Tim Gajser has never won the Loket GP, but he invites himself to the vernissage. Jorge Prado and Jeffrey Herlings are right behind, but are helpless. In MX2 it is a double in the family, Lucas and Sacha Coenen

July 20, 2024

Loket, Czech Republic, July 20. Grand Prix in Loket. The Time Practices don’t say much that can be definitively reflected in the races. Lucas Coenen and de Wolf, then Sacha in MX2. Even less do they suggest that Tim Gajser, third behind Herlings, KTM, and Prado, GasGas, is actually having a “bad” day. Instead, it happens.

MXGP. Qualifying race. Anyway, the usual three. At the start in random order. Jorge Prado, GasGas, seems to have found his star again and takes the holeshot. Tim Gajser and Jeffrey Herlings are right behind. The possible alternative is called Mattia Guadagnini, who starts in fourth place and seems to “hold on”. At the end of the first lap, however, the race is over. In order, Gajser, Prado, Herlings, it will remain like that until the finish line, gaps that reasonably testify to the fact that Gajser was not negotiable today. Almost a snapshot of a state of affairs, in the championship, that can no longer be changed. It is for the reserve positions that the race comes to life, at least. Guadagnini resists for seven laps, then gradually has to make way for first Jeremy Seewer, Kawasaki, then for Calvin Vlaanderen, Yamaha, and finally and a nice surprise, also for Romain Febvre, Kawasaki, who returns after the injury that kept him out of the race for five Grands Prix. Also Alberto Forato, Honda, seventeenth, returns and Giuseppe Tropepe, Honda, who we think in terms of performance, tenth.

MX2. The qualifying race of the “cadets” is a beautiful concert for quartet. The rest of the “orchestra” is quickly out of the race. The start is from Sacha Coenen, KTM, initially only Simon Laengenfelder, GasGas, and a brilliant Rick Elzinga, Yamaha, hold him back. The first lap does not see his brother, Lucas, and behind him is more fatigue, less certainties and increasing distances. Lucas Coenen, Husqvarna, did not have a good start, fifth or thereabouts, Andrea Adamo, KTM, made a complete mistake and remained locked up, tenth. Lucas slowly climbs up until he reaches his brother and passes him on the tenth lap, Adamo does the same up to fifth place, to then collapse on the last lap and return to ninth place. In the middle the good race of Liam Everts, KTM, who manages to pass Laengenfelder on that same last lap. Lucas and Sacha, then Everts, Laengenfelder. Leader Kay de Wolf, Husqvarna, sails on sight in sixth place, also behind Elzinga. In the World Cup standings, little has changed, only the elastics have become longer or shorter.

Of course, Race 1 and Race 2 will determine the real contours of the Czech Grand Prix.

© Immagini MXGP, KTM, GasGas, Yamaha, FXAction, Ducati, Infront, Triumph Media