HJC Helmets has had a long association with Marvel Comics and Star Wars and now they add the DC Comics RPHA 11 Pro Joker helmet to their collections.
Of course you’ll pay up to an extra $100 for the privilege of following your nerdy fashion tastes, but who cares when you can look like a super hero or, in this case, the Joker super-villain?
The Joker helmet is designed for road and track use and has an aerodynamic shell structure composed of HJC’s Premium Integrated Matrix (P.I.M. Plus) shell material.
They claim it improves the helmet’s shock-resistance and helps the helmet save some weight.
The HJC RPHA 11 Pro Joker is DOT and ECE 22.05 certified and costs $US599.99 in the US and €599.90 in Europe. There is no word yet on its arrival in Australia or price.
Joker will come in three shell sizes from XS to XXL with a five-year warranty.
Joker features:
Full-face helmet, without sun visor
Fiber manufacturing (Pim +)
3 different shell sizes depending on the size of the helmet for weight and compactness
Double-D ring buckle
Foam extraction system facilitated for emergency response
Ventilation integrated into the hull
Quick screen disassembly, 20 mm HJ screen, semi-flat shape for vision
Secure screen closure with double clasp
Sizes: XS to XXL
Comics
HJC owns the rights to use Marvel and DC Comics characters to decorate their helmets.
They have produced models such as Captain America, Iron Man, Spiderman, Batman, Punisher, Venom and Youth Avengers.
Spider and Venom
Spiderman
HJC also has deals wth the Star Wars franchise and has released RPHA-11 Star Wars helmets, Boba Fett, Kylo Ren and Death Trooper.
Safe helmets
The Korean-made HJC S-17 and FG-ST models are very safe scoring a maximum five stars in the recognised Sharp helmets rating system.
The FG-17 scores four stars, RPHA-11 rates three stars, while the CL-XY II is not listed in the ratings. However, the CL-ST gets three stars.
Motorcycle riders are about to inherit a bad reputation around the world as hundreds of thousands crowd into the 80th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rallythis weekend.
As riders start to roll into the town, organisers predict attendance will be about 250,000, down from an annual average of almost half a million.
Yet it will still be the biggest crowd of people in the one place in the world since the pandemic was declared six months ago.
That will be a tremendous black mark against motorcyclists everywhere and already America and the world’s media is massing in the small town to record the spectacle.
Vendors
The number of vendors is down from about 700-800 to 330 as some companies decide it is not worth risking the health of workers nor the associated bad image.
Harley-Davidson employees are forbidden to travel so they will not be there but will have a lot of signage at the event.
Meanwhile, Indian Motorcycle will be on hand offering demo rides.
The company vaguely claim they will do it “in a way that keeps them safe and makes sure we are keeping employees and the dealership employees safe when they are interacting”.
Crowd checks
Riders in the Black Hills of South Dakota
Town leaders say they will be handing out masks, advising social distancing and offering testing to the crowd but it is doubtful many of the freedom-loving riders will comply.
They say there is little likelihood of transmission in the outdoors event, although a lot of the activities do take place in close quarters and in clubs, hotels and inside venues.
Currently South Dakota is recording about 75 new cases a day and increasing.
In April, the Smithfield pork processing plant in Sioux Falls became what was then the nation’s largest coronavirus hot spot when more than 600 staff contracted the virus.
Death projections for the state are 250 by December 1 as restrictions ease. That could be reduce to 180 if masks were made mandatory.
However, South Dakota is among several states that has not locked down nor made masks mandatory.
Those projections for deaths don’t take into account the Sturgis rally.
Nor do they show how the virus can be spread in other states and countries as rally goers head home, taking the infection with them.
As this becomes evident, the stigma that motorcyclists have spread the virus will taint riders everywhere.
Vote against rally
Of the 7000 Sturgis citizens, 63% voted not to hold the rally, but a gift wholesaler in nearby Rapid City threatened to sue the council.
Sturgis City Council member Terry Keszler says they should have postponed or cancelled the rally in March.
However, Doreen Allison Creed, Meade County commissioner who represents Sturgis, says the county lacked the authority to shut down the rally because much of it takes place on state-licensed campgrounds.
“We are either going to be a great success story or failure,” she says.
“I truly believe it could not have been stopped.”
The state’s Department of Tourism has estimated that the annual festival generates about $800 million in revenue.
Warning
Neighbouring Minnesota Department of Health commissioner Jan Malcolm called the decision to go ahead with the event “disappointing”.
Malcolm and other state public health leaders have warned that the rally could be a potential petri dish for spreading the virus here and across the nation.
Michael Osterholm, head of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, says the rally could cause a major virus spread.
“Come mid-August to late August, early September, Sturgis will have one hell of an imprint on this country,” he says.
We have collated here for you the pre-race quotes from almost the entire MotoGP field but unfortunately we are missing a quote from our own Jack Miller. We will seek to rectify this for future rounds but for now check out what the rest of the MotoGP are thinking ahead of this weekend’s Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky.
Fabio Quartararo
“I think Jerez is a track that was better for us, but like I said last year the Yamaha is going well in every track. It’s true this track has a lot of straights, uphill, but a lot of corners so at the end our bike is turning really well. We miss a bit of power but we can’t have everything. We will do out best, the same mentality, we will work really hard to see what our potential is for Sunday and tomorrow and Saturday we’ll be working on the pace. Honestly, after race wins, you always celebrate with your friends but it was quite strange. But when I arrived home, I saw nobody and always with the mask. I went back to see my family but I couldn’t even kiss my mum so I was a bit scared, especially after an F1 driver had the virus. I was a bit stressed honestly so we didn’t do something special, but stayed safe and always with the mask. Now we’re here and we can fully focus on racing.”
Fabio Quartararo
Franco Morbidelli
“My expectations for Brno are high, especially as it’s a circuit that I really like. In fact, I think it’s one of the best on the calendar! It’s a very old-style track as it’s long, wide, technical and fast. Looking at the level that we had in Jerez, we are expecting good things this weekend. I’ve also had some good results there in the past. Of course, this year we’ve got to be better and improve our record there. I think we will have some good battles and I’m looking forward to going there, with the aim of finishing in the top-five.”
Massimo Meregalli – Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
“After the heat in Jerez and the excitement of the first two race weekends, we have recharged our batteries, so we are now ready to fight again. We have three back-to-back races coming up, one held in Brno and two in Spielberg. This means we have to be focused, because these early stages of the championship are decisive, and we have to squeeze out the maximum potential. The upcoming GP is especially important to us, because the Czech round is sponsored by Monster Energy. We have been enjoying our partnership with them a lot, so the team would like nothing better than to celebrate this collaboration with some further top results. It will be a full-on three weeks, so it’s crucial that we immediately get into shape and feature at the front starting from Friday morning.”
Maverick Vinales
“Our objective was to be on the podium, so we achieved our maximum in Jerez. Now we’re going to tracks I really like; I love the layout of both Brno and Austria. We have a great opportunity, so we need to keep pushing and hopefully we’ll find something more for this race and get to the maximum again.” And is he worried about the Yamaha engine usage so far? “No. We’re quite confident and comfortable. We know what our potential is, so we’re quite calm. We need to make it work as best we can, and that’s it. We need to keep going and, especially, we need to be as fast as we were in Jerez.”
Valentino Rossi
“It’s an important weekend because I’ve always liked Brno. Last race in Jerez, we changed something that gave me a better feeling and I enjoyed the whole weekend. To be back on the podium after a long time and a difficult period was a great feeling. So, it’s important to understand if I can also be strong here because the track is great, I’ve always liked it, but in previous years with the Yamaha we’ve always struggled a bit. It’s important to know our potential at another track, with different conditions, and also for the next races after this. In the summer of last year, I understood that I needed something different, so we changed the chief mechanic and we bet on a younger guy from Moto2 with no MotoGP experience. I liked a lot his approach because he was working in my team with Moto2. I feel very good, he can teach me a lot and he has a different way of working on the bike. We needed fresh ideas, and now we need time to work on our relationship and for him to understand what I need. But over these next races we will understand if we’re in a good way.”
Valentino Rossi
Andrea Dovizioso
“I can’t be too happy about my riding in Jerez in the first two races, but in the end the Championship points are not so bad. Happy to be in Brno. I think it can be a better track for us, but it will be important to fix my weak points. We studied a lot this week to try and be ready for this weekend.. We will see during the practice, because just being on the bike you can feel if you have made some changes. Let’s see how the track is because its normally very difficult for the map and the grip. There is a new tyre so we will work in a different way. And let’s see the Yamaha. I expect them very competitive here, but I’m really interested to see if they are strong like in Jerez. For sure, there is an opportunity for everybody. But, you know, every year has a different story and the first two races say that the two Yamaha riders are stronger than everybody else. But, whether it’s just in Jerez in the really hot temperatures. The season is still really long with a lot tracks and different temperatures. Let’s see.”
Andrea Dovizioso
Danilo Petrucci
“After Jerez, these three GPs will be key to figuring out if we can be competitive on all circuits. I can’t wait for the next race in Brno to eliminate the unpleasant feeling left by the crash in Jerez. All the information we collected in the first two races will help us to start this weekend with some clear aspects. Physically I feel good, and I am confident that I can get a good result“.
Takaaki Nakagami
“In Jerez it was special conditions. Really hot, the second race on the Sunday was my worst conditions. I was always behind and it was difficult to breathe. We’ve improved a lot from the first race, now it’s a different story and a different track. Not the same conditions as Jerez, I think Sunday will be hot but not like in Jerez. Nothing special, we’re working hard, the same as always. Marc is not here so I feel a lot of pressure from HRC but that is nice, I’m enjoying this moment so hopefully it’s a good weekend for us. Of course when I saw the data compared to Marc, I always saw some… I can find some special riding from Marc. But absolutely not easy to copy. From HRC side they have helped a lot during the weekend, we checked Marc’s data from the first race and one thing I found that on braking he has a completely different way to stop the bike. I tried all sessions, it’s not easy to understand but I feel that when I saw the lap times it was always better. When I’m riding, I feel a lot more confidence and it’s easier to stop the bike. This is a lot of help during the race, Jerez, 25 laps, it was difficult to not make any mistakes. It was a lot of help. It’s difficult to explain but he has special riding under braking. It was tough and not easy, but we have to adapt all season. Now I have found the best way on braking, we’ll keep going like this and we will see on this track.”
Takaaki Nakagami
Cal Crutchlow
“I’m really looking forward to getting back to racing at Brno, the start of three weekends back to back. Obviously after the disappointment of the injury at Jerez and then not having great result, I’m fully fired up to getting a good result at Brno and starting the three races competitive. The wrist feels good after a week off, so hopefully it will be better at Brno than it was at Jerez. I will work hard with the team and Honda to see if we can get a good result on Sunday.”
Alex Marquez
“This will be just the fifth circuit I have ridden a MotoGP bike at, but it is one I have always enjoyed riding and it has suited my style a lot in the past. We gathered a lot of good information from the two weekends in Jerez so now we can apply what we have learned to a new circuit. Every session I learn more about MotoGP and my bike, I am looking forward to riding in Brno and starting three races in three weekends, it will be intense but I am looking forward to it. I hope Marc can recover well and quickly!”
Stefan Bradl
“First of all I want to wish Marc a speedy recovery, what he did in Jerez was incredible and he showed that he has the true spirit of a champion. I am looking forward to riding the Honda RC213V again, due to the global pandemic we have not been able to test as we would normally so it will take some time to adjust to the bike and MotoGP again but I have ridden the superbike a few times so I know my fitness is good. It’s a challenge I’m looking forward to, competing with the Repsol Honda Team is always a great honour and I am pleased to help Honda. Let’s see how the weekend goes.”
Davide Brivio – Suzuki Team Manager
“Our riders did well at the last race, especially considering the difficult circumstances with Alex’s injury, and they both scored useful points. We arrive here in the Czech Republic hoping that Alex and Joan will be able to fight again for strong positions and have a good race weekend. We feel confident with our bike and it’s a track that both riders like, so let’s see what is possible.”
Joan Mir
“I’m so happy about the fifth position in Jerez. The most important thing after the first race was to finish. I had this on my mind during all the weekend. I think that here we can be a little bit more competitive. The weekend looks like it will be much colder than in Jerez. So, looking forward to it, so let’s see if we can improve our qualifying sessions I think that is our.. we are missing a little bit in that point. But I think if we improve in that area we can fight to be in front.” Mir also spoke about the crash he had last year in the Brno test. “This track doesn’t bring me good memories, like you said, but it’s always been a track that I enjoyed a lot. Riding here is so nice, but like you said I had a big injury last year, but anyway it’s best not to think about that, it’s better to think about the good feelings I have had here in the past and for sure let’s see if we can bring a good result on Sunday to help us forget last year!”
MotoGP press conference
Alex Rins
“Since leaving Jerez I have continued with intensive treatment and physiotherapy, and I’m feeling stronger with my shoulder every day. It’s always different when you’re riding the bike, but I hope to be feeling much better than I did at the Andalucia Grand Prix. Brno is a physically demanding circuit but it’s one I like, and I managed a good result last year so I’m feeling ready to give my best.”
Aleix Espargaro
“The two races in Jerez did not end the way we had expected. The advantage of the long break is that I’m fully charged with positive energy, so I can’t wait to get back on the track. I am confident in the potential of this new bike. The feeling is good, but we still haven’t been able to put it all together. The situation at the start of the year obviously didn’t help us, but I will keep pushing anyway and I won’t leave any avenue unexplored.”
Bradley Smith
“On paper, Brno seems not to be the best track for Aprilia, but with this new bike it’s hard to make any kind of prediction. We’ll find decidedly different conditions than Jerez. In any case, the experience gained in the first two races will certainly be helpful. The thing that the new RS-GP seems to be lacking the most is time on the track. We were unable to turn as many laps as we would have needed to because of COVID and that forces us to continue development during the races.”
Miguel Oliveira
“I’m obviously very excited to come back to racing in such a short time. After the result we got the second last weekend, I feel like it’s redemption time and I’m just very looking forward to ride in Brno, which is a track that I like. Last year, I had great feelings there, we scored points in the race. I feel like it’s a good track for us and it’s also great three rounds we’ll have back-to-back, that I think going to suit our bike. I’m just really keen to start with a good result in Brno and give the team, what we should got the Sunday before.”
Iker Lecuona
“I know that I need to focus a lot on myself for Brno in order to enjoy riding the bike even more and also the work within our team. First of all, of course I need to finish the race this time, which is super important, but at the same time, I also have to continue to work hard and to learn. During the two weeks in Jerez, I already improved a lot, so I hope I can build on my performance there and follow up on our good way to progress further.”
Hervé Poncharal – Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Manager
“After the disappointment of the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucía, where we didn’t score any points with our two riders, it’s really good to know, we have three races coming very soon. Clearly, the setback in Spain was huge. The expectation after Miguel’s weekend and superb Qualifying performance was very high and to give up without fighting is a tough thing to swallow. The positive point is, we saw that the four KTM RC16 were very competitive, not only Miguel’s Qualifying was outstanding, but also the few laps Brad Binder did in the race showed the great level of our machine. We just hope we can duplicate the same performance in Czech Republic and Austria in order to confirm the potential of rider and machine. Last year, Brno was the last time we were riding the 2019 spec machine, we got the evolution one from the following round, so it’s difficult to have a real base to make any prognostics, but Miguel was quite fast and happy with the behavior of his bike at this track, so I believe we have a realistic possibility to be strong there. The atmosphere and the feeling inside the KTM MotoGP department is very positive. Anyway, we try to put Miguel’s and Iker’s Spanish DNF behind us and carry on scoring important points in the championship. Our two riders are in good shape, feel great and just can’t wait to be back on track. The Red Bull KTM Tech3 team is definitely ready for the next three races and eager to start Friday’s FP1!”
Monster Energy Grand Prix České Republiky Schedule
Fill-in riders confirmed by Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki
Section: Competition
Harrison and Sanayei join McAdoo for upcoming Pro Motocross season.
Image: Supplied.
Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki has drafted in Mitchell Harrison and Darian Sanayei for the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship after injuries struck team regulars Austin Forkner, Jordon Smith and Garrett Marchbanks in Monster Energy Supercross.
Set to open at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch next Saturday, 15 August, the Pro Motocross series will see Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki field Harrison and Sanayei alongside Cameron McAdoo.
“We are in a unique situation with Cameron McAdoo being our only healthy rider at the moment,” said team owner Mitch Payton. “We weren’t exactly sure when racing would resume, but we knew whenever that was, we needed to be ready so we had Darian and Mitchell tryout our KX250 and they both rose to the challenge.
“We have worked with both of them previously through the Kawasaki Team Green program. We’re familiar with who they are and how they ride, and it was an additional bonus that they have both been riding Kawasaki motorcycles for quite some time now. We are ready to get back to the races and to see the team back on the track.”
Both riders will be returning to their roots as they grew up riding for the Kawasaki Team Green racing team throughout their amateur careers. In their professional careers, both Harrison and Sanayei have competed in Europe in the MX2 class for Kawasaki-supported teams with Sanayei on the Dixon Kawasaki MX2 team and Harrison competing for the Bud Racing Kawasaki MX2 team.
After reaching the age limit in Europe, Sanayei returned home to the United States to contest in the 2020 Arenacross for the Babbitt’s Online Monster Energy Kawasaki team, as well as competing in the Monster Energy Supercross 250SX East class.
“Everybody knows that this is easily the best team in the paddock, just look at the wall of championship plates hanging on the door,” commented Sanayei. “This is a huge opportunity for me and I’m really looking forward to making the most of it. I’ve had the chance to ride the bike a couple of times now and all I can really say is, wow.
“I’ve been on a Kawasaki pretty much my entire pro career and this KX250 really has it all. I am usually a pretty good starter so with the power of this bike and the support of this team, I believe I can put myself in a good position to be battling up front.”
Due to the global pandemic, Harrison was forced to close the chapter on racing in Europe for now and looks forward to racing again back in the US: “Man, I cannot tell you how excited I am for this opportunity. Right away, I gelled with the bike and felt right at home on the KX250. Up until recently, I have been racing in Europe on a KX250 for Bud Racing for the past year or so and I also grew up racing for the Team Green amateur race team, so I have felt super comfortable from the get-go.
“This year has been unique for everyone in our sport, especially for myself since I’m from the US, but have been racing in Europe and have been dealing with all of the travel restrictions – that’s why it was a no brainer when this opportunity came up. I want to be here racing with the best of the best. I have podiumed at races in the past here and I believe with where I am at this stage in my career and with this bike I can be a threat each weekend.”
Yamaha is the first major manufacturer to give some credence to the theory that future motorcycles and other vehicles could be powered by water.
In 2016, the company commissioned industrial designer Maxime Lefebvre to provide a concept for a 2025 Yamaha motorcycle. That’s just five years away!
After three trial efforts, Yamaha has now officially released images of the prototype bike which looks like an original 1975 XT model but is powered by water.
They call it a closed-loop H2O engine powered by a water pump that continually cycles water.
However, Yamaha is short on technical details.
For example, they don’t say what powers the water pump. Maybe it’s a small electric motor.
Nor do they say what sort of power output it would deliver.
It all seems very mystical at the moment. Or is it?
The Dutch wooden motorcycle runs on algae oil grown by scientist Peter Mooij as bio fuel.
Designer Titsert Mans thought it appropriate to put it in a bike made of sustainable materials such as wood.
They have written a book, The Thick Algae, to explain their principles.
Sao Paulo inventor Ricardo Azevedo says his T Power H20 bike can even run on polluted water.
It uses a car battery and the water to generate electricity and separate hydrogen from the water molecules. This results in internal engine combustion which powers the bike.
However, don’t hold your breath waiting for some of these technologies to come to your bike.
Ricardo’s bike was revealed back in 2015 and no manufacturer has yet taken up the challenge of introducing it to a production bike.
But change is surely coming and the internal-combustion-engine motorcycle is not dead yet!
“For sure, there is an opportunity for everybody. I mean, Marc won a lot of titles and now he is out for these races. But, you know, every year has a different story and the first two races say that the two Yamaha riders are stronger than everybody else. But, whether it’s just in Jerez in the really hot temperatures. The season is still really long with a lot tracks and different temperatures. Let’s see.”
“It was good to have a week off to rest, before three consecutive race weekends that will be very challenging for everyone,” began the Italian. “Brno is a track that will allow us to take advantage of the strengths of our Desmosedici GP bike, but this won’t be enough because we will have to start strong immediately since Friday’s free practices.
Yamaha have had it pretty much all their own way in the battle for 600cc supremacy for some time now and obviously Honda must have got mighty sick about that as they have just announced that they are set to release an all-new CBR600RR.
This is perhaps the biggest news in the middleweight category for Honda since the original CBR600RR broke new ground upon its first release back in 2003. A fairly significant update in 2007 with a higher compression ratio and improved fuel injection system saw the bike pick up a couple more ponies on the 118 horsepower of the original but then apart from some ECU tweaks and suspension improvements in 2013, the CBR600RR remained largely unchanged until the model disappeared entirely from Honda’s line-up in 2017.
While full details on the new CBR600RR will not be released until August 21, we do have a sneak preview of the machine to share with you ahead of the full details being revealed.
2021 Honda CBR600RR full reveal to happen on August 21
What we can tell you is that the formula is largely the same as the original with a 599 cc in-line four-cylinder engine providing the motivation and sports an under-tail muffler like the original 600RR. The red-line on the TFT dash appears to be 15,000 rpm on an electronic tacho that reads to 17,000 rpm.
The CBR600RR looks to have gained some of the high-end electronics that grace the latest Fireblade complete with rider modes and engine braking adjustments, along with an aerodynamics package that is also reminiscent of the $50,000 Fireblade.
The numbers will be interesting when we get to see them in a couple of weeks time but we suspect that it will, like the 2020 Fireblade, be a fairly high-end machine with a price tag to match.
MXGP is back! Following a five month break due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the FIM Motocross World Championship is making its much-awaited return with a triple header in Latvia, with the MXGP of Latvia, MXGP of Riga and MXGP of Kegums.
The return of the MXGP series will see several changes, including an all-new timetable schedule, with the European support classes out on track for both their races on Saturday, meanwhile MXGP and MX2 riders will take to the track on Sunday for their Free/Timed Practice and races one and two.
With plenty of fresh faces in the EMX250 and EMX Open classes, along with the MX2 and MXGP riders, the tripled header in Latvia is set to be an exciting event, that will no doubt see plenty of intense competition and battles throughout the three events.
MXGP
In 2019, Team HRC’s Tim Gajser was victorious in the MXGP class, though he was tied on points with second and third place finishers Romain Febvre and Arnaud Tonus. With all three riders on exactly 40 points each, it was Gajser’s race two victory that handed him the overall win.
In the last year, Gajser has come on leaps and bounds when it comes to his sand riding and therefore could be in with the chance of repeating last year’s win and clinching yet another victory in Latvia; his race wins from Matterley Basin and Valkenswaard go to prove that the Slovenian is perfectly cool with leading the field, even when he’s being chased down by Jeffrey Herlings and Antonio Cairoli.
Tim Gajser
“It’s been a difficult year, with everything that’s happened these past few months so I’m super excited to get back to racing the world championships again. In the past five months, I’ve just been training hard, trying to stay in shape and maybe even improve myself in preparation for this time, but it certainly wasn’t easy. Now I’m ready to start the season again, as I get to Latvia pretty early to make sure everything is ready and make sure the bike is as good as it was before the break, when I won those motos. The calendar is probably the best they could do. I think it is good to do multiple races at the same track, to avoid moving around too much, with all the countries having different rules and different quarantines so that is a good idea. I think it will be interesting and different to have a one-day format, but it will be the same for everyone, so you have to be able to adapt and make sure everything is running smoothly, and quickly. I know my team is capable of making this happen though so I am confident.”
His team-mate Mitch Evans will also be making a return to racing in Kegums, following months of rehab on his should injury, which he picked up in Valkenswaard. Before the Australian got hurt, he did give us a glimpse of what he is capable of in Great Britain, with a third-place finish in race one, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him battle within the top five once again after a break that meant he was able to recover properly from the injury he sustained in round two at Valkenswaard. The Australian finished second in a French event last weekend and will head to Latvia buoyed with the knowledge that he’s back to race pace in what is his rookie 450 campaign.
Mitch Evans
“It’s great being back in Europe, and getting back into the swing of things in training, and back on my factory HRC bike. I’ve been in south-west France and it is a beautiful area, so I’ve enjoyed my two weeks here, especially being able to do a race at the weekend. It was good to get in a gate drop before we head to Latvia this week. It didn’t start off too well in the first moto but the second went well and that’s why we did the event to try and get comfortable racing again, and blow the cobwebs out. My shoulder was feeling good, with no problems and I didn’t have any pain so I’m very happy with it. Now I’m looking forward to getting back to MXGP this weekend as it’s been a long time off and I’m sure everyone’s as excited as I am to be back with the team and going back racing.”
Mitch Evans – Image by Bavo
Taking a look at the Red Bull KTM Factory squad, the Latvian GP was somewhat eventful for the team. Both Jeffrey Herlings and Antonio Cairoli were forced out of race two with injury and with that had to sit out the rest of the season, meanwhile the MX2 rider (at the time) Jorge Prado rode two solid races and took the overall victory. Though with both of these injuries behind them, and Prado’s recent rehab on his own leg injury, the team will be back stronger than ever.
All three riders have a good track record in Kegums, with Prado’s win last season, then Cairoli on four wins to his name (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013) and the current MXGP championship leader, Herlings, with five (2010, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018), three of those victories from his MX2 days, it would be a safe bet that we may see at least one of these three on the podium of each event in Latvia.
Jeffrey Herlings
“Kegums has always been very good to me. In 2010 I won my second MX2 GP there and took several wins afterwards. 2017 was also special. 2019 was also my first moto win of what turned out to be a pretty bad season. So, some good memories. Like everyone else I’m excited to be racing again. My KTM works well at Kegums and I believe we are very ready. We might be missing some racing rhythm, but I think that is the same for the others too. We’ll do our best for these three races and see where it takes us. It won’t be a long season but it’s important to be at each round, take some good starts and work from there.”
Though that’s not to say that, that will be guaranteed as there will be a field of riders up for the challenge, three of those being the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing riders Jeremy Seewer, Arnaud Tonus and Gautier Paulin.
Tonus had a fantastic ride in Kegums last year, as already mentioned, finishing tied on points for first place, though his fourth-place finish in race two was the decider that meant he’d not only missed out on the top step but would also have to settle for third instead. Though a podium is still a podium, and one that puts Tonus among the group of strong contenders to take a trophy home again this year. Meanwhile his team-mate Jeremy Seewer also put on a strong performance with a fourth overall, and so did Gautier Paulin, finishing just outside the top five in seventh place.
Gautier Paulin
“I’m looking forward to getting back behind the gate. Everything has been ready since Valkenswaard. The team is ready and so am I. I just really hope everything goes well between now and Kegums and we can go behind the gate. It has been a while and the situation is constantly changing, so I hope that it moves in a positive direction and that everyone stays safe. We have three rounds in one week, I am not too bothered by this. I just look at it like three GP’s, and I am looking forward to going back racing.”
Of course, they are not the only ones aiming high as we return to racing in a matter of days. Romain Febvre and Clement Desalle of Monster Energy Kawasaki Team both have won in Latvia in previous years, with Febvre winning races in 2015 and 2016, with Desalle also wining in 2009 and finishing second on the podium behind Cairoli. For Febvre the Latvia GP will be the first time that we see the Frenchman line-up on an MXGP start-gird, as the Kawasaki rider was forced to miss the races in Great Britain and the Netherlands due to a leg injury sustained in practice leading up to the first round of the championship. Now with months of preparation under his belt, this could be the weekend we could see Febvre challenge for top positions.
Then there’s Arminas Jasikonis of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing who will represent the team in Kegums alone, as Pauls Jonass will not be lining up at his home GP’s due to a practice crash in which the Latvian sustained three broken ribs and five spinous processes. With doctors’ recommendations of an extended period of rehabilitation, it is unclear when we will see Jonass back.
Last year Jasikonis went DNF-7 at the Latvian Grand Prix, though his third place finish in Valkenswaard earlier in year, and his ability to ride in the sand, plus with the added bonus of Lithuanian fans, will sure give him a boost and it could be that we see the Lithuanian stand tall on the podium for a second time in 2020.
Standing Construct GasGas Factory riders Glenn Coldenhoff and Ivo Monticelli respectively finished 8th and 9th last season, and will be there to do the same again this time around. Monticelli had a consistent ride to finish 10th in both races, while Coldenhoff had a result of P12 and P8.
Another stand-out rider from last year was Jeremy Van Horebeek of Team Honda SR Motoblouz who had a top 5 ride. Having had a strong ride at the last GP in Holland back in March, and plenty of time to prepare for Kegums, we could see Van Horebeek come out swinging.
MXGP Points Standings
Herlings, J.NED KTM 94
Gajser, Tim SLO HON 85
Cairoli, A. ITA KTM 68
Desalle, C. BEL KAW 60
Paulin, G. FRA YAM 58
Coldenhoff, G. NED GAS 56
Jasikonis, A. LTU HUS 53
Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 47
Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 42
Van Horebeek, J. BEL HON 39
Evans, M. AUS HON 34
Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 31
Jonass, Pauls LAT HUS 26
Jacobi, Henry GER YAM 23
Bogers, Brian NED KTM 23
MX2
Meanwhile in MX2, the door is open for a brand-new winner in Latvia. In 2019, it was Jorge Prado who won both races 1 and 2, but with the Spaniard moving up and focused on his rookie season in MXGP, the door is open for a new winner.
Red Bull KTM Factory rider Tom Vialle is the current championship leader with the shot of making the podium in Latvia. This season so far, he has finished on the podium in both Great Britain and the Netherlands, going on to take his first GP victory in Valkenswaard of the season earlier this year. With a 7th overall in Kegums last time around, he is more than capable of challenging for the podium and race wins.
Meanwhile his team-mate and MX2 rookie, Rene Hofer has also had a positive start to his campaign. Though he is yet to finish on the podium, he has however finished races within the top 5, with his best race result in Matterley Basin where he crossed the line in P2. Last season Hofer contested in the EMX250 Championship, and at the Latvian round he finished the races in 8th and 6th and this could be similar, if not even better results that we can expect to see from the Austrian this weekend.
A rider that we will no doubt see at the front end of the field, at some point throughout the races, is none other than the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider Jago Geerts. Geerts has showcased his determination this season with some fantastic results, despite finding himself in trouble on several occasions. He was also the winner of the very first GP of the season in Great Britain, with a 4-1 result that saw the Yamaha rider take the red plate and become the early series leader, at the time.
Jago Geerts
“I’m really looking forward to restart the MXGP season. It’s been a long time without racing so I think everyone is excited to go back racing again. Latvia is one of my favorite tracks so that’s extra motivation for me. Three rounds in one week will be special. There is not much rest between the races so it will be tough for everyone. The races are now held for one day so that will make it a bit easier, but it still will be heavy. My goal for the GP’s in Latvia is to be consistent and earn as many points possible. I will be happy when I can return home with a couple of podium finishes.”
Last year, the Belgian finished both races behind the MX2 World Champion Jorge Prado, but with Prado now no longer a threat, this leaves the Yamaha rider with the opportunity to add another GP victory to his 2020 stats.
The second Yamaha factory rider, Ben Watson, will also be heading to Latvia with the opportunity of a podium on his mind. Having finished 4th overall last season, 4 points shy of 3rd, this will be another opportunity for Brit to show that he is a real threat for the title this season.
We cannot forget the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory MX2 squad, who have spent the lockdown period much like any other team, working on their weaknesses and making sure they are ready to go when the championship returns.
Going into the season Thomas Kjer Olsen was one of the favourites to challenge for the MX2 title and though his injury got in the way during rounds one and two, with plenty of time for recovery during the lockdown period there is no reason why we couldn’t expect TKO back at the top end of the field. The Dane has a strong track record in Latvia, he finished 3rd overall last season and was the overall winner both in 2018 and 2017, so a victory could be on the cards in 2020 for the Husqvarna rider.
Then there’s the second factory Husqvarna rider, Jed Beaton. The Aussie has been a revelation in the MX2 class. Scoring a second-place moto finish at each of the opening two rounds in Great Britain and the Netherlands, the 22-year-old came agonisingly close to the overall podium at both GPs. Beaton will be looking to challenge for his maiden GP win when the series resumes and is currently ranked third in the MX2 World Championship standings.
Rasmus Jorgensen – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 Team Manager
“The whole team is excited to return to racing this weekend. It’s been a long time with the break, but as a team it’s also allowed us to work on some things, too. Thomas wasn’t really 100% ready for the season starting after breaking his hand during the winter, but he toughed out two decent overall results at rounds one and two. During the downtime he’s been able to have a small surgery and is now 100% ready, which he proved at the Dutch International in Arnhem, where he placed second overall. Jed Beaton decided to remain in Europe during lockdown because we just weren’t sure what was going to happen with international travel. He kept up his off-bike training and when he could ride the FC 250 again, he really focused a lot on improving his starts. Jed had the speed to win at the opening GPs but just needed better starts, which he has dialled in now, so we’re excited to see how he does. He pulled great starts and led laps in Arnhem so he’s really confident heading to Latvia.”
Jed Beaton will be looking to challenge for his maiden GP win when the series resumes
F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Mikkel Haarup, Roan Van de Moosdijk and Mathys Boisrame have showed strong form this year and though they didn’t have the luckiest home GP in Valkenswaard, the rest of the season is long, and more can be expected from all three riders. Roan Van de Moosdijk was the overall winner in Latvia in 2019 for the EMX250 round, which shows that he is clearly strong on the hard sand and could be a threat this year in MX2.
He is not the only MX2 rider who did well in the EMX250 round in Kegums last season, with Alberto Forato of Team Maddii Racing Husqvarna finishing second overall, just ahead of Jeremy Sydow of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Juniors who occupied the third step of the podium.
Other riders who can impress in Latvia include Bas Vaessen of Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee who finished 5th overall last year, along with Alvin Ostlund from Team Honda Assomotor and SM Action MX Migliori J1 Racing’s Maxime Renaux who has already one podium to his name in 2020, and could be a real threat in Latvia.
MX2 Championship Top 10
Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 87 points
Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 82
Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 74
Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 61
Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 53
Mikkel Haarup (DEN, KAW), 52
Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 51
Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 48
Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), 48
Jeremy Sydow (GER, GAS), 35
2020 FIM Motocross World Championship Calendar
Round 1: 01 Mar MXGP of Great Britain – Matterley Basin
Round 2: 08 Mar MXGP of The Netherlands – Valkenswaard
