In a meeting full of great passes, inconsistent results and simply beautiful surroundings, German Max Nagl scored his third win of the season on the Red Bull Ice One Husqvarna, the Qatar winner was able to catch and pass his rivals in the second race and although tied on points took the MXGP overall win due to a better second race result.
The venue played a part in the gorgeous setting in the woodland of Patagonia, the track had a sandy surface and a tough base allowing plenty of different lines without the huge ruts often found on sandy tracks. This leant itself to great racing as proved in both big class races.
The first race was won by Belgian Clement Desalle on the Rockstar Suzuki, the series leader took the lead early on and was as smooth, consistent and quick as ever here. But this time he was doing it in front rather than in second or third. He won comfortably to extend his series lead.
He did however have a scare on the last lap (not that Clement knew anything about it!) as Antonio Cairoli was looking like he was setting up a pass on the Suzuki man. Cairoli had been in second for most of the race on the 350 Red Bull KTM, but on that last lap found some incredible speed. Right at the end of the lap he was setting up a scrub over a jump (a scrub is a way of turning on the up-slope of a jump to try and get the wheels on the ground sooner and maintain speed) and lost the bike, he was almost surfing his KTM, fell off and somehow managed to get on board to finish second!
Nagl was third in this race and initially chased down by American multuple Supercross champion Ryan Villopoto, but as has been seen once or twice so far this year Villopoto struggled a little later in the race and was unable to stay with the German.
Behind them the two Honda riders, Evgeny Bobreshev beating his more highly rated team-mate Gautier Paulin here, Paulin looked a little out of sorts in Argentina after a decent start to the season. But a struggle for the two Rinaldi Yamaha men 8th and 9th for them.
Second race was a belter. Nagl was in the lead momentarily, but Desalle quickly got in front again and started to pull away as the track began to really be a major player with bumps, tricky sand sections and a whole host of very slow Argentinian backmarkers in the way as obstacles!
Desalle looked to be on his way, but by mid race Nagl simply upped the pace, rode right round the outside of the Suzuki and went on his way in a simply superb piece of riding by the Husqvarna man.
Cairoli had a strong ride in race 2 as well, putting in a stunning move to get past Desalle at the three quarter stage and also having a battle with Villopoto early on until the American started to fall away again. And Cairoli did catch Nagl initially, but the German was able to hold sway.
Villopoto too was catching quickly towards the end and the front 5 were very close together late on, but the Kawasaki man was not quite able to pass Desalle for third. Still good rides by both though the consistency of Villopoto is amazing seeing as though he has so little experience of racing to these schedules, these tracks and races.
A much better result here for Yamaha with last years runner up Jeremy van Horebeek running with Villopoto for most of the race and scoring a great 5th in race two.
But he has his work cut out to beat Cairoli, Desalle and Nagl. Max has proved here that he is capable of mounting a serous title challenge. Husqvarna have found themselves a real diamond here and so far Nagl is the winningest rider in the series.
Clement Desalle still leads the way in the points though and his consistency and speed so far are a massive part of that.
Max Nagl (centre) celebrates his victory in Argentina (Credit: Ray Archer/KTM Images)
In the 250 class there was a shock as star man Jeffrey Herlings took a huge tumble off his Red Bull KTM in the first race and looked a likely non starter for the second, holding on to his wrist from the moment he fell off his bike. He was unable to get back on the bike and therefore non scored, meaning an overall win was out of the question.
But motocross racers are made of stern stuff, and the man who was on his way to a title last year before being taken out of the season by injury came back in fine style to win the second race.
Overall win in Argentina went to Dylan Ferrandis, the only man who has looked likely to challenge Herlings anyway, and he won race one after a good scrap with Herlings team-mate Pauls Jonass on the KTM, the Latvian continuing to impress.
Second race Ferrandis had a right old up and down, into second, fell off the Kawasaki, managed to get back on board and came back for second to take the overall win from Jonass.
Interestingly the lack of a result in the first round for Herlings means he is now tied on points with Ferrandis, showing that any amount of domination can be cancelled out very quickly with a bad crash.
Hard sport this!
