Suzuki Europe MX2's Valentin Teillet was able to celebrate his 21st birthday at an overcast and damp Loket circuit with his best result of the 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship so far.
The Frenchman earned sixth overall on the RM-Z250 at the Casino Bonver Grand Prix of Czech Republic and round 12 of 15 that was played out in front of 21,000 spectators over the weekend.
After acing second position in the qualification heat on Saturday - a personal best - it was clear that '# 37' was enjoying the loose, fast terrain even if the Loket layout was difficult for overtaking. Rainfall on Sunday morning created a greasy course but also created ruts and bumps for the roughest state the hard-pack has seen in numerous editions of the event.
Teillet did not enjoy the best start in the first 35 minute and 2 lap moto but tacked onto the back of a six-rider dispute for fourth position, finally scoring eighth. A fantastic launch for the beginning of the second race saw the flamboyant rider holding third place for seven laps of the 21-distance until he had the misfortune to enter a corner and get stuck behind a backmarker who had made a mistake in the same rut. Teillet lost two positions in the incident and had to accept seventh by the end of the sprint.
Teillet has now notched 109 points in five events since returning from injury and holds 18th position in the series standings.
Simone Zecchina was third in the European 125cc two-stroke Championship on the RM125 and is now second in the table, 11 points from the red plate with one round remaining.
The sixth round of eight in the ADAC MX Masters will take place in Austria next weekend while the 13th meeting of the FIM Motocross World Championship takes place at Matterley Basin for the British Grand Prix on August 21st.
Valentin Teillet:
"I felt good today. In the first heat I had a bad start and was 14th. It was not easy in the muddy conditions but I came back quite fast. I passed Tonus on the last lap but I knew I could do better. I was hoping for more in the second moto and my start was great; one of the best this year. I pushed hard in the first laps but then had a problem with lapped rider who had stopped in the middle of the track. I lost my concentration but to finish sixth overall and continue the progress of my results - if we forget Lommel! - was good today."
MX2 Moto1: 1. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), 39:40.474; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:10.443; 3. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, KTM), +0:38.509; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:41.139; 5. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:41.996; 6. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:42.381; 7. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:44.094; 8. Valentin Teillet (FRA, Suzuki Europe MX2), +0:48.268; 9. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:51.496; 10. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:31.482.
MX2 Moto2: 1. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), 40:00.102; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:01.227; 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:35.893; 4. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:42.843; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:44.495; 6. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:46.132; 7. Valentin Teillet (FRA, Suzuki Europe MX2), +1:04.377; 8. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +1:10.637; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +1:25.258; 10. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), +1:33.758.
MX2 Overall result: 1. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), 50 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 44 p.; 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 35 p.; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), 33 p.; 5. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), 30 p.; 6. Valentin Teillet (FRA, Suzuki Europe MX2), 27 p.; 7. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 26 p.; 8. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, KTM), 20 p.; 10. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 19 p.
MX2 World Championship standings (after 12 of 15 rounds): 1. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), 540 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 513 p.; 3. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), 435 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), 389 p.; 5. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), 325 p.; 6. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), 318 p.; 7. Zachary Osborne (USA, Yamaha), 295 p.; 8. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), 268 p.; 9. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, KTM), 227 p.; 10. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 206 p.; 11. Christophe Charlier (FRA, Yamaha), 179 p.; 12. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 165 p.; 13. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 150 p.; 14. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Husqvarna), 124 p.; 15. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 118 p.; 16. Antonio Jose Butron Oliva (ESP, KTM), 118 p.; 17. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), 116 p.; 18. Valentin Teillet (FRA, Suzuki Europe MX2), 109 p.
