Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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Gajser, Geerts Top MXGP of the Netherlands D espite going winless on the day, Honda's Tim Gajser came away with the overall vic- tory at the MXGP of the Neth- erlands in Oss, July 18. It was quite the opposite in MX2 where Yamaha rider Jago Geerts won both motos for the overall victory. Former MXGP Champion Jef- frey Herlings (Red Bull KTM) won the first MXGP moto while riding with a broken shoulder sustained earlier in the race. Despite get- ting landed on by another rider right after the start when his holeshot device failed to unlock (causing him to land short over a jump), Herlings, who did not crash in the collision, went on to make big passes and win the moto over Yamaha's Glenn Cold- enhoff and Gajser. Kawasaki's Romain Febvre was fourth and Yamaha's Jeremy Seewer was fifth. It was discovered between motos that Herlings' shoulder had been broken in the earlier collision, and the KTM rider did not line up for the second moto. Herlings' teammate Jorge Prado led much of the second moto while Gajser pushed him relentlessly. After a long battle, Gajser finally passed Prado and took over the lead, but while they were going at it, Prado's team- mate Antonio Cairoli was creep- ing up on them. Cairoli got around Prado then went after Gajser, passing the defending champ on the last lap to take the win. Unfortunately for the Italian, Cairoli, a bad start and a crash that left him eighth in the first moto, ruined his chance for the overall victory but he did collect second overall. Gajser, however, got the job done with a 3-2. Third on the day went to Feb- vre with a 4-4. Prado went 6-3 for fourth overall. "First race I was quite happy with third place, and I didn't want to take any risks as the track was sketchy," Gajser said. "In the second race, I took a good start, I was behind Prado the whole race, but he was blocking all the lines, but then I managed to pass him with a couple of laps from the end. But I lost all my energy before, and Tony passed me on the last lap. I was trying to hold him, but he had better lines." Cairoli said, "Towards the end of the race the guys in front were a little tired at the end, so after I passed Jorge, I said I'll go for the win." As for Herlings, "What can I say about today?" he said after the race. "I had high hopes and wanted a 1-1. I had a great start in the first moto, but the start device did not disengage imme- diately up the hill, and I did not jump as far as I usually do out of the waves. The rest is history. I IN THE WIND P28 Tim Gajser came away with the overall victory at the MXGP of the Netherlands despite not winning a moto.