08.10.2018

KTM ON TOP OF THE WORLD AT 72ND MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS

This press release has: 8 Images
KTM concluded a sensational motocross season at the weekend with success at the 72nd Motocross of Nations, held at the RedBud track, Michigan, USA, in which all classes were won by Red Bull KTM Factory riders. Glenn Coldenhoff, Jeffrey Herlings and Jorge Prado enjoyed individual victories, with both Dutchmen on the podium in third, while Tony Cairoli finished runner-up as part of team Italy.
It is the biggest, most atmospheric motocross event of the year where riders represent their countries in teams and battle racers from around the world. Despite the wet conditions, an 81,700-strong crowd were there to witness the MXON’s return to the USA on the rough and sandy soil of the RedBud circuit.

Racing for The Netherlands, recently-crowned MXGP Motocross World Champion Jeffrey Herlings won the opening MXGP & MX2 race aboard his KTM 450 SX-F MXGP machine. Spanish rider and MX2 World Champion Jorge Prado, who had led the opening stages of the moto, took an exceptional third position overall and as the first MX2 rider with his KTM 250 SX-F. Tony Cairoli, who had won the previous day’s qualification, recovered from a first turn crash to earn sixth place overall and fifth in MXGP.

The second 30-minute plus two-lap moto saw the Open & MX2 classes line-up together where an outstanding Glenn Coldenhoff took the victory. The Dutch racer, who had won his qualifying heat in the previous day, mastered his starts all weekend to win his first moto by a superb 16 seconds. A hard-charging Prado once again came third in the combined results against the much more powerful 450cc machines and second in MX2, helping team Spain to eighth in the nations overall.

In the final moto, for the MXGP and Open class, an untouchable Coldenhoff led the way from gate to flag to complete an exceptional weekend in which he enjoyed his best performance of the season. Herlings finished in second position, just under four seconds behind his teammate, and The Netherlands team concluded the weekend with third on the podium. Cairoli’s fourth place helped team Italy secure a nations podium second, and he was third overall in the MXGP category, as France clinched the nations win for the fifth year in a row. KTM riders won all three motos, and took all three class wins. Herlings was victorious in MXGP, Coldenhoff was the Open class winner and Prado won the laurels in MX2.

With the last MXGP of the year in Imola and the Motocross of Nations taking place within a week, the competitive season came to a close for Red Bull KTM. 2018 has been an epic campaign with both MXGP and MX2 titles and second positions confirmed with the KTM 450 SX-F and KTM 250 SX-F motorcycles. Success at RedBud rounded-out a memorable year.

Herlings: “Me and Glenn did a great job. I won my first moto and he went 1-1: we deserved to win and it was a shame we didn't get the results with our MX2 rider. We were so close but Team France were the best today and we should respect that. I want to thank Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for the whole season; they did an incredible job. I also want to thank the Dutch Federation for being behind us. We had a great weekend and some great days here. I’m happy to finish off the season. Next year it will be at Assen and home soil and if Glenn has the same breakfast and we get another result then we can definitely go for the win. It has been a good day.”

Coldenhoff: “This definitely feels good and going 1-1 at the Motocross of Nations is kinda crazy. I have no words. I think this is a great and beautiful track and the conditions were great. It is just a shame for Calvin (Vlaanderen – team Netherlands MX2 rider); he could have finished in the top fifteen easily in the first moto but there were some issues and then he couldn't start the second one. It has still been a great day to be up here [on the podium] and congratulations to the other teams. We were the strongest today. I loved being out here.”

Cairoli: “We are very happy to be on the podium. It is amazing actually because last week [after the Imola crash] we did not expect to be here. We had a strong race and both days I felt good on the RedBud track. We could have won and we ‘had the cards’ to do it but I threw it away in the first moto with a crash and Alessandro also in his first race. It’s bad when you lose by only a few points but this is the Motocross of Nations – the best race of the year – and we are very happy to be on the podium. It was a good end to an amazing season. Congratulations to France for a strong race and to Holland also, a shame about the bad luck. This [the results] is good for European motocross and we are proud of our series. Thanks to everybody and to Youthstream for organizing a great event again.”

Prado: “It was a great weekend. It was nice coming here as the new World Champion in MX2. I enjoyed today even if the track was tough but I had two good starts – which is pretty cool on an MX2 bike. I was leading that first moto for twenty minutes … I’m really happy. This is the second year that I won the Ricky Carmichael Award so I want to say thanks to the team and also to Team Spain. We did a good job coming here and we were near the top.”
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Images (8)

01_Coldenhoff Herlings Podium RedBud (USA) 2018
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Prado RedBud (USA) 2018
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Prado KTM 250 SX-F RedBud (USA) 2018
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Herlings KTM 450 SX-F RedBud (USA) 2018
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Coldenhoff KTM 450 SX-F RedBud (USA) 2018
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Cairoli RedBud (USA) 2018
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Cairoli KTM 450 SX-F RedBud (USA) 2018
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02_Coldenhoff Herlings Podium RedBud (USA) 2018
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Contact

CEE - Monika Zilincikova
Monika Zilincikova
KTM CENTRAL EAST EUROPE s.r.o
H-Business Center Rožnavská 24
SK-821 04 Bratislava 2
monika.zilincikova@ktm.com