STRIJBOS MAKES CZECH MXGP TOP-10

2016-07-25 07:40
Kevin Strijbos took his factory RM-Z450 to an encouraging 10th position overall today at the Grand Prix of Czech Republic and the 13th round of 18 in the 2016 FIM Motocross World Championship.

The Belgian defied some race ‘rustiness’ after recovering from a left wrist injury that had forced him to the sidelines, to capture two 11th positions in the motos around the hard-pack Loket circuit.

Changeable conditions with stormy showers affected the first fixture for MXGP after a three-week summer break, and the fast and hilly Czech terrain mixed slippery sections with several technical corners where large braking bumps and ruts had started to peak through. Strijbos was competing at the scene of his first ever GP victory 11 years ago (and that of the RM-Z450) and where he also finished runner-up in 2014.

After sealing second spot in a damp Qualification Heat yesterday Strijbos made a mediocre launch in front of the 25,000 attendance (weekend figure) for the first 30-minute and two-lap dash. He fought to regain ground and eventually pushed up to 11th on a track that was not generous with overtaking places and opportunities. The 30-year-old again had a tough start for the second moto with some hustle and bustle among the pack leaving ‘22’ needing to adapt his style to operate a bent rear brake lever. Again, he reached the edge of the top-10, but his arms began to feel the extent of the race-pace in the closing stages.

Strijbos was joined in the Suzuki awning by Grand Prix rookie and substitute for the recuperating Ben Townley, Arminas Jasikonis. The young Lithuanian showed top-15 speed on his very first outing on the RM-Z450 on Saturday. Loket was a jump into the deep end for the 18-year-old as he was not only mastering the Suzuki for the first time, and in the wake of test rides during the week, but was also trying to learn the intricacies of the pebbly Loket course. In the first moto he grabbed his first MXGP points with 17th place but two crashes in the second race – one of which he was blameless – nudged him out of the top 20 and he classified 19th overall.

Strijbos picked up 20 points in the Czech Republic and reignited his haul in the world championship standings where he currently sits 11th and one point from Shaun Simpson in 10th. Team Suzuki World MXGP now return to their base in Lommel with just a few days to prepare for their home Grand Prix at the deep and heavy sand track only several kilometres from their impressive workshop and HQ. Round 14 takes place next weekend and the crew will be hosting a special media event on Friday evening inside the Lommel paddock.

Kevin Strijbos:

“A decent day even if the result is not perhaps what we wanted. The motos were pretty much the same; my starts were not great and then it was hard to take positions up until the point where my arms started to get a bit tired. In the second moto someone hit me and bent the rear brake lever and I had to get used to that but it was OK once I adjusted. It is always hard to come back in the middle of the season and after injury but we made a step today and now have to look towards Lommel.”

Arminas Jasikonis:

“I was hoping for the top 15 today but I saw during the races that I really don't quite have the experience yet to be there. I tried as hard as I could and the second moto didn't begin well as another rider took me off the track on the second lap. I also had another small crash near the end. The track wasn't too heavy with the rain but the hard soil and rocks was something I’m not really used to.”

MXGP Moto1: 1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), 33:51.727; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:04.803; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:15.311; 4. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:17.471; 5. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:28.074; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:30.841; 7. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:31.398; 8. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:35.081; 9. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:55.807; 10. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Honda), +0:57.863; 11. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), +0:58.742; 12. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:59.886; 13. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +1:13.378; 14. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Husqvarna), +1:14.256; 15. Tanel Leok (EST, KTM), +1:16.172; 16. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +1:27.867; 17. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), +1:28.606.

MXGP Moto2: 1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Husqvarna), 34:33.696; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:02.770; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:15.354; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:21.748; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:29.557; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:35.818; 7. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:38.013; 8. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:49.530; 9. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:55.739; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:59.716; 11. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), +1:03.328; 12. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Honda), +1:04.624; 13. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +1:07.089; 14. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Husqvarna), +1:09.528; 15. Tanel Leok (EST, KTM), +1:12.288; 16. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), +1:19.438; 17. Rui Goncalves (POR, Husqvarna), +1:22.109; 18. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +1:34.615; 19. Harri Kullas (EST, KTM), +1:37.774; 20. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Honda), +1:42.630; 21. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +1:48.888; 22. Damon Graulus (BEL, Honda), +1:51.440; 23. Jake Nicholls (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:53.160; 24. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), -1 lap(s).

MXGP Overall result: 1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 50 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 44 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 34 p.; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 34 p.; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KAW), 28 p.; 7. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 27 p.; 8. Tommy Searle (GBR, KAW), 24 p.; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 23 p.; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), 20 p.; 11. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HON), 20 p.; 12. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 19 p.; 13. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 18 p.; 14. Christophe Charlier (FRA, HUS), 14 p.; 15. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 13 p.; 16. Tanel Leok (EST, KTM), 12 p.; 17. Rui Goncalves (POR, HUS), 6 p.; 18. Dennis Ullrich (GER, KTM), 5 p.; 19. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, Suzuki World MXGP), 4 p.

MXGP World Championship Standings (after 13 of 18 rounds): 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 576 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 467 p.; 3. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 451 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 448 p.; 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 419 p.; 6. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 385 p.; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 286 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 248 p.; 9. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 244 p.; 10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 225 p.; 11. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki World MXGP), 224 p.; 12. Tommy Searle (GBR, KAW), 213 p.; 13. Christophe Charlier (FRA, HUS), 198 p.; 14. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HON), 185 p.; 15. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 176 p.; 16. Tanel Leok (EST, KTM), 130 p.; 17. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KAW), 129 p.; 18. Ben Townley (NZL, Suzuki World MXGP), 128 p.

Source: Team Suzuki Press Office

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