Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2's Ken Roczen won his eighth moto from the last 10 by conquering the mentally and physically draining sand of Lierop for the Grand Prix of Benelux and the second-to-last meeting in the FIM Motocross World Championship.
The German should have taken his third overall victory on the reworked RM-Z250 but a freak problem with his chain while clearly leading the first race unfortunately prompted a non-finish.
More than 12,000 fans flocked into Lierop and through the scenic woodland setting of the flat, fast and devilishly rough sand to enjoy late summer sunshine and temperatures in southern Holland. Roczen was confident and comfortable after posting his first overdue victory in similar racing conditions at Lommel in Belgium last month and had the memory of his domination in Brazil fresh in the mind from two weeks ago.
The 16 year old was fronting the pack in his powerful attack of the terrain in the first moto until his mechanical bad luck. Determined to reverse his fortunes, Roczen was an undisputed runaway winner in the second outing. Through his success he was able to confirm his status as vice-champion with a distance over Steven Frossard in the standings that is insurmountable with one round remaining.
Arnaud Tonus had a decent day and actually out-ranked his team-mate in the final standings of the day by finishing sixth. The Swiss improved on his 2009 position on the same track by 13 positions. A promising run to sixth in the first moto was followed by eighth later on; his second race was impressive to chart as he was the victim of a first corner collision and had to fight through from the rear of the field. Tonus is eighth in the standings and has some interesting options thanks to just 12 points separating him from the top five.
Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 will immediately head back to their technical base at Lommel before starting the trip south through Europe and to Fermo on the Adriatic coast for the Grand Prix of Italy next weekend; the curtain closer of the 2010 FIM Motocross World Championship.
Ken Roczen:
"This could have been another GP win but we had a problem with the chain in the first race and it meant another DNF. The second moto went really well and I was riding smoothly until I had a bit of arm-pump but I still had some energy in reserve. I felt fresh and it was positive to take something away. We go to Fermo now and can only hope for better."
Arnaud Tonus:
"It has been a good day for me; normally I am not a sand rider! I had two good races and a great start in the first one but then couldn't find my rhythm and was tight on the bike. I did not crash but my speed was not that great; still sixth was a half decent result. I went down at the beginning of the second moto in a big crash when I hit Karro's bike after he had fallen right in front of me. I pushed really hard after that with a strong rhythm and to reach eighth was good."
MX2 Moto1: 1. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), 39:38.851; 2. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:16.380; 3. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), +0:47.631; 4. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +1:04.997; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:11.754; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2), +1:22.380; 7. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), +1:23.686; 8. Nick Triest (BEL, KTM), +2:20.793; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 10. Matiss Karro (LAT, Suzuki), -1 lap(s). DNF. Ken Roczen (GER, Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2).
MX2 Moto2: 1. Ken Roczen (GER, Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2), 40:17.580; 2. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), +0:12.174; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:12.729; 4. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:48.507; 5. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), +1:57.745; 6. Zach Osborne (USA, Yamaha), +2:11.606; 7. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +2:29.973; 8. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2), -1 lap(s); 9. Valentin Teillet (FRA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 10. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s).
MX2 Overall result: 1. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), 45 points; 2. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 32 p.; 5. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), 30 p.; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2), 28 p.; 7. Ken Roczen (GER, Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2), 25 p.; 8. Zach Osborne (USA, Yamaha), 25 p.; 9. Valentin Teillet (FRA, KTM), 21 p.; 10. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 19 p.
MX2 World Championship standings (after 14 of 15 rounds): 1. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), 613 points; 2. Ken Roczen (GER, Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2), 524 p.; 3. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), 446 p.; 4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 391 p.; 5. Zach Osborne (USA, Yamaha), 368 p.; 6. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 366 p.; 7. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 361 p.; 8. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2), 356 p.; 9. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), 345 p.; 10. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), 310 p.
