Image: Supplied.

Red Bull KTM pairing Jeffrey Herlings and Antonio Cairoli traded victories in Argentina’s opening round of the 2018 MXGP World Championship, as the Dutchman stole the overall in the final lap of moto two.

Cairoli won the opening moto at Neuquen from Herlings and was on par to do the same second time out, until a late charge from multiple MX2 champion Herlings saw him capture the first overall of the year.

While Herlings and Cairoli were all class at the front, Clement Desalle (Monster Energy Kawasaki) rode to two third-place scores for the final position on the overall podium. Monster Energy Yamaha teammates Jeremy Van Horebeek and Romain Febvre filled the top five.

In MX2 it was defending world champion Pauls Jonass (Red Bull KTM) who won both motos for the overall, joined on the podium by Thomas Kjer-Olsen (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) and Queenslander Hunter Lawrence (Team Honda 114 Motorsports).

Lawrence went 2-6 for third overall in a strong start to his final grand prix campaign, as fellow Australian Jed Beaton (F&H Racing Kawasaki) also impressed by taking fifth as he begins his first full season in the world championship. Beaton went 7-8 for P5 at the opener.

The 2018 MXGP World Championship will continue at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands on 17-18 March for the first European leg of the season.

Detailed results