MXGP: Gajser and Febvre
By Infront Moto Racing on 26th May 16
The biggest talking point in this years MXGP class has without question been the battle of the big three, MX2 world champion and red plate owner Tim Gajser, defending MXGP champion Romain Febvre, and of course eight times world champion Antonio Cairoli.
It's been a long time, more than a decade that we have had three world champions of this level racing for a championship, and for sure it has added to an already exciting series. Of course the last time was back in 2005, when MX2 champion Ben Townley went up against duel champion Mickael Pichon, multiple champion Joel Smets, and the greatest of all time Stefan Everts (who also had eight world titles to his name).
We asked three riders their opinion of the top three. Jeffrey Herlings the king of the MX2 class and Red Bull KTM team-mate to Cairoli, and MXGP riders Shaun Simpson and Ken De Dycker.
Herlings who might move up to the MXGP class in 2017 finds it pretty exciting to watch the top three in the MXGP class battle.
"It is really cool to watch,” Herlings said. "Those guys are so fast. If you see Gajser he is one of the fastest in the class, maybe even the fastest, but he is making small mistakes, which lost him a lot of points, like in the second moto when he crashed while leading. I mean that might affect him at the end of the season, especially with somebody like Cairoli, who has made a lot of points in the last two rounds and is a great starter. He is only 25 points back now and he is so consistent and he is older and doesn't make mistakes, he has a lot of experience. I think the MXGP class will go down to the wire in Glen Helen. It is mouthwatering to watch.
Leading MXGP rider Shaun Simpson is also impressed with the top three, and feels as though his fellow KTM rider Cairoli might have something for the two young guns.
"From Tim Gajsers point of view,” Simpson said. "He looks really comfortable on his bike, and he is willing to hang it out and he runs on the edge at times, and it works in his favor, and he rides his bike really well. That has taken him to the next level. Romain wants to be on the same level as Tim, and his bike is also working well, but Romain gets a little more on the edge than let's say Jeremy Van Horebeek. Jeremy is more of a consistent member of the team, he just works away at a pace he is happy with, and always good for between third and fifth.
"His consistency is really good. I think the two front guys, they are a bit younger, they haven't had any big crashes, or injuries. You can see the change in Jeffrey Herlings, there is a little extra added thing, where if he gets out of shape a little and backs it off and gets back on the right line. Whereas Tim and Romain, I wouldn't say they are riding fearless, but they are riding on so much confidence, it makes them exceptional. With Tony, his set-up is still being figured out, but when you figure out your set-up, you still need to do hours to work out what your bike is going to do in every situation.
"I believe they have found something and give it another two or three weeks and he might be the third member of the exceptional group. He will just go on in leaps and bounds with this consistency and confidence, that the set-up is bringing him.”
Ken De Dycker who is currently out injured, but is a good friend of Cairoli knows that his Italian friend will be making life difficult for Gajser and Febvre.
"It has been impressive how Gajser stepped up so much,” De Dycker said. "Also so consistent, and then you have Romain, those two are probably the fastest, but I know Tony still has it and he will be there every race. They had a lot of work do to with his injury and also worked on the bike with a few things, so he will get better and better each week.”
This coming weekend will give more answers to the questions we look. Can the young guns fight back and stop the current victory streak of Cairoli (won in Germany and Italy), or will the biggest name on the start gate prove to be too consistent and too smart for the youngsters?
