Red Bull KTM's MX1 factory rider Max Nagl made the ADAC MX Masters a true nail-biter on Sunday when he fought right to the bitter end to claim victory from Belgian Clement Desalle in the fourth round of the series held in Ried im Innkreis.
Races in all three classes were decided in the final stages making it a real thriller for the 7,000+ spectators who, undeterred by indifferent weather, attended the event.
Nagl on Top of His Game
Nagl, who is making a strong comeback to elite racing after a viral infection affected his physical health in the past month, tackled the course in a mix of rain and cloudy weather and very mild temperature. In the Masters Class he finished in front of Desalle and Hungarian rider Kornell Nemeth of the KTM Sarholz Racing team of Germany. Nagl's Red Bull KTM MX2 factory rider team-mate Rui Goncalves of Portugal was fifth.
First Race Blitz
Nagl got away well in the start of race one and kept the lead throughout the heat while in race two it was a true battle between Nagl, Desalle and Nemeth. The German rider relinquished the lead to Desalle in the twelfth round and Desalle who was able to hang onto it until the end of the race. "I made a mistake in the second race and Clement was able to pass me. I stuck close to him but overtaking the back markers cost me a lot of time so I wasn't able to retake the lead. If it wasn't for this I certainly would have tried!" Nagl said after the race. KTM rider Kornel Nemeth was also satisfied with his third place finish: "I am really satisfied with third place. It was a great and successful race weekend for me."
Rattray a Special Guest
MX2 championship leader and holder of the coveted red number plate, Tyla Rattray of the Red Bull KTM Factory Team, was present at the event as one of a lineup of special celebrity guests giving dedicated fans the opportunity to get close up and personal with their MX heroes. Tyla is currently preparing to race in his native South Africa at the next MX2 GP and is bound to be riding with a huge wave of support from his home country fans.
Also contested over the weekend was the ADAC MX Youngster Cup and the ADAC MX Junior Cup where Dennis Ullrich (DMSB KTM Kosak MX-Junior-Team) came home in front of Donny Bastemeijer and Jeffrey Herlings.
Images by Poensgen R.
