Eight-time world champion Antonio Cairoli won the opening round of the FIM World Motocross Championship today in Qatar with a perfect 1-1 finish.
Cairoli topped defending world champion Tim Gajser, who finished second ahead of Clement Desalle.
Jeffrey Herlings struggled in his MXGP debut due to a recent hand injury and was only able to muster 15th.
Red Bull KTM’s Pauls Jonass went 1-1 in MX2 to take the opening round win over Benoit Paturel and Julien Lieber.
Darian Sanayei was the top American, finishing ninth. Thomas Covington reportedly had bike problem in the second moto and finished 16th overall.
We’ll have more from the opening round later.
MXGP Overall
1. Antonio Cairoli 25-25
2. Tim Gajser 20-22
3. Clement Desalle 22-18
4. Evgeny Bobryshev 18-14
5. Romain Febvre 11-20
6. Gautier Paulin 15-16
7. Jeremy Van Horebeek 16-15
8. Jordi Tixier 12-12
9. Glenn Coldenhoff 6-13
10. Max Anstie 8-11
11. Kevin Strijbos 10-9
12. Max Nagl 13-5
13. Jose Butron 9-8
14. Arnaud Tonus 14-2
15. Jeffrey Herlings 3-10
16. Shaun Simpson 4-7
17. Alessandro Lupino 7-3
18. Tanel Leok 5-4
19. Rui Goncalves 2-6
20. Jake Nichools 1-1
21. Valentin Guillod 0-0
MX2 Overall
1. Pauls Jonass 25-25
2. Benoit Paturel 22-22
3. Julien Lieber 20-20
4. Thomas Kjer Olsen 18-18
5. Michel Cervellin 15-13
6. Jeremy Seewer 9-16
7. Vsevolod Brylyakov 12-12
8. Jorge Prado Garcia 14-10
9. Darian Sanayei 11-9
10. Alvin Ostlund 8-11
11. Hunter Lawrence 3-15
12. Brent Van doninck 4-14
13. Adam Sterry 10-7
14. Samuele Bernardini 16-0
15. Brian Bogers 6-8
16. Thomas Covington 13-0
17. Bas Baessen 7-4
18. Davy Pootjes 0-6
19. Calvin Vlaanderen 0-6
20. Ivo Monticelli 0-3
