It’s dead even at the top of the MXGP world championship after Tony Cairoli stormed to a double win in front of his arch rival Jeffrey Herlings at Redsand in Spain – exactly the opposite of a week ago in Holland. Each rider now has three moto wins and three second places from the first three GP, so are level on points.

Once again Cairoli got good starts in both motos and set about taking the lead and pulling away as quickly as possible. And again, Herlings didn’t have the best starts but pulled though to second in both motos, this time unable to catch and pass his team-mate. Backmarkers got in the way of Cairoli but he held on in the opener, despite taking eight laps to finally get to the front. Then second time out Herlings briefly fell and charged hard but was no match for the Italian who got the front as quick as he could.

Kawasaki man Clement Desalle ended up on the podium after two fourth place finishes, ending up level on points with ex-world champ Romain Febvre who who finished third then fifth. Gautier Paulin, who led the second moto but couldn’t keep Cairoli at bay, was fifth overall with seventh and third place finishes.

Max Anstie didn’t start after a crash in warm up left him battered and bruised but not severely injured. Shaun Simpson was top Brit in 18th overall after a race two spill while Graeme Irwin was 20th, with a 16th place in the first heat helping his score.

In the MX2 class, Pauls Jonass once again romped to his third double win of the year, fighting off the challenge of his rival and local hero Jorge Prado who had second and third place finishes. Thomas Kjer Olsen, who trains a lot at the circuit, was third overall again with a third and fourth. I, the second moto he passed Prado and charged after Jonass but fell briefly and remounted fourth, behind Darien Sanayei and Prado.

“I tried to stay cool and not make mistakes and it all worked out,” said world champ Jonass.

Conrad Mewse took sixth overall, with a stunning ride to fourth in the opener after holding the pace of the leaders. He was then ninth in moto two. Adam Sterry was 10th and 14th, Ben Watson 14th then eighth. It means Mewse and Watson are currently tied for fifth in the series.