Stage 10 of the 2020 Dakar Rally was set to truly test all competitors and their machines with a long 534-kilometre timed special from Haradh to the temporary overnight bivouac at Shubaytah. It didn’t pan out that way, with weather proving an unexpected risk, and in the interest of safety, the stage was cut short at kilometre 345, with riders then travelling to the marathon bivouac untimed.
Stage Nine winner, Pablo Quintanilla, would lead riders into the special, trailed by Toby Price – three minutes behind, and Joan Barreda a further three minutes back from Price.
Pablo Quintanilla
Barreda however was on the offensive, stamping his authority on the special, soon leading Matthias Walkner and Ricky Brabec. After 223km that remained true, with standings leader Ricky Brabec closing in, and Toby Price dropping to three minutes off the leader, now behind Kevin Benavides.
When riders resumed the special after the neutralised section they had 175km left to run, with Toby Price, Joan Barreda and Pablo Quintanilla leading the way. Conditions deteriorated however, with race direction halting the stage after 345km.
Joan Barreda
The day’s results were taken from the neutralised section, with Joan Barreda the fastest rider with a time of 2h-11min-42s for the day. Ricky Brabec was second fastest, 1min-7s back, while fellow Monster Energy Honda Team rider Kevin Benavides was third, making for a Honda 1-2-3.
Joan Barreda
“I think I rode a very good stage, although tomorrow I will have to start from the front and open the track in the dunes. Anyway, I’m satisfied with the pace that I’ve kept. I pushed hard to reach the frontrunners Price, Quintanilla which I managed to do at kilometre 130. Then we rode together as far as the refuelling where the organization then cancelled the rest of the special. The important thing now is that Ricky has the race under control and that Nacho, me and Kevin are fine. This is great for Honda!”
Joan Barreda
Ricky Brabec
“We are in the bivouac of the marathon stage and we have only two stages left. Today it was very windy, and with the sand that was rising it was hard to see well, so they decided to cancel the last part. Well, we have to go every day, there is no other plan or strategy to complete. The goal is to get to the finish line every day with the motorcycle.”
Ricky Brabec
Kevin Benavides
“Today was a short stage, very fast at the beginning, with very dangerous cut dunes. I took it easy at first, as a precaution, and then I began to push a bit harder. In the end, at the refuelling we were told that the second part had been cancelled for security reasons, which seems right to me. I’m happy for us, it’s been a good day for the Honda guys, with a full podium. The bikes have done few kilometres, so they are fine and do not need much attention!”
Kevin Benavides
Australian Toby Price came home in fourth, trailing the lead rider by 2min-37s, and fellow KTM Factory Team rider’s Luciano Benavides and Matthias Walker were fifth and sixth.
Toby Price
“My day has gone well. It’s a little frustrating that the stage was cut short as I was planning on finishing a little further back to make up more time tomorrow. It is what it is and of course it was definitely the right decision to make regards safety. The good news is, the bike’s in good shape and we’re all ready for tomorrow. Unfortunately, I’ll still be starting quite near the front, so it’ll be tough to make up a lot of time on the leaders, but I’m feeling strong and looking forward to the last couple of days.”
Toby Price
Luciano Benavides
“It was a good stage for me today – really fast, off-piste at the beginning with lots of broken dunes. There was one section with really tricky navigation, where a lot of people got lost. I did well there and got through without making too many mistakes and arrived at the refuelling in about fourth or fifth. After that, I had been looking forward to the last part of the stage through the big dunes, but with the stage cut short we didn’t get to see that. My bike is good, with no problems, so I’m ready for tomorrow.”
Luciano Benavides
Matthias Walkner
“It was a strange day today and quite tricky in places. The first 100 kilometres went well, navigation was ok and I made up some good time. At around kilometre 200 the wind was really strong so that made it hard to see the pistes, visibility was bad too and I ended up making a small mistake that cost me a couple of minutes. I really enjoyed the stage and it’s a shame it was shortened, but this is the race and we still have two unpredictable days to go.”
Matthias Walkner
Pablo Quintanilla finished seventh, ahead of Ross Branch, Maurizio Gerini and Jose Cornejo.
Top Yamaha was Franco Caimi of the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team in 13th, with Australian Rodney Faggotter (Yamaha Motor Australia) finishing the day in 39th position, 39min-51s off the leading pace.
Rodney Faggotter – During Stage
“Alls ok mod stage relatively, I’ve stopped with Jamie McCanney to help a crashed rider. He’s going to be ok and got him in the chopper. Now stopped at end of neutral zone – it seems they’ve run out of choppers… Rest of the stage may be cancelled.”
Following Stage 10 it continues to be Ricky Brabec in the lead, from Pablo Quintanilla and Joan Barreda, while Toby Price is fourth overall.
Fifth is Jose Cornejo ahead of Matthias Walkner and Luciano Benavides, with Skyler Howes eighth, Franco Caimi the top Yamaha in ninth, and Stefan Svitko 10th. Aussie Rodney Faggotter retains his 13th place in the standings, despite a challenging day.
Stage 11 of the 2020 Dakar Rally – the second leg of the marathon stage and the penultimate day of racing – will cover a total of 744 kilometres and include a timed special of 379 kilometres. Although stage 10 was shortened, riders will still need to care for their machines and tyres in order to complete the stage successfully.
Kevin Benavides was the first to start the day’s special after completing the 450 km of link stage for the morning as riders recommenced the 2020 Dakar Rally following the cancellation of Stage 8 in respect for Paulo Goncalves. Argentinean Benavides set off three minutes ahead of Joan Barreda who was in turn followed 3 minutes later by Matthias Walkner.
Competitors would need to complete a 886-kilometre stage nine that led the field from Wadi Al Dawasir to Haradh. Initially faced with an arduous liaison, riders then entered the timed special that presented all with a challenging route made up of rocky tracks and stony riverbeds.
Kevin Benavides was an early leader
Overall standings leader Ricky Brabec meanwhile started the ninth special of the rally in fifth position, behind Luciano Benavides, with Toby Price and Pablo Quintanilla setting off later and able to take advantage of the tracks left by the first riders to put in a strong performance. Toby Price was notable the fastest rider to reach the special, but it wasn’t too last…
A herd of particularly lively camels also made an appearance in a canyon 76 km into the special, with a helicopter quickly able to disperse them, ensuring they didn’t interfere with competitors.
Ricky Brabec took an early lead in the special, pulling ahead of Joan Barreda and Toby Price, with Barreda slowed by a minor fall.
Luciano Benavides
Kevin Benavides was the first rider of the day to reach the 34 kilometre long neutralised section of the stage, heading pace with Barreda and Walkner, who set off after him.
Australian Ben Young, sitting 63rd in the general standings heading into Stage 9, had had a relatively trouble-free Dakar until today, suffering a fall on the first part of the special. He raced half of the 2019 Dakar Rally with a broken hand on his first appearance in the event last year following a fall on the fifth stage.
Matthias Walkner
With as little as 30-seconds splitting the top riders at times for the day, it was Pablo Quintanilla who claimed top honours, ahead of Toby Price, with both putting pressure on overall standings leader Ricky Brabec, who trailed the leader by less than four minutes and was in fourth position.
Pablo Quintanilla
“It was a strange feeling this morning after what happened to Paulo, but I think it was good to get riding again. There was a long liaison this morning and it was very cold, but I felt better when we hit the special and I was able to push right away. In the end, I won the stage, which was a fitting way to honour Paulo. But now, with stage eight cancelled, my strategy is more complicated. My goal from here is to push and try to make up as much time over the final three days as possible.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Toby Price
“It’s been a long day today and with it being so fast, it’s was really difficult to make up any time on the others as we’re all so close on these full-gas stages. Obviously, it’s been a really tough day mentally but we’re still cruising along in the race and the main goal as always is to make it safely to the finish line. We entered the Empty Quarter a little today but to be honest we only had 30 kilometres or so of dunes. I’m hoping these next few days will feature more. There’s definitely a lot of kilometres left to go so we’ll just try and keep it on two wheels.”
Toby Price – Image by Rally Zone
Joan Barreda meanwhile was third fastest for the day, while Ross Branch completed the top five.
Joan Barreda
“A good sporting day. I started out second and already by the refuelling I was opening track and overtook Kevin. Then the dunes arrived and there was a confusing area of navigation. Finally we were able to maintain good pace and make it to the finish line well. I’ve been opening track and moving forward for several days and it’s not easy. There are two stages with sand, then a shorter one, so it won’t be easy to reduce the time. We will try to take it day by day and cut the time down as much as possible.”
Joan Barreda
Kevin Benavides and Luciano Benavides were sixth and seventh, with Jose Cornejo eighth, while Andrew Short and Matthias Walkner completed the top-10 for the day.
Aussie Rodney Faggotter remained strong and consistent, with 18th place just shy of 15-minutes off leading pace.
Rodney Faggotter
“Today I did 880+ kms! Solid day. Bike is down on top speed of the factory bikes but I’m happy with everything else, riding hard in the rough stuff to stay fast. Last few stages have been pretty boring track/racing wise and super fast but the scenery is magic! Like moonscape in places.”
The provisional standings following stage nine still see Ricky Brabec in the lead by almost 25-minutes, with Pablo Quintanilla second overall, and Jose Cornejo in third. Toby Price is fourth in the combined standings, ahead of Joan Barreda.
Ricky Brabec
“We feel pretty good. We are here at a windy bivouac. We are another day closer to the American dream of winning the Dakar. There’s three days left and tomorrow is the marathon. We have a lot of racing to do. The main goal now is to focus and stay positive after the incident that happened a few days ago. Right now we are going to rest and make sure our bikes are 100%, get some food, pack our bags for the marathon and try to stay positive. There’s a 21-minute gap in the general. So tomorrow Quintanilla and Toby start in front of me so the plan is to maybe catch them or maybe keep them in my sights. That way they will start in front of me for the next few days. I’m not really sure what is going to happen so we are just going to stay focused and not lose the twenty-one minutes. The marathon stage is really cool and is very relaxing. You don’t have to see the team and it’s only the riders in the bivouac. You can really soak in the camp life, because by now it’s stage ten or eleven and it’s nearly time to go home. It’ll be nice.”
Ricky Brabec
Rodney Faggotter retains his 13th place standing following the days efforts.
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What happened this week
Dakar Rally mourns the loss of Paulo Gonçalves
Ken Roczen tops AMA Supercross Round 2 in Missouri
Austin Forkner closes in on 250SX lead
Nathan Watson continues French Beach Racing domination
Fricke crowned Aussie Senior Solo Speedway Champ
WA to host two International Solo Speedway friendlies
2021 Australian Speedway Solo Championships EoI open
2020 Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team unveiled
2020 Championship Calendars
2020 AMA Motocross
2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
2020 MXGP
2020 American Flat Track
2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway
2020 FIM Speedway GP Championship
2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship
2020 Australian Track Championship
2020 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC)
2020 FIM SuperEnduro Championship
2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East/West
2020 FIM Flat Track World Championship
2020 King of MX
2020 Australian Motocross National Championship Calendar
Dakar Rally mourns the loss of Paulo Gonçalves
After the accident which claimed the life of motorcycle rider Paulo Gonçalves, Stage Eight of the Dakar Rally 2020 was cancelled in the motorcycle category out of respect for the mourning of family and friends in the bivouac.
RIP Paulo Goncalves
Paulo won three Dakar Rally stages with Honda and claimed the runner-up spot in the 2015 edition. Previously after various victories in the 2013 world championship, Paulo clinched the title of FIM Cross-Country Rallies world champion in an epic triumph in Morocco. In 2014 he took the runner-up prize was third in the world championship in 2015 and 2017.
Paulo Gonçalves was a rider with Honda HRC, Monster Energy Honda Team from mid-2013 until mid-2019, joining Hero MotoSports Team Rally last year, and the spirited Portuguese rider won over the hearts of not only the entire team, but also all his companions in the bivouac, and of the fans.
Toby Price
“Paulo took off into the stage about five-minutes before me and I came over a small crest and saw a rider down and it was Paulo. Worst fears kicked in cause I knew this one was serious. I called for help ASAP and helped get him on his side (plus more serious checks). Then tried calling for more help and by this stage Stefan Svitko (also a champion) had arrived and was helping where he could. The first helicopter arrive and Luc Alphand was starting to help and as the medical helicopter arrived they were already on CPR and the doctors got to our sides and worked all they could. Helping holding drip bags, getting bags of medical equipment and guiding other riders around a bad scene. We all worked as long as we could but there was nothing we could do. I helped assist carrying him to the helicopter as it was the right thing to do. I was first at his side and wanted to be the last to leave. We will miss you’re smile and laughter in the bivouac Paulo. My last 250km of special stage was tough, I’m dehydrated from tears. At the moment I’m not even worried about the result, I couldn’t care. Many thoughts with family and friends on this day, we don’t start the rally day 8 for bike #8 in respect to family and friends and the loss of a HERO… Thank you to everyone for the messages of support worldwide, especially those from Portugal with all the kind things. We are human and this is nothing but just a race, I would give up all my wins to have any of my fellow racing mates back with us.”
Ken Roczen tops AMA Supercross Round 2 in Missouri
Zach Osborne scored the holeshotin the 450SX Main Event at the AMA Supercross Round 2 in Missouri, but Ken Roczen was all over him throughout the opening lap before then settling a little. Justin Barcia was in third place at this early stage of the race as Adam Cianciarulo worked his way up to fourth place after passing Jason Anderson.
AMA Supercross Round Two 2020
Roczen took the lead from Osborne and the Husqvarna man lost some time as the #94 Honda went past and that allowed Barcia to close and pass. Adam Cianciarulo and Jason Anderson were banging bars over fourth place but it was the more experienced Anderson that came out on top, Cianciarulo was then pushed further back to sixth place by Justin Brayton. Malcolm Stewart was running seventh ahead of Eli Tomac, Justin Hill and Blake Baggett.
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Adam Cianciarulo got his head down again eight-minutes in to the race and moved back past Brayton and up to fifth place, he then took fourth from Zach Osborne. A couple of laps later his Monster Energy Kawasaki team-mate Eli Tomac pushed Brayton further back to sixth place.
13-minutes into the race Roczen had a seven-second lead over Justin Barcia, who in-turn had three-seconds on Jason Anderson. Adam Cianciarulo was a further five-seconds behind in fourth place but with Zach Osborne, Eli Tomac and Malcolm Stewart right behind him.
Adam Cianciarulo
Adam Cianciarulo dropped the bike on the final lap while in fourth place but managed to pick the KX450F up and salvage seventh place ahead of Justin Brayton.
Almost three years since his last victory, after endless pain and extensive operations to try and repair horrific damage suffered to his arms, wrists and hands, the 25-year-old German stood again atop a supercross podium with what was a dominant victory.
Ken Roczen – P1
“This feels so surreal and is absolutely amazing. It’s been a long time coming with a lot of struggle in the process, so this is definitely one of the sweetest moments of my career. The emotions and joy from everyone is very special. I think tonight was just our night to win. The whole day was good, starting with feeling so much more comfortable on the bike than I did last week. We also grabbed a couple of solid starts in both races tonight. I rode really good in the heat race and even in the main. I’d say that I actually surprised myself and maybe the team a little with how the main event went; it was just our time to shine. I knew if I wanted to make it happen, I’d need to make my way to the front fast, so that’s what I did. I got around Zach [Osborne] quick and had a clear track, so then I just clicked off some great laps, putting a gap between myself and the field. At one point Justin [Barcia] seemed to close in a bit but I just focused on hitting my marks and managing my pace. The race felt really long because the lap times were fairly short; the tower was right after the finish so I could get a glance at the clock each lap—it seemed like it took forever! I’ve messed it up so many times in the last laps, so it’s not over until it’s actually over. I just tried to maintain a pace while also staying consistent and not making any mistakes. We’re going to enjoy this but then get back to work this week. This is a big confidence booster and really motivating for me to want to keep the momentum going.”
AMA Supercross Round Two 2020 – Ken Roczen tops the 450 Podium
Justin Barcia took second place ahead of Jason Anderson while Eli Tomac missed the podium in fourth. Zach Osborne took fifth place ahead of Malcolm Stewart. Australian Chad Reed failed to finish the race.
Justin Barcia – P2
“It was a pretty tough day for me. I was really sick all week, and I just had to be mentally tough and push through the difficulties I was having today. My heat race went really well. I got a bad start, but I fought through the pack and got up to third. I made some really great passes, so that was awesome. In the Main Event, I got a much better start and quickly moved into second. I was pushing really hard, but tonight the best I had was second. I rode really well, considering. I felt like I rode better today than I did in Anaheim. I just unfortunately was a little under the weather. So, all in all, a really good day. The team did a great job with the motorcycle and setting it up. I’m really looking to get better this week and feeling better for Anaheim.”
Justin Barcia
Jason Anderson – P3
“I’m just out here enjoying myself, I feel like I was riding pretty good in the Main. I got off to a good start and I kind of let the battling happen in front of me and then I worked my way through the guys I could and settled into third.”
Zach Osborne leads Jason Anderson
Eli Tomac – P4
“Well we didn’t finish the night where we wanted or should be, but the team and I will get back to work this week and get everything dialed before Anaheim next weekend. I know we’ll be focusing on my starts, which have really been hurting my chances at finishing on the podium, but we’ll get those dialed and make any other minor adjustments that need to be made so we can get back on top.”
Friese leads Steward, Baggett and Tomac
Justin Barcia retains the lead in the championship on 49-points while Ken Roczen moves up to second place on 43-points, four-points ahead of Adam Cianciarulo.
2020 AMA SX – 450SX Standings after Round 2
Pos
Rider
R1
R2
Total
1
Justin Barcia
26
23
49
2
Ken Roczen
17
26
43
3
Adam Cianciarulo
23
16
39
4
Jason Anderson
18
21
39
5
Eli Tomac
16
19
35
6
Blake Baggett
19
14
33
7
Cooper Webb
21
11
32
8
Malcolm Stewart
14
17
31
9
Justin Brayton
15
15
30
10
Zach Osborne
9
18
27
11
Aaron Plessinger
11
13
24
12
Justin Hill
12
12
24
13
Vince Friese
13
9
22
14
Dean Wilson
10
10
20
15
Justin Bogle
7
8
15
16
Martin Davalos
8
1
9
17
Chris Blose
3
5
8
18
Kyle Cunningham
0
7
7
19
Chad Reed
5
2
7
20
Benny Bloss
6
6
21
Tyler Bowers
6
6
22
Alex Ray
4
4
23
Kyle Chisholm
4
4
24
James Decotis
1
3
4
25
Fredrik Noren
2
2
Austin Forkner closes in on 250SX lead
Aussie teenager Jett Lawrence got a sensational start to the 250SX Main Event but Austin Forkner quickly swept past the Geico Honda youngster. Left on the deck on lap one was defending 250 West champ Dylan Ferrandis after he was rear-ended hard by Michael Mosiman. Ferrandis had to return to his mechanics in order to get damage to his machine repaired.
Jett Lawrence & Austin Forkner
Jett Lawrence maintained a strong second place over the opening laps while not letting Forkner to break away, while countrymen Luke Clout was running seventh and Aaron Tanti 12th.
Justin Cooper was fighting his way through the field with ten-minutes remaining, and moved past Hartranft for fourth place. A couple of minutes later he then dispensed with Christian Craig to move up to third.
Jett Lawrence
Jett Lawrence was within a second of race leader Forkner for the first two-thirds of the race but five-minutes from the end Jett made a small mistake and clipped a tough-block which bent his rear brake pedal back around on to his peg. That bobble allowed Cooper to pounce and move through to second place. A lap later Lawrence stopped to see his mechanics where they bent the brake lever back off his peg and the 16-year-old rejoined the race in fifth place but with his podium chance now gone.
Forkner managed to withstand the pressure from the closing Cooper to secure the win while Brandon Hartranft secured the final step on the rostrum ahead of Alex Martin.
Austin Forkner – P1
“Man, what a tough day. It’s always a difficult pill to swallow when you end your day early, especially when you’re riding well and feeling good in the beginning. I made a small mistake in qualifying and just couldn’t really recover after that crash. I was hurting pretty badly, so the team and I all made the decision to call it a day and get checked out in hopes to recover quicker for the long season ahead.”
Austin Forkner
Justin Cooper – P2
“Last weekend I had it pretty easy. I was just out front clicking off my laps. This weekend was a different story. I felt good all day, but I didn’t put myself in the best positions in the races tonight. I just had to put my head down and take my time and come through the pack. Once you get the feeling of victory, you don’t want to lose it. But this feels like a win tonight. It was a good learning curve for me. We’re going to hold the red plate and we’re going to hold onto it tight. We’re going to fight for this championship.”
Justin Cooper
Brandon Hartranft – P3
“Honestly, I’m still in shock about what happened tonight, this podium couldn’t have come at a better time for me. The team and I have put in a lot of work this off-season and I definitely couldn’t have done this without them!”
Brandon Hartranft
Jett Lawrence salvaged that fifth place after what had been a hugely encouraging performance for the youngster. Luke Clout took a great seventh, while fellow Aussie Aaron Tanti claimed 13th.
Jett Lawrence – P5
“Gave it everything I had last night. Unfortunately I clipped a damn tough block which wrapped my rear brake around my peg and locked on my brake causing me to come into pit lane. Thanks for all the messages and comments I appreciate it. thanks to my team and sponsors. Back to work this week!”
Jett Lawrence
Luke Clout – P7
“I felt more like myself tonight. Finishing 4th in the Heat was great and it’s much closer to where I want to be. I am getting more comfortable on the 250 as well.”
Justin Cooper is the 250 West Championship leader on 49 points following Round 2, five-points ahead of Austin Forkner. Jett Lawrence currently ranks equal fifth in the series with Alex Martin.
2020 AMA SX – 250SX Standings after Round 2
Pos
Rider
R1
R2
Total
1
Justin Cooper
26
23
49
2
Austin Forkner
18
26
44
3
Brandon Hartranft
16
21
37
4
Dylan Ferrandis
23
11
34
5
Alex Martin
13
19
32
6
Jett Lawrence
14
18
32
7
Jacob Hayes
12
17
29
8
Derek Drake
15
13
28
9
Christian Craig
21
1
22
10
Michael Mosiman
19
3
22
11
Mitchell Oldenburg
7
15
22
12
Carson Brown
8
14
22
13
Luke Clout
2
16
18
14
Cameron Mcadoo
17
17
15
Michael Leib
11
6
17
16
Killian Auberson
9
8
17
17
Robbie Wageman
10
5
15
18
Derek Kelley
4
9
13
19
Martin Castelo
12
12
20
Aaron Tanti
0
10
10
21
Mitchell Falk
1
7
8
22
Jay Wilson
6
6
23
Logan Karnow
5
0
5
24
Cheyenne Harmon
4
4
25
Chris Howell
3
3
26
Ludovic Macler
0
2
2
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Nathan Watson continues French Beach Racing domination
Nathan Watson has secured his third victory of the season in the Championnat de France des Sables, extending his series lead following a commanding win at round six in Grayan-et-L’Hopital.
Nathan Watson – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
The penultimate stop of the French Beach Racing championship saw competitors travel to the south west of France, near Bordeaux, for round five. A mixture of a high-speed sandy beach and rough dunes ensured a thorough and demanding test for all at Grayan-et-L’Hopital. High tides resulted in the original three-hour race distance being cut short to just over two hours.
At a course he favours, Watson wasted no time in positioning himself at the head of the field. Claiming a top-five start, he powered his KTM 450 SX-F into the lead on the opening lap. Comfortable out front he set the pace, pulling one minute and 20 seconds clear of his rivals as the race entered its latter stages.
However, unaware that organisers had cut the race distance from three hours to just over two because of a turning tide, Watson still completed his three scheduled fuel stops. Without risk of losing position, he went on to win by almost 50 seconds from Todd Kellett and Camille Chapeliere.
Nathan Watson
“Overall, I had a really great race today. As beach races go, this one went pretty much perfectly. I’m not sure what it is about this place but I enjoy coming here and love the mixture of open high-speed beach and rough sections in the surrounding forest. We made some changes to the bike to allow for more power and speed and that helped me get a good start. I was about top five, but made some quick overtakes and hit the front on the opening lap. I was able to lead every lap and felt comfortable controlling the pace. Towards the end the organisers cut the race short. I could have avoided an extra fuel stop to save time, but I had already done my three stops at that point, so although I lost time there thankfully it all worked out ok. It’s the final push now towards Enduropale du Touquet. I feel in a good place and go there confident and focused on defending my crown.”
Nathan Watson – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
The CFS: Championnat de France des Sables concludes with Round Seven at Enduropale du Touquet on 2 February.
Championnat de France des Sables Round 6: Grayan-et-L’Hopital Results
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Fricke crowned Aussie Senior Solo Speedway Champ
Max Fricke has taken out the 2020 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championships in front of a packed South Australian crowd at Gillman Speedway, where fans were treated to the best racing this season. Riders diced all night in tight lines early in the heats before finding significant speed out wide later in the evening.
Despite Fricke securing the championship earlier in the night on points, it was Jack Holder who blitzed the field in the final race, with Fricke second, Rohan Tungate third, and Josh Pickering fourth. Holder’s Final win backed up his performance earlier in the night where he picked better lines and demonstrated superior speed.
Fricke played it safe at the finale to wrap up his second national title in succession and looks in fine form for his European campaign later this year.
Max Fricke
“It’s nice to know that it’s all wrapped up now and I can relax a bit. It’s really nice to know that I’ve come away with it (the championship) now. It’s nice to be able to put myself as a back to back champion with all the names on the trophy. I’m over the moon and can’t thank everyone enough.”
Max Fricke
2020 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship Final Points
Max Fricke 71
Jack Holder 62
Rohan Tungate 59
Chris Holder 57
Jaimon Lidsey 55
Brady Kurtz 47
Josh Pickering 38
Sam Masters 37
Ryan Douglas 26
Zach Cook 20
Rob Medson 20
Justin Sedgmen 19
Ben Cook 17
Jordan Stewart 16
Jack Morrison 6
Patrick Hamilton 1
2020 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship Round Five – Gillman Points
Jack Holder 20
Max Fricke 16
Rohan Tungate 16
Chris Holder 13
Josh Pickering 13
Jaimon Lidsey 12
Brady Kurtz 10
Sam Masters 8
Ben Cook 7
Rob Medson 6
Justin Sedgmen 5
Zach Cook 5
Ryan Douglas 4
Jack Morrison 1
Jordan Stewart 1
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WA to host two International Solo Speedway friendlies
By Graeme Sinden
Western Australian motorcycle speedway followers are in for a huge treat come mid-January when the Speedway Motorcycle Club of WA host, not one, but two International Solo Speedway friendlies between Australia and Great Britain at their Pinjar Park Motorcycle Speedway complex near Wanneroo.
These two big nights of International solo racing between Australia and England are reminiscent of the official Test Matches that were regularly held at speedway venues around the country back in the ’80s and early ’90s including, Claremont Speedway in the days when Australia’s International solo Champion, Aub Lawson operated the famous venue and again when Con Migro took over the reigns as it’s Promoter.
Three times World Solo Champion, Tai Woffinden and his close friend, businessman, Limited WA State Sprintcar Champion and President of the Speedway Motorcycle Club of WA, Marshall McDiarmid formulated the plan to bring some young ‘Team England’ riders to Australia and race off in a couple of International Friendlies against some quality Australia riders.
The plan was to allow some up and coming young British riders to live, work and train together just as any professional team would do in an attempt to develop comradery, understanding, rider skills and indeed life skills and enable them to take these valuable experiences forward in the hope it will strengthen the UK World Cup Team in future years.
As the idea grew, the number of people in the planning process expanded and what initially started out as a thought bubble between two good friends, each with a passion for solo racing, will finally become a reality when these two great Nations face off against each other over two big nights of traditional solo speedway racing on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th January at Pinjar Park Motorcycle Speedway in Perth Western Australia.
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
2021 Australian Speedway Solo Championships EoI open
Hot on the heels of the successful 2020 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship, Motorcycling Australia has today released expressions of interest for clubs or promoters to host the 2021 national speedway championships.
The 2020 five round Championship was a success because of the dedication and professionalism of local clubs and Australia’s world class riders.
Rohan Tungate – 2020 Australian Solo Senior Speedway Round 2
An Australian Championship is the pinnacle of competition in Australia and a great way to promote your club and your community whilst providing an opportunity for your local riders to compete amongst the best in Australia.
These meetings bring competitors and spectators from all over Australia.
Applications are open to clubs that wish to host the 2021 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship, Under 16’s 250cc Solo Championship and Under 21’s Solo Championship.
Upon receipt of Expression of Interest, Motorcycling Australia will send additional information on the specific championship and the requirements.
Expression of interest forms can be found on the Motorcycling Australia website www.ma.org.au
2020 Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team unveiled
Husqvarna Motorcycles have announced the 2020 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team, featuring team riders Thomas Kjer Olsen, Jed Beaton and EMX250 rider Kay de Wolf.
2020 Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team unveiled – Image by Bavo Swijgers
With the opening round of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship now only a little over seven weeks away, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team are currently based in Spain, at the Redsand MX Park facility, where all three riders are working on both their off-bike physical training and riding, aboard their FC 250 machines.
The team’s first official outing of 2020 will be the Hawkstone Park International in England on February 9. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team will then ready themselves for the start of the 20-round FIM Motocross World Championship, which kicks off with the GP of Great Britain on March 1 at Matterley Basin.
Jed Beaton – 2020 Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 Team – Image by Bavo Swijgers
Rasmus Jorgensen – Team Manager
“With the start of the season not too far away now, things have been going really well recently. All riders took some much-needed time off at the end of last year before starting their physical preparations in November and returning to riding in December, in Belgium. Since the New Year we’ve been in Spain at Redsand MX Park and the atmosphere among the three riders is really positive – it’s great to see so much energy and willingness to work hard. Ahead of us are many more weeks of training and testing, but all riders are already feeling really comfortable and enjoying both the on and off bike work we’re doing. We’re all looking forward to the first race at Hawkstone.”
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
2020 Championship Calendars
2020 AMA Motocross race schedule
May 17 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
May 24 – Fox Raceway National – Pala, CA
May 31 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, CO
June 7 – Florida National – Jacksonville, FL
June 21 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, PA
June 28 – Southwick National – Southwick, MA
July 5 – RedBud National – Buchanan, MI
July 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, MN
July 26 – Washougal National – Washougal, WA
August 16 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, NY
August 23 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, MD
August 30 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, IN
2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Calendar
Jan. 4 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 11 – The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Jan. 18 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 25 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Feb. 1 – Ringcentral Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
Feb. 8 – Petco Park, San Diego, Calif.
Feb. 15 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Feb. 22 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Feb. 29 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
March 7 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla.
March 14 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianpolis, Ind.
March 21 – Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
March 28 – Centurylink Field, Seattle, Wash.
April 4 – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Co.
April 18 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
April 25 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
May 2 – Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah
2020 MXGP Calendar
March 1 – Great Britain, Matterley Basin (EMX125, WMX)
March 8 – The Netherlands, Valkenswaard – (EMX250, WMX)
March 22 – Patagonia, Argentina, Neuquen
April 5 – Trentino I, Pietramurata – (EMX250, EMX 2t)
April 19 – Spain, (TBA) – (EMX125, WMX)
April 26 – Portugal, Agueda – (EMX125, EMX250)
May 10 – France, Saint Jean d’Angely – (EMX125, EMX Open)
May 17 – Italy, Maggiora – (EMX Open, WMX)
May 24 – Germany, Teutschenthal – (EMX250, EMX Open)
Stage Seven of the 2020 Dakar Rally has proven a sad day in the event’s history with Paulo Goncalves passing away after a fall 276 kilometres into the special, with medical staff finding him unconscious on arrival, after being alerted to the incident and quickly attending. Following resuscitation efforts in situ, he was transported to Layla Hospital via helicopter where he was sadly pronounced dead.
As a mark of respect to such a beloved figure in the Dakar bivouac who had been a fixture at the Dakar Rally since 2006 and was competing in his 13th Dakar, Monday’s motorbike and quad stage has been cancelled in order to give riders time to mourn their friend.
Our condolences to his friends, family and fellow Dakar competitors and team members.
Stage Seven saw Joan Barreda finish the stage as the first rider, however Kevin Benavides was one of several riders, including Toby Price and Stefan Svitko, who stopped to provide assistance to downed rider Paulo Goncalves, with results later updated to take this into account.
Kevin Benavides – Image by Rally Zone
As a result Kevin Benavides claimed the top position for Stage Seven, finishing 1min-23s ahead of teammate Joan Barreda, while KTM’s Matthias Walkner was third, 4min-17s off the leading time.
Dakar leader Ricky Brabec made for the third Monster Energy Honda Team rider in the top five, with teammate Jose Cornejo sixth.
Toby Price was seventh fastest in the updated results – 7min-57s off the leading pace, with the Dakar noting he spent a considerable amount of time trying to assist Paulo Goncalves, with the organiser sharing earlier, “Toby Price has finished Stage Seven in a time 1 h and 23 minutes slower than Barreda’s. However, the Australian spent a long time trying to help Paulo Goncalves, so his actual position will be calculated later today as well Stefan Svitko’s.”
Toby Price was first rider to the scene of Paulo Goncalves’s fall
The RockStar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing duo of Pablo Quintanilla and Andrew short were eighth and ninth, while Franco Caimi was top Yamaha in tenth. Quintanilla is also reportedly struggling with tendinitis in his left hand.
Rodney Faggotter (Yamaha Motor Australia) finished the day in 19th place, 20min-02s off the leading pace.
The standings following Stage Seven now see Ricky Brabec leading with a time of 28h 25min-01s, with Pablo Quintanilla running second, 24min-48s off the leader’s pace. Third is Jose Cornejo, with Toby Price fourth – 28min-44s off leader Brabec. Joan Barreda completes the top five.
Ricky Brabec
“On arriving we heard the news about Paulo. We all know that motorcycling is a dangerous sport, but today is a really sad day for the people of Cross-Country Rallies. Our thoughts are with the family. The race standings don’t mean anything anymore. It’s secondary. Life goes way beyond sport.”
Ricky Brabec – Image by Rally Zone
KTM’s Matthias Walkner and Luciano Benavides now sit in sixth and seventh respectively, ahead of Skyler Jones, Franco Caimi and Stefan Svitko.
Jordi Viladoms – KTM Rally Team Manager
“It has been an extremely sad day for the rally family and of course we send our condolences to Paulo’s family and friends. He was very much loved in the paddock – not only a great rider but also an amazing person and a legend of our sport. Obviously, the news has shocked us deeply, but no one more so than Toby, who was the first to reach Paulo after his crash. We are thankful that in respect for Paulo’s loved ones, and to pay tribute to a great man, tomorrow’s stage will be cancelled for the motorcycles. A day without racing will give all riders the chance to remember Paulo and clear their heads before continuing on Tuesday. Of course, we all hope for a safe finish to the event.”
Rodney Faggotter sits just outside the top-10 in 13th position in the general rankings.
Stage Eight was set to take place in the south of Saudi Arabia, looping back to Wadi Al-Dawasir, however has now been cancelled for the bike and quads categories to give riders time to mourn.
After the first six gruelling days of the 2020 Dakar Rally, riders have enjoyed a day of rest to mark the mid-way point in Riyadh, with Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team) leading the combined standings with a 20min-56s lead over Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna Factory Rally Team), with Toby Price (KTM Factory Racing Team) the leading KTM mounted rider.
Toby Price was regulated to third overall, after losing a tyre on Stage Six
Toby Price notably had the tyre come off his rear wheel in Stage Six, receiving assistance from Andrew Short to get moving, which saw him outside the top ten, and drop to third overall.
Jose Cornego and Joan Barreda of the Monster Energy Honda Team completed the top five, giving Honda three of the top five riders at the mid-way point, while Matthias Walkner and Luciano Benavides represented KTM in sixth and seventh.
Monster Energy Honda Team currently hold three of the top five positions, with Brabec topping the list
KTM mounted Skyler Howes and Stefan Svitko are running eighth and ninth, while top ranked Yamaha rider is Franco Caimi with the Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team.
Aussie Rodney Faggotter (Yamaha Motor Australia) has also been putting in a strong effort sitting just outside the top-10 in 13th place after Stage Six, with Ben Young currently sitting 66th, Trevor Wilson 88th, and Matthew Tisdall 108th. New Zealand’s Phillip Wilson also currently ranks 63rd.
Stage Seven onwards
After a well-earned rest day, competitors now leave Riyadh for the final week of racing, and Stage Seven incorporates the longest special of the 2020 Dakar Rally, sure to be a hugely challenging return to competition. Heading south-west, racers will need to rely on their navigational skills to tackle the scattered dunes.
Pablo Quintanilla
Looping back to Wadi Al-Dawasir, Stage Eight takes place in the south of Saudi Arabia. Unique to this stage is a 40-kilometre straight line, which will be a huge contrast to the mountain ranges riders will encounter on the same day.
With the end of the event drawing ever nearer, Stage Nine will be the longest of the 2020 Dakar Rally. Totalling 886 kilometres, riders will venture north-east to Haradh where they’ll be faced with hard and rough terrain. Cautious riding will be the name of the game in order to reach the finish ahead of Stage 10 and the event’s second marathon stage.
The second marathon begins with riders encountering 30 kilometres of rolling sand dunes, testing their endurance and ability to navigate. Adjoining with Stage 11, competitors will need to conserve their bikes as no mechanical assistance is permitted at the end of the stage.
Andrew Short stopped to assist Toby Price in Stage 6
Saudi Arabia’s finest dunes welcome competitors during the initial 80 kilometres of the 744-kilometre Stage 11. Riders will also be mindful of reaching the end of this penultimate leg of the event safely and successfully completing the second part of the marathon.
Friday, January 17 marks the end of the 2020 Dakar Rally, with a 447-kilometre stage from Haradh to Qiddiya.
Ricky Brabec has shown why he’s leading the Dakar 2020 standings, claiming the Stage Six win in the provisional results, with competitors undertaking the second-longest stage of the event with 830 km covered inclusive of a 477 kilometre special – consisting mainly of sandy tracks and dunes.
Ricky Brabec
“The day was good. I didn’t really have a strategy. I wanted to catch Andrew Short who started in front of me and I did just that. I rode with him all day. It was very unfortunate for Toby because he had a wheel mishap at maybe kilometre 330. I rode to the end and now we have a rest day and I have a 20-minute lead in the general and that’s really awesome. It’s really nice knowing that. I can’t really believe it. It’s incredible. So now we are going to get some rest and recoup and refresh and get ourselves together ready for the next six days in Saudi Arabia. I’m more excited that we are here in warm weather than I am at being here for the rest day. I hate being cold. I have three layers on right now but it’s warmer and I’m liking it. Nacho’s riding really well. He’s a great team-mate and a great-camper mate. The problem with Toby is going to set him on fire next week, so we have to be careful next week. Hopefully we can stay ahead of him. I won the stage today so I have to lead out. Hopefully I can lead out well. So we will rest and put our things together and hope for a good day.”
Ricky Brabec
Fellow Monster Honda Team rider Joan Barreda was second fastest, trailing Brabec by 1min-34s, while KTM’s Matthias Walkner completed the top three, 2min-45s off the leader.
Joan Barreda
“Today I am very happy after the problems I have had recently which I’ve been trying to save something from the stages and have been trying to get the good sensations back. The truth is that I felt much better today and I kept a good pace but I also tried to focus on not making any navigational errors. I tried to regulate the pace as it was very fast throughout the day. I much prefer the dunes, which is what I’m most used to. I don’t remember a race with so many days running over rocky terrain. But well we are making positive progress which is the important thing.”
Joan Barreda – Image by Rally Zone
Matthias Walkner
“It was a very intense stage today – very long and maybe 80 percent full gas the whole way. It was tough both physically and mentally and I’m glad of the rest day tomorrow. My pace was good today, I felt comfortable and didn’t make any mistakes. With the first half of the rally done I think we are in good shape – everyone is really fast this year and it’s going to be close. The goal, as always, is to make it safely to the end, so hopefully I’ll have a good second half to the rally.”
Matthias Walkner
Rounding off the top five was Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla, and Luciano Benavides.
Pablo Quintanilla
“I’m really happy with my performance today and with my position in the standings before the rest day. The stage was really tough for the guys at the front as we knew we would be finding the line for the whole way. We were able to set a solid pace and I didn’t lose so much time, which was good. The stage was really fast with long caps between camel grass and dunes. Towards the final 50 kilometres my body was really starting to feel tired. I’m looking forward to the rest day now and then hopefully I can have a good second half to the rally.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Luciano Benavides
“The first part of the stage today was really nice – I enjoyed it a lot. My brother caught me and we were riding together for a good while. It was a tough stage, like every stage so far. It’s really good to finish fifth, which sets me up well for the next half of the rally. I’m pleased with my riding and the bike feels great – I’ve really found a good rhythm this year.”
Luciano Benavides
Stage Five winner, Australian Toby Price was just outside the top-10 in 11th sharing that his rear wheel fell of his bike – with Andrew Short providing his to get him moving again, and ended up 16min-33s off leading pace, while fellow Australian Rodney Faggotter has remained consistent, taking 16th.
Following Stage Six and based on the provisional results, Ricky Brabec has retained his lead in the overall rankings, while Pablo Quintanilla has taken over the runner up position, with Toby Price pushed down to third, 25min-39s of leader Brabec.
Toby Price
“Today’s stage started out really good, we were navigating really well from the front and was only losing small amounts of time on the riders who started behind me so I was quite happy with the way I was racing, but unfortunately around the 400km mark my rear tyre fell off! I have no idea why this would have happened but I’m super grateful that Andrew Short pulled up and gave me his wheel which allowed me to get to the finish as quick as possible so thank you again for this mate! Overall I’m pretty gutted that this is how we finished up today but I guess that’s just how it goes sometimes!”
Toby Price
Andrew Short also put in an excellent performance on the gruelling special, pushing hard and enjoying the sandy conditions, Andrew chose to stop and assist his friend Toby Price, completing the stage in 24th position, just 35 minutes down on the day’s winner.
Andrew Short
“It was certainly a very different day for me today. I was really fast at the beginning of the stage – I started third and was able to push right away to try and catch my teammate in front of me. Things were going really good, the sand was a lot of fun to ride. About 50 kilometres from the end I stopped to help Toby. In situations like today you have to think quickly, I figured I was an hour down already in the overall after a tough couple of stages early on, so I helped my friend. Overall, I’m happy because I rode really well today and was able to mix it with the top guys. Some rest tomorrow will be good, and then it’s all systems go for the second half of the race.”
Andrew Short
Jose Cornejo and Joan Barreda are ranked fourth and fifth, while Rodney Faggotter currently sits 13th.
Rodney Faggotter
“Position 16th and up to 13th overall! Very happy with how things are going and to make it to the rest day tomorrow in good shape. Time for some sleep!”
KTM’s Toby Price leads the Stage Five provisional results, closing in on the combined lead, with the Husqvarna Factory Racing duo of Pablo Quintanilla and Andrew short completing the top-three, 1min-12s, and 2min-31s off the leader respectively.
Toby Price
“It’s been a good day, except for my teammate Sam Sunderland taking a nasty crash, wishing him a speedy recovery. I pushed hard at the start, made some good navigational calls and by then I caught up with the Honda boys. It’s been a good stage, it’s actually the first time I’ve ridden with a big group, so it was quite enjoyable, but at the end of the day we are competitive and need to stay in front of them! We’re happy with the day and we’ll see how day six goes now… I think that’s what we’re up to… I’m starting to lose count of it all!”
Toby Price – Dakar Rally Stage 5
Pablo Quintanilla showed his skill by performing superbly throughout the 353-kilometre special. The 14th rider to set off, Pablo was fourth fastest to the first checkpoint.
Pablo Quintanilla
“Honestly, the stage was tough, but I feel really good. I immediately found a strong rhythm and was able to make good progress. It was dusty up to the refuelling because I had to pass some other riders, but apart from that it was okay. After that I was riding with Andrew and we did a really good team job and were able to really push. Yesterday didn’t go so well for me but today I was able to take advantage of the position I had and make up some time. Riding 200 kilometres in the dunes was hard – you are on the pegs the whole way and there’s no time to rest. It seems stage six will be similar so I will get some rest tonight and hopefully have another solid day tomorrow.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Following a tough start to his 2020 Dakar Rally campaign, Andrew Short enjoyed his best result of the event so far, navigating well through the faster first half of the stage, the experienced American then rode with teammate Quintanilla during the latter part of the day.
Andrew Short
“My day started off really fast today and I rode really good up to the refuelling zone. After that it turned into off-piste and dunes and while I was searching for one waypoint, Pablo caught me and from then on, we rode the rest of the stage together. It was nice to follow him and see his lines and rhythm, hopefully I can keep up the same pace myself and make up some time as the race goes on.”
Andrew Short
Stage Five saw riders travel from Al-Ula to Ha’il, with a 564 kilometre total distance, with 353 kilometre timed special, including heading into the dunes in the latter half of the stage.
Overall leader Ricky Brabec meanwhile came home in fourth, ahead of Matthias Walkner.
Ricky Brabec
“My day was good. It started out freezing cold which I don’t really agree with. It was really fast. A lot of hp and sandy tracks. I rode with Nacho. We made it to the finish which is our number one goal. First in the general is amazing. We are sitting in a good spot for tomorrow to push. We will try and catch the main group and not lose too much time. Right now we are taking it day by day. It’s too hard to have a strategy. There’s a lot of racing left to do. We are going to go day by day and hope for good results each day.”
Matthias Walkner
“All-in-all it has been a good day for me today. I suffered a little with the dust at first due to starting 27th and had lost a bit of time by the refuelling. After that on the off-piste sections I think I was a little too careful in my navigation and not just pushing the tracks like it seems some of the other riders were. The good thing is I made it to the finish safely without losing too much time. It’s never nice to see your teammate after they have had a crash, it took my focus for a little while, but it seems he is not too bad and that’s always good to hear.”
Matthias Walkner
Joan Barreda finished sixth in the provisional results, ahead of previous stage winner Ross Branch, with Luciano Benavides and Kevin Benavides in eighth and ninth, while Paulo Goncalves completed the top ten.
Joan Barreda
“Today I felt a little better. The second part of the special was quite hard physically having a lot of sand and vegetation, but we were able to hold a solid pace. I trying to get the good feelings back day after day to move up positions. This week has not been easy; we have encountered loads of rocks and different kinds of navigation. Now I hoping to get some good sensations form the stages in open desert. There is still a lot of race to run.”
Aussie Rodney Faggotter was 23rd for the day, and now sits 16th in the standings as a result.
Sam Sunderland meanwhile crashed heavily, and was forced to retire from the event, with reports that he did not lose consciousness and was quickly attended to by medical staff. The British rider was airlifted from the stage with injuries to his back and shoulder and taken for immediate medical checks. Thankfully, Sam is expected to make a full recovery.
Sam Sunderland
“The pain of a crash is nothing compared to the pain of disappointment, unfortunately my race is over after a crash today at kilometre 180. While fighting for the stage win and feeling like everything was under control, I caught a camel grass mound awkwardly putting the bike sideways into the next one and a few later I have 5 broken vertebrae and a shoulder blade but luckily no surgery is required and should be right again soon! I want to thank my team for building me the best bike I could ever wish for and for everyone around who help out during the good and the bad moments. Good luck to my team mates for the rest of the race, put an orange one on the top step! Thank you all for your words of support during the race they help a lot! Also I want to thank @johnnyaubertofficial for stopping to help me when I was crashed.”
Sam Sunderland – 2020 Dakar Rally Stage Four
Jordi Viladoms – KTM Rally Team Manager
“It’s not been the perfect day for us today, but as we often see at the Dakar we have two sides – Toby has won the stage and is second overall, but unfortunately Sam had a crash and will not continue the race. Thankfully, it seems that Sam’s injuries are not too serious, he has broken some vertebrae and his shoulder, but we are hoping he will spend some time in hospital here before flying back to Europe and starting his recovery. In terms of the rally, the change in terrain should suit us more from now on – we will see lots of fast, off-piste sand tracks and difficult to navigate dunes. We are still in the fight for the overall victory and I am confident all my riders will give their best tomorrow and for the second half of the race.”
Provisional standings after Stage Five now have Ricky Brabec leading Toby Price and Kevin Benavides, with Pablo Quintanilla and Jose Cornejo completing the top five.
KTM’s Sam Sunderland has led home the Monster Energy Honda duo of Jose Ignacio and Kevin Benavides in Stage Four of the 2020 Dakar Rally, with Stage 2 winner Ross Branch fourth, and Paulo Goncalves completing the top five.
Sam Sunderland – 2020 Dakar Rally Stage Four
Previous stage winner Ricky Brabec had to settle for seventh, 11-seconds faster than defending champion Toby Price, but it was enough for Brabec to retain his overall lead, while Price moved up the standings into fourth – 12min-9s off the combined lead.
Stage Four of the Dakar Rally offered a long day in the saddle for riders, who needed to complete a total of 672 kilomtres, including a 453-kilometre timed special, offering a mix of sandy pistes and travel tracks, traveling from Neom through to Al-Ula.
Following the GPS and waypoint issues of the previous stage, Stage Four also saw the the Top-10 separated by just five-minutes, however the combined leaderboard continues to stretch out.
Aussie Rodney Faggotter finished Stage Four in 18th position on his Yamaha Motor Australia mount, 13min-4s off the leader, moving into 17th in the standings.
Toby Price – 2020 Dakar Rally Stage Four
The overall standings now see Ricky Brabec leading Kevin Benavides by 2min-30s, while a more distant Jose Ignacio is third making a Monster Energy Honda Team 1-2-3. Toby Price and Sam Sunderland complete the top five, as the leading KTM riders, while Pablo Quintanilla is top Husqvarna pilot in sixth.
Ricky Brabec has won Stage 3 of the Dakar Rally, taking the lead over runner-up and team-mate Jose Florimo, while fellow Monster Energy Honda Team 2020 rider Joan Barreda took out third for the stage in the provisional results.
Updated results have since been released, marking a noticeable reshuffling of the stage results, general standings and times posted, as well as gaps, with Kevin Benavides since listed as third fastest overall.
Ricky Brabec – Image by Rally Zone
The result catapults Brabec into the lead of the standings after Stage 3, marking the third rider to claim the lead and a stage win in as many stages, after Toby Price and Sam Sunderland took the lead in stages one and two respectively.
Ricky Brabec now holds the general standings lead by 15-minutes
Updated results have Matthias Walkner fourth, ahead of defending champion Toby price, while Joan Barreda placed sixth ahead of Luciano Benavides.
Toby Price led the Australian contingent, originally being posted as taking 12th for the stage in the provisional results and sitting 35-minutes off the leading pace for the day, but retaining his ninth place overall in the standings. Updates results have since placed him at fifth for the stage, and sixth overall, with further clarification expected, with a statement from Price on social media reflecting the original results listed.
Toby Price
“Today was a difficult day, in the early parts of the stage we were getting on pretty damn good but unfortunately, I made a few mistakes which really cost me. One of those mistakes was towards the end of the stage, where I had a hard time tracking down a specific WPC which was marked in a really tricky position. Not sure what the go is here? But all in all, it was a rough day and I’m glad to have Stage 3 behind me. Time to recharge and press on to Stage 4!”
Toby Price
Early results reported Rodney Faggotter completed the stage in 35th, leaving him ranked 21st overall, however updated results have him running 13th.
Adrien Van Beveren, who was running 14th after Stage 2, had to withdraw after an early crash during Stage 3, and was quickly attended to by the medical team.
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
What happened this week
Justin Barcia claims opening 450SX win at Anaheim 1
Justin Cooper tops 250SX – Jett Lawrence ninth
Riders talk Dakar Rally Stage 2
Woffinden swinging in WA – Speedway with Graeme Sidden
2020 Championship Calendars
2020 AMA Motocross
2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
2020 MXGP
2020 American Flat Track
2020 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Speedway
2020 FIM Speedway GP Championship
2020 Australian Dirt Track Championship
2020 Australian Track Championship
2020 Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC)
2020 FIM SuperEnduro Championship
2020 AMA Extreme Off-Road East/West
2020 FIM Flat Track World Championship
2020 King of MX
2020 Australian Motocross National Championship Calendar
Justin Barcia claims opening 450SX win at Anaheim 1
Justin Barcia proved unstoppable at Ahaneim 1, taking a clear win from Adam Cianciarulo, with a 5.646s lead, while Cooper Webb laid claim to the final podium position seven-seconds in arrears. Aussie Chad Reed came home in 18th.
Vince Friese scored the holeshot from Justin Barcia and Justin Brayton while Adam Cianciarulo was in fourth. Barcia took the lead from Friese halfway through that opening lap. Justin Hill was fifth at the end of lap one, ahead of Cooper Webb and Ken Roczen.
Justin Barcia & Adam Cianciarulo – Image by Hoppenworld
Barcia was getting away while Brayton was hanging on to second place while being chased by Cianciarulo, while Friese, Roczen and Webb tripped each other up in their desperate quests to work their way forward in what was a busy pack. Barcia though had clear air up front and a 2.7-second advantage with 16-minutes remaining. Jason Anderson was eighth and Tomac was in ninth place.
Cianciarulo then got the better of Brayton to move up to second place and immediately pulled away from the Honda man. Cooper Webb was in fourth and despite battling the flu was clear of Ken Roczen and Blake Baggett.
Barcia looked safe up front but then a mistake with 12-minutes remaining saw the Yamaha man throw it all away! A 2.5-second lead turned into a 1.5-second deficit to Cianciarulo after Barcia’s clash with the tough blocks lost him his advantage.
Cooper Webb – Image by Hoppenworld
Cooper Webb started to pile the pressure on third placed Brayton and with eight-minutes remaining the defending champ made his move to take that third spot. Brayton then had his hands full fending off the advances of Roczen and Baggett.
Barcia then got the better of Cianciarulo after the Kawasaki man made a big mistake that could have ended very badly but he managed to recover and rejoin the track 1.4-seconds behind Barcia.
Brayton then went from fourth to seventh in one corner after he was gazumped by Roczen and Baggett before then being used as a berm by Jason Anderson which put Brayton momentarily on the floor. Tomac then relegated Brayton further down to eighth place just ahead of Malcolm Stewart and Vince Friese.
Justin Brayton & Eli Tomac – Image by Hoppenworld
Jason Anderson got the better of Roczen with two-minutes left to run to move up to fifth place. Up front Barica had a handy buffer over Cianciarulo who in turn had an even larger buffer over Cooper Webb. And that was how they finished, Barcia the winner of the A1 season opener, 450 debutante Cianciaurlo in second, while defending champ Cooper Webb rounded out the podium.
250SX Main Event Podium – Cianciarulo – Barcia – Webb – Image by Hoppenworld
Blake Baggett clinched fourth place with a handy buffer over Jason Anderson while Ken Roczen claimed 17-points for sixth. Eli Tomac took seventh ahead of Justin Brayton and Malcolm Stewart, while Vince Friese rounded out the top ten.
In his record breaking 250th main event start Chad Reed finished in 18th place.
Justin Barcia – P1
“It doesn’t get much better, honestly. We had a really nice day. I qualified alright. The Heat race was great, I got a great start and won. And the main event, wow, just unbelievable. I got another great start, led a lot of laps, but I made a mistake and got passed. I regrouped and got into the lead again and took the win. I’m feeling over the top right now. It’s phenomenal! It’s going to be a long season though. I just want to keep having a lot of fun and keep putting that bike on the podium.”
Justin Barcia – Image by Hoppenworld
Adam Cianciarulo – P2
“I fell in love with Supercross watching Anaheim 1back in 1999. Ever since then I’ve been dreaming about what I got to experience tonight. Everything from opening ceremonies to getting my first 450 podium. I was bummed we couldn’t capture the win, but regardless I am stoked on this result. It is a long season, I still have a lot to learn and build on from here, but I am already fired up to go racing next weekend in St. Louis.”
Adam Cianciarulo – Image by Hoppenworld
Cooper Webb – P4
“It’s been a struggle today with the sickness but that’s what makes this sport so gnarly, you have to be able to go out on Saturday and perform despite how you’re feeling. I’m just pumped to be on the podium, I feel like I dug deep and pushed through it tonight and it’s a good start to the season for myself and the team.”
Cooper Webb – Image by Hoppenworld
Jason Anderson – P5
“My weekend went pretty decent, in the Main Event, I started in the back and I had to make some passes to get into fifth-place. Once I got behind [Blake] Baggett and Cooper [Webb], that’s all she wrote.”
Jason Anderson – Image by Hoppenworld
Ken Roczen – P6
“Anaheim 1 started pretty good but the main event was definitely not the greatest. We were a little off on our bike setup, with it being way too stiff. That really showed in the main because of the way the track deteriorated so much. I didn’t feel like I was able to keep a good flow or attack the track the way I needed to. For sure this is not the position we wanted for the night, but it’s good to get the first race out of the way and leave healthy. We know what we need to work on for the upcoming race and have a plan in mind moving forward to implement those changes. Overall we’re not going to let this first race get us down, and I’m looking forward to St. Louis.”
Ken Roczen & Blake Baggett – Image by Hoppenworld
Eli Tomac – P7
“Man, the first race of the season is always an interesting one. The whole day is just chaotic. I started feeling a bit of a flow by the end of the last qualifying session today, but in both the heat race and main event tonight I got decent starts but got shuffled back in the first turn and the way the track broke down tonight it became very one-lined and difficult to make passes. The competition this year is deeper than ever, so we will regroup this week and come out swinging in St. Louis next weekend.”
Eli Tomac – Image by Hoppenworld
450SX Main Event – 2020 Anaheim 1
Pos
Rider
Bike
Time/Gap
1
Justin Barcia
Yamaha YZ450F
22 Laps
2
Adam Cianciarulo
Kawasaki KX450
+05.646
3
Cooper Webb
KTM 450SX-F Factory Edi
+12.693
4
Blake Baggett
KTM 450SX-F FE
+14.216
5
Jason Anderson
Husqvarna FC450 Factory
+18.187
6
Ken Roczen
Honda CRF450R Works E
+22.127
7
Eli Tomac
Kawasaki KX450
+23.789
8
Justin Brayton
Honda CRF450R
+26.191
9
Malcolm Stewart
Honda CRF450R
+27.043
10
Vince Friese
Honda CRF450R
+32.922
450SX Standings – After Round 1
Pos
Rider
R1
Total
1
Justin Barcia
26
26
2
Adam Cianciarulo
23
23
3
Cooper Webb
21
21
4
Blake Baggett
19
19
5
Jason Anderson
18
18
6
Ken Roczen
17
17
7
Eli Tomac
16
16
8
Justin Brayton
15
15
9
Malcolm Stewart
14
14
10
Vince Friese
13
13
11
Justin Hill
12
12
12
Aaron Plessinger
11
11
13
Dean Wilson
10
10
14
Zach Osborne
9
9
15
Martin Davalos
8
8
16
Justin Bogle
7
7
17
Tyler Bowers
6
6
18
Chad Reed
5
5
19
Kyle Chisholm
4
4
20
Chris Blose
3
3
21
Fredrik Noren
2
2
22
James Decotis
1
1
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Justin Cooper tops 250SX – Jett Lawrence ninth
Justin Cooper led a Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 1-2 in the 250SX Main Event, with team mate Dylan Ferrandis runner up, and Christian Craig bringing his Honda home into the final podium position. For Aussie Jet Lawrence, Anaheim 1 also proved a strong debut, riding to ninth, 45.924-seconds off leading pace.
When the 250SX Main Event kicked off, Austin Forkner got a great run off the line but it was Justin Cooper out front ahead of Forkner, Christian Craig and Mitchell Oldenburg in the 250SX final. Luke Clout was in eighth place at the end of the opening lap while young countryman Jett Lawrence was running 11th in his first ever senior main event on American soil.
Austin Forkner & Justin Cooper – Image by Hoppenworld
Michael Mosiman and Dylan Ferrandis pushed OIdenburg back to sixth place. Jett Lawrence got up to ninth place behind Clout but then dropped five positions after making a mistake that relegated him all the way back to 14th with ten-minutes remaining.
Forkner worked his way through to the lead after pushing Cooper back to second place, while with five-minutes remaining Dylan Ferrandis was in third place ahead of Christian Craig and Michael Mosiman. Luke Clout was now out of the race but Jett Lawrence had recovered from his stumble and was back up to ninth place.
Dylan Ferrandis & Christian Craig – Image by Hoppenworld
Forkner then made a mistake while under pressure from Cooper and ran into the tough blocks and then cut the track when he remounted. Ferrandis pushed Forkner further back to third place but it was also expected that Forkner would also be given some sort of penalty for cutting the track which would push him even further down the order…
Justin Cooper went on to take a clear victory over Dylan Ferrandis while Austin Forker finished in third place at the flag ahead of Christian Craig and Michael Mosiman. Ultimately though Forkner was relegated to fifth place for cutting the track after his crash, which promoted Christian Craig on to the podium and Mosiman to fourth.
Jett Lawrence finished his maiden AMA Supercross event with a ninth place finish, crossing the line 46-seconds behind the race winner. Countryman Jay Wilson finished 17th while Luke Clout went out early in the race.
Justin Cooper – P1
“It’s indescribable. Everyone says that about their first win, but it honestly it is. I felt like I needed to pinch myself after I went over the finish line. Looking up into the crowd and all the lights and realizing what I had just accomplished – my first win at Anaheim — it’s unreal! I can’t wait to go home and sleep on it and see how I feel tomorrow. I really don’t want this feeling to end.”
Justin Cooper – Image by Hoppenworld
Dylan Ferrandis – P2
“The day was good as a whole, I just got a bad start in the Main. I came back pretty strong, but I’m a little bit disappointed because I think I should have finished a little bit closer than I did. I was riding a little bit tight today. It’s the first one of the year, a lot of pressure, a lot going on. Everyone wants to win the first one. But it’s good. Last year, I finished second and went on to win the championship. So no problem, we’ll move on to next weekend.”
Dylan Ferrandis – Image by Hoppenworld
Michael Mosiman – P4
“It was good to come out of here with a top-five result but I’m not super stoked on how I rode. It’s comforting, though, because I know I’ve got a whole lot more in the tank.”
Michael Mosiman – Image by Hoppenworld
Austin Forkner – P5
“It was a split-second decision to be as safe as possible,” said Forkner. “That’s what they always tell us to rejoin safely and with me pointed backward and slightly left, I thought that after the next rider went by I would be fine. I didn’t gain any position by doing what I did. It’s a bummer they (the officials) didn’t feel the same way. After knowing I was able to put a good pace out front, I’m more fired up than ever to get back out there next weekend.”
Austin Forkner & Justin Cooper – Image by Hoppenworld
Cameron McAdoo – P6
“After so much preparation, it’s nice to finally get on the track and get a finish under my belt,” said McAdoo. “We took away a lot of good from this round that I’m hoping we can work on this week to go after an even better result. I would love to be challenging for the podium and proving to these guys that I am able to run up front.”
Jett Lawrence – P9
“My first A1 is in the books.I did some good things out there and learnt a lot. Look forward to St Louis where I’ll be 100% healthy so no excuses next weekend.”
Jett Lawrence – Image by Hoppenworld
Mitchell Oldenburg – P16
“It was a tough night for me so I am looking forward to being better for the next round, I know what I need to work on before St Louis. The team are great and the bike feels good so we are on track for stronger results. After the Heat I felt sore because I had a couple of crashes but mentally I’m in a really good spot so as much as I am disappointed in tonight’s result, I need to keep in mind that its only race 1 of 10, I have a bit of time for redemption.” Oldenburg added.
Mitchell Oldenburg – Image by Hoppenworld
Jay Wilson – P17
“I dreamt about being in heat one at A1 for as long as I can remember. Last night I got to make that dream a reality and sit on the start gates for the opening ceremony before going racing at the biggest race of my career so far. I’d be lying if I say the nerves didn’t get the better of me. Seventh in the heat and 17th in the main. I rode tight, I was learning and processing the whole night, and just a week earlier we weren’t sure if we would be there after practice crash, but we’ve got the first one out of the way, and now I’m excited to see what we can do.”
Jay Wilson – Image by Hoppenworld
Luke Clout – P21
“My riding was good for most of the day but I am just so bummed, I was sitting in 8th and pushing hard but I made a mistake and it cost me really big. I’m a bit banged up but there are a lot of positives to take away from the night, its been good to see where I’m at over here against some of these guys and I know I will only get better from here. I havant had too much time on the 250 and the whoops were a challenge for me tonight but I will keep grinding, I’ve only been back on the 250 for 3-4 weeks and its been about 4 years since I’ve been on one so its an adjustment. Only upwards from here.”
Luke Clout – Image by Hoppenworld
250SX Main Event – 2020 Anaheim 1
Pos
Rider
Bike
Time/Gap
1
Justin Cooper
Yamaha YZ250F
17 Laps
2
Dylan Ferrandis
Yamaha YZ250F
+02.450
3
Christian Craig
Honda CRF250R
+13.581
4
Michael Mosiman
Husqvarna FC250
+15.251
5
Austin Forkner
Kawasaki KX250
+15.251
6
Cameron Mcadoo
Kawasaki KX250
+21.244
7
Brandon Hartranft
KTM 250SX-F Factory Edi
+35.905
8
Derek Drake
KTM 250SX-F Factory Edi
+36.589
9
Jett Lawrence
Honda CRF250R
+45.924
10
Alex Martin
Suzuki RMZ250
+55.420
250SX Standings – After Round 1
Pos
Rider
R1
Total
1
Justin Cooper
26
26
2
Dylan Ferrandis
23
23
3
Christian Craig
21
21
4
Michael Mosiman
19
19
5
Austin Forkner
18
18
6
Cameron Mcadoo
17
17
7
Brandon Hartranft
16
16
8
Derek Drake
15
15
9
Jett Lawrence
14
14
10
Alex Martin
14
13
11
Jacob Hayes
12
12
12
Michael Leib
11
11
13
Robbie Wageman
10
10
14
Killian Auberson
9
9
15
Carson Brown
8
8
16
Mitchell Oldenburg
7
7
17
Jay Wilson
6
6
18
Logan Karnow
5
5
19
Derek Kelley
4
4
20
Chris Howell
3
3
21
Luke Clout
2
2
22
Mitchell Falk
1
1
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Riders talk Dakar Rally Stage 2
Stage two at the 2020 Dakar Rally presented riders with several new challenges with the introduction of pre-coloured road books and limited time to work on bikes, following an opening Stage which led competitors from Jeddah up the coast to Al Wajh with a 319 km timed special seeing Toby Price taking an initial lead.
Stage 2 saw Sam Sunderland take control of the overall Dakar lead with a 367-kilometre special, but it was Botswana’s Ross Branch who took the stage win.
As the fifth rider to enter the day’s 367-kilometre special, Sam Sunderland was able to maximise his advantage and push right from the start. The 2019 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion was able to improve his position throughout that stage to ultimately post the second-fastest time. Sam now enjoys a lead of just over one minute in the provisional overall standings.
Sam Sunderland
“It was a really tough day today and it felt very long. There was a huge mix of terrain with high speed tracks and then slower technical sections. In and out of the canyons there were a lot of lines visible and that made navigation more of a challenge. I made a couple of mistakes, but I think everyone did out there today. All-in-all though I had a good run, just trying to stick to a steady rhythm and build up my pace as the race goes on.”
Sam Sunderland
Quintanilla also excelled on the extremely challenging stage two of the 2020 Dakar Rally to finish in third place. In doing so, the Chilean rider moved himself up to second in the provisional overall standings.
Pablo Quintanilla
“I’m really pleased with my day today. Navigation was challenging all through the special but I didn’t make too many mistakes. I enjoyed the mix of terrain today, a lot of it was very similar to back home in Chile and so I felt comfortable on the bike. Toward the end of the stage I decided to play a little strategy and try to improve my position for tomorrow. I think it will work well and I’m looking forward to the stage.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Luciano Benavides in only his third Dakar, placed fifth on the day’s special to elevate himself to seventh in the overall standings. With a strong start position for stage three, Benavides is confident of another good result.
Luciano Benavides
“It’s been a good day for me – I finished inside the top five and I’m really happy with my rhythm here in Saudi. I enjoyed the stage today but came very close to crashing at one point. Luckily, I was able to stay on and from there I decided to bring the bike home safely and make sure it is good for tomorrow.”
Luciano Benavides
Kevin Benavides stood out in Stage 2’s special and replicated his fourth final place to move up into third overall position in the rally, some ninety seconds behind the leader.
Kevin Benavides
“Today was a very good stage for me, even better than yesterday’s. I started in fourth position and at kilometre 140 I reached the other riders in front and I went out in front and opened the track. For me there were good feelings, I navigated fairly easily for quite some time. Ricky finally overtook me but I think I did a very good job finishing in fourth position. Above all today we were able to take care of the motorcycle that was something important and it is in perfect shape for tomorrow’s stage.”
Kevin Benavides – Image by Rally Zone
Another fast-paced rider was Joan Barreda, who might have even won the stage had it not been for a minor fall when he was looking at the roadbook notes. The Spaniard finished sixth on the day and eighth overall in the rally.
Joan Barreda
“Today it went well during the first part of the stage; I had a good pace and was close to Quintanilla. Around kilometre 200 I fell while looking at the roadbook. I hit a rock and fell, not very hard, but enough to distract me a little. Right after, in the canyon area, I took a mistaken track and got a bit lost, but I was quickly been able to recover from it. In the end I was able to manage the stage quite well as today is the Super Marathon stage and I did not want to push too hard. Luckily the bike is perfect so we’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”
Joan Barreda – Image by Rally Zone
Matthias Walkner was able to navigate the technically demanding route, making the minimum of errors to complete the stage in a solid eighth place. Now lying an excellent fourth overall, the Austrian rider will enjoy an advantageous start position for the second half of the Super Marathon stage.
Matthias Walkner
“I had quite a good day today – the navigation was tough but I was able to push on from the start and at about 45 kilometres I was able to catch Toby. From there I opened the piste to the halfway point. We then rode in a group of four until the finish, which can be tricky as the dust from any riders in front makes it difficult to see stones and rocks hidden in the soft sand. Thankfully I was able to look after the bike and it’s all ready to go for tomorrow.”
Matthias Walkner
Xavier de Soultrait initially improved from his 13th place starting position, working his way up to ninth by the first waypoint he then struggled with dust and sensibly opted not to take any unnecessary risks, maintaining that position.
Xavier De Soultrait
I had a lot of dust during the first 150-160 kilometres, so it was a balance between riding safely and also trying to overtake. Finally, when I managed to get ahead I could increase my speed and things went well. My goal is to be around the top 10 for the first four days or so, so things are ok for me. It looks like tomorrow the navigation will be a little easier, we will see. Everything is good with my bike, so I just hope I can have a clear day tomorrow with not too much dust.”
American Ricky Brabec, also managed the situation skilfully and, in spite of having to start the day from second position, was able to post eleventh final place which leaves the rider in fifth position overall some four minutes shy of the overall leader.
Ricky Brabec
“The day was good. We knew coming into it that we were going to lose a bit of time. We started up front. It wasn’t too tricky. Up front you have a lot more focus. I lost the way a bit about kilometre 50. We all grouped up and tried to be smart and manage our motorcycles. We have the Super Marathon tonight. It’s not key to wreck your motorcycle as you have no mechanics and no assistance. I’m looking forward to day three. The team’s good and all the bikes are in one piece. We’ll keep pushing. The bikes are really good. Motorcycles don’t really carry any tools or parts, so the only thing we can do is either adjust the lever or zip-tie some things together. Other than that even if you wreck the motorcycles, you have to deal with it. We are very fortunate that all the riders have nice motorcycles for day three. So that’s a plus for Honda.”
Ricky Brabec – Image by Rally Zone
Winner of the first day, Toby Price had the unenviable task of opening stage two. That, combined with the limited time to acquaint himself with the road book, made navigating the stage extremely tricky from the front of the pack. Despite the disadvantages, the reigning champion put in a good ride to 15th place and now lies ninth in the provisional overall standings.
Toby Price
“Today was always going to be tough, leading out from the start without having had much time to read the road book. The stage went ok, I lost some time to the others but the most important thing is I looked after my bike and the tyres so should be in good shape to close down on the leaders again tomorrow. There’s still a long, long way to go, but the bike is working great, things are looking good and I’m happy.”
Toby Price
Fellow Australian Rodney Faggotter proved consistent, following up his Stage 1 19th placing, with a strong 16th in Stage 2, claiming 17th overall.
Rodney Faggotter
“17th quickest today. Saw a couple crashed riders today and some other riders that had started in front of me were with them – so I will possibly slip down from 17th position depending on what time they are given nack for stopping – but all good! Solid day. Had dust for about 200klms then led out in front of my group which means a lot of navigation but no dust! The riding here is so diverse and so far.. fun!”
Other Australians included Ben Young finishing 92nd in Stage 2, Trevor Collin Wilson 111th, and Matthew Tisdall 131st.
2020 Dakar Rally – Stage 2 Provisional Results
Pos
Rider
Team
Time/Gap
1
Ross Branch
BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM
03H 39′ 10
2
Sam Sunderland
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM
+ 00H 01′ 24
3
Pablo Quintanilla
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING
+ 00H 02′ 21
4
Kevin Benavides
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020
+ 00H 03′ 40
5
Luciano Benavides
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM
+ 00H 03′ 44
6
Joan Barreda Bort
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020
+ 00H 04′ 57
7
Jose Ignacio C F
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020
+ 00H 04′ 58
8
Matthias Walkner
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM
+ 00H 05′ 59
9
Xavier De Soultrait
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM
+ 00H 06′ 08
10
Andrew Short
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING
+ 00H 07′ 00
11
Ricky Brabec
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020
+ 00H 08′ 45
12
Paulo Gonçalves
HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY
+ 00H 09′ 32
13
Adrien Van Beveren
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM
+ 00H 09′ 48
14
Franco Caimi
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM
+ 00H 09′ 50
15
Toby Price
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM
+ 00H 12′ 13
16
Rodney Faggotter
YAMAHA MOTOR AUSTRALIA
+ 00H 17′ 17
17
Lorenzo Santolino
SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY
+ 00H 18′ 25
18
Adrien Metge
SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY
+ 00H 18′ 32
19
Antonio Maio
YAMAHA FINO MOTOR RACING
+ 00H 19′ 30
20
Juan Pedrero Garcia
LS2 AVENTURA TOUAREG
+ 00H 19′ 49
Dakar Overall Standings – After Stage 2
Pos.
Rider
Time/Gap
1
Sam Sunderland
07h 05′ 22”
2
Pablo Quintanilla
+ 00h 01′ 18”
3
Kevin Benavides
+ 00h 01′ 32”
4
Matthias Walkner
+ 00h 02′ 00”
5
Ricky Brabec
+ 00h 04′ 11”
6
Ross Branch
+ 00h 04′ 19”
7
Luciano Benavides
+ 00h 06′ 01”
8
Joan Barreda Bort
+ 00h 06′ 09”
9
Toby Price
+ 00h 07′ 34”
10
Andrew Short
+ 00h 09′ 24”
11
Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo
+ 00h 09′ 34”
12
Xavier De Soultrait
+ 00h 10′ 11”
13
Adrien Van Beveren
+ 00h 13′ 01”
14
Paulo Gonçalves
+ 00h 13′ 10”
15
Franco Caimi
+ 00h 19′ 14”
16
Skyler Howes
+ 00h 20′ 52”
17
Adrien Metge
+ 00h 24′ 55”
18
Stefan Svitko
+ 00h 26′ 43”
19
Rodney Faggotter
+ 00h 36′ 32”
20
Johnny Aubert
+ 00h 37′ 17”
Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Woffinden swinging in WA
With Graeme Sidden
A big shout out went to Popular WA sidecar passenger, Jamie Thomson who received some unfortunate injuries when he fell from Chad Harvey’s sidecar during the preliminary heats of the Jeff Gittus Memorial Sidecar event on Saturday evening at Perth’s Pinjar Park Motorcycle Speedway. Jamie suffered a broken wrist and is waiting to undergo shoulder surgery after his untimely fall.
Cam Heeps being interviewed by Grant Woodhams
Another sidecar passenger in young Jesse Thomas also took a ride on the wild side with defending Champion Reece Liptrott when they backed their outfit into turn three and flipped it during a desperate attempt to go underneath the ultimate victors Darren Nash and Ash Brown. I have no official report on Jesse Thomas injuries and outcome, only to say he was very ginger walking from the venue after the meeting.
The very experienced and talented Trent Headland with Tai Woffinden on the back did a stirling job to avoid the stricken outfit and prostate riders on the track. They were rewarded for their efforts finishing up in second spot for the night.
Sidecar podium for the EUROCARS sponsored Jeff Gittus Memorial Sidecar Classic – Winners Nash & Brown, Headland & Woffinden second, and Mitchell & Cornwall third
Three times world solo Champion, Tai Woffinden looked right at home on the back of the Headland outfit and was all smiles as usual on the podium during the trophy presentations.
Racing was fast and furious all evening long in both sidecars and solos where the Darren Nash/Ash Brown combination came out on top in the prestigious Gittus event and WA’s International solo sensation Cam Heeps, fresh home from a very successful English season recorded a fine win in the solo final from another WA Champion, Dan Winchester, UK’s Leon Flint and under 19 British Champion Drew Kemp rounding out fourth place after doing it the hard way winning the B final to make the final four.
Nash and Brown with happy sidecar builder and former sidecar star Tony ShieldWeekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
2020 Championship Calendars
2020 AMA Motocross race schedule
May 17 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, CA
May 24 – Fox Raceway National – Pala, CA
May 31 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, CO
June 7 – Florida National – Jacksonville, FL
June 21 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, PA
June 28 – Southwick National – Southwick, MA
July 5 – RedBud National – Buchanan, MI
July 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, MN
July 26 – Washougal National – Washougal, WA
August 16 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, NY
August 23 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, MD
August 30 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, IN
2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Calendar
Jan. 4 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 11 – The Dome at America’s Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Jan. 18 – Angels Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, Calif.
Jan. 25 – State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Feb. 1 – Ringcentral Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
Feb. 8 – Petco Park, San Diego, Calif.
Feb. 15 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Feb. 22 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Feb. 29 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
March 7 – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Fla.
March 14 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianpolis, Ind.
March 21 – Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
March 28 – Centurylink Field, Seattle, Wash.
April 4 – Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Co.
April 18 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
April 25 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
May 2 – Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah
2020 MXGP Calendar
March 1 – Great Britain, Matterley Basin (EMX125, WMX)
March 8 – The Netherlands, Valkenswaard – (EMX250, WMX)
March 22 – Patagonia, Argentina, Neuquen
April 5 – Trentino I, Pietramurata – (EMX250, EMX 2t)
April 19 – Spain, (TBA) – (EMX125, WMX)
April 26 – Portugal, Agueda – (EMX125, EMX250)
May 10 – France, Saint Jean d’Angely – (EMX125, EMX Open)
May 17 – Italy, Maggiora – (EMX Open, WMX)
May 24 – Germany, Teutschenthal – (EMX250, EMX Open)
