KTM’s power duo Jeffrey Herlings and Tony Cairoli both exited the Latvian GP injured as Tim Gajser, who crashed hard in qualifying, came back to extend his series lead with an overall win.

Herlings crashed on the warm-up lap for the first race over a jump, and Armenas Jasikonis couldn’t avoid him. He ran over the world champ’s injured right foot.

Herlings still made the start, tailed Arnaud Tonus until a couple of laps to go then pounced to take his first win for nine months. But after the moto, he went to hospital where a broken ankle was diagnosed so he couldn’t start race two.

Cairoli took third place in the moto from Romain Fenvre while red plate holder Tim Gasjer, in pain from a crash in qualifying, held on for sixth.

In the second moto, Cairoli went down hard on the first lap and went out, holding his arm and shoulder. He retired.

Gajser stalked holeshot man Jeremy Seewer and took the lead and the win, tailed by Romain Febvre, Seewer and Tonus in a close race to the finish.

That means Gajser, Febvre and Tonus all tied on 40 points each. Gajser took the overall from Febvre and Tonus, and the Slovenian now has a 33-point lead over Cairoli.

Tommy Searle was 11th in the opener then failed to finish the second moto with a broken bike. Max Anstie was 10th overall.

In the MX2 class, Jorge Prado extended his series lead with two wins, while Jago Geerts took second from Thomas Kjer Olsen. Ben Watson took fourth place to elevate himself to fourth in the series. Adam Sterry took ninth overall.