It wasn’t exactly a happy Easter for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team in Frauenfeld. A late crash in the second moto cost Maxime Renaux a podium finish at the Grand Prix of Switzerland. Calvin Vlaanderen still managed to break into the top 10, while Jago Geerts (P12) had to fight his way back in both races.
Frauenfeld, Switzerland, was the sixth stop in the FIM World Championship. Notably: no action on Sunday during the Easter weekend. The practice sessions and qualifying race took place on Saturday, with the motos held on Monday.
#93 JAGO GEERTS
* Qualifying race: 19
* Race 1: 13
* Race 2: 11
* Overall: 12
* Championship: 14
Good starts, that’s what Jago Geerts had hoped for and trained for. But again, they didn’t come. In the first moto, the Belgian – who celebrated his 25th birthday on Monday – had to start a comeback race. And he did so quite well. Halfway through the race Jago had already moved up from 30th to 14th place. Not easy on this small, narrow track. Two laps from the end, he gained another spot, passing home rider Tonus to finish 13th. No improvement in Jago’s start in the second moto. Geerts once again had to work his way forward from the back of the pack. Just like in the first moto, he delivered: from 26th to 11th.
Geerts: “First of all: I’m happy I could ride. On Saturday, during the qualifying race, I had a problem with my right eye. My vision was very blurry. Luckily, the physio was able to fix that. I’m quite satisfied with my riding. It’s getting better every Grand Prix. The only issue is my starts. I always have to fight my way through the field. I will keep working hard, especially on the starts. If I can get those right, I should be able to get back into the top 10.”
Qualifying race
1 Ruben Fernandez (EspHon)
2 Tim Gajser (Slo/Hon)
3 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam)
4 Andrea Bonacorsi (Ita/Fan)
5 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw)
12 CALVIN VLAANDEREN (SAf/Yam)
19 JAGO GEERTS (Bel/Yam)
Race 1
1 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM)
2 Tim Gajser (Slo/Hon)
3 Ruben Fernandez (Esp/Hon)
4 Andrea Bonacorsi (Ita/Fan)
5 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam)
9 CALVIN VLAANDEREN (SAf/Yam)
13 JAGO GEERTS (Bel/Yam)
Race 2
1 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM)
2 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw)
3 Jeremy Seewer (Swi/Duc)
4 Jeffrey Herlings (Ned/KTM)
5 Andrea Bonacorsi (Ita/Fan)
9 CALVIN VLAANDEREN (SAf/Yam)
11 JAGO GEERTS (Bel/Yam)
MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam) DNF
Overall
1 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM) 50
2 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw) 37
3 Jeremy Seewer (Swi/Duc) 34
4 Andrea Bonacorsi (Ita/Fan) 34
5 Glenn Coldenhoff (Ned/Fan) 26
8 CALVIN VLAANDEREN (SAf/Yam) 24
12 JAGO GEERTS (Bel/Yam) 18
14 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam) 16
Championship (6/20)
1 Tim Gajser (Slo/Hon) 305
2 Romain Febvre (Fra/Kaw) 278
3 Lucas Coenen (Bel/KTM) 227
4 Glenn Coldenhoff (Ned/Fan) 224
5 MAXIME RENAUX (Fra/Yam) 188
10 CALVIN VLAANDEREN (SAf/Yam) 126
14 JAGO GEERTS (Bel/Yam) 86
Images @fullspectrum.media
