Is there a more exciting rider in the sports history than five time world champion, Jeffrey Herlings? After a poor start and struggling early, the HRC factory rider blasted past everyone, made up seemingly impossible seconds to catch and pass Romain Febvre, who had led the complete race from the opening corner.

Bavo Swijgers image

With Lucas Coenen having a horrible moto, the championship points are now very close with the second moto to come today. After being back in 27th place, after two crashes, Coenen did recover somewhat to finish in 12th place.

Championship are now Lucas Coenen 211 points, Jeffrey Herlings 205pts, Tom Vialle 191pts, Romain Febvre 182pts, Tim Gajser 173pts. The lead by Coenen in the championship, just six points.

Jeffrey Herlings: Turn one I was 15th or something and worked my way to the front. With 10 minutes to go I think Romain was like 15 seconds ahead. The last 10 minutes was nice, I just want a better start in the second one.

Lucas Coenen: I mean, I got a decent start, but first lap I made some good passes and was behind Romain, and I was settling in, but then I got on my ear, and you cannot do that here. Then another rider came up the inside, and I had another big one. I want to get the holeshot (in moto two) and ride how I can.

MXGP Moto One

Febvre with the holeshot from Vialle, Gajser, Coenen, Afamo, Benistant, de Wolf, Seewer, Renaux, and Oliver, with Herlings 11th. Herlings dropped to 12th place as Jonass passed the Dutchman. Gajser into second place as the Slovenian crowd go wild. Coenen though charged into second place. Coenen slipped over and now well back.

Coenen back in 17th spot, with Herlings into the top ten and Vialle will be loving this for the championship. Herlings into ninth palc and Coenen 16th. Coenen another mistake and he dropped to 28th place. De Wolf also crashed and out of seventh place and Herlings moved into sixth place and flying.

Febvre 2.7 ahead of Gajser, with Vialle 4.5 back, then Adamo, Benistant, Herlings, Renaux, Oliver, Jonass and Fernandez. Coenen 22nd spot. Herlings all over Benistant for fifth place and five seconds off Vialle. Herlings can get the red plate in this moto, if he keeps this up, same can be said about Vialle.

Coenen up to 19th place, but a long way from the leaders. Herlings onto Benistant and Adamo also close to the Dutchman. Febvre with a 2.4 second lead over Gajser, with Vialle 3.9 back. Herlings into fifth and onto Adamo for fourth spot.

Coenen into 17th place and the top ten on lap five was Febvre, Gajser, Vialle, Adamo, Herlings, Benistant, Renaux, Oliver, Jonass and Fernandez. De Wolf in 11th and Coenen 17th. Renaux moved past Benistant and de Wolf passed Fernandez.

De Wolf into ninth with a pass on Jonass. Herlings into fourth place and nine seconds behind Vialle for third place. Coenen up to 16th place and a bunch of riders not too far ahead. Coenen into 15th, then 14th. The Belgian is flying, but nearly a minute back from the leader.

Herlings catching Vialle, who was catching Gajser, with Febvre 2.7 ahead of the Slovenian. Coenen into 13th place, with a four second gap to the next man, Vlaanderen. Febvre a good lap as he takes the lead to three seconds. Vialle into second place a he passed Gajser, with Herlings not making ground on the top three.

Vialle all over Febvre for the lead, with Herlings slighting catching the front men. A big lap for Herlings as he was just eight seconds behind the lead now, with six minutes and two laps remaining. Herlings passed Gajser and now just 3.7 behind Febvre.

Febvre gapped Vialle slightly and Herlings now just a second behind Vialle. Herlings into second place and now chasing down Febvre. Coenen 13th spot. Herlings now less than a second behind Febvre. Three laps to go and Herlings is pushing to get past the leader.

Vialle also closing up on the two front men, with Gajser 7.7 behind. Herlings into the lead as he passed Febvre. Huge fight for the two veterans. Vialle now out of the picture with 6.8 behind the two leads and Gajser 11 seconds back. Herlings wins it from Febvre and Vialle.

MXGP - Grand Prix Race 1 - Classification

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, Honda), 35:03.552; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:05.685; 3. Tom Vialle (FRA, Honda), +0:07.859; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +0:15.090; 5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:25.581; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:31.942; 7. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:33.611; 8. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:43.087; 9. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:45.214; 10. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Honda), +0:46.366; 11. Pauls Jonass (LAT, Kawasaki), +0:47.758; 12. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), +0:48.198; 13. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Ducati), +0:50.920; 14. Alberto Forato (ITA, Fantic), +0:57.882; 15. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +1:18.543; 16. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Ducati), +1:30.152; 17. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Fantic), +1:30.928; 18. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), +1:31.587; 19. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +1:33.549; 20. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), +1:35.860; 21. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Ducati), +1:51.306; 22. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, Yamaha), +1:54.417; 23. Ben Watson (GBR, Triumph), -1 lap(s); 24. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 25. Jago Geerts (BEL, Beta), -1 lap(s); 26. Brian Hsu (GER, Honda), -1 lap(s); 27. Federico Tuani (ITA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 28. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, Kawasaki), -1 lap(s); 29. Nico Greutmann (SUI, Honda), -1 lap(s); 30. Cato Nickel (GER, Honda), -1 lap(s); 31. Rick Elzinga (NED, Beta), -1 lap(s); 32. Yuri Pasqualini (ITA, Husqvarna), -1 lap(s); 33. Mario Tamai (ITA, GASGAS), -1 lap(s); 34. Mirko Dal Bosco (ITA, Ducati), -1 lap(s); 35. Lorenzo Albieri (ITA, Husqvarna), -2 lap(s); 36. Alessandro Valeri (ITA, Honda), -3 lap(s); 37. Theo Praun (GER, Yamaha), -3 lap(s); 38. Yuri Quarti (ITA, Husqvarna), -5 lap(s); 39. Nicholas Lapucci (ITA, Honda), -10 lap(s);

MXGP - World Championship Classification

1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KTM), 211 points; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, HON), 205 p.; 3. Tom Vialle (FRA, HON), 191 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 182 p.; 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, YAM), 173 p.; 6. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 162 p.; 7. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 132 p.; 8. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 130 p.; 9. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 126 p.; 10. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, DUC), 98 p.; 11. Alberto Forato (ITA, FAN), 93 p.; 12. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KAW), 82 p.; 13. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 64 p.; 14. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 61 p.; 15. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 59 p.; 16. Brent Van doninck (BEL, FAN), 44 p.; 17. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 40 p.; 18. Ben Watson (GBR, TRI), 35 p.; 19. Thibault Benistant (FRA, HON), 35 p.; 20. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KTM), 33 p.; 21. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, DUC), 29 p.; 22. Jago Geerts (BEL, BET), 27 p.; 23. Enzo Lopes (BRA, HON), 7 p.; 24. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 7 p.; 25. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, DUC), 6 p.; 26. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, YAM), 5 p.; 27. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 5 p.; 28. Joaquin Poli (ARG, KAW), 5 p.; 29. Tom Koch (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 30. Noah Ludwig (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 31. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), 4 p.; 32. Lars van Berkel (NED, FAN), 3 p.; 33. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 2 p.;