Monster Energy Triumph Racing’s Mikkel Haarup has placed fifth overall at the MXGP of Switzerland following two consistent race results. A hard charge through the field in demanding conditions to fifth in race one was improved upon in the second moto when the Dane crossed the line in fourth. For Camden McLellan, it was tough day at the races but he placed 10th overall despite overcoming a little adversity in both motos.
The hardpack track of Frauenfeld hosted the 17th round of the MX2 World Championship, and conditions changed considerably from Saturday to Sunday. The qualifying race took place under sunny skies where Haarup and McLellan placed sixth and 10th respectively before overnight rain transformed the conditions for Sunday where heavy, sticky mud presented a new challenge at the Swiss GP.
With many years of racing experience at the highest level, Mikkel adapted quickly to the testing conditions in Switzerland and lined up for race one unphased. Unable to get the best jump off the line, the 22-year-old was mired in the mid-pack but fought through to eighth on lap five before setting the fastest lap of the moto while reeling in the leading riders. A late-race charge saw Haarup pass three rivals in quick succession to end a strong opening race in fifth.
Starting sixth in race two and quickly moving into fifth set Haarup up for an improved result and a potential spot on the overall podium. However, with the track drying out and becoming increasingly one-lined it made passing difficult, and Mikkel was only able to make one pass all race. Crossing the line in fourth secured fourth overall, and with the points collected, he returns to fifth in the MX2 World Championship standings.
One week on from his impressive performance in The Netherlands, Camden wasn’t quite able to replicate the same results in Switzerland. In the opening moto of the day that took place in difficult conditions, the South African spun on the metal start grate and was subsequently buried down field. A race-long push resulted in a 10th-place finish while a first-turn crash in race two prevented him from reaching the top 10. Placing an eventual 11th secured 10th overall on the day, with the always-positive youngster already focused on the next round in Turkey.
Next weekend, Monster Energy Triumph Racing will enjoy a weekend off on the MXGP calendar before heading to the MXGP of Turkey that’s set to take place over the weekend of September 7-8 at the hardpack circuit of Afyonkarahisar.
Mikkel Haarup: “It’s been a really challenging weekend with the track and conditions here in Switzerland. I finished fifth overall, which is ok but of course being on the podium would have been better. There were some great battles in both races today and now we look ahead to Turkey for the next round.”
Camden McLellan: “This weekend has been a bit difficult for me as my starts weren’t the best. In the first race I spun on the grate but then in the second one I got caught up in a first turn pile-up. Besides that, though, I felt super-fit on the bike and I just need to work hard on the hardpack tracks ahead of Turkey as that’s a similar track to here. And my starts as well so that I can stay out of trouble early on in each race.”
Vincent Bereni – Monster Energy Triumph Racing Team Manager: “Switzerland was definitely an interesting round with a dry Saturday and really muddy Sunday. But both our riders and the whole team adapted pretty well to the changing conditions. For Mikkel it was a good and consistent weekend and he set the fastest lap time in race one too, so that’s really encouraging. Camden couldn’t quite find his speed from last weekend and he also had issues at the start of each race, which made things even tougher for him. But now, we look forward to the remaining races and more chances to get back on the podium.”