its good to see Toni back where he should be again – to fight for the
title and that’s good for us. Max had a tough weekend he tried his best
but his starts were not so good and he struggled a bit.”

MX1 Results
1, David Philippaerts, Italy, Yamaha 2-1
2, Toni Cairoli, Italy, KTM 1-2
3, Clement Desalle, Belgium, Suzuki
4, Steven Frossard, France, Yamaha
5, Steve Ramon, Belgium, Suzuki
6, Max Nagl, Germany, KTM

MX1 Standings
1, Clement Desalle, Belgium, Suzuki, 164
2, Max Nagl, Germany, KTM 153
3, Toni Cairoli, Italy, 151
4, David Philippaerts, Italy, Yamaha, 138

MX1 Manufacturers Classification
1, KTM 176
2, Suzuki, 166
3, Yamaha, 164

Red
Bull Teka KTM factory rider Steffi Laier had a successful weekend on
Hangtown USA where, as a guest rider, she rode herself onto the podium
at third overall in the opening round of the Women’s Motocross Series
in a guest appearance.

Laier,
who said it was great to be back in the USA and was riding the Hangtown
Raceway track for the first time in 10 years, qualified third fastest
in both timed practice sessions and had a good start in the first moto
to be fifth at the first turn. She then hunted down two more riders and
maintained her third place right up to the checkered flag.

She
took an early lead in the second moto and then got into a three-way
battle for the top spot with Jessica Patterson and Ashley Fiolek. But
half way through the second moto, a mistake cost her the lead and
eventually had to settle for third overall.

Steffi
Laier: “This is the first time I have raced Hangtown in about ten
years. The track was very rough today and my arm gave me a little
trouble at the end of the moto from a practice crash injury earlier in
the week. Overall I was glad to get on the podium here and will now
return to Europe and the WMX world championship.” Steffi, the only
woman full KTM factory rider, is again a dominant force in the WMX this
season.

Results
1, Jessica Patterson – 1,1
2, Ashley Fiolek – 2,2
3, Steffi Laier – 3,3 (KTM)
4, Tarah Gieger – 4,7
5. Jacqueline Strong – 7,5 (KTM)