Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/801507
IN THE WIND P42 GAJSER GETS ON THE BOARD AT ARGENTINA MXGP I n Patagonia, Argentina, March 19, Team Honda's Tim Gajser and Red Bull KTM's Pauls Jonass came away victors, as the 2017 FIM Motocross World Champion- ship returned to "normalcy" after the previous race in the mud in Indonesia, that saw the second MXGP moto cancelled due to the unrideable track. Gajser came into Sunday in the pole position after qualifying first on Saturday. He kept true to his qualifying form and won race one ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing's Jeremy Van Horebeek and race two just over five seconds ahead of Team HRC teammate Evgeny Bobryshev. With his performance Gajser takes over the red plate heading into Leon, Mexico. Van Horebeek had his best results of the year finishing 2-3 for second overall. After a good pre- season, Van Horebeek struggled in the first two rounds of the championship but he is now look- ing like a contender for wins. Team HRC's Evgeny Bobry- shev, who was admittedly not feel- ing very well due to a virus, fought through pain and his 5-2 results gave him his first overall podium of the year. Bobryshev passed both Desalle and Van Horebeek in race two giving Team HRC a 1-2 race finish with both riders on the overall podium. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Gautier Paulin worked his way forward in both races. Paulin was eighth on the first lap of race one, and at times he was in a three-way battle with his Husqvarna teammates, but he would lead the three with a sixth- place at the finish. In race two he started one better in fifth on the first lap but would pass the early leader Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team's Clement Desalle for fourth which is where Paulin would finish, receiving fourth over- all on the weekend. Monster Energy Yamaha Fac- tory Racing's Romain Febvre also made his way forward as he started 11th in race one but made quick work and in one lap was seventh. He then continued to move ahead for a fourth-place fin- ish. In race two, he had a similar start with a 10th but eventually moved into fifth until a fall cost him the position and left him to finish eighth for fifth overall. Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team's Clement Desalle looked good throughout week- end. The Belgian finished third in race one, he then rocketed out of the gate in race two behind Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Glenn Coldenhoff and then led the first three laps before falling back to 10th. His 3-10 finishes put him in sixth overall. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Antonio Cairoli was perhaps the one rider who had the hardest charge. Cairoli struggled on both starts and he was positioned as low as 22nd in race one before finishing ninth and 15th in race two before working his way to fifth. Cairoli showed the heart of a champion and recouped valuable points. Tim Gajser swept the MXGP class at the MXGP of Argentina.