Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1's Clement Desalle almost won the second moto of today's Brazilian Motocross GP at Beto Carrero after a thrilling chase to the line with Xavier Boog and ended the day with seventh overall after some bad luck in the opening race.
The superb venue, 100km north of Florianopolis, was hit by torrential rainfall Saturday night and Sunday morning and changeable weather did not deter a sell-out crowd of 42,000 spectators. The narrow layout saw the red mud become clumpy and swampy and placed even further emphasis on the importance of a decent start. Desalle hit the floor twice in the opening corners, which gave the Belgian an immediate handicap. But, to his credit, he set some impressive speed to reach fourth position but on the penultimate lap an overheating problem in difficult conditions for rider and machine caused him to stop and terminate the moto with 13th.
In the second race, Desalle was determined to recoup some points and mounted a charge from mid top-10 up until second place. He hounded the rear wheel of Boog across a drier and rougher surface but struggled to find a place to overtake and at the chequered flag, just two seconds separated the pair.
Tanel Leok had to occupy 14th position on the line after catching his weakened left leg on the start gate for the qualification heat on Saturday. The veteran MX1 racer experienced the same problem as Desalle in the first race and failed to finish. In the second affair, Leok made a superb start and actually led the field for a lap and ran inside the top-three for half of the 35 minute and 2 lap distance. The Estonian was restricted by a painful right hamstring that disrupted his attempts to maintain a rhythm until the finish but he pushed through to take seventh.
After three podium results in five rounds, Desalle maintains second position in the MX1 Championship standings. Leok is 10th and three points away from further promotion. The team can now pack up and head back to Europe and will have one week to prepare for the Grand Prix of France at St Jean D'Angely and the start of three consecutive events with trips to Portugal and then Bastogne in Belgium to follow.
Clement Desalle:
"I crashed at the start of the first moto and it was Philippaerts that caused it all but that's racing. It is just bad luck, again! I then crashed about another 300m after; it was a really bad start to the moto! I just concentrated on my riding after that and came back to fifth until the engine stopped. Normally I try to ride in a way that is not hard on the bike, especially in those conditions, so it was pretty bad that happened. I lost the chance to make some good points in that first race. In the second my start was better but Barragan fell in front of me and I had to brake. I was mid-pack and I couldn't believe my luck again. Once more I had to push and recover and climbed up to second but it was not easy to pass Boog on the last lap. I was also feeling pretty tired because everything was heavy with the mud. I have to keep on focussing on my work now."
Tanel Leok:
"We had a bike problem in the first one and there was not much I could do. I also injured my right leg in that race. I just pulled the muscle and there was so much pain I was even in doubt about whether I could make the second moto. Every time I put my right leg out I felt a big jolt, despite some painkillers. I couldn't ride like I want even though I had a great start. It is a bit frustrating because I was held back by a stupid injury that I shouldn't really have."
MX1 Moto1: 1. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 44:47.275; 2. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +1:29.145; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:43.349; 4. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +1:47.125; 5. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +1:49.116; 6. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +2:26.285; 7. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +2:43.169; 8. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +2:59.506; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), -1 lap(s); 10. Matiss Karro (LAT, KTM), -1 lap(s); 20. Tanel Leok (EST, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), -7 lap(s).
MX1 Moto2: 1. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 42:09.534; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), +0:02.155; 3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +0:07.681; 4. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:32.074; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:43.134; 6. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:53.271; 7. Tanel Leok (EST, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), +1:02.910; 8. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +1:03.333; 9. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +1:05.447; 10. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +1:26.338.
MX1 Overall result: 1. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 43 points; 2. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 37 p.; 3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 36 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 36 p.; 5. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 31 p.; 6. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 30 p.; 7. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 30 p.; 8. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 25 p.; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), 23 p.; 10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), 23 p.; 14. Tanel Leok (EST, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 15 p.
MX1 World Championship Standings (after 5 of 16 rounds): 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 203 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 179 p.; 3. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 172 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 170 p.; 5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), 154 p.; 6. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 142 p.; 7. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), 139 p.; 8. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 129 p.; 9. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 110 p.; 10. Tanel Leok (EST, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 107 p.
