Jeffrey Herlings the 15-year-old "wunderkind" of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team broke his recent run of bad luck Sunday in winning style in Kegums Latvia to deliver a brilliant 3-1 moto result to take his second GP career victory in a style fitting of a champion.
But while Herlings was the hero of the circuit, especially in the second moto, which was anyone's race until the last seconds, teammate Marvin Musquin finished a solid fourth with a 1-7 result and retains his stranglehold on the red number plate as the championship leader with a massive 74 points advantage. Factory teammate Shaun Simpson was tenth.
Herlings was fast out of the start gates and with a maturity beyond his years, successfully fended off vicious attacks by both rival Ken Roczen and Frenchman Steven Frossard. The young Dutchman rode a tight and clever line on the tricky course that was part deep sandy burns and part hard surface and hung to deliver a thrilling finish that had the Latvian crowd on their feet.
Jeffrey Herlings: I'm really satisfied with my weekend. I've had my ups and downs this season. I started really good in the first five rounds then I had three bad rounds so it felt awesome to be back on top again. This was my second GP win. In the first heat I was in the lead after two corners and then I got passed by Marvin and Ken (Roczen) and I finished third. Then I took the holeshot in the second and I had a long fight with Steven (Frossard) but I fought hard and I was able to win the moto and the GP."
Musquin, with his usual elegant and winning style was untouchable in the first moto but fell on the first corner in the second. He then found himself dead last trailing the 27-man field and systematically picked off his opponents top finish a very creditable seventh.
Marvin Musquin when asked about the second moto said: "I crashed on the first corner. They had put a lot of water on the track so I crashed and stopped my bike. I was very angry but I made a good and strong comeback to finish seventh. This week I lost just three points in the championship so now I need to be very focused and try to be on the podium every weekend. I think Sweden is a good track but not so easy but like all races, I will do my best."
Did not gel with the track, Simpson says
Shaun Simpson said he had walked the track and had a positive impression before the race. "It looked cool, "he said. It had nice jumps and was quite different to what we're just to. But when we started to ride it was clear there was some fast and slippery in parts. I tried many different liens but somehow I just didn't gel with the track."
Results MX2
1 Jeffrey Herlings, Netherlands, KTM 20-25—45
2. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki, 22-20—42
3. Steven Frossard, France, Kawasaki18-22—40
4. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 25-14--39
5. Gautier Paulin, France, Yamaha14-18—32
Other KTM
6. Joel Roelants, Belgium, KTM
10. Shaun Simpson, Britain, KTM
11. Jake Nicholls, Britain, KTM
12. Valentin Teillet, France, KTM
Standings
1 Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 404
2. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki, 330
3. Steven Frossard, France, Kawasaki, 308
4. Jeffrey Herlings, Netherlands, KTM, 286
5. Zach Osborne, USA, 249
6. Shaun Simpson, Britain, KTM 246
But while Herlings was the hero of the circuit, especially in the second moto, which was anyone's race until the last seconds, teammate Marvin Musquin finished a solid fourth with a 1-7 result and retains his stranglehold on the red number plate as the championship leader with a massive 74 points advantage. Factory teammate Shaun Simpson was tenth.
Herlings was fast out of the start gates and with a maturity beyond his years, successfully fended off vicious attacks by both rival Ken Roczen and Frenchman Steven Frossard. The young Dutchman rode a tight and clever line on the tricky course that was part deep sandy burns and part hard surface and hung to deliver a thrilling finish that had the Latvian crowd on their feet.
Jeffrey Herlings: I'm really satisfied with my weekend. I've had my ups and downs this season. I started really good in the first five rounds then I had three bad rounds so it felt awesome to be back on top again. This was my second GP win. In the first heat I was in the lead after two corners and then I got passed by Marvin and Ken (Roczen) and I finished third. Then I took the holeshot in the second and I had a long fight with Steven (Frossard) but I fought hard and I was able to win the moto and the GP."
Musquin, with his usual elegant and winning style was untouchable in the first moto but fell on the first corner in the second. He then found himself dead last trailing the 27-man field and systematically picked off his opponents top finish a very creditable seventh.
Marvin Musquin when asked about the second moto said: "I crashed on the first corner. They had put a lot of water on the track so I crashed and stopped my bike. I was very angry but I made a good and strong comeback to finish seventh. This week I lost just three points in the championship so now I need to be very focused and try to be on the podium every weekend. I think Sweden is a good track but not so easy but like all races, I will do my best."
Did not gel with the track, Simpson says
Shaun Simpson said he had walked the track and had a positive impression before the race. "It looked cool, "he said. It had nice jumps and was quite different to what we're just to. But when we started to ride it was clear there was some fast and slippery in parts. I tried many different liens but somehow I just didn't gel with the track."
Results MX2
1 Jeffrey Herlings, Netherlands, KTM 20-25—45
2. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki, 22-20—42
3. Steven Frossard, France, Kawasaki18-22—40
4. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 25-14--39
5. Gautier Paulin, France, Yamaha14-18—32
Other KTM
6. Joel Roelants, Belgium, KTM
10. Shaun Simpson, Britain, KTM
11. Jake Nicholls, Britain, KTM
12. Valentin Teillet, France, KTM
Standings
1 Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 404
2. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki, 330
3. Steven Frossard, France, Kawasaki, 308
4. Jeffrey Herlings, Netherlands, KTM, 286
5. Zach Osborne, USA, 249
6. Shaun Simpson, Britain, KTM 246
6/28/2010 5:03pm
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