Troy Herfoss: “Shining very bright now, things are really good. I started walking Tuesday, without the crutches or anything and there’s no real pain. Little bit of pain by the end of the day, but that’s to be expected. Everything is really straight and also the hip and femur has a lot of blood flow and the hip replacement isn’t going to be necessary, which is the best news I’ve had. To be honest as a motorbike racer, with my leg 10 mm shorter, maybe I will fit the bike a bit better. (laughs)”
Troy Herfoss won the opening race at Hidden Valley back in June but crashed heavily in the second race – Image Half Light
Trev: Despite your injuries, you’ve never been so highly sought after by so many superbike teams. One Ducati team has been really keen and made no secret of it, and I am sure the other Ducati Team would love to have you too, obviously Honda want you to stay, and a new Yamaha team being put together…
Herfoss: “It’s been an interesting few months really, obviously with Wayne retiring before I crashed, there’s a good chance that the way things were heading that I’d be the guy to beat for next year, and then once I crashed, I was sorta at the other end of the scale – wondering if I had a chance for a job next year. But the way it’s turned out it’s going to be as good as ever next year.”
Herfoss has been courted by the Boost Mobile Ducati squad
Trev: How close are you to signing on the dotted line next year?
Herfoss: “I’m hoping in the next fortnight to announce what I’m going to be doing for next year. I’m just really excited now, there was a race over the weekend at Morgan Park, I was anxious to see how much faster everyone would go, but no one went faster so I was put at ease a little bit. I’m just excited to start the rebuild process now. I think I’ve got about four weeks until I can potentially get the OK to live life normally and get back on a motorbike and all that kind of stuff. So that’s all pretty exciting for me at the moment.”
Penrite Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR-R SP – Rider Troy Herfoss with team owner Deon Coote from Elite Roads
Trev: So you’re walking unaided, without too much grief?
Herfoss: “By the end of the day I do have pain, I’m limping now – but when I get out of bed in the morning, I’m pretty much OK and from what one of the surgeons said I think I’ll just get better, with the more training load I get, as far as walking. I’ve been doing some gym stuff for a few weeks now and I can actually do push-ups now, which has been a big bonus. I couldn’t do anything at the start.
“There’s certain areas where I have really really terrible strength, so I am a long way off, but there’s some areas where I’m gaining strength really quickly. So in the next four weeks or so I will hopefully make fairly big inroads, a lot of the movement has come back in my arm, I can walk properly, I can get up and down without worrying about hurting myself, I can do more exercises.”
This fella has won more Superbike races on a Fireblade over the last decade than anyone else in the world.
Trev: It all takes time realistically; you haven’t been able to do much for probably the first three months, with your upper body, so you’re really only a month back into it now. Another couple of months will be a big step forward. Can you get into the pool?
Herfoss: “I’m going to start the pool next week, just getting into and out of the pool on crutches was the main worry, I didn’t want to hurt myself again. But now I can walk unaided, I want to start attemping to swim and walking and running in the pool will be a good way to get my walking form back.
“That’s the thing, I’m so out of line at the moment, if I try and do something at the moment and my hips just twist. You go through life, not injured too much – I used to think on my bicycle I’d have imbalances and would think that one leg was weaker than the other, but it’s not till you have an injury that you realise how out of shape your body can get.”
The Penrite Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR-R SP and Troy Herfoss.
Trev: So round about a month and you might be able to sling a leg over a bike, all going well.
Herfoss: “Yeah, now Tailem Bend has just been called off, if they go on to race at Phillip Island and it’s raining and it’s not physically demanding, who’s to say I can’t ride. Definitely at the moment I am thinking about next year. But if ASBK have to put off the championship till the weekend before Christmas and Im already a month back riding a supermoto bike, it’ll be hard not to get on a motorbike.”
Trev: The main drama there seems to be the guys up in Queensland actually being allowed out anywhere between now and 2032 or whenever, and then whether they will ever let you back in… so that’s probably the main stopper. And of course with so much of the grid in Queensland, that could be what makes or breaks the event actually happening.
Herfoss: “I think you’re right, but they’ll definitely open the borders for the Olympics in 2032…” *laughs*
Trev: If it was up to me, I’d just disband all the states and make it all one country, none of this us vs them bullshit.
Herfoss: “It seems very logical to do that.”
The Penrite Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR-R SP and Troy Herfoss.
Trev: Logic and politics don’t go well together though… So now you’re getting back up to a training regimen, what’s your normal sort of day entail at the moment? Still Mr Mumming most of the time? How old is little Mia now?
Herfoss: “Eight months, just started crawling this week, ironically the day I got the OK for walking, she started crawling.
“Yeah I’m able to actually be the Mr Mum at the moment, so I can take on the chores inside the house as far as washing, wiping up and folding some washing, it’s actually reasonably good rehab to be fair. Literally when I got my surgeons appointment on Monday, he said ‘I guess you want to know when you can ride your bikes again,’ and I said no, I just want to know when I can mow the lawn and go to the tip. I’ve lowered the bar so much I just want to be able to do something.
“I guess for now, I get up in the morning and do a bit with Mia and stuff like that, and have a gym set-up inside so I just get in there and do some activation and stretching stuff, to try and build strength and movement. Then on the bike for 20 minutes, 20-30 minutes of really low power, on zwift, then a bit more gym and stretching stuff. I sort of do about two and half hours during the morning, by the time I stuff around, and then it’s just about trying to get moving and walk 500 metres a day at the moment.
“So I guess the surgeons biggest worry, as he knew I would push the upper end of what I could do, which is what I’m doing at the moment. But basically day by day at the moment and I’m not on any pain meds so I can just judge the pain by how I get it, and its working well at the moment. It works well that I haven’t had to commit to riding the bike this year, so I’m trying to get as fit as possible for next year.”
Penrite Honda – 2018 ASBK Superbike Champions – Left to right – Glenn Granger – Troy Herfoss – Ian Collier – Scott Charlton – Shaun Clarke and Team owner Deon Coote – Image TBG
Trev: Were you off the pushbike long enough for your arse to get un-bike fit?
Herfoss: “I can tell you, because I’ve ridden for so long, when people used to say ‘I just started riding, I can’t get comfortable,’ I’d think surely it’s not that bad. But honestly because I can’t stand up on a bike now, I’ve got to sit down, 20 minutes the only thing that stops me getting off after the 20 minutes is that everything goes numb down there, and there’s so much pain in my sit bones, it’s crazy I couldn’t believe how much your body gets used to sitting down on a hard saddle.”
Trev: That’s the struggle I’m having now trying to get back on a mountain bike, and nowhere near getting on a pure road bicycle, my udder can’t cope!
Herfoss: “It’s the worst part.”
Penrite Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR-R SP
Trev: World Superbike, who’s your tip? Toprak to take the title or Jonny Rea?
Herfoss: “I think Toprak is going to take it, not just because he’s got such a big gap, I think mentally he hasn’t got him covered, I don’t think mentally Jonny can work out a way to beat him or crack him at the moment, but I think it’s possible he will work it out. I don’t think this is changing in the armour and that Rea is done, and that Toprak is the new guy on the bike, but I think a few things factor in and I don’t believe that Jonny’s entire package is quite as good as Toprak’s at the moment. I just think mainly he hasn’t worked out mentally how to crack him, so he’s throwing the kitchen sink at him, but Toprak is just so strong mentally and happy to give it back to him, so it’s going to be a hard one for Rea to come back from.”
Trev: And of course, with the parity in World Superbike, he is down a lot of revs on the Kawasaki due to the rules, so he’s definitely fighting with one hand behind his back there.
Herfoss: “Yeah, it’s a bummer as unfortunately these things only change when the rider starts losing a bit, it’s tough because Jonny has to sort of go through the tough times and get beaten before they’ll give him the revs back.”
Trev: And MotoGP, isn’t it incredibly to see how different a rider Marquez is on a left handed circuit rather than a right handed circuit, he looks like he always has going one way, but going the other way it’s just not working. I joined in on some zoom interviews at the end of some of the previous rounds where he answers questions that you don’t generally get to see on any televised coverage, and he was just saying, he just doesn’t have the strength to push the bar on that side, so he can’t push the bike hard enough, which is where he’s saying there’s that lack of strength. Obviously from your point of view, you’d study his form on the bike even closer than the likes of me, but what do you see when you watch him?
Herfoss: “I follow it religiously, and it was crazy to watch him roll out of pit lane in America, because he’s been riding pretty insecurely this year, looking for a tow a lot of the time, and not doing many consistent laps. But he just rolled out of pit lane and was fast straight away, doing his own laps, wasn’t looking for any help and it was crazy to see just how much more confident he was and goes to show how weak he must feel in certain scenarios.
“You can see that at Aragon, it’s crazy for him to follow for that long, and then when he made a pass, it was sort of he just set it in there knowing he wasn’t going to stop for the corner, which was unlike him. I think he’s got shoulder issues as well as arm, I don’t think the injury he and I have, is holding him back, I think he’s got so many shoulder injuries there, it’s been pulled apart so many times, it’s just not as good as it ever was. It’s definitely hard to watch when he’s struggling, knowing how good he is. I believe he’s the best if he’s 100 per cent fit.”
Herf hopes to sling a leg over a bike again sometime next month
Trev: I agree totally, I think he’s in a different league when he’s on a mission, even well beyond Fabio, actually that’s another interesting segue. When Marc’s on it he’s always been that far ahread of the other Honda guys, week in week out, that’s ops normal, but this year all the riders other than Fabio on the Yamaha are nowhere, which is unusual. It’s Quartararo and then the next Yamaha is half the time 17th, so Yamaha really haven’t got anyone fast enough to help Fabio with set-up for the weekend, be that with leg work on the electronics or tyre wear, as he’s so much quicker than the other Yamaha riders they are basically racing in a different category. That must make life hard for him, to you know get to where he is now, he’s just been so consistent and he seems to make the best of whatever situation he is given.
Herfoss: “He definitely has been amazing this year, I had my doubts this year about Quartararo, but that ticked all the boxes for me, being such a difficult track for yamaha, and he’s been the only guy really, when the chips are down he’s come through with a decent result. I think that’s where all the riders on the top bikes are really Marquez-like on their best day, but the difference is that when Marquez is fit, his bad days he still races well, and I think that’s why we’ve seen Quartararo get ahead this year, because he’s been that sort of style where he’s really worked hard on his bad days to make sure they aren’t too bad.”
Troy Herfoss at Hidden Valley 2021 – Image RbMotoLens
Trev: Marquez injuries were obviously quite horrific to that shoulder, I didn’t break bones like Marc but I did have all the tendons rettached in my shoulder 12 months ago, and they say it takes about a year to feel right. And it’s about a year to the day since I had my tendons done, and it’s only now where it really feels 95 per cent natural for most of the day. So, come beginning of next year Marquez should be in that same sort of area – unless it’s permanent nerve damage that’s really going to hold him back forever – we should see him back to full strength, or at least very close to it, next season.
Herfoss: “Would be nice to see him finish out his career in full fitness.”
Trev: He’s still so young, he’s 10 years younger than you.
Herfoss: “It’s crazy, and I don’t feel old I tell you that.”
Trev: Cheers for that chat and I look forward to letting the readers in on your plans for next year.
Herfoss: “Thanks Trev, talk soon.”
Herfoss went to America and beat the best that America had to offer, winning the AMA Supermoto Championship before he went road racing a few years later. And it will likely be a Supermoto bike that he uses to get back up to speed on a motorbike once again
2021 AORC won’t crown champions with only two rounds run
Unfortunately, with no clarity provided by State Governments around the timing for the opening of state borders, the AORC Management Team has made the necessary decision to cancel the 2021 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championships.
As only two rounds of the 2021 AORC Championship were conducted and in accordance to the AORC Championship regulations, there will be no Champions awarded for any classes in 2021.
Quintanilla wins Rally du Maroc 2021 – Sanders third
While it was Walkner and KTM winning the war that was the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, the battle victory went to the Monster Energy Honda Team’s new recruit Pablo Quintanilla. On the final day of the rally the Chilean saw off his rivals to claim both stage and race victories.
The 166-kilometre final special stage went quickly for most of the riders still in contention for victory at this Rallye du Maroc. David Castera, race director, had designed a stage with very little navigation. With little movement of wind, the dust hanging in the air accompanied the riders throughout the journey, making it impossible for riders starting from the rear to make up time.
Pablo Quintanilla started in a fine position from which to attack Mathias Walkner’s lead. The Monster Energy Honda Team rider held a sufficiently strong pace to allow him to fulfil this main mission and capture the final stage of the Rallye du Maroc and overall rally victory.
Pablo Quintanilla – P1
“I am very happy with the victory. It was a very difficult week and I want to thank the whole team for the great job they did. It was fantastic for us. Personally, I felt very comfortable, I was riding with great pace, with good navigation and that’s very good for my confidence. I am also very motivated for the next objective, which is the Dakar. We are going to take a short break, rest, recharge our batteries and then we will concentrate on the Dakar.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Of the three championship rounds raced so far, Walkner has shown incredible consistency, finishing as runner-up at the high-speed Rally Kazakhstan, before taking the win in the contrasting conditions of the epic Silk Way Rally, held in Russia less than one month later. Now, with another podium result in Morocco, the experienced 35-year-old has shown he is clearly on form and will now be aiming to carry his winning momentum into the final round of the series in Abu Dhabi before focusing on the 2022 Dakar next January.
Matthias Walkner – P2
“It’s been a super cool rally for me. I set out this morning hoping to take the win, but I made a small mistake about halfway through that only maybe cost me a minute, but it was enough on the shortened stage to lose out. Second place overall is great though and to win the world championship title early is amazing. The team have been great all year, so a big thank you to them. It’s time to relax now and really enjoy the moment.”
Matthias Walkner
Aussie youngster Daniel Sanders secured third overall for his, and GASGAS’, first ever podium result in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Even with a minor setback on day three, the Aussie turned things around on the final two stages, upping his pace and rapidly closing in on the leader to complete the rally just over five minutes short of the win.
Daniel Sanders – P3
“The last day is done and what a week it’s been! Opening the final stage was pretty cool. After around 80 kilometers the navigation became a bit more tricky so I had to slow my pace to make sure I was on the right path. I actually had a small crash in the dunes but I was up quick and straight back on a decent rhythm. I’m really happy to have finished third on this stage after opening and overall it’s been a great week. To end it with a podium and secure the first podium result for GASGAS in the world championship is really cool. Now I’m looking forward to the next race in Abu Dhabi.”
Daniel Sanders
Returning to competition following injury, KTM’s Toby Price put the all-new 2022 model KTM 450 RALLY through its paces in its competitive debut. Making changes and developing the bike as the event progressed, the experienced Dakar champion was pleased with the performance of the machine and look forwards to continuing at the next round in Abu Dhabi.
Toby Price – P13
“It’s good to get the last day done, and out of Morocco in one piece. I picked up a small penalty for speeding in today’s stage but all-in-all I can’t complain. It’s good to get the first one under the belt after being off the bike for so long and I’m looking forward to Abu Dhabi now to see what we can do there.”
Toby Price
Provisional Results Stage 5 Rally du Maroc 2021
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team 1:39’12
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +0’17
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +0’18
PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 0’37+
BRANCH Ross BWA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +0’37
BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +1’05
HOWES Skyler USA Husqvarna Factory Rally Team +1’58
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +2’36
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +3’45
BÜHLER Sebastian POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +4’51
Provisional Final Outright Overall Standings Rally du Maroc 2021 after 5 of 5 stages
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team 16:26’51
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +1’59
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +5’27
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +7’14
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +18’01
BENAVIDES Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +34’03
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +39’38
RODRIGUES Joaquim POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +41’03
SHORT Andrew USA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +41’53
CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +45’19
BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +48’12 13. PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +55’44
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Great Britain wins 2021 Speedway of Nations
Great Britain hero Robert Lambert dedicated the Lions’ famous Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations world-title triumph to injured star Tai Woffinden as 32 years of hurt ended in Manchester on Sunday.
British duo Lambert and Dan Bewley won the Grand Final 5-4 to send the National Speedway Stadium into raptures. Despite being beaten by Polish icon Bartosz Zmarzlik, the Lions filled second and third place after Maciej Janowski crashed dramatically on the first lap.
The Brits had not won a world team title since England lifted the 1989 World Team Cup at Bradford. Lambert, Bewley and under-21 star Tom Brennan were not alive 32 years ago.
Robert Lambert
“We did it for Woffy and gave him everything we could. Hopefully he is sitting at home proud in front of the TV watching this. Tai was texting our mechanics throughout the meeting and telling us things he could see from his perspective. It was good. We have had a hard weekend with Tai getting injured. But obviously we had a strong guy to come into the team in Dan. I was born in 1998. It’s the first time in my lifetime that I have seen Great Britain as world champions, apart from Woffy being a world champion as an individual. It’s a great feeling and I am going to treasure this gold medal for as long as I live. We did it with such a young team as well. Me and Dan went out and did the business in the last race at such a high level against the two best Poles in the world. It’s such a great feeling for us and also Team GB. I am very, very proud of everyone involved.”
2021 Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations champs Great Britain
Janowski was visibly heartbroken after his Grand Final fall as Poland took a third straight silver medal in the Monster Energy SON. While their wait for a world title goes on, he was still proud of a performance that saw the Poles top the heat score chart over two days, scoring an astonishing 74 points from a possible 84.
Denmark took the bronze medal, with Australia’s Max Fricke, Jason Doyle and Keynan Rew fourth.
Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final One and Two Combined Scores
GREAT BRITAIN 64: Robert Lambert 32, Tai Woffinden 14, Dan Bewley 11, Tom Brennan 7.
POLAND 74: Bartosz Zmarzlik 38, Maciej Janowski 31, Jakub Miskowiak 5.
SWEDEN 30: Philip Hellstrom-Bangs 24, Pontus Aspgren 4, Jacob Thorssell 2.
2021 FIM Oceania Speedway Championship cancelled
FIM Oceania and Motorcycling Australia regret to announce the cancellation of the 2021 FIM Oceania Speedway Championship, due to the continued uncertainly around COVID-19 border restrictions.
The Championship was initially scheduled for January this year and was rescheduled to December 28, at South Australia’s Gillman Speedway due to COVID-19 restrictions faced across Australia earlier in 2021.
However, due to the current border restrictions, and their impact on the event, including the many riders who are based in Europe who are impacted by travel restrictions, the tough decision has been made to cancel the FIM Oceania Speedway Championship.
FIM Oceania and Motorcycling Australia are pleased to announce that the 2022 FIM Oceania Speedway Championship will be held on December 28, 2022, at Gillman Speedway in South Australia.
The FIM Oceania Speedway Championship is one of the key international events for the Oceania region and we look forward to seeing some of world’s best speedway riders and great local talent battling it out to be named the FIM Oceania Champion in 2022.
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Herlings wins MXGP of Spain 2021
KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings topped the MXGP of Spain over the weekend, going 3-1 for the overall, with Jorge Prado runner-up on 42-points. Tim Gajser rounded out the podium on 40-points, just one in front of Romain Febvre.
Herlings now leads the MXGP class by 12-points, from Febvre, with Gajser a further three-points in arrears.
MXGP Race 1
In MXGP race one, it was Prado who grabbed the Fox Holeshot from Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff and Team HRC’s Tim Gajser. Herlings struggled in the start and was down in 11th position.
Romain Febvre
Having a brilliant start though was Honda SR Motoblouz rider Benoit Paturel who was fifth ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli. The 9-time World Champion was keen on getting around Seewer and the two even banged bars, but the Swiss was able to stay ahead.
Gajser then managed to pass Coldenhoff, as Herlings got himself into ninth just behind Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass.
Tim Gajser
Febvre charged his way onto the rear wheel of Prado as Gajser was keen on staying close and we saw something that has probably never happened before… Both Febvre and Gajser set the exact same lap time; a 1:51.692. The Frenchman then had Prado just 0.794 seconds ahead of him and the fight only intensified as the laps went on. Eventually by lap nine there was a change for the lead as the Kawasaki rider got into the driving seat.
Herlings looked stuck for a couple of laps as he couldn’t find a way past Jonass, but once he managed to do so, he quickly got by Cairoli too, but Paturel put of much more of a fight as he looked to defend his sixth place.
Tony Cairoli
Meanwhile Seewer was edging closer to his teammate Coldenhoff as he searched for an opportunity to take fourth. He eventually got it done but by that point Herlings was past Paturel and catching the pair fast.
At the top end of the field though Febvre had just got the lead as Gajser caught onto the rear wheel of Prado too. The Slovenian needed to find way around the Spaniard fast as Herlings was making good progress.
Glenn Coldenhoff
After passing Coldenhoff, Herlings then got by Seewer on lap 13 and then it was game on to get to the top three. This was when Gajser started to get frustrated behind Prado and started to make mistakes as the pair battled closely. The Honda rider went down but managed to pick himself up in third just a few seconds ahead of Herlings.
It didn’t take long for Herlings to fly past Gajser and third was the best he could do as Febvre went on to win his fourth race win of the season, with Prado finishing second, putting the struggles of the French Grand Prix well and truly behind him.
MXGP Race 2
In race two, Prado got the start once again as he led Gajser, Jonass, Herlings and Cairoli. But there was issue for the winner of the opening heat, as Febvre was way down the order.
Jorge Prado
Jonass, Herlings and Cairoli almost collided as they battled for third, but it was Herlings who won that fight. Jonass made a mistake and went off track which cost him two spots as Cairoli and his teammate Brian Bogers from Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing went through.
Herlings was also quick to get by Gajser as he set his sights on Prado who was 3.219 seconds ahead. But Gajser was looking to fight back as he kept it close to the Bullet.
Febvre was also making good progress as he managed to get himself into 13th position.
Herlings then set the fastest lap of the race as he got a little closer to Prado. Gajser was there too but was starting to come under attack from Bogers who was having a great ride.
Tony Cairoli
The battle between Prado and Herlings sent the Spanish crowd wild, as the Dutchman was applying immense pressure onto the young Spaniard. The fight went on for a few laps but eventually by lap 10, Herlings was able to make a nice clean pass on Prado to take over first place.
Jonass then got by Bogers for fifth, as Gajser chased Prado. While his focus was on the KTM rider in front of him, Cairoli managed to sneak up of the Slovenian and join the battle for third.
Tim Gajser
By lap 13, Gajser finally managed to get around Prado for second place and Cairoli was keen on doing the same. Of course we were treated to another battle of the teammates as the two came close on several occasions, but Prado was able to keep Cairoli behind him to secure third in the race.
Herlings went on to win, crossing the line 4.281 seconds in front of Gajser who improved upon his result in race two.
Jeffrey Herlings
Herlings secured his sixth GP win of the 2021 season as he took to the top step of the podium, while Prado celebrated second at his home round, with Gajser finishing third overall for the second weekend in a row.
Heading into the triple-header in Pietramurata, Herlings leads the championship by 12 points over Febvre as Gajser gets within three points of second position.
MXGP of Spain Overall
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Herlings, Jeffrey
NED
KTM
20
25
45
2
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
22
20
42
3
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
18
22
40
4
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
25
14
39
5
Cairoli, Antonio
ITA
KTM
14
18
32
6
Jonass, Pauls
LAT
GAS
15
16
31
7
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
16
13
29
8
Paturel, Benoit
FRA
HON
13
12
25
9
Bogers, Brian
NED
GAS
8
15
23
10
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
12
10
22
11
Olsen, Thomas Kjer
DEN
HUS
10
9
19
12
Lupino, Alessandro
ITA
KTM
7
11
18
13
Coldenhoff, Glenn
NED
YAM
11
7
18
14
Vlaanderen, Calvin
NED
YAM
9
5
14
15
Van Horebeek, Jeremy
BEL
BET
5
6
11
16
Jacobi, Henry
GER
HON
0
8
8
17
Locurcio, Lorenzo
VEN
KTM
3
3
6
18
Simpson, Shaun
GBR
KTM
6
0
6
19
Brylyakov, Vsevolod
MFR
HON
1
4
5
20
Guillod, Valentin
SUI
YAM
4
0
4
21
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
0
2
2
22
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
2
0
2
23
Koch, Tom
GER
KTM
0
1
1
Jeffrey Herlings – P1
“We started well in time practice, but I don’t what what happened after the gate dropped. I had a bad turn, was around seventh or eighth and then we came back to thirteenth, then to tenth. It took me some time to get going. The first fifteen minutes were awful then the next fifteen were great, especially the last seven or eight laps. I couldn’t get the win, but I came from so far back. The second race was good, I was fourth after the start and then Tim made a mistake which allowed me to pass. Then there was Jorge who was having a great race and riding the best lines, so it was hard to pass him. Anyways, it was a great day after all and I am looking forward to Trentino where I will hopefully have a better start.”
Jeffrey Herlings
Jorge Prado – P2
“I love it. I love the fans. I think it’s the first time that I have so many fans because we couldn’t have a crowd in my previous home GP. They were amazing today and brought so much positive energy. I have never lived something like this my whole life. It makes me a very happy person to have all these guys supporting me. It was incredible, especially after this past week. It was difficult to get back in shape after the surgery. Thankfully I was able to recover quite quickly. I gave my all coming into this weekend like I usually do for every race. I think it was obvious that I was betting on having two good starts to win this GP. The starts went well, and I think it was difficult to pass me, and I will make sure it will be even more difficult in the next races, so I am really looking forward to that one.”
Tim Gajser – P3
“The speed was good today, and I was feeling great on the track, since the morning. I pushed a little bit too much in the first race and went off track and crashed. Then Jeffrey passed me. But for the second one, I managed to get a good start. Riding was good. I made a mistake and Jeffrey passed me. Then I tried to keep up and passed Jorge at the end. I tried to get closer to Jeffrey and we were kind of riding at the same pace, but I finished second. It’s good to finish on the podium and I am also very happy with my improvement at the start, which is what we were struggling with during the past couple of weeks. I am really looking forward to the next race. It’s nice to finally have the fans back. We can see over here for Jorge’s home GP that we had so many fans getting together for him and hopefully it will be the same for the last five rounds in Italy.”
Tim Gajser
Romain Febvre – P4
“I felt amazing on this track; it very well-prepared so the conditions were perfect already in the morning and I was happy with a third gate-pick. I got a good start in the first race, second behind Jorge Prado; I tried several times to pass him without success and I also made a few mistakes in the process but finally I passed him and put in several fast laps to make a gap. I was happy to win this moto but unfortunately my second start wasn’t so good and in the third corner I collided with other riders and crashed; I was under my bike so I lost a lot of time; I came back in the race last but I had good speed and was able to come back to seventh. Everything was OK apart from this crash; I was actually happy to finish seventh as I couldn’t imagine that was possible when I got back on my bike. Now we move to Arco; it is one of my favourite tracks and I expect more great results there to continue our challenge for the title.“
Tony Cairoli – P5
“A tough race today but I’m actually happy about my feeling, and my health is getting better. I didn’t have the same problem as the last few races where I had to ride with painkillers. The starts were important again and in the first moto I messed up. My pace was improving when I had a stone come into my boot; something very strange that has never happened to me before. I had to stop and open the boot because it was hurting a lot. So, I lost a couple of positions that I then fought to regain. I enjoyed riding this weekend and made the most of a good start in the second moto. I caught Jorge but never really had the chance to pass him. 4th was OK and we’ll take the positive thing about my chest and ribs feeling better, which means we’ll hopefully be even more competitive in Arco.”
Pauls Jonass – P6
“Overall it has been a really good weekend in Spain. My riding was good, my bike was good, and I finally found that intensity that I needed in the early part of the races. I had the second fastest lap time in race two, so I know I have the speed and if it wasn’t for a little tip over early on in that second race then I know it could have been better. I feel like everything is really coming together now and I’m going to Italy aiming for the podium.”
Pauls Jonass
Jeremy Seewer – P7
“Things are definitely improving for me. I struggled here in Spain last year on this track, so I feel that we’ve made a big improvement in terms of my riding and feeling on the track. Still, I hoped for more because I felt good and I had good speed and a good time in Timed Practice. I have something to work on in the first two turns because I get good starts, but it just seems that I am at the wrong place at the wrong time, so when I enter the first corner second, somehow in the chaos before turn two, I end up around sixth. After that, I pick it up quickly, but if you’re like me and not in top shape, it’s really hard to move forward to the front again because the racing is so close. You need to be 100%. I got solid points today. I did my best. I need to keep working on myself, keep pushing to improve my condition, and also with the team and the bike, we have some work to do to get back on the podium, so we will keep pushing.”
Brian Bogers – P9
“All day I felt great on my bike, and I had a good feeling on the track from the moment I went out for qualifying. Unfortunately, my start in race one wasn’t the best and I was struggling for around 20 minutes, but in the last 10 I felt really comfortable which gave a me good feeling for race two. My start wasn’t the best in the second moto either, but I managed to pass a lot of riders in the first few corners and rode a solid race to finish sixth. I was really happy with that one and now I’m much closer to the top 10 in the series so overall, it’s been a really positive day for me and the team.”
Thomas Kjer Olsen – P11
“It was a tough GP but overall, I’m quite happy with the end result just because of the feeling I had on the bike. In the first race I was able to move forward and felt great, making passes and I found some good lines as well which really helped. I did actually exert myself a little but too much in that one as for race two I felt strong, I just didn’t have that last little bit to push like I did in race one. I would say it was a solid weekend and now it’s onto Arco next weekend. I know that track really well so I’m looking forward to three GPs there.”
Thomas Kjer Olsen
Glenn Coldenhoff – P13
“This morning we tried a few things and played with the set-up, but it was quite difficult with the limited time to do this. So, we didn’t get quite to where I wanted to be, but I tried my hardest. Every time I go out, I try my hardest. It felt okay in the first moto. I had a really good start. I was third and then moved to second. I had a few guys pass me and then I came together with Jeffrey (Herlings) and went down, so I only managed to finish 10th. My start was not as good in the second race, but still alright, and my riding and feeling was the same as in the first race. I also had another small crash and then was 14th. Honestly, not where I want to be or where we want to be. I am quite disappointed, but we will keep working hard to get back to where we should be.”
MXGP Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Herlings, J.
NED
KTM
505
2
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
493
3
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
490
4
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
440
5
Cairoli, A.
ITA
KTM
419
6
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
373
7
Jonass, Pauls
LAT
GAS
352
8
Coldenhoff, G.
NED
YAM
302
9
Lupino, A.
ITA
KTM
233
10
Olsen, T.
DEN
HUS
220
11
Bogers, Brian
NED
GAS
209
12
Vlaanderen, C.
NED
YAM
203
13
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
197
14
Van Horebeek, J.
BEL
BET
156
15
Jacobi, Henry
GER
HON
135
16
Van doninck, B.
BEL
YAM
120
17
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
112
18
Forato, A.
ITA
GAS
108
19
Strijbos, K.
BEL
YAM
98
20
Simpson, Shaun
GBR
KTM
91
21
Jasikonis, A.
LTU
HUS
87
22
Paturel, B.
FRA
HON
64
23
Monticelli, I.
ITA
KAW
54
24
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
YAM
50
25
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KTM
39
26
Locurcio, L.
VEN
KTM
35
27
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
33
28
Koch, Tom
GER
KTM
30
29
Brylyakov, V.
MFR
HON
30
30
Genot, Cyril
BEL
KTM
15
31
Guillod, V.
SUI
YAM
13
32
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
10
33
Bobryshev, E.
MFR
HUS
6
34
van Berkel, L.
NED
HON
5
35
Clochet, Jimmy
FRA
BET
4
36
Watson, Nathan
GBR
HON
4
37
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
4
38
Desprey, M.
FRA
YAM
3
39
Roosiorg, H.
EST
KTM
1
40
Gole, Anton
SWE
HUS
1
41
Lesiardo, M.
ITA
HON
1
42
Kellett, Todd
GBR
YAM
1
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Maxime Renaux tops MX2 – Beaton on the podium
In MX2, only two-points separated Maxime Renaux and Tom Vialle, 47-45 points, while Australia’s Jed Beaton completing the podium. Wilson Todd also made an appearance inside the top ten, in ninth.
Renaux holds a significant lead on 535-points, with Jago Geerts and Mattia Guadagnini separated by a single point in second and third respectively, 427 to 426.
MX2 Race 1
The first MX2 race of the day saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle secured another Fox Holeshot as he led the way ahead of his teammate Mattia Guadagnini, Renaux and Isak Gifting of DIGA PROCROSS GasGas Factory Racing.
2021 MXGP of Spain
Renaux was quick to get into second, as his teammate Jago Geerts of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing started applying the pressure onto Guadagnini for third but came short.
Home rider Ruben Fernandez of Honda 114 Motorsports started well inside the top 10 and was going after Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton and later Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rene Hofer. Beaton continued to move up the order as the race went on, getting by Gifting for fifth, who had dropped a few positions by that point.
Jed Beaton
Renaux then caught onto the rear wheel of Vialle, who was able to respond quickly and take the gap back up to 2.275 seconds, as Geerts dropped back to 13th. A couple of laps later, Renaux was back onto Vialle for the win as just 0.882 separated the pair, but again Vialle was able to respond and preserve that lead.
Fernandez was keen on putting on a good performance for the fans as he chased Simon Längenfelder of DIGA PROCROSS GasGas Factory Racing, eventually making the pass for eighth position. He was able to pass one more rider before the chequered flag fell to finish the race seventh.
Jago Geerts
Meanwhile Geerts found himself in trouble again, as he crashed out of 11th position, eventually finishing the race 13th which was costly for the championship.
At the top end of the field Renaux was keeping close to Vialle, but then lost a load of time on the KTM rider as the gap increased to 9.591 seconds. And while Vialle led Renaux, Guadagnini was having a pretty lonely race in third, as Beaton kept it steady in fourth ahead of Hofer.
Mattia Guadagnini
His teammate, Kay de Wolf of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing had a nice battle with Gifting for a few laps, before making a pass stick and finishing the race in sixth.
In the end, Vialle secured the race victory 6.972 seconds in front of Renaux, with Guadagnini third.
MX2 Race 2
In race two, Vialle continued to assert his dominance in the starts as he got another Fox Holeshot with Geerts and Guadagnini just behind. Renaux was there too as he got around Guadagnini for third, while Geerts took the lead from Vialle.
Kay de Wolf
Guadagnini came under more pressure as both Beaton and de Wolf got by the Italian pushing him down to sixth, but the KTM rider was able to retaliate and take back a spot from de Wolf not long after. The Dutchman then crashed and dropped out of sixth.
Renaux set the fastest lap of the race as he caught onto Vialle for second, while Guadagnini went down trying to get around Beaton.
Rene Hofer
Fernandez had another top 10 start in the second heat and was making good progress up the field. He eventually fought his way back up to fifth and that’s where he would also finish the race.
On lap nine, Renaux took second from Vialle and then it was a Yamaha 1-2 as Geerts led Renaux by 2.495 as the Frenchman worked away at the gap to the Belgian. By lap 13 we saw a change for the lead as Renaux jumped into first position.
Maxime Renaux and Jago Geerts
But the race was far from over, as Vialle had both Renaux and Geerts in his sights with four minutes plus two laps on the clock. The top three were then just within 2.401 seconds of each other. Vialle might have pushed too hard as he went down but was lucky to not lose any positions.
In the end, Renaux secured his 7th race win of the season, with Geerts crossing the line in second and Vialle finishing third. With a 2-1 result, Renaux took to the top step of the podium, as Vialle was forced to settle for second ahead of Beaton who had another solid day, going 4-4 for third on the podium.
Tom Vialle
Renaux continues to lead the MX2 standings with a healthy 108-point vantage over Geerts, while Guadagnini is just one point behind in third.
MXGP of Spain – MX2 Overall
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
22
25
47
2
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
25
20
45
3
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
18
18
36
4
Guadagnini, Mattia
ITA
KTM
20
13
33
5
Hofer, Rene
AUT
KTM
16
15
31
6
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
8
22
30
7
Fernandez, Ruben
ESP
HON
14
16
30
8
Benistant, Thibault
FRA
YAM
12
14
26
9
Todd, Wilson
AUS
KAW
10
11
21
10
Laengenfelder, Simon
GER
GAS
11
10
21
11
Haarup, Mikkel
DEN
KAW
6
12
18
12
de Wolf, Kay
NED
HUS
15
3
18
13
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
9
8
17
14
Rubini, Stephen
FRA
HON
7
9
16
15
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
13
0
13
16
Facchetti, Gianluca
ITA
KTM
2
7
9
17
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
1
6
7
18
Boegh Damm, Bastian
DEN
KTM
3
4
7
19
Farres, Guillem
ESP
GAS
4
2
6
20
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
GAS
0
5
5
21
Adamo, Andrea
ITA
GAS
5
0
5
22
Polak, Petr
CZE
YAM
0
1
1
Maxime Renaux – P1
“It feels really good, and I am really happy with the day. The first race was good. I took a good start and tried to stick with Tom, but he wasn’t making any mistakes. He was riding really good. So, I couldn’t find any gaps and was able to satisfy myself with my position. Second race was really good. Had a good start again. I was third behind Jago and Tom then I could find the spot to make a pass happen and I went for it. As you said, it was a confidence boost. Really happy to be back at the top of the podium. So, everything is going really well, good advantage on the championship as well, getting good points. I just need to stay focused till the end and it will be good.”
Tom Vialle – P2
“It was a special day. The first race was pretty good, I had a great feeling on the bike and everything was fine. Another great start in the second race, but I just did not feel so good. Jago passed me in the first lap, I tried to follow him, then Maxime also passed me in the same place I believe. I felt better at the end and tried to pass Jago, then I crashed, so It was not a good race for me but I am pretty happy with how it finished. It’s not easy to win every race every weekend, you also need to accept coming second but I will try to be back at the top in the next race. I have closed the gap in the championship because Jago and Mattia didn’t have a great race today. So, the goal is to finish second if I can and always do my best.”
Tom Vialle
Jed Beaton – P3
“It was a pretty solid day. Quite happy I did not end up 4th. I have been finishing fourth a lot lately. But that’s on me. I need to be up there right from the start with these guys, because when I miss the start, I don’t put myself in a position to fight with them. They’re already 10 seconds ahead, which makes it impossible. Again, that’s on me and I need to work on that. The start is one of the most important things in Trentino and it won’t be easy to pass. But I will get going and hopefully put myself in a great position with a good start.”
Mattia Guadagnini – P4
“The day started quite badly with a big crash in Free Practice and I had to change the bike and wasn’t feeling too good, especially in Timed Practice. I had a good start in the first race and although I made an error and [Maxime] Renaux past me I ran some decent lines. It was a pretty lonely race in 3rd. I went too wide in the first corner of the second moto but too many mistakes, especially when I was trying to pass [Jed] Beaton for the podium. I jumped too long and lost control of the bike. I then tried not to lose many points and 8th was OK, even though I’m not happy with that second race. I should have been on the podium. We’re close for second in the championship and we’ll have plenty of home races now.”
Rene Hofer – P5
“A solid day: nothing more, nothing less. It was all about the position after the first lap. In both motos I got stuck behind some guys almost stopped in the ruts and lost a few places. My speed was good. I cannot be too disappointed. Perhaps I need to make some better line choices on the first laps. It was difficult to get a flow in the ruts here. Anyway, some decent points for the championship and we’ll try again next weekend.”
Rene Hofer
Jago Geerts – P6
“The first race today was just really difficult. My pace was not too bad, but honestly, I didn’t feel too good on the bike. Then I had two really stupid crashes. I hit a hay bale in one and then crashed on my own. In the second heat I was close to the holeshot and then almost led the whole race, but then Maxime (Renaux) passed me. I tried to pass him back on the last lap but, in the end, couldn’t make it happen. Overall, I felt much better on the bike. My speed was good, so hopefully it stays like this for the next races.”
Thibault Benistant – P8
“My day was not easy, but better than the last one. My riding was good, I felt great on the bike. I struggled a little bit off the start, so I had to work hard and give my all to come back. I made some nice passes today. Physically I felt good, and I also felt good on the bike too. So, I know I just need a good start and then I can stay upfront.”
Thibault Benistant
Simon Langenfelder – P10
“It’s been another good GP for me and I’m happy with my weekend and to be back inside the top 10 overall is where I should always be. I had a strange start in the first race, my jump from the gate was bad but I was able to get the power down and I came out of the first turn around fifth or sixth. I was a little surprised, but I’ll take it! I didn’t quite get the same start in race two and ended up 11th which was ok but overall, but it’s nice to put two motos together and go into the triple header in Arco with this positive result.”
Kay de Wolf – P12
“I was putting together a pretty decent GP but in the second one I had a pretty big crash and broke my nose. It was a struggle for the last two laps, and I ended up 18th for three points which may prove to be really important at the end of the season. After finishing sixth in race one I was confident of doing the same in race two, but crashes happen and it’s frustrating. Overall, I’m ok and I’ll be doing everything I can to be ready for next weekend.”
MX2 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
535
2
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
427
3
Guadagnini, M.
ITA
KTM
426
4
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
417
5
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
395
6
Hofer, Rene
AUT
KTM
364
7
Benistant, T.
FRA
YAM
362
8
de Wolf, Kay
NED
HUS
331
9
Fernandez, R.
ESP
HON
292
10
Laengenfelder, S.
GER
GAS
230
11
Todd, Wilson
AUS
KAW
227
12
Boisrame, M.
FRA
KAW
223
13
Haarup, Mikkel
DEN
KAW
209
14
Van De Moosdijk, R.
NED
KAW
190
15
Gifting, Isak
SWE
GAS
183
16
Adamo, Andrea
ITA
GAS
163
17
Mewse, Conrad
GBR
KTM
129
18
Rubini, S.
FRA
HON
120
19
Pancar, Jan
SLO
KTM
99
20
Boegh Damm, B.
DEN
KTM
97
21
Polak, Petr
CZE
YAM
54
22
Facchetti, G.
ITA
KTM
45
23
Florian, Lion
GER
KTM
29
24
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
GAS
26
25
Meier, Glen
DEN
KTM
26
26
Teresak, Jakub
CZE
KTM
18
27
Everts, Liam
BEL
KTM
15
28
Sandner, M.
AUT
KTM
15
29
Brumann, Kevin
SUI
YAM
14
30
Dickinson, A.
GBR
KTM
11
31
Hammal, Taylor
GBR
KAW
10
32
Goupillon, P.
FRA
KTM
10
33
Tropepe, G.
ITA
HUS
7
34
Wagenknecht, J.
CZE
KTM
7
35
Farres, G.
ESP
GAS
6
36
Lata, Valerio
ITA
KTM
6
37
Weckman, Emil
FIN
HON
6
38
Olsson, Filip
SWE
HUS
6
39
Scuteri, E.
ITA
TM
4
40
Petrashin, T.
MFR
KTM
4
41
Rizzi, Joel
GBR
HON
2
42
Congost, G.
ESP
YAM
2
43
Renkens, N.
BEL
KTM
2
44
Ludwig, Noah
GER
KTM
1
45
Nordström Graaf, A.
SWE
YAM
1
Ivano Van Erp tops EMX125 in Spain
Round five of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championship has concluded in Arroyomolinos as Ivano Van Erp of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC went on to take the overall victory at the Spanish round of the series.
Ivano Van Erp
EMX Race 1
In the first EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing heat, it was Julius Mikula who got into an early lead ahead of Alexis Fueri of Fantic Factory Team Maddii, Scott Smulders of No Fear / Jumbo BT Racing Team and Karlis Alberts Reisulis of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC. Meanwhile the series leader Valerio Lata of MRT Racing Team KTM started in around 23rd position.
Nicolas Duhamel of Team VHR KTM Racing started well in fourth ahead of Kay Karssemakers of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL. Smulders was looking to take over the lead as Duhamel got into second.
Bobby Bruce passing Manuel Carreras Lopez
Mikula then led Duhamle, Smulders and Edgar Canet from RFME GasGas MX Junior Team, as Van Erp got around Bobby Bruce of ASA United GasGas Racing Team for fifth. Lucas Coenen of 9MM Energy Drink Bud Racing Kawasaki also got around Bruce, as the Brit dropped down to sixth.
The action within the top 10 was extremely close, as riders traded positions and battled intensely. Meanwhile further down the field, Lata ran into some troubles just as he was getting back within the top 10 and as a result fell to 32nd.
Duhamel was another rider to crash, which allowed Canet to get all over the back wheel of Mikula and challenge the Czech rider for the lead. As Canet took over first position, Mikula came under more pressure from Van Erp who moved into second and set his sights on the win. It took three laps for Van Erp to make a pass for the lead.
Lucas Coenen picked up his pace as he started to make good passes to move up the order. The Belgian then caught up with Bruce and was able to get around him for third. It took a few laps, but Coenen also caught up with Canet and took second from the Spaniard with four laps remaining.
Van Erp went on to win the race ahead of Coenen and Canet.
EMX Race 2
In race two, it was Pablo Gutierrez who took the holeshot from Nicolo Turaglio, Lata and Smulders. Lata was keen on making up for the 18th place finish in race one as he was quick to get around Turaglio and move into second.
Valerio Lata
Bruce and Karssemakers started the race in ninth and 10th, while Sacha Coenen of 9MM Energy Drink Bud Racing Kawasaki also started well in fourth. His brother Lucas Coenen was inside the top 10 too, but later crashed and dropped way down the order.
Gutierrez continued to lead Lata by 5.153 seconds, as Smulders dropped a few positions and then later made a mistake which allowed Bruce to move up to sixth. The GasGas rider then picked up another position as Van Erp went off track. Xavier Cazal from Team VHR KTM Racing was the next right in his sights, and he was able to also pass him and get into fourth place.
As Lata took the lead, further down the order, Lucas Coenen began his comeback as he got himself into 14th place, while his brother Sacha Coenen was getting in the mix with Lata and Gutierrez, gaining ground on both riders ahead. The Kawasaki rider was on track for his first podium finish, but his day ended in a DNF.
Lata then got ahead by 4.458 seconds over Gutierrez as Bruce picked up his pace and caught up with the Spanish rider. He needed to push hard but ultimately was able to get the job done to finish the race second behind Lata who was the race winner.
With a 1-4 result, Van Erp bagged himself his second overall victory of the season, with Bruce placing second overall and Lucas Coenen securing his third consecutive podium after coming back to eighth place in the second race.
Despite not finishing on the podium, Lata still leads the championship with an 11-point advantage over Bruce. Karssemakers is third just five points behind.
Ivano Van Erp
“It’s unbelievable. Two not-so-good starts. I came from 10th in the first one, I think. I was then able to take the lead after 15 minutes, which was very nice. In the second race, I believe I was 7th or 8th at the start, and I came from behind but also made a small mistake. I had to keep going and I saw on the pit board after 20 minutes that I had the overall, so I kept my focus and won the overall again. I train a lot, so I believe I can do it again. It’s a great feeling. I hope to get three great races in Trentino, we head there, and we’ll see what it brings. Thank you to everyone, my fans, family and sponsors.”
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Overall Top 10 Classification
1. Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 43 points; 2. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GAS), 40 p.; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KAW), 35 p.; 4. Pablo Gutierrez (ESP, GAS), 29 p.; 5. Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 29 p.; 6. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 28 p.; 7. Xavier Cazal (FRA, KTM), 27 p.; 8. Scott Smulders (NED, HUS), 27 p.; 9. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), 26 p.; 10. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 25 p.;
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Championship Top 10 Classification
Having got to grips with the demands and characteristics of intu-Xanadú Arroyomolinos the previous day for round four, the 25 youngsters contesting the final round of the series were back making laps around a special section of the MXGP layout for their last spin of the season.
Tobias Scharinger tops the Junior eMX podium
Hot sunshine beat down on the venue that was packed full of fans and spectators. The junior e-motocrossers loaded the gate with KTM SX-E 5, Husqvarna Motorcycles EE 5 and the GASGAS MC-E 5 electric machinery and the competition between Tobias Scharinger, Spaniard Eleu Jose and Austrian Elias Eder was particularly close.
In the first race of the day Scharinger, riding a Husqvarna Motorcycles EE 5, was able to defeat French junior Timotei Cez by more than three seconds. Jordan Cadenel was 3rd after the initial 7 minutes and 1 lap chase. In the afternoon and through deeper and bumpier ruts, Austria’s Scharinger had his hands full with rapid Spanish KTM SX-E 5 racer Logan Liberal Rodas. The native rider was able to pull away in the final two laps to stretch a five-second margin over Scharinger who went 2-1 on the day and therefore earned the overall victory as well as ownership of the series.
Scharinger will receive a brand-new motorcycle as his prize, and all participants in the full schedule will have a testing and training opportunity this winter with an MXGP factory team. During the campaign the champion and Eleu Jose split the spoils between them: Scharinger was quickest in Italy and the Spanish double while Jose ruled in Germany and France.
Tobias Scharinger
“My bike is a lot of fun and I really liked being able to ride on the MXGP tracks. It was great to win the series and I am really happy.”
As a showcase for the performance of KTM, Husqvarna Motorcycles and GASGAS electric motocross machinery and a staging point for the raw ability and enthusiasm of junior racers in an elite environment, the European Junior e-Motocross Series has been a notable success.
The first edition was initially oversubscribed and saw a spread of ages, nationalities and riders from both genders take part. Details for the 2022 edition will be released in the coming months.
Commemorating 120 years of building the motorcycling culture, Royal Enfield will mark 2021 with an ambitious expedition on the Royal Enfield Himalayan, to attempt to reach the geographic South Pole, from the Ross Ice Shelf via the Leverett Glacier.
Two specially prepared Royal Enfield Himalayans will make the trek to the South Pole
Siddhartha Lal – Managing Director of Eicher Motors Ltd
“120 years is a long legacy for the brand, and we are very happy to have made it count. Over these years, we have created and nurtured a thriving culture of riding and exploration around the world. This pursuit of exploration has been a quintessential part of our DNA, and 90° South is another chapter in our series of extraordinary, epic motorcycling rides. In the past, rides like Himalayan Odyssey have paved the way for motorcycling adventure in the Himalayas and an epic expedition like this to the South Pole will further inspire people to become adventurers again. A test of endurance and perseverance for man and machine, this expedition is the first of its kind attempt to traverse the 770km long route to the South Pole on a motorcycle.”
The bikes have already been tested in Iceland
An ode to all Enfielders who’ve dared to explore beyond the ordinary, 90° South will be an ambitious attempt to go where no motorcycle has gone before. To begin from Cape Town, South Africa, on 26 November 2021, the expedition will see two Royal Enfield riders – Santhosh Vijay Kumar (Lead – Rides & Community, Royal Enfield) and Dean Coxson (Senior Engineer- Product Development, Royal Enfield) attempting to reach the geographic South Pole, from the Ross Ice Shelf, via the Leverett Glacier, to the Amundsen-Scott Pole station.
The Amundsen-Scott Pole station is the goal
To be conducted in close partnership with Arctic Trucks, 90° South will be attempted on two, purpose-built Royal Enfield Himalayans. Arctic Trucks, a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, are renowned for their deep expertise in the field and have covered over 350,000 kms on the Antarctic Plateau. They have supported and serviced several scientific expeditions and activities, as well as commercial and NGO expeditions in the past.
Arctic Trucks will be providing support to the 90° South expedition
Launched in 2016, the Royal Enfield Himalayan is a simple, capable, go-anywhere motorcycle. Inspired from the experience of decades of riding in the Himalayas, and traversing thousands of kilometers of challenging terrain, the Royal Enfield Himalayan was built to be a versatile motorcycle that is capable on the road, as well as off the beaten track.
The Himalayans are kitted out specifically for the snow, including special tyres
For this expedition, two Himalayans have been modified in-house, with functional upgrades to be able to navigate snow and ice to function under extreme conditions in Antarctica. The Himalayan was tested for this arduous and treacherous journey at the Langjokull glacier in Iceland, with an intention to mirror the conditions in Antarctica. Phase 1 of testing was held in September 2020 while phase 2 of testing concluded in July 2021
An alternator upgrade to run heated gear and shorter gearing are among the changes
Minimal changes have been made to the motorcycle to make it ready for the terrain and weather conditions in Antarctica. For greater torque at the rear wheel, the main drive sprocket has been changed from a 15-teeth, to a 13-teeth unit. There is a tubeless wheel set-up with studded tyres that allows the tyres to run at very low pressures, and to increase floatation on soft snow, while also providing adequate traction on hard ice. The team has introduced a stronger alternator using rare earth magnets, so as to enable the motorcycle to produce more current and enable the team to run heated gear off the battery.
The two Royal Enfield riders are in for a challenge!
The 2022 Kawasaki Z650RS will price at $8,999. (Kawasaki/)
Kawasaki expands its retro sport line with a new middleweight standard for 2022—the Z650RS. The new 650 promises to blend approachable performance with styling previously only available on the larger and pricier Z900RS. It’s a sparing bike in terms of electronics but carries Kawasaki’s tried-and-true 649cc parallel twin and an enticing $8,999 price tag.
Kawasaki brings retro-sport styling to the masses with the Z650RS. (Kawasaki/)
If you’ve ridden the Z650, the Ninja 650, the Versys 650, or the Vulcan S, you’ll have some idea of what’s in store from the Z650RS powerplant. The DOHC liquid-cooled eight-valve mill is smooth and user-friendly, great for riders with some miles under their belts but also manageable for newer riders as well. An assist and slip clutch is another nice touch for riders lacking finesse, lighting pull at the lever, and reducing rear-wheel hop under heavy engine-braking and downshifts.
Styling cues taken from the larger and pricer Z900RS. (Kawasaki/)
The engine sits within a high-tensile steel trellis frame that’s been stripped of all unnecessary weight. The bike utilizes a 41mm telescopic fork at the front and a preload-adjustable horizontal, back-link shock at the rear to soak up bumps. Dual 300mm discs at the front are squeezed by a pair of two-piston calipers and a 220mm disc and single-piston caliper handle braking duties at the rear. The Z650RS is equipped with Bosch 9.1M ABS also.
Kawasaki makes use of its tried-and-true 649cc parallel-twin engine. (Kawasaki/)
The cast wheels make use of flat spokes that are designed to mimic the look of wire-spoked wheels and are wrapped in Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 rubber.
This streetbike’s riding position is neutral and comfortable, with a wide handlebar and 31.5-inch seat height. The frame and tank are as narrow as possible and both clutch and brake levers are five-position adjustable. Bike data is displayed on a dual-dial cluster with a centralized LCD screen, and the round LED headlight keeps the road ahead reliably illuminated.
The round LED headlight combines retro looks with modern function. (Kawasaki/)
The 2022 Z650RS will be available in Metallic Moondust Gray or Ebony and Candy Emerald Green colorways.
The specs aren’t game changers in any way; it’s all about the relaxed retro looks with the Z650RS. Plus the well-established powerplant, comfortable ride position, approachable ergonomics, and palatable price tag combined with the ‘70s-era styling is a combination that will no doubt be a hit with many riders out there.
Dual dial instrument panels with a centralized LCD screen. (Kawasaki/)
2022 Kawasaki Z650RS Technical Specifications and Price
Ryan McFarland, CEO of Strider Bikes, on an adventure tour in Baja, Mexico.
Our guest for Episode 23 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast is Ryan McFarland, the founder and CEO of Strider Bikes, a company whose mission is to build lightweight, efficient, all-terrain bikes that develop two-wheeled balance, coordination, and confidence in children. McFarland built the first Strider Bike in his garage for his son, Bode. The company was founded in Rapid City, South Dakota, in 2007, and since then has sold more than 3 million bikes to families around the world. In 2014, the company established the Strider Rider Fund, which commits 1% of gross revenue to benevolence. In 2018, the Strider Education Foundation launched All Kids Bike, a nonprofit whose mission is to teach every child in America how to ride a bike in kindergarten PE class. As we all know, when you learn to ride a bike when you’re young, you’re more likely to graduate to a motorcycle when you get older!
Team Green is fixing to release a beastie into the European market – and many are rating the bike as a less-than-spectacular version of the more ‘genuine’ Triumph Bonneville.
The W800’s predecessor, the W650, was released in Japan in the year 1999. It showcased a nicely overbuilt 650cc air-cooled twin-engine and featured a dependable, modest performance reputation that also happened to do decently in European markets.
With the competition (the Bonneville) outing the Kawi bike from American markets in a scant two years and giving the UK version a run for its money until it dropped from dealership floors with the introduction of Euro-compliancy, we all knew Kawasaki was bound to come back swinging.
So, meet the 2022 Kawasaki W800 – a machine that’s gunning to go head-to-head against the Bonneville, with 100 more cc’s and the addition of fuel injection (and some pretty colors).
RideApart states that Team Green has given their 2022 W800 a new set of graphics schemes to complement the minimalistic handsomeness and lack of unnecessary features on the bike. “It’s a motorcycle, and it simply exists,” states the report – and considering the amount of Kawi fans in the UK raring to hop a leg over this machine, we’d say that’s pretty spot on.
On top of the LED headlight and Euro5-optimized exhaust system, the Kawasaki W800 sports a 773cc parallel-twin complete with cooling fins and polished cases. That’s 48 pretty (slightly chubby) ponies pulling at the bit, with the feel of the bike best explained from the following review:
“The W800 is designed to be simple, straightforward, and mostly to play nice. In fact, it’s so well-mannered that I could easily recommend it as a starter bike. Think about it: it’s easy to maneuver and easy to control, which also makes it easy to learn on without being overwhelmed.”
Due to the power displacement, A2 license holders will be able to take advantage of the W800, though we’ve yet to be given a heads up on the exact release date for the UK market. If you’re thinking of saving your pennies, expect to fork over something along the lines of €10,040 (the W800’s price in Italy, which translates to around $11,646 USD).
And then, of course, there’s Rossi. There may be three races left for the number 46 to shine the sun and moon in the premier class of Grand Prix racing, but the third to last event of the Doctor’s tenure will be extra special in its own way. Home turf, at a venue likely no one on Earth knows better or has raced more, and in front of his final home crowd in gloriously uproarious yellow, it’s its own occasion. The end of an era for an area that has become defined first by what was the new kid on the block searing through the ranks with such charisma and style, and then the icon who has created one of the most successful academies in motorcycle racing, based just up the road. His ranch adds some significant acreage to his home village of Tavullia, just as his presence and legacy have added so much to the region and the sport. Emotional doesn’t quite explain it; it’s a point of no return for all those who’ve raced, watched and loved one of global sport’s biggest icons.
Moto3™ will get Round 16 kicked off on Friday morning at 09:00 local time, with the first piece of MotoGP™ action coming your way at 09:55. The premier class are then back on track for FP2, which kicks off at 14:10 on Friday afternoon, just before Moto2™ rounds out the day at 15:10.
It was Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), now out of contention for the crown, who shot off into the lead with some incredible speed at the San Marino GP initially, and he could be a threat again if he can avoid a repeat of his crash. But Foggia was in the perfect position and kept it nice and tidy to take over at the front, and from there the Leopard rider couldn’t be stopped. He took a composed and assured win ahead of compatriots Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) and Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team), and there’s no reason to believe the tricolore trio, plus Fenati, can’t be the key threats again. Acosta, meanwhile, came seventh as he put in a solid race but couldn’t find quite the same pace. So will history repeat itself? Or can take two see the Spaniard take a step forward and threaten for the throne?
