HARD-CHARGING MIKKEL HAARUP SEVENTH AT TOUGH MXGP OF LATVIA

Monster Energy Triumph Racing’s Mikkel Haarup has placed seventh overall at round nine of the FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship in Kegums, Latvia. Overcoming crashes in both races, Haarup fought hard for vital points and remains sixth in the series standings as the season approaches the halfway point.

A strong start and performance in Saturday’s MX2 Qualifying Race saw Haarup claim fifth to begin the weekend on a positive note. The following day, Mikkel lined up on the start gate for race one focused on finishing up front in order to maintain his mid-season consistency.

Just three corners into the opening moto, Haarup frustratingly fell from his TF 250-X machine. From there, the 22-year-old used his experience and creative line choices to make multiple passes on his way towards the front of the field. As the race neared its conclusion, heavy rain began to fall, but that didn’t deter Mikkel from his hard charge, and he was rewarded with and impressive seventh place for his efforts.

On a much more technical circuit for race two, the Dane knew a strong start would be crucial. Emerging from the first turn well inside the top 10, Haarup then took a few laps to find his rhythm before working his way forwards. Catching up to a close battle for third place in the moto, disaster struck when Mikkel caught the back wheel of a rival while in mid-air and went down. Lucky to escape injury, after remounting unscathed, he quickly regrouped and was able to make a last-corner pass on Oriol Oliver to claim a hard-fought sixth.

Following another challenging GP due to more heavy rain, Mikkel lies sixth in the MX2 World Championship standings after nine of 20 rounds.

Mikkel Haarup: “What a weekend! It started really well with fifth in the qualifying race, and that gave me a good gate pick for today’s races. Unfortunately, in race one, I made contact with someone and crashed so I had to start from dead last. I battled hard though, fighting back to seventh and I felt really strong on the bike. I was hoping for the same feeling in race two, and although I had a good start, I was a little off the pace and lost a couple of positions. As I began passing riders, I clipped someone’s back wheel and crashed. After that I was able to make a couple more passes and finish sixth for seventh overall. I think if I can clean a few things up at the next races then I can be back on the podium again.”

Results – MXGP of Latvia

MX2 Race 1

1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:07.196
2. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 35:10.049
3. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 35:27.223
4. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 35:42.691
5. Liam Everts (KTM) 35:54.647
6. Oriol Oliver (KTM) 36:11.871
7. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 36:18.375

MX2 Race 2

1. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 34:26.176
2. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 34:41.931
3. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 34:51.680
4. Liam Everts (KTM) 34:52.480
5. Rick Elzinga (Yamaha) 34:53.220
6. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 35:02.121        

MX2 Overall

1. Sacha Coenen (KTM) 45pts
2. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 42pts
3. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 40pts                        
4. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 37pts
5. Liam Everts (KTM) 34pts
6. Rick Elzinga (Yamaha) 29pts
7. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 29pts

MX2 World Championship Standings

1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 443pts
2. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 388pts
3. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 381pts
4. Liam Everts (KTM) 341pts
5. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 327pts
6. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 287pts
13. Camden McLellan (Triumph) 126pts