GP Bits: MXGP of Garda Trentino

The last race of the 2020 MXGP series.

Vital MX member Klinger 64408 Klinger https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/64408/avatar/c50_26116344_1575006865915996_1026050971127524528_o_1529038953.jpg?1529037957 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Klinger,64408/all 06/14/18 208 3 8 6 26 30 100 1

Klinger
11/13/2020 12:13 PM

GP Bits: MXGP of Garda Trentino

As the last race of the 2020 MXGP season, it is bittersweet for two of the long-time racers. Both Clement Desalle and Gautier Paulin announced their retirement.

Such a cool lid and impressive stats for the MX Panda.

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We wonder who will join Romain Febvre on Monster Energy Kawasaki

One last buttpatch.

Gautier Paulin wrapped up his season with 5th place in the points standings.

He also got third overall on the day. Standing on the podium is a nice way to send off a career.

Gautier Paulin: “To end my career with a podium is really good for the team, for myself, for my sponsors, but I think the best thing is to be riding at that level with those top guys. I really enjoyed today’s racing. I was riding free even though the track was really rutty and rough. We had a good set-up with my bike and I was really happy with my chassis and suspension and stuff. I really want to thank my team Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and all of the people behind me. It has been a really special day, I am feeling really happy.”

Fox bringing back the crossbones. That's four would titles for Gajser.

Tim Gajser: "As I’ve said many times, I was super happy to win my fourth world title on Wednesday. Today, my goal was just to go out there and have fun and we did that, winning the last overall of the year and it couldn’t have gone better. I want to say a huge thank you to all my team who have worked so hard and put in so much effort. In March, we did two GPs in Matterley and Valkenswaard and they went well, but then we had a long break and when we returned, I wasn’t feeling good, I was struggling. Now, the second half of the season I found good speed, I was consistent, and I was able to win the title. In the first moto today, we were running the same pace but I was losing a lot of time in the third sector and I didn’t know where so he passed me and I followed him for a couple of laps before mounting an attack. Unfortunately, the pass didn’t happen so I finished second. In race two, I got a good start and I was in front early on, and again we were riding the same pace but the gap was three or four seconds so he couldn’t follow me so easily. Then I think he made a mistake and I had a big gap so I was able to win the race, get the overall and finish off the season in perfect fashion!"

The silver rims on the GASGAS bikes have been a little polarizing. Some like the 'retro' look and others aren't digging it. In the US, it looks like team TLD will have black rims.

Tom Vialle gets to show off his #1.

Tom made a few mistakes in moto two but with the championship wrapped up, no harm, no foul.

Energy gels are more and more the go-to carb replacement for the pros.

Tom Vialle: “To be world champion in my second year is amazing. The last few days have been really good and today my riding was pretty good also. In the second moto I crashed at the start but came back from last to 5th. I crashed twice more and was a bit angry about that…but I was really fast today. I tried to be as consistent as possible this year. I was trying my best every time and focusing on good starts and riding like I do in training and it worked very well. I want to thank the whole team and my family. It has been amazing to ride in this race team the less two years. It has been fantastic.”

We just like this shot of Sander. Getting loose!

No shortage of championship branding!

Ben Watson got the overall in the MX2 class and ended up 5th in the championship points.

Ben Watson: “I still can’t believe it. I want to say I didn’t expect it, but I kind of did because I knew I could do it, but sometimes even when you know you can do it, things don’t work out, but this time it did and it is just really incredible. In the second race I got off to a really good start, I came around the first turn in the lead and I just put my head down and tried to control it to the end. What a way to end my MX2 career. I just want to say how grateful I am to Yamaha and my team at Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 and the three-years I was there, everything they put in, I am really thankful.”

Maxime Renaux ended up 3rd in the championship points, a great season for him.

Even with missing the first two rounds, Romain Febvre was fourth overall in the championship. He put together some strong finishes at the end.

Romain Febvre: “It’s always nice to end the season on the podium and go into the winter feeling confident for next year. I had a nice battle with Tim in the first moto and could catch him for the win; I think he hoped to pick up on my lines when I passed him but I could keep him behind me and I knew it would be all on the second moto for the overall GP win. My start wasn’t bad in the second moto but also not as good as Tim’s; I could see him in front so I knew I needed to pass the other guys quickly. He had a gap of nearly four seconds when I got to second; I was pushing but I couldn’t see anywhere to make up the time and in the end I fell just before the waves with five minutes to go. I was still a safe second but the chance of victory was gone. “

As of right now, Febvre is the only rider under the Kawi tent.

Fresh clutch for Jed Beaton.

Thibault Benistant is already making a name for himself in the MX2 class. Here he is squeezing his way into the front of the pack.

That's it for the MXGPs and with no Motocross of Nations this year, we'll have to wait until April for the European racing to start up again.


Klinger Klinger 11/13/2020 12:13 PM

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