Honda World Motocross team’s Rui Goncalves posted results of tenth and a strong fourth to collect seventh position overall through the rain of the Grand Prix of the Netherlands at a rainy Valkenswaard to open the 2012 FIM Motocross World Championship. Both MX1 races were won by KTM's Antonio Cairoli.

Goncalves struggled to find his rhythm on the CRF450R in the first moto of 35 minutes and 2 laps duration and across the rippled sand a short distance south of the city of Eindhoven. Goncalves nevertheless was able to secure a top ten finish on the factory machine and was determined for better in the second moto.

23,000 spectators weathered cold, windy conditions and heavy rainfall in the second half of the race schedule and watched the former MX2 vice-champion forge a more effective pace to catch and pass former GP winners Ken De Dycker and Kevin Strijbos. His finish of fourth place was his highest since the penultimate round of 2011 and the Grand Prix of Europe in Gaildorf, Germany.

Team-mate Evgeny Bobryshev demonstrated bravery and grit in Holland. The Russian stretched his right thumb on Saturday that left him with a painful and swollen hand. The 2011 German Grand Prix winner then suffered a crash in the first moto on holiday Monday and sustained a contusion to the hip as well as a heavy impact to the ribs and his shoulder. ‘Bobby’ was cleared to compete by the circuit medical staff and after taking a painkillers completed the second race in twelfth and bagged nine points.

LS Motors Honda’s Jonathan Barragan made his Grand Prix debut with the CRF450R and the Spaniard experienced contrasting motos. The former winner at Valkenswaard recently changed suspension supplier and was lacking decent testing time. The set-up was amiss for the multi Spanish champion in the first outing and he rode to seventeenth. Some changes and a decent start in the second affair produced a better performance and he was inside the top ten for the majority of the moto until a slip on a jump-face caused him to drop to thirteenth by the flag.

In the MX2 class another new Honda recruit, Honda Gariboldi-Esta’s Max Anstie guided his CRF250R to seventh in the final classification and the young Briton shone at the highest stage particularly in the second moto where he placed fifth.

Round two of sixteen will take place in two weeks (April 22nd) at Sevlievo for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria.

Rui Goncalves:
Race Result: 10th/4th Championship position: 7th

“I was not myself in the first moto. I was riding a little bit tight and making a lot of mistakes and losing so much time in passing the lappers. I finished tenth and knew that in the second moto I needed to change something. I approached the race differently and felt better, even if I didn’t get such a great start. Halfway through the moto I got stronger and was consistent with my lap-times to finish fourth. I was happy with that and the team have worked really hard and I want to thank them all. The track was a bit different. It didn’t get as deep and rough as it usually does and was pretty slippery. You had to keep concentrated because it was tricky out there. I’ll go home now then ride some hard pack in France and continue to focus for the next GP.”

Evgeny Bobryshev:
Race Result: DNF/12th Championship position: 17th

“The weekend started badly from Sunday and I don’t know why. Things were not going well from the free practice and I crashed and twisted my thumb. I had bad luck in the qualification heat when I went off the track and damaged the exhaust, so I was last in the gate. I had a big crash in the first moto and hit my chest, my side, shoulder and head and I couldn’t breath! My hip was really hurting and we made a medical examination and everything was OK, but there was a big contusion. The doctors left the decision up to me so I decided to go through the pain. The painkillers helped a bit, but through all the jumps and bumps it was really hard and I wanted to cry because of the pain. I don’t know what will happen in the rest of the races, but maybe the nine points I won today will help me in the championship…I hope so.”

Jonathan Barragan:
Race Result: 17th/13th Championship position: 15th

“Quite a bad day, I’m not happy with the result, but this is mainly as a consequence of our recent change of suspension and we are missing time to get the setting as we want it. I couldn’t push any harder in the first moto and it was disappointing not being able to do any better. We had to make changes and we did, and thankfully they worked for the second. I could run at a better speed and I’m just a bit frustrated by that crash at the end. Anyway we have some work to do now and plenty of races ahead.”

2012 FIM MX1 / MX2 World Motocross Championship
Round 01: Valkenswaard – Netherlands