The MXGP series visited Latvia over the weekend for Round 9 of the series; the midway point of the 2019 FIM World Motocross Championship campaign. After a massive 1-1 performance in Russia, Team HRC's Tim Gajser entered the weekend with the MXGP points lead for the first time this season. Gaiser's strong run began back at Round 4 in Trentino, Italy. Since then, the Slovenian has won four of the last five overall titles leading into Latvia. His dominant ride in Russia gave him a 13 point advantage over the 9-time World Champion Tony Cairoli heading into the weekend.
Despite publicly stating his distaste for the track, Gajser posted the second fastest time in Free Practice and was fastest in the Qualifying Practice on Saturday morning. But after a subpar start in the MXGP Qualifying Race, Gajser had a massive crash in the sand rollers while running 6th. He was able to remount and finish in 18th; all eyes were on Tim to see how he would respond on Sunday.
In the first Moto, Gajser got off to a decent start - fourth on the opening lap. However, it was clear that he was struggling with the track. Unable to get into a good flow, he slowly dropped back to 7th by the midway point. He seemed to regroup in the second half of the race, but could only muster a 6th place finish before time expired.
In Moto #2, Tim turned things around. He got off to a solid third place start behind Jeremy Seewer and Arnaud Tonus. His championship rival Tony Cairoli had a big crash on the opening lap; this was a massive opportunity Gajser took full advantage of. Riding inspired, he moved into second on lap six and started to close the gap on Seewer. He made his move on lap 11 and put a good enough gap on the rest of the field to earn the win. Bouncing back after the crash on Saturday was a huge moment for Gajser and a huge statement to the world.
WHAT'S NEXT
Gajser's points lead now sits at 33, and it's unclear whether Cairoli will miss a few rounds after his big crash. Regardless, it's great to see Tim hitting his stride and he will look to keep it rolling next week at Teutschenthal in East Germany.
MXGP CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
- Tim Gajser - 391 Points
- Tony Cairoli - 358 Points
- Jeremy Seewer - 256 Points
- Gautier Paulin - 254 Points
- Arnaud Tonus - 246 Points
- Arminas Jasikonis - 226 Points
- Clement Desalle - 208 Points
- Jeremy Van Horbeek - 200 Points
- Glenn Coldenhoff - 190 Points
- Pauls Jonass - 186 Points
For raceday Moto coverage, follow Fox Racing on Instagram @foxmoto
Durability, versatility, or mobility? As one of the only riders to complete every stage of the Enduro World Series since its inception, Mark Scott knows a thing or two about mountain bike gear. In the latest Made for Your Ride video, Mark builds a kit to ride the beautiful hills around Edinburgh, Scotland.
“Flexair is my all-time favorite summer riding jersey; it’s been my go-to over the last few years as it’s very light feeling and dries out super quick. It makes it perfect for my longer endurance rides and EWS racing."
- Mark Scott – Pro Enduro Racer
MARK SCOTT’S MTB GEAR
With breathtaking landscapes, Scotland was made for mountain biking. With its nearly limitless flexibility, Flexair was made to move. Scott put both of these statements to the test in our latest episode in the Made for Your Ride video series. The ultra-lightweight Flexair jersey and Flexair shorts are not only exceptionally breathable, but they stretch to match your every move. It’s just the gear he needs to navigate tight singletrack and switchbacks. He completed his kit with a Proframe helmet. This breathable full-faced helmet provides the ideal level of coverage for fast, aggressive trail riding.
MADE FOR YOU
Mark built his mountain bike kit to maximize mobility as he zigzagged through the Scotland countryside. Now, it’s your turn. Will you choose Flexair for its unbeatable breathability and flexibility, Defend for its unmatched durability, or Ranger for its on-and-off-the-bike versatility? Better yet, will you mix and match all three to create a kit uniquely “you”?
To create a kit of your own, use our MTB kit builder tool. With three benefit-driven mountain bike collections, the kit you imagine can be as diverse as the terrain you ride.
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