2012 MXoN - LOMMEL

I was lucky enough to take a little road trip out to Belguim with good friend, Martin Gunner, our second such road trip overseas and yet again a great weekend of laughter and great racing. Arriving on Friday evening just as it got dark and having to queue to get in we thought it was looking to be a busy weekend and with a reasonable weather forecast we set up camp next to a few more from our homeland and prceeded to get the bbq fired up and the beers out. Unable to get into the track untill Saturday morning we chilled at the campsite and got into our sleeping bags at a sensible time, not expecting to get a great nights sleep due to our previous overseas experiences...... as expected we didnt and emerging from our van at dawn to the sound of the music still blarring and finding it was coming from the french camp right next to us didnt go down to well .... retribution would be on the cards...

8am Saturday.....So off we went to do the track inspection.... it was sandy very sandy, viewing looked to be pretty good, well much better than i'd expected after hearing lots of horror stories on facebook about it...

11am Saturday..... Revenge is so so sweet....

Saturday Qualification races.... It was pretty busy but we were still able to get some reasonable vantage spots to click a few photos off, but feared that Sunday was going to be rammed... Was good to see the Americans getting to grips with the terrain and also the MX1 & 2 newly crowned world champions out to beat them... The usual suspects qualified with the exception of New Zealand having to go through to Sunday's last chance and Josh Coppins pulled them through to the main races.

Sunday and after a much better nights sleep we got into position for race one, both of us armed with tools to get us higher than the crowds which proved invaluable to get any photos... Im sure most of you have watched the races on tv by now or at least know the result, but for the odd few that have been in hibernation the USA got their pants pulled down... it wasnt that they werent riding well, it was just that they were out ridden on a circuit they just didnt realise would be so much different to the sand they have back at home. We cant exactly say we did great, with Max Anstie being our strongest rider silencing quite a few knockers who questioned the decision of having him on the team... Nicholls dnf'd one moto meaning all other race results stood and with Tommy Searle not looking to be at home on the big 450 through the deep sand it ment we were an also ran by the end of the day. Max however does deserve a mention after running up front looking strong put a challange in for the lead at one point before falling in the tretcherous sand.

I know a lot of you wont like this but...... Herlings was undoubtidly the star with a co-star being Cairoli both winning their respective classes. Im sure if asked Cairoli would have said that he was cruising and had extra in hand to deal with Herlings charge through the pack to come within a few seconds of making a serious challange on Cairoli's lead in the final encounter, but for the lad to come from the back of a pack of the world best riders and carve through in such a monumental way showed his pedicree in the sand. Either way Herlings has a very bright future and will undoubtidly notch up another world crown in 2013 as will Cairoli???

Enough of the banter, heres a few photographic memories I recorded....

I moved into position to get Cairoli's celebration as he crossed the line for the final time of the day, the relief was plain to see, being beaten by his younger team mate wasnt an option for him!


The mx way of a burnout....

Max Anstie, number one for the Brits...

Looking the part...

But finishing moto's is key to getting a good score... Nicholls was one of five KTM's to expire!!!

Brits where there in numbers, celebrating in the normal way...

Ryan Dungey, one of the main attractions.... although he was 'up there' he didnt look like one of the fastest men on the planet...

Blake Baggett was lapped in both of his races.... his bad starts and notorious late charges couldnt help him in the deep sand.

Justin Barcia looked to be the most aggressive of the American team desperate to show the rest of the world he could keep pace with the top Euro riders..

Uncle Sam's presence still wasnt enough to bring home the bacon...

Herling was in a class that only Cairloi could join in on....

Monster put on a good show bringing out Ken Block's rally car.

Martin grabs a few words with Paul Malin before race 1

One of the best looking bikes in the paddock..


and the rider....

Roczen was out to prove a point and he did, he was on it, the little 250 couldnt keep the pace of the 350's but he made his rides count.

Contrasting styles over a small tabletop leading into an 's' bend....

Loving the pictures of the Yeovil crew on Gary Normans stag do .

andyyam wrote:

Loving the pictures of the Yeovil crew on Gary Normans stag do .

Haha I walked past and a few yelled out 'Ady take our pic', didnt have a clue who they were lol

Possibly my fav so far.... ive still not looked through all of them

Great picture