Loket, Czech Republic – 9th August 2009 – World Championship

Nicholls 11th and signs for 2010

Red Bull KTM UK’s Jake Nicholls scored 11th overall through the fast dips and weaves of the hilly Loket circuit for the Grand Prix of Loket and the thirteenth round of fifteen in the FIM Motocross World Championship. 21,000 people travelled to the venue close to the German border for the second event inside a week for the team and their paddock peers. On the same weekend as the British teenager – now the UK’s highest placed rider in the series – picked up his second best points haul of the season the team were also happy to confirm Nicholls’ signature on a contract for the 2010 British and international campaigns. Stephen Sword was one position behind his team-mate with 12th overall and his ranking of 8th in Moto1 was his loftiest for seven GPs in an injury-ravaged spell.

The slick and stony track with a natural layout of cambered turns was quick and relentless and with close lap-times among the MX2 field, starts were of premium importance.

Nicholls showed not only his skill but also his determination throughout the two 35 minute and 2 laps motos. The GP had not started well with a collision and fall in the qualification heat that left him low in the gate for Sunday. He got-away deep in the pack in race one and registered a creditable 11th spot. His start for Moto2 was horrendous and he was almost last exiting the banked first curve. Applying himself to the job in hand the teenager to gain ground and positions to grab 10th by the flag.

“I started the weekend with good lap-times but in the qualifying race I crashed on the second lap and was down for ages. I got back to 27th but I had times the same as the top ten runners,” he commented. “In the first race my start was bad and I just pushed through to 11th which I was quite happy with. The second race start was worse, if that was possible, and I just put my head down and kept trying and trying. I got up to tenth and was catching Roczen before I ran out of time. As much as I am content with 11th overall I am also pissed off because with good starts I could have been in the top five.”

“This has been my best season at this level and a sign of progression which is important, so I am really happy to continue with the team and also on the KTM,” he added regarding the renewed association with his team for 2010, a term for which he intends to relocate to Belgium for training purposes. “We work well together and I am happy where I am.”

Stephen Sword was able to notch his third best points haul of the year (and his most positive showing in six rounds) with 8th and 16th in the two outings. His second moto was affected by a collision with Russian Evgeny Bobryshev.

“My riding was pretty good this weekend and I was reasonably happy but I am still nowhere near where I want to be,” he said. “It was a strong race though and something I have not had for quite a long time. In the next one I almost went too early and nearly hit the gate, so that left me virtually last around the first turn. I had a good couple of laps but then lost my rhythm and a few people got me. I was stuck behind Bobryshev for a while until we both ended up going down just past the pits. I was riding angry after that and actually posted my fastest lap time. It was not what I wanted but I will take the fact that I got two solid rides and this was an improvement compared to the last few GPs.”

“A good set of rides by Jake considering he had a bit of a handicap after Saturday and it is not easy to pass at this track,” commented Team Principal Roger Magee. “He is becoming a regular top ten rider now and it is very pleasing for us to see how he has come-on this season. We are delighted to reach an agreement with him and look forward to more improvement in 2010. Stephen was able to return for us to the GPs and it was good to see him mixing with the guys in the first moto. “

Third rider Graeme Irwin took three second positions at the Billy Hutton Memorial in Northern Ireland riding the 450 SX-F and gave his chances of representing his country on either the bigger machine or his usual 250SX-F at the Motocross of Nations in October an important boost. This would provide him with some very useful experience in preparation for what will be his first full MXGP season in 2010 with Red Bull KTM UK as team mate to Jake Nicholls in the MX2 class.

Red Bull KTM UK will now travel back home to the next round of the Red Bull Pro Nationals at Canada Heights, Kent before the penultimate round of the Maxxis British Championship at Duns in Scotland. The following week will see the last-but-one meeting of the world championship with the Grand Prix of the Netherlands at the sandy Lierop.

Results

MX2 Moto1

1. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), 39:15.961; 2. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), +0:05.598; 3. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +0:06.420; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:17.945; 5. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), +0:21.079; 6. Valentin Teillet (FRA, KTM), +0:23.027; 7. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), +0:28.750; 8. Stephen Sword (GBR, Red Bull KTM UK), +0:32.980; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:34.937; 10. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KTM), +0:39.048; 11. Jake Nicholls (GBR, Red Bull KTM UK), +0:48.689;

MX2 Moto2

1. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 40:16.555; ; 2. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), +0:03.669; 3. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +0:04.985; 4. Valentin Teillet (FRA, KTM), +0:12.512; 5. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:23.197; 6. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:28.303; 7. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:37.799; 8. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KTM), +0:39.236; 9. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +0:39.556; 10. Jake Nicholls (GBR, Red Bull KTM UK), +0:44.187; 16. Stephen Sword (GBR, Red Bull KTM UK), +1:04.638;

MX2 Overall Result

1. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 43 points; 2. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), 38 p.; 4. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), 37 p.; 5. Valentin Teillet (FRA, KTM), 33 p.; 6. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 26 p.; 7. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KTM), 24 p.; 8. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), 23 p.; 9. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), 22 p.; 10. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 21 p.; 11. Jake Nicholls (GBR, Red Bull KTM UK), 21 p.; 12. Stephen Sword (GBR, Red Bull KTM UK), 18 p.;

MX2 World Championship after 13 of 15 rounds

1. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), 443 points; 2. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), 423 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), 415 p.; 4. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Yamaha), 373 p.; 5. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), 306 p.; 6. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), 294 p.; 7. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 248 p.; 8. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, Yamaha), 245 p.; 9. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), 245 p.; 10. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), 235 p.; 11. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), 209 p.; 12. Marcus Schiffer (GER, KTM), 172 p.; 13. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KTM), 155 p.; 14. Loic Larrieu (FRA, Yamaha), 151 p.; 15. Anthony Boissiere (FRA, KTM), 147 p.; 18. Jake Nicholls (GBR, Red Bull KTM UK), 130 p.; 19. Stephen Sword (GBR, Red Bull KTM UK), 105 p.;

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