The biggest stars of professional motocross will compete for more than $20,000 in cash and prizes at the AMX MX Open in Wonthaggi this weekend, wrapping up the year.
The factory teams will be out in full force too, with fierce rivalry between Yamaha and Honda as riders duke it out one last time in 2021.
Factory Honda team owner Yarrive Konsky has a point to prove. Factory Honda will enter three 450 riders, Dean Ferris, Kyle Webster, and Brett Metcalfe. The three riders are all proven champions. Metcalfe has competed all over the world and has beaten the best, Ferris has proven to be best in the world on a given day and Webster has just won his first championship.
Kyle Webster
“The Motocross Championship was cut short due to the pandemic, and I don’t feel we got the opportunity to show what we were capable of in the 450 class,” said Konsky.
Webster now resides in Inverloch; the former Western Australian likes the Bass Coast and believes he has an advantage over his competition.
“I have ridden the track a lot and tested their more often than the other riders. I also get to go home to my own bed. I am in comfortable surroundings. I like Inverloch, its peaceful, the people are friendly and there are very few distractions,” said Webster.
The event has attracted riders from all over Australia. Factory Yamaha’s Luke Clout and Aaron Tanti are travelling down from New South Wales. Tanti is excited to be racing again, especially with his new team.
“With everything we have experienced this year I am excited to be back at the track racing. This will be my first race with Factory Yamaha, and I can’t wait. I am better prepared going into this race than I was at the start of the year. I feel strong and ready,” said Tanti.
Aaron Tanti
The professional women are also set to compete for equal prize money in their own race. Women from all over Australia are eager to prove themselves as they missed out on their Australian Championship.
Maddy Brown who has competed all over the world is happy to be back racing in her home state and has a point to prove.
“The past two years have been terrible; we have missed out on competing in two championships. We need this and I can’t wait for the gate to drop on racing this weekend,” said Brown.
With riders coming from QLD, NSW and SA the event is set to finish a trying season on a high and three-time Australian Champion Dean Ferris wants to take a win going into next year.
“We are all going to give it everything we have; this is our chance to finish the year on a high. I have brought my family with me, and we are also looking forward to spending a few days on the Island after the race,” said Ferris.
Dean Ferris is back with Factory Honda in 2022
The event promises to bring all the action of great racing as well as off-track displays and trade sales. It’s a great event to come and visit and find something for Christmas.
Teams will have merchandise on sale, their will be posters and some of the spectators will have the opportunity to take a tour through some of the factory transporters. Tickets are available on-line. For more information go to www.mxopen.com.au. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children.
Some of Australia’s top motocross stars will line up one last time in 2021 when they feature at the Wonthaggi MX Open over the weekend of December 11-12.
Aaron Tanti
Motocross legend and championship winning team owner Craig Dack believes riders will be racing for more than prize money at this race, they will be racing for pride.
The CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Racing team owner has entered three riders for the race in Wonthaggi on the 11-12 December.
Craig Dack
“The pandemic disrupted our championship, and we haven’t raced a lot over the past two years because of it. This race is more about pride than prizemoney. The riders will be racing hard against each other and I am expecting some intense battles.”
Hayden Mellross
The Factory Yamaha team has entered current Australian Champion Luke Clout, Aaron Tanti and Hayden Mellross.
For decades there has been a fierce rivalry between Yamaha and Honda and the AMX MX OPEN provides the two manufacturers another chance to go head-to-head in the MX1 class. Director of Honda Racing Australia Yarrive Konsky enjoys the rivalry.
Yarrive Konsky
“Off the track we get on well but once the gate drops there are no friendships, we want to beat Yamaha and their riders as well as Kawasaki and their riders and everyone else who is racing.”
Dean Ferris is back with Factory Honda in 2022
Factory Honda is fielding a three rider MX1 team. Three-time Australian Champion Dean Ferris will be coming down from NSW, Brett Metcalfe will be travelling from South Australia and current Australian MX2 champion Kyle Webster will make his debut with the team in the MX1 class. The team has also entered Emma Milesevic in the Women’s class.
Emma Milesevic
Factory Kawasaki will be competing in this year’s AMX MX OPEN, and they hope to compete for the top step of the podium in the MX2 class with Japanese Champion Haruki Yokoyama. Haruki left Japan to take on Australia’s best this year and is looking forward to racing in Wonthaggi.
Haruki Yokoyama
“Everyone has been very welcoming, and I am enjoying my time in Australia. It’s good to be racing again and I looking forward to the race in Wonthaggi.”
Haruki Yokoyama
This will be the first-time fans will see Dean Ferris aboard the Honda take on current Australian Champion Luke Clout on the Yamaha and it will be the last race of the season before preparations for 2022 begin in earnest.
Over 200 entries are expected and trade displays will be present.
Spectators are urged to book tickets online. Go to www.mxopen.com.au for more details. Tickets will be available at the gate but to avoid queues you are encouraged to pre-purchase online. Adult tickets are $25, while children are $15.
The 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores (ProMX) Calendar is scheduled to run an expanded Championship of eight rounds of racing over eight separate weekends as riders battle for the coveted ProMX Championship crown across the THOR MX1, Pirelli MX2 and Maxxis MX3 classes.
The gate will drop on the 2022 ProMX Championship at the iconic Wonthaggi track in Victoria, for round 1 on March 27th. Building on the huge fan attendances and incredible racing from the inaugural Championship opener this year, Wonthaggi is set to be nothing short of a spectacular launch for the 2022 ProMX Championship.
Round 2 of the Championship will see ProMX partner with the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) presented by MXstore in Mackay QLD, on April 10th, as part of the ultimate off-road racing weekend, treating fans, industry and riders alike to a show stopping weekend of off-road racing.
The Championship then moves to Wodonga in VIC, on May 1st, before heading to the city of Churches and the Gillman racetrack in SA on May 29th. Maitland NSW, will again host the ProMX Championship Round 5 on June 26th, before a new and exciting venue in Coffs Harbour, NSW, will host Round 6 of the Championship on July 24th.
The chase for the Championship will then heat up with two weekends of back to back racing in the sunshine state of QLD, with Queensland Moto Park (QMP) hosting the penultimate Round 7 on August 14th. The Champions will then be crowned at the Grand Finale of racing at Coolum for Round 8 of the Championship on August 20th and 21st.
“After the tremendous success of the inaugural ProMX Championship in 2021, Motorcycling Australia and the ProMX Management team are further committed to expanding on all areas of the Championship for the 2022 season” said Motorcycling Australia CEO, Peter Doyle.
“There has been significant investment in the ProMX Championship to help elevate the sport of Motocross in Australia. The new initiatives we were able to introduce such as an international TV package and the addition of the Maxxis MX3 Class to help the next generation of the sport chase their racing dreams, has seen great reception from the riders, fans and industry alike”.
“Our goals and commitment to the ProMX Championship remain the same in 2022 and this is to further develop a strong platform for the long term success of Australian Motocross on a national level and to provide a pathway for future champions”.
The 2022 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship presented by MXstore (AORC), will blast into action with 12 dirt flying rounds of racing from March to October, across five states and venues.
In 2022 the AORC will continue with the double-header format kicking off in Victoria in March for Rounds 1 and 2.
As recently announced Round 3 and 4 will then be hosted by Mackay Queensland, on April 8 and 9 alongside ProMX on an exciting double header event weekend. See below for more details.
The full 2022 AORC calendar and venue details will be announced in the coming weeks along with new initiatives for the Championship. Stay tuned for the full calendar.
2022 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship cancelled
FIM Oceania, in conjunction with Speedway NZ and Motorcycling New Zealand are postponing the 2022 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship, due to the continued uncertainty around International border and COVID-19 restrictions in New Zealand.
Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship
This FIM Oceania Championship was planned for two rounds on January 29th at Moore Park Speedway in Christchurch, followed by Oreti Park Speedway, Invercargill on February 5th, 2022.
However, the decision has been made to postpone these events until January 2023 when international events can be held without restrictions and the events have the opportunity to welcome competitors and speedway fans from across Oceania and around the world.
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2022 KTM Australian Junior MX Championship scheduled for Sept/Oct
Hundreds of Australia’s best junior motocross talent will descend on Rockhampton and District Motocross Club to battle it out to be crowned Australia’s best during the September/October school holidays in the 2022 KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championship (KTM AJMX) next year.
Australian Junior MX Nationals
With the date to be confirmed, the 2022 event will see the best junior talent battle it out over five days of intense Championship racing action.
Peter Doyle – Motorcycling Australia CEO
“The 2022 KTM Australian Junior Motocross Champion at Rockhampton will be one of the biggest junior sporting events in Australia next year, and after a two-year break between Championships because of COVID-19 restrictions, we know our best junior riders will be eagerly awaiting the drop of the start gate. It is fantastic to have partner KTM Australia again support this major Championship, and we know the Rockhampton and District Motocross Club will provide a sensational racing venue.”
The Rockhampton and District Motocross Club had done significant planning to host the 2020 and 2021 KTM AJMX, but due to the global pandemic, these events haven’t been able to proceed.
Mackay set for The Ultimate Offroad Racing Weekend 2022
The 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores (ProMX), along with Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) presented by MXstore (Rounds 3 and 4) will both head to Mackay in Queensland from April 8th to 10th.
As a show stopper for two wheel race fans across the nation, the ProMX Championship Round 2 will combine forces with AORC at Mackay for the very first time, in what is set to be a massive three day weekend of two wheeled off-road racing action and an unmatched spectacle for race fans, industry and riders alike.
Thousands of combined riders, team personnel and passionate race fans will make their way to Mackay for this highly anticipated stop for both Championships, where many will be excited to witness the magnitude of the riders, racing and the event itself. Spread over three massive days of racing, AORC Rounds 3 and 4 will take place on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th of April, with ProMX taking centre stage for Sunday April 10th.
Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson said it’s fantastic to welcome both the ProMX and AORC Championships to Mackay, “The Council is a proud supporter of events through our Invest Mackay Events and Conference Attraction program, I have no doubt the size and spectacle of these off-road racing Championships will be in good hands with our passionate community and we look forward to welcoming the teams, riders and fans to enjoy and explore our region.”
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Blake Fox and Byron Dennis top Wagga MX Weekend
The Wagga 2-Day MX Champs were held over the weekend, offering two days of racing with an impressive roster of riders, including Matt Moss, Blake Fox, Joben Baldwin, Ryder Kingsford, Byron Dennis to name a few.
When it came to the Senior Feature Race, Blake Fox took top honours, winning from Joben Baldin and Ryder Kingsford. The Lites Feature Race meanwhile saw Byron Dennis the top performer, with Finley Mason and Kayd Kingsford completing the podium.
Byron Dennis Winning Junior Lites and Blake Fox Winning the Senior feature Races
Blake Fox also topped the Open Expert/Clubman results, winning all four races, ahead of Baldin and Matthew Dillon who took second and third respectively in each of the four races.
In the All Powers Expert Xavier Serafin won all four races, with Baldin making another appearance as runner up, while Kingsford was third overall.
In the Expert Senior Lites Blake Fox was the top performer from Riley Arabin and Xavier Serafin. For Clubman Senior Lites in comparison, it was Isaac Lofts winning the overall from Luke Smith and Harry Seaman.
Byron Dennis topped the Junior Lites Championship, winning all four races for a dominating win, with Danielle McDonald, with Isaac Dal Broi completing the top three.
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Michek claims FIM Bajas World Cup title at Baja Portalegre 500
Frenchman Neels Théric (KTM) won the FIM category at the Baja Portalegre 500 and finished ahead of his compatriot Mathieu Doveze (KTM) after running 410 km of competition across two days in difficult weather conditions.
However, Martin Michek (KTM) surprisingly won the FIM Bajas World Cup. Mohammed Balooshi was the favourite, having enjoyed a strong season. Arriving in Portugal 10 points ahead of his Czech opponent, the Emirati, who is more used to riding over desert terrain, failed to find his form over the stages in the Alentejo region and only finished in fourth position in the FIM Bajas World Cup.
Martin Mitchek – Image by Paulo Maria/ACP
There was also bad luck for Sebastian Bühler (Hero), who was on track to win the Baja Portalegre 500 and dominated his opponents before he fell in the third special.
The race was relatively stressful tor the new Junior champion Konrad Dabrowski (KTM) from the first special stage on Friday. After the Qualifying Stage, he experienced electrical setbacks and finished a long way behind.
Fortunately, he was able to start again on Sunday and finished fourth in the first special in the morning and sixth in the afternoon. That allowed the Pole to climb up the general classification and win the Junior FIM Bajas World Cup from Neels Theric and Margot Llobera.
The female category was won by Mirjam Pol (Husqvarna), who finished ahead of Sara Garcia (Yamaha), Margot Llobera (KTM) and the gritty and determined Kuwaiti rider Sarah Khuraibet (KTM).
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Kevin Horgmo tops EMX250s at Garda EMX250 Race 1
In the first EMX250 race, it was Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Nicholas Lapucci with the holeshot as Andrea Bonacorsi of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing got himself into second ahead of Raf Meuwissen of Riley Racing.
Kevin Horgmo
Lapucci then made a mistake and crashed out of the lead, with Bonacorsi inheriting the top spot. The Yamaha rider then led the way ahead of Meuwissen, Horgmo and Maxime Grau of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Lapucci was up in 11th.
Horgmo then made a pass on Meuwissen for second position and shortly after the Dutchman dropped another spot as Grau was able to find a way through as well.
Horgmo then closed in on the rear wheel of Bonacorsi as the pair fought it out for the win. The Norwegian was really pushing to get by the Italian but failed to find the perfect opportunity despite being faster than the leader on several occasions.
Lapucci meanwhile continued his fight back up the order as he got by Liam Everts of Liamski KTM and Jorgen-Matthias Talviku of No Fear/Jumbo BT Racing Team. He then also passed David Braceras from Team VRT Nordpesca Holland for fourth as he set his sights on Grau.
But back at the front, Horgmo was not letting go of Bonacorsi as he stayed within less than a second of the Italian.
Meanwhile further down the field, Haakon Fredriksen of Riley Racing and Everts were both able to get by Grau who dropped to seventh place.
With two laps to go, Horgmo turned up the pressure onto Bonacorsi and despite getting close a few times, the Norwegian could not make a pass stick as Bonacorsi went on to win the race. Horgmo settled for second ahead of Lapucci who eventually came back to third.
EMX250 Race 2
In race two, it was once again Lapucci who got the holeshot ahead of Horgmo, Jeremy Sydow of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing, Grau and Yago Martinez from Team VRT Nordpesca Holland. Race one winner, Bonacorsi, started in around 13th place.
Cornelius Toendel from Riley Racing had a strong first lap as he went from eigth to fourth, while Horgmo kept close to Lapucci.
Nicholas Lapucci
Bonacorsi then crashed together with Saad Soulimani of TBS Conversions Racing Team and dropped to outside the top 20.
For a brief moment, Horgmo was in the lead, but Lapucci was quick to respond and took back his position. Toendel then passed Sydow for third.
Horgmo made another attempt on Lapucci which was unsuccessful as the battle for the lead raged on. This allowed Toendel to close in on the pair. And as Horgmo tried again, he was pushed offline by Lapucci which allowed Toendel through into second and half a lap later he was in the lead. He led for a brief moment as he crashed in the next corner trying to keep the Italian behind him.
Further behind them, Everts took third from Sydow as Bonacorsi went down again. He eventually came back to 10th place.
Everts close in on the top two riders, as Horgmo took over the lead but made a mistake which allowed Lapucci back onto his rear wheel, fortunately he was able to break free of that as the Italian came under fire from Everts who shortly after took over second place.
Fredriksen was another rider who got past Lapucci who seemed to have lost his rhythm and then we saw an epic battle between Fredriksen and Everts for second. Fredriksen was able to get around the Belgian who immediately struck back, but the Norwegian was able to move quickly to stay ahead. And as Everts tried to retaliate he got it all wrong on the downhill which resulted in a big crash for the #72.
In the end, Horgmo went on to claim the race victory ahead of Fredriksen and Lapucci who was third. And with a 2-1 result, Horgmo took the overall round win for the second time this season, as Lapucci occupied the second step of the podium, while Fredriksen was third.
Haakon Fredriksen
With two rounds left to go, Lapucci leads the EMX250 Championship standings with a 26-point advantage over Horgmo, while Rick Elzinga of TBS Conversions Racing Team remains third.
Kevin Horgmo – P1
“It was not the best start but obviously a lot better than the last round here. The starts were quite okay. I had tough guys in front of me who were difficult to pass. In the first race, I was probably a little bit too cautious. Every time I came close, I backed off. I didn’t send it too hard in the inside. Then in the second race, I went all out because I knew it was for the overall victory. So, I just tried to do my best and find different lines so I can make the pass happen. I think I can’t look too much at the points right now because it’s still quite far. I just need to take it race by race, try to get better starts, be in front and hopefully win both races.”
Nicholas Lapucci – P2
“Today was a tough day for me. In the first race, I pulled the holeshot then I had a tip over due to a technical problem. But I managed to come back almost without making any mistakes. I finished off in the third position. Second race, I got the holeshot as well. I tried my best and gave my 110% to maintain the lead but it wasn’t enough. Let’s think about the championship, we have two rounds to go. I am proud about that because we can always send it. Next races are in Mantova, it’s a little bit softer over there so it will be better for me. Let’s see what it brings.”
Haakon Fredriksen – P3
“I mean I had a good time in time-practice. First race, I struggled a lot to adjust to the track. Also on a personal level, I was not riding at my 100%. Second race, we took a big decision to go with the sand tyres. Actually, I took the decision. I did a mistake, but it worked out in the end, and I was able to have more control over my riding. It was a good day overall; I was able to get the podium as well so I am happy. I had good success in Mantova last year, so I am really confident going there and I am hoping to have two good results.”
2021 EMX250 Garda Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
GAS
22
25
47
2
Lapucci, Nicholas
ITA
FAN
20
20
40
3
Fredriksen, Hakon
NOR
YAM
16
22
38
4
Bonacorsi, Andrea
ITA
YAM
25
11
36
5
Toendel, Cornelius
NOR
YAM
18
16
34
6
Sydow, Jeremy
GER
YAM
14
18
32
7
Everts, Liam
BEL
KTM
15
15
30
8
Elzinga, Rick
NED
KTM
10
13
23
9
Martinez, Yago
ESP
KTM
8
12
20
10
Braceras, David
ESP
KTM
11
6
17
11
Weckman, Emil
FIN
HON
0
14
14
12
Spies, Maximilian
GER
FAN
7
7
14
13
Soulimani, Saad
FRA
KTM
9
5
14
14
Gerhardsson, Albin
SWE
HUS
3
10
13
15
Grau, Maxime
FRA
HUS
13
0
13
16
Oliver, Oriol
ESP
KTM
12
0
12
17
Gwerder, Mike
SUI
KTM
2
8
10
18
Rathousky, Petr
CZE
KTM
0
9
9
19
Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias
EST
HUS
6
0
6
20
Prugnieres, Quentin Marc
FRA
KAW
4
1
5
21
Olsson, Filip
SWE
HUS
5
0
5
22
Alonso Rodilla, Victor
ESP
YAM
0
4
4
23
Meuwissen, Raf
NED
YAM
0
3
3
24
Crnjanski, Yann
FRA
KTM
0
2
2
25
Piller, Constantin
GER
KTM
1
0
1
EMX250 Standings after Garda (Top 10)
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Lapucci, N.
ITA
FAN
345
2
Horgmo, Kevin
NOR
GAS
319
3
Elzinga, Rick
NED
KTM
257
4
Everts, Liam
BEL
KTM
227
5
Bonacorsi, A.
ITA
YAM
226
6
Toendel, C.
NOR
YAM
202
7
Fredriksen, H.
NOR
YAM
170
8
Martinez, Yago
ESP
KTM
162
9
Weckman, Emil
FIN
HON
120
10
Grau, Maxime
FRA
HUS
113
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Lucas Coenen dominates EMX125 at Garda EMX125 Race 1
In the first EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing heat, it was Coenen with the holeshot ahead of MRT Racing Team KTM’s Valerio Lata and Julius Mikula. A few riders came together in the start which included the likes of Ferruccio Zanchi and Ivano Van Erp of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC.
EMX125 Start
Coenen then led Lata, Cas Valk of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL, ASA United GasGas Racing’s Bobby Bruce and Mikula who dropped a couple of spots after the opening lap.
Mikula then came under more pressure from Karlis Alberts Reisulis of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC and Kay Karssemakers of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL. Reisulis was able to find his way past the Czech rider.
Coenen then stretched his lead to 5.158 seconds as Bruce began to close in on Valk. He launched an attack not long after which at first was unsuccessful. He tried several more times before finally making the pass stick and moving up into third.
Meanwhile Zanchi was making some strong passes after crashing out of the start as he moved into 13th place.
Reisulis then caught and passed Valk, as Valk dropped to fifth, meanwhile Karssemakers had Alexis Fueri of Fantic Factory Team Maddii, Mikula and Scott Smulders of No Fear/Jumbo BT Racing Team closing in for sixth place. Fueri was able to get around Karssemakers to steal his position.
Meanwhile Reisulis was making progress on Bruce as he caught onto the Brit, urging him closer to Lata who was still second. But the Bruce was able to break free of the Latvian and focus on getting closer to Lata.
Lata then got caught out by lapped rider who went down right in front of him, with Bruce doing his best to avoid the situation but riding over Lata’s bike. Lata was able to pick himself up but took time to get going as he inspected the rear of his bike. He eventually finished the race in sixth place.
Coenen though was focused on his own race as he crossed the line to win race one, 16.570 second ahead of Reisulis who ended up second, with Bruce third.
EMX125 Race 2
In race two, it was once again Coenen with a flying start as he led Van Erp who got off to a much better start compared to the first race. Behind him was Andrea Viano, Lata and Smulders. Bruce was down in seventh on the first lap.
Karlis Alberts Reisulis
Lata then passed Viano for third as Bruce and Reisulis fought for fifth. Viano then got passed by both Bruce and Reisulis, as the Italian dropped to fifth. Reisulis was riding very well as he caught up with Lata. The Latvian was able to get around the championship leader to move into third position.
Meanwhile Coenen set the fastest lap of the race as he extended his lead to 3.912 seconds over Van Erp, as Bruce got a glimpse of Lata ahead of him. He started to close in on his title rival, but a couple of mistakes allowed Lata some breathing room.
Fueri then made an aggressive move on Karssemakers for sixth, as Bruce caught onto Lata again. The Italian then made a mistake which allowed the Brit to get close enough to do something about it and he did just that, as he squeezed by the KTM rider.
Van Erp then crashed out of second position, which allowed Coenen to run away with it, as his lead went up to 15.991 seconds. Coenen ended up winning the race, as Van Erp managed to hold on to second while Reisulis crossed the line in second.
With two race wins, Coenen had the perfect score and went on to claim his first ever overall victory, while Reisulis mounted the podium for the first time in second overall, while Bruce finished third.
Despite not finishing on the podium, Lata continues to lead the series with a 22-point advantage over Bruce as we head into the final round in Mantova, for the round of Lombardia.
Lucas Coenen – P1
“Today was a good day for me. Two holeshots and I led every lap of the races. I made gaps and won the races, so that was really good. We managed to get 1-1 and that’s good because I managed to get my first win of the season on Tuesday. Let’s say I am over the bad luck, and I am starting to gain momentum, so that’s good. My goal now is just to ride my own race and make it the easiest possible to finish 1-1 and we will see.”
Lucas Coenen
Karlis Alberts Reisulis – P2
“There’s not much to say. I finally got the podium after a long season filled with injuries. I also finally managed to have some not-so-bad starts. Everything came together and I just got that podium. I also got a little bit lucky in the first race, but I’ll take it.”
Bobby Bruce – P3
“We didn’t get two of the best starts, really. I have been struggling with them. But the first race was good. I came from behind. Valerio got caught with a lapper and I couldn’t avoid them, so I ended up being down as well. But I finished the race second. Second race, I also had a bad start, but the track is tight, and we were nearing the end, so I had to put a good pass on. Overall, it was a good day. Another podium. I haven’t missed it in Arco. Let’s hope for the same in the last round. Hopefully we’ll have another week like this one and get some points under our belt. We’ll see what happens, because anything could happen. One more race to go.”
Valerio Lata – P4
“I had a good start in the first race. I had a good feeling on the track, but I crashed with another rider with two laps to go. I finished the race in sixth position. Second race, I had a good start, but I did not have the same good feeling. I finished in fifth position. Now it’s time to get ready for Mantova. Thank you to my team, family and supporters.”
2021 EMX125 Garda Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Coenen, Lucas
BEL
KAW
25
25
50
2
Reisulis, Karlis Alberts
LAT
YAM
22
20
42
3
Bruce, Bobby
GBR
GAS
20
18
38
4
Lata, Valerio
ITA
KTM
15
16
31
5
Fueri, Alexis
FRA
FAN
16
15
31
6
Valk, Cas
NED
HUS
18
12
30
7
Karssemakers, Kay
NED
HUS
14
14
28
8
Van Erp, Ivano
NED
YAM
5
22
27
9
Smulders, Scott
NED
HUS
13
13
26
10
Zanchi, Ferruccio
ITA
YAM
10
11
21
11
Viano, Andrea
ITA
HUS
8
10
18
12
Reisulis, Janis Martins
LAT
KTM
9
9
18
13
Mikula, Julius
CZE
KTM
11
6
17
14
Rossi, Marc-Antoine
FRA
KTM
12
5
17
15
Kees, Valentin
GER
KTM
6
7
13
16
Cazal, Xavier
FRA
KTM
7
3
10
17
Escandell, Elias
ESP
GAS
0
8
8
18
Russi, Matteo Luigi
ITA
KTM
0
4
4
19
Sanchez, Raul
ESP
GAS
4
0
4
20
Brookes, Joe
GBR
YAM
3
0
3
21
Gallego, Antonio
ESP
GAS
0
2
2
22
Haution, Diego
FRA
HUS
2
0
2
23
Karu, Romeo
EST
HUS
0
1
1
24
Hindersson, Kasimir
FIN
YAM
1
0
1
EMX125 Standings after Garda
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Lata, Valerio
ITA
KTM
299
2
Bruce, Bobby
GBR
GAS
277
3
Karssemakers, K.
NED
HUS
241
4
Coenen, Lucas
BEL
KAW
237
5
Van Erp, Ivano
NED
YAM
221
6
Smulders, S.
NED
HUS
194
7
Reisulis, K.
LAT
YAM
170
8
Rossi, M.
FRA
KTM
162
9
Zanchi, F.
ITA
YAM
141
10
Fueri, Alexis
FRA
FAN
126
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Seewer wins 2021 MXGP of Garda MXGP Race 1
In the opening MXGP race of the day, it was Seewer who took the Fox Holeshot as he led his teammate Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Glenn Coldenhoff, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado, MRT Racing Team’s Alessandro Lupino and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli. Meanwhile Gajser, Herlings and Febvre started in sixth, seventh and eighth.
Jeremy Seewer
Prado then quickly made a move on Coldenhoff, as Gajser looked to do the same. The Slovenian was not successful in his attempts which allowed Febvre and Herlings to close in.
Gajser and Febvre then went at it for third, with the pair switching positions a few times before Febvre was able to block pass Gajser to move into third. And while the Honda and Kawasaki riders battled each other, Herlings continued to lurk in the background as he searched for an opportunity to get by both.
Tim Gajser
Seewer stretched out his lead to 3.946 seconds as he was improving upon his lap time almost every lap around. The Swiss was looking in control, up until a slight error put him on the ground. Luckily, he was up quickly and could maintain his position in the lead.
Febvre was eventually able to get past Coldenhoff for third as he set his sights on Prado who was ahead in second position.
Seewer then set another fastest lap time of the race as he stayed ahead of Prado by 4.110 seconds, as Gajser closed in on Coldenhoff again. Herlings kept things close too as both him and Gajser got past the Yamaha rider in the same corner.
Romain Febvre
Herlings then passed Gajser, as Febvre also took second from Prado. While Febvre safely had hold of his position, Herlings did not as Gajser was looking to fight back immediately. The pair made contact on several occasions, but Herlings was able to assert his position as Cairoli also joined the battle.
Cairoli got ahead of Gajser but not for long as the Slovenian fought back. Cairoli then kept a close distance to Gajser until the end of the race as they both made their way through backmarkers.
Tony Cairoli
Herlings then managed to get by Prado, but the Spaniard didn’t go down without a fight. Gajser was next to catch-up to the KTM rider and after a few tries got past him too as Cairoli did the same to move up to fifth.
With three laps to go, it looked like Febvre was slowly closing in on the leader, but then on the last lap he went down hard which cost him a load of time, but he did however hold on to his position.
Jeremy Seewer
In the end Seewer went on to claim his first race win of the season, as Febvre finished second ahead of Herlings in third. Gajser brought it home in fourth ahead of Cairoli who was fifth.
MXGP Race 2
In race two, it was Prado with the second Fox Holeshot, which was his 15th of the season! He led the way ahead of Cairoli and Gajser. Herlings started in sixth while Febvre was down in 13th.
Jorge Prado
Gajser then got around Cairoli for second and not long after made a move on Prado to get into the lead. Meanwhile Herlings was also making moves as he got himself into second.
He then had his teammate, Prado, to deal with who didn’t make things easy but eventually the Dutchman was able to get around the Spaniard and shift his focus onto getting Gajser. Just behind then, Febvre got around Cairoli for fourth and immediately went after Prado, who again was not backing down.
Gajser then led the way by just 1.214 seconds as Herlings remained close. It was looking like Herlings was setting up to make a pass but then the Bullet made a mistake and went flying over the bars. He got going again just behind Coldenhoff in seventh.
Tim Gajser
While that was going on, Seewer managed to get Cairoli for fifth and then followed that up by getting Febvre too. The Frenchman was not going to let the Swiss have the position easy and immediately fought back. The pair then caught onto Prado too, with the trio exchanging positions several times before Seewer was able to get ahead.
Febvre then had Cairoli on his case who passed him for fourth. The Kawasaki rider was again quick to respond and managed to maintain his spot. This then urged him onto Prado, as he took third from the KTM rider.
Romain Febvre
Herlings was also making progress as he got by Coldenhoff and then Prado, as the Spaniard came under more fire from Cairoli and the drop down to sixth. It then looked like Cairoli was going after Herlings and that’s when the Bullet crashed again!
Seewer also went down for a brief moment but was able to get going quickly to stay ahead of Febvre. Febvre did close in at one point, but Seewer was showing great pace and it was no match for Febvre who settled for third.
Herlings got going outside the top 10 and then made some passes on the likes of Mathys Boisrame of Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team, Benoit Paturel of Honda SR Motoblouz as well as Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Watson, Glenn Coldenhoff and Prado in the next few laps. He eventually came home in fourth place.
Mathys Boisrame
Gajser went on to win the race 5.961 seconds ahead of Seewer with Febvre third.
A 1-2 result gave Seewer the overall, while Gajser was second and Febvre third overall. With Febvre added 42 points compared to Herlings’ 38, to his title chase, which means that he now leads the MXGP standings by one point over Gajser, with Herlings a further two points behind.
Once again, the top three are within three points of each other as we head into the final two rounds in Mantova.
Jeremy Seewer – P1
“This MXGP win, I did it myself and I deserved it. I was up front, and no one beat me. It feels amazing, especially where I came from this year. A couple of weeks ago I was far off, and I was struggling with my health and mentally. I started to feel good a few weeks ago. I am really happy to sit here now with a first overall. I was very unlucky in my last two races; I just missed the podium both times. But it was worth the wait for this win.”
Jeremy Seewer
Tim Gajser – P2
“It was a good day. We definitely need to work on the first races. I have been struggling with those the last couple of weeks. Anyway, the second one was good. I was feeling good and the start was way better. I made quick passes in the beginning. Then suddenly there was a 10 second gap for me and I was able to control the race from that point on. But anyway, the championship is intense. It’s unbelievable to think that there are just two GPs left and we are all within three points. I will do my best. I am really happy with today. We still have two GPs to go, so game on!”
Tim Gajser
Romain Febvre – P3
“It feels good. We still have two rounds to go to keep the red plate and turn it to gold. I can smell the taste of the championship. I am really happy about my weekend. We worked on the start which worked well in the first race. The second one was not good. In the first one, I made a lot of passes and made my way to second place. I tried to catch Jeremy but he was obviously riding really good. Nothing to say. I tried. I saw that I was catching up to him in the last two laps but unfortunately, I made quite a big mistake and crashed. Luckily, I had a big gap which allowed me to recover and finish second after all. The second race, my start was really bad, but I managed to have a good first lap and pass eight riders. I was still able to finish the race in third place. Jeremy made a mistake, and I closed the gap. I was thinking “should I go for the GP victory, or should I settle for the red plate?”. I felt like I did both. Maybe I was thinking a little bit too much and I could not match Jeremy’s pace. I settled for third and took the red plate. I am really happy.”
Romain Febvre
Jeffrey Herling – P4
“Where can I start?! The day actually began quite good but then went downhill from there! My start was alright in the first moto but I could not get in my rhythm for the first three laps and at one point I was 4th but lost a lot of time passing Jorge. Basically, Romain and Jeremy had then gone. 3rd place was still OK. In the second moto I really wanted to attack and go for the win. I was into 2nd on the second lap and I thought ‘this is going to be my moto’. I went over the finish line jump and wanted to chase Tim because I felt I had the speed but the bike went left-right and I was shot-off. It was my mistake but the bike was then a bit bent and I needed some laps to get used to it. The rhythm was coming back and I was close to Romain but my hand came off the bar over that same jump and I was shot to the moon. That was a big hit with a big crash. The bike was even more bent! I knew then I would need something special today. I was 10th and I needed to keep pushing because every point counts. To go home only 3 points down, I know it is still in my own hands. I didn’t make it easy for myself and the last two GPs here have been tough but it is all still possible. Thanks to Tony. Only the greatest and the biggest champions would do that. To me he not only showed his loyalty to KTM but helped me a lot because those are two very important points. Only a real team player would do that. Jorge as well, I had to pass him three times in that second moto. It was a real team effort and I cannot thank them enough.”
Jeffrey Herling
Tony Cairoli – P5
“Pretty good today. In the first moto I had a good start but made a few mistakes on the first laps and dropped from 5th to 7th. I passed back to 5th but it was difficult to make those moves: sadly I couldn’t make the same excellent start that I had on Wednesday. The guys in front were too far by the time I could get through. I felt a podium was possible, even if a top-five is always good. In the last moto I had the pace to go a bit faster but I did not want to get in the middle of the fight for the championship. Jeffrey made a crash in front of me and again there was a big gap. I had settled for 4th when I saw Jeffrey was coming on the last two laps. For me 4th or 5th was not that important because I knew I wouldn’t have been on the podium so I gave [away] my position. I hope a few points more will help him and KTM for the championship. That’s KTM’s goal for this year.”
2021 MXGP of Garda Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
25
22
47
2
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
18
25
43
3
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
22
20
42
4
Herlings, Jeffrey
NED
KTM
20
18
38
5
Cairoli, Antonio
ITA
KTM
16
16
32
6
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
14
15
29
7
Coldenhoff, Glenn
NED
YAM
15
13
28
8
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
11
14
25
9
Wright, Dylan
CAN
HON
12
11
23
10
Lupino, Alessandro
ITA
KTM
13
8
21
11
Olsen, Thomas Kjer
DEN
HUS
9
9
18
12
Van Horebeek, Jeremy
BEL
BET
10
7
17
13
Paturel, Benoit
FRA
HON
0
12
12
14
Simpson, Shaun
GBR
KTM
7
5
12
15
Guillod, Valentin
SUI
YAM
8
3
11
16
Boisrame, Mathys
FRA
KAW
0
10
10
17
Van doninck, Brent
BEL
YAM
4
6
10
18
Locurcio, Lorenzo
VEN
KTM
6
4
10
19
Jacobi, Henry
GER
HON
5
0
5
20
Koch, Tom
GER
KTM
2
1
3
21
Philippaerts, David
ITA
YAM
3
0
3
22
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
0
2
2
23
Brylyakov, Vsevolod
MFR
HON
1
0
1
2021 MXGP Standings – Round 16
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
614
2
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
613
3
Herlings, J.
NED
KTM
611
4
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
502
5
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
498
6
Cairoli, A.
ITA
KTM
496
7
Coldenhoff, G.
NED
YAM
397
8
Jonass, Pauls
LAT
GAS
391
9
Lupino, A.
ITA
KTM
287
10
Olsen, T.
DEN
HUS
284
11
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
269
12
Bogers, Brian
NED
GAS
241
13
Vlaanderen, C.
NED
YAM
203
14
Van Horebeek, J.
BEL
BET
202
15
Jacobi, Henry
GER
HON
172
16
Van doninck, B.
BEL
YAM
133
17
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
119
18
Simpson, Shaun
GBR
KTM
113
19
Forato, A.
ITA
GAS
111
20
Paturel, B.
FRA
HON
105
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Wilson Todd top Aussie in MX2 at Garda in P5 – Beaton P9 MX2 Race 1
In the first MX2 race, it was again, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle with the Fox Holeshot but his teammate Rene Hofer was quick to act as he dived into the lead. Vialle dropped to third as Bastian Boegh Damm of WZ Racing Team went into second place.
Tom Vialle
Renaux started the race in around eighth position, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini was 24th.
Then we saw a big moment between Boegh Damm and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts as the pair came together on the downhill and had a huge crash. This allowed Renaux into third and then into second.
Hofer then led Renaux, Vialle, Andrea Adamo of SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery, as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton got onto the rear wheel of Simon Längenfelder of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing for sixth and eventually managed to pass him.
Simon Längenfelder
Guadagnini was also making passes as he got himself into 13th, but the Italian would later crash and pull out of the race.
Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Thibault Benistant and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf were next to catch onto the rear wheel of Längenfelder, with the German not able to keep the pair behind him as he dropped two more positions.
Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez was on a charge as he got by Adamo for fourth and then set his sights on Vialle for third.
Rene Hofer
Hofer was still the race leader as he set the fastest lap time of the race to extend his lead to 5.977 seconds ahead of Renaux. The Austrian pretty much rode a race of his own as he was unchallenged for the entire heat.
Beaton then caught onto Adamo for fifth. He managed to go around the outside of the Italian, but the GasGas rider was quick to fight back. But Beaton managed to stay ahead.
Further ahead, Fernandez was on a mission as he got onto the back of Vialle and went after third place. He was almost a second faster than the Frenchman on that lap and was able to get himself into third.
Maxime Renaux
Benistant was next to catch-up to Adamo. He squeezed past the Italian who responded in the next corner, but Benistant got him back to assert his position in sixth.
In the end, Hofer was victorious as he crossed the finish line 4.966 seconds ahead of Renaux and Fernandez.
MX2 Race 2
In race two, it was Vialle again who got ahead in the start and claimed his 19th Fox Holeshot of the season. Renaux was second ahead of Benistant and Isak Gifting of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing, who got a great start in fourth. Geerts was there also in fifth.
Isak Gifting
Geerts then came under fire from de Wolf for fifth. The Belgian could not hold on as he made a mistake and went down. He did not re-join the race due to a technical problem and that was his title fight over.
Renaux then set the fastest lap of the race as he got within 1.094 seconds of Vialle. He waited a couple of laps before launching an attack, but by lap five was the new race leader.
Maxime Renaux
Gifting then came under immense pressure from de Wolf and Fernandez. Both the Husqvarna and the Honda rider were able to get around him to move up into fourth and fifth. Not long after Wilson Todd of Bike it MTX Kawasaki did the same. F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Mikkel Haarup, who had the second fastest lap time in time practice, caught and passed Längenfelder for eighth and then had Gifting in his sights too.
Wilson Todd
Meanwhile, the race one winner, Hofer, didn’t have the best start to the race as he ended up going down. He did however make a decent recovery to get back to eighth by the end of the heat.
Längenfelder then crashed out of eighth, as Benistant lost a few positions too. One of the riders to pass Benistant was Haarup, who also got past de Wolf by the end of the race, as the Husqvarna rider dropped to sixth.
Mikkel Haarup
Renaux went on to win the race 3.105 seconds ahead of Vialle who crossed the line in second position, while Fernandez finished third.
A 2-1 result gave Renaux the overall victory as he also claimed the gold plate to become this year’s MX2 World Champion, meanwhile Vialle was second on the podium and added some solid championship points as he moved into second position. Fernandez was the last rider to mount the podium, keeping a 100% podium record here in Pietramurata this season.
Maxime Renaux – P1
“It means a lot to me. We made it; we are the 2021 MX2 World Champions. That’s a great achievement. As you said, we had to work a lot for that. The past years and past rounds were really tough for me. Lots of ups and downs, and bad starts. But we were able to have a good race today. I am also so happy to get my first world title with a race and GP win. It means a lot to me because it’s grabbing the title with a win feels a bit better. It was an amazing day for me, one that I will never forget for sure.”
Maxime Renaux
Tom Vialle – P2
“It actually was not really a bad day for me. After the crash on Wednesday, I hurt my ankle a lot. So, I was not sure if I could ride today. Riding in the morning was not so bad, but I could feel the pain after every jump. First race was pretty tough. I had a decent start, but I couldn’t follow the leader also due to arm pump. I just tried to finish it off. I finished in 4th place. It wasn’t too bad. I was feeling better in the second one. I just tried to ride the best I could. I am happy today with the podium.”
Tom Vialle
Ruben Fernandez – P3
“It feels good to get three podiums out of three. I feel like I’ve been really solid which is normally not one of my strongest points. I could stay calm during the races and not make mistakes. I had to come from the back and work my way to the front most of the times. I am happy with that, because this is something I want to bring with me into next season. I want to be mistake-free let’s say and try to keep it cool on the track.”
Rene Hofer – P4
“Still a pretty good day I’d say with my second MX2 moto win. I’m pretty overwhelmed by all the things that are going on right now. Two wins from six motos here. Unfortunately, I missed the podium because of a crash in the second moto but my riding was good to come back to 8th. I’m doing well and we’re also performing good in the championship: we are only three points behind 5th, and 4th place is also not far. We’ll give it all in the last two GPs to try and improve my standing.”
Top Australian meanwhile was Bike It MTX Kawasaki’s Wilson Todd who has moved to within three points of a top-ten ranking in the MX2 class with two hard-charging rides to fifth overall. In both motos he showed his talent with smart decisive moves to make passes stick around the switchback raceway in the shadow of the Italian Dolomites. Through the first half of moto one he showed his strength and determination throughout the second half of the race to eventually finish seventh, and maintained that speed in race two – his best result of the campaign.
Wilson Todd – P5
“I felt good. I was inside the top ten all day; Qualifying and both motos. I was coming forward, making passes to get into those positions. It’s an improvement; the more I race anywhere the more comfortable I feel. Two more to go, and I’m feeling confident.“
Wilson Todd
Jed Beaton enjoyed a promising first race at the MXGP of Garda with a strong fifth-place finish. Frustratingly, he had a coming together with another rider in the tight and treacherous second turn after the start of moto two, which resulted in a race-long charge towards the front. With two further crashes adding to the challenge, Beaton secured 14th in the moto for ninth overall. Jed now sits just 10 points adrift of fourth in the MX2 World Championship.
Jed Beaton – P9
“Today wasn’t quite how I wanted to finish this triple header. My first race was pretty solid though, I felt good and made passes all moto to place fifth, which was a good start to the day. Then in race two, it all went wrong really. My jump off the gate wasn’t good and then in turn two I got caught up in someone’s bike and I was dead last. I then crashed twice coming through the pack so that one was tough. I’m now looking forward to Mantova for the final two rounds. I’ve done well there in the past and I really want to end the season with positive results.”
Ivano Van Erp of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC secured his third overall victory of the season at the round of Trentino after intense battles with the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championship leader Valerio Lata of MRT Racing Team KTM and ASA United GasGas Racing’s Bobby Bruce.
In race one, it was Bruce who grabbed the holeshot from Lata, Scott Smulders of No Fear / Jumbo BT Racing Team, Andrea Viano and Van Erp. Bruce then pulled a 1.789 second lead over Lata as Van Erp got passed by Janis-Martins Reisulis.
Bobby Bruce and Valerio Lata
Viano then started to push Smulders who was looking to respond but then the Dutchman crashed. He eventually came back to 11th.
On lap four, Van Erp got by Viano for third as he also set the fastest lap of the race. The Yamaha rider was then around five seconds behind Bruce and Lata. But as the race progressed Van Erp caught onto the back of the pair and then we witnessed a three-way battle for the win.
Lata cut Bruce’s gap considerably as he started to apply pressure onto the Brit and Van Erp made the most of this opportunity as he made an attempt to pass them both.
On lap 12 Lata was the new leader and it didn’t take long for Van Erp to get around Bruce also, as the GasGas rider dropped to third. Van Erp then focused on Lata and the pair fought closely until the end of the race.
Van Erp took the lead on several occasions, but Lata was able to respond and steal the victory from Van Erp, while Bruce finished third ahead of Bence Pregel and Kay Karssemakers of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL.
Ivano Van Erp
In race two, it was once again Bruce who got the holeshot, but a mistake from the Brit allowed Lata to quickly take the lead ahead of Van Erp. But by the end of the first lap we saw Van Erp get around Lata as he led the Italian, Bruce and Lucas Coenen of 9MM Energy Drink Bud Racing Kawasaki.
Van Erp then led by 2.291 seconds as Coenen got around Bruce for third. The Belgian then also set the fastest lap of the race. Further down the field a few of the other riders were also making passes as Marc-Antoine Rossi of Tech 32 got by Alexis Fueri of Fantic Factory Team Maddii and Ferruccio Zanchi of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC got around Pregel for 12th.
Van Erp continued to lead, with Lata keeping close and Coenen third, but then with just a few laps to go Lata managed to get onto the rear wheel of the Yamaha rider and it was game on for the race win again.
The gap went down to just 0.817 but Van Erp was able to hold on to it and win the race just 0.610 seconds ahead of Lata as Coenen crossed the line third, while Bruce was fourth ahead of Rossi in fifth.
With a second and a race win, Van Erp finished the day on the top step of the podium while Lata finished second and Bruce was third.
Ivano Van Erp
Lata continues to lead the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championship standings 20 points over Bruce, while Karssemakers is a further 20 points behind. The European 125cc Championship will continue on Tuesday for the round of Pietramurata.
Ivano Van Erp – P1
“I felt good all day long in free and time practice. In the first race my start was not so great, and I had to come from seventh place, just got my concertation and got to third I think. Then I saw on my pit board eight seconds to Bobby and Valerio. I managed to cut the gap and have a nice battle in the end of the race with Valerio and then in the second race I had a better start and then on the second lap I passed Valerio, had good focus for the rest of the race to take the win so I am very happy.”
Valerio Lata – P2
“Today it was quite difficult in the races but I had a good first race and took the victory and then in the second race I got a good start but Ivano was very fast, so I finished second. Now I’m ready for the next race here in Pietramurata.”
Valerio Lata
Bobby Bruce – P3
“We got two good starts today which was really good. I led a good amount of the race in the first one and just tensed up a bit. We didn’t really have so much time in between the races to get a good bike set-up, but I feel we’re making good progress. In the second race I felt good but the guys in front just had better pace today. I am excited for Tuesday to do it all again.”
EMX125 Trentino 2021 Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Van Erp, Ivano
NED
YAM
22
25
47
2
Lata, Valerio
ITA
KTM
25
22
47
3
Bruce, Bobby
GBR
GAS
20
18
38
4
Coenen, Lucas
BEL
KAW
9
20
29
5
Karssemakers, Kay
NED
HUS
16
12
28
6
Fueri, Alexis
FRA
FAN
13
14
27
7
Pergel, Bence
HUN
KTM
18
8
26
8
Smulders, Scott
NED
HUS
10
15
25
9
Puig, Victor
ESP
YAM
12
13
25
10
Reisulis, Karlis Alberts
LAT
YAM
14
11
25
11
Rossi, Marc-Antoine
FRA
KTM
8
16
24
12
Viano, Andrea
ITA
HUS
15
4
19
13
Kees, Valentin
GER
KTM
5
7
12
14
Escandell, Elias
ESP
GAS
7
5
12
15
Reisulis, Janis Martins
LAT
KTM
1
10
11
16
Gallego, Antonio
ESP
GAS
11
0
11
17
Zanchi, Ferruccio
ITA
YAM
0
9
9
18
Cazal, Xavier
FRA
KTM
3
6
9
19
Garcia, Francisco
ESP
HUS
6
1
7
20
Mikula, Julius
CZE
KTM
4
0
4
21
Haution, Diego
FRA
HUS
0
3
3
22
Lusis, Roberts
LAT
KTM
0
2
2
23
Turaglio, Nicolò
ITA
KTM
2
0
2
EMX125 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Lata, Valerio
ITA
KTM
221
2
Bruce, Bobby
GBR
GAS
201
3
Karssemakers, K.
NED
HUS
186
4
Van Erp, Ivano
NED
YAM
164
5
Coenen, Lucas
BEL
KAW
148
6
Smulders, S.
NED
HUS
140
7
Rossi, M.
FRA
KTM
130
8
Zanchi, F.
ITA
YAM
110
9
Coenen, Sacha
BEL
KAW
110
10
Osterhagen, H.
NOR
FAN
95
11
Sanchez, Raul
ESP
GAS
95
12
Reisulis, K.
LAT
YAM
94
13
Cazal, Xavier
FRA
KTM
91
14
Viano, Andrea
ITA
HUS
81
15
Fueri, Alexis
FRA
FAN
80
16
Puig, Victor
ESP
YAM
78
17
Escandell, E.
ESP
GAS
77
18
Rossi, Andrea
ITA
KTM
51
19
Mikula, Julius
CZE
KTM
46
20
Monne Viles, A.
ESP
KTM
37
21
Pergel, Bence
HUN
KTM
35
22
Ruffini, Luca
ITA
KTM
34
23
Canet, Edgar
ESP
GAS
32
24
Gutierrez, P.
ESP
GAS
29
25
Petit, Adrien
FRA
YAM
26
26
Valk, Cas
NED
HUS
24
27
Duhamel, N.
FRA
KTM
24
28
Nickel, Cato
GER
KTM
23
29
Haution, Diego
FRA
HUS
21
30
Kees, Valentin
GER
KTM
21
31
Bennati, M.
ITA
HUS
20
32
Salvini, N.
ITA
HUS
16
33
Werner, M.
GER
KTM
16
34
Garcia, F.
ESP
HUS
12
35
Gallego, A.
ESP
GAS
11
36
Reisulis, J.
LAT
KTM
11
37
Turaglio, N.
ITA
KTM
10
38
Karu, Romeo
EST
HUS
7
39
Johnston, B.
GBR
GAS
7
40
Aguilo Azorin, U.
ESP
KTM
6
41
Hindersson, K.
FIN
KTM
6
42
Mesters, B.
NED
KAW
5
43
Alonso, Marco
ESP
HUS
4
44
Vantaggiato, M.
ITA
HUS
4
45
Costa, Fabio
PER
GAS
3
46
Lusis, Roberts
LAT
KTM
2
47
Volpicelli, E.
ITA
GAS
2
48
Lobo, Sandro
POR
YAM
2
49
Israel, N.
CHL
KTM
1
50
Beernaert, B.
BEL
GAS
1
51
Stenberg, Nico
FIN
KTM
1
52
Giorgessi, T.
FRA
GAS
1
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Courtney Duncan crowned WMX 2021 Champion
Courtney Duncan has won her third consecutive FIM Motocross World Championship in Trentino, clinching the title in the first race of the day, and ending the season 31-points clear of runner up Nancy Van De Ven.
Courtney Duncan – Bike It MTX Kawasaki
Despite hitting the dirt last weekend, fracturing her finger and left with a nasty cut, nothing could stop Duncan in her final charge to victory, riding calculatingly for a championship winning third in the opening race. As carnage unfolded around her and her main competitor Italian Kiara Fontanesi went down after a collision with another rider, the Kiwi superstar rode through the finish flags with enough points to claim her third WMX winner’s gold plate.
Courtney Duncan
“It comes down to how much it means to you, and how much is on the line and how much you want to win it. I was definitely feeling a little anxious but as soon as I got to the line, the helmet went on and I felt pretty controlled out there. I was able to finish third which was good enough to win the championship in the first one, which was pretty crazy. I wasn’t expecting that. This year’s been really tough. We’ve had ups and downs. Along the way it hasn’t been a smooth run. I’ve made the best out of every situation and got as much points as possible.I got to share the victory with my team and Kawasaki and a couple of friends I have over here. It’s been awesome how there’s not so much Covid over here, so we had the whole team and fans watching this weekend. I wish I could say I was going home to New Zealand soon now that the season’s over but it’s difficult to travel at the moment so I might be a Brit for a few more months.”
Courtney Duncan – Bike It MTX Kawasaki
2021 WMX Final Standings – Top 10
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Duncan, C.
NZL
KAW
268
2
Van De Ven, N.
NED
YAM
237
3
Fontanesi, K.
ITA
GAS
227
4
Papenmeier, L.
GER
YAM
214
5
van der Vlist, S.
NED
KTM
197
6
Verstappen, A.
BEL
KAW
184
7
Valk, Lynn
NED
HUS
174
8
Andersen, Sara
DEN
KTM
159
9
Guillen, D.
ESP
KTM
154
10
O’Hare, T.
AUS
HON
112
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
2021 MXGP of Trentino – Round 14 Report
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing dominated the MXGP of Trentino, Jeffrey Herlings topping the MXGP, while Tom Vialle won the MX2, with both riders going 1-1 for the win.
Jeffrey Herlings topped the MXGP in Trentino
Once again, both classes delivered on some intense battles and very close racing, especially in MXGP as the top four battled within just a few seconds of one another in both heats. This was a treat for the huge crowd of fans that lined the hard-pack circuit and who were keen to cheer on their favourites.
Riders will do it all again on Wednesday as the FIM Motocross World championship will continue with the MXGP of Pietramurata for round 15 of the series.
MXGP Race 1
In MXGP race one, it was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer who grabbed the Fox Holeshot from his teammate Ben Watson, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings. Meanwhile Tim Gajser from Team HRC started around sixth position.
Tim Gajser
Watson then crashed which allowed Herlings through as Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre followed the Dutchman. Gajser then got around Prado as well for fourth and was the fastest rider out on track in one of the first few laps.
Febvre then looked for a way to launch an attack onto Herlings as the pair pushed on and urged on the leader, Seewer, who set his best lap of the race. Herlings kept it close to Seewer as Febvre and Gajser were also searching for an opportunity to pass.
Romain Febvre
The racing within the top four was extremely close, as the gap was just 2.573 between Herlings in first place and Gajser who was down in fourth.
Further down the field Prado, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff were having a good fight for fifth.
Glenn Coldenhoff
Herlings then close in on Seewer, who had Febvre closing in on him, who had Gajser chasing him down too… In the end Herlings made a nice move on the Swiss on lap 11 to take over the lead.
Prado then crashed but only lost three positions, finishing the race in 8th ahead of Mathys Boisrame who made his debut with Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team in the MXGP class.
In the end Herlings won ahead of Seewer and Febvre, with Gajser fourth after struggling to pass the Frenchman ahead of him. Coldenhoff had a good first heat to end in fifth place ahead of Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass.
MXGP Race 2
In the second heat, the Fox Holeshot went to JM Honda Racing’s Henry Jacobi as a couple of riders got tangled up in the first corner, this included Olsen and Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Brian Bogers.
Herlings and Gajser started the race 12th and 13th, while Jacobi led Febvre, Coldenhoff and Honda SR Motoblouz rider Benoit Paturel. The German’s time in the lead did not last long as Febvre was in the driving seat by the end of the first lap. Coldenhoff went through as well.
Gajser then managed to make up some good positions as he got by Watson for fifth as Herlings followed through. The Slovenian then got around Paturel and set his sights on Jacobi who made it a little bit harder to pass, but by lap four he was ahead of the JM Honda rider. Herlings did the same not too long after.
Tim Gajser
Seewer had to fight through the field in the second race as he got around his teammate Watson for seventh. The Swiss made a couple of more passes and finished the race fifth, but it was not enough for a podium.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli had more bad luck in race two, as he also DNF’d the second race after struggling from his crash in race one.
Brian Bogers
Prado also struggled with Bogers and Jonass ahead of him. The two GasGas riders managed to come back to 12th and 13th, while Prado finished in 17th.
Febvre then started to come under pressure from Coldenhoff who brought the gap down to 1.920. Gajser also caught onto the pair and was looking for the perfect moment to pass. As the battle for the lead went on, it looked like Febvre struggled with arm pump as he started to make mistakes.
Romain Febvre
Herlings then joined the three-way battle for first as he took third from Gajser. Coldenhoff also made a pass as he moved into the lead on lap 12. The Dutchman led for five laps before being caught by his fellow countryman Herlings.
Gajser and Febvre then fought for third as the factory Honda rider was eventually able to secure the position after the pair made contact in one of the corners.
In the end Herlings was the race winner as Coldenhoff was able to fend off Gajser in third, while Febvre and Seewer rounded out the top five.
Tim Gajser
With two race wins, Herlings added a fifth GP victory in Trentino to become the most successful rider at this venue, with Coldenhoff and Gajser tied on points in second and third places. In fact, Coldenhoff, Gajser, Febvre and Seewer all finished with 38 points, while Herlings was on 50.
Herlings now leads the MXGP standings 24 points over Febvre, while Gajser is just three points behind.
Jeffrey Herlings – P1
“It wasn’t an easy one. In the first race Jeremy was leading, riding smooth and at a good pace so it was tough to pass him. But at one point I knew I had to go because the boys behind me started pushing, so I had to pass him. The second race, I was caught up a bit in the start. Tim and I were somewhere around 10th or 12th and we both fought our way back to the front. He was one place ahead of me. At one point we caught up to the leader and I managed to pass him. Then I had to defend and pass Romain. It was a tough run, but I am happy to have won. I feel like I am in a very good shape right now, but I should never underestimate the competition from Tim, Romain or Glen today. It can be anyone’s race. So, I will keep charging till the end. We are only 17 days away and a lot of things may happen during the last four races.”
Jeffrey Herlings
Glenn Coldenhoff – P2
“I have been struggling all year long except in Maggiora, so it’s good to be back on the podium. It’s been a very long and hard road. It’s good to be back here and I also feel like I belong here. I had a good feeling straight away this morning. I finished fifth in the first race. The second one was quite intense to say the least. In the beginning I was behind Febvre. I got so much pressure from behind, so I really had to do something. I managed to pass Romain and lead a few laps. I can tell you it was a great feeling. Definitely looking forward to having more battles like that. Jeffrey as we know is really strong lately. He passed me and I don’t think it’s a shame. It’s good that we have two more rounds here. I started this stretch on a positive note and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Tim Gajser – P3
“I did not have the best start in both races, so I had to fight my way back. Then I came to the top four and we were all riding at a similar pace so it wasn’t easy to make a pass. Overall, the speed was there. I think we have to work on the starts, to get better starts and to be in front and to battle for the win. Really looking forward to Wednesday. The gap in the championship is already quite big. But we know that anything can happen until the end. So definitely we will push hard until the end and try to win some races and GPs if I can and finish the season strong.”
Tim Gajser
Romain Febvre – P4
“Of course I am disappointed to miss the podium as we are four riders with the same number of points for second! The first race was pretty good; my start was not that good but I made some passes during the first lap and my rhythm was good but it was difficult to pass during the rest of the race. Second race I got a great start and took the lead on the first lap; I had good lap times until mid-race, then I started to make little mistakes and I didn’t really know which better lines I could take; Glenn, Jeffrey and Tim passed me and of course I’m disappointed, but that’s how it is and we’ll try to do better on Wednesday.“
Jeremy Seewer – P5
“Today was one of my best days so far this season. The bike seems to work well on this track, which is really positive. I feel good, I feel sharp and I am enjoying riding my bike. I am having a lot of fun; I am quick. I managed to get pole position, which is usually not my strong point. It was cool to get the holeshot and lead in the first moto for a while, and I was close to winning. Going into the second race I felt good, but was I got squeezed off the start and was very lucky not to go down. I clipped Jorge (Prado)’s back wheel and had to go straight. To recover to P.5 was great because I started last. It’s a shame I am not on the podium. We are with four riders on the same points, so let’s look at the positives, good points, and I’m looking forward to going racing here again in a couple of days.”
Mathys Boisrame – P6
“It was a good day for my first experience in the MXGP class! I posted the tenth fastest time in the morning but the first start was not easy and in the fourth corner I crashed with Cairoli! I was twenty-fifth and came back through to ninth which was not bad. The second start was similar but once more I came back to ninth. I am tired but satisfied with my riding and over the moon with a sixth overall at my first MXGP race.”
Mathys Boisrame
Pauls Jonass – P7
“After making some good progress in recent weeks I was a little disappointed with my riding today. Having said that, race one was ok and I moved into sixth with two laps to go so that was a good result despite not feeling my best. Then in race two I had a pretty big crash all on my own on the first lap so I was way down the field. It’s not an easy track to make passes on but I managed to salvage 12th so that wasn’t too bad. I need to work on a few things before Wednesday and my aim is to be back up front again.”
Ben Watson – P10
“I had good starts today and that is a positive point. It always helps. Around here, it’s really difficult to pass. I am still not feeling 100%. My ankle is not perfect, and in general, I’ve not had a lot of time on the bike since I’ve injured it, so I am a bit behind. I felt pretty good out on the track, I just had a couple of crashes in the first race, but in the second one, I was consistent with consistent laps. Overall, not a bad day.”
Jorge Prado – P13
“I gave everything I had. 100%. Even with a broken bone I was fighting for top five in the first moto. It was a pity about the crash with five minutes to go but I still managed to finish. I suffered a lot. I missed the start completely in the second moto and wasn’t happy about 17th but I cannot really fight in my situation at the moment. Hopefully it will be less painful on Wednesday. Starts count for so much here and I also want to make less mistakes like I did in the second moto.”
Jorge Prado
2021 MXGP of Trentino Results
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
R1
R2
Total
1
Herlings, Jeffrey
NED
KTM
25
25
50
2
Coldenhoff, Glenn
NED
YAM
16
22
38
3
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
18
20
38
4
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
20
18
38
5
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
22
16
38
6
Boisrame, Mathys
FRA
KAW
12
12
24
7
Jonass, Pauls
LAT
GAS
15
9
24
8
Koch, Tom
GER
KTM
10
13
23
9
Paturel, Benoit
FRA
HON
7
15
22
10
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
6
14
20
11
Olsen, Thomas Kjer
DEN
HUS
14
5
19
12
Lupino, Alessandro
ITA
KTM
11
6
17
13
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
13
4
17
14
Guillod, Valentin
SUI
YAM
0
11
11
15
Jacobi, Henry
GER
HON
0
10
10
16
Bogers, Brian
NED
GAS
1
8
9
17
Simpson, Shaun
GBR
KTM
2
7
9
18
Van Horebeek, Jeremy
BEL
BET
9
0
9
19
Wright, Dylan
CAN
HON
8
0
8
20
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
4
3
7
21
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
3
2
5
22
Strijbos, Kevin
BEL
YAM
5
0
5
23
Locurcio, Lorenzo
VEN
KTM
0
1
1
2021 MXGP Standings – Round 14
Pos
Rider
Nat.
Bike
Total
1
Herlings, J.
NED
KTM
555
2
Febvre, Romain
FRA
KAW
531
3
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
528
4
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
457
5
Cairoli, A.
ITA
KTM
419
6
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
411
7
Jonass, Pauls
LAT
GAS
376
8
Coldenhoff, G.
NED
YAM
340
9
Lupino, A.
ITA
KTM
250
10
Olsen, T.
DEN
HUS
239
11
Bogers, Brian
NED
GAS
218
12
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
217
13
Vlaanderen, C.
NED
YAM
203
14
Van Horebeek, J.
BEL
BET
165
15
Jacobi, Henry
GER
HON
145
16
Van doninck, B.
BEL
YAM
120
17
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
119
18
Forato, A.
ITA
GAS
108
19
Strijbos, K.
BEL
YAM
103
20
Simpson, Shaun
GBR
KTM
100
21
Jasikonis, A.
LTU
HUS
87
22
Paturel, B.
FRA
HON
86
23
Monticelli, I.
ITA
KAW
54
24
Koch, Tom
GER
KTM
53
25
Östlund, Alvin
SWE
YAM
50
26
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KTM
39
27
Locurcio, L.
VEN
KTM
36
28
Tixier, Jordi
FRA
KTM
33
29
Brylyakov, V.
MFR
HON
30
30
Boisrame, M.
FRA
KAW
24
31
Guillod, V.
SUI
YAM
24
32
Genot, Cyril
BEL
KTM
15
33
Gilbert, Josh
GBR
HUS
10
34
Butron, Jose
ESP
KTM
9
35
Wright, Dylan
CAN
HON
8
36
Bobryshev, E.
MFR
HUS
6
37
van Berkel, L.
NED
HON
5
38
Clochet, Jimmy
FRA
BET
4
39
Watson, Nathan
GBR
HON
4
40
Desprey, M.
FRA
YAM
3
41
Roosiorg, H.
EST
KTM
1
42
Gole, Anton
SWE
HUS
1
43
Lesiardo, M.
ITA
HON
1
44
Kellett, Todd
GBR
YAM
1
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
MX2 Race 1
In MX2 race one, it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle with the Fox Holeshot as he led Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Thibault Benistant into the first corner.
Tom Vialle
Benistant then slipped to third as Isak Gifting of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing got around the Frenchman. Meanwhile further down the field, the championship leader Maxime Renaux from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing struggled out of the gate as he started the race down in 18th position.
Vialle continued to lead Gifting, Benistant and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts as Renaux climbed his way into 13th in the first few laps. The red plate holder then caught onto Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rene Hofer and after passing him, shifted his focus on getting around Andrea Adamo of SM Action Racing Team YUSA Battery.
Rene Hofer
As Renaux struggled to pass Adamo, Beaton also joined the battle for eighth as he raced behind Hofer. It took Renaux four laps to pass the Italian, but he was eventually able to get it done on lap six.
Geerts then got by Benistant as he moved into third, while Tom Guyon of Team VHR KTM was having a great ride in 12th. He eventually finished the race in 13th position on what was a wildcard appearance in the MX2 category.
Jago Geerts
Benistant then crashed and struggled for the remainder of the race as it turns out he had an electrical problem with his bike. Meanwhile his teammate Geerts was applying pressure onto Gifting for second as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf and Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez fought for fourth place. Fernandez ended up winning that fight.
Vialle then stretched his lead to 12.051 seconds as Gifting worked hard to keep Geerts behind him but as the race progressed, he succumbed to the pressure and let the Yamaha rider through on the last lap.
Tom Vialle
Vialle went on to win the race ahead of Geerts and Gifting, while Renaux managed to come back to sixth as local hero Mattia Guadagnini of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing struggled the entire race and could only manage 18th.
MX2 Race 2
In race two, it was again Vialle with the Fox Holeshot as Renaux went down in the first corner. The KTM rider led his teammate Hofer, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton, Geerts and Mike Gwerder of WZ Racing Team.
Tom Vialle
Fernandez then got by Gwerder, as Gifting started down in 11th position. He only managed to get back to ninth by the end of the race.
Renaux had a big battle on his hands as he started in last but was able to make some nice passes in the first few laps.
At the front of the field though, Hofer crashed out of second which allowed Geerts to move into second. Beaton was right there too as he clocked the best lap of the race as he was closing in on the two leaders.
Mattia Guadagnini
Guadagnini has a much better second race as he got by Guyon for seventh, while Renaux passed Honda Racing Assomotor Team’s Stephen Rubini. Gifting and Gwerder were next in his sights.
Benistant then crashed out of ninth position as he looked a little hurt while getting up. He continued the race to finish in 17th.
Geerts then started to close down the gap to Vialle and began to apply the pressure onto the leader. With two laps to go Geerts was within striking distance but could not find an opportunity for a pass and was forced to settle for second as Vialle went on to win the race. Beaton was third ahead of Fernandez and Hofer.
Jed Beaton
With two race victories, Vialle went on to win the MXGP of Trentino as Geerts got himself back on the box for second overall, while Fernandez celebrated his first GP podium in 12 races to finish third overall.
Renaux was eighth overall this weekend but continues to lead the championship by 92 points over Geerts and Vialle who moves to third in the standings and is just four points behind the Belgian.
Tom Vialle – P1
“It was a tough one. In the second race, Jago started third I think, and I had actually Rene behind me. I know he crashed because I saw him crash. Then Jago was second after 4 or 5 laps and I knew it was going to be a tough one. I tried to stay focused. I think I did a good race overall, not so many mistakes. It was a great weekend and started off really good right from the morning. I felt good on the track and also had two great starts, so everything was fine today. We all know it’s a nice area here. The track is also pretty cool. We still have two more races here, so I will try to have good starts, fight for the top position in the championship and try to close the gap as much as possible. That’s what I did today, and I will try to continue this way.”
Tom Vialle
Jago Geerts – P2
“I am really happy with the day. I felt really good in time practice. I had two solid races with two second places. The riding was really good, but we still need to improve the start a little bit. I think I started off fourth both times, but a really good start is needed on the track to seal the win. I just had a difficult period. Everything went well again since the second race in Spain, where I finished second. That gave me a real confidence boost. Then now two more second places so I am really happy with that.”
Ruben Fernandez – P3
“I did not feel really good at the beginning in practice. The track was slippery, and I did not find a good rhythm. But I had better start in both races where I was in the top 10. The first race was a bit worse. I then made my way into fourth during both heats. I am happy with the riding; it’s been calm and solid I would say. 4-4 for third overall, I’ll take it. I am happy to be back on the podium after the second round of the season. I had an injury in between, with no riding for three weeks. I came back in France and from there I have been improving and getting back on my feet, which I am really happy with.”
Jed Beaton – P4
“Overall, it’s been a good day and it ended with a strong result, but it definitely should have been better. If it wasn’t for a small crash in race one, I’m pretty sure I would have gotten on the overall podium, but I made a small mistake and it cost me big time. In race two I got another great start and I was putting together a strong race for the first half. I then made a few mistakes and lost the tow from the leaders, so I settled down, rode better lines, and secured third for fourth overall. I’m looking forward to Wednesday and my aim is to put together two solid races and get back on the box.”
Isak Gifting – P5
“It’s been a really positive day for me after not qualifying so well this morning. I had a great start in race one and it was awesome to be riding in clean air and up front with the top guys. I was in second for the whole moto and a little mistake on the last lap dropped me to third, but overall I was super-happy with that one. I didn’t get the best of starts in race two but I made it happen, making a lot of passes and ended up ninth for fifth overall. I’ll take a couple of days to rest now and I’m excited to be racing here again in a few days’ time.”
Isak Gifting
Kay de Wolf – P6
“After my big crash and breaking my nose last weekend I’m really happy with my results today. I really didn’t expect to bounce back like this and I made the best of it to finish sixth overall. I had great starts in both races and stayed out of trouble all day. My riding was solid today and I enjoyed myself out there, so I’m excited for Wednesday.”
Rene Hofer – P7
“The day began really well with 3rd place in qualifying but I had a top twelve start in the first moto and around this track you lose quite some time when you’re not at the front. I rode a solid race in P8. I was 2nd after Tom in the second race and could follow his pace for four laps and unfortunately, I made a small crash. I fell back to P5 and finished there. Riding-wise the day was pretty good and I had the speed for the podium. I’m looking forward to another two races here. I like the track, it’s not perfect but I like being here and will search for the podium again.”
Rene Hofer
Maxime Renaux – P8
“It was a tough day for me as you said. Actually, I felt really great in the morning. I had a really good lap time and finished second. Everything was on point and under control but then I really struggled in those two races. First start I was out of the top 20. I think I was 24th and fought as hard as I could. In the second race, I crashed in the first turn. I tried a different technique on the start, cutting a little bit more inside but I just lost the front in the first corner and touched the guys from the outside. Anyways, I just tried to fight my way back to the top and get as many points as I could because that’s all I could do. I finished eighth that race. Eighth overall as well, with 6-8. For sure, it was not the result we were waiting for, but I couldn’t make anything better today with my conditions and the way I started my races. It’s a strange feeling, but we’ll try to move on to better things and come back stronger on Wednesday with two good starts hopefully.”
Mattia Guadagnini – P12
“Probably the worst race of the year! It started with a big crash in Timed Practice and then I wasn’t feeling so great. I had a terrible start in the first moto and was trying to make some passes when I went down again. I lost the rhythm and just tried to get some points. Of course, 18th is not what I want. The second moto start was better and the whole race generally, even if I lost a few too many positions on the second corner for my liking. 7th was just OK and we’ll get better for the next GP.”
While competing in round six of the Western Australian State Motocross Championship held at the Shrubland MX Park – Bunbury Motorcycle Club, KTM Racing Team’s Regan Duffy was involved in a significant incident, where he was impacted by multiple bikes, during the first lap of the opening MX1 race.
Regan was treated by medical staff at the track before being airlifted to a local hospital where he was placed in an induced coma to stabilise his condition. He was then transferred by air to a hospital in Perth, where on arrival, Regan underwent major surgery.
Due to the serious nature of his injuries, Regan remains in a coma in a critical but stable condition and is receiving ongoing specialist care.
Duffy is one of the most exciting young prospects in Australian motocross and is expected to have an international career with much success ahead of him. Duffy already has won four Australian Junior Motocross Championships, claimed the Australian MXD Title in his rookie year after turning senior, and won the opening round of this year’s MX1 Championship.
KTM would like to thank all the medical staff that have assisted Regan and the specialist care that they continue to provide. We would also like to thank the numerous well-wishers from within the motocross industry and the wider motorcycling community.
KTM Group, the KTM Racing Team and its supporters send positive thoughts and well wishes to Regan and the Duffy family during this challenging time.
Kyle Blunden (KTM Group Australia Motorsport Manager)
“Regan’s an extremely tough athlete with a strong head on his shoulders and a physically fit and able body underneath it. His injuries are very significant and he has a long road ahead of him. Regan has some of the best medical practitioners at one of Australia’s best-equipped hospitals, so now we need to give the required time and remain positive. Our thoughts and best wishes are with Regan, his father Darren and the entire Duffy family and friends that are there by his side. Thank you to everyone that has reached out to express their concerns and best wishes.”
Regan Duffy won the opening round of this years Australian Motocross Championship at Wonthaggi
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
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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
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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.
The ProMX Management team have announce the three new Australian Champions crowned for their respective classes of the Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores, after the season was wrapped up after just three rounds with border closures an ongoing issue.
Unfortunately, after no clear directives have developed from State Governments as to a realistic time frame around state border openings, meaning that the ProMX Championship cannot be completed in a timely manner before the end of 2021.
Luke Clout – Image by RBMotoLens
Luke Clout topped the MX1 class on 122-points, to second place Regan Duffy’s 119-points, with Todd Waters claiming the final podium position on 116-points. Just off the podium was Kirk Gibbs in fourth on 114-points, with fifth placed Hayden Mellross a more distant 103-points.
Luke Clout
“It’s strange to think that I have won a championship while sitting on the couch, but I guess everything about 2020 and 2021 has been strange. It’s not the way I want or would like to win it as I am a racer and I just want to be out on the track challenging myself against the other riders, but I truly believe that I had put in the work, the CDR Yamaha team provided me with the best bike, and this championship was going to be mine. This is my first MX1 championship of my career and regardless of the shortened championship, I’m proud of it. As a team we had to overcome challenges from round one. We had to rebound quickly to get back in the championship at Canberra, so everyone combined to get the job done by the end of round three we were back in front. Thank you to everyone on the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team and all of our great sponsors and partners. It’s easy to see why the team has such continued success and I can’t thank them enough for the work they put in.”
Luke Clout in Maitland – Image by RBMotoLens
Kirk Gibbs – MX1 P4
“Losing the Championship by only eight points is hard to accept as we were constantly improving each round. This will be one of those years that will leave me questioning what if.”
Kirk Gibbs
Kyle Webster took a dominant MX2 win, well clear of his nearest competitors, on 143-points, with Jesse Dobson claiming 109 and Rhys Budd third on 106. Fourth placed Jay Wilson was two-points off the podium on 104-points, with Nathan Crawford fifth.
Kyle Webster – MX2 P1
“I never expected to win the Championship this way, but I am grateful as this is the hardest I have worked, and the team did an amazing job developing my CRF250R. I have been riding the 2022 CRF250R for about three months and I was keen to race it. It’s on a whole other level. I will try and get a race in on it before the end of the year, but now that the season has wrapped up it’s time to get to work preparing for next year and the 450 Championship.”
Kyle Webster
In the MX3 class Blake Fox claimed the crown on 147-points, with runner up Ryder Kingsford sitting on 127, and third placed Kayden Minear on 91-points. Completing the top give was Ben Novak (89) and Kobe Drew (87).
Blake Fox – Image by RBMotoLens
The ProMX management team acknowledged all competitors, teams and fans for their support and persistence in a challenging domestic climate here in Australia over the past twelve months since the new ProMX Championship was announced.
ProMX management were able to run three championship events of the inaugural ProMX Championship, crown Champions in their respective classes and establish a return to racing in Motocross on a national level for the first time since 2019, despite all the challenges.
2021 ProMX Championship – Image by RBMotoLens
Preparation is already well underway for the 2022 ProMX Championships, which are guaranteed to be bigger and better – fans and industry can expect exciting announcements very soon around next year’s Championship developments.
ProMX also extended a further thank you to all industry partners of the series, without whose support and dedication, the 2021 ProMX Championships would not have been possible.
2021 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores Standings
2021 Australian Speedway Champs officially cancelled
Motorcycling Australia, in conjunction with the MA Track Commission and key stakeholders, have now advised the 2021 Australian Speedway Senior Solo, Australian U21’s and Australian U16’s 250cc Championships have been cancelled, along with postponing the 2022 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship.
Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship
With so much uncertainty around the State border restrictions, as well as lockdowns and the lack of availability of international flights and with a significant number of riders currently overseas a decision as early as possible as important.
Motorcycling Australia (MA) and the Australian Track Commission have been in consultation with riders and clubs and are now concentrating on delivering a successful condensed 2022 Championship calendar pending Government restrictions around Covid-19.
April 1–3 – Australian U16’s 125cc Individual & Teams Speedway Championships – Sidewinders SA
November 26 – Australian U16’s 250cc Speedway Championship – Gillman Speedway SA
November 26 – Australian U21’s Speedway Championship– Gillman Speedway SA
December 2-3 – Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship – TBA
Eli Tomac joins Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing for 2022
Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing will welcome Eli Tomac to the team for the 2022 Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season, joining the newly crowned 2021 Pro Motocross Champion Dylan Ferrandis, while Christian Craig will join the duo for the outdoor season stepping up to the Yamaha YZ450F.
Tomac brings with him a wealth of experience and is a proven championship contender. In addition to his three consecutive Pro Motocross 450MX titles from 2017-2019, he added the coveted 450SX Championship to his resume in 2020. The Coloradan has amassed an impressive number of victories and is the winningest rider currently active in both premier class championships.
Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing
“I’m really excited about this next chapter of my racing career with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team. With the recent success of the team, motorcycle, and crew members in place, I know we will be ready for the challenge of winning races. January can’t come soon enough!”
Eli Tomac joins Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing
The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team is fresh off of a great debut in the premier class. After a solid start in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship with all three riders earning their first 450SX podium and finishing comfortably inside the top-10 in the standings, the team had a stellar Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season.
In addition to Ferrandis securing the title a weekend early, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. earned Manufacturer of the Year honors, and the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing Team was named Team of the Year. The series also awarded Jeremy Coker Team Manager of the Year and the 450 Mechanic of the Year went to Ferrandis’ mechanic, Alex Campbell.
Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team Manager
“We’re really happy to have Eli on board next season. He is a proven championship contender and an incredible athlete. Together with Dylan and then Christian joining us for the outdoor season, we have a great line-up and look to be fighting up front for the number-one plate in both championships. This year was a great first year in the premier class for the team and an absolutely incredible Pro Motocross season. We look to build on that and are really excited for the 2022 season.”
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Husqvarna and Jason Anderson part ways after seven years
Husqvarna Motorcycles thanked Jason Anderson for his hard work, commitment, and racing achievements during the last seven years, as following a highly successful relationship with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, the American’s time with the team has now drawn to a close.
Jason Anderson – 2021 AMA SX Round 17 – Image by Jeff Kardas
Since joining Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in 2015 to compete on FC 450 machinery in the 450 class, Jason Anderson has entered each AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross season as a genuine title contender.
The highlight of Anderson’s time with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna came in 2018 when he was crowned 450SX champion. The victory marked the first 450 supercross title for Husqvarna Motorcycles with Jason’s performances and championship result also making a notable contribution to the brand’s international standing, as well as adding to their now 106 World Championship wins. During his time with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Jason won seven 450SX Main Events and claimed 27 podium finishes.
Jason Anderson – 2021 AMA SX Round 2 – Image by Jeff Kardas
Further success was achieved outdoors in the 450 Pro Motocross series, with Anderson claiming 16 overall podium results and a career-best championship finish of fourth in 2019. Outside of racing in America, Anderson won multiple Australian Supercross Championship races and represented Team USA at the FIM Motocross of Nations on two occasions.
Stephen Westfall – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager
“It’s been an honour to have worked with such a talented and committed racer like Jason. His dedication and talent, together with his willingness to always put the work in, ensured he was always the best rider he could be. It’s unfortunate that his time with the team coincides with him being injured as he was showing some great speed early on in the Pro Motocross season. On behalf of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, I wish Jason well and look forward to seeing him at the races in the future.”
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Monster Energy Kawasaki welcome Anderson to the team
Jason Anderson will join Adam Cianciarulo with the Monster Energy Kawasaki race team for 2022, alongside testing and development rider Broc Tickle.
Monster Energy Kawasaki to run Anderson and Cianciarulo in 2022
Anderson closed out his amateur racing career with Kawasaki Team Green, winning the AMA Horizon Award aboard a KX250 before moving on to become a 250 Supercross West Champion, now reunited with Kawasaki, Anderson is prepared to repeat his former success and fight for premier class supremacy in both the AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross Championships.
Jason Anderson – Monster Energy Kawasaki Race Team
“It’s great to join the Monster Energy Kawasaki race team for 2022. I’m ready to start working with the team to have a successful run right out of the gate when we go racing in January. The bike is proven, and the many accolades of the team speak volumes to what we can achieve together. I’m looking forward to the good times ahead.”
Meanwhile, Cianciarulo hopes to see his record-setting amateur years with the Kawasaki Team Green race team and success underneath the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team awning reach a culmination in 2022 with his goal of championship contention in the upcoming year of premier class racing.
Building from his AMA Pro Motocross Rookie of the Year honors that came along with second place in the 2020 450MX Pro Motocross standings, Cianciarulo led 51 laps during the 2021 season and secured three overall podiums. Cianciarulo now looks to capitalize on a full off-season of development with the team to claim the top step of the podium in 2022.
Adam Cianciarulo – Monster Energy Kawasaki Race Team
“I’m ready for the 2022 season. I’ve had a lot of great experiences in my first two seasons with the team. We have made major strides together and are positioned to perform at our very best in this upcoming year of racing. I look forward to continuing to improve and reaching our goals together.”
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2022 Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team roster breaks cover
With the 2022 racing season marking nearly three decades of success, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki race team has revealed five-rider lineup for the upcoming season. The team will field the established Austin Forkner, Cameron McAdoo, Jo Shimoda and 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Rookie of the Year, Seth Hammaker. Kawasaki also welcomes long-time Team Green amateur rising star Jett Reynolds to the fold as he graduates into the pro ranks.
Austin Forkner
As one of the most successful teams in the paddock, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki boasts an resume that includes the most combined supercross and motocross wins in the 250 class and 29 total championships.
Mitch Payton – Pro Circuit Owner
“We have a skilled group of riders on the team for the 2022 season. With seasoned riders like Austin, Cameron, and Jo returning, last year’s rookie sensation Seth ready to begin his sophomore season and Jett making his pro debut; we are in a good spot to compete for both 250 West and East Supercross titles. Everyone on the team including riders, staff and personnel, are preparing for the new season to begin and we expect to finish on top of the podium.”
Returning for a seventh season with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki squad in 2022 is Austin Forkner. The 12-time 250 Class race winner has high hopes to return to his winning ways this season after his promising 2021 supercross title campaign was cut short due to injury.
Cameron McAdoo
McAdoo is also back under the Kawasaki tent for the upcoming season. Coming off a career-best season in 2021 that saw McAdoo collect his first AMA 250 Supercross win, the Iowa native is keen on improving his third-place finish in the Supercross 250 West Championship point standings.
Back for his second year with the Kawasaki team is Shimoda. Building on a stand-out 2021 season, the Japanese-born rider secured a career-first 250SX Class win along with six podiums last season and appears ready to use his experience running up front to mount a championship fight.
Jo Shimoda
Entering his sophomore season, Hammaker returns to the Kawasaki squad with his first career 250SX Class win and three AMA Supercross podiums under his belt. Last year’s rookie stand out heads into the new season with expectations to battle for race wins and podiums.
Seth Hammaker
Making his professional debut with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team is Reynolds. Carrying nine AMA Amateur National titles and the 2017 Monster Energy Cup Supermini Class championship, Reynolds is set to make an immediate impact for the team in both series at the beginning of the 2022 season.
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Rallye du Maroc returns in 2021!
With the 2020 edition cancelled due to the global pandemic, it has been two years since the Rallye du Maroc has been held in the Kingdom of His Majesty Mohammed VI. From 7 to 13 October, housed in a bivouac outside Zagora, the race returns to the desert. Hand in hand, the Moroccan authorities, ODC Events and their local partners have put all their energy into making the running of the rally possible.
David Castera
“Each year, the Rallye du Maroc takes on ever more importance in the country. It is no longer simply a case of us organising an event on our own, with permission from the Moroccan authorities. The Rallye du Maroc is now the fruit of a common enterprise, the will and help of the authorities, partners such as Maroc Telecom, Afriquia or OCP, and the tourism industry, right down to the small businesses and service providers who are close to us on the ground, happy and proud to be working again. A strong relationship between us has been forged in this very special context. This edition will be one of resilience for us all.”
Rallye du Maroc 2019 – Toby Price
As a reward for the efforts made over the last few weeks by all involved in resurrecting the Rallye du Maroc, the number of entrants expected at administrative and technical scrutineering on Thursday 7 October will break all records. 160 bikes and 100 cars are expected to arrive at the bivouac in Zagora next week eclipsing previous figures.
All the official teams are present and 27 riders are registered in RallyGP, while there are no less than 99 in Rally2.
In RallyGP, we see the best drivers in the cross-country discipline. KTM’s Matthias Walkner leads the provisional classification of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and is joined in Morocco by the current FIM World Champion Sam Sunderland, Toby Price and Kevin Benavides.
Yamaha has entered Rally Kazakhstan winner Ross Branch, Adrien Van Beveren and Andrew Short.
Husqvarna, meanwhile, will run machines for Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes, while Daniel Sanders rides for Gas-Gas.
Honda will participate in its first rally of the season with Pablo Quintanilla, Ricky Brabec, Nacho Cornejo and Joan Barreda. Hero will also be present with Franco Caimi, Sebastian Bühler and Joachim Rodrigues, while Sherco lines up with Lorenzo Santolino, Rui Gonçalves and Harith Noah.
Two Juniors will also be in the starting blocks in RallyGP: Konrad Dabrowski (KTM) and Tomas de Gavardo (KTM).
Between the competitors, their entourage and the organisation, the 2021 Rallye du Maroc caravan will number 850 people, housed for almost ten days in the ephemeral bivouac of Zagora.
David Castera
“If I had asked for such a bivouac in France or anywhere else in the world, people would have thought I was insane,. The know-how of the nomads and their capacity to adapt is phenomenal. Nothing is impossible, the answer to every question is always ‘machi moushkil’, literally ‘no problem’. And they always manage to pull it off, sometimes really incredible feats. The Rallye du Maroc no longer simply bears the name of a country, but that of its people, who share with us the values of solidarity and pushing one’s limits that have always been intrinsic to rally-raid.”
2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Man.
Points
1
Mathias Walkner
KTM
58
2
Gregorio Caselani
Honda
38
3
Skyler Howes
Husqvarna
36
4
Daniel Sanders
Gas Gas
33
5
Franco Caimi
Hero
32
6
Adrien Van Beveren
Yamaha
31
7
Ross Branch
Yamaha
25
8
Sebastian Bühler
Hero
24
9
Luciano Benavides
Husqvarna
24
10
Andrew Short
Yamaha
23
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Charlotte Half-Mile set for AFT finale
Following 15 fiercely fought Progressive American Flat Track rounds, the season-ending Honda Charlotte Half-Mile will determine the 2021 Grand National Championship under the lights at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, October 8.
Briar Bauman
As they arrive in Charlotte, North Carolina, reigning two-time Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) and living legend Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) are separated by just four points. That means both factory Indian stars are in position to secure the 2021 crown from the top step of the podium, simple as that.
It gets a bit more complicated should another rider play the spoiler and steal away the victory. Should that happen, Mees’ slight lead earned on the strength of an active four-race win streak provides him an advantage in that he could still take the title by finishing close behind Bauman on track.
Considering their combined ability, winning percentage, and motivation, it may seem unlikely that another rider is able to elbow ahead with so much on the line, but Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) managed to do just that (twice) in last year’s similarly tight DAYTONA finale.
Jared Mees
The scenario of a title-shifting upset just became that much more realistic with the news that Jeffrey Carver, Jr. (No. 23 Happy Trails Racing/DPC/KullyCo/Bigelow Indian FTR750) has been added to the entry list. As a reminder, in last year’s late-season battle in Charlotte, Bauman and Mees traded the lead back and forth until privateer Carver shot past them both en route to a huge win. A repeat effort could literally decide which bike the #1 plate is brandished upon in 2022.
The field is stocked with potential spoilers, including Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Coolbeth-Nila Racing Indian FTR750), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), Brandon Price (No. 92 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).
AFT Singles
The 2021 AFT Singles championship will be determined in Charlotte as well. While there doesn’t appear to be much room for drama as in the premier class, if second-ranked Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) manages to dethrone defending class champ Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), you can bet some serious drama went down.
Max Whale – 2021 AFT Sacramento Mile II
With 20 points and the tiebreaker working in his favor, Daniels merely needs to finish 13th or better in the Main even if Australian Whale wins. And if Whale doesn’t win, Daniels doesn’t need to do anything but collect his trophy.
Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Mission Roof Systems KTM 450 SX-F) is nearly as safe in third with Daniels’ teammate, Mikey Rush (No. 15 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), 18 points back in fourth.
Last year’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was a classic, with Daniels clinching the title thanks to a last-lap pass for victory over Mischler. Whale finished fourth, just 0.201 seconds back of the win, which sets the table nicely for another spectacular scrap on Friday night.
AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Last season, Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Roof Systems Yamaha MT-07) scored a holeshot-to-checkered flag win in Charlotte. The situation was considerably different, as Texter was desperate just to keep his slim 2020 AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines title hopes alive at the time.
Cory Texter – 2021 AFT Sacramento Mile I
Now he comes into the finale having already locked down a second-career AFT Production Twins championship. That said, Texter is a racer’s racer and one making up for lost time spent as a long-time journeyman pilot. He’s unlikely to lack for motivation even with the title already taken care of.
Meanwhile, AFT Production Twins championship runner-up honors are still up for grabs with Chad Cose (No. 49 Voodoo Ranger/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) nine points up on Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) with one race to go.
The evening also presents one final chance for the likes of Ben Lowe (No. 25 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Jesse Janisch (No. 96 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) to get a win before the year is out.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Charlotte Half-Mile will also feature the season finale of Royal Enfield’s hugely popular BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. program and the penultimate round of the innovative Super Hooligan National Championship. BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. showcases the talent, versatility, competitiveness, and enthusiasm of female motorcyclists in its own action-packed style, while the outlaw-minded Super Hooligan series features customized heavy street bikes competing at a road race circuit, a Short Track, a Half-Mile and an asphalt oval to determine the nation’s most all-around skill heavy street bike racer.
The Honda Charlotte HM will also feature all the pomp and circumstance befitting a season finale off the track as well. NASCAR superstar Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will serve as the evening’s Grand Marshal ahead of the weekend’s NASCAR doubleheader at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Al-Balooshi wins 2021 Qatar International Baja
The UAE’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi sealed outright victory in the motorcycle category of the Qatar International Baja after the third desert selective section that was held in punishing heat on Saturday.
Mohammed Al-Balooshi
MX Ride Dubai’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi delivered a polished performance over the closing 249.68km selective section that started at Al-Kharsaah and included a tricky final passage through the sand dunes near the Inland Sea, south of Doha, where temperatures rose into the low forties Centigrade.
He completed the gruelling stage in just under nine minutes shy of five hours to seal a 10min 57sec victory over British youngster Robert Wallace in the motorcycle section. The latter’s consolation was sealing top spot in the FIM Juniors category.
Mohammed Al-Balooshi
“It was a very tough two stages but I am happy that we managed to bring the bike home and win this round of the FIM Bajas World Cup and extend our championship lead. I am a little bit disappointed that Abdullah Abuaisheh could not start because it is good to have your main rival competing. I thank him for letting me use his front wheel. I damaged mine. Now I will go to Portugal for the last round, which is double points. I started off with third in Dubai, a win in Jordan and a win here. But I have a torn ligament in my shoulder. I was nursing it home and managed to win. I probably only rode at 60 or 70%.”
The UK’s Andrew Newland rounded off the podium places and Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Shatti overcame a fall to finish fourth. Richard Dors and Makis Rees-Stavros rode strongly on the final day to snatch fifth and sixth.
Unfortunately, x-rays confirmed Martin Chalmers’s worst fears and the Qatar-based Australian was forced to withdraw from the motorcycle event with two broken ankle bones and ligament damage. It was testament to his determination that he had completed the second stage in first position and managed to put his bike into Parc Ferme to restart, albeit with eight minutes of penalties later added to his time.
The ProMX Management Team has advised that all Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores events continue to remain on hold due to the current national landscape around COVID-19 State Border Restrictions.
With all remaining championship events postponed, a final decision on the status of running the remainder of the championship rounds will be announced no later than 15th October 2021.
2021 Australian ProMX
ProMX is continuing to examine the environment around COVID-19 State Border Restrictions, relying on information from state governments on plans to reopen borders.
Planning for the 2022 ProMX Championship is also underway, with an aim to begin in March 2022 with eight Championship events. Further updates and information will be provided in the coming weeks and months.
ProMX Management is also monitoring the changing landscape of potential vaccine passports which may be required by State and Federal governments for future air travel, entry to venues, and as a condition of inclusion in some situations. Some sporting venues in Australia have already made announcements where proof of double vaccination will be required for entry, whilst other are considering their position on this topic.
ProMX respects the choice of individuals when it comes to the topic of COVID-19 vaccination. However, it is highly likely that proof of vaccination or vaccination passport may be required for entry into some states and venues moving forward. ProMX Management provides this as information only.
2021 Penrite ProMX Championship Calendar
Round
Date
Location
Status
Round 5
TBA
Wodonga, VIC
Postponed
Round 6
TBA
QMP, QLD
Postponed
Round 7 & 8
TBA
Coolum, QLD
Postponed
Round 9 & 10
TBA
Gillman, SA
Postponed
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2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Calendar
The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship is set to expand to nine rounds for 2022. Build on what’s been a successful inaugural season of racing for the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, the series will provisionally expand to nine rounds for 2022, while introducing a host of new events to the calendar.
Further strengthening its grip as a truly international offroad motorcycling world championship, the series will see races in Israel, Serbia and Canada added to an already bustling schedule.
An early start at the beginning of April will see the 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship season commence in Israel. Venturing to Asia for the Minus 400, the best Hard Enduro riders in the world will showcase their talents in front of enduro fans in the Middle East.
Returning to Europe for round two, Xross is a Hard Enduro Rallye in the Serbian mountains of Zlatibor, Tara and Mokra Gora. A long-established event, Xross has been running since 2014 and prides itself on featuring some of the most remote and technical Hard Enduro terrain in the southeast of Europe.
Erzbergrodeo
The return of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in Austria for 2022 is sure to set fans and competitors hearts racing. On hold for the past two years due to the Covid pandemic, everyone is waiting for the Iron Giant to roar back into life in spectacular fashion next June.
Following its successful debut this year, the Abestone Hard Enduro returns to the championship for 2022. The distinct Tuscany venue has already become a much talked about race. Busily preparing trails for 2022, organiser Michele Bosi is eager to deliver something special next year.
Synonymous with Hard Enduro, it would be impossible not to feature the iconic Red Bull Romaniacs in the 2022 schedule. Now a mecca for Hard Enduro competitors from across the world, organisers are currently working on the 19th edition of this world famous Hard Enduro Rallye.
Red Bull Romaniacs
From Romania, the series will take a trip across the Atlantic to North America for a double header in the USA and Canada. Kicking things off for round six will be Red Bull TKO in Tennessee. The venue produced some spectacular racing and many memorable battles this year and will be eagerly anticipated next August.
Two weeks later, the championship heads north to Canada for the already established Red Bull Outliers in the Badlands of Alberta. The feature race is a multi-lap extreme cross-country event across a rugged wasteland with plenty of near-vertical climbs.
2021 Red Bull TKO Hard Enduro
HERO Challenge will play host to the penultimate round in mid-September. A welcomed addition to the 2021 series, its format twist of motocross, superenduro and hard enduro elements pushed competitors to their physical limits. Now, with 12 months to prepare for the next edition, expect organisers to raise the bar even higher.
Seven months after round one in Israel, the championship will draw to an exciting conclusion at Spain’s Hixpania Hard Enduro in Aguilar de Campoo, as a spectacular end to the 2022 season is guaranteed.
Winfried Kerschhaggl – FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Manager
“It’s great to already have the 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship provisionally in place. I would like to thank all event organizers for their commitment to the championship, and for the energy they have. Being so early with this provisional calendar gives everyone the advantage of being able to market each particular event professionally, as well as giving competitors an early look at the exciting championship we have. Pushing so hard in 2021 earned us a lot of interest from fans, media and potential event organizers all around the world. With Israel, Serbia and Canada added to an already diverse calendar we aim to strengthen our grip as a true offroad motorcycling World Championship.”
2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Provisional Schedule
Round 1: Minus 400 – Israel, April 5/6/7
Round 2: Xross – Serbia, May 19/20/21
Round 3: Red Bull Erzbergrodeo – Austria, June 16/17/18/19
Round 4: Abestone Hard Enduro – Italy, July 8/9/10
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs – Romania, July 26/27/28/29/30
Round 6: Red Bull TKO – USA, August (date TBC)
Round 7: Red Bull Outliers – Canada, August (TBC, two weeks after TKO)
Round 8: HERO Challenge – Poland, September 10/11 (location TBC)
Round 9: Hixpania Hard Enduro – Spain, October 7/8/9
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HRC Manager Erik Kehoe retires
Just over a week after Jett Lawrence wrapped up the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross 250MX Championship, Erik Kehoe announced that he will step down from the position of Manager of Team Honda HRC, the manufacturer’s U.S. factory motocross/supercross squad.
Kehoe was a Honda-backed professional racer in the late ’80s and early ’90s before managing the Honda of Troy/Yamaha of Troy race program for seven seasons. He served an earlier stint managing the factory team from the 2002 season through 2012. During Kehoe’s management tenures, Team Honda HRC earned five AMA Pro Motocross National Championships and two AMA Supercross Championships.
Erik Kehoe
“This decision to retire was very difficult, but at the same time, I know it’s time to slow down my pace. I would like to thank American Honda, and [Manager of Sports & Experiential] Brandon Wilson in particular, for giving me the chance to return to the team this last time. I really wanted to help get Honda some positive momentum in supercross and motocross, and this past season, I think the team has enjoyed many successes. I’ve truly enjoyed my time here, but it’s time to focus on some personal projects that I’ve been putting off for some time.”
Takahisa Fujinami retires from Trial World Championship in Portugal
After 26 seasons in the Trial World Championship, a record number of participations, 168 podiums, 34 victories, 7 runner-up finishes and one world championship title, Repsol Honda Team rider Takahisa Fujinami (Mie, Japan, 13/01/1980) will bring his career to a close this coming Saturday in Portugal.
Takahisa Fujinami
Since his debut in Navacerrada, Spain in 1996 at the age of 16, he has spent over a quarter of a century fully dedicated to trial competition, collecting several key achievements along the way including the world championship title sealed in 2004.
In addition, the Japanese rider has also broken several records in the specialty, such as the youngest rider to win a world championship event (Talheim, 1997) at the age of 17, as well as the record for the most elderly rider, attained earlier in 2021 with a win in Italy aged 41. Indeed, this kind of longevity has led him to become the rider with the highest number of participations in elite competition, with a tally of 355, including this Saturday’s event in Gouveia.
With 34 victories – always with Montesa-Honda – Takahisa Fujinami is the rider with the fifth highest number of triumphs in world championship trials and is fourth in terms of number of podiums, surpassed only by Adam Raga, Toni Bou and Dougie Lampkin. He has also finished in the world championship top five over 20 consecutive seasons.
Fujigas’ has also been world championship runner-up on seven occasions. The number rises further with the indoor competition tally: one runner-up, one victory and 36 podiums out of 139 trials. In Japan, he also won five national titles between 1995 and 2001. Finally, he took part in 15 Trial du Nations events representing the Japanese team, contributing to five runner-up finishes.
Takahisa Fujinami
“I firmly believe that the time has come to close the curtain on my career as a world trial championship rider after 26 years in the competition. Thanks to everyone’s support, over this period, I have been able to make trial my profession and perform at a more than satisfactory level for over a quarter of a century. Thank you very much. They have been 26 great years. And I have to also thank my family, who supported me from the first moment, my team-mates, the brand, the sponsors and also the fans who have cheered me on throughout. I would like to greet each of my fans one by one, and I hope to do it someday, to thank them for the enormous support they have given throughout this time. Honda Racing and Montesa-Honda gave me a bike to participate in the world championship when I was 16 years old and, since then, I am proud to have battled with this team right through to the very end.
Takahisa Fujinami
“I still remember the shouts and applause of support at my debut in Japan and also in Spain: ‘Fujigas’ was born there! The first victory in Germany, the tough, complicated years, but also the joy of the world title in 2004. It’s a long time ago, but it’s my particular treasure… I would also like to particularly remember the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, which started in 2000 and has always had such an enthusiastic crowd. Thank you again. As for what I will do from now on… I don’t really know yet. I haven’t made up my mind yet what I will do after retiring from competition, but I hope to stay involved in trials in some way. I’m confident that everything will go well in my new life.”
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Toni Bou wins a 29th Trial World Championship title in Portugal
Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou has been proclaimed the 2021 TrialGP World Champion, also winning the day’s trial in Portugal – taking his GP palmares to 125 triumphs and 15 consecutive TrialGP titles, plus 14 indoor – 29 championship wins for the greatest rider of all time.
Toni Bou
The Repsol Honda Team ace set the benchmark from the start in a trial filled with natural yet demanding sections, where the first 12 sections had been made quite slippery by the water which flows through the Portuguese town of Gouveia. Bou made it through to the end of the trial with sufficient advantage to claim a 125th victory in the Trial World Championship for the Montesa Cota 4RT rider. This season saw him victorious in seven 2021 Trial World Championship events to clinch the top TrialGP World Championship honours for a 15th time in a row.
Today was also a very special event for Japanese Repsol Honda Team rider Takahisa Fujinami who brings to an end his career in the Trial World Championship. Fujinami rode a trial that went from strength to strength, improving considerably on the second lap before eventually posting seventh place on the day. “Fujigas” thus wraps up the world championship in sixth place overall.
With this final trial in Portugal, Repsol Honda Team bids farewell to this year’s TrialGP campaign. The next appointment for Toni Bou will be tomorrow, held in the same Portuguese town, where the champion will represent the Spanish national team in the Trial des Nations event.
Toni Bou – P1
“This year has been very special for me because at the beginning things were very complicated with the injury just a month before the start of the championship. In the end there will come a year when I will not be able to win – I’ve won for 15 consecutive years – but the fact that I got injured just before the start of the world championship made it special and I didn’t want to lose a championship in this way. Once again we battled 100%, I tried to get into shape as the championship progressed and the fact that I had a very good work rate before I got injured also helped me to recover faster. I am very happy to be able to win another world championship. Once again, many thanks to the whole team. Today was also a very special day for everyone as it was Fujinami’s last trial. It is very difficult to think of Team HRC without him. I wish him all the best for the future.”
Toni Bou and Takahisa Fujinami celebrate
Takahisa Fujinami – P7
“First of all, I want to thank Honda, HRC and the whole Montesa team, including mechanics, minders and all the people who have helped me over these 26 years. Without all of them I could not have been in the world championship for 26 years. Today I wanted to get a good result, in the end I finished seventh, but I’m still happy with the way I rode today. I battled until the end. Today I close this stage, but I am sure that the future will be promising. Today was a really special day, thanks to the whole trial family, all the brands and all the people who were in Portugal today. I am very proud to have shared this day with all of them.”
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GasGas’s Laia Sanzs wraps up 2021 TrialGP Women title
After eight years away from the Trial World Championship, Laia Sanz has returned to the top of the podium once again, winning the final round of the 2021 season on her GASGAS TXT GP 300 to become TrialGP Women World Champion for an incredible 14th time.
Laia Sanz
“It’s been an incredible day, to win is amazing. It wasn’t the hardest trial of the championship, but the hard thing for me was to stay 100% focused, so mentally it wasn’t easy at all. Coming back to TrialGP after so many years away, to return and finally be successful and win another world title, it’s amazing. Apart from section three on the first lap, I think I had one of my best days of the championship today. It’s not been an easy year for me, so I am proud that I have been able to do what I hoped I would. Also, I want to thank the team and GASGAS, they have been so, so good to me. It’s the result that we all worked really hard for.”
Laia Sanz
Proving once again that she’s unquestionably the queen of trial, Laia Sanz did exactly what she needed to do at the all-important final round of the 2021 TrialGP World Championship, winning the day and claiming an incredible 14th trial title.
Coming into the Portuguese event one point behind her closest championship rival Emma Bristow, Laia set her sights on winning from the moment she entered the day’s opening section.
Knowing that there was no room for error, she completed the opening lap having lost just four marks. In doing so she put one hand on the women’s title. Holding her nerve, her best was yet to come as she dropped just two marks on the second lap and delivered her best ride of the season, when it mattered most.
Laia Sanz
Securing her third win of the championship, in never finishing lower than second this season Laia’s composure and consistency ultimately ensured she won her 14th trial world title.
