Maxxis offering contingency for east coast championships
Section: Competition
Riders using Maxxis tyres eligible for Maxxis Money at selected events.
Image: Supplied.
Maxxis Moto Australia is offering up to $30,000 in Maxxis Moto Money as part of an east coast motocross contingency program in 2020.
Riders using Maxxis tyres at the nominated east coast motocross events in 2020 can earn contingency Maxxis Money towards their next set of newly-developed Maxxis MX-ST tyres.
Earn up to $100 in Maxxis Money for the highest placed and up to $50 for the second-highest placed Maxxis rider (overall) in your class.
Riders will need to be using Maxxis tyres and register for the program at sign-on/registration. Maxxis Moto Money will be awarded at presentations.
Levelling up the target for Rykers in newly-signed Kawasaki deal
Section: Competition
Western Australian aiming to be podium challenger this season.
Image: Foremost Media.
After recently signing with Empire Kawasaki, Jayden Rykers is confident the added support will allow him to level up his riding throughout the 2020 season and become a podium contender.
Rykers experienced a breakout rookie season in the premier class last year, earning a maiden moto podium at Murray Bridge before consistency granted him a spot inside the top five of the championship rankings until his campaign ended prematurely with injury at Moree.
The 23-year-old, who was a Suzuki-mounted privateer working a full-time job in 2019, believes the ability to focus solely on his riding and commit more time training will enable him to establish himself as a regular front-runner.
“Obviously, it’s a massive switch to my program and I’m going to be able to step-up this year,” Rykers told MotoOnline.com.au.
“At one point I was fourth in the championship, so I guess the biggest thing for me is to be able to put a big pre-season in – this point last year, well I didn’t even confirm a bike until a few weeks before the first round and I was still working a full-time job.
“I think having the time to get myself physically in shape and have more bike time will be the change in getting inside the top five and pushing for podiums at every round. I was pretty happy with my results last year, but by being on the time and having more time to invest into it all, I definitely see myself up with the front guys.”
The MX Nationals kicks off on 4-5 April at Horsham in Victoria.
The IMR Riders Club gives track day enthusiasts a chance to enjoy all that Inde Motorsports Ranch has to offer.
Begin Press Release:
Inde Motorsports Ranch announces the IMR Riders Club
Willcox, AZ – January 17, 2020 – Inde Motorsports Ranch announces the IMR Riders Club which offers the opportunity for motorcycle enthusiasts to enjoy a weekend of track riding at the ranch.
Inde is a private track near Tucson, Arizona, and member days are split between cars and bikes. Riders who join the new Riders Club will join regular members on these lapping days and can expect a minimum of 20 minutes on track every hour; however, if no cars are running that day the track will be open solely for motorcyclists.
Space will be limited, capped at only 20 non-members per event. In other words, this won’t be the typical three-rotation trackday packed with riders, but a chance to enjoy this incredible track with a few like-minded enthusiasts.
IMR Riders Club is open to any level of rider with fun and safety being the main focus of the day. Lunches and dinner the first night will be included with purchase of the event. The Winter/ Spring schedule is as follows:
January 25-25
February 22-23
March 7-8
April 11
May 30-31
Inde Motorsports Ranch is a 2.75-mile, 21 turn family-owned private racetrack in the Arizona high desert. Its country-club-like atmosphere includes onsite accommodations, gourmet kitchen, shooting range, game room, bathrooms with showers and much more.
Inde is also the winter home of the Yamaha Champions Riding School and any graduate of ChampSchool can rent a bike for the IMR Riders Club events. A YCRS senior instructor will be at all events in charge of safety and dual apex cones will be utilized to help riders navigate this technical track.
For more information or to register for events click here.
For more information please email [email protected] or call Chris Peris at 520-907-3833
Wilson and Tanti continue main event form at Anaheim 2
Section: Competition
Top 15 results for the competitive Australian duo.
Image: Octopi Media.
Australian duo Jay Wilson and Aaron Tanti have continued their main event form at the third round of Monster Energy Supercross in Anaheim.
Former Australian SX2 champion Wilson returned to racing at Angel Stadium, the Yamaha-mounted contender electing to sit out the previous stop in St. Louis in favour of improving his recovery from a pre-season crash.
Wilson, who was 17th at Anaheim’s season-opener, put on an impressive display of riding as he charged to 11th in the 18-lap affair. His result moves him to 18th in the 250SX West standings.
Fellow Yamaha-equipped rider Tanti, who came off a P13 result at St. Louis, also made a strong campaign at the Californian round to cross the line in 13th for the second straight weekend, positioning him 16th in the championship rankings.
Compatriots Joel Wightman (Honda) and Geran Stapleton (Honda) were just short of qualifying for the night show. Monster Energy Supercross heads to Glendale this Saturday night for round four.
More to offer believes Clout after impressive A2 top 10
Section: Competition
Penrite Honda Racing entry earns season-best result after qualifying via LCQ.
Image: Octopi Media.
Penrite Honda Racing’s Luke Clout believes he has more to offer after scoring an impressive result just outside of the top five at Anaheim 2’s third stop of Monster Energy Supercross.
It was a long night at Angel Stadium for the Australian favourite, who was forced to qualify for the main event via the last chance qualifier.
Despite having the last gate-pick, the New South Welshman put on a stellar performance in the 18-lap encounter, winding up in sixth position.
Still adapting to the American environment and the transition back to a Honda CRF250R, Clout is adamant on making further improvements prior to returning home to Australia.
“Unfortunately, I crashed [in the heat] and had to go to the LCQ – I just rode quickly enough in the LCQ to make the main,” Clout commented.
“I am okay with my sixth, but I have a lot of work to do. The team has been great – they are giving me everything I need. It’s different over here – I know that doesn’t make sense to some people, but the tracks are different, they are prepared differently, they develop ruts and have moisture in them.
“The intensity is much higher, in Australia we were doing eight-lap races and over here I am doing 18 laps. We have a plan and we are working towards it.”
Clout is now ranked 10th in the 250SX West championship standings as Monster Energy Supercross visits Glendale this weekend.
This week MV Agusta Motor turned 75-years-old and celebrates its legendary history of racing successes and excellence in engineering and design.
It all started on January 19, 1945, with the establishment of Meccanica Verghera Srl in Cascina Costa, near today’s Malpensa international airport.
Meccanica Verghera Srl in Cascina Costa
The Agusta family, pioneers of the aviation industry, unable to continue manufacturing aeroplanes in the aftermath of WWII, turned to motorcycles to express their passion for speed, adrenaline and precision engineering.
MV98
Legend has it that the first model, a 98 cc, was due to be called “Vespa”, but the name was already taken, so it went down in history simply as the MV98.
The Agustas also knew how to convert their racing motorcycles into successful production road models for a public of passionate enthusiasts, and started right from the beginning with a luxury version of the 98 that made a sensation at the 1947 Milan Trade Fair.
Count Domenico Agusta with John Surtees
Count Domenico Agusta had a knack for hiring the best riders, most of which became legends of the sport: Franco Bertoni, MV’s first rider, followed by Arcisio Artesiani, Carlo Ubbiali the “flying chinaman”, Leslie Graham, Cecil Sandford, Fortunato Libanori, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Gianfranco Bonera, Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read.
Carlo Ubbiali
Throughout the 30 years of the Agusta era, the history of their victories intersects with the launches of equally legendary and successful MV Agusta production models.
Giacomo Agostini
The partnership with Giacomo Agostini was the most celebrated in the history of motorcycling: in his career, “Ago” won 13 Wold Championships, 18 Italian titles and 10 Isle of Man’s TTs.
Mike Hailwood
Count Domenico passed in 1971, and after Agostini’s last victory at the Nürburgring in 1976, the destiny of MV Agusta seemed to have come to an end, until the Castiglioni family decided to give it a new lease of life.
In 1992, Claudio Castiglioni’s Cagiva acquired the MV Agusta brand
In 1992, Claudio Castiglioni’s Cagiva acquired the MV Agusta brand and moved production to its facility on the shores of Lake Varese, in Schiranna, where MV Agusta motorcycles are still produced today.
Under the visionary guidance of Claudio Castiglioni the brand even acquired further prestige and recognition. Castiglioni heavily invested in R&D and in production. The four-cylinder, 750 cc F4 was the first bike of the new era, and also the first MV superbike. Many still consider it to be “the best looking bike ever”. Claudio also invented the concept of the “naked” bike, a new paradigm in the motorcycling world.
MV Agusta Senna
After his premature death in 2011, his son Giovanni succeeded him at the helm and continued in the family’s pioneering tradition. He actively sought and developed partnerships with world-class names such as Pirelli and Formula1 champion Lewis Hamilton to further broaden the reach and the appeal of the brand.
Giovanni Castiglioni
Giovanni was behind the creation of the “Brutale”, the ultimate naked, and the F3, the best middle-weight sports bike with an inline-three cylinders engine and a counter-rotating crankshaft. Under his guidance, other remarkable models such as the Dragster and the Turismo Veloce, an opening into the tourers’ world, as well as successive evolutions of the F3 and F4, were acclaimed both by critics and motorcycling enthusiasts.
Claudio Castiglioni and Massimo Tamburini
In 2017, the company was ready for a new important step in its history of continuing growth, and new capital was brought in by ComSar Invest, a Luxembourg company belonging to a family of entrepreneurs who share the same pioneering spirit and passion for speed as the Agustas and the Castiglionis. After an initial and successful partnership phase, in 2019 the Sardarov family acquired 100% of the company’s capital and Timur Sardarov, MV Agusta’s present CEO, was ready to take on a leading role.
Under his leadership, MV Agusta’s new roadmap strongly focussed on stability, quality, customer relations, service and on the expansion of the product range and of the sales network. Concepts such as connectivity and digitalisation of the product were also introduced.
Timur Sardarov, CEO of MV Agusta Motor S.p.A.
New MV Agusta models such as the Serie Oro limited editions of the Superveloce 800 and Brutale 1000 RR, a tribute to the brand’s legacy of design, speed and leading-edge technology. In 2019 the Superveloce 800 Serie Oro made MV Agusta an “Excellence of Lombardy’s Design”, a sure sign of its pure MV Agusta DNA.
MV Agusta Superveloce 800 Serie Oro
Sardarov also immediately concentrated on the reorganisation of the company to stabilise it financially and continue in its successful growth path. He brought in a number of highly respected managers with a proven track record in the industry and constituted a new, highly skilled and experienced best-in-the-industry management team.
Timur Sardarov, CEO of MV Agusta Motor S.p.A.
This strategy for MV Agusta’s new course is contained in the five year business plan that was recently announced. It clearly sets out the idea of expanding the reach of the brand through both organic and structural growth, with the objective of increasing the annual sales volumes to 25,000 units, with over 20 new models in the next five years.
New segments will be tackled, with the launch of an entry-level range appealing to a younger audience and also with the return of smaller displacements such as the 350 cc to expand into new markets, in particular Asia. An important partnership was established in 2019 with China’s Loncin for the production and distribution of this new mid-size range.
Research and Development remains a fundamental pillar of MV Agusta’s strategy as leading-edge technology and design are the unmistakable hallmarks of the brand.
Timur Sardarov, CEO of MV Agusta Motor S.p.A.
“Being at the head of MV Agusta at this historic moment in time is exciting and challenging. I consider it a great privilege, and also a great responsibility, but looking back at MV Agusta’s legacy, I know we are standing on the shoulders of a giant, and this gives me great pride and confidence in breaking new ground every day, launching innovative technology, new incredible models, and expanding into markets we have never entered before.”
Timur Sardarov, CEO of MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. Source: MCNews.com.au
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Strong Aussie showing at 2020 Dakar Rally
After Africa and South America, the most recent chapter of Dakar Rally history, in the Middle East opened, with the Monster Energy Honda Team taking a leading role, with Ricky Brabec taking an early lead and the eventual win by 16min-26s.
Runner up was Pablo Quintanilla (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing), with Toby Price (Red Bull KTM Factory Team) completing the top three, as top Australian competitor.
Toby Price – P3
“I’m really happy with another podium at the Dakar – every time I’ve made it to the finish at this event I’ve got onto the podium. So far, I’m either a number one or a number three guy. The most important thing is to be here safely at the finish. Obviously, we came here to win, but it just wasn’t our year. Yeah, after 18 wins in a row it would have been nice to get a 19th, but I think KTM’s winning streak won’t be topped for a very long time. We’ll go away now, regroup and come back stronger for 2021 and take that number one plate back.”
Toby Price – 2020 Dakar Rally
Fellow Australian and privateer Rodney Faggotter (Yamaha Motor Australia) came home in 13th, with a best stage finish of sixth.
Rodney Faggotter – P13
“Wow its done! Top 20’s most stages, with a career best of sixth in stage 10 for a career best of 13th overall. I had a solid two weeks and rode the most “in control” but also the best I have ever done. The riders in front of me are the best rally riders in the world and most of them full time athletes – I’m pumped to be near and amongst these guys! Two weeks flat out and it comes to a instant stop and now I try get to reflect and appreciate everyone’s support and messages. Instead of going through and saying last but not least – I want to call out to my awesome hot beautiful supportive wife and best friend. Love ya babe!!! Thank you. And my boys Matt and Nate for their support! It’s so hard on family back home following the race especially when you disappear off the charts due to helping at a accident/or a mechanical failure or even just technical timing glitches. Massive shout out to the Dragon Yamaha team and my awesome mechanic Quentin Brossier. He says only a few English words and I say none French – so we get along great! He worked overtime all through the night sometime triple checking and sorting everything and I never had a issue. Thanks bud! Big thank you to Yamaha Motor Australia and Yamaha Motor Finance, Yamaha Motor Insurance Australia without their commitment to assist me this year – I would not have been here full stop. And also a big thanks to fellow competitor Ben Young for helping me get to the start line. So many others that helped or have helped previously – that got me to this point that I so much appreciate. Thanks guys.”
Rodney Faggotter
New Zealand’s Phillip Wilson (Bas Dakar KTM Racing Team) was 53rd overall, with Ben Young (Duust Rally Team) coming home in 58th.
Trevor Wilson finished 76th, while Matthew Tisdall completed the 2020 Dakar Rally in 96th.
Pos.
Rider
Team
Time/Gap
1
RICKY BRABEC
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020
40H 02′ 36”
2
PABLO QUINTANILLA
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING
+ 00H 16′ 26”
3
TOBY PRICE
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM
+ 00H 24′ 06”
4
JOSE CORNEJO FLORIMO
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020
+ 00H 31′ 43”
5
MATTHIAS WALKNER
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM
+ 00H 35′ 00”
6
LUCIANO BENAVIDES
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM
+ 00H 37′ 34”
7
JOAN BARREDA BORT
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020
+ 00H 50′ 57”
8
FRANCO CAIMI
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM
+ 01H 42′ 35”
9
SKYLER HOWES
KLYMCIW RACING
+ 02H 04′ 01”
10
ANDREW SHORT
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING
+ 02H 10′ 40”
11
STEFAN SVITKO
SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM
+ 02H 13′ 32”
12
ADRIEN METGE
SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY
+ 02H 33′ 14”
13
RODNEY FAGGOTTER
YAMAHA MOTOR AUSTRALIA
+ 02H 54′ 22”
14
JAUME BETRIU
FN SPEED TEAM
+ 03H 31′ 58”
15
JAMIE MCCANNEY
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM
+ 03H 42′ 24”
16
JUAN PEDRERO GARCIA
LS2 AVENTURA TOUAREG
+ 03H 45′ 33”
17
MACIEJ GIEMZA
ORLEN TEAM
+ 03H 51′ 42”
18
LAIA SANZ
GAS GAS FACTORY TEAM
+ 03H 58′ 16”
19
KEVIN BENAVIDES
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020
+ 04H 02′ 31”
20
MAURIZIO GERINI
SOLARYS RACING
+ 04H 08′ 16”
21
ROSS BRANCH
BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM
+ 04H 23′ 20”
22
JACOPO CERUTTI
SOLARYS RACING
+ 04H 26′ 00”
23
MARTIN MICHEK
MOTO RACING GROUP (MRG)
+ 04H 30′ 41”
24
SEBASTIEN LAGUT
NOMADE RACING
+ 05H 21′ 45”
25
PAUL SPIERINGS
HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING
+ 05H 50′ 43”
26
MILAN ENGEL
MOTO RACING GROUP (MRG)
+ 06H 03′ 09”
27
ANTONIO MAIO
YAMAHA FINO MOTOR RACING
+ 06H 15′ 21”
28
PATRICIO CABRERA
FN SPEED TEAM
+ 06H 49′ 18”
29
EMANUEL GYENES
AUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM
+ 08H 02′ 31”
30
ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS
ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS
+ 08H 15′ 51”
31
FAUSTO MOTA
XRAIDS TEAM
+ 08H 42′ 54”
32
MARIO PATRAO
KTM FACTORY TEAM
+ 08H 44′ 09”
33
OLIVIER PAIN
TEAM JOG – NOMADE RACING
+ 09H 06′ 45”
34
BENJAMIN MELOT
BENJAMIN MELOT
+ 09H 15′ 05”
35
LOIC MINAUDIER
TEAM ALL TRACKS
+ 09H 47′ 47”
36
FLORENT VAYSSADE
TEAM VAYSSADE FLORENT
+ 10H 36′ 10”
37
ANTHONY BOURSAUD
ANTHO MOTO SPORT – DRAG’ON RALLY TEAM
+ 10H 50′ 18”
38
PETR VLCEK
PETR VLCEK
+ 11H 48′ 57”
39
ROMAIN LELOUP
TEAM REPAR’STORES
+ 11H 57′ 56”
40
MYUNGGUL RYU
KLYMCIW RACING
+ 12H 37′ 50”
41
MIRJAM POL
HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING
+ 13H 35′ 03”
42
ZAKER YAKP
WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM
+ 14H 11′ 52”
43
CHARLIE HERBST
NOMADE RACING
+ 14H 15′ 15”
44
KRZYSZTOF JARMUZ
115MOTO
+ 14H 32′ 09”
45
PHILIPPE GENDRON
NOMADE RACING
+ 14H 49′ 16”
46
ENRIQUE GUZMÁN
XRAIDS TEAM
+ 14H 55′ 42”
47
PHILIPPE CAVELIUS
CAVELIUS TEAM
+ 15H 01′ 24”
48
NICOLAS BRABECK-LETMATHE
TEAM CASTEU
+ 15H 28′ 49”
49
ALESSANDRO BARBERO
ALESSANDRO BARBERO
+ 15H 31′ 58”
50
SIMON MARCIC
MARCIC
+ 15H 40′ 26”
….
53
PHILLIP WILSON
BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM
+ 16H 06′ 32”
58
BEN YOUNG
DUUST RALLY TEAM
+ 16H 53′ 51”
76
TREVOR COLIN WILSON
TREVOR WILSON
+ 21H 53′ 24”
96
MATTHEW TISDALL
BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM
+ 40H 24′ 27”
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Toni Bou wins X-Trial Round 3 in Budapest
Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou burst back onto the 2020 trial scene, snatching a 65th career win in the indoor discipline, in the third points-scoring round of the X-Trial World Championship held in the Hungarian capital Budapest.
Toni Bou – X-Trial Championship Round 3 – Hungary
Budapest played host to round three of the FIM X-Trial World Championship where the spectators in the Laszlo Papp Arena were treated to a thrilling display from Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou.
Bou cruised through the opening qualifying round to claim a spot in the second knockout phase. The champion scored better than the other seven riders over the five-section preliminary phase.
Subsequently in the knockout phase, Bou again fared better than adversaries Gabriel Marcelli and Jaime Busto, earning himself a place in the Grand Final against Adam Raga.
Bou and Raga, both displaying top-level riding skills, faced off in the final over six sections, only to finish tied on points. The ‘run-off’ section failed to decide the winner, with both riders fiving the section. Eventually the victor was adjudicated to be Bou on merit of a count-back, the reigning champion having scored better in the second round. Bou now boasts a 15-point advantage over Adam Raga.
Toni Bou
“It was a really, really tough trial. Adam rode really well today. We were able to win the first round and also the second which proved decisive for the final run-off. I gave it everything in the final, but I wasn’t experiencing very good sensations, and I couldn’t find my balance, but I had enough aggression to keep fighting until the end, where I cleaned the two final sections while there was everything still to play for, so it all turned out fine in the end. I want to congratulate Adam because it will be really tough to beat him this year.”
Toni Bou tops the podium from Adam Raga and Gabriel Marcelli
Repsol Honda Team will be back to tackle the fourth round of the X-Trial World Championship on Sunday February 2 in Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi.
Results X Trial Budapest 2020
Pos.
Rider
Nat
Team
Points
1
BOU, Toni
SPA
Repsol Honda Team
20
2
RAGA, Adam
SPA
TRRS Factory Team
15
3
MARCELLI, Gabriel
SPA
RG Team
12
4
FAJARDO, Jeroni
SPA
Sherco Factory Team
9
5
CASALES, Jorge
SPA
Gas Gas Factory Team
6
6
BUSTO, Jaime
SPA
Vertigo Factory Team
4
7
GELABERT, Miquel
SPA
Vertigo Factory Team
2
8
BINCAZ, Benoit
FRA
Beta Factory Racing
1
X Trial Rider Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Team
Points
1
BOU, Toni
SPA
Repsol Honda Team
60
2
RAGA, Adam
SPA
TRRS Factory Team
45
3
BUSTO, Jaime
SPA
Vertigo Factory Team
22
4
FAJARDO, Jeroni
SPA
Sherco Factory Team
21
5
GELABERT, Miquel
SPA
Vertigo Factory Team
20
6
MARCELLI, Gabriel
SPA
RG Team
18
7
CASALES, Jorge
SPA
Gas Gas Factory Team
12
8
BINCAZ, Benoit
FRA
Beta Factory Racing
7
9
MARTIN, Toby
GBR
Beta Factory Racing
1
10
TOULY, Kieran
FRA
Scorpa Factory
1
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Billy Bolt dominates Spanish SuperEnduro Round 3
Where Blazusiak dominated in Germany as Billy Bolt struggled, the young Husqvarna rider took his revenge during the third round of the season in Spain, setting the fastest time in the Akrapovic SuperPole and proceeded to take three victories in front of the passionate Spanish crowd – the maximum 63 points on the night! Having learned from his mistakes in Riesa, he completely dominated proceedings in A Coruña.
Billy Bolt
In the first race he quickly placed himself directly behind Taddy Blazusiak after the Pole took the holeshot. With a very slick track, conditions seemed to suit Bolt, who usually thrives when there’s a lack of grip.
From the second lap onwards, he lead the way in front of Blazusiak and Jonny Walker, with the latter finally seeming more comfortable and confident. The British Factory KTM rider finished in third, and Blazusiak was unable to hunt down Bolt, forced to settle for second behind the unstoppable kid from Newcastle.
Jonny Walker
In race two the riders have to face a ‘reverse grid’, but Bolt didn’t waste much time getting past early leaders Pol Tarres and Diogo Vieira. While Bolt made his escape, Blazusiak and Walker found themselves stuck in traffic, and despite Bolt suffering a fall he kept out of reach as he crossed the finish line and took the chequered flag.
Three laps from the end of the race, Blazusiak was only in eighth position, but his fighting spirit came to the fore and he battled back to an important fourth. Jonny Walker took second, and Alfredo Gomez third.
Alfredo Gomez
Determined not to let Bolt get too far ahead in the standings, the two KTM riders pulled off fantastic starts in the last race. Blazusiak was leading Walker while Bolt was further back. But on the second lap Blazusiak went down, letting Walker shoot past.
It seemed as if Taddy’s team-mate was finally on for a race win, but a mistake cost him near certain victory. In the end, no-one could stop Bolt as he charged through for his third victory of the evening. Jonny Walker and Taddy Blazusiak completed the top three in this final race.
Billy Bolt
“I’m made up by just how well tonight has gone. It’s the first time I’ve won all three races and taken the Superpole, so all in it’s gone about as perfect as it could have done. After my performance in Germany I wanted to come here and redeem myself. But to be honest, when I walked the course I didn’t expect it to suit me so well. However, as the night progressed I adapted to the changing terrain and conditions. You needed to muscle the bike around in places, but at the same time be calm and patient. I did my best to avoid mistakes and take the opportunities when they came to me. It worked, especially with race three – that felt perfect. Of course there’s still a long way to go in the championship, we’re far from over, but to take maximum points and get the leader’s red plate back is fantastic.”
Billy Bolt
Jonny Walker
“It’s been another good night and I feel like I’m showing that I’m making steps forward with each round. I’m delighted with second and another visit to the podium. On a tricky course I managed to get good starts and that made a big difference. I wasn’t always the fastest on the track, but I was consistently hitting my lines every lap, which was making things count. Looking at my results as a whole, I’ve improved each time. Fourth in Poland, third in Germany and now second tonight, that gives me a lot of confidence heading into the next round.”
Jonny Walker
Taddy Blazusiak
“The track was the real decider tonight. It either worked for you or it tripped you up. Unfortunately, for the majority of the time it got the better of me. I felt like after practice I had it figured out and in race one I managed to get it right. You needed to let it come to you – in a way ride slow to go faster. In race two things sort of came undone and I made too many strange mistakes. It was the same in race three, too. But I’m experienced enough not to dwell on it. There’s a lot of racing left to go in this championship and I’m looking forward to returning to the stadium in Budapest where I know I can show what I’m capable of.”
Taddy Blazusiak
Alfredo Gomez
“I made things difficult for myself when I crashed in the Superpole and ended up sixth. That meant I had a poor gate position and it was difficult to fight in the first corner. In race one I started seventh and recovered to fourth. I managed to capitalise on the reversed grid for race two and exited the second corner in fourth. I found my rhythm pretty quick and took third there. With fifth in race three I ended up fourth overall, but I showed in race two that with a decent start my pace was good.”
Alfredo Gomez
Billy Bolt now has 169 points in the standings, and takes over at the front of the championship by six-points ahead of Blazusiak. Walker is 33-points back, but not out of the title chase. Gomez is now fourth, 10 points from Walker.
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Juniors
America’s Ty Cullins, leader of the Junior category, experienced his worst evening since his debut in the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship. The TM rider didn’t finish in the top three during any of the races in A Coruña. The Californian fell foul of the many pitfalls in the Spanish arena. After several crashes, he failed to find the pace or the confidence to fight at the front.
Bulgarian KTM rider, Teodor Kabakchiev, was the big winner of the evening. After taking victory in race two, and a couple of second places, he took overall victory in Spain. The first race was won by Dominik Olszowy ahead of Kabakchiev and Leon Hentschel.
Kabakchiev took top honours in race two ahead of Milan Schmueser and Hentschel. And the German Sherco rider won the last race at the expense of Kabakchiev and France’s Adrien Jacon.
The Junior Championship therefore has a new leader in the form of Leon Hentschel, who now has 138 points, Cullins limits the damage by leaving A Coruña second in the rankings, five-points down. Following his excellent evening, Kabakchiev is now third on 125 points.
Junior Class Results – 2020 SuperEnduro Round 3 Final 1
Dominik Olszowy
Teodor Kabakchiev
Leon Hentschel
Raul Guimera
Adrien Jacon
Final 2
Teodor Kabakchiev
Milan Schmueser
Leon Hentschel
Adrien Jacon
Dominik Olszowy
Final 3
Milan Schmueser
Teodor KabakchievLeon Hentschel
Adrien Jacon
Alessandro Azzalini
Dominik Olszowy
Provisionnal classification
Leon Hentschel 138 points
Ty Cullins 133
Teodor Kabakchiev 125
Adrien Jacon 121
Milan Schmueser 76
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Aussies tackle 2020 Africa ECO Race
Australian Andrew Houlihan has finished 21st outright in the gruelling 2020 Africa ECO Race, with the 14 day off-road rally seeing riders struggle at times with demanding terrain, some stranded in the desert for up to 30 hours, and one stage cut short due to multiple serious crashes requiring evacuations by helicopter.
While the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia has captured plenty of attention in recent weeks, three Australians, Andrew Houlihan, Matt Sutherland and Peter Caldwell have been tackling an equally demanding event in Northern Africa.
Andrew Houlihan – 2020 Africa ECO Race Results
The Africa ECO Race is an annual rally raid that starts in Europe and retraces much of the path of the original Paris-Dakar rally, ending on the banks of the famous pink lake – Lac Rose – in Senegal.
This year’s event started under lights in Monaco on the 4th January. Competitors then travelled to the port of Savona in Italy to board a ferry which took them to Tangier in Morocco. From there they competed for 12 days racing over a distance of 6,500km through the mind-blowing landscapes of Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Senegal. Each stage was between 300 to 750km.
Andrew Houlihan entered with no expectations other than to finish safely, and is no stranger to the challenges of off-road racing having won multiple motocross titles in Australia, but at the age of almost 50 he made his international debut in the Hellas Rally in Greece in 2018.
A major crash in that rally almost cost him his life, and after a long recovery he came back in 2019 to compete in four international rallies including the Hispania Rally in Spain (placing sixth in class) and the Rally du Maroc where he came eighth in the Enduro Cup category.
The 2020 Africa ECO Race was the next step on Andrew’s journey to his ultimate goal of competing in the 2021 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, and Andrew’s previous successes helped to gain sponsorship from Coca-Cola Energy.
The energy drink division of Coca-Cola, one of the most recognised and valuable brands in the world, has put their support behind Andrew, his teammate Mexican rider Juan Pablo Guillen and their Nomadas Adventure team.
A field of 74 motorbikes started this year’s rally, but the tough conditions took their toll on the riders and machines with only 61 rolling up to the start line for the final day.
Stage 8 was particularly hard on riders with many bikes still stranded in the Mauritanian sand dunes overnight. For many of those stranded the rescue mission would take up to 30 hours. Two days later tough conditions and multiple serious crashes caused the early termination of the 600km 10th stage.
Andrew’s 21st place in the 2020 Africa ECO Race is despite facing his own challenges during the event. A fuel pump failure in stage 2 cost him over an hour and a half while he siphoned fuel with his CamelBak from one fuel tank to the operational one, as well as ongoing hand cramps over the final three days.
Andrew Houlihan
“I had a couple of bad days and a few really good days. Very little sleep for 12 days and just enough food to keep going each day. We saw the best and the worst of Northern Africa and it was an emotional and physical roller coaster. Every day at some stage I would ask myself, why am I doing this. There were some serious accidents, riders stuck in the dunes for 24 hours, bikes and cars breaking down, crazy African desert dwellers to contend with and many new friendships made. I’m happy to finish in 21st position overall despite a couple of really bad days. It’s time to get home to Katie and the kids, add some more titanium pins and screws to my body, recover and get ready for the next race!”
Andrew Houlihan – 2020 Africa ECO Race Results
Fellow Australian Matt Sutherland who was born in Ballarat but now lives in Vancouver, was a late entry into the rally. He replaced a rider in Lyndon Poskitt’s Team Races 2 Places who had to withdraw due to illness. Matt finished the rally in seventh place.
Peter Caldwell (KTM) finished 36th after losing plenty of time in an early stage when he got lost in the sand dunes.
2020 Africa ECO Race Results
Pos.
Rider
Time
1
BOTTURI Alessandro
48:47:30
2
ULLEVALSETER Pal Anders
48:51:29
3
POSKITT Lyndon
49:39:26
4
LUCCI Paolo
49:43:02
5
BENKO Martin
54:11:17
6
CZACHOR Jacek
54:23:10
7
SUTHERLAND Matt
54:33:29
8
DABROWSKI Konrad
55:23:37
9
STASIACZEK Pawel
55:49:55
10
GRITTI Giovanni
56:24:33
11
JOHNSON Michael
56:57:37
12
LA CAVERA Blasco
58:12:42
13
MINELLI Gabriele
59:03:22
14
BARATIN Amaury
59:04:13
15
BERGLUND Anders
59:34:56
16
BOCOUM Mamadou
60:04:42
17
GUILLEN Juan Pablo
60:13:16
18
SAVELKOULS Stephan
60:25:05
19
MAESTRAMI Lorenzo
60:26:13
20
CRAISS Michael
60:44:27
21
HOULIHAN Andrew
61:00:12
22
LABINSKY Robert
65:38:23
23
CHATELIER Thibault
66:11:04
24
GöRLACH Fabian
67:11:20
25
EVANS Joey
68:20:50
26
ZATKO Jan
69:06:26
27
RAAFF Gregory
69:14:20
28
HULTQVIST Joakim
69:56:32
29
CONREAU Christophe
70:45:50
30
VAN DER WOUDEN Bram
71:27:22
31
ENOCHSSON Per
71:54:58
32
STROMAETHER Per
72:19:45
33
DORS Richard
76:19:50
34
LINES Edward
76:54:40
35
COMINARDI Davide
77:29:29
36
CALDWELL Peter
78:40:14
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Under-21’s Speedway heads to Undera
Australia’s best Under 21 Speedway riders converge on Undera this Saturday night for the 2020 Australian Under 21’s Speedway Championship, with a 16-rider field to tackle the tight technical Undera circuit, near Shepparton, from 5pm, January 25, 2020.
Motorcycling Australia Track Events Manager, Sam Redfern, said the 16-rider field were the best of the best and Australia’s future world champions including recent Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship competitors Jaimon Lidsey and Zach Cook who both put in strong performances against senior riders.
Jaimon Lidsey
Sam Redfern – Motorcycling Australia Track Events Manager
“This is a fantastic field of Australian talent for the Under 21’s Speedway Championship at Undera, with Jaimon Lidsey aiming for his third Under 21 title in a row. Undera recently held the successful senior national championship and fans should definitely expect spectacular action and racing this Saturday night. Junior speedway is in a very healthy state and these young guns have the talent to represent Australia on the world stage. I would certainly encourage speedway fans to get to Undera Speedway on January 25 for what will be a fantastic championship meet.”
Racing on the night kicks off with practice from 5pm, rider introduction at 7pm and racing from 7.30pm.
2020 Moto X Step Up returns to Adelaide
Following a successful Australian debut at the 2019 Superloop Adelaide 500, the Moto X Step Up competition will return for 2020, with the unique motocross competition attracting adrenalin-seekers from all over the world as competitors attempt to jump a bar as high as 55 feet.
An international rider line-up headlined by Australia’s own Jarryd McNeil will see some of the world’s best Moto X stars head to Adelaide to compete for the top prize.
McNeil, the reigning four-time Moto X Step Up X Games Gold Medallist (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019) took out the inaugural Superloop Adelaide 500 crown in 2019 and is looking forward to returning to Adelaide to defend his title.
Jarryd McNeil
“It was awesome to win the first ever Moto X Step Up competition in Australia at last year’s Superloop Adelaide 500. It’s cool to see so many Aussie fans at the event, embracing Moto X Step Up and cheering us on. This year the field is just as competitive, if not more, with a number of international riders. I’m looking forward to the challenge that it brings and trying to retain my title.”
American Colby Raha who claimed bronze in the Moto X Step Up and gold in the Real Moto X Gold Medal at the 2019 X Games is McNeil’s main rival in the field and looking for redemption in 2020.
Colby Raha
“I’m stoked to head back to Australia and compete in the Step Up competition. It’s cool to see how big this sport has grown in Australia over the years and the level of riders coming from Down Under. The competition was close in 2019 and I’m ready to go again, the Aussies better watch their backs!”
The Czech Republic’s Filip Podmol will return to Adelaide after a successful Moto X debut at last year’s event clearing 36 feet, along with Italian Massimo Bianconcini who took out fifth place in the 2019 X Games Moto X Step Up competition, rounding out the field in what is set to be a thrilling spectacle for fans.
Similar to high jump, Moto X Step Up will see the bar increase in height, beginning at 30 feet and sometimes reaching 55 feet in order to secure eliminations. If a rider is unsuccessful in their two attempts they are eliminated. The winner is declared when one rider remains after multiple elimination stages over the four-day event, kicking off on February 20.
The Superloop Adelaide 500 will take place 20 February – 23 February, 2020. Tickets for the 2020 Superloop Adelaide 500 are now on sale. For more information on the event and Rose Rooftop visit: www.superloopadl500.com.au (link)
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2020 Empire Kawasaki riders announced
The direct collaboration between Kawasaki Motors Australia and Empire Kawasaki is entering into its second full season, with Tyson Cherry and Empire Motorsport to run the largest Kawasaki supported Motocross and Supercross racing effort in the 2020 Australian Motocross Nationals and Australian Supercross Championship.
Continuing on from 2019, Deakin Hellier will be competing on the Kawasaki KX250 in MXD and MX2 sharing, “Feeling super adamant on putting some good results on the board for the 2020 MX season, my bike this year is feeling awesome. The new 2020 KX250 has really blown me away this year excited to show my potential.”
Jayden Rykers, will be competing on the Kawasaki KX450 in MX1 adding, “I’m really happy to be joining the Empire Kawasaki team for 2020. I had a solid year last year and had the speed to run with the top riders and I’m looking to continue on with that form. I’ve spent some time on the test track on the new bike and I feel really comfortable on the bike, and think that as a whole, it suits my style better than my previous bike. This, paired with a better preseason will see me hunting the podium throughout the year.”
Team Manager, Tyson Cherry also commented on the year ahead, “2019 was an awesome year for us, learning a new bike and building a relationship with Kawasaki Australia, we are excited to continue our partnership with Kawasaki. Deakin and Jayden are both putting in a lot of work on and off the bike; we are all excited to get to round 1 and get the season underway.”
Kawasaki Motors Australia National Sales & Marketing Manager, Robert Walker is looking forward to a strong year for the Green Team, “We have established an great relationship with Empire Kawasaki. In 2020 we are looking forward to seeing the team on the podium and supporting the Kawasaki brand with some great results.”.
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Indian announce 2020 European Flat Track Series
Indian Motorcycle and the Dirt Track Riders Association (DTRA) have announce the race schedule for the 2020 Indian Motorcycle European Flat Track Series.
Following a successful inaugural series in 2019, Indian Motorcycle has worked with the DTRA to select events that ensure the ‘Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Series’ championship is accessible and exciting for a wide range of rider abilities.
2020 Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Series announced – Image by Tom Bing
Three classes will allow entries ranging from the thundering 750cc+ multi-cylinder ‘Hooligan’ road-based machines, such as Indian FTR 1200 and Scout, to the Open-entry ‘Pro Class’ dominated by lightweight DTX based machines and a growing Pre-1975 ‘Vintage Class’.
All classes cater for first-time amateur and Pro riders alike, with circuits catering for mixed ability, including fast ½-miles, tight short tracks and a TT, with a four round championship with the three best results to count.
2020 Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Series
Round 1: 2nd-3rd May Hells Race, Holland – Light Shale Short-Track Open to all Classes. Held at this well-established event at the Dirttrack Lelystad Stadium, this is a fantastic event to open the series.
Round 2: 6th-7th June Greenfield TT, United Kingdom – Dirt-Track TT Course Open to Pro and Vintage classes only. Greenfield TT incorporates a spectacular jump section which is unsuitable for the Hooligan road-based machines, it also makes-up a round of the UK DTRA Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Nationals Series.
Round 3: 13th June – El Rollo at Wheels and Waves, San Sebastian, Spain – Dirt Short-Track Open to all Classes. The El Rollo dirt-track race at Wheels and Waves is a massive event in the European motorcycle calendar.
Round 4: 18th-20th September Krowdrace, Parchim Germany – Shale 1/2 Mile Open to all Classes. Run for the first time in 2019, Krowdrace is expanding in its second year and will be running at this excellent ½-mile venue.
Individual event prizes will be awarded on top of local event prizes as follows: Winner Pro – 200 Euros; Winner Hooligan – 150 Euros; Winner Vintage – 150 Euros.
The series is free to enter and prizes and benefits will be available only to registered riders. Registered riders will agree to abide by the rules of the series and the local rules and licence arrangements of each local race organisers. Registrations will open during January and close just before the first meeting. Full rules for the 2020 series will be found on the DTRA website and, of course, locally at each event. (Link to registration via DTRA: www.dirttrackriders.co.uk)
Indian Motorcycle will announce its 2020 team and rider lineup soon.
2020 Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Series Poster
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Shayna Texter with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for another two years
KTM Motorsports have announced that 18-time AFT Singles winner Shayna Texter has signed a two-year contract extension with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team to compete in the American Flat Track Championship Singles class through the 2021 season.
Texter, a Pennsylvania native, will return aboard the KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition, a bike that led her to three AFT Singles Main Event wins last season. As a part of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team’s debut season in 2019, Texter has been an integral part of the brand’s testing and development in American Flat Track racing. Finishing seventh overall in the series last season, Texter will look to improve her standing and go after even more race-wins in 2020.
Shayna Texter
“It’s an honor to be continuing my relationship with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team. They have created a culture of winning that I am happy to be a part of. We learned so much together last season with the new team and we won three races together, but now we turn our attention toward 2020 with new goals that I look forward to accomplishing on a Red Bull KTM.”
Shayna Texter – Image by Scott Hunter
The 2020 American Flat Track Championship kicks off on March 14 in Daytona Beach, Florida. For more information on the American Flat Track Championship, please visit their website https://www.americanflattrack.com.
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2020 Championship Calendars
2020 AMA Motocross race schedule
May 17 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
May 24 – Fox Raceway National – Pala, CA
May 31 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, CO
June 7 – Florida National – Jacksonville, FL
June 21 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, PA
June 28 – Southwick National – Southwick, MA
July 5 – RedBud National – Buchanan, MI
July 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, MN
July 26 – Washougal National – Washougal, WA
August 16 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, NY
August 23 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, MD
August 30 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, IN
2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Calendar
Jan. 4 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 11 – The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Jan. 18 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 25 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Feb. 1 – Ringcentral Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
Feb. 8 – Petco Park, San Diego, Calif.
Feb. 15 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Feb. 22 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Feb. 29 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
March 7 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla.
March 14 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianpolis, Ind.
March 21 – Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
March 28 – Centurylink Field, Seattle, Wash.
April 4 – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Co.
April 18 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
April 25 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
May 2 – Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah
2020 MXGP Calendar
March 1 – Great Britain, Matterley Basin (EMX125, WMX)
March 8 – The Netherlands, Valkenswaard – (EMX250, WMX)
March 22 – Patagonia, Argentina, Neuquen
April 5 – Trentino I, Pietramurata – (EMX250, EMX 2t)
April 19 – Spain, (TBA) – (EMX125, WMX)
April 26 – Portugal, Agueda – (EMX125, EMX250)
May 10 – France, Saint Jean d’Angely – (EMX125, EMX Open)
May 17 – Italy, Maggiora – (EMX Open, WMX)
May 24 – Germany, Teutschenthal – (EMX250, EMX Open)
Stoner explains that it is the first-ever racing suit that has been released to the public from his own private collection and comes with an autographed certificate of authenticity by Alpinestars. All proceeds raised, which currently sits at above $10,000 (Australian), will go to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund.
After a six-year absence due to a lack of specialized materials, Aerostich’s Transit waterproof/breathable leather suit is back and better than ever. The new Transit 3 uses 1.2mm perforated leather with a special impregnation that prevents it from absorbing water, and underneath is a breathable waterproof membrane. A complete set of TF5 impact armor is included. Jackets ($987) are sized 38-52 and pants ($897) 30-44, both available in Short, Regular and Long lengths.
Thinking of an international motorcycle tour in 2020? Edelweiss Bike Travel has released its complete 2020 catalog of tours. There’s something for everyone, including guided, self-guided and private options to bucket-list locations like the Alps, Ireland, Africa, New Zealand and Thailand, from seven to 14 days and more! Or if you’re feeling very adventurous, join one or more legs of the World Tour, covering six continents and countless unforgettable encounters.