Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Rui Goncalves led the action in qualifying for the MX2 GP in Uddevalla, Sweden on Saturday narrowly defeating the fast young 15-year-old German Ken Roczen to secure the pole position.
Also performing well was KTM Factory Junior Racing's Joel Roelants of Belgium who finished in fourth place to secure himself an advantageous starting gate position for Sunday's races.
Rui, who won his third GP in the last round in Latvia, will race again in very similar conditions at Uddevalla. The track is made up of a soft gravely layer on a firm base that should suit the confident Portuguese rider very well.
Rui Goncalves: "Today was a very good day for me and I had the speed. Of course Roczen was also very fast and he was close to me in the last part of the race. But I managed to hold him off and win the qualifying race. I think we'll also have the same kind of fight on the track tomorrow and I look forward to that. I intend to go out and just do my race. I want to focus on doing the best job I can."
In response to a media question concerning a just announced ruling that as from next season the age of MX2 riders will be limited to 23 years, Rui, who has just had turned 24, said he thought that MX1 would suit him well but at the present time he is fully focussed on his efforts in MX2 for the 2009 season.
MX2 Qualifying
Rui Goncalves, Portugal, KTM, 24:24.561
2. Ken Roczen, Germany, Suzuki, 24:25.215
3. Manuel Monni, Italy, Yamaha, 24:31.832
4. Joel Roelants, Belgium, KTM, 24:34.341
5. Gautier Paulin, France, Kawasaki, 24:38.791
Other KTM
6. Marcus Schiffer, Germany, KTM, 24:43.181
1. Nick Triest, Belgium, KTM, 25:02.791
13. Jake Nichols, Britain, KTM, 25:07.141