After traveling the globe for the sixteen round Monster Energy FIM Motocross World Championship, the season came to an end in Teutschenthal, Germany, with Tommy Searle and Antonio Cairoli taking the victories in the MX2 and MX1 classes, respectively. Throngs of fans lined the lanes of the track as Ken Roczen made a guest appearance in the MX1 division, finishing second behind Cairoli in the overall results. While the American championship has had an extended break between the Lake Elsinore finale and the coming MXoN, those racing the European-based series only have a hand full of days to prepare.
MX2
Elliot Banks Browne shook up the running order in the first MX2 race of the day, as he launched out to the early lead ahead of Tommy Searle, but would forfeit the position after failing to launch one of the circuit’s massive obstacles. As Searle sped away with an open track, Banks Browne was soon forced to deal with Red Bull KTM’s Jordi Tixier and Bike It Monster Energy Yamaha’s Zach Osborne. After being passed by Osborne, the motor in Banks Browne’s HM Plant KTM gave out and ended his moto. Elsewhere on the track, the Red Bull KTM of Jeffrey Herlings also suffered a mechanical failure, and the newly crowned MX2 champion walked off the track. Searle, Osborne, and Tixier would take the top three finishes in the opening moto.
Nestaan JM Racing KTM’s Jake Nicholls would take the holeshot in the second MX2 moto, but was squeezed out of the lead by Searle in the early goings. In a bid to overcome his devastating first moto, Herlings raced past to steal second place from Nicholls, but was never able to close the gap between himself and leader Searle. The 1-1 sweep of the day would give Searle the uncontested overall win and brought a close to his MX2 career. The passes made by Monster Energy Yamaha teammates Arnaud Tonus and Zach Osborne on Nicholls was enough to give both riders the points needed to take second and third overall for the day.
MX2 Results
1. Tommy Searle 1-1
2. Zach Osborne 2-4
3. Arnaud Tonus 6-3
4. Jake Nicholls 4-5
5. Jordi Tixier 3-8
MX2 Championship Standings
1. 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 694 points
2. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 651 pts.
3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 559 pts.
4. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 443 pts.
5. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 434 pts.
MX1
The slope and angle of the first turn claimed numerous riders in the first MX1 moto of the day, but the Red Bull KTM bikes of Max Nagal, Antonio Cairoli, and Ken Roczen made it through unscathed and at the front of the pack. Roczen and Cairoli battled while giving chase to Nagal until Roczen stalled the 450 in a corner. Roczen’s issues would not end there, as he would later crash while exiting a turn that lead to a drop-off. Despite this, he would finish the moto in third. With Roczen working to overcome his issues, Cairoli began to stalk Nagal and made his pass for the lead just laps later. Things then went downhill for Nagal as he crashed and bound his rear wheel with fencing. This led to an odd and rather panicked moment, as he and the nearby fans worked to free the bike as he dropped down the standings. Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle used both racer’s misfortune to his advantage and finished in second place.
In the second outing, Cairoli jumped out to the lead and ran to the win, his 21st moto win of season. Behind he and second place Roczen, the most captivating battle was for third between Nagal and Desalle. The two were locked together for the duration of the race, slamming into one another in nearly every corner before Nagal made a pass stick. Paired with his first moto score, it would not be enough to earn a place on the podium and in fact Clement Desalle would be the one to finish third overall.
MX1 Results
1. Antonio Cairoli 1-1
2. Ken Roczen 3-2
3. Clement Desalle 4-3
4. Max Nagal 3-4
5. Gautier Paulin 5-5
MX1 Championship Standings
1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 692 points
2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), 594 pts.
3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 536 pts.
4. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 521 prs.
5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 505 p.
During Saturday’s press conferences, two riders formally announced the teams they will compete for in 2013 and beyond. Max Anstie will join the Rockstar Energy Suzuki team as their MX2 rider, and will contest the opening West Coast Lites rounds of the Supercross season. Max Nagal inked a two-year deal with Honda World Motocross team, which will place him on the new Honda CRF450R alongside Evgeny Bobryshev.
TAGS: Antonio Cairoli, GP of Germany, Ken Roczen, max nagal, MX GP, tommy searle, Zach Osborne
