MOTTO: CROSSER!

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders launched their bid to retain the MXGP and MX2 world titles on Saturday night at the Losail circuit in Qatar with a win in MX2 for Jeffrey Herlings and a podium third for Tony Cairoli in MXGP.
On the other side of the Atlantic Ryan Dungey took his first 450SX win of the season at Indianapolis and is now second overall in the championship point standings after nine rounds.

MX2 & MXGP Qatar

Both KTM riders had to work hard for their result with Jeffrey Herlings back on the track after only one pre-season race and almost six months off with injury, while Tony Cairoli was hampered with pain from a knock on the ankle in a qualifying crash.

Despite the win, 19-year old Herlings was visibly disappointed with his performance on the KTM 250 SX-F. “I am still having problems with my starts, we’re working on them but I need to improve. But tonight I just wasn’t happy with my riding. All I can do is to keep working on it and hope to be better next weekend in Thailand”, Herlings commented, adding: "I just need a little more speed and way better starts. The bike is perfect, and the team is perfect. It’s all about myself and I'll try to work on that, regroup and have a good race next weekend."

Herlings’ MX2 Factory teammate Jordi Tixier of France did not have a comfortable ride in Qatar, picking up a couple of seventh places to finish overall eighth on the night.

It was also a hard night’s work for Red Bull KTM’s Tony Cairoli on his KTM 350 SX-F in the newly named MXGP class, due to a pre-season ankle injury. "Last week I didn't even know if I could put my foot down on the footpeg, I had so much pain. But with the work we did we made so much improvement on my ankle. I twisted it twice again on this slippery track, once in qualifying, when I had a small crash and once in the race when I tried to pass Bobryshev. I tried to do my best out there and to be on the podium. My goal for the season is to always be on the podium in every race."Cairoli’s teammate and sparring partner Ken de Dycker of Belgium is currently out through injury and is not racing the two fly away races.

AMA Supercross Indianapolis

Ryan Dungey was on the gas from the first practice through to the final checkered flag with the KTM 450SX-F. “This win was a long time coming”, stated Dungey. “It feels so good to finally be on the top step. The track was really tough tonight. It was very soft and technical with a lot of big ruts. We are only halfway into the season and I’m finally gaining some points toward the championship. My goal is to remain consistent, as you never know what can happen with eight rounds remaining. I want to give a big thanks to the entire Red Bull KTM Factory Team for their hard work.”

Heading to the tenth round of the season, Dungey has jumped up to second overall in the point standings while Ken Roczen remains third overall despite not finishing the Indianapolis Supercross.

MX2 & MXGP Qatar

Results MX2
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), KTM (2-1)2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Kawasaki (1-6)
3. Romain Febvre (FRA), Husqvarna (5-4)
4. Arnaud Tonus (SUI), Kawasaki (10-2)
5. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS), Husqvarna (6-5)Standings MX2 after 1 of 18 rounds
1. Herlings, 47 points2. Ferrandis, 40
3. Febvre, 34
4. Tonus, 33
5. Butron, 31
Manufacturers Standings MX2 after 1 of 18 rounds
1. KTM, 47 points2. Kawasaki, 47
3. Husqvarna, 34Results MXGP1. Gautier Paulin (FRA), Kawasaki (3-1)
2. Max Nagl (GER), Honda (1-4)
3. Tony Cairoli (ITA), KTM (2-3)4. Steven Frossard (FRA), Kawasaki (4-2)
5. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL), Yamaha (5-5)Standings MXGP after 1 of 18 rounds1. Paulin, 45 points
2. Nagl, 43
3. Cairoli, 424. Frossard, 40
5. Van Horebeek, 32Manufacturers Standings MXGP after 1 of 18 rounds1. Kawasaki, 45 points
2. Honda, 43
3. KTM, 42Next Round: March 9, 2014 – St. Racha (THA)

AMA Supercross Indianapolis

Results 450SX class
1. Ryan Dungey (USA), KTM, 18:23:650 min (20 laps)2. Eli Tomac (USA), Honda, +6.926 sec
3. Cole Seely (USA), Honda, +12.217
4. Ryan Villopoto (USA), Kawasaki, +15.472
5. Broc Tickle (USA), Suzuki, +18.055Standings 450SX class after 9 of 17 rounds1. Vilopoto, 184 points
2. Dungey, 161
3. Roczen, 1584. James Stewart (USA), Suzuki, 154
5. Justin Brayton (USA), Yamaha, 143Next Round: March 8, 2014 – Daytona Beach, FL