The riders knew they would be in for a tough day at the office as sand is well-known for sapping energy, and then combined with temperatures touching 30C at the Dutch track, it really made them work for every point. Thankfully, Gajser was up to the challenge, riding a smooth consistent first moto as those around him had erratic races. The #243 rounded the first lap in third place and made sure to avoid any mistakes, as he eventually crossed the line in the same position.
In race two, another top three start meant he was in a really strong position for the overall, and when he moved into second on lap three, it was all but secured. However, the Honda CRF450RW rider wanted to seal the moto win as well as the overall, and after pressuring the leader for 10 laps, he eventually swept into first. Unfortunately, that battle had knocked him out of his rhythm and he had to surrender the race win later on, but it was done, safe in the knowledge that he’d still be standing atop the podium, and with an even more secure grasp on the championship-leading red-plate.
The gap at the top now stands at 23 points but with the races coming thick and fast, and on all kinds of terrain, Gajser knows he can’t afford to rest on his laurels. Next weekend is the MXGP of the Czech Republic, which is hosted at the old-school venue of Loket, known for it’s hard-pack surface and hilly layout. Like all races this season, the MXGP action will take place on Sunday July 25th, with a morning practice followed by the two motos in the afternoon, where Gajser will be once again be continuing his quest for his third world title in a row.
Tim Gajser #243
"Overall, I am happy with the day. Coming into the event I knew it would be difficult to take the victory as it was a new track for me and there are a lot of good sand riders, but I tried to ride smoothly, not taking too many risks and it paid off. Of course, I would have liked to have finished off with a win in the second moto but increasing my championship lead and getting on the top step of the podium was a good finish to the day. I know I still need to keep working hard though and I will make sure I’m ready for the hard-pack of Loket next weekend where hopefully there will be a lot of Slovenian fans who can cheer me on."
Marcus Pereira de Freitas - HRC General Manager - MXGP
"We are definitely pleased with how the day went, because with the new location, the sandy surface and the high temperatures, it certainly wasn’t an easy event for Tim and Team HRC. However, everyone put in the necessary work in order to come out on top and to extend our lead in the title race is great motivation to keep going in this tough run of races. Tim showed excellent patience today, in what were tough circumstances and despite the commanding lead, we know that things can change very quickly so he rode extremely smart and stayed safe and came out on top. We couldn’t ask for anything more, and are excited to continue the momentum into the Czech Republic next weekend."