MXGP of Spain: Jeffrey Herlings takes GP win #102 at Intu-Xanadu
By Team TMX on 9th May 23
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Red Bull KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings dominated the MXGP of Spain at Intu-Xanadu Arroyomolinos taking both moto wins on his way to a record-breaking 102nd Grand Prix victory. The 28-year-old Dutchman – who you can see in action at Foxhill in the Revo ACU British Championship round which is running on May 14 – fought his way through the pack in both races to close the gap at the head of the series standings with Red Bull GASGAS runner Jorge Prado.
Despite wanting to put on a good show for his home fans, yet another sloppy second outing kept the Spanish hero off the podium as he trailed home in fourth overall behind teammate Mattia Guadagnini – who was a stunning second – and Team HRC’s Ruben Fernandez.
While Prado’s poor performance on home soil surely stung, the weekend was catastrophic for fellow MXGP title contenders Romain Febvre (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Maxime Renaux (Monster Energy Yamaha) who were both injured in Saturday’s RAM Qualification race that was eventually won by Prado.
Febvre went out at turn one after tangling with several other riders and banging his head. “I had a good start with Prado but he moved over a little to prepare to turn and I was close so I also had to move a little. I didn’t see the guys coming from the outside flat-out – first we touched elbows then my front wheel,” explained Romain. “I had quite a big impact in the crash with a small concussion and I landed on my shoulder. I would have liked to race but the medical protocol meant that I could not ride here in Spain.” Romain will be back in action at the MXGP of France in two weeks while countryman Renaux will not.
The Monster Energy Yamaha rider didn’t crash in the restarted race but hit trouble at mid-distance. “In the qualifying race, after the finish line, I lost the front on the rhythm section and had to put my foot down to not fall. The result is a multiple fracture of the foot/ankle,” he explained. At this point, it’s unknown what the recovery period will be. We’ll keep you posted.
There were way more positive vibes coming from the Red Bull KTM awning following Sunday’s races. “I am super happy to break the MXGP wins record,” said Herlings who was understandably excited. “The rest of the guys have such a high level, so I did not dream to come back so quickly. My starts are getting there and today went very well. I managed to work my way to the front and feel physically strong until the end of both motos. The Spanish fans were amazing and now I am already focusing on France in two weeks.”
Herlings’ win puts him with six points of the series leader. “It was an okay weekend,” said Jorge diplomatically. “My starts were not that good but I kept charging. I had really good pace in the first moto. My start was even worse in the second moto and it was hard to make passes – the track was very challenging. It was still a very special weekend, with the spectators, and I have the red plate heading into the next round, which is important."
While Ben Watson was a no-show on race day due to a thumb injury, Talk Templant KTM’s Ashton Dickinson scored points on the day with a 19-16 scorecard that placed him 18th overall.
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