Cycle News

Cycle News 2024 Issue 30 July 30

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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Herlings, De Wolf Topple Lommel R ound 14 of the FIM Motocross World Championship took to the iconic deep sands of Lom - mel, Belgium, for the MXGP of Flanders, July 28. With the series well past the halfway mark, it's all about points in both divisions. Jeffrey Herlings and Kay de Wolf, two Dutch sand specialists, came away with their respective overall wins at one of the toughest tracks on the circuit. MXGP Jorge Prado seemed to be the man to beat early on in both races. The reigning MXGP Champion is looking to gain crucial points on series leader Tim Gajser and the GasGas rider grabbed both holeshots on the day. Prado checked out early in race one and held a 16-second lead at the halfway mark. But KTM's Jeffrey Herlings had other plans. After tangling with a lap - per near the halfway point of the race, the Dutchman sprinted his way to the back of Prado and passed for the lead with only three laps left in the moto. He made the move for first and held off Prado to take the checkers. Prado crossed second, with Ya - maha's Calvin Vlaanderen third. Race two looked more of the same, as Prado again crossed the holeshot line first, with both Herlings and Gajser outside the top three. The number one of Prado ran up front for the first few laps and extended his gap to eight seconds over the next rider. After Romain Febvre fell from second, Herlings had the same mission as race one. A series of mistakes from Prado once again allowed Herlings to close in and make the move at the halfway point. From there it was smooth sailing for "The Bullet" as he held the lead to the finish and swept the day with 1-1 results, taking his third overall win of the season. Prado stayed close and took second overall, going 2-2 on the day. Febvre and Gajser duked it out for the final spot on the box with the French - man gaining the advantage with a third in race two. Gajser claimed fourth overall but still leads the championship by 24 points over Prado. "First moto I was trying to overtake the same guy a couple of times and ended up hit - ting him [lapper] and banging my knee," Herlings said. "That meant I had to warm it up and take it a bit easy at the start of the second moto. Jorge has been really strong at the start of races, so I had to make a rhythm and try not to blow up. I passed him and made a little gap and then managed it. Every point counts, and I fought for every one today. It's a fun track, and obviously, I'm strong in the sand. I was beaten in Sardinia, but I've been getting better and better and riding more like my old self." WIND IN THE P52 Jeffrey Herlings swept the sands of Lommel with 1-1 results.

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