MX2: Geerts On Top Once Again in Riga Race One

The MX2 World Championship is in action once again today at Kegums in Latvia for the MXGP of Riga, and in the first moto there was something of a switch in the performances of the championship contenders compared to the Latvian round last weekend. 

Despite a pass on him for the lead early on by Tom Vialle, Jago Geerts was quite dominant in taking the win in the first race in the MXGP of Riga. Geerts made the holeshot and, whilst Vialle led for the majority of the first 10 minutes having passed the Belgian on the opening lap, Geerts was able to come back with 20 minutes left on the clock. 

Whilst in the second moto last weekend, Vialle was able to stick with Geerts after the #193 came through, this time Geerts was able to pull away. Geerts opened up a lead of seven seconds before a mistake brought Vialle back to his rear wheel, but after Vialle made his own mistakes costing him positions, Geerts was able to pull away once again.

The mistakes from Vialle cost him positions to Roan van de Moosdijk and Mathys Boisrame on their F&H Kawasakis, dropping the Frenchman to fourth. Vialle would later come under pressure from Thomas Kjer Olsen for fourth, but the #28 KTM was able to repel the Norwegian on the Husqvarna. 

But with Geerts out front, finishing fourth was not ideal for Vialle who saw his championship lead clipped from 22 points to 15 in one moto, so will need to respond in race two. 

Geerts, though, was outstanding in the front. Perhaps this is the type of performance he felt he should have put in on Sunday in the first moto when he crashed out whilst pressuring Vialle for the lead. Nonetheless, the result came at an important time for Geerts, as it stopped the momentum of Vialle. 

Roan van de Moosdijk started the MXGP of Riga in the same way he started the Latvian GP at the weekend, with a strong second place. The F&H Kawasaki rider never had the pace of Geerts at the front, but was stronger than those pressuring him from behind. Having finished second overall last weekend, the Dutchman will now fancy himself for a chance at the overall win later today. 

As in the Latvian GP, van de Moosdijk was backed up by his F&H Kawasaki teammate, Mathys Boisrame, who took third in the first moto in the Riga GP. Although Boisrame finished almost nine second back from his teammate, he will be encouraged by his performance compared to, for example, Vialle. The speed is clearly there for the Frenchman, and he seems to be thriving in what is one of the most competitive teams in the entire paddock, with himself, van de Moosdijk and Mikkel Haarup populating the F&H team. 

Vialle’s fourth place was not ideal for the championship leader, but it looked at times as though it could have been worse for the #28, who looked more sketchy than he has all year in the middle of the moto. It seemed that the pressure from Olsen at the end was enough to get Vialle to find some rhythm again in the moto, and he will be hoping to carry that into the second race in the afternoon. 

Thomas Kjer Olsen looked much better in the first moto of this second GP in Kegums than he did in the first round last weekend. Of course, the broken shoulder blade is still a factor for the Norwegian, but somehow it looks as though he can manage the pain better in this Grand Prix, and a top five in his physical condition is a solid result, for sure. 

There was drama for Mikkel Haarup at the end of the first race, the Dane crashing on the split lane jump before the finish line on the final lap. Fortunately for the #11, it did not cost him sixth place, and he still has an opportunity to make a good result in the afternoon. But the crash was big, and that he seemed to get away from it unscathed is quite impressive. 

Maxime Renaux will be the rider most disappointed to miss out on capitalising on Haarup’s late error, the French rider crossing the line just 0.9 seconds behind the #11 Kawasaki. Renaux’s pace was once again not that of the leaders, and his seventh place for most of the race was somewhat distant. Behind the #959 was Jed Beaton, who recovered to eighth after being on the ground – again – in the first turn, so an impressive comeback from the Australian rider. Simon Laegenfelder and Stephen Rubini completed the top 10. 

Cyril Genot took 11th place ahead of Ruben Fernandez who was caught up in the same first corner incident at Beaton, but was unable to put on the same kind of charge afterwards and finished 12th in the end. Behind Fernandez was Alvin Ostlund in 13th and Conrad Mewse in 14th, the #426 clearly much improved from the weekend, when he was unable to even crack the top 20. Josh Gilbert completed the top 15, ahead of Richard Sikyna, Rene Hofer who was again down in the first corner, Alberto Forato, Bailey Malkiewicz and Hardi Roosiorg who completed the top 20.