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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maha rider Maxime Renaux, who was fourth on the day with a 6-4. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha), fifth overall, is third in points, 24 points down from Renaux. "I hadn't been feeling well at all, and I knew that with the high tem- peratures and the difficulty of the surface, I would need to be at my best to be able to compete in this MXGP class," said Gajser. "In race one, I got my second holeshot of the year and controlled the majority of the race. It was just the final two laps I ran out of energy and had to settle for second. Unfortunately, in race two, I didn't get as good a start and, although I was feeling like I could run the pace and move through the field, I crashed while I was in sixth and that really hurt my momentum as I re-joined the race in 12th. I kept running, and finished the moto there, only dropping a couple of points in the champion- ship battle but I am a little disap- pointed how it turned out overall." In MX2, championship rivals Tom Vialle of the Red Bull KTM factory team and Jago Geerts of the Monster Energy Yamaha factory team went at for the overall win. The Belgian, Geerts, held off Vialle to win the first moto, cross- ing the finish line 8.8 seconds ahead of the Frenchman, Vialle, who dropped his bike on the last lap without losing a position. In the deciding second moto, the two were at it again, only the positions were reversed with Vialle leading and Geerts chasing. It was a thrilling battle to the end with Vialle holding Geerts off by less than a second at the finish line. Vialle's second-moto win gave the KTM rider the overall vic- tory, with Geerts taking second. "I'm really happy to win today," Vialle said. "It was a tough track, and it was really hot, also. In the first race I didn't have a super start and I was around sixth in the first corner. I passed quickly after two laps, was already behind Jago and just tried to push all the race, but the track is not easy to pass when you ride the same speed, and then I had a small mistake on the last lap. But anyway, I was feeling actu- ally pretty good and in the second race I had a much better start, I took the lead after a few corners until the end. I could control the race, and it was really nice to win. I am pretty happy." "It was quite a tough day," Geerts said. "The track was re- ally rough and then with the hot weather, it didn't make it easier. But I rode two good races today, first race I took the lead in the first or second lap and just had a good pace until the end. Tom was also pushing me so I knew the second race would be tough for sure. And then Tom got a better start in the second heat that made it a bit easier for him, and it was me that time around trying to follow him and finished second. I'm happy about today, didn't make big mis- takes and took second place." French rider Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) was third overall, while Norway's Kevin Horgmo (Kawasaki) and Italian Andrea Adamo (GasGas) rounded out the top five overall. Geerts still leads the MX2 Championship but by only six points over Vialle. CN MXGP OVERALL 1. Calvin Vlaanderen (Yam) 1-1 2. Jorge Prado (GG) 3-3 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yam) 8-2 4. Maxime Renaux (Yam) 6-4 5. Brian Bogers (Hus) 5-5 MX2 OVERALL 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 2-1 2. Jago Geerts (Yam) 1-2 3. Thibault Benistant (Yam) 3-3 4. Kevin Horgmo (Kaw) 5-4 5. Andrea Adamo (GG) 7-6 VOLUME 59 ISSUE 20 MAY 17, 2022 P41 Tom Vialle (pictured) out-dueled Jago Geerts for the MX2 win. PHOTO: RAY ARCHER