ARMINAS JASIKONIS CLAIMS SIXTH OVERALL AT MXGP OF LATVIA.
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING’S ARMINAS JASIKONIS BATTLES HARD TO A 6-6 MXGP RESULT AT CHALLENGING GRAND PRIX IN KEGUMS.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis displayed consistency and impressive speed at the MXGP of Latvia, securing a sixth-place overall MXGP result at the restart of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship. The team’s MX2 competitors, Thomas Kjer Olsen and Jed Beaton placed eighth and ninth overall respectively, with Kjer Olsen racing following a recently fractured shoulder blade.
Arminas Jasikonis recorded a strong opening moto result at the MXGP of Latvia. A good start saw the FC 450 racer hold seventh position early in the race before slipping back a little to ninth on lap six. The 22-year-old then went on a mid-race charge, quickly moving up to fifth position over the course of the next three laps. Jasikonis was then passed in the closing stages of the moto and crossed the finish line in a positive sixth place.
Race two was much the same as the opeing moto for Jasikonis. Despite being a little eager at the start and hitting the gate, the Lithuanian was able to sneak a tight line around the opening corner to avoid a first turn crash and emerge in seventh place. Using some creative and sweeping lines around the sandy Kegums circuit, he broke free of a battle with current MX2 World Champion Jorge Prado to secure another sixth-place finish and claim sixth overall.
Despite arriving at the third round of the MX2 World Championship with a recently fractured shoulder blade, Thomas Kjer Olsen put in a valiant effort in moto one at the MXGP of Latvia. Running as high as fifth position in the early stages, the Dane maintained sixth position for much of the race. Succumbing to the pain and losing a handful of positions during the closing stages of the moto, Kjer Olsen ultimately ended the moto in 11th place.
Kjer Olsen’s second moto was another display of grit and determination. Ending the opening lap in 18th place, the Dane produced another strong performance in his quest to salvage MX2 World Championship points. A ninth-place finish rewarded the Dane with ninth overall. TKO will rest during the coming days ahead of round four on Wednesday 12th August.
Jed Beaton endured a frustrating opening race at the MXGP of Latvia. The Australian’s great start and strong early position of sixth was quickly unravelled just a few corners into the 30-minute-plus-two-lap moto when a small tip-over demoted him to 31st place. A race-long charge saw Beaton carve his way through the field to record a 15th place finish.
Following his challenging first race in Latvia, Beaton was looking for redemption in moto two. After battling with Maxime Renaux during the early stages of the race, the Australian made the pass into sixth place at the halfway point of the race and inched away as the laps wound down. With a sizable gap ahead of him to reach fifth position, the 22-year-old maintained his position to the finish and currently sits in third place in the MX2 World Championship.
Kay de Wolf placed sixth overall in the EMX250 class for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in Latvia. The 15-year-old raced to a 7-5 result after charging through the field in both motos, moving up to fifth place in the EMX250 championship standings.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship action on August 12, competing once again at the Kegums circuit for the second of three events to be held in Latvia.
Arminas Jasikonis:“It was nice to be back racing MXGP again today with a slightly different format with everything on one day. I think it was good. I was consistent with my results, so this is a good thing, sixth place in both races, which is a good place to build from. I rode a little tight early in the first race and just eased my way back into racing the MXGP class. About halfway in I went from ninth to fifth in a couple of laps so that was good and then ended the race in sixth. Race two I was a little too eager and hit the start gate, but as I was on the inside I stayed tight around the first corner and missed a big pile up. I then had a battle with Jorge Prado for a few laps before moving into sixth place around halfway through the race. I then stayed here until the finish so two sixths and sixth overall. The bike was great on the track today, it was a tough track but the bike set up was perfect, so it made it much easier for me.”
Thomas Kjer Olsen:“It’s great to be back racing again although I didn’t know if I’d be able to race. Last Wednesday I had a big crash, fracturing my shoulder blade and my neck and shoulder are really sore. I had it taped up for riding today and qualifying was a struggle, but I lined up for race one just to see what I could do. I got a pretty decent start and then the adrenaline took over. I was sixth for a long time but towards the end of the race I was in a lot of pain and the track had lots of square bumps, so it was tough. I actually had a better second race. Not such a great start but I was able to keep moving forwards and finished ninth. So, some decent points. I’m going to rest now ahead of Wednesday and look to improve my results.”
Jed Beaton:“Qualifying went really well and I’m happy with my speed. I had a good start in race one and caught the edge of a rut entering a corner early on and fell. I was then dead last and coming through the pack pretty well, I got up to 18th and then someone just ran me off the track. So, the work I did was for nothing and then I had to start over. I used up a little too much energy in that one, basically battling the whole race. In the second moto, I didn’t get the best of starts and ran eighth for a little while. I then pushed hard to get up to sixth but by then fifth was just too far ahead to close in on. I’m looking forward to Wednesday, it’ll be a new race and I’m going in with an open mind so hopefully I can stay out of trouble and get some decent results.”
Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 3
MXGP – Overall
1. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 47pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 41; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 40… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 30; 23. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 3
MXGP – Race 1
1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 17 laps, 34:47:632; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 34:49:544; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:52:389… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 34:59:305; 22. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 37:05:370; 23. Matiss Karro (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:48:715; 27. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 35:19:658
MXGP – Race 2
1. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 34:42:555; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:43:780 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:00:758… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:06:829; 20. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 36:36:692; 21. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:50:935; 22. Matiss Karro (Husqvarna) 35:07:409
MX2 – Overall
1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47pts; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 40; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 38… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 22; 9 Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 21… 10. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 21; 21. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 4
MX2 – Race 1
1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 17 laps, 35:20:720; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 35:27:599; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Yamaha) 35:34:213… 10. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36.04.775; 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:11:667; 15. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:17:688; 20. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:03:628; 25. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 37:41:285
MX2 – Race 2
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 17 laps, 35:16:839; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:21:109; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 35:24:376… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:50:334… 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:06:186; 11. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36:19:609; 18. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:18:366
Championship Standings – After Round 3
MXGP
1. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 130pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 126; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 103… 7. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 83; 19. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 26; 22. Evgeny Bobryshev 17; 26. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 9; 29. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 5
MX2
1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 134pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 112; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 95… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 73; 11. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 48; 22. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 15; 23. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 15; 31. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5
Text/Bild: Husqvarna