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/979046
IN THE WIND P42 DESALLE WINS MXGP OF RUSSIA O n an unusual Tuesday race (because of a holiday), Clement Desalle (Monster Energy Kawasaki Team) ended KTM's winning streak in the MXGP class after capturing the overall win at the MXGP of Russia in Orlyonok, May 1. It was the first time since the start of the season that a non- KTM rider emerged victorious. However, Red Bull KTM's Jeffrey Herlings and Antonio Cairoli did go 2-3 on the day. Fourth overall went to former MXGP champ Romain Febvre (Yamaha) and fifth overall went to another former champ Tim Gajser (Honda). Desalle snatched the lead from holeshotter Cairoli in the first moto and held off the defending champ, as well as Herlings in third, the whole way to take the win. Cairoli made many attempts to get by the Kawasaki rider but to no avail. Herlings finished third in the moto ahead of Gautier Paulin (Husqvarna) and Gajser. Herlings got out in front early in the second moto and never looked back. Desalle gave chase but second place would give him the overall victory. Cairoli pursued the leaders early on but a fall cost him any chance of catching them and in- stead finished out the moto in fifth. Febvre was third in the moto, followed by Gajser. Herlings extended his points lead over Cairoli to 23, 286-263. Desalle is third with 212 points. Pauls Jonass (Red Bull KTM) got back to his winning ways again in MX2. The super-fast rider from Latvia won both motos go- ing away, while teammate Jorge Prado (KTM) of Spain cruised home in second in both motos. The race for the final podium spot was up for grabs, but it was Great Britain's Ben Watson (Yamaha) prevailing with 3-6 moto scores, edging out Italy's Michele Cervellin (Honda) by one point on the day. Cervellin went 7-3. Denmark's Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) rounded out the top five overall with a 4-5 tally. Jonass took back a few points on Prado; building his points lead to 20, 266-246. Olsen is third with 219 points. American Thomas Covington (Husqvarna) suited up but came into the race in points-salvaging mode; he's still recovering from a knee injury suffered two weeks ago. He went 17-14 on the day for 16th overall. Covington left Russia 10th in the MX2 Championship, tied on points with Belgian rider Jago Geerts. CN MXGP 1. Clement Desalle (Kaw) 1-2 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 3-1 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 2-5 4. Roman Febvre (Yam) 7-3 5. Tim Gajser (Hon) 5-4 MX2 1. Pauls Jonass (KTM) 1-1 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 2-2 3. Ben Watson (Yam) 3-6 4. Michele Cervellin (Hon) 7-3 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Hus) 4-5 Clement Desalle derailed the KTM train at the MXGP of Russia. The Kawasaki rider topped the KTM duo of Jeffrey Herlings and Antonio Cairoli for the first time this season.