MXGP Race Reports

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MXGP of Czech Republic Report

Published Sunday, 25th July, 2021

Round 5 of the 2021 MXGP season saw the riders head to the East of Europe, where Loket hosted the Czech Republic GP.

One top rider was missing from the paddock however, Jeffrey Herlings was forced to miss out the round as he continues his recovery after sustaining a shoulder injury in The Netherlands last week.

The Dutchman’s absence didn’t prevent his KTM teammate Jorge Prado from being on fine form as the Spaniard took a double podium finish with a 1-3 result in Loket.

After a Race 2 crash, championship leader Tim Gajser leaves this weekend with a lead of just 11-points in the standings, after originally heading to Round 5 with a 23-point lead.

MXGP Race 1

It was Jorge Prado who took the Fox Holeshot in the opening race of the day, the Spaniard kept his cool at the start to lead ahead of Tim Gajser and Ben Watson, the Briton got a solid start and was sitting in third.

The two front-runners Prado and Gajser gave each other no breathing room throughout the race, meanwhile behind the pair Watson could not keep up, and on lap 9 the Yamaha rider fell into the clutches of Glenn Coldenhoff, Romain Febvre, Jeremy Seewer and Antonio Cairoli.

One rider who lacked any sort of luck in the first race was Ivo Monticelli, who hit the starting gate which cost him plenty of time at the beginning.

At the other end of the field it was still all up for grabs as to who would take the victory, Gajser closed the gap in the remaining laps to his KTM rival, but just fell short and had to settle for second, only 0.529s behind Prado.

Febvre rounded off the top-three runners, with Coldenhoff and Seewer fourth and fifth on their Yamaha’s.

Cairoli crossed the line in sixth ahead of Jeremy Van Horebeek, Alessandro Lupino and Calvin Vlaanderen.

Henry Jacobi finished in tenth place on his Honda.

MXGP Race 2

Prado once again took the Fox Holeshot, something the 20-year-old is becoming very familiar with this year, although the lead was short-lasted as Cairoli moved into first.

Gajser sat in fifth place after the start and wasted no time in moving up the order, making a move on Coldenhoff and then applied the pressure on Seewer for the final podium spot.

But the reigning champion had his work cut out as he crashed just shortly after, which forced the Slovenian into the pits for repairs and eventually re-joined down in 30th.

Cairoli had no issues out in front, the Italian went on to win the second race of the day by 4.369s.

It was Seewer who crossed the line in second after passing Prado, the Race 1 winner ended the day in third with Coldenhoff fourth and Febvre fifth.

Monticelli had a much better outing in the final race, finishing fifth ahead of Pauls Jonass and a surprise name in Shaun Simpson who had a great race to come home seventh.

Lupino put his KTM in eighth, with Van Horebeek and Febvre rounding out the top-ten.