Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle triumphed on his first visit to the sandy Hyvinkää for the Grand Prix of Finland by taking his KTM 250 SX-F to 2nd and 1st in two hot and rough motos. The result allowed the Frenchman to close the gap at the top of the MX2 world championship standings from 26 to 15 points.
The tough and rough sand of Hyvinkää was made extra draining by high temperatures and fine summer weather as MXGP made the journey back to Finland for the first time in almost a decade and after a 2013-2014 double salvo at the venue. The largely flat course was another firm test of Grand Prix riders’ sand skills and fitness only a few weeks after the grueling Belgian round at Lommel.
Tom Vialle went to the line with the 9th choice of gates for Sunday’s motos after two slips during Saturday’s qualification race. Vialle had his sights firmly set on MX2 championship leader and sole title threat, Jago Geerts, as the 2022 schedule quickly winds to a conclusion. The 21-year-old raced to a solid 2nd place behind the Belgian in the first moto but attacked in the second race. Vialle stalked Roan van der Moosdijk until the closing stages of the outing and took full benefit of the Dutchman’s error to hold-off Kay De Wolf and take the checkered flag. Geerts finished 7th and was 3rd overall.
Vialle’s eighth Grand Prix win and thirteenth podium of the season helped him to wind a 26-point deficit down to just 15 with 100 left to play for in St Jean D’Angely and Afyon.
DIGA Procross KTM’s Liam Everts showed off his copious speed in the sand and scored a 7-4. The Belgian was able to breach the top five of a Grand Prix classification once more in his maiden season in MX2.
MXGP next heads to Vialle’s second home event of the season with the Grand Prix of Charente Maritime on the west coast of France next weekend. The final fixture of the year takes place at Afyon for the Grand Prix of Turkey on September 4th.
Tom Vialle, 2nd and 1st for 1st overall in MX2: “The weekend didn’t start as planned but my position was not too bad for the gate. In the first moto I tried to follow Jago but made a few small mistakes. I felt great on the track though and even better in the second moto and when Jago crashed I went for it. I ran off course at one point but then Roan crashed and I was back in front. Kay pushed me hard to the end and I knew the points for the championship would be important. I wanted to win, and it was great to do it in the sand, especially after a tricky weekend in Lommel. This was a big win for me. I will give everything I can again in France next week.”
Results MX2 Finland 2022
1. Tom Vialle (FRA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 2-1
2. Kay De Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 3-2
3. Jago Geerts (BEL), Yamaha, 1-7
4. Roan van de Moosdijk (NED), Husqvarna, 4-3
5. Liam Everts (BEL), KTM, 7-4
Standings MX2 2022 after 16 of 18 rounds
1. Jago Geerts, 676 points
2. Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 661
3. Simon Laengenfelder, 535
4. Kevin Horgmo, 476
5. Thibault Benistant, 434