Walsh battles to 14th in final Lommel MXGP


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The Lommel circuit was not only wet and heavy due to the rainfall this time around, riders also had to cope with a modified race track. With the returning Benoit Paturel joining his team mates Dylan Walsh and Artem Guryev JM Honda Racing entered three riders for the second time this season. Walsh, Paturel and Guryev respectively placed 23rd, 25th and 30th in qualifying. Not ideal, but each of the riders had proven before that they can get great starts on the JM Honda CRF450R.
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The first “Lommel III” moto was no exception to Dylan’s excellent start habit. The young Kiwi crossed the holeshot line fourth but lost some positions in the following corners. Although Walsh managed to stay inside the top-15 for more than 9 laps he had to settle for 17th in the end. ​
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A complicated getaway and a near crash in the second moto were not what the the #53 JM Honda Racing rider needed, still he delivered a consistent performance. With P13 within his grasp Dylan made a small error late in the race that saw him drop back to 14th. His 14th overall for the day, 12th equal on points with Brent Van Doninck and Evgeny Bobryshev, boosted him from 24th to 23rd in provisional championship standings.
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​For Benoit Paturel the home race in Lommel turned out a bit too much with still a very limited amount of bike time under his belt. Artem Guryev gave it his best effort in the opening moto and was circulating in 22nd when the clutch got damaged and he was forced to retire. Unfortunately the second moto ended prematurely as well for Artem. After a big crash in which he hurt his wrist he decided to pull out.
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​Dylan Walsh: “It was nice to ride a new layout today! Overall Lommel III was an improvement and I was quite happy with my riding. Especially the second moto went pretty good until my crash at the end. Still I’m feeling that we’re gradually getting better in this type of conditions. After playing in the sand for a week I’m looking forward to a change in scenery and the next race in Arco di Trento!”
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​Artem Guryev: “Conditions were muddy and very slippery but I made the best of the situation. In the first moto I felt I might have a chance at grabbing a point or two but unfortunately my clutch got fried with 10 minutes to go. The second moto was not a good one. After a small mistake early on I tried to push and rebuilt my rhythm but I had a big one and banged up my wrist pretty bad. All in all, I’m very relieved Lommel is behind us and we can move on to Arco.”
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​Benoit Paturel: “Riding in Lommel is never easy but this one just came a little too early with not enough bike training for a race like this. This is why decided not to take any risk today. With an additional week of riding ahead of me I should be a lot more comfortable for Trentino.”

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MXGP Race 11. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 36:25.583; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:22.638; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:39.629; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:55.783; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +1:00.705; 6. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:09.550; 7. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:14.677; 8. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +1:14.890; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +1:23.600; 10. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:43.515; 11. Nathan Watson (GBR, Honda), +1:49.611; 12. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), +2:25.235; 13. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 14. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GASGAS), -1 lap(s); 15. Milko Potisek (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 16. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 17. Dylan Walsh (GBR, Honda), -1 lap(s); 18. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 19. Kay Ebben (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s); 20. Rene Rannikko (FIN, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 21. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s); 22. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, Honda), -3 lap(s); 23. Heikki Geens (BEL, KTM), -3 lap(s); 24. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Husqvarna), -4 lap(s); 25. Artem Guryev (RUS, Honda), -7 lap(s); 26. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), -8 lap(s); 27. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), -11 lap(s); 28. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Honda), -13 lap(s); 29. Manolis Kritikos (GRE, KTM), -13 lap(s); 30. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), -14 lap(s); 31. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), -16 lap(s); 32. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), -16 lap(s)
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​MXGP Race ​ 2
​1. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 36:31.050; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:18.740; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:23.084; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:30.972; 5. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:55.849; 6. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:10.025; 7. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +1:25.726; 8. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Husqvarna), +1:31.433; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +1:36.101; 10. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +1:49.623; 11. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Husqvarna), +1:58.837; 12. Dylan Walsh (GBR, Honda), +2:09.702; 13. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +2:10.945; 14. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KTM), +2:11.826; 15. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), -1 lap(s); 16. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 17. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GASGAS), -1 lap(s); 18. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), -1 lap(s); 19. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s); 20. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), -1 lap(s); 21. Milko Potisek (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 22. Nathan Watson (GBR, Honda), -1 lap(s); 23. Kay Ebben (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s); 24. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 25. Heikki Geens (BEL, KTM), -2 lap(s); 26. Artem Guryev (RUS, Honda), -9 lap(s); 27. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, Honda), -11 lap(s); 28. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), -13 lap(s); 29. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), -16 lap(s);
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​MXGP Lommel III final classification
​1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 50 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 44 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 38 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 34 p.; 5. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 31 p.; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 29 p.; 7. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 29 p.; 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 26 p.; 9. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 26 p.; 10. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 18 p.; 11. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 16 p.; 12. Brent Van doninck (BEL, HUS), 13 p.; 13. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HUS), 13 p.; 14. Dylan Walsh (GBR, HON), 13 p.; 15. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GAS), 11 p.; 16. Tanel Leok (EST, HUS), 10 p.; 17. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), 10 p.; 18. Nathan Watson (GBR, HON), 10 p.; 19. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 7 p.; 20. Milko Potisek (FRA, YAM), 6 p.; 21. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 3 p.; 22. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 2 p.; 23. Kay Ebben (NED, KTM), 2 p.; 24. Rene Rannikko (FIN, HUS), 1 p.; 25. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 0 p.; 26. Heikki Geens (BEL, KTM), 0 p.; 27. Artem Guryev (RUS, HON), 0 p.; 28. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, HON), 0 p.; 29. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 0 p.; 30. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 0 p.; 31. Benoit Paturel (FRA, HON), 0 p.; 32. Manolis Kritikos (GRE, KTM), 0 p
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​MXGP standings after 15 rounds
​1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 583 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 509 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 499 p.; 4. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 476 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 465 p.; 6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 403 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, GAS), 375 p.; 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 362 p.; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 289 p.; 10. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 263 p.; 11. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 248 p.; 12. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 233 p.; 13. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 228 p.; 14. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 212 p.; 15. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 206 p.; 16. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, GAS), 161 p.; 17. Henry Jacobi (GER, YAM), 134 p.; 18. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 122 p.; 19. Michele Cervellin (ITA, YAM), 84 p.; 20. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, YAM), 82 p.; 21. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HUS), 75 p.; 22. Tanel Leok (EST, HUS), 72 p.; 23. Dylan Walsh (GBR, HON), 67 p.; 24. Petar Petrov (BUL, KTM), 66 p.; 25. Brent Van doninck (BEL, HUS), 53 p.; 26. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 52 p.; 27. Benoit Paturel (FRA, HON), 45 p.; 28. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 44 p.; 29. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 31 p.; 30. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 26 p.; 31. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 21 p.; 32. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT, KTM), 19 p.; 33. Karlis Sabulis (LAT, KTM), 18 p.; 34. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, KTM), 15 p.; 35. Thomas Covington (USA, YAM), 15 p.; 36. Harri Kullas (EST, HON), 11 p.; 37. Nathan Watson (GBR, HON), 10 p.; 38. Freek van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 9 p.; 39. Lars van Berkel (NED, HUS), 9 p.; 40. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, YAM), 9 p.; 41. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 9 p.; 42. Milko Potisek (FRA, YAM), 6 p.; 43. Ander Valentin (ESP, HUS), 4 p.; 44. Zachary Pichon (FRA, HON), 2 p.; 45. Kay Ebben (NED, KTM), 2 p.; 46. Artem Guryev (RUS, HON), 2 p.; 47. Rene Rannikko (FIN, HUS), 2 p.; 48. Anton Gole (SWE, HON), 2 p