The EnduroGP of France kicked off on Day 1 in Langeac with three champions crowned, Andrea Verona claiming the Enduro1 title, Josep Garcia wrapping up the Enduro2 and Brad Freeman winning the Enduro3.
Josep Garcia
Garcia was also able to keep his EnduroGP title hopes alive with a victory on the day, despite Brad Freeman setting the early pace. Laia Sanz edged closer to the Enduro Women’s title, with a victory.
Enduro1
With hopes of wrapping up the Enduro1 title with a day to spare, Andrea Verona (GASGAS) began his GP of France in a determined mood. Fastest Enduro1 rider in the AKRAPOVIC Super Test, he won the opening CHAMPION Enduro Test and NERVE by JUST1 Extreme Test to take an early lead.
Andrea Verona
Faced with a strong challenge from both Matteo Cavallo (TM) and Theophile Espinasse (Honda) during the middle part of the day, Espinasse held the Enduro1 lead entering the final lap.
Picking up his pace, the Italian raced his way back into contention to claim an important win and with closest rival Davide Guarneri (Fantic) in fourth, he became the 2021 FIM Enduro1 World Champion.
Andrea Verona
“It feels amazing to win the Enduro1 world championship! It wasn’t an easy day for me today, but in the end, I did what I needed to do to take the E1 victory. It’s been a really good season, we’ve been strong at all the rounds, in all the different conditions, so I’m really happy with that. I want to thank the whole GASGAS Factory Racing team, everyone puts in a lot of work, so this win is for them. It’s great to celebrate, but there’s still one more day to go, so I’ll come back tomorrow and fight for the last day.”
Andrea Verona
Signing for GASGAS Factory Racing at the beginning of the season, Verona had one major goal – to successfully defend his Enduro1 title – and what a season he’s had! So far, with one day left to go, the 22-year-old has won nine of the 11 days of racing and never finished off the podium.
Andrea can’t relax just yet though, as the EnduroGP World Championship is still undecided, and with him lying third, just one point ahead of the fourth-placed rider, the fight for third place on the EnduroGP championship podium will go right down to the wire on the final day in France.
Andrea Verona
Enduro1 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat
Man
Points
1
VERONA Andrea
ITA
Gas Gas
212
2
GUARNERI Davide
ITA
Fantic
189
3
BERNARDINI Samuele
ITA
Honda
139
4
MAGAIN Antoine
BEL
Sherco
129
5
SORECA Davide
ITA
Husqvarna
120
6
R CRIVILIN Bruno
BRA
Honda
89
7
CAVALLO Matteo
ITA
TM
64
8
TINKLER Kade
CAN
KTM
57
9
ESPINASSE Theophile
FRA
Honda
55
10
CHARLIER Christophe
FRA
Beta
43
Enduro2
With his win in EnduroGP, Garcia also topped Enduro2. But adding to the occasion, his victory allowed him to claim the Enduro2 championship honours with one day remaining. After a three-year absence from the championship, clinching the Enduro2 crown was an important and emotional milestone in the Spaniard’s career.
Josep Garcia
“It’s been a perfect day for me. I’m so happy to win the title here in France. All day things were going through my head, but in the end, it was all good. To come back to the series after three years away and win the Enduro2 title is a dream come true. I had a good day today and did all I could by winning the overall, so I need to stay focused now for tomorrow and keep fighting right to the end.”
Josep Garcia
Racing his way back to speed and fitness, Steve Holcombe was on flying form in France. Clearly enjoying the classic French tests, the Beta rider topped three tests to finish 13 seconds behind Garcia in second.
Will Ruprecht took third. Putting in a solid performance, Joe Wootton (Husqvarna) ended his day nine seconds behind Ruprecht in fourth, while Thomas Oldrati (Honda) was fifth.
Enduro2 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat
Man
Points
1
GARCIA Josep
ESP
KTM
201
2
RUPRECHT Wil
AUS
TM
174
3
HOLCOMBE Steve
GBR
Beta
153
4
MACDONALD Hamish
NZL
Sherco
142
5
WOOTTON Joe
GBR
Husqvarna
92
6
REMES Eero
FIN
TM
92
7
OLDRATI Thomas
ITA
Honda
82
8
EDMONDSON Jack
GBR
Sherco
68
9
ELOWSON Albin
SWE
Husqvarna
58
10
LUNDGREN Anton
SWE
Husqvarna
55
Enduro3
As it has been all season so far, Enduro3 was again all about Brad Freeman. The Beta rider was untouchable as he also fought for overall EnduroGP honours. Comfortably powering his way to an incredible 11th consecutive win, he successfully defended his Enduro3 crown to become a six-time FIM Enduro World Champion.
Brad Freeman
“It feels great to wrap up the Enduro3 title and back up what I won last year. I really love riding this 300 two-stroke and the bike never missed a beat all season. I’m really happy to have brought another title to the team because they work so hard for this. Hopefully tomorrow we can go on to win the big one and get that EnduroGP crown.”
Brad Freeman
Jaume Betriu (KTM) was runner-up to Freeman, while Daniel McCanney (Sherco) took third. Jamie McCanney (Husqvarna) and Antoine Basset (Beta) completed the top five.
Enduro3 Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat
Man
Points
1
FREEMAN Brad
GBR
Beta
220
2
BETRIU ARMENGOL J
ESP
KTM
185
3
MCCANNEY Daniel
GBR
Sherco
159
4
MCCANNEY Jamie
GBR
Husqvarna
145
5
BASSET Antoine
FRA
Beta
108
6
SANS Marc
ESP
Husqvarna
100
7
WILKSCH Andrew
AUS
Husqvarna
76
8
MARINI Thomas
SMR
TM
56
9
FRANCISCO Enric
ESP
Sherco
48
10
MORONI Rudy
ITA
KTM
24
EnduroGP
The EnduroGP class is set to go down to the wire as Josep Garcia (KTM) claimed victory on day one to keep his title hopes alive. A revelation in this second half of the season, Garcia backed up his winning form from last weekend in Portugal with a closely fought win today.
Josep Garcia
While it was Thomas Oldrati (Honda) who won Friday’s AKRAPOVIC Super Test, Garcia did himself no favours with a crash, which saw him 16th as he began on Saturday. But setting the fastest times on the opening ACERBIS Cross Test, CHAMPION Enduro Test and NERVE by JUST1 Extreme Test, Garcia looked ominous behind early leader Brad Freeman (Beta).
However, Freeman stood his ground and kept control of the lead up until the final lap. Topping the last CHAMPION Enduro Test, Garcia found his way into the lead and despite Freeman winning the final NERVE by JUST1 Extreme Test, the Spaniard claimed victory for the day. Runner-up for Freeman positions him as champion elect, holding a 16-point advantage over Garcia heading into the final day.
Andrea Verona
While eyes were on Garcia and Freeman, outgoing EnduroGP champion Steve Holcombe (Beta) enjoyed one of his strongest rides this year, showing signs of a rider who’s returning to form. Ending his day 10 seconds behind Freeman, Holcombe made a welcome return to the EnduroGP podium with third. Jaume Betriu (KTM) secured his best result of the season with fourth, while Will Ruprecht (TM) was fifth.
EnduroGP Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat
Man
Points
1
FREEMAN Brad
GBR
Beta
197
2
GARCIA Josep
ESP
KTM
184
3
VERONA Andrea
ITA
Gas Gas
140
4
RUPRECHT Wil
AUS
TM
139
5
GUARNERI Davide
ITA
Fantic
117
6
HOLCOMBE Steve
GBR
Beta
108
7
BETRIU ARMENGOL J
ESP
KTM
98
8
MACDONALD Hamish
NZL
Sherco
87
9
MCCANNEY Daniel
GBR
Sherco
51
10
BERNARDINI Samuele
ITA
Honda
38
Enduro Women
The EnduroGP of France saw the Enduro Women back in action for the final time this season. Picking up where she left off in Sweden, Laia Sanz (GASGAS) took the win. Although second to Jane Daniels (Fantic) in the AKRAPOVIC Super Test, Sanz took control straight away on Saturday to win every special test. With a 54-second margin of victory, Sanz now has a comfortable 12-point lead over Daniels with one day remaining.
Laia Sanz
“It was an important day to win to help my championship hopes. I didn’t feel like my speed was perfect, but I had no major mistakes and was able to remain consistent. I have a nice points gap heading into tomorrow, but I still need a strong result to get the job done!”
Laia Sanz topped the Women’s podium and holds a 12-point lead
Finishing as runner-up to Sanz on day one, Daniels now moves ahead of Mireia Badia (GASGAS) – third on day one – in the fight for vice-champion. However, only one point separates the duo, meaning tomorrow is all to play for. Justine Martel (KTM) and Rosie Rowett (KTM) completed the top five.
Enduro Women Standings
Pos
Rider
Nat
Man
Points
1
SANZ Laia
ESP
Gas Gas
95
2
DANIELS Jane
GBR
Fantic
83
3
BADIA Mireia
ESP
Gas Gas
82
4
ROWETT Rosie
GBR
KTM
56
5
GONCALVES Joana
PRT
Husqvarna
49
6
HOLT Vilde marie
NOR
Gas Gas
40
7
VIEIRA Rita
PRT
Yamaha
40
8
MARTEL Justine
FRA
KTM
39
9
ANTUNES Bruna
PRT
Gas Gas
35
10
BORG NILSSON Emelie
SWE
KTM
25
Enduro Junior
Enduro Junior saw Jed Etchells (Fantic) take victory. His first win of the season, the Manxman battled right to the final test with Bernat Cortes (GASGAS) to top the podium by just over two seconds. In the fight for this year’s title, championship leader Matteo Pavoni (TM) had a mixed day at the office finishing third. But with closest rival and teammate Lorenzo Macoritto placing fourth, Pavoni holds a 17-point advantage with one day remaining and looks to be the champion elect.
Enduro Youth
Already clinching Enduro Youth title honours last weekend in Portugal, Albin Norrbin (Fantic) enjoyed a victory lap on day one in France, securing a comfortable win. The Swede was fastest by 44 seconds. Sherco’s Thibault Giraudon placed second, with Harry Edmondson (Fantic) in third. Leo Joyon (Beta) and Kevin Cristino (Fantic) were fourth and fifth respectively.
Unfortunately, with no clarity provided by State Governments around the timing for the opening of state borders, the AORC Management Team has made the necessary decision to cancel the 2021 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championships.
As only two rounds of the 2021 AORC Championship were conducted and in accordance to the AORC Championship regulations, there will be no Champions awarded for any classes in 2021.
The AORC Championship has been on hold for many months and was only able to conduct two rounds over one weekend in April at Golden Beach, Victoria.
Every AORC event requires significant planning and on-ground preparations many weeks prior to each round to ensure world class tracks are provided for competitors. Without the clear indication from State Government’s on border openings timelines, the AORC Management Team has made this extremely hard decision to cancel the Championship as we are unable to plan for future events.
Furthermore, the AORC Management Team wish to provide the riders, teams and fans a clear position for the remainder of 2021. Also allowing for solid plans and preparations for an exciting 2022 AORC Championship with planning already underway to ensure it is bigger and better than ever.
The decision of the AORC Management Team is supported by Motorcycling Australia CEO, Peter Doyle, who said it was disappointing the decision had to be made, although it was necessary to ensure riders and teams could plan for the future.
“We completely understand the frustration and disappointment felt by riders, teams and fans. It has been a very difficult past 18 months for the sport and for the AORC riders and teams. We thank them for their patience and support during this time, but with State Government’s failing to guarantee the timeline of the reopening of State Borders the tough decision needs to be made,” Mr Doyle said.
AORC 2021 at Golden Beach
Motorcycling Australia will release an exciting calendar for the 2022 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, presented by MXstore, in the coming weeks. Plans for 2022 Championship are sure to provide fans with sensational world class racing and have riders revved up to get back racing.
Coming into the Rallye du Maroc with a 20-point advantage at the top of the championship standings, Matthias Walkner knew he still had to put in a strong performance at the penultimate round in order to clinch his second Cross-Country Rallies world title.
Using day one to get back up to speed on his KTM 450 RALLY after the three-month break since the previous round, Walkner used his skill and judgement to build his speed throughout the timed special to ultimately place fourth fastest. With the event heading into the vast expanse of the Merzouga dunes on day two, Matthias took the opportunity to push right from the outset and was able to successfully chase down his rivals ahead to win the stage by just over one minute. The result also elevated him into the overall rally lead.
Falling foul of one particularly tricky note in the road book on Monday’s stage three, Walkner dropped down the order to fourth as the event reached the halfway point. Coming back fighting, and with the goal of making up as much time as possible, the 2018 Dakar winner put in a superb performance that saw him narrowly miss his second stage win of the event by just 36 seconds.
Matthias Walkner
On the fifth and final day, Walkner knew exactly what was needed of him to score enough points to claim the world title. With the timed special shortened by the organizers to just 166 kilometers, times were very close across the whole field. Placing eighth on the final stage, Walkner finished second overall for the event and earned himself 20 points, securing the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship for himself and KTM.
Of the three championship rounds raced so far, Walkner has shown incredible consistency, finishing as runner-up at the high-speed Rally Kazakhstan, before taking the win in the contrasting conditions of the epic Silk Way Rally, held in Russia less than one month later. Now, with another podium result in Morocco, the experienced 35-year-old has shown he is clearly on form and will now be aiming to carry his winning momentum into the final round of the series in Abu Dhabi before focusing on the 2022 Dakar next January.
Matthias Walkner
“It’s been a super cool rally for me. I set out this morning hoping to take the win, but I made a small mistake about halfway through that only maybe cost me a minute, but it was enough on the shortened stage to lose out. Second place overall is great though and to win the world championship title early is amazing. The team have been great all year, so a big thank you to them. It’s time to relax now and really enjoy the moment.”
Matthias Walkner
While it was Walkner and KTM winning the war that was the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, the battle victory went to the Monster Energy Honda Team’s new recruit Pablo Quintanilla. On the final day of the rally the Chilean saw off his rivals to claim both stage and race victories.
The 166-kilometre final special stage went quickly for most of the riders still in contention for victory at this Rallye du Maroc. David Castera, race director, had designed a stage with very little navigation. With little movement of wind, the dust hanging in the air accompanied the riders throughout the journey, making it impossible for riders starting from the rear to make up time.
Pablo Quintanilla
Pablo Quintanilla started in a fine position from which to attack Mathias Walkner’s lead. The Monster Energy Honda Team rider held a sufficiently strong pace to allow him to fulfil this main mission and capture the final stage of the Rallye du Maroc and overall rally victory.
Pablo Quintanilla
“I am very happy with the victory. It was a very difficult week and I want to thank the whole team for the great job they did. It was fantastic for us. Personally, I felt very comfortable, I was riding with great pace, with good navigation and that’s very good for my confidence. I am also very motivated for the next objective, which is the Dakar. We are going to take a short break, rest, recharge our batteries and then we will concentrate on the Dakar.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Aussie youngster Daniel Sanders secured third overall for his, and GASGAS’, first ever podium result in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Even with a minor setback on day three, the Aussie turned things around on the final two stages, upping his pace and rapidly closing in on the leader to complete the rally just over five minutes short of the win.
Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders
“The last day is done and what a week it’s been! Opening the final stage was pretty cool. After around 80 kilometers the navigation became a bit more tricky so I had to slow my pace to make sure I was on the right path. I actually had a small crash in the dunes but I was up quick and straight back on a decent rhythm. I’m really happy to have finished third on this stage after opening and overall it’s been a great week. To end it with a podium and secure the first podium result for GASGAS in the world championship is really cool. Now I’m looking forward to the next race in Abu Dhabi.”
Daniel Sanders
Ricky Brabec was unable to whittle down the gap separating him from his rivals in the general standings and, in spite of finishing runner-up on the final day, narrowly missed out on a podium place to Daniel Sanders.
Ricky Brabec
“I’m happy to finish another rally, it’s been good training for the Dakar. I’m also very excited for the Honda team to be on top of the podium. Unfortunately, we couldn’t have two Honda riders on the final podium. It takes a lot of guts to win a stage and it takes a lot of courage to open a stage: only three riders have opened this rally, and I think we opened the most difficult stages. I’m really looking forward to the Dakar and this was just training. I made a couple of mistakes and missed out on the podium on the last day, but at least we’ll get home safe and sound and get back to training to be ready for the Dakar.”
Ricky Brabec
Rounding out a highly positive week in Morocco, Yamaha’s Adrien Van Beveren finished ninth overall on the final stage to secure his well-deserved fifth-place finish in the final classification. Confident with his navigation, his ability to open stages, and feeling at one with his Yamaha WR450F Rally, the Frenchman is excited for the future, especially with the 2022 Dakar Rally now very much on the horizon.
Adrien Van Beveren
“I’m really happy with my performance at the Rally Du Maroc. It ended today with another great day on the bike and I’m really confident for the future as my navigation and speed is right where it needs to be. The ultimate goal is to be ready for the Dakar and if I can take the feeling that I had this week to that race then I will be really happy. It’s been a great event here in Morocco. I opened much of stage four, showed good speed all week, and the hard work that the team and myself have done in the lead up to the race is something that we are proud of, and it really paid off.”
Adrien Van Beveren
Both returning to competition following injury, KTM’s Toby Price and new signing Kevin Benavides used the Rallye du Maroc to rebuild their speed and confidence while also putting the all-new 2022 model KTM 450 RALLY through its paces in its competitive debut. Making changes and developing the bike as the event progressed, the two experienced Dakar champions were pleased with the performance of the machine and look forward to continuing their work at the next round in Abu Dhabi. Ultimately finishing seventh and 13th respectively, Benavides and Price were also joined in Morocco by teammate Sam Sunderland. Unfortunately, the British rider was forced to withdraw from the event on day four, due to illness.
Toby Price
“It’s good to get the last day done, and out of Morocco in one piece. I picked up a small penalty for speeding in today’s stage but all-in-all I can’t complain. It’s good to get the first one under the belt after being off the bike for so long and I’m looking forward to Abu Dhabi now to see what we can do there.”
Kevin Benavides
“The last day went well for me, I kept to a solid pace and made sure I didn’t have any crashes. I was pleased with my riding and navigation, and it’s good to get the first race done with the team. I’ve been a little careful all through the rally because my shoulder has given me some pain, but on the whole it’s gone well. And now I’m looking forward to more time on the bike at Abu Dhabi.”
Most Rally competitiros will next be in action at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, held from November 6 to 12.
Provisional Results Stage 5 Rally du Maroc 2021
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team 1:39’12
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +0’17
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +0’18
PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 0’37+
BRANCH Ross BWA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +0’37
BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +1’05
HOWES Skyler USA Husqvarna Factory Rally Team +1’58
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +2’36
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +3’45
BÜHLER Sebastian POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +4’51
Provisional Final Outright Overall Standings Rally du Maroc 2021 after 5 of 5 stages
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team 16:26’51
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +1’59
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +5’27
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +7’14
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +18’01
BENAVIDES Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +34’03
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +39’38
RODRIGUES Joaquim POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +41’03
SHORT Andrew USA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +41’53
CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +45’19
BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +48’12 13. PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +55’44
Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda) paid a high price for being the first man away on Tuesday after winning Monday’s stage and taking the overall lead in the rally. By the end of Tuesday that lead had turned into a deficit over over seven-minutes and a demotion to fourth place on the overall leader board.
Ricky Brabec
“Today was a long day and maybe it wasn’t the day to open. We lost a bit of time but we still have a day to go and we’re seven minutes off first place. We can make a good push and maybe get onto the podium tomorrow: that will be the plan. It’s been good training ahead of the Dakar. We’ll keep our hopes up and push for one more day. Today I opened a large part of the day and we had the same track as the previous days, but with a lot of detours which made it very confusing. We will keep pushing tomorrow.”
Stage 4 Rally du Maroc 2021
A couple of minor navigational errors by Daniel Sanders on that Monday stage had resulted in a lowly – by his standards – 15th place finish. But there may not be a better way of bouncing back from a difficult day of rally racing than by winning the very next stage! That’s exactly what Daniel Sanders has done on the penultimate leg of the Rally Du Maroc overnight.
Picking up his pace throughout the incredibly technical special, Sanders delivered what is undoubtedly his best ride of the event so far and has moved up to third in the overall provisional classification.
Daniel Sanders
“I got the win, which is sick! Today I didn’t make any major mistakes and with the tricky navigation, you really had to focus. For sure I went offline a few times but what was encouraging for me was that I got back on track quickly. The stage had a bit of everything today, which added to the challenge, and it seemed like every 20 minutes we were into something different whether it was sand, hardpack roads, or rocky sections. I’m now in a pretty good position overall and tomorrow I’ll lead out so I’m excited for the challenge and hope to end this rally with a strong result.”
Daniel Sanders
Now faced with being the first rider to start the final day of racing, the Aussie is up for the challenge and excited about the prospect of completing another round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship with a strong overall finish.
Matthias Walkner was second fastest on the fourth and penultimate stage. Coming in just 36-seconds behind stage winner Sanders, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider regained the provisional overall lead of the event.
Featuring the longest timed special of the event at a demanding 367.43 kilometers, stage four of the Rallye du Maroc proved to be another huge test of pace and navigational skill. Following a long liaison section, riders entered the special and were faced with a wide variety of terrain including fast, stony tracks, off-piste sections through the rocks, and an area of camel grass near the finish.
Playing catch-up on today’s stage, Matthias Walkner was the 12th rider to enter the special. Making the most of his opportunity to push and make time on the riders ahead, Matthias was immediately fast to the first checkpoint. Maintaining his focus through the varied terrain, the Austrian was able to move into the lead of the stage by the halfway point. Choosing to ease his pace towards the finish, to minimise any mistakes, the 2018 Dakar Champion ultimately claimed second to re-take the provisional rally lead.
Matthias Walkner
“It was a super long day again today. I tried my best to push right from the start because on such a long stage like this you find the pace drops off a little by the end. I wanted to catch as many people ahead as I could. This event is always one of my favorites – the terrain here really suits me with its mix of dunes, and off-pistes, and fast tracks. It’s really good for my confidence too, and I knew I would be able to make up some time today and fight for the stage win. I go into tomorrow’s final day leading the rally and as the second rider into the special. Hopefully I can make it safely to the finish without any big mistakes and fight for a place on the podium.”
Matthias Walkner
Tuesday proved to be a good day for Honda’s Pablo Quintanilla, the Chilean rode a solid stage and finished with the third best time of the day. In the outright standings Quintanilla is in second place, only 37-seconds behind Walkner.
Pablo Quintanilla
“We finished the penultimate stage of the race and like almost every other day, it was a long and hard stage. I’m happy, I felt great, with a good pace and without any navigation mistakes and that’s very important for my confidence. I’m second in the general standings, just slightly behind the first. Tomorrow we will go out to do our best on this last day. There will be less than 200 kilometres and so we’ll have to see what happens.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Joan Barreda finished fourth on Tuesday despite a heavy fall on a boulder. The rider from Castellón had been notching up fine times until that point. In the overalll standings, however, any podium chances had faded in Monday’s stage.
Joan Barreda
Setting a good pace right from the start, Toby Price fought his way up to fifth position in the first 100 kilometres of Tuesday’s special. A small error resulted in the Australian losing around three minutes to the leaders by the midway point. Caught by rally leader Walkner after the refueling stop, the two Red Bull KTM team-mates raced together from there to the finish. Claiming sixth on the stage, Price lies 14th overall in the rally standings after some difficulties earlier in the rally.
Toby Price
“Day four is done – just one stage to go now. I had a pretty decent day, I made a few little mistakes near the start, before the refueling, but after I didn’t have any major issues. Matthias caught me around kilometer 220 so I let him take the lead and just tucked in behind him to the finish. We kept to a good solid pace and was able to bring it home safely. I’m feeling good, looking forward to the last stage and ready to go.”
Toby Price
Maintaining his impressive speed and consistency through the technical fourth stage at the Rally du Maroc, Adrien Van Beveren opened a lot of Tuesday’s special. Despite the arduous task, the Frenchman brought his Yamaha WR450F Rally home just 10 minutes behind the overall stage winner for a strong eighth place finish. His solid performance on the penultimate day of racing edges him one step closer to securing an overall top-five result.
Adrien Van Beveren
“I would say that today was my best stage of the rally so far and I’m really pleased with my performance. On paper, it may not look like this, but after starting the stage fourth, I caught the leading riders, passed them, and then I opened the stage. It took some time to find a couple of the waypoints, which is normal when you’re the first rider, but overall, I’m really happy with my navigation and my pace today. It’s been a long stage and at the end I was still feeling really strong on my bike. So, overall it’s been a great day for me and I’m looking forward to the final stage tomorrow.”
Sam Sunderland was forced to withdraw from the stage due to illness.
Wednesday’s fifth and final stage offers no respite for any of the remaining racers with the scheduled 291-kilometre special set to guarantee another long day in the saddle.
Provisional Results Stage 4 Rally du Maroc 2021
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team 3:50’34
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +0’36
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +2’55
BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +5’47
RODRIGUES Joaquim POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +6’17
PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +6’52
HOWES Skyler USA Husqvarna Factory Rally Team +7’31
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team + 10’05
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +10’10
BENAVIDES Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +13’05
Provisional Overall Standings Rally du Maroc 2021 after 4 of 5 stages
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 14:47’02
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +0’37
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +5’46
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +7’34
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +14’53
BENAVIDES Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +26’41
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +33’46
RODRIGUES Joaquim POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +36’13
SHORT Andrew USA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +36’24
CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +39’19 14. PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +55’44
The fifth and penultimate round of the 2021 EnduroGP championship ran over the weekend in Portugal, with Josep Garcia taking a commanding victory as riders returned from their summer break.
Josep Garcia
Day 1 saw Garcia claim both EnduroGP and Enduro2 victories, while Roni Kytonen topped the Juniors and Albin Norrbin took his sixth consecutive Youth win.
Day 2 saw a repeat performance with Garcia wrapping up his round win with both EnduroGP victories, while Albin Norrbin became the first World Champion of the season, claiming the Enduro Youth title with another win.
Australia’s Wil Ruprecht finished eighth overall and fourth E2 rider on Day 1, while Andrew Wilksch was 19th and fourth E3 rider. Wilksch took 22nd on Day 2, and seventh E3 rider. Ruprecht wasn’t classified Day 2.
The 2021 Borilli FIM EnduroGP World Championship concludes with the sixth and final round next weekend in Langeac, France, October 15-17.
Josep Garcia celebrates the round win
Day 1 – EnduroGP
After an extended summer break, the Borilli FIM EnduroGP World Championship returned to action in Santiago do Cacem in southern Portugal and from the word go the action came thick and fast as riders went head-to-head in the Friday evening AKRAPOVIC Super Test.
Britain’s Joe Wootton (Husqvarna) lead the way for the majority of the night until he was bested by the final two riders to hit the track – Brad Freeman (Beta) and Josep Garcia (KTM). Both were almost inseparable, but it was Freeman who narrowly took the win by just one tenth of a second.
However, knowing the sandy special tests would be to his liking, Garcia was quick to take over. Winning the opening NERVE by JUST1 Extreme Test, the Spaniard then topped the next five special tests to further extend his lead. Signing his day off with the fastest times in both the final CHAMPION Enduro Test and ACERBIS Cross Test, he won the day by an impressive 54 seconds.
Josep Garcia
Behind him the fight for the remainder of the podium positions was closely contested. Freeman faced a strong challenge from Italy’s Andrea Verona (GASGAS), with Britain’s Nathan Watson (Honda) and Steve Holcombe (Beta) both within striking distance. With four seconds to his advantage, Freeman held on to the runner-up position, with Verona taking third.
Watson made a welcome return to EnduroGP action for fourth, while defending EnduroGP champion Holcombe showed he’s returning to form following a difficult season plagued with injury and illness with fifth.
Josep Garcia
“I felt great on the bike today. I knew the conditions would suit me out there, so my goal this morning was to push hard from the beginning and see how I got on. I managed to build up a good lead and from midway I managed it as best I could. I’m excited for tomorrow now.”
Josep Garcia topped the Day 1 EnduroGP podium from Brad Freeman and Andrea Verona
Enduro1
Locked in a battle for the overall runner-up result, Andrea Verona (GASGAS) pulled clear of his Enduro1 classmates to take the win. A strong ride throughout the day saw him build up a comfortable 40-second margin of victory.
Andrea Verona
For Davide Guarneri (Fantic), the veteran Italian wasn’t able to match the pace of his countryman from the word go. Losing time in the morning, he came on stronger in the afternoon, taking two special test wins. For Sunday, he’ll look to come out swinging against Verona early on.
Ensuring an Italian sweep of the podium, Matteo Cavallo (TM) took third, with France’s Christophe Charlier (Beta) and Italy’s Samuele Bernardini (Honda) completing the top five.
Enduro2
Saturday was a day to savour for Garcia, with the Spaniard also claiming Enduro2 honours to take over the championship lead. With a dominant ride in Enduro2, the KTM rider was almost untouchable, winning by one minute and 22 seconds.
Josep Garcia
After a couple of years absence, Nathan Watson (Honda) wasted no time getting back into the swing of EnduroGP action. Second on day one and edging out Holcombe by just six seconds, the addition of Watson to the series in these closing stages of the championship certainly added excitement.
Behind the top three of Garcia, Watson and Holcombe, Australia’s Will Ruprecht (TM) was fourth – losing his championship lead to Garcia in the process. The Australian will need to fight back on Sunday to keep those title hopes alive. Only six seconds behind Ruprecht, Italy’s Thomas Oldrati (Honda) placed fifth.
Enduro3
The opening day of the TERRA ÚNICA GP of Portugal marked another Enduro3 class win for Beta’s Brad Freeman. Although not the most commanding of Enduro3 victories seen from Freeman this season, he still did more than enough to secure his ninth consecutive win.
Brad Freeman
Feeling quite at home in the soft sandy terrain, Spain’s Jaume Betriu (KTM) ended his day was runner-up to Freeman. Sherco’s Danny McCanney put in a solid day to take third, closing the gap to Betriu to 10 seconds come the end of the final test. Jamie McCanney (Husqvarna) was fourth and Andrew Wilksch (Husqvarna) took fifth.
Enduro Junior
The Enduro Junior class saw Roni Kytonen (Honda) come to the fore to secure his first victory of the season. After an early lead by Lorenzo Macoritto (TM), Kytonen topped the second NERVE by JUST1 Extreme Test to take over the proceedings. Continuing to fend off attacks from title favourites Matteo Pavoni (TM) and Macoritto, the Finn took a well-earned win.
Roni Kytonen
Enduro Youth
The racing was tight in Enduro Youth with Fantic riders Albin Norrbin and Kevin Cristino leading the way. Norrbin looked strong all day, but with Cristino able to match his pace, he couldn’t relax.
With just five seconds separating the duo – in Norrbin’s favour – it’s sure to be another tight affair tomorrow. Behind them, Samuli Pujkainen (TM) was third, with Harry Edmondson (Fantic) and Federico Rocha (TM) rounding out the top five.
EnduroGP of Portugal Day 1 – Top 20
Pos
Rider
Nat
Cat
Moto
Total
Gap
1
GARCIA Josep
ESP
E2
KTM
52:29.53
–
2
FREEMAN Brad
GBR
E3
Beta
53:23.99
+54.46
3
VERONA Andrea
ITA
E1
Gas Gas
53:28.49
+58.96
4
WATSON Nathan
GBR
E2
Honda
53:52.17
+1:22.64
5
HOLCOMBE Steve
GBR
E2
Beta
53:58.80
+1:29.27
6
GUARNERI Davide
ITA
E1
Fantic
54:09.34
+1:39.81
7
BETRIU ARMENGOL Jaume
ESP
E3
KTM
54:12.50
+1:42.97
8
RUPRECHT Wil
AUS
E2
TM
54:21.77
+1:52.24
9
MCCANNEY Daniel
GBR
E3
Sherco
54:23.04
+1:53.51
10
OLDRATI Thomas
ITA
E2
Honda
54:27.90
+1:58.37
11
MACDONALD Hamish
NZL
E2
Sherco
54:28.53
+1:59.00
12
MCCANNEY Jamie
GBR
E3
Husqvarna
54:44.29
+2:14.76
13
CAVALLO Matteo
ITA
E1
TM
54:50.04
+2:20.51
14
WOOTTON Joe
GBR
E2
Husqvarna
54:56.60
+2:27.07
15
CHARLIER Christophe
FRA
E1
Beta
55:06.22
+2:36.69
16
REMES Eero
FIN
E2
TM
55:13.58
+2:44.05
17
BERNARDINI Samuele
ITA
E1
Honda
55:13.72
+2:44.19
18
SORECA Davide
ITA
E1
Husqvarna
55:14.11
+2:44.58
19
WILKSCH Andrew
AUS
E3
Husqvarna
55:14.54
+2:45.01
20
MAGAIN Antoine
BEL
E1
Sherco
55:49.78
+3:20.25
Day 2 – EnduroGP
After the previous day’s dominant EnduroGP class win by Garcia, the KTM rider was forced to work much harder for the top step of the podium on day two.
Although off to a flying start by winning the opening NERVE by JUST1 Extreme Test, he faced a much tougher challenge from points leader Brad Freeman (Beta) throughout the day. The British rider was determined not to allow the Spaniard to gain any early advantage and piled on the pressure immediately.
At the end of the second Extreme Test on lap two, the duo were separated by less than one second, as Freeman eyed up the race lead. But Garcia was determined to hold him at bay and answered back by topping the CHAMPION Enduro Test. Freeman responded with the quickest time in the following ACERBIS Cross Test and as they began the final lap Garcia’s lead was just three seconds.
Josep Garcia dominated both days of the EnduroGP of Portugal relevating Freeman and Watson to the minor podium places Day 2 – Round 5
A mistake by the Spaniard in the final Extreme Test allowed Freeman to momentarily lead, but Garcia fought back by winning the final two tests to take a hard-earned EnduroGP class win. With just two days remaining in this year’s title chase, Freeman now holds a 16-point lead over Garcia, setting up an exciting finale in France next weekend.
Brad Freeman
“I was a bit bummed out with yesterday’s result, so I wanted to bring the pace to Josep today and I managed that. I would have loved to have got the win, but it was a great battle all day. Props to him on the win, but I hope I can turn the tables on him in France!”
Brad Freeman
Behind the top two, Nathan Watson (Honda) proved his day one form was no fluke as he upped his speed to claim a podium result with third. The Brit, although ending his day 30 seconds behind Freeman, did repeatedly match the leading duo for pace throughout the day and could prove a danger man in France.
Italy’s Andrea Verona (GASGAS) raced his way to fourth, with Davide Guarneri (Fantic) completing the top five.
Enduro1
After a strong win on day one, Andrea Verona (GASGAS) faced much stiffer competition for victory on day two.
Much more in tune with the tests, Davide Guarneri (Fantic) pushed his championship rival hard. Swapping test wins, Verona just held on by two seconds to top the podium.
Andrea Verona
“It’s been a tough two days in Portugal, but to get two Enduro1 class wins and some good overall results in EnduroGP has been great – just what I’d hoped for ahead of the final round of the championship next weekend. Overall, day one was a good one for me. I made a few mistakes on the first two laps, but I managed to improve my speed throughout the day. I’m happy, it was fun to race in the sand. Day two was hard. I wasn’t feeling so strong after a tough opening day. But I kept pushing and finally on the final test of the day I was able to get the E1 class win. I needed to ride a little harder than I would normally, but I got the job done and I’m happy with the result. Now it’s onto France. Conditions will be very different, but I’m looking forward to the final round of the series.”
Andrea Verona
With the pace of the top two very high, Davide Soreca (Husqvarna) placed almost two minutes behind in third. However, it was a closely fought podium, with Matteo Cavallo (TM) just six seconds behind in fourth. Samuele Bernardini (Honda) was fifth to ensure an all-Italian Enduro1 top-five.
Enduro2
Capping off a great weekend at the office, Josep Garcia also claimed top honours in Enduro2. The Spaniard won all but one of the day’s nine special tests as he looked very much at home in the sandy terrain.
Josep Garcia
“The whole weekend has gone really well for me. My goal right from the beginning was to push as hard as I could and that’s what I did. I had a small crash on the first test on day one, but it didn’t slow me down too much. To take the win on Saturday by such a large margin felt really good. Day two was more of a fight – I had a crash in the first enduro test, but this time it lost me a few seconds although I was still fourth quickest. The fight with Brad (Freeman) went on all day – he was really fast today, and we were both pushing to the limit in every test. Finally, I was able to get the win, which is really good after such a tough day. I want to thank my team for their hard work this weekend as everything was perfect.”
The other test win went to Nathan Watson (Honda), with the Brit now looking settled into EnduroGP racing once again. Watson, although 33 seconds behind Garcia, was 44 seconds ahead of Beta’s Steve Holcombe in third.
Nathan Watson
Thomas Oldrati (Honda) enjoyed a solid day for fourth, with New Zealand’s Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) fifth.
Enduro3
With his battle for overall honours intense, Brad Freeman once again pulled clear of his Enduro 3 classmates to secure his 10th consecutive win of the season. With a commanding 38-point lead over Jaume Betriu (KTM) in second, Freeman looks set to secure the Enduro3 title with a day to spare next weekend in France.
Betriu was again the next best rider to Freeman in Enduro3 with another strong ride from the Spaniard. Marc Sola (Husqvarna) produced his best form of the season so far, to secure a spirited third. He edged out Sherco’s Daniel McCanney by less than three seconds for the final step of the podium. Jamie McCanney (Husqvarna) was fifth.
Enduro Junior
The Enduro Junior class saw championship leader Matteo Pavoni (TM) return to the top of the podium, securing an important victory over closest rival Lorenzo Macoritto (TM) heading into next week’s finale.
Matteo Pavoni
Day one winner Roni Kytonen (Honda) was unable to repeat his winning result and had to settle for third behind the two Italians. Leo Le Quere (Sherco) and Max Ahlin (Husqvarna) completed the top five.
Enduro Youth
Enduro Youth saw Sweden’s Albin Norrbin become the first world champion of 2021. Doing it in style, the Fantic rider claimed the title with a victory, to mark his eighth win of the season.
Albin Norrbin
“I’m so happy to have won the world title. It’s been a great season, maybe even better than I expected it to be. Today I just tried not to think about it and go for the win again and it worked out!”
Albin Norrbin wrapped up the Enduro Youth Championship with a round to spare
Kevin Cristino (Fantic) was again the closest rider to Norrbin with second, while Finland’s Samuli Puhakainen (TM) took third. Britain’s Harry Edmondson (Fantic) and Arvid Modin (Yamaha) were fourth and fifth respectively.
Daniel Sanders is fit and raring to go as the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship heads to Morocco for the Rallye du Maroc. Covering over 2,600 km, the race is set to pose a real challenge to all riders with its mixture of fast tracks and rolling sand dunes.
Marking the penultimate round of this year’s FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, the Rallye du Maroc is traditionally one of the last proper tests for teams and riders ahead of the Dakar Rally, held in January. Never having even visited the country before, let alone raced there, Daniel is looking forward to getting back to competition, especially at a desert location like Morocco.
Following his excellent fourth-place finish at the Silk Way Rally – a performance that earned him three stage wins from five stages – Sanders travelled to the United States where he spent the downtime working on his speed and bike fitness.
With the team joining him stateside in September, an intense month of road book training and work on bike set-up then followed. Now, feeling fast and comfortable on his GASGAS RC 450F, Chucky is excited to get back to racing.
Daniel Sanders
“It feels like it’s been a really long time since the last race, and with Silk Way not going the full distance due to the pandemic situation, that was a bit of a strange one too. Even though it was shortened, I had a good time in Russia – it was great to get some stage wins and it showed I definitely have the speed to mix it up front. After that, I flew to America and have been doing a lot of motocross training to maintain my fitness on the bike and keep that intensity you need. After the team arrived in the States, we did a lot of testing over there – plenty of road book training and working to improve the bike. I’m really looking forward to Morocco now, it’s a bit crazy not having so many races, but I’m definitely up for this next one. Hopefully the race should suit me, I’ve never been there before, but I hear it’s always a good race, with a good variety of terrain. I can’t wait to get started.”
Daniel Sanders
Totaling six days, the Rallye du Maroc will ease riders into things with a short Prologue stage on Friday, October 8. The short 10 km sprint will decide the start order for Saturday’s 441 km stage one, that in turn will be followed by a further four stages, all set out in loops from the main bivouac in Zagora. When riders reach the finish on Wednesday, October 13, they will have covered a total of 2,656 km, and raced 1,633 km against the clock. The mixture of fast tracks and dunes should suit Daniel’s skills perfectly, and the young Aussie is definitely keen to get started!
Signing a two-year contract extension earlier in the year, Toby Price returns to rally competition this weekend in Morocco after being forced to withdraw from this year’s Dakar due to injury. The Australian will be looking to get back up to speed with his pace and navigation on the bike in Morocco and continue to test and develop the latest version of the rally machine.
A new engine, frame and many other changes
The result of over two years’ development, the all-new 2022 KTM 450 Rally will make its first competitive outing in Morocco. With new bodywork, a new engine, a new frame, and many other upgrades and improvements over the current model, the state-of-the-art rally machine will continue to undergo testing and evaluation at the Rallye du Maroc.
I think I need a box of tissues and some alone time…
Toby Price
“For sure I’m excited for the event here in Morocco – it’s been a long time since I’ve raced a rally since I was forced to miss the first two rounds of the season. The plan for the Rallye du Maroc is take things step-by-step and continue to build my speed while giving the new bike a proper shakedown. The main focus for me is to be back on form for the big one in January, but for now I’m just happy to be racing again and can’t wait to get back in the swing of things.”
Toby Price – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Covering more than 2,600 kilometres and challenging riders with over 1,600 kilometres of timed special stages, the 2021 edition of the Rallye du Maroc will be based around the Moroccan town of Zagora.
Opening with a short 10-kilometre Prologue, the race will then deliver five long, full stages held on fast tracks and open desert. As well as outright speed, accurate navigation through the sand dunes and rocky pistes will be key to a strong final result.
Coming into the event with a healthy 20-point lead in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies standings, Matthias Walkner is in good shape to fight for his second world title. The Austrian topped the Silk Way Rally earlier in the year with a commanding performance that saw him take the lead by the midway point of the race before never looking back. That, combined with his runner-up result at Rally Kazakhstan, shows Walkner is on form and ready for the challenges that lie ahead in Morocco.
Matthias Walkner
“Finally, after a three-month break, we’re ready to go racing again. It’s been a busy time in between the events as we spent around five weeks in America testing and training. That was really intense, but also very productive. I was really pleased with how I rode at the last round we raced in Russia and I’m hoping I can carry that form through to Morocco. My goal is to do my best as always, but hopefully enjoy a safe race. If all goes well, we should be close to the front at the end of the five days.”
2022 KTM 450 Rally
Showing impressive pace at the 2021 Dakar Rally and earning himself a third-place podium finish, Sam Sunderland came into the first round of this year’s world championship keen to maintain his momentum. Unfortunately, a crash on the final day in Kazakhstan resulted in the Brit being unable to continue. Now back on the bike and close to 100 percent, Sunderland hopes to use the Rallye du Maroc to build his speed while testing the new 2022 KTM 450 RALLY.
Sam Sunderland
“It’s been a little while since my last race, so I’m looking forward to Morocco. It’s always been an important race due to the type of terrain, and it also being quite close to Dakar on the calendar. I’m going to be riding the new bike, so I’m really keen to see how that performs under race conditions. Obviously, there are still some changes and adjustments to be made, and the boys have been doing a lot of hard work to get it ready. But there’s no test quite as good as the stresses of competition. Personally, I’m feeling good and pretty much back to full fitness after my little upside-downer in Kazakhstan, so I’m really excited to get back to it.”
2022 KTM 450 Rally
Making his competitive debut for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Kevin Benavides will be using the Rallye du Maroc to not only continue adapting to the KTM 450 RALLY, but also settle into the team in race conditions. The 2021 Dakar winner signed to KTM in April but was unable to attend the opening two rounds of the world championship due to injury. Now back to his best and keen to build his speed during the final two rounds of the championship, Benavides is fully focused on defending his Dakar title come January 2022.
Kevin Benavides
“For me, this is going to the first race with the KTM team, so of course I’m really excited, but also extra motivated to do well – I feel like a new rider and I’m really looking forward to getting started. At the beginning of the year, after signing with the team, the world championship was my main goal, but unfortunately after injury that was impossible. Now, looking ahead to this race and Abu Dhabi in November, these last two races of the year will be more about training and getting to grips with the new KTM. On the positive side, I don’t feel any pressure now, of course I want to do well and plan to focus on my navigation and rhythm, but it means I have time to properly settle into the team, get to know everyone, and enjoy these two events ahead of Dakar in January.”
2022 KTM 450 Rally
Covering six days of racing, round four of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship – the Rallye du Maroc – kicks off in Morocco from October 8-13.
2021 Australian Speedway Champs officially cancelled
Motorcycling Australia, in conjunction with the MA Track Commission and key stakeholders, have now advised the 2021 Australian Speedway Senior Solo, Australian U21’s and Australian U16’s 250cc Championships have been cancelled, along with postponing the 2022 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship.
Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship
With so much uncertainty around the State border restrictions, as well as lockdowns and the lack of availability of international flights and with a significant number of riders currently overseas a decision as early as possible as important.
Motorcycling Australia (MA) and the Australian Track Commission have been in consultation with riders and clubs and are now concentrating on delivering a successful condensed 2022 Championship calendar pending Government restrictions around Covid-19.
April 1–3 – Australian U16’s 125cc Individual & Teams Speedway Championships – Sidewinders SA
November 26 – Australian U16’s 250cc Speedway Championship – Gillman Speedway SA
November 26 – Australian U21’s Speedway Championship– Gillman Speedway SA
December 2-3 – Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship – TBA
Eli Tomac joins Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing for 2022
Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing will welcome Eli Tomac to the team for the 2022 Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season, joining the newly crowned 2021 Pro Motocross Champion Dylan Ferrandis, while Christian Craig will join the duo for the outdoor season stepping up to the Yamaha YZ450F.
Tomac brings with him a wealth of experience and is a proven championship contender. In addition to his three consecutive Pro Motocross 450MX titles from 2017-2019, he added the coveted 450SX Championship to his resume in 2020. The Coloradan has amassed an impressive number of victories and is the winningest rider currently active in both premier class championships.
Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing
“I’m really excited about this next chapter of my racing career with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team. With the recent success of the team, motorcycle, and crew members in place, I know we will be ready for the challenge of winning races. January can’t come soon enough!”
Eli Tomac joins Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing
The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team is fresh off of a great debut in the premier class. After a solid start in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship with all three riders earning their first 450SX podium and finishing comfortably inside the top-10 in the standings, the team had a stellar Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season.
In addition to Ferrandis securing the title a weekend early, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. earned Manufacturer of the Year honors, and the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing Team was named Team of the Year. The series also awarded Jeremy Coker Team Manager of the Year and the 450 Mechanic of the Year went to Ferrandis’ mechanic, Alex Campbell.
Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team Manager
“We’re really happy to have Eli on board next season. He is a proven championship contender and an incredible athlete. Together with Dylan and then Christian joining us for the outdoor season, we have a great line-up and look to be fighting up front for the number-one plate in both championships. This year was a great first year in the premier class for the team and an absolutely incredible Pro Motocross season. We look to build on that and are really excited for the 2022 season.”
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Husqvarna and Jason Anderson part ways after seven years
Husqvarna Motorcycles thanked Jason Anderson for his hard work, commitment, and racing achievements during the last seven years, as following a highly successful relationship with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, the American’s time with the team has now drawn to a close.
Jason Anderson – 2021 AMA SX Round 17 – Image by Jeff Kardas
Since joining Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in 2015 to compete on FC 450 machinery in the 450 class, Jason Anderson has entered each AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross season as a genuine title contender.
The highlight of Anderson’s time with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna came in 2018 when he was crowned 450SX champion. The victory marked the first 450 supercross title for Husqvarna Motorcycles with Jason’s performances and championship result also making a notable contribution to the brand’s international standing, as well as adding to their now 106 World Championship wins. During his time with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Jason won seven 450SX Main Events and claimed 27 podium finishes.
Jason Anderson – 2021 AMA SX Round 2 – Image by Jeff Kardas
Further success was achieved outdoors in the 450 Pro Motocross series, with Anderson claiming 16 overall podium results and a career-best championship finish of fourth in 2019. Outside of racing in America, Anderson won multiple Australian Supercross Championship races and represented Team USA at the FIM Motocross of Nations on two occasions.
Stephen Westfall – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager
“It’s been an honour to have worked with such a talented and committed racer like Jason. His dedication and talent, together with his willingness to always put the work in, ensured he was always the best rider he could be. It’s unfortunate that his time with the team coincides with him being injured as he was showing some great speed early on in the Pro Motocross season. On behalf of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, I wish Jason well and look forward to seeing him at the races in the future.”
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Monster Energy Kawasaki welcome Anderson to the team
Jason Anderson will join Adam Cianciarulo with the Monster Energy Kawasaki race team for 2022, alongside testing and development rider Broc Tickle.
Monster Energy Kawasaki to run Anderson and Cianciarulo in 2022
Anderson closed out his amateur racing career with Kawasaki Team Green, winning the AMA Horizon Award aboard a KX250 before moving on to become a 250 Supercross West Champion, now reunited with Kawasaki, Anderson is prepared to repeat his former success and fight for premier class supremacy in both the AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross Championships.
Jason Anderson – Monster Energy Kawasaki Race Team
“It’s great to join the Monster Energy Kawasaki race team for 2022. I’m ready to start working with the team to have a successful run right out of the gate when we go racing in January. The bike is proven, and the many accolades of the team speak volumes to what we can achieve together. I’m looking forward to the good times ahead.”
Meanwhile, Cianciarulo hopes to see his record-setting amateur years with the Kawasaki Team Green race team and success underneath the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team awning reach a culmination in 2022 with his goal of championship contention in the upcoming year of premier class racing.
Building from his AMA Pro Motocross Rookie of the Year honors that came along with second place in the 2020 450MX Pro Motocross standings, Cianciarulo led 51 laps during the 2021 season and secured three overall podiums. Cianciarulo now looks to capitalize on a full off-season of development with the team to claim the top step of the podium in 2022.
Adam Cianciarulo – Monster Energy Kawasaki Race Team
“I’m ready for the 2022 season. I’ve had a lot of great experiences in my first two seasons with the team. We have made major strides together and are positioned to perform at our very best in this upcoming year of racing. I look forward to continuing to improve and reaching our goals together.”
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2022 Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team roster breaks cover
With the 2022 racing season marking nearly three decades of success, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki race team has revealed five-rider lineup for the upcoming season. The team will field the established Austin Forkner, Cameron McAdoo, Jo Shimoda and 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Rookie of the Year, Seth Hammaker. Kawasaki also welcomes long-time Team Green amateur rising star Jett Reynolds to the fold as he graduates into the pro ranks.
Austin Forkner
As one of the most successful teams in the paddock, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki boasts an resume that includes the most combined supercross and motocross wins in the 250 class and 29 total championships.
Mitch Payton – Pro Circuit Owner
“We have a skilled group of riders on the team for the 2022 season. With seasoned riders like Austin, Cameron, and Jo returning, last year’s rookie sensation Seth ready to begin his sophomore season and Jett making his pro debut; we are in a good spot to compete for both 250 West and East Supercross titles. Everyone on the team including riders, staff and personnel, are preparing for the new season to begin and we expect to finish on top of the podium.”
Returning for a seventh season with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki squad in 2022 is Austin Forkner. The 12-time 250 Class race winner has high hopes to return to his winning ways this season after his promising 2021 supercross title campaign was cut short due to injury.
Cameron McAdoo
McAdoo is also back under the Kawasaki tent for the upcoming season. Coming off a career-best season in 2021 that saw McAdoo collect his first AMA 250 Supercross win, the Iowa native is keen on improving his third-place finish in the Supercross 250 West Championship point standings.
Back for his second year with the Kawasaki team is Shimoda. Building on a stand-out 2021 season, the Japanese-born rider secured a career-first 250SX Class win along with six podiums last season and appears ready to use his experience running up front to mount a championship fight.
Jo Shimoda
Entering his sophomore season, Hammaker returns to the Kawasaki squad with his first career 250SX Class win and three AMA Supercross podiums under his belt. Last year’s rookie stand out heads into the new season with expectations to battle for race wins and podiums.
Seth Hammaker
Making his professional debut with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team is Reynolds. Carrying nine AMA Amateur National titles and the 2017 Monster Energy Cup Supermini Class championship, Reynolds is set to make an immediate impact for the team in both series at the beginning of the 2022 season.
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Rallye du Maroc returns in 2021!
With the 2020 edition cancelled due to the global pandemic, it has been two years since the Rallye du Maroc has been held in the Kingdom of His Majesty Mohammed VI. From 7 to 13 October, housed in a bivouac outside Zagora, the race returns to the desert. Hand in hand, the Moroccan authorities, ODC Events and their local partners have put all their energy into making the running of the rally possible.
David Castera
“Each year, the Rallye du Maroc takes on ever more importance in the country. It is no longer simply a case of us organising an event on our own, with permission from the Moroccan authorities. The Rallye du Maroc is now the fruit of a common enterprise, the will and help of the authorities, partners such as Maroc Telecom, Afriquia or OCP, and the tourism industry, right down to the small businesses and service providers who are close to us on the ground, happy and proud to be working again. A strong relationship between us has been forged in this very special context. This edition will be one of resilience for us all.”
Rallye du Maroc 2019 – Toby Price
As a reward for the efforts made over the last few weeks by all involved in resurrecting the Rallye du Maroc, the number of entrants expected at administrative and technical scrutineering on Thursday 7 October will break all records. 160 bikes and 100 cars are expected to arrive at the bivouac in Zagora next week eclipsing previous figures.
All the official teams are present and 27 riders are registered in RallyGP, while there are no less than 99 in Rally2.
In RallyGP, we see the best drivers in the cross-country discipline. KTM’s Matthias Walkner leads the provisional classification of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and is joined in Morocco by the current FIM World Champion Sam Sunderland, Toby Price and Kevin Benavides.
Yamaha has entered Rally Kazakhstan winner Ross Branch, Adrien Van Beveren and Andrew Short.
Husqvarna, meanwhile, will run machines for Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes, while Daniel Sanders rides for Gas-Gas.
Honda will participate in its first rally of the season with Pablo Quintanilla, Ricky Brabec, Nacho Cornejo and Joan Barreda. Hero will also be present with Franco Caimi, Sebastian Bühler and Joachim Rodrigues, while Sherco lines up with Lorenzo Santolino, Rui Gonçalves and Harith Noah.
Two Juniors will also be in the starting blocks in RallyGP: Konrad Dabrowski (KTM) and Tomas de Gavardo (KTM).
Between the competitors, their entourage and the organisation, the 2021 Rallye du Maroc caravan will number 850 people, housed for almost ten days in the ephemeral bivouac of Zagora.
David Castera
“If I had asked for such a bivouac in France or anywhere else in the world, people would have thought I was insane,. The know-how of the nomads and their capacity to adapt is phenomenal. Nothing is impossible, the answer to every question is always ‘machi moushkil’, literally ‘no problem’. And they always manage to pull it off, sometimes really incredible feats. The Rallye du Maroc no longer simply bears the name of a country, but that of its people, who share with us the values of solidarity and pushing one’s limits that have always been intrinsic to rally-raid.”
2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship Standings
Pos
Rider
Man.
Points
1
Mathias Walkner
KTM
58
2
Gregorio Caselani
Honda
38
3
Skyler Howes
Husqvarna
36
4
Daniel Sanders
Gas Gas
33
5
Franco Caimi
Hero
32
6
Adrien Van Beveren
Yamaha
31
7
Ross Branch
Yamaha
25
8
Sebastian Bühler
Hero
24
9
Luciano Benavides
Husqvarna
24
10
Andrew Short
Yamaha
23
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Charlotte Half-Mile set for AFT finale
Following 15 fiercely fought Progressive American Flat Track rounds, the season-ending Honda Charlotte Half-Mile will determine the 2021 Grand National Championship under the lights at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, October 8.
Briar Bauman
As they arrive in Charlotte, North Carolina, reigning two-time Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) and living legend Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) are separated by just four points. That means both factory Indian stars are in position to secure the 2021 crown from the top step of the podium, simple as that.
It gets a bit more complicated should another rider play the spoiler and steal away the victory. Should that happen, Mees’ slight lead earned on the strength of an active four-race win streak provides him an advantage in that he could still take the title by finishing close behind Bauman on track.
Considering their combined ability, winning percentage, and motivation, it may seem unlikely that another rider is able to elbow ahead with so much on the line, but Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) managed to do just that (twice) in last year’s similarly tight DAYTONA finale.
Jared Mees
The scenario of a title-shifting upset just became that much more realistic with the news that Jeffrey Carver, Jr. (No. 23 Happy Trails Racing/DPC/KullyCo/Bigelow Indian FTR750) has been added to the entry list. As a reminder, in last year’s late-season battle in Charlotte, Bauman and Mees traded the lead back and forth until privateer Carver shot past them both en route to a huge win. A repeat effort could literally decide which bike the #1 plate is brandished upon in 2022.
The field is stocked with potential spoilers, including Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Coolbeth-Nila Racing Indian FTR750), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), Brandon Price (No. 92 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).
AFT Singles
The 2021 AFT Singles championship will be determined in Charlotte as well. While there doesn’t appear to be much room for drama as in the premier class, if second-ranked Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) manages to dethrone defending class champ Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), you can bet some serious drama went down.
Max Whale – 2021 AFT Sacramento Mile II
With 20 points and the tiebreaker working in his favor, Daniels merely needs to finish 13th or better in the Main even if Australian Whale wins. And if Whale doesn’t win, Daniels doesn’t need to do anything but collect his trophy.
Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Mission Roof Systems KTM 450 SX-F) is nearly as safe in third with Daniels’ teammate, Mikey Rush (No. 15 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), 18 points back in fourth.
Last year’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was a classic, with Daniels clinching the title thanks to a last-lap pass for victory over Mischler. Whale finished fourth, just 0.201 seconds back of the win, which sets the table nicely for another spectacular scrap on Friday night.
AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Last season, Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Roof Systems Yamaha MT-07) scored a holeshot-to-checkered flag win in Charlotte. The situation was considerably different, as Texter was desperate just to keep his slim 2020 AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines title hopes alive at the time.
Cory Texter – 2021 AFT Sacramento Mile I
Now he comes into the finale having already locked down a second-career AFT Production Twins championship. That said, Texter is a racer’s racer and one making up for lost time spent as a long-time journeyman pilot. He’s unlikely to lack for motivation even with the title already taken care of.
Meanwhile, AFT Production Twins championship runner-up honors are still up for grabs with Chad Cose (No. 49 Voodoo Ranger/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) nine points up on Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) with one race to go.
The evening also presents one final chance for the likes of Ben Lowe (No. 25 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Jesse Janisch (No. 96 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) to get a win before the year is out.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Charlotte Half-Mile will also feature the season finale of Royal Enfield’s hugely popular BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. program and the penultimate round of the innovative Super Hooligan National Championship. BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. showcases the talent, versatility, competitiveness, and enthusiasm of female motorcyclists in its own action-packed style, while the outlaw-minded Super Hooligan series features customized heavy street bikes competing at a road race circuit, a Short Track, a Half-Mile and an asphalt oval to determine the nation’s most all-around skill heavy street bike racer.
The Honda Charlotte HM will also feature all the pomp and circumstance befitting a season finale off the track as well. NASCAR superstar Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will serve as the evening’s Grand Marshal ahead of the weekend’s NASCAR doubleheader at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Al-Balooshi wins 2021 Qatar International Baja
The UAE’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi sealed outright victory in the motorcycle category of the Qatar International Baja after the third desert selective section that was held in punishing heat on Saturday.
Mohammed Al-Balooshi
MX Ride Dubai’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi delivered a polished performance over the closing 249.68km selective section that started at Al-Kharsaah and included a tricky final passage through the sand dunes near the Inland Sea, south of Doha, where temperatures rose into the low forties Centigrade.
He completed the gruelling stage in just under nine minutes shy of five hours to seal a 10min 57sec victory over British youngster Robert Wallace in the motorcycle section. The latter’s consolation was sealing top spot in the FIM Juniors category.
Mohammed Al-Balooshi
“It was a very tough two stages but I am happy that we managed to bring the bike home and win this round of the FIM Bajas World Cup and extend our championship lead. I am a little bit disappointed that Abdullah Abuaisheh could not start because it is good to have your main rival competing. I thank him for letting me use his front wheel. I damaged mine. Now I will go to Portugal for the last round, which is double points. I started off with third in Dubai, a win in Jordan and a win here. But I have a torn ligament in my shoulder. I was nursing it home and managed to win. I probably only rode at 60 or 70%.”
The UK’s Andrew Newland rounded off the podium places and Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Shatti overcame a fall to finish fourth. Richard Dors and Makis Rees-Stavros rode strongly on the final day to snatch fifth and sixth.
Unfortunately, x-rays confirmed Martin Chalmers’s worst fears and the Qatar-based Australian was forced to withdraw from the motorcycle event with two broken ankle bones and ligament damage. It was testament to his determination that he had completed the second stage in first position and managed to put his bike into Parc Ferme to restart, albeit with eight minutes of penalties later added to his time.
Round Seven of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship took place over the weekend, as riders duked it out at the 24MX Hixpania Hard Enduro, with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team going 1-2. Alfredo Gomez took the win and Billy Bolt extended his championship lead on Sunday, while KTM’s Manuel Lettenbichler completed the podium.
Alfredo Gomez wins the 2021 Hixpania Hard Enduro from teammate Billy Bolt and KTM’s Manuel Lettenbichler
Always a threat on home soil, Gomez came on form at just the right moment to secure a memorable win in the deciding Sunday ‘The Lost Way’ race. After Bolt topped proceedings on Friday and Saturday, many thought the British rider would keep that momentum rolling through Sunday, but hopes of a clean sweep failed to materialise.
Bolt won Saturday’s Campoo X-Treme multi-lap cross-country, which totalled three laps of a massive 54-kilometre course, with just 15 minutes to rest and make repairs in between each lap, ensuring the racing was intense, and exhausting.
Campoo X-Treme Qualifying Video:
With the Friday endurocross results deciding the start positions for the Campoo X-Treme, Bolt made the very best use of his pole to take the holeshot. Despite momentarily falling behind main championship rival Red Bull KTM’s Manuel Lettenbichler, the Husqvarna rider took the win by just eight seconds. Third place went to Jonny Walker, just over 12 minutes down on the Bolt.
Sunday would see the top-10 qualifiers facing a Le Mans style start where they have to run into the famous Hixpania cave, before firing their bikes into life and heading off.
Alfredo Gomez – 2021 Hixpania Hard Enduro
In total 50 qualified riders faced the tough battle of a three-hour The Lost Way race, and Gomez was up for the fight. Fast and clinical around the intense five-kilometre course, Gomez barely put a wheel out of place as he found his flow on the technical rocky climbs and steep quarry walls.
Despite a late push from Bolt, Gomez had enough in hand entering the final extreme loop. Mastering the last climb, the Spaniard crossed the finish line as the well-deserved winner.
In comparison for Bolt, The Lost Way was filled with ups and downs. Although making good the Le Mans start, he failed to hit the rhythm he’d shown during the previous two days. Working his way up the leaderboard, he began to come on strong as the race entered the second half.
Billy Bolt – 2021 Hixpania Hard Enduro
But with Gomez comfortably out front, it was a gap he couldn’t close. In the fight for this year’s championship honours, in finishing as runner-up, Billy extends his lead over closest rival Lettenbichler, by two points, making it three in total.
Sitting second behind Gomez after the opening lap, Lettenbichler was in a strong position to take back the championship lead. However, Bolt was closing in and pretty soon the duo were locked in a battle for second.
Not quite able to keep Bolt at bay, Lettenbichler slipped behind him, and as Bolt upped his pace in the closing laps, he had to settled for third.
Manuel Lettenbichler – 2021 Hixpania Hard Enduro
Behind the top three, the race was filled with plenty of drama as the overnight rain made an already tough course even harder. Sherco Factory Racing’s Mario Roman fought his way through for fourth.
Entering round seven third in points, Wade Young (Sherco) lost ground to Bolt and Lettenbichler with fifth in Spain. Putting in a strong performance, GASGAS Factory Racing’s Michael Walkner was sixth, while Britain’s Jonathan Richardson (Husqvarna) impressed, coming home seventh.
The 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship concludes with the eighth and final round of the season at Germany’s GetzenRodeo on October 30.
The 2021 Hixpania Hard Enduro was the penultimate round of the season
Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) – P1
“I’m so happy to take the win here in 24MX Hixpania Hard Enduro, it’s definitely been a tough race, but it feels so good to do it in front of the Spanish fans. I saved some energy for today and it has certainly paid off. I took the lead on lap one and just felt good straight away. I managed to focus on myself and not make too many mistakes. It felt awesome to cross the finish line as the winner!”
Alfredo Gomez – 2021 Hixpania Hard Enduro
Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) – P2
“On the first two laps today I struggled a lot to be honest. I found it hard to find my rhythm and ended up making too many mistakes, losing energy and time. At the refuelling I made a few adjustments to the bike and then the second half of the race went much better. I made a bit of a gap on Mani and even started to claw back some time on Alfredo ahead, but it was too little, too late. Full credit to Alfredo today, he was in a different league.”
Billy Bolt – 2021 Hixpania Hard Enduro
Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) – P3
“We were a little worried this morning coming into the main race because of all the rain we had overnight, but it’s turned out ok and the traffic wasn’t too bad out there. I wasn’t feeling 100 percent last week and I think my fitness definitely suffered today. Despite that, I think I rode a good race and I’m happy to finish on the podium again. The guys ahead were riding really well, and with today’s result it means I’m three points behind Billy going into my home race at GetzenRodeo, so there is everything still to play for. I’m really excited for that one, and I’ll give it my best as always.”
The ProMX Management Team has advised that all Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores events continue to remain on hold due to the current national landscape around COVID-19 State Border Restrictions.
With all remaining championship events postponed, a final decision on the status of running the remainder of the championship rounds will be announced no later than 15th October 2021.
2021 Australian ProMX
ProMX is continuing to examine the environment around COVID-19 State Border Restrictions, relying on information from state governments on plans to reopen borders.
Planning for the 2022 ProMX Championship is also underway, with an aim to begin in March 2022 with eight Championship events. Further updates and information will be provided in the coming weeks and months.
ProMX Management is also monitoring the changing landscape of potential vaccine passports which may be required by State and Federal governments for future air travel, entry to venues, and as a condition of inclusion in some situations. Some sporting venues in Australia have already made announcements where proof of double vaccination will be required for entry, whilst other are considering their position on this topic.
ProMX respects the choice of individuals when it comes to the topic of COVID-19 vaccination. However, it is highly likely that proof of vaccination or vaccination passport may be required for entry into some states and venues moving forward. ProMX Management provides this as information only.
2021 Penrite ProMX Championship Calendar
Round
Date
Location
Status
Round 5
TBA
Wodonga, VIC
Postponed
Round 6
TBA
QMP, QLD
Postponed
Round 7 & 8
TBA
Coolum, QLD
Postponed
Round 9 & 10
TBA
Gillman, SA
Postponed
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2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Calendar
The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship is set to expand to nine rounds for 2022. Build on what’s been a successful inaugural season of racing for the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, the series will provisionally expand to nine rounds for 2022, while introducing a host of new events to the calendar.
Further strengthening its grip as a truly international offroad motorcycling world championship, the series will see races in Israel, Serbia and Canada added to an already bustling schedule.
An early start at the beginning of April will see the 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship season commence in Israel. Venturing to Asia for the Minus 400, the best Hard Enduro riders in the world will showcase their talents in front of enduro fans in the Middle East.
Returning to Europe for round two, Xross is a Hard Enduro Rallye in the Serbian mountains of Zlatibor, Tara and Mokra Gora. A long-established event, Xross has been running since 2014 and prides itself on featuring some of the most remote and technical Hard Enduro terrain in the southeast of Europe.
Erzbergrodeo
The return of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in Austria for 2022 is sure to set fans and competitors hearts racing. On hold for the past two years due to the Covid pandemic, everyone is waiting for the Iron Giant to roar back into life in spectacular fashion next June.
Following its successful debut this year, the Abestone Hard Enduro returns to the championship for 2022. The distinct Tuscany venue has already become a much talked about race. Busily preparing trails for 2022, organiser Michele Bosi is eager to deliver something special next year.
Synonymous with Hard Enduro, it would be impossible not to feature the iconic Red Bull Romaniacs in the 2022 schedule. Now a mecca for Hard Enduro competitors from across the world, organisers are currently working on the 19th edition of this world famous Hard Enduro Rallye.
Red Bull Romaniacs
From Romania, the series will take a trip across the Atlantic to North America for a double header in the USA and Canada. Kicking things off for round six will be Red Bull TKO in Tennessee. The venue produced some spectacular racing and many memorable battles this year and will be eagerly anticipated next August.
Two weeks later, the championship heads north to Canada for the already established Red Bull Outliers in the Badlands of Alberta. The feature race is a multi-lap extreme cross-country event across a rugged wasteland with plenty of near-vertical climbs.
2021 Red Bull TKO Hard Enduro
HERO Challenge will play host to the penultimate round in mid-September. A welcomed addition to the 2021 series, its format twist of motocross, superenduro and hard enduro elements pushed competitors to their physical limits. Now, with 12 months to prepare for the next edition, expect organisers to raise the bar even higher.
Seven months after round one in Israel, the championship will draw to an exciting conclusion at Spain’s Hixpania Hard Enduro in Aguilar de Campoo, as a spectacular end to the 2022 season is guaranteed.
Winfried Kerschhaggl – FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Manager
“It’s great to already have the 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship provisionally in place. I would like to thank all event organizers for their commitment to the championship, and for the energy they have. Being so early with this provisional calendar gives everyone the advantage of being able to market each particular event professionally, as well as giving competitors an early look at the exciting championship we have. Pushing so hard in 2021 earned us a lot of interest from fans, media and potential event organizers all around the world. With Israel, Serbia and Canada added to an already diverse calendar we aim to strengthen our grip as a true offroad motorcycling World Championship.”
2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Provisional Schedule
Round 1: Minus 400 – Israel, April 5/6/7
Round 2: Xross – Serbia, May 19/20/21
Round 3: Red Bull Erzbergrodeo – Austria, June 16/17/18/19
Round 4: Abestone Hard Enduro – Italy, July 8/9/10
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs – Romania, July 26/27/28/29/30
Round 6: Red Bull TKO – USA, August (date TBC)
Round 7: Red Bull Outliers – Canada, August (TBC, two weeks after TKO)
Round 8: HERO Challenge – Poland, September 10/11 (location TBC)
Round 9: Hixpania Hard Enduro – Spain, October 7/8/9
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HRC Manager Erik Kehoe retires
Just over a week after Jett Lawrence wrapped up the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross 250MX Championship, Erik Kehoe announced that he will step down from the position of Manager of Team Honda HRC, the manufacturer’s U.S. factory motocross/supercross squad.
Kehoe was a Honda-backed professional racer in the late ’80s and early ’90s before managing the Honda of Troy/Yamaha of Troy race program for seven seasons. He served an earlier stint managing the factory team from the 2002 season through 2012. During Kehoe’s management tenures, Team Honda HRC earned five AMA Pro Motocross National Championships and two AMA Supercross Championships.
Erik Kehoe
“This decision to retire was very difficult, but at the same time, I know it’s time to slow down my pace. I would like to thank American Honda, and [Manager of Sports & Experiential] Brandon Wilson in particular, for giving me the chance to return to the team this last time. I really wanted to help get Honda some positive momentum in supercross and motocross, and this past season, I think the team has enjoyed many successes. I’ve truly enjoyed my time here, but it’s time to focus on some personal projects that I’ve been putting off for some time.”
Takahisa Fujinami retires from Trial World Championship in Portugal
After 26 seasons in the Trial World Championship, a record number of participations, 168 podiums, 34 victories, 7 runner-up finishes and one world championship title, Repsol Honda Team rider Takahisa Fujinami (Mie, Japan, 13/01/1980) will bring his career to a close this coming Saturday in Portugal.
Takahisa Fujinami
Since his debut in Navacerrada, Spain in 1996 at the age of 16, he has spent over a quarter of a century fully dedicated to trial competition, collecting several key achievements along the way including the world championship title sealed in 2004.
In addition, the Japanese rider has also broken several records in the specialty, such as the youngest rider to win a world championship event (Talheim, 1997) at the age of 17, as well as the record for the most elderly rider, attained earlier in 2021 with a win in Italy aged 41. Indeed, this kind of longevity has led him to become the rider with the highest number of participations in elite competition, with a tally of 355, including this Saturday’s event in Gouveia.
With 34 victories – always with Montesa-Honda – Takahisa Fujinami is the rider with the fifth highest number of triumphs in world championship trials and is fourth in terms of number of podiums, surpassed only by Adam Raga, Toni Bou and Dougie Lampkin. He has also finished in the world championship top five over 20 consecutive seasons.
Fujigas’ has also been world championship runner-up on seven occasions. The number rises further with the indoor competition tally: one runner-up, one victory and 36 podiums out of 139 trials. In Japan, he also won five national titles between 1995 and 2001. Finally, he took part in 15 Trial du Nations events representing the Japanese team, contributing to five runner-up finishes.
Takahisa Fujinami
“I firmly believe that the time has come to close the curtain on my career as a world trial championship rider after 26 years in the competition. Thanks to everyone’s support, over this period, I have been able to make trial my profession and perform at a more than satisfactory level for over a quarter of a century. Thank you very much. They have been 26 great years. And I have to also thank my family, who supported me from the first moment, my team-mates, the brand, the sponsors and also the fans who have cheered me on throughout. I would like to greet each of my fans one by one, and I hope to do it someday, to thank them for the enormous support they have given throughout this time. Honda Racing and Montesa-Honda gave me a bike to participate in the world championship when I was 16 years old and, since then, I am proud to have battled with this team right through to the very end.
Takahisa Fujinami
“I still remember the shouts and applause of support at my debut in Japan and also in Spain: ‘Fujigas’ was born there! The first victory in Germany, the tough, complicated years, but also the joy of the world title in 2004. It’s a long time ago, but it’s my particular treasure… I would also like to particularly remember the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, which started in 2000 and has always had such an enthusiastic crowd. Thank you again. As for what I will do from now on… I don’t really know yet. I haven’t made up my mind yet what I will do after retiring from competition, but I hope to stay involved in trials in some way. I’m confident that everything will go well in my new life.”
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Toni Bou wins a 29th Trial World Championship title in Portugal
Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou has been proclaimed the 2021 TrialGP World Champion, also winning the day’s trial in Portugal – taking his GP palmares to 125 triumphs and 15 consecutive TrialGP titles, plus 14 indoor – 29 championship wins for the greatest rider of all time.
Toni Bou
The Repsol Honda Team ace set the benchmark from the start in a trial filled with natural yet demanding sections, where the first 12 sections had been made quite slippery by the water which flows through the Portuguese town of Gouveia. Bou made it through to the end of the trial with sufficient advantage to claim a 125th victory in the Trial World Championship for the Montesa Cota 4RT rider. This season saw him victorious in seven 2021 Trial World Championship events to clinch the top TrialGP World Championship honours for a 15th time in a row.
Today was also a very special event for Japanese Repsol Honda Team rider Takahisa Fujinami who brings to an end his career in the Trial World Championship. Fujinami rode a trial that went from strength to strength, improving considerably on the second lap before eventually posting seventh place on the day. “Fujigas” thus wraps up the world championship in sixth place overall.
With this final trial in Portugal, Repsol Honda Team bids farewell to this year’s TrialGP campaign. The next appointment for Toni Bou will be tomorrow, held in the same Portuguese town, where the champion will represent the Spanish national team in the Trial des Nations event.
Toni Bou – P1
“This year has been very special for me because at the beginning things were very complicated with the injury just a month before the start of the championship. In the end there will come a year when I will not be able to win – I’ve won for 15 consecutive years – but the fact that I got injured just before the start of the world championship made it special and I didn’t want to lose a championship in this way. Once again we battled 100%, I tried to get into shape as the championship progressed and the fact that I had a very good work rate before I got injured also helped me to recover faster. I am very happy to be able to win another world championship. Once again, many thanks to the whole team. Today was also a very special day for everyone as it was Fujinami’s last trial. It is very difficult to think of Team HRC without him. I wish him all the best for the future.”
Toni Bou and Takahisa Fujinami celebrate
Takahisa Fujinami – P7
“First of all, I want to thank Honda, HRC and the whole Montesa team, including mechanics, minders and all the people who have helped me over these 26 years. Without all of them I could not have been in the world championship for 26 years. Today I wanted to get a good result, in the end I finished seventh, but I’m still happy with the way I rode today. I battled until the end. Today I close this stage, but I am sure that the future will be promising. Today was a really special day, thanks to the whole trial family, all the brands and all the people who were in Portugal today. I am very proud to have shared this day with all of them.”
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GasGas’s Laia Sanzs wraps up 2021 TrialGP Women title
After eight years away from the Trial World Championship, Laia Sanz has returned to the top of the podium once again, winning the final round of the 2021 season on her GASGAS TXT GP 300 to become TrialGP Women World Champion for an incredible 14th time.
Laia Sanz
“It’s been an incredible day, to win is amazing. It wasn’t the hardest trial of the championship, but the hard thing for me was to stay 100% focused, so mentally it wasn’t easy at all. Coming back to TrialGP after so many years away, to return and finally be successful and win another world title, it’s amazing. Apart from section three on the first lap, I think I had one of my best days of the championship today. It’s not been an easy year for me, so I am proud that I have been able to do what I hoped I would. Also, I want to thank the team and GASGAS, they have been so, so good to me. It’s the result that we all worked really hard for.”
Laia Sanz
Proving once again that she’s unquestionably the queen of trial, Laia Sanz did exactly what she needed to do at the all-important final round of the 2021 TrialGP World Championship, winning the day and claiming an incredible 14th trial title.
Coming into the Portuguese event one point behind her closest championship rival Emma Bristow, Laia set her sights on winning from the moment she entered the day’s opening section.
Knowing that there was no room for error, she completed the opening lap having lost just four marks. In doing so she put one hand on the women’s title. Holding her nerve, her best was yet to come as she dropped just two marks on the second lap and delivered her best ride of the season, when it mattered most.
Laia Sanz
Securing her third win of the championship, in never finishing lower than second this season Laia’s composure and consistency ultimately ensured she won her 14th trial world title.
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