Rapid Briton Conrad Mewse proved he’s back from his injured hand by taking third place in the tough, sandy conditions of the Assen MX2 qualifying race. Series leader Jorge Prado took the win from Honda’s Calvin Vlaanderen.
Prado led the early going from fast-starting Mewse as Thomas Kjer Olsen, Thomas Covington, Hunter Lawrence and Anthony Rodriguez all went down in the first corner. Ben Watson also crashed in the moto and dropped down the pack.
As Prado made his mark at the front and began to pull away, Mewse held off Vlaanderen, Bas Vaessen and world champ Pauls Jonass. Mewse eventually was passed by Vlaanderen from Henry Jacobi and Jonass.
Jeffrey Herlings romped to an easy win in the MXGP qualifying race from Tony Cairoli and Glenn Coldenhoff in a clean sweep for the Red Bull KTM factory team.
Herlings, who was also fastest in times qualifying, just needs five points from tomorrow’s races to be crowned world champion.
Herlings quickly took the lead in the race from rival Cairoli, chased by Tim Gajser, Clement Desalle, Coldenhoff, Max Anstie, Shaun Simpson, Jeremy Van Horebeek and Tommy Searle.
As Desalle dropped back, Herlings pulled away. The Belgian scrapped with Simpson for sixth until the Scot went down and dropped to 10th. Gautier Paulin passed Searle with two laps to go, as Simpson took ninth.
MX2
1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 24:46.693; 2. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Honda), +0:07.813; 3. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +0:12.442; 4. Henry Jacobi (GER, Husqvarna), +0:32.068; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:33.957; 6. Bas Vaessen (NED, Honda), +0:35.086; 7. Alvin Östlund (SWE, Yamaha), +0:42.086; 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:47.558; 9. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda), +0:57.332; 10. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +1:05.183; 11. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), +1:10.297; 12. Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +1:11.326; 13. Hardi Roosiorg (EST, KTM), +1:25.735; 14. Marshal Weltin (USA, Kawasaki), +1:34.920; 15. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, Yamaha), +1:42.128; 16. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +1:08.269; 17. Brent Van Doninck (BEL, Husqvarna), +1:43.308; 18. Anton Gole (SWE, Yamaha), +1:44.735; 19. Simone Furlotti (ITA, Yamaha), +1:47.159; 20. Morgan Lesiardo (ITA, KTM), +1:56.385; 21. Anthony Rodriguez (VEN, Yamaha), +2:39.423; 22. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 23. Jakob Nielsen (DEN, KTM), -1 lap(s); 24. Rene De Jong (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s); 25. Lars Griekspoor (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s); 26. Richard Sikyna (SVK, KTM), -1 lap(s); 27. Anthony Bourdon (FRA, KTM), -1 lap(s); 28. Timur Petrashin (RUS, KTM), -1 lap(s); 29. Oriol Casas (ESP, Honda), -1 lap(s); 30. Eric Grondahl (USA, KTM), -3 lap(s); 31. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Kawasaki), -7 lap(s); 32. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), -12 lap(s);
MXGP
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 24:10.420; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:17.945; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:20.619; 4. Max Anstie (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:26.627; 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:30.909; 6. Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:47.821; 7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:54.214; 8. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:58.863; 9. Shaun Simpson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:59.670; 10. Julien Lieber (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:12.143; 11. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +1:13.040; 12. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, KTM), +1:33.409; 13. Tanel Leok (EST, Husqvarna), +1:35.663; 14. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +1:44.944; 15. Filip Bengtsson (SWE, Yamaha), +1:46.062; 16. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 17. Matiss Karro (LAT, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 18. Sven Van der Mierden (NED, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 19. Brian Bogers (NED, Honda), -1 lap(s); 20. Graeme Irwin (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s); 21. Harri Kullas (EST, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 22. Jeffrey Dewulf (BEL, KTM), -1 lap(s); 23. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), -1 lap(s); 24. Milko Potisek (FRA, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 25. Lars van Berkel (NED, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 26. Erki Kahro (EST, KTM), -1 lap(s); 27. Maxime Desprey (FRA, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 28. Nino Dekker (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s); 29. Nathan Renkens (BEL, Honda), -1 lap(s); 30. Manolis Kritikos (GRE, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 31. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, Yamaha), -6 lap(s); 32. Petar Petrov (BUL, Honda), -9 lap(s); 33. Todd Waters (AUS, Honda), -9 lap(s); 34. Jonathan Bengtsson (SWE, KTM), -9 lap(s); 35. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Suzuki), -11 lap(s);