KTM MX3 factory rider Sven Breugelmans of the JM Racing team finished overall fourth in Sunday's MX3 podium in Slovenia's Orehova Vas but his main rival Christian Beggi finished way back in the field.
Breugelmans has now established a 23-point lead in the championships after 10 of 16 rounds.
 
Sven was unable to repeat his 2007 victory on what is one of his favourite circuits, but he did benefit from his rival's off day in what turned out to be a hot day's racing with an ensuing thunderstorm in the middle of the two heats that transformed the circuit into a mud pool. JMRacing's second KTM rider Alvaro Lozano took the holeshot in race one with Sven close behind and while the Belgian was overtaken by three other riders and finished in fourth place, Beggi, who had led the championship crashed in the first corner and scored no points in the opener.
 
Rain and mud fails to stop Sven
Despite the rain soaked circuit, Sven still managed the holeshot in race two and to hold onto the lead for most of way. He crossed the line in third place behind Kragelj and Salvini but his third place finish gave him overall fourth and many more points than the luckless Beggi who got stuck in the mud and finished back in eighteenth position.
 
Cashing in on points
"During the first race I had a lot of trouble passing Alvaro although I had better speed. This meant I didn't get into a good rhythm and it allowed the other riders to catch up with me. Then Kragelj passed me in the final lap while I was held up behind one of the back markers following the only available dry line. This also allowed Salvini to overtake just before the finish line. Normally I would have taken every risk to stay ahead of Kragelj and Salvini but I already knew that Beggi was in trouble again and I just wanted to pick up as many points as possible rather than crash and finish with nothing."
 
Lozano returns
Alvaro Lozano made a solid return after two months of injury time and finished seventh and sixth in the two races for overall sixth, which was a worthy comeback to MX3 world championship racing.
 
Race 1
POS.  RIDER  MANUFACT.  NAT.
   
1  323 Alex Salvini  Suzuki  Italy
2  8 Christophe Martin  Husqvarna  France
3  7 Saso Kragelj  Yamaha  Slovenia
4  2 Sven Breugelmans  KTM  Belgium
5  79 Martin Michek  Honda  Czech Republic

 
Race 2
POS.  RIDER  MANUFACT.  NAT.
   
1  7 Saso Kragelj  Yamaha  Slovenia
2  323 Alex Salvini  Suzuki  Italy
3  2 Sven Breugelmans  KTM  Belgium
4  8 Christophe Martin  Husqvarna  France
5  20 Patrick Caps  Kawasaki  Belgium

 
Standings
POS.  RIDER  MANUFACT.  NAT.  POINTS
    
1  2 Sven Breugelmans  KTM  Belgium  351
2  55 Cristian Beggi  Honda  Italy  328
3  8 Christophe Martin  Husqvarna  France  289
4  180 Thomas Allier  Husqvarna  France  242
5  4 Kristof Salaets  Honda  Belgium  223