The 1-2 in the MX1 class wrapped up a perfect weekend for the factory team with KTM riders winning all motos and sweeping top podiums - also in MX2 and in the opening round of the Women's World Championship. The result prompted KTM's Offroad Director Pit Beirer to comment at the end of the day: "Six out of six. It doesn't get any better than that!"

MX 1

Nagl - 1st:
I’m really happy about my two starts, I twice got holeshots and that was my goal again this year because if you are good at the start it’s easier to stay somewhere in the top five. Now I’m really happy because I have the red plate for the first time now for sure I will try to keep it for as long as possible.

Clement Desalle - 3rd:
For sure this is a good result to start the season. I did not want to crash today or take any big risks so I am happy with how it went. I had a battle with Steve and when he passed me I followed him and saw some other lines. The conditions were pretty difficult; the track was softer with more lines than usual. I had to really concentrate on the last lap of the second moto because I knew the others were close. I am pleased to be on the podium for Rockstar Teka Suzuki but there is still a long way to go this season.

Philippaerts - 4th:
I feel good, we have done a lot of work and it has been perhaps one of the busiest off-season periods I have had. This weekend will be the start of a long championship and it will be important to start in the right way. For sure I have good memories of Bulgaria and it is a track I like. The new YZ450FM has a lot of usable power and the bike handles so well because of the different character of this machine; I think we can make some good races.

Steve Ramon - 5th:
I have a better feeling about the grand prix after that second moto. The first race was not good. I started badly and was pushing in the first laps but making mistakes. I was having problems with the suspension and I could not go full-gas. I did the best I could and took seventh, which I was not happy with. We changed the suspension set-up completely for the second moto and there was a big difference. I found I could ride much better. The track was really rough and difficult to attack. You had to concentrate hard. In the end we did a good job and now I am looking forward to the next race.

Jonathan Barragan – 7th:
I crashed in the qualifying race so I only had the fifteenth gate for Sunday. That inevitably meant that I had two bad starts, and then I made many more mistakes, crashing twice in each race. It is unfortunate that I was not able to battle at the front, but I had good speed and came back to sixth in each race. You can’t compare the tracks in Spain with this one, but my feeling with the bike is getting better with each race so I’m already focused for Mantova next weekend.

Xavier Boog – 8th:
I felt more and more comfortable as the weekend progressed. On Saturday evening I had not been so happy with my twelfth position in the qualifying race, but I got two good results on Sunday. I had a good start in the first race and then battled with established MX1 riders such as Ramon and Coppins. I lost two positions when De Dycker and Cairoli passed me, but they were both charging hard and I was happy with my eighth place. My start in the second race was similar to the first but I made some mistakes on the opening lap and several riders passed me. That made the race more difficult for me and a few laps later I had a small crash, but I was able to fight my way back to ninth place at the finish. It was a tough day, but my goal in my first MX1 GP was to be in the top ten and I did just that in both motos.

Sébastien Pourcel – 11th:
The weekend started well when I took second place in the qualifying race on Saturday, but today I had a few problems. I had a good start in the first race and I had found a good rhythm until I hit a neutral in the waves section. I crashed, and unfortunately Cairoli jumped on my bike and damaged the pipe and the side panel. The second race was better, but still not what I was expecting as I made a couple of small mistakes and even had a small crash when I was third. I worked all winter but this was my first GP race for almost a year and I know that I have to continue to work; I think I will be back at my best level in another four to six weeks.

MX 2

Musquin – 1st:
This is great for the team and for me. It’s very good to win the first GP and good for the championship although it is very long. My speed was better today than yesterday and also my style because I was a little bit tight yesterday. The track was perfect. There were many good lines and the jumps were perfect. I am very happy on my bike and its fun to ride with it. Now I just have to stay focused.

Ken Roczen - 2nd:
I could not race this GP last year because I was too young so it is good to be up there on the podium. I knew the track already from other races and although it was softer and rougher it was still good. I stayed with Marvin in the first moto and although other people also had to deal with the backmarkers I got stuck a little bit. I was riding stiffer compared to Saturday and knew I needed more of an advantage in the second moto. In the end my first two laps were horrible! I took the lead early and went a bit crazy. I had ridden that corner many times but I misjudged it and hit the second rut. I tried to be focused after that and I found some decent lines so I could overtake quickly; in the end it turned out good. I am very happy to go to the second race in Mantova second in the championship. Congratulations to Arnaud for a good GP. The team worked hard for us both and the bikes were excellent.

Steven Frossard – 3rd :
It’s the first time in my career that I have finished the opening race of my championship on a podium, so I’m pretty satisfied. I made some mistakes during the races and crashed twice; that was two times too many to beat Musquin and Roczen who were both very fast on this track. I had two good starts and was watching their lines for the first few laps, but then a couple of mistakes in both races cost me any chance of the win. Being the first race of the season, I was a little tense on the bike, but now it’s over I can focus on Mantova.

Jeffery Herlings – 4th:
This weekend was my first GP. I started off pretty good with the fastest time in free training and I was third in pre qualifying. Then I pulled the holeshot in the first heat and led for a couple of laps before finishing in sixth. I also got the holeshot in the second heat and led for some laps before I got past by Marvin and Ken. I eventually finished third, which was amazing for my first GP. I felt pretty strong this weekend. I was fourth overall and I’m very happy about that.

Arnaud Tonus - 5th:
I am really happy. To be so close to the front at the first GP is just great. I was consistent in the races and kept good lap-times. I also did well on the starts and that helps so much. It felt good to get in that sort of rhythm so early. The bike worked so well for me and also the team. The track had some really deep ruts and it was very physical so I am happy to see an improvement in this area of my riding also.

Jeremy Van Horebeek – 6th:
I had two good starts today, but the first few laps in both motos were really intense, and I simply made too many mistakes. Once I got into my rhythm and found the best lines I was able to ride a much smoother race. My goal was top five overall today and I was sixth, so I was not that far off. I know where I need to improve though, and I can already focus on Mantova next weekend.

Shaun Simson – 8th:
It was always going to be a tough weekend because I had three weekends off the bike after Hawkstone Park and I could only train four or five times before this weekend. I came here with the goal of a top seven place. That was realistic for me. I made it happen in the first, so I’m happy about that but I couldn’t make it in the second race. Next weekend is a little bit more my style of track. I think I can use less energy on that track and then we have one weekend off before Valkenswaard. From then on you are going to see the real Shaun Simpson!

Nicolas Aubin – 17th:
I had the worst qualifying race of my career on Saturday, so I had an outside gate which made both starts difficult. In the first race I had come back to thirteenth position when I stalled the engine. I’ve been sick for two weeks and I started to feel tired in the second moto. I got up to eleventh at one stage but the second half of the race was difficult and I lost two positions. But we’ll continue to work hard, and I’m sure better results will come soon.