Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle claimed his first overall victory of the 2017 MXGP World Championship season at Ernee in France.

After claiming the top qualifying spot, Desalle kicked off the first of two motos with a fourth-place finish followed by a strong victory in moto two for the overall win.

Desalle made his way past Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli during moto two for the win as the current series leader settled for a consistent 2-3 result for second on the day.

To the delight of the crowd, Frenchman Gautier Paulin rode his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing to third overall using a 6-2 moto scorecard followed by Max Nagl and Jeremy Van Horebeek to round out the top five.

Defending champion Tim Gajser, who entered the event second in points, withdrew from the day’s racing due to a shoulder injury and is yet to be confirmed for the following rounds.

Cairoli continues to lead the premier class championship as he now sits a full 50 points ahead of new second-place rider Paulin followed by Desalle, Gajser and Van Horebeek.

In the MX2 category it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass who reigned supreme using a strong 1-2 result to claim the overall victory on the day.

Benoit Paturel put together a strong round of racing for second overall, the French rider claimed a third in moto one before winning the final moto of the day in his home country.

In third position it was Suzuki World MX2’s Jeremy Seewer followed closely by his Australian teammate Hunter Lawrence who used a 5-4 result for fourth-place ahead of Julien Lieber.

Jonass continues to lead the MX2 championship standings by 42 points over Seewer followed by Thomas Kjer Olsen, Lieber and Paturel. Australia’s Lawrence now holds down ninth overall following a podium last week and a fourth-place this week.

In the EMX250 class it was Frenchman Mathys Boisrame who took out the overall win using a 1-2 moto scorecard followed by Jago Geerts, Alberto Forato, Pierre Goupillon and Morgan Lesiardo.

Australia’s 2016 Motul MX Nationals MX2 champion Jed Beaton was 15th overall in Ernee after scoring a 10th in moto one and a 19th-place finish in moto two for the day.

In the Womens class Livia Lancelot claimed victory ahead of Nancy Van De Venm Kiara Fontanesi, Larissa Papenmeier and Sara Andersen. New Zealand’s Courtney Duncan was eighth overall with a 39-1 moto scorecard.

Australia’s Maddi Brown put together a consistent 15th-place overall finish in Ernee using a 12th in moto one followed by a 16th in moto two.

The 2017 MXGP World Championship now heads to Orlyonok in Russia for round 10 of the series on 11 June.