AORC to feature 12-round season in 2022

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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

EMX250 Standings after Garda (Top 10)

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.

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.

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.”

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

EMX125 Standings after Garda

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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!”

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.”

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.”

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

2021 MXGP Standings – Round 16

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.”

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.“

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.”

2021 MXGP of Garda – MX2 Results

2021 MX2 Standings – Round 16 (Top 20)

Source: MCNews.com.au