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Moto News | Aussies to manage World SX Champs | AORC 2022 Calendar

Australia’s SX Global to manage World SX Championship in 2022

Australian company SX Global has been announced as the manager and promoter of the FIM Supercross World Championship, which will kick off next year, in a contract set to cover the next 10-years. This marks the first time an FIM World Championship will be conducted by an Australian-based company.

SX Global to manage World SX Championship in 2022 and onwards

Jorge Viegas – FIM President

“After a strong and fruitful relationship over the last two decades between FIM, Feld Entertainment and AMA, it is now time to start a new journey to ensure a bright future for Supercross. In order to support the growth and commercial viability of the series, the FIM believes that SX Global has the expertise and the ability to deliver a first class FIM Supercross World Championship. The new series will offer exciting races thanks to the passion and extended experience of the SX Global team, with a plan that will gradually expand the Championship to new countries and territories across the world.”

The highly successful AUS-X Open in Melbourne in 2019
The highly successful AUS-X Open in Melbourne in 2019

SX Global brings together the creators of the former AUS-X Open Supercross Adam Bailey and Ryan Sanderson, alongside Tony Cochrane, the founding chairman and driving force behind the creation, development and growth of the V8 Supercars Championship in Australia. Adam and Ryan share deep experience in Supercross, having created and hosted a number of highly successful FIM Oceania Championship events since 2015.

Tony Cochrane – President SX Global

“It’s been a tremendous journey over the past five months to bring our team together with some of the most experienced people in all facets of motorsports now coordinating a sharp focus on Supercross and its global expansion. We would very much like to thank the FIM for their strong support of our vision and plan and in particular its President, Jorge Viegas, who has shown great leadership in working to bring this together in such a short timeframe. Fans have been demanding world class Supercross in so many countries – it’s a special day for all of those fans and at the end of the day, fans are our No. 1 consideration.”

Left to Right: Adam Bailey, Ryan Sanderson and Tony Cochrane
Left to Right: Adam Bailey, Ryan Sanderson and Tony Cochrane

Adam Bailey – Managing Director – Motorsport

“Supercross’s popularity and growth globally has surged in recent years, so it’s fitting we can now take the sport to the world stage. We intend to uncover new Supercross champions from all corners of the globe while celebrating and elevating current riders to be true international stars. We’ll showcase their incredible athletic ability and fearlessness to the world. We look forward to working collaboratively with the entire motorcycling industry to showcase Supercross to the world.”

Ryan Sanderson – Managing Director – Commercial

“The best part of Supercross is it appeals to all ages; it’s going to be special for fans to see the world’s best riders competing for ultimate glory. While we want the series to be a level above in terms of what’s happening on track, equally fan experience will be front and centre in our decision making to ensure we create memorable moments for both fans and viewers at each event. Supercross’ offering is unique as a dynamic sport delivered in a family friendly environment combining live action and entertainment. SX Global is going to bring you the best stadiums in the world, highest level of production, pyrotechnics, music, and excitement. We can’t wait!”

Complementing this highly experienced team will be one of the world’s leading financial powerhouses with an established track record of investment in global sport properties, to be announced when SX Global officially unveils its plans for the 2022 FIM Supercross World Championship along with confirmation of new partnerships early in the new year.

The AUS-X Open in 2017 at a sold out Sydney Olympic Park arena
The AUS-X Open in 2017 at a sold out Sydney Olympic Park arena

With a wealth of global motorsports experience, SX Global is an exciting organization to truly take world Supercross to new heights on behalf of the FIM. Utilizing this experience, the new entity SX Global is now preparing to bring Supercross to a world class global level as the promoter of the FIM Supercross World Championship and reach out to the millions of supercross fans around the globe.

Further details on both the FIM Supercross World Championship and SX Global will be announced in January 2022.

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AORC 2022 Calendar breaks cover – 12 rounds, four states

The 2022 AORC calendar will see the teams and riders compete in four states across the 12 rounds with some new locations, past events returning and favourites back in business. The 2022 championship will test each rider from junior riders right through to the world’s best who compete in the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, presented by MXstore.

AORC 2022 will head to Tasmania

The popular double-header format returns with Rounds 1 & 2 kickstarting the year in Queensland at a soon to be announced venue on March 12-13.

Rounds 3 & 4 are again in Queensland, this time in Mackay, around 1000 km north of Brisbane. This event will be held April 8-9 and will see the Penrite ProMX Championship Presented By AMX Superstores series alongside the AORC in what will be a fantatic showcase of the best in Australian off-road racing.

Rounds 5 & 6 takes the championship south to perennial favourite Kyogle, NSW in the picturesque surrounds of the Northern Rivers region, around an hour inland from Byron Bay.

After a few attempts that were cruelled by external issues, the Nowra, NSW locale will host Round 7 & 8. The south Coast region is a perfect setting for the AORC, some hour south of Wollongong and a couple of hours south of Sydney.

AORC Rnd Dungog Daniel Milner
Daniel Milner

For Rounds 9 & 10 the Championship heads (slightly) west to Kingston, SA for the first time since 2018. Kingston SE is a coastal town located in the state’s south-east coastline on the shores of Lacepede Bay, some 240 kms southeast of Adelaide.

The finale of the of 2022 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, presented by MXstore Rounds 11 & 12 will see the teams load their trucks onto the Spirit of Tasmania as we head south to Tasmania for the first time in the Championship’s history. This landmark event will be based out of Wynyard on the state’s North West coast, just an hour west of the ferry terminal in Devonport.

Motorcycling Australia CEO – Peter Doyle

“The AORC management team have worked hard to ensure the Championship can come roaring back into action for 2022. We believe this well-rounded and diverse calendar offers sensational racing at venues riders have been to before as well as providing some new challenges. With strong backing from terrific event partners and Championship sponsors, large turnouts expected and our host clubs ready to do make it all happen; we know riders can’t wait to get stuck into the full 2022 Championship year.”

AORC Josh Green Cover
Josh Green

2022 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship,
presented by MXstore Calendar

Round Round Date
Round 1 & 2 TBC, QLD 12-13 March, 2022
Round 3 & 4 Mackay, QLD 8 – 9 April, 2022
Round 5 & 6 Kyogle, NSW 16 – 17 July, 2022
Round 7 & 8 Nowra, NSW 6 – 7 August, 2022
Round 9 & 10 Kingston SE, SA 17 – 18 Sept, 2022
Round 11 & 12 Wynyard, TAS 8 – 9 Oct, 2022 
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MotoX Skins event to headline Australian MX Invitational in Nowra

MAP Event Group have revealed that the Australian Motocross Invitational & Monster Truck Madness events will take place at Nowra Speedway on Saturday the 19th & Sunday the 20th of February 2022.

Australian MX Invitational heads to Nowra in 2022
Australian MX Invitational heads to Nowra in 2022

Headlining the Saturday (5pm-8pm) line up will be the first ever $20,000 MotoX Skins – Invitation only Pro Motocross event presented by Motorex, Maxxis and Shannons Insurance. 4000 tonnes of dirt will be moved into the Nowra Speedway and a purpose built Motocross track will be shaped to create a great spectacle.

MotoX Skins will feature 15 MX1,15 MX2 & 10 MX3 riders competing in a unique short course round robin race format. The top five riders will advance to the final shootout. With $20,000 cash is up for grabs, the higher you finish the more cash you earn!

Current Australian Champion Luke Clout (CDR Monster Energy Yamaha) was the first to receive an invitation and jumped at the opportunity to compete in front of the 4000 fans expected.

Luke Clout – CDR Monster Energy Yamaha

“The timing for MotoX Skins is great, It allows us valuable competition seat time prior to the ProMX Championships. Having the opportunity to race in front of solid crowds with an exciting race format will be fun. CDR Monster Energy Yamaha will be bringing our full factory set up, we look forward to meeting the fans and gaining great exposure for our sponsors.”

Luke Clout - CDR Monster Energy Yamaha
Luke Clout – CDR Monster Energy Yamaha

It’s not just the best Motocross riders competing on Saturday, Monster Truck Madness featuring 1500hp Tropical Thunder Monster Truck is ready to destroy everything in its path, additional entertainment will also feature in the Saturday twilight program.

Sunday 20th February (12pm-3pm) MotoX Future Stars will hit the short course Motocross Track featuring Australia’s best juniors, women’s & amateurs in a variety of classes.

Sundays program will feature Monster Truck Madness and with a crowd favourite Demolition Derby to finish the program. Additional entertainment will soon be announced including some very special guests making this one weekend of motorsport you do not want to miss.

Trade displays, Industry activations, rider signings and much more will be on hand.

The Australian Motocross Invitational & Monster Truck Madness was confirmed following the cancellation of the 2021 Australian Supercross Championship and made possible with the support of the NSW Regional Accelerated Events Fund designed to stimulate events back into regional towns.

Mark Petersen – MAP Events Group

“The Shoalhaven has been heavily effected over the past two years, Fires, Floods & Covid travel restrictions have not made it easy for a region that relies heavily on tourism. This event will be a great way to kick off 2022 in the Shoalhaven.”

Limited tickets are being made available for the events and are expected to sell out. Single and Two Day Tickets go on sale Thursday 16th December via MAPevents.com.au or Trybooking.com with tickets starting from $20.00. ($100 for a family of four). A full line up of support classes and additional entertainment will be released in coming weeks.

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Benavides and Howes ready for Husqvarna Dakar efforts

With just over two weeks to go before the biggest rally event of the year, Husqvarna Factory Racing are all set to take on the iconic event, held in Saudi Arabia for the third successive year. Armed with the latest edition of the Husqvarna FR 450 Rally, Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes hope to start their 2022 seasons strongly with top results at the Dakar Rally.

Husqvarna’s Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes

Crashing out of the 2021 Dakar on stage nine, Luciano Benavides was forced to spend the start of his 2021 season recovering from an injury to his shoulder. Determined to get back on the bike and back racing as soon as possible, the young Argentinian returned to competition at the first round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship in Kazakhstan, where he claimed an impressive sixth place overall.

Luciano Benavides
Luciano Benavides

A solid seventh-place result at the Silk Way Rally further increased Benavides’ confidence and he was able to carry that momentum into the Rallye du Maroc where his consistency enabled him to secure another top-six finish. Now, heading into the 2022 Dakar, Luciano is back to full fitness and feels more motivated than ever to secure his best result at the legendary event.

Luciano Benavides

“2021 has been a long, tough year for me. It started well with the Dakar where I had good speed, but then my crash forced me out of the event. It took a lot of rest and training to get my shoulder up to strength, but thankfully I was able to get back on the bike quite early on and begin to build my pace again. The first couple of world championship rounds went ok at Kazakhstan and Silk Way, I was able to slowly build my confidence, but I knew I was a little bit off the pace. We spent a lot of time in the middle of the year developing the new bike and then when we rode it in Morocco it was definitely a big step forward for me. Not only did the bike perform really well, but it also helped me and my confidence – I felt comfortable straight away and from that the speed came more easily. The team have done an incredible job – many hours working and testing and I’m pleased with the result. Now, looking ahead to the next Dakar I’m happy with where I am both mentally and physically, and with my speed. The bike and the team are working really good right now, so I believe we have an excellent package for Dakar and will be able to fight for strong results. For sure, it’s going to be tough as always, but this will be my fifth Dakar and I think I’m better prepared than ever.”

Luciano Benavides

Signing for the Husqvarna factory in April, Skyler Howes competed in his first international event for the team just over one month later at Rally Kazakhstan. The likeable American immediately impressed, converting his speed and enthusiasm into two stage wins.

Skyler Howes
Skyler Howes

Gelling well with the team and with the bike, Howes continued to deliver strong performances for the rest of the world championship season, mixing it with the more established racers while also gaining valuable experience along the way. Securing fifth place and finishing as the top privateer at the 2021 Dakar, Skyler is now looking forward to competing at the event for the first time as a fully supported factory rider and will be hoping to make the best use of his excellent navigational skills on the technical terrain while fighting for a top result.

Skyler Howes

“The year has gone really well for me – it’s been my first season as a factory racer and that has made a huge difference, it’s been great to just focus on my racing, which I feel is reflected in my results. Going into the Dakar in January, I’m definitely more prepared than I ever have been, but at the same time my goals remain the same – give it my all, stay safe, but try to come out the other side with the very best result possible. The Dakar is tough, and you can pretty much guarantee you’re going to have difficult days. The key is to keep looking forward and focus on that final result – that’s what keeps me going and keeps me motivated. The new bike we have been developing throughout the year has been another massive improvement for me. In years past, I’ve just turned up at the Dakar and often ridden a bike for the first time at that event. Now, I’ve been given the chance to not only spend a lot more time on that bike, but also have a massive input into its development. That’s had the effect that I feel really at home on the new FR 450 Rally and I’m looking forward to taking it to Dakar. At the end of the day, I’ll be happy if I give it my all and have fun, hopefully the final result will reflect that too.”

Skyler Howes
Skyler Howes

Marking the first round of the 2022 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship and awarding extra points due to its classification as an FIM Marathon Rally, the 44th edition of the Dakar is building up to be more important than ever.

Covering 12 stages from January 1 to January 14, and totalling close to 8,000 kilometres, the race promises to provide the ultimate test of endurance, speed, and navigation as it travels through the Saudi desert.

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KTM Racing Team to run Gibbs and Crawford in 2022

KTM Racing Team will feature two riders in its enhanced motocross program for the 2022 season, signing a new rider line-up of former national champion Kirk Gibbs alongside Nathan Crawford.

Kirk Gibbs and Nathan Crawford - KTM Racing Team 2022
Kirk Gibbs and Nathan Crawford – KTM Racing Team 2022

Making a welcome return to KTM, Gibbs will compete aboard the race-proven KTM 450 SX-F next year, Ready To Race and motivated to challenge for another championship after the 32-year-old displayed race-winning form in 2021 on his way to fourth in the ProMX standings.

Previously experiencing significant success together, KTM and Gibbs captured the Australian MX1 championship in 2015 and the Queensland-based fan favourite is also a two-time New Zealand motocross champion in the premier class.

Kirk Gibbs

“I’m really, really excited to rejoin KTM for the 2022 season. We had a lot of great success for the six years that I was there between 2013 and 2018, I really enjoyed all of the people there and working with everyone in what was a really good atmosphere. Rejoining the KTM Racing Team is perfect for me, I feel right at home and I know the 450 SX-F really well, so we have big goals as we head into next season. I feel like I was ticking some boxes this year and we were making progress, but I think with the right support and a few little pieces that being with KTM brings, I’m confident that we can have a really successful season together.”

Kirk Gibbs - KTM Racing Team 2022
Kirk Gibbs – KTM Racing Team 2022

Crawford is a seasoned MX2 contender with grand prix experience and will join the orange ranks onboard a KTM 250 SX-F from the 2022 season. At 24 years of age, he is looking to return to winning ways when the gates drop after an encouraging end to this year’s shortened campaign where he earned P5 overall.

Nathan Crawford

“For me it’s a massive change and it has been super-refreshing. I spent a lot of time with KTM Group support earlier in my career and I’m excited to now be joining the KTM Racing Team for 2022 – I’ve always wanted to be on a KTM! Everyone I’ve dealt with so far has been unreal and I’ve completed my first laps on the bike now, which was a really positive experience already. It wasn’t something that took time to get used to, the 250 SX-F is unreal and I was comfortable straight away. I can’t wait for the new year to come to start getting into testing and spending some more time with the team as we get everything rolling.”

Nathan Crawford - KTM Racing Team 2022
Nathan Crawford – KTM Racing Team 2022

Kyle Blunden – KTM Group Australia Motorsport Manager

“We are delighted to announce the KTM Racing Team motocross line-up for 2022 and have a duo of exceptionally talented riders with a wealth of experience under their belts. We are excited to welcome Kirk Gibbs back onboard the KTM 450 SX-F, on which he previously achieved so much success. He’s as driven and focused as ever and has gelled really well with the bike in early tests. Kirk brings a vast amount of knowledge which works hand in hand with our direction as a team in 2022. We are re-introducing an in-house 250 program and welcome Nathan Crawford on board the KTM 250 SX-F. Nathan is a very exciting young rider with a tremendous amount of talent, raw speed and ability. We look forward to the 2022 season and are thrilled to have an amazing group of people onboard heading back to the races.”

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Norton to Motul Pirelli Sherco Race Team with Reynders and Coleman

Sherco’s presence in the 2022 national off-road racing scene has been given a massive boost with the signature of Victorian hotshot and desert racing specialist Callum Norton. The 21-year-old’s fresh challenge will see him ride French machinery under the Motul Pirelli Sherco Race Team banner alongside incumbents Jonte Reynders and Tim Coleman.

Norton and Reynders will compete in the 12-round Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) and Hattah Desert Race, while trials gun-turned extreme enduro star Coleman will be a fixture in the Australian Hard Enduro Championship.

Norton, who hails from Benwerrin, near the popular Victorian coastal town of Lorne, will also attempt to win the iconic Finke Desert Race on the booming Sherco 500 SEF Factory four-stroke.

The carpenter and golfer joins the distributor-backed Sherco outfit on the back of a stellar 2021 season, where he finished fifth outright at Finke and then grabbed the final podium spot at Hattah just weeks later.

He’s now ready to take the next step with Sherco and enhance his credentials as one of the nation’s finest off-road exponents.

Callum Norton

“I’m really excited to make the switch to Sherco in 2022. I’ve kept a close eye on the Sherco riders over the last few years, and I’ve been impressed. The bikes have been fast and solid, and they’ve always got to the finish line. That gives me great confidence in races like Finke, where I’m ready to take the next step and push for a step on the podium. The challenge of the AORC is one that I’m also relishing as well. I’ve lived near the bush all my life but as a junior I was more into motocross than enduro. That’s changed now, and I’m looking forward to making the most of this immense opportunity.”

Callum Norton
Callum Norton

Norton will also ride the 500 SEF Factory in the 2022 Hattah Desert Race, and then dial it back a horsepower notch in the AORC by campaigning the 450 SEF Factory in the E2 class.

Reynders will continue aboard the 300 SE Factory in 2022, where he will defend his open two-stroke crown at Hattah and set his sights on E3 class honours in the AORC. Reynders will also continue to compete in his home state of Tasmania on the back of a peerless 2021 season.

Jonte Reynders
Jonte Reynders

Coleman continues to recover physically a torrid 2021, but he’ll still be in the hard enduro paddock – whether riding or taking on an ambassadorial role.

Derek Grundy – Motul Pirelli Sherco Race Team Manager

“After yet another truncated season in 2021, we can’t wait to go racing in 2022, and of course, to welcome a rider of Callum’s calibre is a real fillip for the team and a nod to the rapid growth curve of Sherco in Australia. We are particularly looking forward to causing some massive disruption to the status quo at the sharp end of the Finke pack and showcasing just how potent our big 500 is. Jonte’s also ridden brilliantly in 2021 with exceptional speed, strategy and race smarts, and I can’t wait to see him deliver the goods, particularly in the AORC. And Tim’s a phenomenon: such a tough and likeable character and a man who represents the Sherco brand with aplomb. We’ll ease him into 2022 and see where it takes us.”

Tim Coleman
Tim Coleman

The Motul Pirelli Sherco Race Team will begin its 2022 season in March with the opening two rounds of the AORC in Victoria, followed by the Australian Hard Enduro kick-off on April 2-3.

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Taylah McCutcheon joins Factory Honda for 2022

2018 Australian Junior Champion Taylah McCutcheon joins Factory Honda as she prepares for her biggest year ever. The hard charging 17-year-old from Queensland is turning pro after graduating from high school and has big hopes and dreams.

Taylah McCutcheon

“Honda Australia have been very supportive of women in racing and when I got a call from Yarrive Konsky I couldn’t believe it, seriously getting a call from Factory Honda is every riders dream. The talented Queenslander has already proven her ability against some of Australia’s best female racers and hopes to one day compete on the world stage. My family and I are very committed to racing next year, I am turning pro and we plan on spending a lot of time in Victoria preparing for the Women’s Championship, I also hope to get overseas to compete in some of the World MX Championship rounds.”

Taylah McCutcheon
Taylah McCutcheon

Honda Australia are supportive of women in racing and for 2022 are supporting seven female riders through their vast range of racing sponsorships including Factory Team. Honda Australia’s General Manager of Sales Tony Hinton welcomed Taylah.

Tony Hinton

“I witnessed Taylah racing in Wonthaggi at the MX OPEN, she is very talented, and we are fortunate to have her join Honda. Motorcycling is a sport enjoyed by everyone and we are encouraged to see an increase in the number of women racing motorcycles in Australia. We are proud to support women in racing and we look forward to a successful year ahead with our talented group of female racers.”

Women racing with Honda for 2022 are Emma Milesevic, Taylah McCutcheon, Maddie Brown, Tanesha Hartnett, Ebony Harris, Alysha Goulet and Maddison Healy.

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Prado leads GasGas Factory Racing MXGP line-up for 2022

Gearing up for what will be its third season of FIM Motocross World Championship competition, GasGas will be channeling racing efforts through one team in 2022 – Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing.

GasGas Factory Racing's 2022 line-up
GasGas Factory Racing’s 2022 line-up

Continuing the quest for world championship trophies, with a young and talented rider line-up GasGas are aiming high with a renewed focus on MXGP and MX2 success. Leading the team into battle in the MXGP class is two-time MX2 World Champion Jorge Prado while in MX2, current world number four Mattia Guadagnini will compete alongside young German hotshot, Simon Langenfelder.

GasGas Factory Racing's 2022 line-up -
GasGas Factory Racing’s 2022 line-up

Heading into his third season of competition in the highly competitive MXGP World Championship, Jorge Prado can’t wait for the gate to drop at round one. Following two testing, yet highly rewarding seasons in the premier class, the Spaniard has overcome injury and illness to quickly establish himself as one of the main protagonists in MXGP. Bringing everything he has learned during the last two years to the table, Prado now has all in place to challenge for his third world title.

Jorge Prado

“It’s a really special feeling for me as a Spaniard to be competing for GASGAS with its Spanish heritage, I can’t wait to start racing in my new colors in February. To begin the season early is perfect for me as I prefer to race and already I feel great on the new bike, so I’m really excited for round one. I’ve learned so much during the last two seasons in MXGP and feel that I can improve my level even more in 2022. For sure it won’t be easy, and I’ll be racing against some of the best racers in the world who have much more experience, but I feel ready to battle with them once again. With what I’ve learned during the last two years I believe I can run up front more consistently and I’m excited to get the new season started.”

Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado

Leading the effort in the MX2 World Championship is fun-loving Italian Mattia Guadagnini. Undoubtedly the best rookie in the 2021 campaign, the 19-year-old secured two GP wins and four overall podium results on his way to placing fourth in the final standings. With a solid debut season under his belt, the Italian is eager to get things started in his new team colors, at the very same venue at which he secured his maiden MX2 class race win – Matterley Basin.

Mattia Guadagnini

“I’m really excited for the 2022 season and to be a part of Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing is just amazing. The new colors are so good, and the set-up looks awesome! It’s great to stay within the same team structure as it’s like one big family, which is really important for me. All the hard work that we put in over the last year really paid off as I had such a great season in 2021, it was even better than I expected. For sure it was an amazing year and with another winter together I believe we can be even better in 2022 on the new GASGAS bikes. The first round isn’t too far away now and I‘m so excited to get started at Matterley Basin. It’s one of my favorite tracks and it’s where I won my first ever MX2 moto, so I have fond memories of that place. It would be amazing to start the season with a strong result there and carry that momentum into the rest of the year.”

Mattia Guadagnini
Mattia Guadagnini

Joining the team and beginning his third year of racing an MC 250F in the MX2 World Championship is Simon Langenfelder. Completing his first full season in 2021 (injury ended his 2020 campaign prematurely), the youngster established himself as a great starter with incredible consistency, ending the year in a well-deserved 10th place overall. Aiming to bring a touch more speed to the GPs in 2022, Simon is on the right path to contend for top-five positions on a regular basis.

Simon Langenfelder

“New team, same colors! It’s super exciting for me to continue racing on GASGAS bikes. With the support and guidance of this experienced team, I think I can really progress in the MX2 World Championship. I’ve spent a lot of time in Italy with my new teammates recently and everything is really positive. I’m really enjoying this new environment and team structure. This off-season isn’t quite as long as we had last year but for sure I can make improvements. One thing that I will be working on is my speed, to be faster through the opening laps of each race as the intensity after the gate drop is so high. But overall, the future looks really great, and I think 2022 will be the year that my results improve to the next level.”

Simon Langenfelder
Simon Langenfelder

Claudio de Carli – Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing Team Manager

“It is an exciting step and a big honor to be leading GASGAS in MXGP next season. With the riders that we have, Jorge, Mattia, and Simon, I strongly believe that we can challenge for both the MXGP and MX2 World Championship titles in 2022. There are just over two months to go before round one in February and we are already ahead of schedule to be ready for the opening round in the UK. We have three really talented riders and from a technical point of view, I know we have the best bikes out there. It’s the start of a new chapter and the team can’t wait to begin the new season with an all-new look.”

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GasGas AMA MX and SX line-ups revealed for 2022

It’s onwards and upwards for the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing team in 2022, with a returning line-up of talented and well-seasoned riders including Justin Barcia headlining the 450 effort on the proven MC 450F, with teammates Michael Mosiman and Pierce Brown piloting the MC 250F in the 250 division.

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team 2022
Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team 2022 – Justin Barcia, Michael Mosiman, Pierce Brown

With a solid year of experience racing – and winning – aboard the GASGAS MC 450F in 2021, Barcia heads into the new year with high expectations for himself and the team. Coming out explosive, in true fashion, at last year’s season opener, Barcia led GASGAS Factory Racing to its first win in the premier class at Houston SX, following it up with three more podium finishes in supercross.

He etched another “first” for the brand outdoors, claiming victory at the Spring Creek National and ultimately making four additional podium appearances throughout the summer. Joined this season byhighly accomplished race mechanic, Olly Stone, Barcia is feeling stronger than ever as he looks to be a permanent fixture on the podium in 2022.

Justin Barcia

“I’m really stoked for the second year on the team! The first year, we had so much fun and we worked really hard. We got two race wins, which was super awesome, but our goal is always to win the championship and that’s what we’re looking for in 2022. The team has changed a lot this year. I have a new mechanic, Ollie, which I’m stoked on; and we have a few other new guys on the team that are doing an awesome job. The whole GASGAS brand is really cool and it makes work a lot easier when you can have a lot of fun with the crew. We definitely have a strong team coming into this year and for me, I have my head down and working hard, having fun and ready to go for that championship!”

Justin Barcia - Image by Jeff Kardas
Justin Barcia – Image by Jeff Kardas

With the 250SX series split into Eastern and Western championships, team riders Michael Mosiman and Pierce Brown are both super excited to divide and conquer from coast to coast aboard the MC 250F.

Entering his fifth season in the class, Mosiman has experienced his fair share of podium and top-five finishes but the 22-year-old has his sights set on race-wins in 2022. With a constructive off-season behind him, Mosiman is fired up to battle for the championship in both 250 categories this season.

Michael Mosiman

“It’s my second year on the team and I couldn’t be more excited for the season! The new guys we have are really experienced and we’ve been having a lot of fun in pre-season. I’m really excited about the quality of riding that we’ve been putting in together and I can’t think of a bad day that we’ve had on the track. All of us have had some pretty good battles banging bars and it’s just been really fun. I’m just looking forward to the season, the comradery is better, the familiarity is better, the bike is better and all-in-all, we have a really well-rounded program and I think you’re going to see that in the results.”

Michael Mosiman
Michael Mosiman – Image by Jeff Kardas

Lining up opposite his teammate in the 250SX class, Pierce Brown is ready to take on the 2022 season with a new race mechanic, Derik Dwyer, who brings years of championship winning experience to the relationship.

The 19-year-old Brown had a break-out ride at last year’s Daytona SX, coming away with a career-first podium finish, but his momentum was short-lived after suffering a thumb injury at the next round. He pushed hard to bounce back for the outdoor season but he wasn’t able to put together a full season on-track. Feeling fit, fast and on the gas, Brown is aiming for a strong and consistent year in 2022.

Pierce Brown

“Everything has been going great this off-season! We have a couple new faces on the team – I have a new mechanic, Derik Dwyer, and a new trainer, Wil Hahn, that came along halfway through outdoors last season. With those two added to the program, I feel like everything is coming together and I’m really stoked! I feel like I haven’t been this prepared for a season so far in my career, so it’s shaping up to be a really good year. Everyone on the team gels super well. We ride together every day and go to the gym together every day so it definitely makes things easier when you’re having fun. I’m excited! We’re going to turn some heads, for sure!”

Pierce Brown - Image by Jeff Kardas
Pierce Brown – Image by Jeff Kardas

With Team Manager Tyler Keefe in charge of the program for its second year, the team is stoked to welcome our new Crew Chief Josh Wisenor, who comes to GASGAS with years of top-level experience in the paddock. Additionally, race mechanics Olly Stone (Barcia) and Derik Dwyer (Brown) complete a solid trio with returning wrench Jay Burgess (Mosiman); and team trainer Wil Hahn will begin his first full season with the team in 2022.

Tyler Keefe

“Going into the second year with the GASGAS brand is very exciting. I think the first year went really well and we had some really good race results but honestly, we had a lot of positive momentum for the brand and for the riders. Bringing the fun back into our sport a little bit and getting creative on some marketing things has been fun and I think a breath of fresh air for the motorcycle industry and also for the Troy Lee Designs brand. Looking into 2022, having the same riders to build off of is exciting, and we’ve brought in some new crew members to help elevate the team, as well as our new trainer, Wil Hahn. We’ve been having a lot of fun and the whole team is working well together, so I think we’ll have some breakthrough races this year. The 250 guys are at a point to make a statement for themselves and solidify themselves as one of the guys to beat. Justin had a great season in 2021, so with him fine-tuning some things here and there, he’s going to build off that and try to be up front every single week. It should be exciting!”

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Sanders talks Dakar | AMX Open | Lawrence bros

Daniel Sanders features in GasGas Dirt Episode 7

27-year-old Daniel Sanders sat down in front of the GASGAS Dirt cameras to share what makes the him tick, with the 2022 Dakar Rally fast approaching after an impressive fourth place finish in the 2021 event, alongside third overall in the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship this year.

Check it out:


2022 Australian Motocross Invitational set for Feb 19-20

The Australian Motocross Invitational and Monster Truck Madness weekend will place at Nowra Speedway February 19-20, 2022. Featuring Australia’s first MotoX Skins event with a purpose built motocross track. This special event is made possible by the NSW REAF Funding program to generate events in regional NSW.

Stay tuned for more details as they are released.


Historic weekend at Queensland Speedway title

History has been made, with Queensland Speedway recording the first ever brother and sister combination, as well as the first ever female rider to take top step in a Speedway title meet in Queensland in best pairs. Welldone Jordy and Anika Loftus have worked hard for this result and with their dreams now having come true. Second place went to the dueo of Jetzen Lyons and Jai Bainbridge, while third was Viv Muddle and Ky Mitchell. Congratulations!


Jack Fewster claims WA Senior Sidecar Championship title at Pinjar

Jack Fewster has beaten off all comers to claim the Western Australian Senior Sidecar Championship at Pinjar Park Motorcycle Speedway Circuit, including former champs Jeff and Daniel Bishop as well as defending champs Darren Nash and Ash Shield.

Jack and passenger Jonah Sita won four qualifying heats, before winning the A Final in convincing style.

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Webster, Budd and McCutcheon top MX Open

The 2021 running of the AMX MX Open has been a resounding success, with the two days of racing crowning Kyle Webster, Rhys Budd and Taylah McCutcheon in their respective classes, with plans already underway for an even bigger 2022 event.

Kyle Webster

 Chris Townsend – Dandenong Motorcycle Club President

“Yarrive and his crew did a fantastic job promoting the event and our club, committee, canteen personal, track crew worked selflessly to make it a great event for the riders and fans. We think we can improve the experience for everyone next year and we will start planning early in the new year.”

Factory Honda’s Kyle Webster dominated the MX1 class winning all three races and qualifying first. CDR Yamaha’s Monster Energy newly signed Aaron Tanti took second and Factory Honda’s Brett Metcalfe finished third.

Kyle Webster topped the MX1 from Tanti and Metcalfe

Webster was confident going into the weekend but didn’t know what to expect as this was his first hit out in 450 class against his rivals.

Kyle Webster – P1

“Wow, what a weekend, the 2022 CRF450R is amazing, seriously amazing. I didn’t expect this. We got some new SHOWA suspension a week ago and bolted it in and it was great. The whole team lifted this last week, and everyone was excited to go racing. This is what our sport and team needed, it was great to be racing again.”

Kyle Webster

Brett Metcalfe – P3

“I am glad I came over to race, I still feel competitive, and I love racing. I haven’t decided what I am doing next year but I want to race and hopefully I can make that happen.”

Brett Metcalfe

Yamaha proved to strong in the MX2 class. Yamaha lube Yamaha Racing’s Rhys Budd raced away with two race wins and a second to take the overall ahead of Factory Kawasaki’s Empire rider Jai Constantinou. Newly signed Honda Genuine RIDE RED rider Liam Andrews finished third.

Rhys Budd
Rhys Budd wins the overall Jai Constantinou, Liam Andrews

Rhys Budd

“I am glad I made the trek from New South Wales. It was a great event and it was good to go racing again.”

Rhys Budd

The Bass Coast Shire Women’s Open show cased some of Australia’s best talent and young Queenslander Taylah McCutcheon proved to strong for her competitors. Taylah swept all five races. Honda’s Maddy Brown and Maddy Healy were second and third respectively.

Taylah McCutcheon
Taylah McCutcheon won from Maddy Brown and Maddy Healy

Taylah McCutcheon

“I am really happy with the way I rode, and the other girls did great as well. This track is hard so I am glad we made the drive down from Queensland to compete as we will be racing here next year. It was a great weekend, and I am looking forward to seeing Philip Island over the next two days. It really is confidence inspiring being given the same recognition and prize money as the men. All of the girls train hard and to be rewarded with the same prize money was appreciated.”

Taylah McCutcheon

AMX and the Bass Coast Shire moved fast to ensure the event ran, with 4 weeks’ notice the promoter, organisers, club, sponsors, and Bass Coast Shire came together to make the event happen and event promoter and coordinator Yarrive Konsky was proud of everyone’s efforts.

Yarrive Konsky

“We had 264 entries, the factory teams turned up to support the event, sponsors came together, and the Bass Coast Shire were amazing to deal with. Riders came from all over Australia and fans flocked to the track to witness some amazing battles. This event had dual purposes. We needed to stimulate competition again following some trying times in Australia and we wanted people to get out and about to socialise with their peers, friends, and rivals. Racing is a community of people with the same interests, so it was terrific to see everyone out and enjoying what they love.”

AMX Open MX1 Results

Pos Rider Total R1 R2 R3
1 Kyle Webster 75 25 25 25
2 Aaron Tanti 64 22 22 20
3 Brett Metcalfe 58 20 20 18
4 Luke Clout 49 11 16 22
5 Dean Ferris 49 18 15 16
6 Connor Tierney 44 15 14 15
7 George Knight 40 13 13 14
8 Bryce Ognenis 39 14 12 13
9 Rory McKercher 35 12 11 12
10 Hayden Mellross 34 16 18
11 Shane Mason 31 10 10 11

AMX Open MX2 Results

TBA

AMX Open Women’s Results

Pos Competitor Total R1 R2 R3 R4 R5
1 Taylah McCutcheon 125 25 25 25 25 25
2 Madison Brown 104 20 20 20 22 22
3 Madison Healey 102 18 22 22 20 20
4 Ebony Harris 88 16 18 18 18 18
5 Charlotte Berrill 78 15 15 16 16 16
6 Taylor Thompson 53 22 16 15

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Lawrence brothers feature in Team Honda HRC 2022 AMA line-up

American Honda have revealed their 2022 Team Honda HRC roster – comprising Ken Roczen, Chase Sexton, Aussie brothers Hunter Lawrence and Jett Lawrence – as well as team management and crew.

Team Honda HRC’s 2022 line-up: Ken Roczen, Chase Sexton, Hunter Lawrence, Jett Lawrence, Lars Lindstrom – Team Manager, Shane Drew – 450 Crew Chief, Grant Hutcheson – 250 Crew Chief, Brandon Zimmerman as Sexton’s new mechanic.

The veteran of the team, Roczen enters his sixth year as a Honda rider, and he’s coming off his most successful season with the brand – second in AMA Supercross and third in AMA Pro Motocross. The German, who has a 250 MXGP crown and two AMA Pro Motocross Championships to his name, is paired with fellow CRF450R rider Chase Sexton, the Illinois native who joined Honda’s factory team midway through 2020. A two-time AMA Supercross 250SX East Region Champion, Sexton scored three indoor podium finishes in 2021 (his freshman year as an AMA Supercross premier-class rider), six in AMA Pro Motocross.

Australian brothers Hunter and Jett Lawrence are embarking on their second season with Team Honda HRC, and both are armed with the all-new CRF250R.

Hunter Lawrence – Team Honda HRC 2022

Last season saw Hunter win one AMA Supercross 250SX West round and finish second in points, while Jett topped three East Region races and was third in the final standings.

In AMA Pro Motocross, Jett took home the title, with Hunter finishing third, making the Lawrences the only siblings in the series’ history to both finish in the top three in the same year. This season, the Lawrences will trade AMA Supercross Regions, with Jett campaigning West and Hunter East.

Jett Lawrence – Team Honda HRC 2022

While the rider roster is the same as 2021, Team Honda HRC has undergone several personnel changes. As previously announced, Lars Lindstrom takes over as Team Manager. Shane Drew fills Lindstrom’s old position as 450 Crew Chief (while retaining his previous duties in Chassis R&D), and Grant Hutcheson has been brought in as 250 Crew Chief. In addition, Sexton has a new mechanic in Brandon Zimmerman.

The 17-round 2022 AMA Supercross season commences on January 8 in Anaheim, California.

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ShopYamaha Off Road Racing introduce four-rider line-up

Josh Green, Michael Driscoll, Kyron Bacon and Blake Hollis will form the ShopYamaha Off Road Racing team for 2022, showcasing Yamaha’s dedication to off-road racing in Australia and their high performance products.

2022 ShopYamaha Off Road Racing - Josh Green
2022 ShopYamaha Off Road Racing – Josh Green

The four-rider team will again be under the guidance of former AORC champ, AJ Roberts, and have two Yamaha trucks on site at each of the Australian Off-Road Championships, The Australian Four Day Enduro as well as Hattah.

AJ Roberts

“Yamaha will continue to have a huge presence in off-road racing for 2022 and our consistent investment is another form of Yamaha’s passion not just for racing but also product development and the Australian market. From contesting these events, we constantly give feedback to Japan and as a result, the quality of the production bike improves. The WR250F and WR450F are better than they have ever been, and racing plays a huge part of that. Having a four-rider team will make it an extremely busy year but that’s what we love doing. I feel we have great opportunities with our riders in both E1 and E2 as all four are determined to have a successful season. We are also looking forward to getting a normal season back under way. The last two years have been tough with limited national events but for 2022 we are looking at a full calendar with AORC, A4DE and Hattah and I know everyone can’t wait to get stuck into it and get back to racing.”

2022 ShopYamaha Off Road Racing - Blake Hollis
2022 ShopYamaha Off Road Racing – Blake Hollis

Green and Driscoll will spearhead the charge in the E2 (450cc) category for 2022. Green, the veteran of over 10 years of professional off-road racing, shows no signs of slowing down and his passion for racing is as strong as ever.

2022 ShopYamaha Off Road Racing - Michael Driscoll
2022 ShopYamaha Off Road Racing – Michael Driscoll

Michael Driscoll continues to improve and now sees himself as a legitimate outright contender at every round. He now has the strength and experience to muscle the powerful 450cc machine around and is set on a successful 2022 season where he breaks through for major success.

In the E1 (250cc) division, the Yamaha flag will be in the hands of Kyron Bacon and Blake Hollis. Bacon, based in Tasmania, has been the man turning heads as he impresses at every outing. With an aggressive riding style and bulldog determination, Bacon will be a leading contender in the E1 championship in 2022.

2022 ShopYamaha Off Road Racing – Kyron Bacon

Blake Hollis makes the step up from EJ and ready to make his mark in professional racing. Hollis moved to Queensland during 2021 to be closer to the team base and work on his riding. He went back to his motocross roots recently to pick up his intensity and now has his sights set on 2022.

Tara-Lea Albury – Yamaha’s Parts and Accessories Division

“Yamaha continue to expand our on-line presence and our association with the Yamaha’s off-road team gives us a direct line to our customer base. We saw in increase in traffic in 2021 through ShopYamaha and that tied in well with our first year with the team. ShopYamaha is now a one stop online retail space that allows you to view thousands of accessories and Yamalube products for your Yamaha and it will continue to grow as we invest more in the future. We look forward to another strong season with AJ and his team with some fun promotions and activations to be rolled out during the year.”


Motorcycling Australia Women’s Committee Receive FIM Trophy

Motorcycling Australia Women’s Committee has been recognised internationally after winning the FIM Women in Motorcycling Trophy during the recent FIM Awards in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Jemma Wilson
Jemma Wilson is part of the MA Women’s Committee

With its Women in Motorcycling Trophy, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) recognises and acknowledges those who have significantly:

  • Contributed to improving and developing the presence of women in all motorcycling-related areas.
  • Encouraged greater awareness of women in motorcycling.

This award recognises the hard working effort of women in motorcycle sport around the world throughout the 115 national federation of the FIM. The FIM Women in Motorcycling Award nominees highlight the many projects occurring worldwide to grow women’s participation in the sport.

The MA Women’s Committee award winning projects completed in 2021 included –

  • Development Club Guideline
  • Mentoring Program
  • International Women’s Day Moto Festival Event Plan
  • Ladies Garage Nights Event Plan
  • Women In Motorcycling TV
  • Women In Motorcycling Website

Alana Baratto – MA Women’s Committee Chairperson

“I accept this award on behalf of the Australian Women’s Committee who are terribly disappointed not to be able to travel to accept the award in person. We take this opportunity to thank the FIM and FIM Oceania for their support, we are proud of the initiatives created throughout COVID period. Our hope is that these initiatives are widely adopted nationally and even worldwide, and to see more women experience and enjoy our great sport.”

Alana Baratto

The MA Women’s Committee consists of Alana Baratto (Chairperson), Rikki Dryden, Jemma Wilson, Caity Hynes and Kate Peck.

MA Women’s Committee will have a strong focus in 2022 on projects to increase the number of women participating in road racing and to inspire women volunteers in the sport.

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2022 FIM ISDE set for Le Puy en Velay in France

The 96th edition of the FIM International Six Days of Enduro (ISDE) will take place at Puy en Velay – France, the capital of the Haute-Loire department in the heart of the Auvergne region – Rhône–Alpes, from Monday 29 August to Saturday 3 September 2022.

The Organising Committee (COISDE–2022) is made up of three motorcycle clubs specialising in the discipline, the Moto Club du Puy en Velay, the Moto Club de Saugues and the Moto Club Moto Verte Haute Lozère, which will benefit from the full support of the FFM and the Regional stakeholders.

Rider's setting of for the final Cross Test of the 2021 ISDE
The ISDE heads to France for 2022

The COISDE–2022 has been working for more than six months on the creation of the course by being focused on two main points: to propose a course as the riders like them, varied with breath–taking landscapes and a certain technical level specific to the DNA of the ISDE.

The route will be organised around three completely different loops each of around two hundred kilometres, which will take the competitors on a journey to the heart of the region and beyond, with no less than thirteen different special tests and five timed tests per day, five service time checks per day, including two double ones, so only three separate spots in order to limit the logistics for the teams:

  • Days 1 & 2 – Loop 1: Haute Loire – Haut Allier – Gévaudan.
  • Days 3 & 4 – Loop 2: Haute Loire – Lozère – Langogne.
  • Day 5 – Loop 3: Haute Loire – Puy en Velay – Emblavez.
  • Day 6 – Final Cross Test: Haute Loire – Puy en Velay, in the immediate vicinity of the Paddock.

Always with the aim to reduce costs for all the teams, pro and amateur alike, the FIM wanted to reduce the length of stay by one day by eliminating the day between the last day of checks and the first day of racing. So, the timing of the event will be as follows:

  • Tuesday 23 August: Opening of the Paddock.
  • Friday 16 August to Sunday 28 August late morning: Administrative and technical controls.
  • Saturday 27 August – Evening: Opening ceremony at Puy en Velay, ten kilometres from the paddock.
  • From Monday 29 August to Saturday 3 September: The race.
  • Sunday 4 September: Closure of the Paddock.

The pre-registrations opening is scheduled for January 2022.

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AFT announces 2022 Production Twins Challenge rules ahead of 2023 merger

Progressive American Flat Track have revealed the technical rules for the 2022 Mission Production Twins Challenge. These developments lay the groundwork for merging the Mission SuperTwins and AFT Production Twins classes in 2023.

Production Twins - Peoria TT
The Production Twins will see new rules to help merging with the SuperTwins in 2023 – Image by Scott Hunter

To combine the two existing twin-cylinder classes into a dynamic premier class in 2023, Progressive AFT has implemented a set of technical adjustments in Mission SuperTwins and AFT Production Twins for 2022 that will align the performance envelopes of production-based and race-only machines.

While the technical changes serve as the first step to a single twin-cylinder championship, the Mission Production Twins Challenge will act as a bridge between the classes in 2022. Following the AFT Production Twins Main at each event, the top four finishers will be granted provisional starting positions for the Mission SuperTwins Main Event on a dedicated Mission Production Twins Challenge row.

The inclusion of the top AFT Production Twins entries in the premier-class Main will allow for repeated head-to-head comparisons between the Mission SuperTwins contenders and the most competitive AFT Production Twins machines, providing critical data to guide the future evolution of the technical rules.

AFT Production Twins
AFT Production Twins – Image by Scott Hunter

Along with acting as an ongoing evaluation program, the Mission Production Twins Challenge will aid in the development efforts of AFT Production Twins teams by providing an opportunity to earn over $100,000 throughout the season. The top Mission Production Twins Challenge riders at each round will be eligible to earn $72,000 in potential Mission SuperTwins purse payouts plus $28,800 in race bonus awards from Mission Foods.

In addition, the top three riders in the Mission Production Twins Challenge point standings at the conclusion of the season will also be eligible for a $26,000 year-end points fund from Mission Foods. To qualify for the year-end bonus, Mission Production Twins Challenge riders must compete in every Mission SuperTwins Main Event for which they are eligible.

Progressive AFT will kick off the 2022 season with a Daytona Bike Week doubleheader on March 10-11 at Volusia Speedway Park.

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Carmichael designed 2022 Daytona Supercross course revealed

If Eli Tomac wants to stand alone as the all-time winner in DAYTONA Supercross, he will have to conquer the grueling and demanding course designed by the man he currently shares the Daytona record with – GOAT Ricky Carmichael.

Daytona International Speedway unveiled the course design for the 52nd annual DAYTONA Supercross on March 5, and for the 15th consecutive year, the unique and difficult course layout was created by Carmichael, the five-time Daytona Supercross champion. It will be the toughest of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship season and the only AMA Supercross event in the state of Florida in 2022.

The Ricky Carmichael designed Daytona Supercross circuit
The Ricky Carmichael designed Daytona Supercross circuit for 2022

The Daytona Supercross at the World Center of Racing is the longest continuous Supercross race in America dating back to 1971 and will feature the best riders in the world. Tomac, who has won the last three (2019, ‘20, ‘21) and five out of the last six (2016, ‘17) Daytona Supercross events, will go for a record sixth victory that would take him out of a tie with Carmichael.

Carmichael’s signature design will sport tremendous obstacles – 57 in fact – on a 3,300-foot (.625 miles) layout that features a multitude of turns and vaulted jumps. The start gate will originate from pit road with the riders launching full throttle towards fans across from the NASCAR start/finish line to kick off the action before taking a hard left in a counter-clockwise direction. After that sweeping first turn, riders will have 400 feet and 13 obstacles to sort things out before entering the first, tight 180-degree turn.

Returning is the exciting “over-under bridge” with riders racing across the bridge while other riders battle for position beneath them. One item of change, however, is that it will be located closer to the tri-oval and fans in the stands. The beach sand section will be back and will cause havoc for the riders with two 150-foot-long legs attached to a 180-degree turn. And, of course, the high-rising finish line will be parallel with the NASCAR finish line.

Ricky Carmichael

“I can’t believe it’s been 15 years that I have been designing the Daytona Supercross track. Every year we try to make it better for both the fans and riders, and for 2022, I believe we did just that with some new twists. First off, I’m glad we were able to get the over-under bridge back because it opens up the options on the course. That and the split lane are what I am looking most forward to seeing along with the famous sand section that the fans always love to see! The Daytona Supercross in March is going to be the only one in my home State of Florida so I am very excited about that as well. It’s going to be a great track and I can’t wait to watch and see how it all unfolds this year!”

Also returning in 2022 will be the 12th annual Ricky Carmichael Amateur Supercross on Sunday, March 6 and Monday, March 7. Amateur supercross racers have an opportunity to test their skills on a slightly modified version of the same course used in the DAYTONA Supercross. Following the Ricky Carmichael Amateur Supercross will be the Daytona Vintage Supercross (DVSX) and ATV Supercross, both of which take place on Tuesday, March 8. For more information, visit https://racedaytona.com.

Daytona Supercross 2022 will be a part of 81st annual Bike Week, which will culminate with the March 12 Daytona 200 hosted by MotoAmerica.

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Ben Watson joins Febvre in Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP efforts in 2022

Kawasaki will bring in Ben Watson as the new teammate of Romain Febvre in 2022, joining the Frenchman in the Kawasaki Racing Team assault on the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship.

Considered one of the most-promising British youngsters of recent years Ben Watson had a solid MXGP rookie season this summer, gaining in experience as the year went on in this highly-competitive class to culminate his season with the MXGP gold medal at the Motocross of Nations.

Ben eventually just missed the top-ten in the final MXGP series rankings by a couple of points but he finished top-ten at no less than ten rounds with a fifth overall as his best result at the Dutch round of the series.

Ben Watson
Ben Watson

The twenty-four-year-old native of Nottinghamshire, England, first appeared on the international stage when he contested the European series as a ten-year-old, winning his very first race in the 65cc class. He progressed through the classes and has impressed throughout his adult career, starting with a fifth place in EMX250 and victory at the world-famous Enduro du Touquet in the Junior class.

Ranked top five in the MX2 World Championship in both 2018 and 2020, he proved his ability on all surfaces in the closing stages of the latter season with GP victories on the vastly-different tracks of Lommel in Belgium and Pietramurata in Italy before switching to the premier MXGP class in 2021.

Ben now has a little over two months to prepare for the opening round of the 2022 World Championship which will start in his native UK on February 20th at Matterley Basin.

Ben Watson

“I’m really looking forward to this fresh start. I’ve been with another couple of brands almost all my life and Kawasaki is one I’ve never ridden before, so to have this fresh start with new colours is definitely something I need at this stage of my career. I’ve had some ups-and-downs during my MXGP rookie season this year but I think I proved on numerous occasions like the Nations and several other GPs that I have what it takes to race up front. I was just missing a few things but I’m joining a group of guys and a bike I really believe will help me. I’m really excited to put my leg over the KX450-SR. The plan is to get used to the bike before Christmas; to get a feeling for the handling, the power delivery and sort out a few small things like seat height, position of the bars and so on. I’m looking forward to working with Romain and all the team and I think this is exactly what I need as a package to make the next step. It’s going to be a tough couple of months leading up to the opening GP at Matterley in February but wow, what a start to my Kawasaki career at the home GP with all the British fans cheering me on!“

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Four-man Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team ready for AMA SX 2022

A solid four-rider Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team is set to enter the 2022 AMA Supercross Championship aboard the new KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition and KTM 250 SX-F Factory Edition models.

The 2022 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team

Cooper Webb, Marvin Musquin and Aaron Plessinger will officially debut the all-new KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition at the Anaheim SX opener on January 8, 2022, while Max Vohland is set to race the KTM 250 SX-F Factory Edition in the 250SX class.

Webb, the reigning 450SX Champion, will proudly display the #1 plate aboard his new bike as he sets out to defend his title for the second time.

Cooper Webb

“I’m really excited for the upcoming series. It’ll be great defending the number one plate again, we worked hard last year to get the championship. We have a brand new bike this year and that is great. We’ve also been having fun with the new team dynamic and having Aaron [Plessinger] on the team. I’ve been teammates with him before, so it’s been great to reunite and have a three-man team on the 450, with Max on the 250. I’m looking forward to it.”

Cooper Webb

Returning for his 12th season with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Musquin will be among Webb’s toughest competitors as the French rider looks to earn a title of his own with a supercross-only focus in 2022.

Marvin Musquin

“It’s always exciting to go for a new season, especially this year with a new bike. It is something that I was looking forward to – we have made progress and we’re still learning to be even better, so it’s super exciting. We are going into my 12th year with Red Bull KTM here in America. It’s very special and I’m always super honored to be a part of the Red Bull KTM family and to go for one more year and achieve great things. It’s going to be a very strong team for this new season!”

Marvin Musquin

Joining Webb and Musquin on-track for the first time is Red Bull KTM newcomer, Aaron Plessinger, aboard the #7 machine. Like his teammates, Plessinger has been hard at work in his pre-season training in high anticipation for his debut with the team at Anaheim.

Aaron Plessinger

“It’s an amazing accomplishment for me to have joined the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team. My dad used to race for KTM in GNCC, and won a couple championships, so it’s pretty special for me to get to be a part of this team. My goal is to get as many race-wins as I can and try to win these guys some more championships. My time is due and I feel like this year is going to be a really good year with two great teammates – Cooper and Marvin – I think we can really do some damage out there. The new bike is awesome. I love this thing. It’s so nimble and light, I can put it where I want it and the suspension works great on it. I think it’s going to be a really good year and I’m looking forward to it.”

Aaron Plessinger

Maximus Vohland continues with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team for his second season in the 250SX division. The 18-year-old missed the majority of his rookie Supercross season due to an injury sustained early on, but he came back strong for the AMA Pro Motocross Championship with a top-10 result in the 250 category.

Max Vohland

“It’s been a really great off-season and I’m looking forward to 2022 with the new teammates and the new bike. It feels fresh and I’m looking forward to it. The new FACTORY EDITION has been awesome, the whole package has been great from suspension to chassis and motor-wise – we’re making steps forward every day. I only have three SX races under my belt, so I have a little bit of experience, but I think this extra time I’ve had on the bike during the off-season has really helped and I feel like a completely different rider than last year, I feel way ahead of where I was last year for this new season coming up.”

Max Vohland

Ian Harrison added his thought about the line-up for season 2022.

Ian Harrison – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager

“The team has expanded this year with three 450 guys and Max on for his second year as a 250 rider, plus we have new bikes across the board. We’re excited about that. There’s been a lot of work and testing hours being put into the bikes here and in Austria, and we’ve made good progress with it on both sides. We’re looking forward to going racing in early January. We’ve got a good platform and the guys are happy to start the season. The team dynamic is great right now. I think Aaron brings that real ‘loving-life’ style to the team, which is good. Cooper is looking happy with his new bike, he’s making good progress and I’m excited to see what he can do. I think Marvin is going to surprise us all. He’s had a good off-season and he did really well when he went to Europe to race the SX, so I think he’s going to be really good. With Max, we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do on the new bike with a clean bill of health this season. We’re excited to get things rolling here in a month.”

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Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team reveal AMA SX/MX riders

With the opening round of the AMA Supercross Championship just around the corner, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team announced its rider lineup for the 2022 race season, which includes returning riders Dean Wilson, RJ Hampshire, Jalek Swoll and Stilez Robertson – along with newcomer Malcolm Stewart – all piloting the new FC Rockstar Editions.

Since the exciting announcement over the summer, fans across the globe have anticipated Malcolm Stewart’s debut aboard the FC 450 Rockstar Edition and the time is finally upon us. Coming off a successful supercross season in 2021, Stewart has proven himself as a contender in the premier 450 class with a podium finish and four top-five finishes last season.

Malcolm Stewart

“I feel really good. We’ve been doing a lot of training and we’ve got the bike really dialed in, so we’re looking forward to going into A1 and the 2022 season. It’s going to be a good year for me. I know I ended really good last year for the last couple rounds but now obviously we’re on a new team and feeling better, I like the whole vibe here. All we can do is go out there, have fun and do what we can do!”

Malcolm Stewart

Wilson, who first came to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in 2017, will enter his sixth season with the team in 2022. Battling through an ongoing illness in 2021, Wilson missed quite a few races but he still managed to stay consistent and finish just outside the top-10 in the AMA Supercross Championship and he looks to build upon that foundation as he heads into 2022 healthy and ready to go.

Dean Wilson

“I’m really excited for the new season. I have another great opportunity with the team and I’m feeling really good. I’m looking for some good finishes, everything is kind of falling into place so it should be good.”

Dean Wilson

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team boasts a lineup of seasoned 250 cc riders aboard the new generation FC 250 Rockstar Edition for 2022 too. At the helm for his third year with the team is multi-time race winner, RJ Hampshire. With an endless amount of speed and determination, Hampshire is a fierce competitor on the race track and he looks to refine his skills this season and finally land on top of the box with a number one plate.

RJ Hampshire

“I’m feeling good heading into the new season. We’ve had a good off-season so far and the bike is awesome, so we have a lot of things to look forward to. We’re starting fresh and just excited to be with the team for another year and build on what we’ve started the last couple years.”

RJ Hampshire

Jalek Swoll, who began his professional supercross career with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in 2020, now enters his third season in the class. The 21-year-old had a break-out season in 2021, claiming a strong second-place at Arlington SX before rounding out the series with a top-five overall in the championship standings. He also showed flashes of brilliance outdoors, securing his first-career overall win with 1-3 moto finishes at the High Point National. For 2022, Swoll will line up in the 250SX Western division where he looks forward to a new set of challenges on the west coast.

Jalek Swoll

“I’m excited to race, going to be on a different coast than usual so that will be a different and fun learning experience. I’m looking forward to that. I think we’re in for a pretty good year. I’m just going to do what I did last year and have fun all the way through and let the results come to me.”

Jalek Swoll

With one full year of professional racing under his belt, Stilez Robertson will return for his sophomore season with the team. Despite an up-and-down rookie season due to injury and illness, the 19-year-old came away with a few highlights in 2021, including an impressive second-place finish at Daytona SX.

He missed three of the last five rounds but still managed a respectable 13th overall in the standings. Hoping for a strong push outdoors, Robertson got off to a decent start but illness prevented him from finishing out the season. Fully recovered heading into 2022, Robertson is confident that he will stack up when the gate drops in January.

Stilez Robertson

“It was a tough off-season with the sickness but I got over it and I’m really looking forward to going racing. I’ve been putting in the work and now I’m ready to go and show everybody what we’ve been working for. I’m excited to have a good season, be up front and try to put together some good results in both supercross and outdoors.”

Stilez Robertson

Stephen Westfall – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager

“I feel really good heading into the 2022 season. The team is solid and we have an all-new bike for both the 450 and 250. We have a really solid base and I think we will continue to get better throughout the year. The team is working hard, we’ve got a good group down in Florida all training together and pushing each and every day. We’ll continue to improve and we’re looking forward to the results this year.”

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Tomac joins Ferrandis at Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing for 2022

Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis and Eli Tomac are ready for thestart of the 2022 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season having been hard at work at their new facility in Cairo, Georgia, looking to build on this year’s successful premier class debut.

Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis and Eli Tomac

Ferrandis is fresh off a stellar rookie year on the YZ450F, securing his first premier class title at the penultimate Pro Motocross round in Pala, California. The Frenchman also enjoyed a great start to his 450SX debut earlier in the year, scoring his first podium at the second Supercross round in Houston, Texas. He looks to keep that momentum rolling into the New Year and fight for another number-one plate.

Dylan Ferrandis – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing

“Our off-season has been going great. We have been working really hard on and off the bike. We still have one month left to prepare for the 2022 Supercross season, but I’m pretty excited for my second season on the 450 and can’t wait for A1!”

Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis

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

“This off-season has been one that I will never forget. We moved the team across the country and have a new addition with Eli, so it’s been a lot of long hours to prepare for the season, but it’s very exciting. Dylan and Eli have been working very hard and look amazing. Hard work pays off, and we saw that last year. I think 2022 looks to be even better!”

Joining the team for 2022, Tomac is eager for that first gate drop aboard the Yamaha YF450F at the series opener at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The Coloradan is a proven title contender, adding the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX Championship to his resume after his impressive three-peat (2017-2019) in the Pro Motocross 450MX Championship. He is also the winningest rider currently active in the premier class and aims to reclaim the throne in 2022.

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing

“December riding at the Star Racing facility in Florida alongside my teammates has been great preparation. We’ve all been pushing for the next level and are ready to go for the 2022 Supercross season!”

Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Eli Tomac

The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team also heads into 2022 looking to reign supreme in the 250 class divisional championships, with a six-rider line-up boasting a blend of youth and experience with the reigning 250SX West Champion Justin Cooper, 250SX East Champion Colt Nichols, two-time 250MX Champion Jeremy Martin, Christian Craig and two of the sports up-and-coming riders – Nate Thrasher and Levi Kitchen. Jensen Hendler comes on board as the team manager for the 250 team.

The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team’s 250 line-up

Jensen Hendler – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 Team Manager

“We are very excited to get the season kicked off, as our riders are looking very good and ready to compete for the championship on both coasts. We have put a lot of work into our championship-winning program to make sure our riders and staff are ready to win!”

Cooper enters his fifth year with the team and is coming off an impressive 2021 season. After taking the 250SX West crown in Supercross, the New Yorker backed it up with a great outdoor season. He came just shy of the title in the end, but lead the way in qualifying, holeshots and scored seven moto wins and never missed the overall podium. Cooper now has his eyes set on 2022 and adding more number-one plates to his resume.

Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing

“I’m very excited for the 2022 season. I’ve been working really hard with the team to be my best self come race time. We’ve made the transition to Florida this year so it is nice to get on some new dirt and see where we can be better.”

Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing

Nichols also heads into the new year with a number-one plate. The Oklahoman took the title in the Eastern regional division to make it a Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing sweep in the 250 class, becoming the first team to do so in nearly a decade. Unfortunately, an injury sidelined him with five rounds remaining in the Pro Motocross season, but Nichols is ready to return to action for year six with the team and make another championship run.

Colt Nichols – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing

“I’m excited for the season to get underway. It’s been a very productive off-season so far, and I’ve been trying to work on my weaknesses to be a better rider and translate that into the weekends. I’m looking forward to getting the ‘22 season going!”

Colt Nichols – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing

Last year, Martin returned to the team where he won his back-to-back Pro Motocross 250MX titles (2014-2015). Although injuries sidelined him for the supercross season and a few rounds of motocross, the Minnesotan showed a lot of grit and determination. Despite not being 100%, he scored six moto wins and three overall 250MX victories. With some time to return to full fitness, Martin is eager to lineup on the gate in 2022 and fight for the championship.

Craig kicked off his debut season with the team with a bang, winning the 2021 250SX East season opener in Houston. He battled for top honors with his teammate all season until a crash at the penultimate round ended his title hopes prematurely. The Californian moved over to the 450 team for the outdoor season, where he enjoyed some solid results to end the year sixth. He now shifts gears back to the Yamaha YZ250F to try and claim the coveted 250SX crown, and will return to the premier class for the 2022 Pro Motocross season.

Thrasher turned a lot of heads during his first full season in the pro ranks, taking two 250SX wins at a very physically demanding track at the Atlanta Motor Speedway tripleheader, and ended the season seventh in the points standings. Unfortunately, he too was sidelined during the outdoor season, but the young Tennessee rider is ready to return and looks to build on his impressive rookie year.

Kitchen capped off his amateur career with a pair of titles at the 2021 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s and was named the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award Winner. He made his pro debut at the Pro Motocross RedBud National and showed speed straight away, scoring some solid results inside the top 10. The Washington State native is now eager to start his first full season in the pro ranks and to make his debut in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.

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Gabriel Marcelli joins Toni Bou with Repsol Honda Trial Team for 2022

Repsol Honda Team presents new faces for the forthcoming season: Toni Bou will have Gabriel Marcelli as team-mate while Takahisa Fujinami takes over as Team Manager to battle for the TrialGP and X-Trial World Championships.

Gabriel Marcelli joins Toni Bou with Repsol Honda Trial Team for 2022
Repsol Honda Team 2022: Gabriel Marcelli, Toni Bou and Team Manager Takahisa Fujinami

Toni Bou, who has reigned for fifteen years, needs little introduction: the most successful ever sportsman, the trial legend and the point of reference for everyone, will go all out to defend his number one status that has remained intact for a decade-and-a-half. Bou will start as both the firm favourite and the man to beat in his sixteenth season with the Repsol Honda Team.

Toni Bou

“This forthcoming season will be very interesting for all of us. As always, our objectives are the titles and we are continuously preparing for it, as our rivals always want to take the world championship number one position away from us. We will continue the line of work that we have been taking over these years. I would like to welcome Gabriel Marcelli to the team. He is a very good rider and he rode some great trials this year. I’m sure that he will do really well and it will be good for the team. I also wish to congratulate Takahisa Fujinami as the new Team Manager. I’m sure his racing experience will be positive for us.”

Toni Bou
Toni Bou returns in 2022

And alongside Toni Bou, young Galician rider Gabriel Marcelli (04/02/2000) will make his debut in the team this year. The rider joins the team after a successful Trial2 career where he was proclaimed world champion in 2019, followed by two solid seasons in TrialGP.

Gabriel Marcelli

“I am more than happy to join the best trial team in the world. First of all I want to thank all my sponsors who have supported me over the years, especially this last season. From now on maybe there will be more pressure. The fact of joining the Repsol Honda Team gives you more responsibilities, you are in the eyes of everyone… being Toni’s team-mate, having such a good team, I think it will bring many great moments and I hope it will be a relationship that lasts for many years. I take over from Takahisa Fujinami, who has set the bar very high all these years. I will try to do my best and show that I am up to it and I trust in the work to get to the top and hopefully be at the top with Toni Bou.”

Repsol Honda Team have also reshuffled part of its staff with the incorporation of former rider Takahisa Fujinami as the new team manager. After 26 active seasons in the trial world championship, Fujinami will take up a new role within a structure he knows so well. His competitive experience will be a key factor in this new challenge for the 2004 Trial World Champion.

Takahisa Fujinami – Team Manager

“For me it is a great honour to be able to defend, from this point on, the colours of the Repsol Honda Trial Team as Team Manager. It is a great challenge for me, no doubt whatsoever. The team has achieved great success and my intention will be to continue this long streak of titles and to collaborate in making the brand even bigger. In 2022 we are adding a new rider to the team: Gabriel Marcelli. He is a young rider with a promising future. In 2020 he achieved his first podium and in 2021 he finished the season clearly on the rise. With his entry into the Repsol Honda Team we are sure that he will make a great leap forward in his career. He will be the team-mate of our great champion Toni Bou. Toni has won 30 world championship titles and … what else can you say about someone who has achieved so much? As always, he will be looking to win the TrialGP and X-Trial world championships once again next season, and the whole team will be working to make it possible for another year!”

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Four-rider Monster Energy Honda Rally Team for 2022

The Official Honda HRC Cross-Country Rally Team has broken cover and the Monster Energy Honda Team is all set to face the new challenges ahead, the toughest of which will be the 2022 Dakar Rally kicking off the new year.

2022 Monster Energy Honda Rally Team

The current Dakar Rally championship-winning team were in attendance for the gala presentation of the official Honda HRC teams for the new 2022 season. The revamped Monster Energy Honda Team will be aiming to replicate last season’s win in the world’s toughest race, the Dakar Rally.

Indeed, if anything is tougher than conquering such a mighty goal, it is repeating it. And after last year’s Dakar, it has become abundantly clear that Monster Energy Honda Team are determined to pull off the triumph as many times as they possibly can. For this very reason the team will line up a mix of both youth and experience, making a formidable squad with a high chance of achieving their aim.

2022 Monster Energy Honda Rally Team

In the 2021 Dakar, Monster Energy Honda Team proved themselves to be a resilient outfit, not only winning stages and leading much of the race, but having several riders constantly vying for the top spot.

Ricky Brabec, American, champion in 2020 and runner-up in 2021, will adorn the #2 plate on his Honda CRF450 RALLY. With four stage wins last year, going from strength to strength throughout the campaign and in the final fray for the overall victory… who could ask for anything more?

Ricky Brabec

“2021 has been a lot of training so far. Unfortunately we are still in the Covid crisis, so not much racing going on. I don’t mind training more than racing. It’s always good to race and stay competitive, but also doing a lot of training is also good. I can train really close to my house so it makes it super easy and super beneficial to train for Dakar 2022. We were very close to achieving another win in 2021. Unfortunately two major setbacks haunted us the whole rally in doing so. Like we said – we know how to train and know exactly where to start off, just learning from 2019 to 2020 to 2021. This year, in preparation for 2022, we know where to start training and we know how to progressively train. I’m looking forward to seeing how it has helped us. Obviously, the main goal is the Dakar for any Honda rider. We have four really good, strong, confident riders. Unfortunately I want to win, but so do the other three. If one Honda wins, or two, or three, or, just one gets on the podium -it’s a team effort and a team win. So as a whole, that’s our main goal, to win the Dakar again.”

Ricky Brabec

José Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Cornejo, the young 27-year-old Chilean promise will return to Saudi Arabia hoping to improve on last year’s bittersweet edition, although nobody will be able to take away his stage win or the fact that he led the race for three whole days.

José Ignacio Cornejo

“The real pressure was when I was a privateer. I had to try to make it to be a professional. I didn’t have the resources. I’m having fun. I’m living the dream. Racing professionally for HRC. Fighting to win the Dakar Rally – the most important rally in the world. I just don’t feel the pressure. The Atacama was really good training for what was coming. Good conditions and good routes. I had a lot of fun. The pandemic? We thought that we would have more races, but some of them were cancelled or postponed, so it’s still not a normal year. It was better than last year. I’ve been able to do some testing and some normal training and some races with the team. Last year we just did one before the Dakar. It was better than last year for sure.”

José Ignacio Cornejo

Joan Barreda is currently the active rider with the highest number of stage wins in the motorcycle category. The #88 never-say-die needs little introduction. But who would dare to rule out Bang Bang from the list of contenders for the overall victory?

Joan Barreda

“I tried to do a good job throughout the whole season. We started the year with the Andalucian Rally and we did a good job. We were also racing close to my house in Baja, Spain. It was a great rally and I showed some good speed. It was good training to do all that work. This year we worked a lot especially on the second week of the Dakar. It’s a long race – different from the other rallies. I think we work well. We are trying to be in good physical and mental condition. We are trying to take care of all the small details. With all this together, with a really good bike and a great team, we are sure we can do a good job.”

Joan Barreda

Pablo Quintanilla is the latest addition to the Monster Energy Honda Team! Welcome aboard! The rider has already been on the final Dakar podium on no less than two occasions and also holds two world championship titles. The latest signing to the squad will be more visible than ever this year.

Pablo Quintanilla

“I feel really happy and excited to be part of the team. For me it is an honor to be part of the team that already won the Dakar in the last edition. For me it’s something that I have been searching for all these years. The atmosphere in the team is really nice. The relationship between the riders, the mechanics and all the people who work here is really nice. It is an honor to be part of the team. I think that all the riders want to win the Dakar. We come every year with the ambition to win the race. For me it’s a special feeling. I’ve already finished second and third in the race. For sure I want to win. But the important thing is to improve my skills and pace to have the chance to be able to win. For me it is important to have a big team behind you. Some things you can prepare for yourself before the race, but the other thing is that you have the correct team, with the correct people and the right bike to make it happen. I want to win. I will prepare for the victory. I will do my best as always. I will give it 100% every day and every stage. I hope and I wish this dream comes true.”

Pablo Quintanilla

The 2022 Dakar Rally will start on January 1 in Ha’il, Saudi Arabia, and, after 12 stages and a rest day, will end in Jeddah on January 14. The Dakar 2022 will also be the first round of the new Cross-Country Rallies World Championship.

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Yamaha reveals 2022 EMX125 & EMX250 line-ups

Yamaha Motor Europe have revealed that EMX250 bronze medalist Rick Elzinga will join fellow EMX250 title challengers Andrea Bonacorsi and Dave Kooiker at the Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 team for the 2022 EMX250 European Championship campaign. Meanwhile, the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team has retained its current crop of young stars, Ivano van Erp, Karlis Reisulis and Ferruccio Zanchi, for the 2022 EMX125 season.

Rick Elzinga joins Yamaha in 2022

Thorsten Lentink – Yamaha Motor Europe MX Racing Coordinator

“We are already looking forward to the 2022 European Motocross Championship after securing a strong 2022 line up for both of our Official EMX250 and EMX125 teams. In EMX250, after an incredible rookie season with Andrea Bonacorsi finishing fourth in the EMX250 Championship, we are excited to keep Andrea onboard for another season where we hope to regularly challenge the podium. In addition, we have also retained Dave Kooiker. He has just turned 16 and is a young talent on the rise, he started the year strong and solid but ended up facing some struggles later in the season, he has shown that he is a fighter and will keep pushing forward. And finally, we are super happy to re-sign Rick Elzinga. Rick is a rider who we started a relationship with inside the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team a few years ago, and despite a couple of challenging seasons that were spoiled by injury, he bounced back strong in 2021 and has proven that he is a title challenger in the EMX250 class. Rick is a true talent and a real asset to the Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 team, especially as he comes from the same area as the title sponsor, Hutten Metaal. We are really looking forward to working with these three riders and helping them reach their full potential. In the 125cc category, I am very happy that we can continue in 2022 with the exact same team. We have made a big step forward, and we have proven that we can fight for race and round wins. This year, we landed on the podium with all three of the MJC Yamaha riders, Ivano van Erp, Karlis Reisulis and Ferruccio Zanchi, and many times we had the fastest lap times. We are definitely podium contenders and very competitive, so I look forward to continuing in this direction with all three riders and the GYTR kitted YZ125.”

Spearheading the effort in the MX2 feeder class, EMX250, Elzinga makes his return to the Yamaha Family after a two-year hiatus. The Dutchman demonstrated his capabilities in the 2021 EMX250 Championship with an emphatic overall victory at his home round, the first of his career. The 19-year-old went on to score another three podiums, before securing the EMX250 bronze medal with a third-place finish at the final round in Mantova, Italy.

After winning the EMX125 Championship in 2020, Bonacorsi moved up to the highly competitive EMX250 class in 2021, joining the Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 team. Raising the bar for the next crop of up-and-coming talents, the 18-year-old Italian completed his first full term in the 250cc category in fourth overall after proving his true potential with a pair of back-to-back race wins at two of the three rounds in Pietramurata, Italy. The rookie sensation also raced his GYTR kitted YZ250F to the podium on three further occasions and will look to add to that tally to mount a title challenge next year.

Remaining with the Hutten Metaal set-up for a third full-season, 16-year-old Kooiker hopes to line up fit and strong in 2022, eager to inch closer to the front runners.

Wim Hutten – Hutten Metaal Yamaha Official EMX250 Team Owner

“I am happy and proud to run Yamaha’s Official EMX250 Team for a third year in a row. For this upcoming season, we add Rick Elzinga to the team, which is exciting because we are a Dutch-based team and he is a Dutch rider, and is also close to the Hutten Metaal area. It is also nice to keep Andrea, after an excellent rookie season, and Dave who will continue with us for another year as well. We see a lot of potential in this line-up, and our team will do all we can to give them the best opportunity to show what they are able to achieve.”

In the EMX125 series, the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team is thrilled to continue with its trio of proven title challengers, Van Erp, Reisulis and Zanchi.

Ivano van Erp

All three MJC Yamaha riders celebrated podium silverware in 2021. Van Erp emerged as one of the major title contenders with three race and round wins at EMX125 events in Germany, Spain, and Italy. After starting the 2021 season with an injury, Reisulis bounced back with a vengeance.

The 16-year-old Latvian rounded out his season with two overall podiums at the final two rounds in Italy, finishing second on both occasions. Zanchi was classified second overall at the first round in Matterley Basin, while the Italian’s first full season in the series also included an impressive race victory in France.

All three riders are confident and eager to continue racing the highly competitive GYTR kitted YZ125 inside the EMX125 Championship in 2022.

Loic LeFoll – MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 Team Owner

“I am so happy to continue working with these young riders. All three riders are very talented, which is exciting for our team, and in addition to that, they are very hard working and have great attitudes on and off the bike. I really enjoy working with riders like this, and we are already looking forward to the new season. The team is motivated, the riders are motivated, the YZ125 is a fantastic bike and we are excited for the 2022 season.”

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Bolt cleans up in Poland | RIP Hofer | AORC | MXGP | AFT

RIP Rene Hofer

In a tragic turn of events Rene Hofer and two friends have lost their lives during an alpine skiing trip after being caught in an avalanche. The 19-year-old Austrian had a bright future ahead of him that was cut short too soon. Condolences go to his family and friends and the families of those who lost their lives in the avalanche.

RIP Rene Hofer

KTM released the following statement:

“The entire KTM family is deeply saddened by the terrible news that MX2 factory racer Rene Hofer, along with two of his friends, has passed away following a skiing incident in Austria.

KTM would like to send love and heartfelt condolences to Rene’s family, friends, his team, along with the entire motocross community during this incredibly difficult time. Rene, a multi-time junior champion and GP winner with a bright future in Grand Prix ahead of him, will be remembered not only for his talent on the track, but also for his approachable, fun-loving and friendly personality, along with his ever-present smile.

Rene will be greatly missed by everyone in the KTM family. Ride on peacefully Rene. You will be missed immeasurably. #711″

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WBR Yamaha Team to introduce new riders at AMX MX Open

Yamaha has thrown their weight behind the AMX MX Open in Wonthaggi on the 11-12 of December, a decision that was made following the cancelation of the Australian Supercross Championship. Yamaha’s Clout, Tanti, Mellross, Budd, Kingsford & Rogers will all be out to claim victory in their respective classes in the AMX MX Open.

Luke Clout

Yamaha’s participates all levels of competition and are encouraging clubs, organisers, and promoters to run viable and successful events as the country returns to some normalcy.

Yamaha are sending their Factory 450 team and Rhys Budd will represent the GYTR Yamaha Team, while the WBR Yamaha Team will use the MX OPEN to launch their new riders.

In their second year at the event the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team aims to claim victory as team owner Craig Dack explains the importance of racing.

Craig Dack – CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team Owner

“You can’t beat racing to prepare for racing. Back when I was competing, we would race 30 to 40 weekends a year. The age old saying that repetition only makes you stronger is true. Racing also provides you the best testing conditions. We will be using this event to promote our sponsors, our new rider line up and for testing.”

Yamaha Australia have also taken class sponsorship of the Junior A-grade 65cc class and Junior A-grade 125cc class. Yamaha support Junior Racing through their development programs and Yamaha’s Scott Bishop believes aligning juniors and seniors together at one event helps inspire the next generation of champions.

Scott Bishop

“There aren’t too many events where all junior classes compete on the same weekend as the factory riders. Having juniors and seniors at one event really helps inspire the next generation of champions and Yamaha are happy to be apart of making this happen.”

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Budd and Larwood to fly Yamalube Yamaha Racing flag in 2022

The Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team will continue to develop emerging motocross talent in 2022, with a line up featuring two of Australia’s best up and coming riders locked in and raring to go.

Rhys Budd – Image by RBMotoLens

and Alex Larwood will be mounted on the championship winning YZ250F machine next season. For Budd it’s his second year with the Yamalube Yamaha Team while Larwood makes the transition to the Queensland based team as part of Yamaha’s step-up program.

Rhys Budd proved the surprise package of 2021, when after a last-minute call up to the Yamalube team, made every post a winner since coming on board. He finished the Pro MX Championship in third place, beating plenty of more fancied rivals and established himself as a major player in the MX2 category.

Budd is a hard working and dedicated athlete who puts his heart and soul into racing. The support of the Yamalube Yamaha Team at the start of the 2021 season was just the leg up Budd needed and he is excited to be back with the team again for 2022.

Rhys Budd

“As soon as I got the call from the team at the start of the 2021 season, I put my head down and got to work. Now that the pressure of preparing bikes and arranging things was taken from me, I was able to dedicate more time to my riding and training and it paid off with some good results and a new deal for this year, which I’m stoked about. The team have been amazing for me and its good to know you have a bunch of people who believe in you and want to help you achieve your goals. We already have a great base to start from as well as some additional plans that will only see me improve. I was pumped to stay with the Yamalube team again for 2022 and I really want to reward them for taking me on this year when they didn’t have to and no one else would.”

Rhys Budd – Image by RBMotoLens

Partnering Budd and making for a very competitive environment within the team is Alex Larwood. The 18-year-old South Australian, is a product of the Yamaha Junior Racing program and stepped up to the professional ranks for the 2020 season. The 2020 season never got off the ground with Covid, but in just a handful of races contesting in 2021, Larwood showed he has what it takes at MX2 level.

He moves from the WBR Yamaha team to the Yamalube Yamaha Team, so his support continues to grow to match his results. Larwood charged to a podium finish at the opening round of the 2021 season, but injury slowed his progress at the remaining rounds.

Back to full health and fitness, Larwood is ready to continue his meteoric rise up the ranks in 2022.

Alex Larwood

“I have been with Yamaha for a long time now and for them to continue to support me through the years is important to me. They picked me up back in 2014 as a junior, moved to the WBR Yamaha Team when I turned 16 and now the support increases in 2022 via Yamalube Yamaha. No other manufacturer can offer support like that over a long period of time. In just the short time I have had to deal with them, I can see the professionalism in the team and how they go about their jobs. Their bikes always look amazing, and they have had plenty of success in the past. We have three months to be ready for round one and its time to get to work. The team have my back, racing is back to normal, and we are looking good for a full and exciting season next year. I can’t wait.”

Alex Larwood – Image by RBMotoLens

National racing gets under way in March with the return of the eight round Pro MX Championship starting in Wonthaggi, Victoria before finishing on the Sunshine Coast in August.

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Fire Power Honda Racing line-up for 2022 AMA SX breaks cover

Fire Power Honda Racing will shake things up for 2022, with a two-rider effort in the 250 East Coast Region of the 2022 Monster Energy Supercross Championship and Martin Davalos has signed on as Team Manager. A part of the American series since 2020, the team has achieved modest success at the highest levels and aims to improve its results in the season ahead.

Fire Power Honda Racing

Davalos is no stranger to the demands of the AMA. The Ecuadorian competed in America for 15 years with a can-do attitude that netted him five wins, 24 podiums, and 46 top-five finishes from 101 starts in the 250 Class. The determined racer stepped up to the 450 Class in 2021, and his one top-five finish and seven top-10 results earned him the Rookie of the Year award.

Davalos announced his retirement from full-time competition in America in 2021 and will now turn his attention to managing the Fire Power Parts Honda Racing Team from its new base of operations at the Millsaps Training Facility in Georgia.

Martin Davalos

“I am pumped for this new chapter with Fire Power Honda Racing. I was hoping an opportunity like this would come my way, as I know I have a lot to offer the team. I’m looking forward to managing the program from MTF in Georgia and to being involved in testing and development as well. The team has a championship-winning program in Australia, and I believe in its direction in America for next year. Relocating the team to MTF will be a huge advantage, as it will help get the most out of a program that wants to contend for championships. We have signed two riders and have a lot in place already.”

Yarrive Konsky, Factory Honda Australia’s Team Owner, shares the high hopes and is pleased to welcome Davalos for the coming season. And after experiencing the no-nonsense approach MTF has towards training and professionalism first-hand, Konsky believes moving from California to Georgia was a necessity.

Yarrive Konsky

“After travel restrictions made it difficult for me these past two seasons, I needed someone to help manage the program in America, so I am really happy Martin is on board. I believe he will have a big impact on the crew and the riders. He has certainly earned the respect of his peers for a reason. I’ve trained at MTF, and the professionalism and dedication they have for their athletes is what I wanted the team to experience. They support their athletes in all areas of racing, and their commitment is unwavering. We are fortunate they welcomed our program. The connection between MTF and Fire Power Honda Racing goes back years and has been an element in the team’s past success. I first met Gavin Faith at MTF, brought him to Australia, and we won championships together, so it’s fitting that our groups will work together in 2022.”

The team has signed riders Jordon Smith and Jarrett Frye to race the all-new 2022 Honda CRF250R during the nine-round 250 East Coast Region of Supercross.

Jordon Smith’s ride

Jordon Smith enters the seventh year of his career with an already- impressive resume. The 25-year-old from North Carolina turned pro in 2015 and has claimed three Main Event wins and 13 podiums in the 250 Class. A long-time resident of MTF, Smith will seamlessly transition to the team.

Jarrett Frye has shown plenty of potential over the past year and a half, and with three top-15 finishes to his credit, the 20-year-old from Maryland is ready to step up in 2022.

Jarrett and Jordon have been testing with the team for the past six weeks, and Konsky is proud of the group for believing that the program will help them race at their potential.

Jarrett Frye’s ride

Yarrive Konsky

“We all know injuries hinder a riders’ full potential, I have spoken to Jordon over the years and have always wanted to work with him. I believe in him because he applies the skills, desire, and commitment to racing. Jarrett was also at the top of our list. I studied his amateur career, pro results, and technique, and if he wants it bad enough, he is more than good enough. Finally, Martin’s experience and outlook are what we needed to give us the strength to be a winning program. Our focus is the East Coast Supercross region, but we haven’t ruled out racing two or three rounds of Pro Motocross and bringing the riders, including Davalos, to race in the Australian Supercross championship. Fire Power Parts were partners for this season, and we’re excited that they have stepped their support up for 2022. In addition, the team will announce several new sponsorships for next year in the coming weeks. I want to thank Muc-Off for their support this season, and though we have agreed to go in different directions for 2022, both of our groups are better for the time spent together.”

Fire Power Honda Racing Team Line-Up

  • Team Owner – Yarrive Konsky
  • Team Manager – Martin Davalos
  • Team Rider – Jordon Smith
  • Mechanic – Justin Hopson
  • Team Rider – Jarrett Frye
  • Mechanic – Mackenzie Engel
  • Engine – Jamie Ellis – Twisted Development
  • Suspension – Mike Haist -Factory Connection
  • Design – Rhys van Slooten
  • Truck Driver – TBC
  • Media – TBC
  • Trainers – Colleen Millsaps, Brian Johnson, and Jacob Pennisi.
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Tasmania to host 2022 AORC grand finale

Tasmania will crown the 2022 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship presented by MXstore Champions when it hosts the Grand Finale of the Championship at Wynyard on October 8-9 next year.

AORC 2022 will head to Tasmania

Motorcycling Australia have secured the final two rounds of the 12 round Championship in Tasmania, the first time in the AORC’s 15-year history, thanks to the support of Tasmanian State Government.

Many of the world’s best riders including former Australian International Six Day Enduro (ISDE) Champions and Australia’s best off-road riders, along with a flurry of local Tasmanian riders will battle it out in the Wynyard bush to be crowned the 2022 AORC Champion.

Motorcycling Australia CEO, Peter Doyle said the 2022 Yamaha AORC was shaping up to be spectacular.

Peter Doyle – Motorcycling Australia CEO

“We have a world class field lined up for competition in 2022 and after two interrupted previous seasons we know riders are excited and ready to hit the terrain next year and especially for the first time the Grand Finale in Tasmania. We are very pleased with the excitement and support the Tasmanian Government has shown in securing the final rounds of our World Champion producing Championship and are hopeful this partnership will deliver a long-lasting presence in the Apple-Isle. With new and exciting venues in the 2022 AORC to be announced soon, we have no doubt again we will see hundreds of riders at each and every round in 2022.”

Round entries and round format details will be released in the new year.

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Tim Gajser talks expectations for 2022 with Team HRC in MXGP

After one of the toughest and most intense seasons in motocross history, Team HRC’s Tim Gajser had little chance to really reflect on what had happened. Finishing the campaign with eight races in six weeks meant every moment was focused on racing, but now that the dust has settled on a championship where Gajser ended up third overall, the Slovenian rider has now been able to talk about last season and also what he expects from the upcoming 2022 MXGP calendar.

What are you up to now, and what have you done since the season finished?

Gajser: “I’m actually having a little break in Croatia, just to recharge the batteries a bit and let my body recover from what was a very tough end to the 2021 season. I also had a little bit of testing to do with some things for a few days after the last round so now I’m just trying to relax and spend a bit of time off the bike, so that when I do start training again for 2022, I’ll be fresh.”

Tim Gajser

How would you sum up your 2021 season?

Gajser: “The 2021 season was definitely a tough one, both mentally and physically. All the riders went through a lot and we were all pushing until the very end. Of course, I wasn’t able to become world champion, so I wasn’t able to achieve my goal but there were a lot of good moments. It was difficult to come so close and not make it happen but I will use that as motivation for next year and try to keep improving on those small details.”

Tim Gajser

What were your best memories of the year?

Gajser: “Obviously, it started really well in Russia, going one-one and then I had some really good motos after that. Winning on the last lap in Matterley Basin with a great battle and then there were some excellent races in Turkey. Probably the most important was in Germany, when I was able to come back after my injury and win the second race and the overall and just show everyone that I was ready to really fight for the championship. It was also great to share these moments with Team HRC as they have always believed in me, even when I was struggling. It was also good to have fans back at the races as we can see how much they add to the events. The races in France, Spain and then the last ones in Italy really showed how awesome a motocross race atmosphere can be so I hope that even more fans can come and support the riders next year.”

Tim Gajser

And what about things you wish you could change?

Gajser: “It was just a lot of really small things really. Of course, I wish I hadn’t have got hurt after Turkey as I was around 30 points clear in the championship and riding really well and controlling the series when it happened. The crash in Loket when the lever got stuck in the handguard was unlucky and that cost me a lot of points and just a few other things that didn’t go to plan. Nothing really too big but when the championship comes down to a small number of points, it is those little things that add up.”

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

What do you think of the calendar for 2022?

Gajser: “I haven’t focused too much on the calendar for next year. The last two years have taught us to prepare for changes so I won’t really get ready for any specific rounds. However, starting in late February doesn’t give us a lot of time off this winter, so I have to make sure I do what I need to do in order to be ready for that.”

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser and team in Germany

Are there any events that stand out for you?

Gajser: “It is nice to see some overseas races back on the calendar again, and I hope they can happen. These rounds are always interesting to go to and it is important for it be a proper ‘world’ championship. They are also important for Honda and all their sponsors so I’m glad that we will go outside of Europe a few times. I am also excited for any new rounds we have on the calendar as it is nice to go to different places. Keeping things fresh is important and gives everyone a new start at a track that they haven’t seen before.”

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

There hasn’t been an announcement about whether we go back to two-day events, or stick with the one-day format, what is your opinion on this?

Gajser: “I think I have been quite clear that I wish that we can go back to the two-day format. I believe it is better for a world championship to be held over two days, rather than just a one-day format which is what I ride when I go to Slovenia for a national event. It gives us a bit more of a chance to get things right on the bike and to make things a bit safer as we can change things and see how they work and then still have chance to change them back before the races. I know a lot of riders want the one-day format, but then they are also using practice tracks or tracks in the area on the Saturday because they want to work on things and get things perfect for raceday. Maybe the qualifying race could be incentivised more, or we just do timed practice for the gate pick but I believe that the MXGPs should be a two-day event.”

Tim Gajser claims the top spot in the 2021 MXGP of Germany
Tim Gajser claiming the top spot in the 2021 MXGP of Germany

What are your hopes for 2022?

Gajser: “The aim every year is to become world champion. It is what every rider wishes and especially for me, having won some in the past and having come so close this year, it is what I will be focusing on for every gate drop. Of course, I know it won’t be easy as the class is getting more competitive every year and I believe a lot of riders will keep improving, so I need to keep improving as well but I am confident that I can come out on top, especially with the support of everyone at Team HRC who continues to work extremely hard making sure everything possible is done to get me to perform at my best. I am also looking forward to having Mitch Evans back alongside me, after he missed 2021 through injury. I got on well with him and he is fun to have around and I hope that he can show everyone his real speed in 2022.”

Mitch Evans will also return in 2022
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Estenson Racing reveal AFT line-up for 2022

Estenson Racing will run a powerhouse line-up for the 2022 Progressive American Flat Track season. Multi-time road race champion JD Beach and the reigning back-to-back AFT Singles Champion Dallas Daniels return, with the young rider making his premier class debut and joining the veteran for a two-pronged threat in the Mission SuperTwins Championship. Up-and-coming rider Trevor Brunner joins the team to spearhead the campaign in the AFT Singles class.

JD Beach

Beach enters his fourth season with the team and looks to build on their success with the Yamaha MT-07. Since his first premier class victory that debut season with the team in 2019, he has been the rider to beat on the TT tracks, winning four of the last five TT Main Events. Beach and the team have continued to make forward strides, ending the 2021 season with a pair of wins and a total of four podium finishes for a top-five finish in the point standings.

JD Beach – Estenson Racing Mission SuperTwins

“I’m excited to be back with the Estenson Racing team for the fourth season now. I’ll have the same crew as last year, and I think it’ll be good to build off that as well. I feel like every year, we are taking steps forward with the bike, sometimes not as big of steps as we would have liked, but we have never stopped working. With what we learned in 2021 and the people that we have around us, I think we could take our biggest step forward next season. I’m thankful to have the continued support from Tim (Estenson) and the whole team. I think ‘22 will be a big year for us, not only with having a strong team but also some really strong competition in the SuperTwins class. I hope that I can make this year the best one yet and add some wins on the oval tracks.”

JD Beach

Daniels steps up to the premier class after an impressive tenure in the AFT Singles Championship since he made his debut midseason in 2019 at the Lima Half-Mile. In addition to becoming the first back-to-back champion in the class, he rose to second on the support class’ all-time win list with 13 victories. While defending his AFT Singles title in 2021, Daniels also enjoyed a stellar debut aboard the Twin in the AFT Production Twins class, scoring three wins and a second-place finish in the four events he entered.

Dallas Daniels – Estenson Racing Mission SuperTwins

“I’m super excited to be returning with Estenson Racing. We’ve had a lot of success together during the two-and-a-half years that I’ve been there, taking home two championships in the AFT Singles class. So it just seems like the right time for us to make the move to the premier twins class, the Mission SuperTwins. It’s been my dream to even race in this class, let alone be given the opportunity to win and accomplish my goals. The team has been putting in an endless amount of work into the bikes and the program, and I think we have a really good package heading into the season opener. I can’t wait for the season to start!”

Dallas Daniels

The newest addition to Estenson Racing, Brunner is one of the sport’s rising stars. He capped off his amateur career with top honours and has followed a similar career trajectory as Daniels. The Indiana rider was named the 2019 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award Winner and the 2019 AMA Athlete of the Year from Grand Championship events.

He then went on to impress during his debut in the pro ranks, scoring a win at the Springfield Short Track in 2020. Brunner finished his sophomore year strong with a pair of wins at the Sacramento Mile doubleheader, securing a top-five finish in the points standings. The 19-year-old aims to put another number-one plate on the Yamaha YZ450F and bring the team its fourth title in its sixth year in the championship.

Tommy Hayden – Estenson Racing Team Manager

“Estenson Racing is really happy to announce our racing program for 2022. We could not be more excited about our riders that we have on the team for next year. In the SuperTwins class, I feel really good about our balance of strengths. With JD, we have experience and maturity, and with Dallas, we have raw talent and eagerness. Together I think this is a perfect match that will push us forward. In the AFT Singles class, we are really happy to have Trevor join our team. We have had a lot of success in the championship with three titles, including the recent back-to-back championships, and we believe Trevor is the guy to help us continue that success on the 450. He has already proven to be a race winner, and we look forward to helping him become a champion. We have increased our commitment to winning even more with our concentrated effort, and have added staff members and expanded in other areas to give us more resources to accelerate our development capabilities. We’re looking forward to lining up in Volusia next March.”

Trevor Brunner – Estenson Racing AFT Singles

“I’m ecstatic to be joining the Estenson Racing team. They have had a lot of success in American Flat Track and have been the pinnacle of the AFT Singles class the past few years. I have a lot of confidence in them, and they have a lot of confidence in me, so I’m looking to put it all out on the track aboard the Estenson Racing Yamahas. The team is all about winning races, and we’re going after the championship. It’s a big step for me in my career, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto Wrap | Dirt Track | Dakar prep | Tough One | Roof of Africa

Billy Bolt wins last ever Tough One event

The Tough One Extreme Enduro first ran in 2005 and was run the final time over the weekend, with Billy Bolt taking a historic win as a result.

Held in the Nantmawr Quarry on the Welsh/English border, the location is renowned for brutal climbs in both directions, slick logs and a relentless pace.

Bolt took the win on his TE 300 two-stroke from David Knight, who’s won the event six-times, with Mitchell Brightmore taking third place in the Pro class.

Billy Bolt – P1

“Had a rough week last week hence my lack instagramming but it ended off on a good note with a win at the Tough One yesterday. Very nice to add my name to the winners list for such an iconic race. Back to Spain today to get to work ready for super enduro this weekend let’s go!”

Billy Bolt – Image Facebook

2021 Tough One Results – Top 5

Pos Rider Team Time
1 Billy Bolt Rockstar Husqvarna 1:57:50
2 David Knight CCC Manhattan KTM 1:59:41
3 Mitch Brightmore Husqvarna 2:07:56
4 Jack Spencer Beta 2:08:23
5 Jack Price GasGas 2:08:29

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Wade Young wins 2021 Roof of Africa for Sherco

Wade Young has taken the 2021 Roof of Africa win for Sherco Factory Racing, ahead of TT Racing riders Travis Teasdale and Matthew Green in the gold class.

Wade Young – P1

“Long cold days in the mountains but super happy to get the win the Motul Roof of Africa 2021. #TeamSherco Great way to end the season! Thanks to the race organizers for another outstanding event. See you next year!”

Travis Teasdale – P2

“Roof of Africa is done and dusted. I had a great race winning the time trial and day three was my highlight. The course was extremely wet and really hard to navigate your way through the mountains. I am happy to end my season on the podium and looking forward to the next season already.”

Matthew Green – P3

“Third at the Roof of Africa. What a feeling. Super happy to get another Gold Roof under the belt and bring home some silverware while at it. Huge thanks to everyone directly and indirectly involved with my racing. Days like today are just unforgettable! Riding in the most insane mountains during a thunderstorm with some of yours best mates is something not many will experience. Went out today with the intention to just have fun and I can definitely say I achieved that! Racing the Roof at the highest level definitely puts you through a lot of emotions and I think that was quite evident today when I crossed the finish line. Today marks the end of the 2021 racing season and it is impossible to thank everyone for everything they have done for me but just know I really do appreciate each and everyone who helps. The biggest thanks has to go to my incredible parents. If you know me well you know how much they do for me. It’s been a wild ride. And I’m walking away with the biggest smile on my face. Thank you!”

2021 Roof of Africa Results

Pos Participant Team Total
1 Wade Young Sherco Factory Racing 13:40:31
2 Travis Teasdale TT Racing 14:09:25
3 Matthew Green TT Racing 14:53:58
4 William Slater TBR Suspension 15:47:44
5 Blake Gutzeit 16:17:16
6 Luke Walker McLarens Yamaha Racing 17:11:58
7 Tristan Tamsen TT Racing 17:52:16
8 Chayse Orsmond 18:32:01
9 Heinrich Aust Rockstar Energy Huqvarna 19:14:35
10 Andrew Houston Peak Yamaha 21:53:26

Daniel Milner joins Fantic D’Arpa Racing Team for 2022

Australia’s Daniel Milner has revealed that he’s joined the Fantic D’Arpa Racing Team for 2022, to compete the EnduroGP and Italian Enduro championship, pursuing a long standing personal goal.

Daniel Milner

“Excited to be racing for Fantic Racing on the Fantic D’Arpa Racing Team for 2022 in the EnduroGP and Italian Enduro. This has been a goal of mine for years, so getting this opportunity to help grow this brand and team was a no brainer. Also, getting Scott Lillis along side me will make it way easier to push to chase our dream and goals. Bring on 2022.”

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Factory Honda signs Wilson Todd for 2022

Three-time Australian Champion Wilson Todd has signed with Factory Honda for 2022, after hitting the MX2 age limit in Europe, having spent the last two years racing in the highly competitive MX2 World Championship.

Wilson Todd

“I enjoyed my time in Europe and I was proud of the results we achieved against the factory team. I finished as high as fourth in a race, and we had a top five overall finish and several top tens. There is an age limit in the MX2 class and I turn 24 before next year’s championship starts which makes me ineligible. I was faced with some hard decisions and in the end the best decision for me was to come home and race. My focus is to win the MX2 and SX2 Australian Championship, but I hope to do a race or two overseas through Yarrive’s contacts and team internationally.”

Wilson Todd
Wilson Todd

Todd has proven to be one of the best Australian riders. In the past seven years he has won three championships and finished runner-up twice. He has also proven himself on the world stage. Tony Hinton, Honda Australia’s General Manager of Sales welcomed Wilson Todd to Honda’s Factory Team.

Tony Hinton

“Wilson Todd completes an impressive line-up for Honda. Wilson is a welcomed surprise as he was achieving great results overseas in the World MX2 Championship and we were unsure if he was going to return. He proved competitive against the world best this season and we are fortunate to have him racing our new 2022 CRF250R in next year’s Australian Motocross and Supercross Championship.”

2022 marks Wilson’s first year with Honda and the Queenslander is looking forward to racing with the championship winning team. Wilson still hopes to compete overseas and will patiently wait to see if there are any opportunities to do some racing in America next year in between the Australian Motocross Championship.

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Ryder and Rogers with WBR Yamaha for 2022

The WBR Yamaha Bulk Nutrients Team will head into 2022 with two young prospects to contest the Pro MX and Australian Supercross Championships in the MX2 division. In keeping with their role of developing the up coming riders within the Yamaha ranks, Levi Rogers and Ryder Kingsford will spearhead the team in 2022 and both have been a part of Yamaha’s emerging talent for several years.

Ryder Kingsford – Image by RBMotoLens

Rogers moves across from the Yamalube Yamaha team and looks forward to the new surrounds and environment to continue progressing in his career. Rogers has proven to be fast, as fast as anyone on his day, with plenty of rides in his rookie MX2 season in 2021 showing he is capable of mixing it with the biggest names in the MX2 class.

Working with the Whitten family at WBR Yamaha, Rogers will be looking to cash in on his undoubted speed and turn that into results both at a state and national level. At just 18 years of age, Rogers has time on his side and is out to make his second year in the MX2 category memorable for all the right reasons.

Levi Rogers

“2021 was my first year in MX2 and while there was speed and some good results, there was some mistakes which I need to reduce to be a contender at each and every round. I’m thankful Yamaha were keen to keep me on board and that Travis and Nathan from WBR Yamaha offered me a great opportunity for the new season. “We already have a few plans in place and I’m looking forward to getting stuck into a new year with the team. Their bikes have been proven to be good, we have a great group of sponsors on board and hopefully we can get a full season completed. I’m excited for 2022 already.”

Levi Rogers

Joining Rogers will be young Yamaha sensational Ryder Kingsford. Like Rogers, Kingsford has been a long-term product of the Yamaha Junior Racing program and after a strong 2022 season where he finished in second place in the inaugural MX3 championship, he makes the move to not only the WBR Yamaha team, but also steps up to the MX2 division.

Kingsford is equally skilled at motocross and supercross, having both style of tracks at his disposal in his own back yard in Goulburn. He has already won multiple Australia junior championships in motocross and supercross and is eager to make the big leap into the professional ranks.

Ryder Kingsford

“I know stepping into the MX2 class is a big decision to make but Yamaha and WBR were happy for me to take it and I thank them for showing the faith in me when I could have stayed another year in MX3. Getting the support of the team at WBR Yamaha is awesome and we have already had a successful couple of days testing and I feel right at home on the bike and with the team. We plan on doing as many events as possible before the start of the Pro MX Championship in March so I’m well prepared for what’s to come.”

Ryder Kingsford

Dylan Long has also been an ambassador for the WBR Yamaha dealership since his retirement from full time racing a few years ago, but the racing bug has bitten again and Long will compete in a range of activities for WBR Yamaha included selected rounds of the Pro MX and Australian Supercross Championship.

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Romain Febvre injury update

Romain Febvre underwent successful surgery on his right leg that he broke at the Paris Supercross last weekend; the factory Kawasaki rider will rest for a few weeks before starting preparation for the 2022 season.

Romain Febvre

Together with several other leading MXGP riders and seasoned Supercross specialists, Romain Febvre entered his last race of 2021 on Saturday; it was a unique and additional opportunity to race in a one-off Supercross event inside his home country of France after recently celebrating his second place in the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship.

Feeling comfortable on the track laid out in the Paris la Defense Arena, Romain posted the third fastest lap time during the Superpole to confirm his fastest time from Friday practice. Fifth in the first of the three races Romain made a great start in the second sprint race, pushing his fastest lap time and was a challenging for second position behind Marvin Musquin when he crashed spectacularly on the finish jump!

After being transferred to the hospital Ambroise Pare at Boulogne Billancourt where he had further examinations, Romain underwent surgery and was treated for a double fracture of the tibia and fibula of the right leg. Following successful surgery Romain remains positive for his full recovery.

Romain Febvre

“Not the way I wanted to finish the season for sure! I was happy with my riding, didn’t took any risks, and I felt more and more comfortable with the track when I had this crash. In my career I already recover from injuries, I know what that means and for sure I will be back stronger.”

Romain Febvre

Kevin Horgmo joins F&H Kawasaki Racing Team

The F&H Kawasaki Racing Team has secured its first new signing for the 2022 FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship as Norwegian Kevin Horgmo, this year’s EMX250 series runner-up, moves up to the GPs.

For the fifth year in succession Team F&H will be officially representing Kawasaki in the MX2 World championship next season and the exciting Norwegian talent joins the Dutch squad with high expectations from both team and rider.

Kevin Horgmo – F&H Kawasaki Racing Team

One of most talented riders from Scandinavia, Kevin was at the sharp end of a tense battle for the FIM Europe EMX250 title this summer, eventually ending the series as runner-up with two overall victories, three moto wins and six podiums.

The MX2 World Championship will not be an entirely new experience for Kevin as he already raced a few GPs this season, with a twelfth position as best result in Czech Republic. After battling for race wins, podiums and the title he now moves to the GPs more experienced and mature. Kevin has already started working with Marc De Reuver, who will again be the coach to the F&H riders next season.

Kevin Horgmo

“I’m really excited to join F&H Kawasaki Racing Team; the KX250 is a completely new bike for me but already after the first test I feel so comfortable on it. To be a member of a team like this is what I feel I’ve been missing in the past; the team has everything I need to succeed so now it’s up to me to perform! It will also be good to work with Marc as a trainer; for sure I will learn a lot from him!”

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Maxime Renaux signs with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP

Yamaha welcome reigning FIM MX2 Motocross World Champion Maxime Renaux to the premier MXGP class in 2022, the 21-year-old Frenchman joins the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team, where he will campaign a YZ450FM in the FIM Motocross World Championship for the next two years.

Renaux has been with Yamaha for more than a decade and has worked his way up the Yamaha Racing pyramid, ever since he was a young star-on-the-rise on a YZ85. In 2015, the young talent celebrated three EMX125 wins aboard a GYTR kitted YZ125 and eventually won his first World Title with an impressive victory at the Junior 125cc World Championship in El Molar, Spain, in that same year.

Maxime Renaux

After the 2016 and 2017 seasons were marred by injury, the determined Frenchman entered the lower capacity premier class, MX2, as a wild card in 2018 and instantly showed great potential.

At the age of 18, Renaux completed his first full-term in MX2 in 2019 where he managed to steer his YZ250F to a maiden podium finish on his way to seventh overall in the final classification. The following year, in 2020, the Yamaha ace quickly established himself as a title threat. He eventually finished third in the MX2 World Championship after celebrating his first-ever Grand Prix race and overall win at the MXGP of Italy in Faenza.

After many notable performances throughout his first two years in MX2, Renaux was drafted into the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team and substantially improved his riding and racecraft. In his debut season as a ‘Factory’ Yamaha rider, the ‘959’ took his YZ250FM to 24 top-three finishes, 10 race wins, 14 podium finishes and five Grand Prix wins on his way to title glory in the 2021 FIM MX2 World Championship.

After the Paris Supercross at the end of November, the French star will step up to the premier class, where he will join seasoned MXGP riders Jeremy Seewer and Glenn Coldenhoff under the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP awning.

Maxime Renaux

“I’m really excited for the new challenge and the next chapter, to move to MXGP. I know it’s going to be an all-new challenge, and it is the most important part of my career because once you reach MXGP you are at the top, there is no class to move forward. I feel ready for it, and I am really looking forward to making this experience a good one, and a long one. I have tested the bike, and I feel already really good and really comfortable. I’ve been riding a 450 in the past, so it’s not a new bike for me, but it is the first time on a Factory YZ450FM, and I already feel super ready for it, so now we will spend the winter testing and developing the bike to suit me as best it can, so that we are ready for next season. I’m looking forward to everything.”

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Toby Price to headline KTM’s Dakar efforts in 2022

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Matthias Walkner, Toby Price, and Kevin Benavides are fired up and focused on success as they enter the final phase of preparations ahead of next January’s Dakar Rally. The three-man team of former Dakar Rally winners will be joined by newly retired MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci, who will make his Dakar debut at the 2022 event.

Toby Price – Image by Rally Zone

With just over one month to go before the highly anticipated start of the 2022 Dakar Rally, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing are currently completing their final period of testing before packing their bags and heading to the start of the famous race, early in January 2022.

Matthias, Toby, and Kevin will all compete on the latest version of the KTM 450 RALLY – a bike developed in close cooperation between KTM Technologies, KTM’s R&D department, KISKA, and KTM Motorsports over the last two years.

Matthias Walkner

Toby Price showed impressive pace at the 2021 Dakar Rally, but was frustratingly forced to retire following a crash on stage nine, which caused a year of disruption for the Aussie. Following three separate surgeries, Price has largely stayed away from competition, spending time on his bike at home in Australia during the second half of the season, before joining the team later in the year to test and develop the new KTM 450 RALLY.

Contesting the Rallye du Maroc in October, he put in five solid days of racing, also taking the time to further improve the set-up of the new machine through the Moroccan dunes in preparation for the Dakar. Happy with his own performance, and that of the bike, Toby will be looking to make amends for his 2021 Dakar disappointment and claim his third title at the 2022 event.

Toby Price

“I’m really looking forward to Dakar 2022. This year’s race didn’t go too well for me, crashing out on stage nine. I was sitting in a good place, so it was tough to have to retire. The plan for the next one is similar to those I’ve had in the past to be honest – make it safely to the rest day in a solid position, stay in contention, and try to let the days come to me. On the days that we need to push, we’ll really go for it. It’s easy to make a plan, but the rally is always changing day-by-day, you have to be able to adapt. I’m feeling really good now, and the work on the new bike is definitely going in the right direction. All being well we should be in the mix, and I can’t wait to go racing again with the Red Bull KTM team!”

Toby Price – Image by Rally Zone

Joining the team in Saudi Arabia, former MotoGP star Danilo Petrucci will be riding for KTM Factory Racing and making his competitive rally debut at the Dakar. Swapping his KTM RC16 for a KTM 450 RALLY, the likeable Italian will take on the world’s toughest rally hoping to complete the event at his first attempt.

Danilo has already had time to test his Tech3 KTM Factory Racing rally bike alongside the team and has undergone intense road book training, under the watchful eye of KTM’s Rally Sport Manager Jordi Viladoms, in order to be ready to face the incredibly challenging navigation required for rally racing.

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Aus SX | MX Open | Bou wins X-Trial | 2022 rider moves

Tony Cairoli’s World Championship boots up for auction

Tony Cairoli’s World Championship boots are being auctioned off for charity, with the Sidi No. 222 of the Atojo LTD listed on the Catawiki online platform, in size 43. The proceeds will go to support Two Wheels For Life, supporting motorcyclists in very remote communities to save and improve lives in Africa, delivering much needed health care.

Unfortunately no shipping is available if you’re in Australia and interested.

Tony Cairoli

“I know I’ve been lucky, I could follow my passion and make a job out of it and an important part of my life. Of course I’ve faced and managed some difficult situations, I’ve made some sacrifices, but I think I’ve really been privileged,’ says the champion from Patti. ‘I am particularly fond of these boots. They are the result of a special collaboration with #sidi and an undisputed evolution in motorbike boots. There were a few points we wanted to bring out and we succeeded. They’re definitely my favourite boots and I’m happy that someone can buy them at the auction and help us support someone in need.”

Tony Cairoli signing the boots prior to them going to auction

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Tom Pagès launches double front flip off cliff in Avoriaz

Pagès decided to bridge the two different sporting seasons with an audacious stunt in Avoriaz, which follows speedriding pioneer Valentin Delluc’s memorable stunt last year that went viral globally.

The 36-year-old – who also has five X Games gold medals, two silvers and a bronze – wanted to combine freestyle motocross (FMX) and parachuting in a thrilling world-first project that would see him launch a double front flip off an Avoriaz cliff, land with a parachute and ride away.

Tom Pagès

“I enjoy parachuting in my spare time, when I’m not riding. I took it step by step. I started training in a wind tunnel, then skydiving in 2015 with the Soul Flyers – Vince Reffet and Fred Fugen. Next came my initiation to BASE jumping from a helicopter, then from a bridge on Reunion Island with Loïc Jean Albert (air sports pioneer). Afterwards I learned to jump from a cliff with Aurélien Chatard aka Bras Noir (Black Arm). I was petrified by the idea, but I couldn’t help imagining what it would be like jumping on a motorcycle. In 2020, I went to Dubai with this in mind, but COVID hit so everything was put on standby until March. Finally with the support of my sponsors and, in spite of the complexity of the project, I’ve had the opportunity to realise my dream.”

Image by Antoine Truchet

After a three-trick freestyle run on the pedestrian streets of the famous Alpine resort, Pagès shifted into fourth gear and accelerated up a seven-metre high ramp (standard ramp averages 2m70) at 80km/h.

He shot out over 55m from the cliff, doing a double front flip in the air then free falling on his motorcycle at 150 km/h before deploying his parachutes for the landing 30 seconds later and 170 m below.

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Australian Supercross Championship (AUS SX) to return in late 2022

The Australian Supercross Championship (AUS SX) has been officially postponed, with a series return planned for late 2022. Continued border restrictions, evolving stadium requirements, and key industry stakeholders preferring a fully-fledged return to racing, has led the decision.

Australian SX Rnd Melbourne Yamaharace
Aus SX 2019

Since the pandemic began, promoters, industry partners and stakeholders have navigated a multitude of scheduling options to get racing back underway. The most recent proposal considered a three-round condensed (2021) Championship in January/February 2022 however restrictions made it untenable.

Event organisers will now focus on the 2022 series with exciting plans already underway for Australia’s most prestigious motorcycle championship.

Director of AUS SX Holdings, the commercial rights holder of AUS SX, Adam Bailey believes it’s imperative Supercross has a secure and stable pathway to ensure a successful return.

Adam Bailey – Director of AUS SX Holdings

“Like all live sport and entertainment events, the last two years have been an incredibly challenging period for Supercross. After the record-breaking end to 2019 with 35,000 fans at Marvel Stadium for the AUS-X Open, we are itching to get back to racing, and build on this success/swell of interest in the sport. The heartbreaking decision was made after discussions with key stakeholders including sponsors, government partners, racing teams and Motorcycling Australia – our priority is ensuring we have a successful and prosperous return to racing, and will now do this in 2022.”

** Details for the emphatic return of the FOX Australian Supercross Championship will be announced in early 2022 **

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Beaton returns to F&H Kawasaki Racing Team in 2022

Jed Beaton returns to the F&H Kawasaki Racing Team next year as he moves up to contest the premier MXGP class of the FIM Motocross World Championships for the first time.

Having already shown his potential in 2016 when he travelled from his native Tasmania to Europe to replace an injured rider in the European championships, Jed joined the F&H Kawasaki Racing Team two years later to contest the MX2 World Championship for the first time.

Jed Beaton in Portugal in 2018

After regularly posting top eight results during the early rounds of his rookie season Jed claimed the team’s first-ever World Championship podium with a third position in the Portuguese GP at Agueda. Holding fifth in the series after eight rounds he unfortunately suffered a broken leg at the British GP and was forced to miss the remainder of the season.

Ranked top-five in the MX2 World Championship in each of the last two seasons after scoring a further six GP podiums the Australian opens another chapter in his career in 2022 as, having reached the age-related cut-off of twenty-three, he transfers to the MXGP class with the Dutch F&H Kawasaki Racing Team based in Moordrecht.

Jed Beaton

”I am really excited to sign again with F&H Kawasaki Racing Team. We have achieved great things together in the past and I feel like we can now do the same in the MXGP class; it’s a big step for both myself and the team but we are both excited and ready for it.”

Jed Beaton

Nathalie Fase – F&H Kawasaki Team Manager

“We are very much looking forward to our renewed collaboration with Jed as he has always been part of our family. The fact that Jed returns to us says something about our mutual trust and the bond we have with each other. In 2018 we achieved our first MX2 podium with him, and we hope to take on this exciting challenge together in the MXGP class. We are confident that it will once again be a great collaboration with each other. We all can’t wait to get started!”

Steve Guttridge – Racing Manager Kawasaki Motors Europe

“Adding Jed to the MXGP line up on our KX450 inside the F&H Kawasaki Racing Team is an exciting prospect! The team continue to gain big experience and learn quickly each season and so for KME to add more green back into the MXGP start line, inside a top team and with talented rider combination, was the way forward for the 2022 season.”

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Dean Ferris ready for AMX MX Open return with Factory Honda

It’s less than a month until Dean Ferris returns to full-time competition, where he will saddle up on the CRF450R at the AMX MX OPEN with Factory Honda.

The three-time Australian national MX1 champion grew up riding motorbikes on his parents’ farm, where he mustered cattle. This first taste of life on two wheels lit a fire in him that would prove difficult to extinguish.

A crash in training back in August 2020, where he sustained fractures from T4 through to T7 and 10 broken ribs, became the catalyst for Ferris’s decision to retire.

After months of rehabilitation, Ferris got back on the bike and acknowledges its positive impact on his journey to recovery, both physically and mentally.

Dean Ferris

“I loved my first race when I was 11 and ever since then I have just loved racing, sure there are some ups and downs, and the business of racing can wear on you, but nothing compares to a gate drop, and wanting to win and better yourself. After that crash I kept thinking of my family, they rely on me as a dad and a husband. You need to be selfish when you’re competing in any sport at the highest level, the risks can be high so I made the call to retire. There were many people who thought my decision was premature, but I wrestled with it for a while and it was right for how I felt at that exact moment.

Dean Ferris back with Factory Honda in 2022
Dean Ferris

“There were some dark times, as racing has been a big part of my life. Getting on the bike was the best medicine, I realised that I still have more left in me and felt like myself again. I spoke to my wife Renae and told her I wasn’t feeling any pain. We then talked about racing again and decided racing is what we love doing as a family, my two girls love riding as well so we are completely invested in my return. I couldn’t do it without their support and I encourage everyone to do what makes them happiest.”

Honda Australia’s off road racing director Yarrive Konsky admits he didn’t think this opportunity would ever present itself again.

Yarrive Konsky

“I have admired Dean’s abilities and results from afar. I had a feeling he might return to racing, but I respected his decision to retire as he respects the efforts everyone is required to put in to take someone of his calibre racing and he didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. I am proud he has chosen Honda, and I am looking forward to the season ahead.”

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Aaron Tanti joins Clout at CDR Yamaha Monster Energy for 2022

The signing of the 25-year-old Aaron Tanti is an exciting addition to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team as a tough, reliable and determined competitor who is equally skilled in both motocross and supercross.

Aaron Tanti

He appeared on the radar of Craig Dack, owner of CDR Yamaha, over the last two seasons as he continued his climb up the ladder based on hard work and a ‘never say die’ attitude on the track.

Aaron Tanti

“Every year I set a goal to improve my position not just on the track, but also off it, so I give myself every opportunity at success. Signing with CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team for 2022 means I now have the best team around me with the best people and best bike in the YZ450F, so my goals are then elevated to match that on the track. It’s always been a long-term goal of mine to ride for the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team but now that has become a reality, the real work has only just begun. They leave no stone unturned with the bike, so it’s now up to me to ensure I do the same with my training and preparation and I’m all in for 2022. I can’t wait to get the year started and develop a relationship with Craig and everyone on the team. I already have a friendship with Luke and I’m sure we can work well together to elevate both of us and make 2022 a success for the team.”

Aaron Tanti
Aaron Tanti

Luke Clout will remain with the team as he wants to build on the momentum started in 2021. Clout claimed the 2021 Pro MX Championship, his first 450cc national success, and is aiming even higher in 2022 with the industry optimistic a full and regular season can be completed in 2022.

Luke Clout

“Despite the Covid issues we all faced over the last two years, 2021 was good to me in that I was able to secure my first national 450cc championship. The goal at the start of the year was to win both Pro MX and ASX championships and that won’t change for 2022. Great riders are successful at both and win motocross and supercross championships. We have great chemistry in the team and the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team has always had a winning culture. I plan on keeping that going in 2022 and the break in racing has only motivated me more.”

Luke Clout

The duo of Clout and Tanti sees the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team enter 2022 with two serious and legitimate contenders at every event they compete at. The pairing has Dack excited for what’s to come.

Craig Dack

“For 2022 we have two riders in the prime of their careers in terms of age and experience, two riders who are fit athletes and take their riding and training seriously and two riders that are happy to do what it takes for success. We look forward to getting out teeth stuck into the coming season and all going well, 2022 will be a complete calendar and racing restored to normal. The team are excited with the rider line-up as our are partners and sponsors so now its full steam ahead and everyone focussed on a successful 2022 season at the CDR Yamaha Monster Team.”

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AMX MX Open announce equal prize money for
Senior Women, Pro Open and Pro Lite classes

For the first time, the AMX MX OPEN will pay equal prize money between the Senior Women, Pro Open and Pro Lite classes. The $20,000 + prizes on offer, which is one of the largest purses in Motocross, will be split between the top classes.

Factory Honda Racing’s Emma Milesevic respects the efforts of the organiser’s and event partners in achieving this milestone.

Emma Milesevic

“It’s been a long time coming and I am proud of everyone’s efforts. I want to thank the organiser’s, the sponsors, and the Bass Coast Shire. I know how much effort the women riders put into their racing and to be recognised like this is amazing.”

Emma Milesevic - 2021 Hattah Desert Race
Emma Milesevic – 2021 Hattah Desert Race

The Bass Coast Shire was instrumental in making this happen and event organiser Yarrive Konsky appreciates their commitment to motorcycle sport and events in their shire.

Yarrive Konsky

“The Bass Coast Shire wanted to stimulate events in their local community, so we are pleased to have their support for a motocross event. We are also proud they wanted the prize to be split equally across all competitors, male and female. Their commitment was integral to bringing the event to Wonthaggi.”

Another young female rider who is looking forward to the event is Queenslander Taylah McCutcheon. With many events being cancelled this year Taylah decided to make the trek down to Victoria to take on some of the best female riders before the year ends.

Taylah McCutcheon

“Having equal prize money is epic but more importantly being able to race again is very exciting. I know some of the best female riders will be there and I am looking forward to competing.”

Taylah McCutcheon
Taylah McCutcheon – 2021 King of MX

In addition to the prize money and exciting prizes made available by event sponsors, the winner of the Pro Open and Women’s classes will take home a Tempur Mattress and Pillow Set, valued at $12,000.

Wonthaggi will host the AMX MX OPEN on December 11 and 12th for more information visit their Facebook page (link).

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Indian Motorcycle Racing Signs Shayna Texter-Bauman for 2022 SuperTwins

Indian Motorcycle Racing have announced the signing of Shayna Texter-Bauman to its 2022 SuperTwins factory race team. With the signing, Indian Motorcycle will welcome the AFT Singles most winningest rider as the third member of the Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew – joining her husband and two-time SuperTwins Champion Briar Bauman and reigning 2021 AFT SuperTwins Champion Jared Mees.

Piloting the Indian FTR750, Texter-Bauman will pit under the factory trailer as Dave Zanotti will serve as Crew Chief for both riders. Former AFT Champion Jake Johnson will serve as her mechanic.

Shayna Texter-Bauman

“This announcement marks a key moment in my journey as a racer. I’m humbled to be joining the Wrecking Crew and cannot wait to get out on the track on the incredible FTR750. I’ve been at this for a while now and have always had the desire to finish my career on a Twin. I’m beyond appreciative of everyone that has supported me along the way. I still have that fire to race and have some lofty goals that I would like to accomplish before I’m finished racing. I’m definitely looking forward to this next chapter racing SuperTwins.”

Indian Motorcycle Racing signs Shayna Texter for 2022 SuperTwins season

Texter-Bauman enters AFT SuperTwins with a drive to blaze new trails for female racers. For 2022, Texter-Bauman looks become the first female rider to reach an AFT Twins or SuperTwins podium and win an AFT event within the sport’s premier class.

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Zach Osborne retires from professional MX and SX citing health issues

Zach Osborne has announced his retirement from professional motocross and supercross racing, citing issues in getting back to peak fitness. Over the last seven years, the 32-year-old has secured four major U.S. championships and countless triumphs with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team.

Zach Osborne

Known for his tenacity and never-give-up mentality, Osborne has established himself as a fan favorite over the years while amassing an impressive list of accomplishments together with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Beginning a tenacious run in 2017 aboard the FC 250, Osborne swept both the 250SX Eastern Championship and the AMA 250MX Championship in the same season before returning to successfully defend his 250SX Eastern title in 2018.

Zach Osborne – Image by Jeff Kardas

He stepped up to the premier 450 class in 2019 and he quickly hit his stride on the FC 450 ROCKSTAR EDITION, finishing on the podium seven times (six in motocross, one in supercross) during his rookie season. He went on to secure his first-career 450SX Main Event win at the Salt Lake City SX finale in 2020 and he set fire throughout the summer claiming the 450MX Championship in what would ultimately serve as his last full season of racing due to an ongoing back injury throughout 2021. Ending his career on a high note with plenty to be proud of, Husqvarna Motorcycles sends a big congratulations to Zach on a successful career.

Zach Osborne – Image by Jeff Kardas

Zach Osborne

“After 16 years of professional racing, the time has come for me to call it a career. I’ve tried everything in my power over the last six months to get my health back up to the standard it needs to be to race at the highest level and after just a few weeks of riding supercross at full intensity, I realised it just wasn’t meant to be. I’m so grateful for the journey I’ve had as a professional. I’ve met so many incredible people and been a part of some of the finest organizations in motorsports. This was not an easy decision, or one I took lightly, but it was the right decision. I’m forever grateful to my family, fans and teams for their support throughout my time as a professional. In the next chapter, I want to focus my time more on giving back to those who have given to me.”

Zach Osborne – Image by Jeff Kardas

Husqvarna and IceOne Racing part ways after eight years

Husqvarna Motorcycles have thanked IceOne Racing for its dedication and professionalism throughout the rewarding eight-year partnership that delivered notable success in the FIM Motocross World Championship. With the 2021 racing season reaching its conclusion, the official relationship between Husqvarna Motorcycles and IceOne Racing now draws to a close.

Arminas Jasikonis and Thomas Kjer Olsen

Officially representing Husqvarna Motorcycles in the MXGP class since the 2014 season, IceOne Racing, run by former Grand Prix racer Antti Pyrhönen, has enjoyed many achievements on the world stage.

Antti Pyrhönen – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP Team Manager

“Personally, and on behalf of Kimi Räikkönen and IceOne Racing, I want to say a big thank you to Husqvarna Motorcycles, to Robert Jonas and Pit Beirer for the great years together, and the fantastic opportunity they gave us, which became an almost decade-long working relationship. We always pushed hard together, and we were always proud partners. I also want to say thank you to all great people who work so hard inside motorsports in Austria. Now is the time for a new chapter for IceOne Racing but, like we know, respect, friendship, and memories live forever.”

In 2016, Max Nagl claimed third overall in the MXGP World Championship with Gautier Paulin replicating the same feat the following year as both riders clearly demonstrated the true capabilities of FC 450 machinery.

Undoubtedly, the team’s most prosperous season came in 2017. With Paulin placing third in the MXGP World Championship, Nagl claimed eighth with Max Anstie close behind in ninth.

The year was underlined by further success at the FIM Motocross of Nations where Anstie dominated both races at the biggest motocross event in the world to round out a truly remarkable season for the team.

Arminas Jasikonis

Since that highly memorable year, Pauls Jonass placed sixth overall in the 2019 MXGP World Championship while Arminas Jasikonis secured his debut moto win during the 2020 season.

Robert Jonas – Vice President Motorsports Offroad

“Husqvarna Motorcycles has enjoyed a fantastic relationship with IceOne Racing since the brand returned to the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2014. Antti and his team have been an excellent partner, always showing incredible professionalism and commitment to everything they do. The team has really helped grow the Husqvarna Motorcycles brand thanks to the many notable achievements of its riders in MXGP, in turn also helping us develop our range of motocross machines. It has been a tremendous partnership throughout the last eight years, and on behalf of everyone at Husqvarna Motorcycles I would like to sincerely wish the whole team all the very best for the future.”


Toni Bou claims 30th title in Barcelona with X-Trial win

Toni Bou is on top of the world after having claimed yet another world title, this time in Barcelona, with a 15th consecutive X-Trial title and the 30th of his career as the legend goes from strength to strength.

Toni Bou crowned 2021 X-Trial Champion

In front of more than 6100 fans and spectators who filled the Olympic Palau Sant Jordi, the Repsol Honda Team rider won convincingly over his rivals to achieve a new career milestone: 15 titles in X-Trial bringing his career total of 30.

Bou, aboard the Montesa Cota 4RT, came out guns blazing in the semi-final to qualify for a final as the newly crowned world champion. In the final, the difficulty of the sections did little to prevent the champion from once again demonstrating his skills as the world’s greatest trial rider.

Toni Bou

Bou’s domination of the world trial scene has now run for fifteen years in a row. As yet nobody has been able to outshine him in this period. During this time Bou has accumulated no less than 194 wins, 69 of them in the indoor competition.

Toni Bou

“Luckily, the mistake in section one just after the start made me get into the trial. From then on, I knew that I had a tough heat with Adam in the same group and I had to do really well. It was another great night at the Palau Sant Jordi. I am very happy and grateful to everyone who has helped me. We’ve worked very hard, we’ve done things very well and that’s the only way to do it. We have long since surpassed our limits, we are living a dream and to have reached 30 consecutive titles is a great achievement. I also want to congratulate Gabriel Marcelli, because he deserved his second place. He works very hard and is a strong rider. He has been doing really well for quite a while now.”

Toni Bou crowned 2021 X-Trial Champion

X-Trial 2021 Rider Standings

Pos. Rider Team Man. Nat Points
1 BOU Toni Repsol Honda Team Montesa SPA 40
2 RAGA Adam TRRS Factory Team TRRS SPA 27
3 BUSTO Jaime Vertigo Factory Team Vertigo SPA 21
4 MARCELLI Gabriel Montesa Factory Montesa SPA 18
5 GRATTAROLA Matteo Beta Factory Racing Beta ITA 13
6 GELABERT Miquel Gas Gas Factory Team Gas Gas SPA 10
7 FAJARDO Jeroni Sherco Factory Team Sherco SPA 9
8 MARTYN Toby TRRS Factory Team TRRS GBR 4
9 CASALES Jorge Gas Gas Factory Team Gas Gas SPA 2

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | 2022 Calendars | VJMX | WA Supercross | ProMX


2022 Silk Way Rally – Astrakhan to Moscow set for July

The online presentation of the 12th edition of the Silk Way Rally route has taken place, revealing to fans and competitors the main details of the upcoming event, previously kept secret.

To celebrate the 350th anniversary of the birth of Emperor Peter the Great, the rally will connect ten regions of the Russian Federation, many of which are connected with his name.

The largest cross-country rally in Eurasia will take place from July 6 to 16, starting in Astrakhan (administrative checks and scrutineering are also planned there) and finishing in Moscow’s Red Square.

The 2022 Silk Way Rally will wrap up in Moscow

The North Caucasus and Grozny – the capital of the Chechen Republic, Elista, Volgograd, Voronezh – connecting these points on the map, you can understand how interesting and diverse will be the geography of the 2022 event. The total length of this unique route will be 4,380 kilometers, including 2,800 kilometers of special stages.

The Silk Way Rally Sports Directorate is always ready to meet the competitors needs and that is why the fees for participation in the 2022 Silk Way Rally will remain the same as in 2021.

The organisers also keep another good tradition alive, crews under the age of 30, as well as all female crews will be able to take part in the rally without paying entry fees.

Competitors in all types of vehicles will be allowed to participate in the competition: motorcycles, quads, SSV, cars and trucks.

Acceptance of applications for participation in the event is scheduled to start on February 15, 2022.

Vladimir Chagin – Head of the International Project Silk Way Rally

“What makes the Silk Way Rally special? The fact that every year the competitors of the event overcome a completely new route, which is never repeated. The 2022 rally will not be an exception – its distance will open up a lot of new things for each driver. Let me warn you right away: it’s going to be interesting, but extremely difficult. Although these are the challenges that attract competitors from all over the world.
Our country is proud of its centuries-old history. Coincidentally, next year marks the 350th anniversary of the birth of the person who opened a “window to Europe” for Russia, namely Peter the First. He is called “The Great”, as well as the Silk Way Rally. And our next year event will go through many cities that are connected with the name of this Russian emperor.”

The 2022 Silk Way Rally route

Luc Alphand, Silk Way Rally Sporting Director

“One of the features of the cross-country rally, besides the sports component, is the opportunity to discover new landscapes. And now we are in the Chechen Republic, in the magnificent mountains. Cross-country rallies have never been held in this part of the country before. For us, as well as for the competitors, it is very important to be here and have the opportunity to discover new, previously undiscovered routs of an unprecedented scale and range. The local authorities and population gave us the warmest welcome, demonstrating openness and sincere interest in the development of tourism and motorsport in the region. I especially would like to emphasize the high security of this region. Currently, this part of Russia is highly peaceful and stable, local people would like to show the whole world that the visit will be as safe and comfortable as possible.”

2022 Silk Way Rally Program

  • February 15, 2022 – Opening of Entries
  • June 1, 2022 – Closure of Entries
  • July 6-7, 2022 – Administrative checks & scrutineering (Astrakhan, Russia)
  • July 7, 2022 – Ceremonial start in Astrakhan
  • July 16, 2022 – Ceremonial finish in Moscow
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Roan Van De Moosdijk signs with Husqvarna for 2022-2023

Husqvarna Motorcycles have signed of former EMX250 champion Roan Van De Moosdijk for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, joining the Nestaan MX2 run Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team, in the MX2 World Championship alongside fellow Dutchman Kay de Wolf.

Stepping up to the MX2 World Championship for 2020, the now 21-year-old impressed with three overall podium results from the first five rounds. Two further top-three finishes followed later in the year, with the Dutchman securing a maiden race victory and claiming second overall at the MXGP of Lommel. Roan would ultimately place seventh in the final standings.

Bringing everything he learned in his rookie MX2 season into 2021, Roan enjoyed another promising campaign start, claiming three third-place moto finishes to lie fifth in the series standings after the first four rounds. Frustratingly, a broken scaphoid sustained following a crash at the MXGP of Czech Republic prevented him from delivering what was set to be his breakout season in the MX2 World Championship.

Fully healed and excited to begin riding his new FC 250, Roan, alongside new teammate Kay de Wolf, will soon begin testing in readiness for the opening round of the 2022 MX2 World Championship.

Roan Van De Moosdijk

“I’m so pleased to be joining the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team, it’s really a very special moment in my career. This season has been tough, but I’m putting that behind me and looking forward to working with the team and having Kay as my new teammate. I have a really good feeling about things, and I know that at the start of this season things were going well, and that my speed and fitness was where it needed to be to challenge for the podium. I’ll have the best bike and the best support next year, so I just want to keep working and improving through the winter and get back to where I was and then give 2022 everything I have. Finally, it looks like the season will be back to normal, and I’m really looking forward to that. I want to say thanks to everyone that has made this happen – I can’t wait to get onto my new bike and to start our winter testing and training.”

Roan Van De Moosdijk

Rasmus Jorgensen – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 Team Manager

“We’re thrilled to have Roan in our team and can’t wait to get him settled in, and then start working in preparation for 2022. Overall, this year was a very positive season for our team – we want to keep that momentum rolling into 2022 and with Roan racing alongside Kay we believe we have a very strong line-up. At the start of this year Roan was riding so well, he put in some really impressive motos, and really showed what he is capable of. We really believe he’ll be a great fit for our team and at 21 has the right mix of age and experience to excel in MX2. On our bike, with the full technical support we can offer him, he’ll have all that he needs to develop further as a racer. After a short break to rechange the batteries a little after the long season we’ve had, we’ll soon start building towards 2022. We can’t wait to get started.”

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2021 MXGP of Mantova wraps up season

The 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship wrapped up in Mantova overnight where a big crown witnessed Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings clinch the MXGP World Title, and become a five-time FIM Motocross World Champion.

Jeffrey Herlings wins the 2021 MXGP Championship

It has been a season of highs and lows for all of the title contenders as they have struggled with injuries and bad luck but have managed to power through and provide us with some incredible racing.

In the second half of the season, the title chase between Herlings, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre and Team HRC’s Tim Gajser could not have been any closer, as the race for the championship went down to the final chequered flag of the 2021 season, but it was Herlings who came out on top as Febvre was forced to settle for second, just five points adrift, while Gajser finished his year with a silver medal.

The Aussies

For Jed Beaton, it was a frustrating final round.  With high hopes of ending his MX2 career on the overall podium, the Australian didn’t quite secure the starts needed in either moto to challenge for the top three. In placing seventh overall, Beaton secured fifth in the final championship standings.

Jed Beaton – P7 (P5 MX2 Championship)

“It’s been a pretty emotional day to say the least. As I’ve now aged out of MX2 it was my last race for the team which, after three great years, is really tough. It’s safe to say that the season didn’t end how I’d have liked due to a few issues and a crash in race one. That ruled me out of a chance of finishing on the podium but I really tried hard in moto two but it just wasn’t meant to be. I’ve had an incredible three seasons with Rasmus and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team and they’ve taken me under their wing and really shaped who I am today. I’m disappointed to not end our time together with a podium result but I gave it my best shot and finishing fifth in the series is a pretty decent result.”

Jed Beaton

Bike It MTX Kawasaki’s Wilson Todd rounded out his final season in MX2 with a solid first-moto rides to tenth after qualifying twelfth in the morning. The Australian ended the championship twelfth, just twenty points short of a top-ten series ranking.

Wilson Todd – P17 (P12 Championship)

“It’s been a long season with some ups-and-downs and some rough patches so it was nice to go out with a good result before I get home to Australia for the first time in a while. Racing the GPs has been a great experience you can’t buy, coming to Europe to race bikes against the best in the world.“

Wilson Todd

MXGP of Mantova 2021 Highlights

For the full report see:
Race reports, results and final points from MXGP season finale

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Heartbreak for Daniel Sanders in Abu Dhabi final stage

Stage five of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge was the shortest of the event at 216.92 kilometres but offered little in the way of an easy ride to the finish.

Daniel Sanders

Coming into the final day of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Daniel Sanders was lying second in the standings, and enjoyed an advantageous start position to make up time on the leader. Pushing hard, the Aussie star immediately put himself in control of the stage, topping each of the split times on his way through the special.

With all riders having to manage their fuel due to the special not including a refueling zone, Sanders’ pace was such that he ran out first while fighting for the stage, and rally win, like the true warrior he is, the Aussie then pushed his RC 450F to the finish for a 14th place result.

It’s an unfortunate way to finish the event, but Daniel can look back over his FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship season and take many positives, including several stage wins, three at the Silk Way Rally, plus others in Morocco and Abu Dhabi.

Despite the set-back at the final event, Sanders finished a respectable third overall in the final championship standings, not bad for his first full year. Taking positives from the event, Sanders has demonstrated incredible speed and skill throughout the rally, and will look to carry that form onto the Dakar in January.

Daniel Sanders – P14 Stage 5/P12 Overall

“The last day has obviously been a huge disappointment for me and the team, but that’s racing – I guess you have to take the smooth with the rough. I started really well and was making good time through the dunes at the beginning of the stage. I realized about halfway through that with no refueling in the stage, and the type of terrain we were racing through, fuel was going to be a problem. So I tried to ease my pace as much as I could. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and I eventually ran out. Obviously, it’s not the best way to end the rally, especially after such a strong year but I’m pleased with how I’ve ridden, not just in Abu Dhabi, but over the whole season. My pace here has been really strong, I won a stage and did a good job of leading out after that. Again, it’s not the way I wanted to end the season, but as it’s just my first full year in the championship, I’m definitely pleased with how I’ve progressed and raised my level. Although the result here has knocked me back a little, I’ll just take the positives and look ahead to the Dakar in January. I’ve really gelled with the bike – my navigation is always improving, and my pace is definitely there. We’ve got less than two months till Dakar, and I’m going to be ready!”

Daniel Sanders

As the second rider into the stage, and with a near four-minute advantage over the next best competitor, Matthias Walkner set about chasing down the rider ahead of him, while concentrating on his navigation during the soft sand dunes in the opening part of the special.

Maintaining his place within the top two for the entire stage, the Austrian delivered another calculated and consistent ride to ultimately complete the special as runner-up, just over one minute behind the eventual winner.

In what has been an impressive display of skill, endurance, and speed by the world champion throughout this final event of the year, Walkner secured the win by over four and a half minutes to truly confirm his place at the very top of the world championship standings.

Matthias Walkner – Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Champion

“It was really close today! The stage was really long without a refueling point and so towards the end I had to slow down a lot to conserve fuel. It’s part of our sport that you can have four good days and then nearly be caught out in the last few kilometers. Thankfully, I made it to the finish line and am really happy to win the last race before Dakar. The team did a really good job all week and the bike has been perfect. The whole year has been fantastic for me – with the help of the team, we have all worked really closely to bring the success we’ve had. I have ridden well and not made any big mistakes, or suffered any injuries. I’ve learned a lot, even from this week riding in the sand, which is normally not my best terrain to race in. My riding has improved, and we’ve found some good set-ups for the bike, too. Overall, it’s been an incredible season and to top it off by winning the last race really helps my confidence. The big goal is of course now Dakar, it’s not far away, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Matthias Walkner

Bringing to an end a highly rewarding season of racing, Adrien Van Beveren secured second overall at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Winning three of five stages, the Frenchman underlined his impressive form and after almost 18 hours of racing, finished the rally just over four and a half minutes behind the winner, Matthias Walkner.

With Adrien claiming an impressive result at the final round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship he advanced to second in the final series standings.

Adrien Van Beveren – Stage Five Winner

“Winning the last stage after opening, and finishing second in this rally, is a huge moment for me. The final stage was really tricky to begin with, made even more challenging by leading out so I rode a little cautious, but it paid off. No mistakes and knowing I had a nice gap in the overall classification meant that I could ride without risks and to win the stage, it’s just amazing. All year I’ve been consistent and focused on finishing each and every stage and this rally was no different. This result has come just at the right time ahead of Dakar, so from now until January I will maintain my level and aim to fight for the win there.”

Adrien Van Beveren

The ever-positive Ross Branch placed a strong third overall on the fifth and final stage. Opening the rally with a win on stage one showed his impressive speed and he remained in contention for the win until a crash and broken navigational tower during the event’s marathon stage ruled him out of the running. Ultimately, Ross enjoyed a positive debut season in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, which was undoubtedly headlined by his overall win at Rally Kazakhstan.

Ross Branch – P3 Stage 5

“It’s great to finish the final stage here in third place. It’s a shame about my crash on day two, that really messed things up but being able to ride the last two stages and put more time on the bike and continue learning was really positive. It’s awesome for me to have completed my first full season in the world championship and I can’t thank the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team enough for the opportunity. The focus is now on the Dakar, which is not too far away, and it won’t be long until we head out there to get things going.”

Stage 5 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2021

  1. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Yamaha, 2:32:06
  2. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 2:33:20 +1:14
  3. Ross Branch (BWA), Yamaha, 2:36:07 +4:01
  4. Andrew Short, (USA), Yamaha, 2:36:48 +4:42
  5. Joaquim Rodrigues (POR), Hero, 2:40:13 +8:07
    ….14. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 6:00:00

Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2021 after 5 of 5 stages

  1. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 17:38:40
  2. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Yamaha, 17:43:12 +4:31
  3. Joaquim Rodrigues (POR), Hero, 18:14:06 +35:25
  4. Aaron Mare (RSA), KTM, 19:38:35 +1:59:54
  5. Konrad Dabrowski (POL), KTM, 20:29:01 +2:50:21
    …12. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 26:09:10

RallyGP World Championship

  1. Walkner 103 points
  2. Van Beveren 62 points
  3. Sanders 53 points

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Rally | Flat Track | Arenacross | X-Trial | 2022 Calendars

Kurt Nicoll another World Vet MX title at Glen Helen

Kurt Nicoll has taken his Champion MX SXF450 KTM to victory at the Dubya World Vet MX Championships held at Glen Helen Raceway, marking his sixth World Vet Pro title. On Saturday he topped the 50+ Pro class, winning both motos, and taking the overall over Ty Davis and Kevin Barda.

Sunday saw Nicoll again win the Pasha 125 cc 50+ Pro class, with consistency proving key, with two second places netting the overall.  This time winning from Peter Murray and Barda.

Kurt Nicoll

“A fantastic weekend at the Dubya World Vet MX Championships! Perfect Weather and a brutally bumpy Glen Helen Raceway made for a superb event. I picked up my 6th World Vet pro title, on my perfect 2022 Champion MX SXF450 KTM! Thanks to everyone that supports this old guys passion to still win!”

Kurt Nicoll – Image: Facebook

Liam Everts’ season ended by injury

It’s been revealed that Liam Everts’ injury, sustained on Saturday is worse than originally expected. An MRI has revealed a fractured shoulder blade, putting an early end to his 2021 season as a result.

Liam Everts shared on Instagram:

“Yesterday during timed practice a had a little crash what resulted in a little break in my shoulder blade this is my season over one race earlier then I would of hoped I’d like thank all my sponsors and family for this year. Motivated for 2022.”


Ben Novak prepares for 2022 with Honda after heart surgery

Honda Australia’s MX 3 rider Ben Novak is recovering following his third open-heart surgery. The young New South Wales rider has endured a heart condition since birth which has hampered his career and ultimately pushed him to make the decision to get it corrected ahead of the 2022 season where he will battle the MX2 riders with Factory Honda.

Ben Novak

“It’s been tough, my health has never been 100%, I suffer from something called Tetralogy of the Fallot and we always knew there would come a time for me to have another surgery. As I have gotten older it’s been harder to perform at my best and racing in MX2 next year requires me to be stronger and fitter than ever before. I will never complain about it but it’s been harder on the bigger bikes and in longer races, especially in the heat. I worked around it for so long, but I noticed it more this year and my parents and I thought it was best to get the surgery ahead of next year. I am confident this will help improve my stamina, my muscle recovery and growth. It’s been a hard two years for everyone in racing and this wasn’t an easy decision, but we felt it was the right one. I really appreciate Honda sticking by me.”

Ben Novak

Tetralogy of the Fallot is a rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects that are present at birth, it causes oxygen-poor blood to flow out of the heart and in the rest of the body. Symptoms include but aren’t limited to shortness of breath and difficulties in exercising.

Ben’s first surgery was at 11 days old, followed by his second open heart surgery at 15 months. The championed motocross racer hopes this will be his last surgery as he plans to take on the nations best in the MX2 class next season.

Ben’s journey with Honda goes back five years and he has achieved some fantastic results. This year was his first full season in MX3, and he achieved podium finishes in the Australian Motocross Championship.

Ben Novak

“The positives are we were competitive, I missed out by two points in the overalls, and I won some state championship races. I know where I need to improve, and I am positive we will return stronger next year.”

Ben Novak

Honda Racing Australia’s Yarrive Konsky applauds Ben’s efforts through adversity and believes the young champion is capable of so much more.

Yarrive Konsky

“We haven’t seen the best of Ben; he has achieved great results for Honda, and we will standby him through his recovery. He proved to me that he has the will to push hard, and his commitment is unquestionable. We have realistically set goals for Ben next year in his first season in MX2 and we will continue to work with him to achieve them.”


Thibault Benistant misses Mantova double-header

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Thibault Benistant will not participate in the final two rounds of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Mantova, after sustaining an injury to his left knee.

Thibault Benistant

The decision to withdraw the 19-year-old Frenchman from the final two rounds of the season was taken by Yamaha in consultation with the team. Benistant will be assessed by a knee specialist in Lyon, France. Once the full extent of the injury is understood, a program for his recovery and return to racing will be implemented.

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Daniel Sanders retains third after Abu Dhabi Stage Two

Stage Two of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge proved a long one, with riders facing 470 km in total, including a timed special of 333 km, encompassing tough navigation through dunes, alongside faster tracks that required speed and concentration.

Daniel Sanders claimed third at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Stage Two

Putting in a strong ride through the desert, Aussie Daniel Sanders defended his overall position in the top three to end the day just three-minutes behind leader Matthias Walkner. The result cements that standing for a second day, while third for the stage was an improvement on Stage One’s fourth place finish.

Daniel Sanders – P3

“Day two went ok for me, but not as well as I’d hoped. I found it hard to get into a good rhythm early on – I had a couple more scary calls with some drops as I’m still learning how to read the terrain here in the desert. I had a couple of crashes too – one gave me quite a knock and I ended up in a hole in the dunes. I had to dig the bike out a little and that cost me some time. I got to the refuel and managed to get some food and water into me, recharged and felt a lot better after that. For the second half of the stage, I felt a lot better and managed to find a good pace. The terrain suited me better too, with more tracks and plateaus. I finished third-fastest today, which puts me in a good spot for tomorrow.”

See the report here:
Daniel Sanders third at Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Stage Two


Bryan Miller wins WA Flat Track Championship at Pinjar

Former Kiwi 500 cc solo rider, Bryan Miller beat a big and very talented field of Flat Track riders to claim the Western Australian Flat Track Championship title at Pinjar Park Motorcycle Speedway on Saturday evening.

Bryan finished second in his first heat then won his next three rides to go into the all important championship decider as the second highest point scorer, behind South Australian competitor, Sean Chapman who won all his qualifying heats. Bryan rode with plenty of grit and determination to go on and win the Final to claim the title race.

Bryan displayed plenty of raw talent, determination and some spirited aggression during his five rides. At times he had to be prepared to rub shoulders and muscle his way forward in a brilliant display of riding.

Sean Chapman finished a credible second place in the hard fought final race beating home the defending champion, Matt Marson who also rode very well all night long and didn’t do too much wrong.

With nine riders across the track in each heat, it was tough going into turn one requiring some brave manoeuvres and aggressive riding.

The point scoring system made it critical to be consistent and finish in the top four in each heat to ensure riders accumulated sufficient points to advance directly into the A final without having to compete and finish either first or second in the B final to advance further.

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Perfect start to X-Trial season in Andorra for Toni Bou

The first round of the FIM X-Trial World Championship held in Andorra la Vella saw Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou clinch the victory.

Toni Bou – 2021 X-Trial Round 1 Andorra

Toni Bou kicked off the 2021 X-Trial season with a rip-roaring triumph at the Poliesportiu de Andorra in Andorra la Vella to become the first leader of the 2021 championship.

The action got underway with the first qualifying round, where riders had to overcome a total of six sections with Toni Bou making several mistakes to finish fourth on seven penalty marks.

In the second round, where just the top riders in each group would make the cut for the final, the Repsol Honda Team rider stormed back, delighting the Andorran spectators with a fine display of riding skills, finishing the round with a clean sheet to grant the champion direct access to the final round.

Toni Bou – 2021 X-Trial Round 1 Andorra

In the final, against one of his toughest rivals Adam Raga, Toni Bou once again pulled it off, cleaning all six sections for 0 points compared to Raga’s 11, thus sealing the win at the Andorrean season opener.

In two weeks the Repsol Honda team and Toni Bou will once again be back in action for the second and final trial of the shortened X-Trial World Championship at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona on Sunday 21 November.

Toni Bou – 2021 X-Trial Round 1 Andorra

Toni Bou – P1

“I’m very happy with this victory. After 20 months without participating in X-Trial the sensations were strange today. To be back competing in front of the fans and, on top of that with an Andorran crowd that was incredible. We know that Barcelona – which is also my home trial – will be very tough and that’s why it was so important to win here today. At the start, I managed to pick up some points and I made some mistakes. But on both the second lap and the final one, things went spectacularly, not only because I didn’t pick up any marks, but also because I was feeling very comfortable with my riding and felt confident and aggressive. I am very pleased with my riding, but above all with the team. I want to thank them for all the work they have done this last month after winning the outdoor world championship, to get the bike ready for the indoor championship.”

Toni Bou topped the Andorra podium – 2021 X-Trial Round 1 Andorra

X-Trial 2021 Rider Standings

Pos Rider Nat. Team Man. Points
1 BOU Toni SPA Repsol Honda Team Montesa 20
2 RAGA Adam SPA TRRS Factory Team TRRS 15
3 BUSTO Jaime SPA Vertigo Factory Team Vertigo 12
4 GRATTAROLA Matteo ITA Beta Factory Racing Beta 9
5 FAJARDO Jeroni SPA Sherco Factory Team Sherco 6
6 GELABERT Miquel SPA Gas Gas Factory Team Gas Gas 4
7 MARCELLI Gabriel SPA Montesa Factory Montesa 2
8 MARTYN Toby GBR TRRS Factory Team TRRS 1

2022 Australian Arenacross Series Calendar

The inaugural 2022 Australian Arenacross Series powered by Protraxx calendar has now been released, with the series aimed at amateurs who want to have fun right through to professional racers, while offering a carnival-like atmosphere for spectators and families.

The 2022 Australian Arenacross Series powered by Protraxx will feature four rounds at four spectacular venues.

2022 Australian Arenacross Series Calendar

The 2022 Series fires into action at Victoria’s Bacchus Marsh on January 29, before heading North to Swan Hill on February 12, Albury/Wodonga on February 26, and the Grand Finale at South Australia’s Renmark on March 12.

The Australian Arenacross Series will introduce fans to a mash of MX racing on manicured tracks, freestyle action, pit party fun, big extreme rides, trade stands and food trucks and plenty of family entertainment.

The Series is brought to you by nationally recognised motorcycle track building company, Protraxx who build Australia’s Supercross stadiums, national events and club tracks.

Josh and Jess Proctor, owners of Protraxx, wanted to fill the gap between Motocross and Supercoss, providing riders with an opportunity to race and give fans some sensational on track action, with a fun and safe track for your average rider all the way to the seasoned pro.

Register now through the official Australian Arenacross Series powered by Protraxx website at www.australianarenacross.com.au for additional information.

2022 Australian Arenacross Calendar

Round Location Date
Round 1 Bacchus Marsh Jan-29
Round 2 Swan Hill Feb-12
Round 3 Albury/Wodonga Feb-26
Round 4 Renmark Mar-12
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ProMX Championship Calendar expanded to eight rounds in 2022

The much anticipated 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores (ProMX) Calendar has now broken cover, featuring an expanded Championship of eight rounds of racing over eight separate weekends across the THOR MX1, Pirelli MX2 and Maxxis MX3 classes.

2022 ProMX Championship Calendar
2022 ProMX Championship Calendar

The gate will drop on the 2022 ProMX Championship at the iconic Wonthaggi track in Victoria, for round 1 on March 27th. Building on the huge fan attendances and incredible racing from the inaugural Championship opener this year, Wonthaggi is set to be nothing short of a spectacular launch for the 2022 ProMX Championship.

Round 2 of the Championship will see ProMX partner with the Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) presented by MXstore in Mackay QLD, on April 10th, as part of the ultimate off-road racing weekend, treating fans, industry and riders alike to a show stopping weekend of off-road racing.

The Championship then moves to Wodonga in VIC, on May 1st, before heading to the city of Churches and the Gillman racetrack in SA on May 29th. Maitland NSW, will again host the ProMX Championship Round 5 on June 26th, before a new and exciting venue in Coffs Harbour, NSW, will host Round 6 of the Championship on July 24th.

ProMX returns in 2022 bigger and better

The chase for the Championship will then heat up with two weekends of back to back racing in the sunshine state of QLD, with Queensland Moto Park (QMP) hosting the penultimate Round 7 on August 14th. The Champions will then be crowned at the Grand Finale of racing at Coolum for Round 8 of the Championship on August 20th and 21st.

Peter Doyle – Motorcycling Australia CEO

“There has been significant investment in the ProMX Championship to help elevate the sport of Motocross in Australia. The new initiatives we were able to introduce such as an international TV package and the addition of the Maxxis MX3 Class to help the next generation of the sport chase their racing dreams, has seen great reception from the riders, fans and industry alike. Our goals and commitment to the ProMX Championship remain the same in 2022 and this is to further develop a strong platform for the long term success of Australian Motocross on a national level and to provide a pathway for future champions.”

2022 ProMX Championship Calendar

Round Location Date
Round 1 Wonthaggi, VIC Mar-27
Round 2 Mackay, QLD Apr-10
Round 3 Wodonga, VIC May-01
Round 4 Gillman, SA May-29
Round 5 Maitland, NSW Jun-26
Round 6 Coffs Harbour, NSW Jul-24
Round 7 Queensland Moto Park Aug-14
Round 8 Coolum, QLD August 20-21
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12-round Lucas Oil Pro MX Championship calendar for 2022

The 2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing series will kick off and conclude during the holiday weekends that signify the proverbial beginning and end of summer, starting with Memorial Day, in May, and finishing over Labor Day, in September.

AMA MX Rnd Starts JK MX Ironman
AMA Pro Motocross – Image by Hoppenworld

The 12-round championship will once again travel to 10 different states on its journey to crown a pair of AMA National Champions, extending the legacies of the world’s most storied venues into the series’ fifth decade.

The battle for the Edison Dye and Gary Jones Cups will begin in a familiar place, on May 28, from the heart of the industry in Southern California for the Fox Raceway I National.

The first month of the season will also feature the iconic Hangtown Motocross Classic, on June 4, in Northern California, followed by the annual mile-high visit to Colorado on June 11 for the Thunder Valley National.

The sport’s Father’s Day tradition at the High Point National will signify the first East Coast round on June 18 in Pennsylvania.

After the first of two breaks in action over the course of the season, the world’s fastest riders will return to the track on July 2 for one of the biggest Independence Day traditions in all of sports, the RedBud National in Michigan.

AMA Pro Motocross – Image by Hoppenworld

The halfway point of the 2022 season will descend on the famed sands of Massachusetts’ The Wick 338 for the Southwick National, on July 9, while the second half of the championship gets underway on July 16 in Minnesota with the Spring Creek National. A second foursome of events will conclude with a return west on July 23, where the scenic Pacific Northwest is home to the Washougal National.

The championship’s final break in action will precede a four-round stretch run to end the season, beginning on August 13 with New York’s legendary Unadilla National.

A trip just outside the nation’s capital awaits on August 20 with the Budds Creek National in Southern Maryland, followed by the penultimate round on August 27 in motorsports-crazed Indiana for the Ironman National. The summer will draw to a close where it began, in Southern California, on September 3 with the Fox Raceway II National.

2022 Lucas Oil Pro MX Championship Calendar

Round Event Location Date
Round 1 Fox Raceway National I Pala, CA May-28
Round 2 Hangtown Motocross Classic Sacramento, CA Jun-04
Round 3 Thunder Valley National Lakewood, CO Jun-11
Round 4 High Point National MT Morris, PA Jun-28
Round 5 Redbud National Buchanan, MI Jul-02
Round 6 Southwick National Southwick, MA Jul-09
Round 7 Spring Creek National Millwille, MN Jul-16
Round 8 Washougal National Washougal, WA Jul-23
Round 9 Unadilla National New Berlin, NY Aug-13
Round 10 Budds Creek National Mechanicsville, MD Aug-20
Round 11 Ironman National Crawfordsville, IN Aug-27
Round 12 Fox Raceway National II Pala, CA Sep-03
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2021 24MX GetzenRodeo run-down

It was all systems go for the final stop of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship at Germany’s 24MX GetzenRodeo. For a one-day race there was a lot packed in.

Of course the major highlight was the race to become the first FIM Hard Enduro World Champion between Billy Bolt and Manuel Lettenbichler, with Bolt grabbing that honour. But there was much more going on too. Here’s our run down of the extra bits you may have missed in Germany…

The Fight For Third

Naturally eyes were focused on the outcome of this year’s title bout between Billy Bolt and Manuel Lettenbichler. But the fight for the final step of the podium was heating up too. Mario Roman knew he was in with a shout of taking third from his Sherco Factory Racing teammate Wade Young and delivered his best ride of the season.

Wade Young

Wade struggled early on and had to dig deep to get back to fourth to claim third overall in the championship.

Busy Top Five

It was great to see Husqvarna, KTM, and Sherco take their place on the final championship podium. All three manufacturers enjoyed a race win this season. Add in Beta and there were four manufacturers inside the final top-five standings, too. Sherco grabbed the lion’s share thanks to Wade Young and Mario Roman with third and fourth.

Sehr Geil Bavaria

How cool was Mani Lettenbichler’s riding kit for 24MX GetzenRodeo! Acknowledging the importance of his home race, FOX Racing pulled out all the stops to design a truly Bavarian set of riding kit. We liked this a lot and hope to see more in the future.

Manuel Lettenbichler

Morning Qualifier

Places were limited for the GetzenChamp race, with only 15 spots available. That alone made it an intense battle for track position during the two-hour morning qualifier. At the chequered flag it was TTR’s Kevin Gallas who grabbed the final spot with Rigor Racing’s Matt Green just coming up short. However, the young South African was his usual upbeat self and was quickly found cheering trackside for everyone that afternoon. Top work Matt!

Grit & Determination

A tip of the hat goes to GASGAS supported rider Michael Walkner for a heroic ride. Michael reported that a collision with another rider at the start of the GetzenRace resulted in a heavily injured thumb. Not only racing on to qualify, he placed an impressive seventh in the GetzenChamp race to secure seventh overall in the championship.

Michael Walkner

Olszowy joins TTR for 2022

Some welcome 2022 team news emerged from GetzenRodeo with TTR Squadra Corse signing young Hard Enduro talent Dominik Olszowy. Olszowy produced some great performances this year, most notably fourth at his home race HERO Challenge. By joining a highly professional team like TTR Squadra Corse it will be exciting to see him grow as a rider.

Hard Enduro Live

24MX GetzenRodeo was a feast of Hard Enduro action, with over two hours and 37 minutes of live coverage aired on Red Bull TV and you can still watch the 24MX GetzenRodeo full replay on Red Bull TV here (link).

2021 Hard Enduro Standings

Pos Rider Man Points
1 Billy Bolt Husqvarna 104
2 Manuel Lettenbichler KTM 104
3 Wade Young Sherco 83
4 Mario Roman Sherco 76
5 Jonny Walker Beta 66
6 Alfredo Gomez Husqvarna 63
7 Michael Walkner GASGAS 46
8 Teodor Kabakchiev Husqvarna 36
9 Taddy Blazusiak GASGAS 29
10 Dominik Olszowy KTM 24
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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Baja | GetzenRodeo | MXGP | AJMX | EMX | AORC

AORC to feature 12-round season in 2022

The 2022 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship presented by MXstore (AORC), will blast into action with 12 dirt flying rounds of racing from March to October, across five states and venues.

In 2022 the AORC will continue with the double-header format kicking off in Victoria in March for Rounds 1 and 2.

As recently announced Round 3 and 4 will then be hosted by Mackay Queensland, on April 8 and 9 alongside ProMX on an exciting double header event weekend. See below for more details.

The full 2022 AORC calendar and venue details will be announced in the coming weeks along with new initiatives for the Championship. Stay tuned for the full calendar.


2022 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship cancelled

FIM Oceania, in conjunction with Speedway NZ and Motorcycling New Zealand are postponing the 2022 FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship, due to the continued uncertainty around International border and COVID-19 restrictions in New Zealand.

FIM Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship Gillman
Oceania Speedway Sidecar Championship

This FIM Oceania Championship was planned for two rounds on January 29th at Moore Park Speedway in Christchurch, followed by Oreti Park Speedway, Invercargill on February 5th, 2022.

However, the decision has been made to postpone these events until January 2023 when international events can be held without restrictions and the events have the opportunity to welcome competitors and speedway fans from across Oceania and around the world.

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2022 KTM Australian Junior MX Championship scheduled for Sept/Oct

Hundreds of Australia’s best junior motocross talent will descend on Rockhampton and District Motocross Club to battle it out to be crowned Australia’s best during the September/October school holidays in the 2022 KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championship (KTM AJMX) next year.

Australian Junior MX Nationals 2014
Australian Junior MX Nationals

With the date to be confirmed, the 2022 event will see the best junior talent battle it out over five days of intense Championship racing action.

Peter Doyle – Motorcycling Australia CEO

“The 2022 KTM Australian Junior Motocross Champion at Rockhampton will be one of the biggest junior sporting events in Australia next year, and after a two-year break between Championships because of COVID-19 restrictions, we know our best junior riders will be eagerly awaiting the drop of the start gate. It is fantastic to have partner KTM Australia again support this major Championship, and we know the Rockhampton and District Motocross Club will provide a sensational racing venue.”

The Rockhampton and District Motocross Club had done significant planning to host the 2020 and 2021 KTM AJMX, but due to the global pandemic, these events haven’t been able to proceed.


Mackay set for The Ultimate Offroad Racing Weekend 2022

The 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores (ProMX), along with Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) presented by MXstore (Rounds 3 and 4) will both head to Mackay in Queensland from April 8th to 10th.

As a show stopper for two wheel race fans across the nation, the ProMX Championship Round 2 will combine forces with AORC at Mackay for the very first time, in what is set to be a massive three day weekend of two wheeled off-road racing action and an unmatched spectacle for race fans, industry and riders alike.

Thousands of combined riders, team personnel and passionate race fans will make their way to Mackay for this highly anticipated stop for both Championships, where many will be excited to witness the magnitude of the riders, racing and the event itself. Spread over three massive days of racing, AORC Rounds 3 and 4 will take place on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th of April, with ProMX taking centre stage for Sunday April 10th.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson said it’s fantastic to welcome both the ProMX and AORC Championships to Mackay, “The Council is a proud supporter of events through our Invest Mackay Events and Conference Attraction program, I have no doubt the size and spectacle of these off-road racing Championships will be in good hands with our passionate community and we look forward to welcoming the teams, riders and fans to enjoy and explore our region.”

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Blake Fox and Byron Dennis top Wagga MX Weekend

The Wagga 2-Day MX Champs were held over the weekend, offering two days of racing with an impressive roster of riders, including Matt Moss, Blake Fox, Joben Baldwin, Ryder Kingsford, Byron Dennis to name a few.

When it came to the Senior Feature Race, Blake Fox took top honours, winning from Joben Baldin and Ryder Kingsford. The Lites Feature Race meanwhile saw Byron Dennis the top performer, with Finley Mason and Kayd Kingsford completing the podium.

Byron Dennis Winning Junior Lites and Blake Fox Winning the Senior feature Races

Blake Fox also topped the Open Expert/Clubman results, winning all four races, ahead of Baldin and Matthew Dillon who took second and third respectively in each of the four races.

In the All Powers Expert Xavier Serafin won all four races, with Baldin making another appearance as runner up, while Kingsford was third overall.

In the Expert Senior Lites Blake Fox was the top performer from Riley Arabin and Xavier Serafin. For Clubman Senior Lites in comparison, it was Isaac Lofts winning the overall from Luke Smith and Harry Seaman.

Byron Dennis topped the Junior Lites Championship, winning all four races for a dominating win, with Danielle McDonald, with Isaac Dal Broi completing the top three.

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Michek claims FIM Bajas World Cup title at Baja Portalegre 500

Frenchman Neels Théric (KTM) won the FIM category at the Baja Portalegre 500 and finished ahead of his compatriot Mathieu Doveze (KTM) after running 410 km of competition across two days in difficult weather conditions.

However, Martin Michek (KTM) surprisingly won the FIM Bajas World Cup. Mohammed Balooshi was the favourite, having enjoyed a strong season. Arriving in Portugal 10 points ahead of his Czech opponent, the Emirati, who is more used to riding over desert terrain, failed to find his form over the stages in the Alentejo region and only finished in fourth position in the FIM Bajas World Cup.

Martin Mitchek – Image by Paulo Maria/ACP

There was also bad luck for Sebastian Bühler (Hero), who was on track to win the Baja Portalegre 500 and dominated his opponents before he fell in the third special.

The race was relatively stressful tor the new Junior champion Konrad Dabrowski (KTM) from the first special stage on Friday. After the Qualifying Stage, he experienced electrical setbacks and finished a long way behind.

Fortunately, he was able to start again on Sunday and finished fourth in the first special in the morning and sixth in the afternoon. That allowed the Pole to climb up the general classification and win the Junior FIM Bajas World Cup from Neels Theric and Margot Llobera.

The female category was won by Mirjam Pol (Husqvarna), who finished ahead of Sara Garcia (Yamaha), Margot Llobera (KTM) and the gritty and determined Kuwaiti rider Sarah Khuraibet (KTM).

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Kevin Horgmo tops EMX250s at Garda
EMX250 Race 1

In the first EMX250 race, it was Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Nicholas Lapucci with the holeshot as Andrea Bonacorsi of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing got himself into second ahead of Raf Meuwissen of Riley Racing.

Kevin Horgmo

Lapucci then made a mistake and crashed out of the lead, with Bonacorsi inheriting the top spot. The Yamaha rider then led the way ahead of Meuwissen, Horgmo and Maxime Grau of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Lapucci was up in 11th.

Horgmo then made a pass on Meuwissen for second position and shortly after the Dutchman dropped another spot as Grau was able to find a way through as well.

Horgmo then closed in on the rear wheel of Bonacorsi as the pair fought it out for the win. The Norwegian was really pushing to get by the Italian but failed to find the perfect opportunity despite being faster than the leader on several occasions.

Lapucci meanwhile continued his fight back up the order as he got by Liam Everts of Liamski KTM and Jorgen-Matthias Talviku of No Fear/Jumbo BT Racing Team. He then also passed David Braceras from Team VRT Nordpesca Holland for fourth as he set his sights on Grau.

But back at the front, Horgmo was not letting go of Bonacorsi as he stayed within less than a second of the Italian.

Meanwhile further down the field, Haakon Fredriksen of Riley Racing and Everts were both able to get by Grau who dropped to seventh place.

With two laps to go, Horgmo turned up the pressure onto Bonacorsi and despite getting close a few times, the Norwegian could not make a pass stick as Bonacorsi went on to win the race. Horgmo settled for second ahead of Lapucci who eventually came back to third.

EMX250 Race 2

In race two, it was once again Lapucci who got the holeshot ahead of Horgmo, Jeremy Sydow of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing, Grau and Yago Martinez from Team VRT Nordpesca Holland. Race one winner, Bonacorsi, started in around 13th place.

Cornelius Toendel from Riley Racing had a strong first lap as he went from eigth to fourth, while Horgmo kept close to Lapucci.

Nicholas Lapucci

Bonacorsi then crashed together with Saad Soulimani of TBS Conversions Racing Team and dropped to outside the top 20.

For a brief moment, Horgmo was in the lead, but Lapucci was quick to respond and took back his position. Toendel then passed Sydow for third.

Horgmo made another attempt on Lapucci which was unsuccessful as the battle for the lead raged on. This allowed Toendel to close in on the pair. And as Horgmo tried again, he was pushed offline by Lapucci which allowed Toendel through into second and half a lap later he was in the lead. He led for a brief moment as he crashed in the next corner trying to keep the Italian behind him.

Further behind them, Everts took third from Sydow as Bonacorsi went down again. He eventually came back to 10th place.

Everts close in on the top two riders, as Horgmo took over the lead but made a mistake which allowed Lapucci back onto his rear wheel, fortunately he was able to break free of that as the Italian came under fire from Everts who shortly after took over second place.

Fredriksen was another rider who got past Lapucci who seemed to have lost his rhythm and then we saw an epic battle between Fredriksen and Everts for second. Fredriksen was able to get around the Belgian who immediately struck back, but the Norwegian was able to move quickly to stay ahead. And as Everts tried to retaliate he got it all wrong on the downhill which resulted in a big crash for the #72.

In the end, Horgmo went on to claim the race victory ahead of Fredriksen and Lapucci who was third. And with a 2-1 result, Horgmo took the overall round win for the second time this season, as Lapucci occupied the second step of the podium, while Fredriksen was third.

Haakon Fredriksen

With two rounds left to go, Lapucci leads the EMX250 Championship standings with a 26-point advantage over Horgmo, while Rick Elzinga of TBS Conversions Racing Team remains third.

Kevin Horgmo – P1

“It was not the best start but obviously a lot better than the last round here. The starts were quite okay. I had tough guys in front of me who were difficult to pass. In the first race, I was probably a little bit too cautious. Every time I came close, I backed off. I didn’t send it too hard in the inside. Then in the second race, I went all out because I knew it was for the overall victory. So, I just tried to do my best and find different lines so I can make the pass happen. I think I can’t look too much at the points right now because it’s still quite far. I just need to take it race by race, try to get better starts, be in front and hopefully win both races.”

Nicholas Lapucci – P2

“Today was a tough day for me. In the first race, I pulled the holeshot then I had a tip over due to a technical problem. But I managed to come back almost without making any mistakes. I finished off in the third position. Second race, I got the holeshot as well. I tried my best and gave my 110% to maintain the lead but it wasn’t enough. Let’s think about the championship, we have two rounds to go. I am proud about that because we can always send it. Next races are in Mantova, it’s a little bit softer over there so it will be better for me. Let’s see what it brings.”

Haakon Fredriksen – P3

“I mean I had a good time in time-practice. First race, I struggled a lot to adjust to the track. Also on a personal level, I was not riding at my 100%. Second race, we took a big decision to go with the sand tyres. Actually, I took the decision. I did a mistake, but it worked out in the end, and I was able to have more control over my riding. It was a good day overall; I was able to get the podium as well so I am happy. I had good success in Mantova last year, so I am really confident going there and I am hoping to have two good results.”

2021 EMX250 Garda Results

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Horgmo, Kevin NOR GAS 22 25 47
2 Lapucci, Nicholas ITA FAN 20 20 40
3 Fredriksen, Hakon NOR YAM 16 22 38
4 Bonacorsi, Andrea ITA YAM 25 11 36
5 Toendel, Cornelius NOR YAM 18 16 34
6 Sydow, Jeremy GER YAM 14 18 32
7 Everts, Liam BEL KTM 15 15 30
8 Elzinga, Rick NED KTM 10 13 23
9 Martinez, Yago ESP KTM 8 12 20
10 Braceras, David ESP KTM 11 6 17
11 Weckman, Emil FIN HON 0 14 14
12 Spies, Maximilian GER FAN 7 7 14
13 Soulimani, Saad FRA KTM 9 5 14
14 Gerhardsson, Albin SWE HUS 3 10 13
15 Grau, Maxime FRA HUS 13 0 13
16 Oliver, Oriol ESP KTM 12 0 12
17 Gwerder, Mike SUI KTM 2 8 10
18 Rathousky, Petr CZE KTM 0 9 9
19 Talviku, Jorgen-Matthias EST HUS 6 0 6
20 Prugnieres, Quentin Marc FRA KAW 4 1 5
21 Olsson, Filip SWE HUS 5 0 5
22 Alonso Rodilla, Victor ESP YAM 0 4 4
23 Meuwissen, Raf NED YAM 0 3 3
24 Crnjanski, Yann FRA KTM 0 2 2
25 Piller, Constantin GER KTM 1 0 1

EMX250 Standings after Garda (Top 10)

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Lapucci, N. ITA FAN 345
2 Horgmo, Kevin NOR GAS 319
3 Elzinga, Rick NED KTM 257
4 Everts, Liam BEL KTM 227
5 Bonacorsi, A. ITA YAM 226
6 Toendel, C. NOR YAM 202
7 Fredriksen, H. NOR YAM 170
8 Martinez, Yago ESP KTM 162
9 Weckman, Emil FIN HON 120
10 Grau, Maxime FRA HUS 113

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Lucas Coenen dominates EMX125 at Garda
EMX125 Race 1

In the first EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing heat, it was Coenen with the holeshot ahead of MRT Racing Team KTM’s Valerio Lata and Julius Mikula. A few riders came together in the start which included the likes of Ferruccio Zanchi and Ivano Van Erp of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC.

EMX125 Start

Coenen then led Lata, Cas Valk of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL, ASA United GasGas Racing’s Bobby Bruce and Mikula who dropped a couple of spots after the opening lap.

Mikula then came under more pressure from Karlis Alberts Reisulis of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC and Kay Karssemakers of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL. Reisulis was able to find his way past the Czech rider.

Coenen then stretched his lead to 5.158 seconds as Bruce began to close in on Valk. He launched an attack not long after which at first was unsuccessful. He tried several more times before finally making the pass stick and moving up into third.

Meanwhile Zanchi was making some strong passes after crashing out of the start as he moved into 13th place.

Reisulis then caught and passed Valk, as Valk dropped to fifth, meanwhile Karssemakers had Alexis Fueri of Fantic Factory Team Maddii, Mikula and Scott Smulders of No Fear/Jumbo BT Racing Team closing in for sixth place. Fueri was able to get around Karssemakers to steal his position.

Meanwhile Reisulis was making progress on Bruce as he caught onto the Brit, urging him closer to Lata who was still second. But the Bruce was able to break free of the Latvian and focus on getting closer to Lata.

Lata then got caught out by lapped rider who went down right in front of him, with Bruce doing his best to avoid the situation but riding over Lata’s bike. Lata was able to pick himself up but took time to get going as he inspected the rear of his bike. He eventually finished the race in sixth place.

Coenen though was focused on his own race as he crossed the line to win race one, 16.570 second ahead of Reisulis who ended up second, with Bruce third.

EMX125 Race 2

In race two, it was once again Coenen with a flying start as he led Van Erp who got off to a much better start compared to the first race. Behind him was Andrea Viano, Lata and Smulders. Bruce was down in seventh on the first lap.

Karlis Alberts Reisulis

Lata then passed Viano for third as Bruce and Reisulis fought for fifth. Viano then got passed by both Bruce and Reisulis, as the Italian dropped to fifth. Reisulis was riding very well as he caught up with Lata. The Latvian was able to get around the championship leader to move into third position.

Meanwhile Coenen set the fastest lap of the race as he extended his lead to 3.912 seconds over Van Erp, as Bruce got a glimpse of Lata ahead of him. He started to close in on his title rival, but a couple of mistakes allowed Lata some breathing room.

Fueri then made an aggressive move on Karssemakers for sixth, as Bruce caught onto Lata again. The Italian then made a mistake which allowed the Brit to get close enough to do something about it and he did just that, as he squeezed by the KTM rider.

Van Erp then crashed out of second position, which allowed Coenen to run away with it, as his lead went up to 15.991 seconds. Coenen ended up winning the race, as Van Erp managed to hold on to second while Reisulis crossed the line in second.

With two race wins, Coenen had the perfect score and went on to claim his first ever overall victory, while Reisulis mounted the podium for the first time in second overall, while Bruce finished third.

Despite not finishing on the podium, Lata continues to lead the series with a 22-point advantage over Bruce as we head into the final round in Mantova, for the round of Lombardia.

Lucas Coenen – P1

“Today was a good day for me. Two holeshots and I led every lap of the races. I made gaps and won the races, so that was really good. We managed to get 1-1 and that’s good because I managed to get my first win of the season on Tuesday. Let’s say I am over the bad luck, and I am starting to gain momentum, so that’s good. My goal now is just to ride my own race and make it the easiest possible to finish 1-1 and we will see.”

Lucas Coenen

Karlis Alberts Reisulis – P2

“There’s not much to say. I finally got the podium after a long season filled with injuries. I also finally managed to have some not-so-bad starts. Everything came together and I just got that podium. I also got a little bit lucky in the first race, but I’ll take it.”

Bobby Bruce – P3

“We didn’t get two of the best starts, really. I have been struggling with them. But the first race was good. I came from behind. Valerio got caught with a lapper and I couldn’t avoid them, so I ended up being down as well. But I finished the race second. Second race, I also had a bad start, but the track is tight, and we were nearing the end, so I had to put a good pass on. Overall, it was a good day. Another podium. I haven’t missed it in Arco. Let’s hope for the same in the last round. Hopefully we’ll have another week like this one and get some points under our belt. We’ll see what happens, because anything could happen. One more race to go.”

Valerio Lata – P4

“I had a good start in the first race. I had a good feeling on the track, but I crashed with another rider with two laps to go. I finished the race in sixth position. Second race, I had a good start, but I did not have the same good feeling. I finished in fifth position. Now it’s time to get ready for Mantova. Thank you to my team, family and supporters.”

2021 EMX125 Garda Results

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Coenen, Lucas BEL KAW 25 25 50
2 Reisulis, Karlis Alberts LAT YAM 22 20 42
3 Bruce, Bobby GBR GAS 20 18 38
4 Lata, Valerio ITA KTM 15 16 31
5 Fueri, Alexis FRA FAN 16 15 31
6 Valk, Cas NED HUS 18 12 30
7 Karssemakers, Kay NED HUS 14 14 28
8 Van Erp, Ivano NED YAM 5 22 27
9 Smulders, Scott NED HUS 13 13 26
10 Zanchi, Ferruccio ITA YAM 10 11 21
11 Viano, Andrea ITA HUS 8 10 18
12 Reisulis, Janis Martins LAT KTM 9 9 18
13 Mikula, Julius CZE KTM 11 6 17
14 Rossi, Marc-Antoine FRA KTM 12 5 17
15 Kees, Valentin GER KTM 6 7 13
16 Cazal, Xavier FRA KTM 7 3 10
17 Escandell, Elias ESP GAS 0 8 8
18 Russi, Matteo Luigi ITA KTM 0 4 4
19 Sanchez, Raul ESP GAS 4 0 4
20 Brookes, Joe GBR YAM 3 0 3
21 Gallego, Antonio ESP GAS 0 2 2
22 Haution, Diego FRA HUS 2 0 2
23 Karu, Romeo EST HUS 0 1 1
24 Hindersson, Kasimir FIN YAM 1 0 1

EMX125 Standings after Garda

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Lata, Valerio ITA KTM 299
2 Bruce, Bobby GBR GAS 277
3 Karssemakers, K. NED HUS 241
4 Coenen, Lucas BEL KAW 237
5 Van Erp, Ivano NED YAM 221
6 Smulders, S. NED HUS 194
7 Reisulis, K. LAT YAM 170
8 Rossi, M. FRA KTM 162
9 Zanchi, F. ITA YAM 141
10 Fueri, Alexis FRA FAN 126

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Seewer wins 2021 MXGP of Garda
MXGP Race 1

In the opening MXGP race of the day, it was Seewer who took the Fox Holeshot as he led his teammate Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Glenn Coldenhoff, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado, MRT Racing Team’s Alessandro Lupino and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli. Meanwhile Gajser, Herlings and Febvre started in sixth, seventh and eighth.

Jeremy Seewer

Prado then quickly made a move on Coldenhoff, as Gajser looked to do the same. The Slovenian was not successful in his attempts which allowed Febvre and Herlings to close in.

Gajser and Febvre then went at it for third, with the pair switching positions a few times before Febvre was able to block pass Gajser to move into third. And while the Honda and Kawasaki riders battled each other, Herlings continued to lurk in the background as he searched for an opportunity to get by both.

Tim Gajser

Seewer stretched out his lead to 3.946 seconds as he was improving upon his lap time almost every lap around. The Swiss was looking in control, up until a slight error put him on the ground. Luckily, he was up quickly and could maintain his position in the lead.

Febvre was eventually able to get past Coldenhoff for third as he set his sights on Prado who was ahead in second position.

Seewer then set another fastest lap time of the race as he stayed ahead of Prado by 4.110 seconds, as Gajser closed in on Coldenhoff again. Herlings kept things close too as both him and Gajser got past the Yamaha rider in the same corner.

Romain Febvre

Herlings then passed Gajser, as Febvre also took second from Prado. While Febvre safely had hold of his position, Herlings did not as Gajser was looking to fight back immediately. The pair made contact on several occasions, but Herlings was able to assert his position as Cairoli also joined the battle.

Cairoli got ahead of Gajser but not for long as the Slovenian fought back. Cairoli then kept a close distance to Gajser until the end of the race as they both made their way through backmarkers.

Tony Cairoli

Herlings then managed to get by Prado, but the Spaniard didn’t go down without a fight. Gajser was next to catch-up to the KTM rider and after a few tries got past him too as Cairoli did the same to move up to fifth.

With three laps to go, it looked like Febvre was slowly closing in on the leader, but then on the last lap he went down hard which cost him a load of time, but he did however hold on to his position.

Jeremy Seewer

In the end Seewer went on to claim his first race win of the season, as Febvre finished second ahead of Herlings in third. Gajser brought it home in fourth ahead of Cairoli who was fifth.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, it was Prado with the second Fox Holeshot, which was his 15th of the season! He led the way ahead of Cairoli and Gajser. Herlings started in sixth while Febvre was down in 13th.

Jorge Prado

Gajser then got around Cairoli for second and not long after made a move on Prado to get into the lead. Meanwhile Herlings was also making moves as he got himself into second.

He then had his teammate, Prado, to deal with who didn’t make things easy but eventually the Dutchman was able to get around the Spaniard and shift his focus onto getting Gajser. Just behind then, Febvre got around Cairoli for fourth and immediately went after Prado, who again was not backing down.

Gajser then led the way by just 1.214 seconds as Herlings remained close. It was looking like Herlings was setting up to make a pass but then the Bullet made a mistake and went flying over the bars. He got going again just behind Coldenhoff in seventh.

Tim Gajser

While that was going on, Seewer managed to get Cairoli for fifth and then followed that up by getting Febvre too. The Frenchman was not going to let the Swiss have the position easy and immediately fought back. The pair then caught onto Prado too, with the trio exchanging positions several times before Seewer was able to get ahead.

Febvre then had Cairoli on his case who passed him for fourth. The Kawasaki rider was again quick to respond and managed to maintain his spot. This then urged him onto Prado, as he took third from the KTM rider.

Romain Febvre

Herlings was also making progress as he got by Coldenhoff and then Prado, as the Spaniard came under more fire from Cairoli and the drop down to sixth. It then looked like Cairoli was going after Herlings and that’s when the Bullet crashed again!

Seewer also went down for a brief moment but was able to get going quickly to stay ahead of Febvre. Febvre did close in at one point, but Seewer was showing great pace and it was no match for Febvre who settled for third.

Herlings got going outside the top 10 and then made some passes on the likes of Mathys Boisrame of Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team, Benoit Paturel of Honda SR Motoblouz as well as Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Watson, Glenn Coldenhoff and Prado in the next few laps. He eventually came home in fourth place.

Mathys Boisrame

Gajser went on to win the race 5.961 seconds ahead of Seewer with Febvre third.

A 1-2 result gave Seewer the overall, while Gajser was second and Febvre third overall. With Febvre added 42 points compared to Herlings’ 38, to his title chase, which means that he now leads the MXGP standings by one point over Gajser, with Herlings a further two points behind.

Once again, the top three are within three points of each other as we head into the final two rounds in Mantova.

Jeremy Seewer – P1

“This MXGP win, I did it myself and I deserved it. I was up front, and no one beat me. It feels amazing, especially where I came from this year. A couple of weeks ago I was far off, and I was struggling with my health and mentally. I started to feel good a few weeks ago. I am really happy to sit here now with a first overall. I was very unlucky in my last two races; I just missed the podium both times. But it was worth the wait for this win.”

Jeremy Seewer

Tim Gajser – P2

“It was a good day. We definitely need to work on the first races. I have been struggling with those the last couple of weeks. Anyway, the second one was good. I was feeling good and the start was way better. I made quick passes in the beginning. Then suddenly there was a 10 second gap for me and I was able to control the race from that point on. But anyway, the championship is intense. It’s unbelievable to think that there are just two GPs left and we are all within three points. I will do my best. I am really happy with today. We still have two GPs to go, so game on!”

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Romain Febvre – P3

“It feels good. We still have two rounds to go to keep the red plate and turn it to gold. I can smell the taste of the championship. I am really happy about my weekend. We worked on the start which worked well in the first race. The second one was not good. In the first one, I made a lot of passes and made my way to second place. I tried to catch Jeremy but he was obviously riding really good. Nothing to say. I tried. I saw that I was catching up to him in the last two laps but unfortunately, I made quite a big mistake and crashed. Luckily, I had a big gap which allowed me to recover and finish second after all. The second race, my start was really bad, but I managed to have a good first lap and pass eight riders. I was still able to finish the race in third place. Jeremy made a mistake, and I closed the gap. I was thinking “should I go for the GP victory, or should I settle for the red plate?”. I felt like I did both. Maybe I was thinking a little bit too much and I could not match Jeremy’s pace. I settled for third and took the red plate. I am really happy.”

Romain Febvre

Jeffrey Herling – P4

“Where can I start?! The day actually began quite good but then went downhill from there! My start was alright in the first moto but I could not get in my rhythm for the first three laps and at one point I was 4th but lost a lot of time passing Jorge. Basically, Romain and Jeremy had then gone. 3rd place was still OK. In the second moto I really wanted to attack and go for the win. I was into 2nd on the second lap and I thought ‘this is going to be my moto’. I went over the finish line jump and wanted to chase Tim because I felt I had the speed but the bike went left-right and I was shot-off. It was my mistake but the bike was then a bit bent and I needed some laps to get used to it. The rhythm was coming back and I was close to Romain but my hand came off the bar over that same jump and I was shot to the moon. That was a big hit with a big crash. The bike was even more bent! I knew then I would need something special today. I was 10th and I needed to keep pushing because every point counts. To go home only 3 points down, I know it is still in my own hands. I didn’t make it easy for myself and the last two GPs here have been tough but it is all still possible. Thanks to Tony. Only the greatest and the biggest champions would do that. To me he not only showed his loyalty to KTM but helped me a lot because those are two very important points. Only a real team player would do that. Jorge as well, I had to pass him three times in that second moto. It was a real team effort and I cannot thank them enough.”

Jeffrey Herling

Tony Cairoli – P5

“Pretty good today. In the first moto I had a good start but made a few mistakes on the first laps and dropped from 5th to 7th. I passed back to 5th but it was difficult to make those moves: sadly I couldn’t make the same excellent start that I had on Wednesday. The guys in front were too far by the time I could get through. I felt a podium was possible, even if a top-five is always good. In the last moto I had the pace to go a bit faster but I did not want to get in the middle of the fight for the championship. Jeffrey made a crash in front of me and again there was a big gap. I had settled for 4th when I saw Jeffrey was coming on the last two laps. For me 4th or 5th was not that important because I knew I wouldn’t have been on the podium so I gave [away] my position. I hope a few points more will help him and KTM for the championship. That’s KTM’s goal for this year.”

2021 MXGP of Garda Results

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 25 22 47
2 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 18 25 43
3 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 22 20 42
4 Herlings, Jeffrey NED KTM 20 18 38
5 Cairoli, Antonio ITA KTM 16 16 32
6 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 14 15 29
7 Coldenhoff, Glenn NED YAM 15 13 28
8 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 11 14 25
9 Wright, Dylan CAN HON 12 11 23
10 Lupino, Alessandro ITA KTM 13 8 21
11 Olsen, Thomas Kjer DEN HUS 9 9 18
12 Van Horebeek, Jeremy BEL BET 10 7 17
13 Paturel, Benoit FRA HON 0 12 12
14 Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 7 5 12
15 Guillod, Valentin SUI YAM 8 3 11
16 Boisrame, Mathys FRA KAW 0 10 10
17 Van doninck, Brent BEL YAM 4 6 10
18 Locurcio, Lorenzo VEN KTM 6 4 10
19 Jacobi, Henry GER HON 5 0 5
20 Koch, Tom GER KTM 2 1 3
21 Philippaerts, David ITA YAM 3 0 3
22 Butron, Jose ESP KTM 0 2 2
23 Brylyakov, Vsevolod MFR HON 1 0 1

2021 MXGP Standings – Round 16

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 614
2 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 613
3 Herlings, J. NED KTM 611
4 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 502
5 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 498
6 Cairoli, A. ITA KTM 496
7 Coldenhoff, G. NED YAM 397
8 Jonass, Pauls LAT GAS 391
9 Lupino, A. ITA KTM 287
10 Olsen, T. DEN HUS 284
11 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 269
12 Bogers, Brian NED GAS 241
13 Vlaanderen, C. NED YAM 203
14 Van Horebeek, J. BEL BET 202
15 Jacobi, Henry GER HON 172
16 Van doninck, B. BEL YAM 133
17 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 119
18 Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 113
19 Forato, A. ITA GAS 111
20 Paturel, B. FRA HON 105

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Wilson Todd top Aussie in MX2 at Garda in P5 – Beaton P9
MX2 Race 1

In the first MX2 race, it was again, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle with the Fox Holeshot but his teammate Rene Hofer was quick to act as he dived into the lead. Vialle dropped to third as Bastian Boegh Damm of WZ Racing Team went into second place.

Tom Vialle

Renaux started the race in around eighth position, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini was 24th.

Then we saw a big moment between Boegh Damm and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts as the pair came together on the downhill and had a huge crash. This allowed Renaux into third and then into second.

Hofer then led Renaux, Vialle, Andrea Adamo of SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery, as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton got onto the rear wheel of Simon Längenfelder of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing for sixth and eventually managed to pass him.

Simon Längenfelder

Guadagnini was also making passes as he got himself into 13th, but the Italian would later crash and pull out of the race.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Thibault Benistant and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf were next to catch onto the rear wheel of Längenfelder, with the German not able to keep the pair behind him as he dropped two more positions.

Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez was on a charge as he got by Adamo for fourth and then set his sights on Vialle for third.

Rene Hofer

Hofer was still the race leader as he set the fastest lap time of the race to extend his lead to 5.977 seconds ahead of Renaux. The Austrian pretty much rode a race of his own as he was unchallenged for the entire heat.

Beaton then caught onto Adamo for fifth. He managed to go around the outside of the Italian, but the GasGas rider was quick to fight back. But Beaton managed to stay ahead.

Further ahead, Fernandez was on a mission as he got onto the back of Vialle and went after third place. He was almost a second faster than the Frenchman on that lap and was able to get himself into third.

Maxime Renaux

Benistant was next to catch-up to Adamo. He squeezed past the Italian who responded in the next corner, but Benistant got him back to assert his position in sixth.

In the end, Hofer was victorious as he crossed the finish line 4.966 seconds ahead of Renaux and Fernandez.

MX2 Race 2

In race two, it was Vialle again who got ahead in the start and claimed his 19th Fox Holeshot of the season. Renaux was second ahead of Benistant and Isak Gifting of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing, who got a great start in fourth. Geerts was there also in fifth.

Isak Gifting

Geerts then came under fire from de Wolf for fifth. The Belgian could not hold on as he made a mistake and went down. He did not re-join the race due to a technical problem and that was his title fight over.

Renaux then set the fastest lap of the race as he got within 1.094 seconds of Vialle. He waited a couple of laps before launching an attack, but by lap five was the new race leader.

Maxime Renaux

Gifting then came under immense pressure from de Wolf and Fernandez. Both the Husqvarna and the Honda rider were able to get around him to move up into fourth and fifth. Not long after Wilson Todd of Bike it MTX Kawasaki did the same. F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Mikkel Haarup, who had the second fastest lap time in time practice, caught and passed Längenfelder for eighth and then had Gifting in his sights too.

Wilson Todd

Meanwhile, the race one winner, Hofer, didn’t have the best start to the race as he ended up going down. He did however make a decent recovery to get back to eighth by the end of the heat.

Längenfelder then crashed out of eighth, as Benistant lost a few positions too. One of the riders to pass Benistant was Haarup, who also got past de Wolf by the end of the race, as the Husqvarna rider dropped to sixth.

Mikkel Haarup

Renaux went on to win the race 3.105 seconds ahead of Vialle who crossed the line in second position, while Fernandez finished third.

A 2-1 result gave Renaux the overall victory as he also claimed the gold plate to become this year’s MX2 World Champion, meanwhile Vialle was second on the podium and added some solid championship points as he moved into second position. Fernandez was the last rider to mount the podium, keeping a 100% podium record here in Pietramurata this season.

Maxime Renaux – P1

“It means a lot to me. We made it; we are the 2021 MX2 World Champions. That’s a great achievement. As you said, we had to work a lot for that. The past years and past rounds were really tough for me. Lots of ups and downs, and bad starts. But we were able to have a good race today. I am also so happy to get my first world title with a race and GP win. It means a lot to me because it’s grabbing the title with a win feels a bit better. It was an amazing day for me, one that I will never forget for sure.”

Maxime Renaux

Tom Vialle – P2

“It actually was not really a bad day for me. After the crash on Wednesday, I hurt my ankle a lot. So, I was not sure if I could ride today. Riding in the morning was not so bad, but I could feel the pain after every jump. First race was pretty tough. I had a decent start, but I couldn’t follow the leader also due to arm pump. I just tried to finish it off. I finished in 4th place. It wasn’t too bad. I was feeling better in the second one. I just tried to ride the best I could. I am happy today with the podium.”

Tom Vialle

Ruben Fernandez – P3

“It feels good to get three podiums out of three. I feel like I’ve been really solid which is normally not one of my strongest points. I could stay calm during the races and not make mistakes. I had to come from the back and work my way to the front most of the times. I am happy with that, because this is something I want to bring with me into next season. I want to be mistake-free let’s say and try to keep it cool on the track.”

Rene Hofer – P4

“Still a pretty good day I’d say with my second MX2 moto win. I’m pretty overwhelmed by all the things that are going on right now. Two wins from six motos here. Unfortunately, I missed the podium because of a crash in the second moto but my riding was good to come back to 8th. I’m doing well and we’re also performing good in the championship: we are only three points behind 5th, and 4th place is also not far. We’ll give it all in the last two GPs to try and improve my standing.”

Top Australian meanwhile was Bike It MTX Kawasaki’s Wilson Todd who has moved to within three points of a top-ten ranking in the MX2 class with two hard-charging rides to fifth overall. In both motos he showed his talent with smart decisive moves to make passes stick around the switchback raceway in the shadow of the Italian Dolomites. Through the first half of moto one he showed his strength and determination throughout the second half of the race to eventually finish seventh, and maintained that speed in race two – his best result of the campaign.

Wilson Todd – P5

“I felt good. I was inside the top ten all day; Qualifying and both motos. I was coming forward, making passes to get into those positions. It’s an improvement; the more I race anywhere the more comfortable I feel. Two more to go, and I’m feeling confident.“

Wilson Todd

Jed Beaton enjoyed a promising first race at the MXGP of Garda with a strong fifth-place finish. Frustratingly, he had a coming together with another rider in the tight and treacherous second turn after the start of moto two, which resulted in a race-long charge towards the front. With two further crashes adding to the challenge, Beaton secured 14th in the moto for ninth overall. Jed now sits just 10 points adrift of fourth in the MX2 World Championship.

Jed Beaton – P9

“Today wasn’t quite how I wanted to finish this triple header. My first race was pretty solid though, I felt good and made passes all moto to place fifth, which was a good start to the day. Then in race two, it all went wrong really. My jump off the gate wasn’t good and then in turn two I got caught up in someone’s bike and I was dead last. I then crashed twice coming through the pack so that one was tough. I’m now looking forward to Mantova for the final two rounds. I’ve done well there in the past and I really want to end the season with positive results.”

Jed Beaton

2021 MXGP of Garda – MX2 Results

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 22 25 47
2 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 18 22 40
3 Fernandez, Ruben ESP HON 20 20 40
4 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 25 13 38
5 Todd, Wilson AUS KAW 14 18 32
6 Benistant, Thibault FRA YAM 15 14 29
7 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 13 15 28
8 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 7 16 23
9 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 16 7 23
10 Adamo, Andrea ITA GAS 11 11 22
11 Laengenfelder, Simon GER GAS 10 10 20
12 Hsu, Brian GER KTM 9 9 18
13 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 12 4 16
14 Guadagnini, Mattia ITA KTM 0 12 12
15 Sandner, Michael AUT KTM 6 3 9
16 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 0 8 8
17 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 8 0 8
18 Boegh Damm, Bastian DEN KTM 0 6 6
19 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 1 5 6
20 Goupillon, Pierre FRA KTM 5 0 5
21 Zonta, Filippo ITA HON 4 0 4
22 Congost, Gerard ESP YAM 3 0 3
23 Polak, Petr CZE YAM 0 2 2
24 Scuteri, Emilio ITA TM 2 0 2
25 Wagenknecht, Jan CZE KTM 0 1 1

2021 MX2 Standings – Round 16 (Top 20)

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 642
2 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 532
3 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 516
4 Guadagnini, M. ITA KTM 487
5 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 477
6 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 474
7 Benistant, T. FRA YAM 413
8 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 412
9 Fernandez, R. ESP HON 404
10 Laengenfelder, S. GER GAS 291
11 Todd, Wilson AUS KAW 288
12 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 270
13 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 239
14 Boisrame, M. FRA KAW 223
15 Adamo, Andrea ITA GAS 217
16 Van De Moosdijk, R. NED KAW 190
17 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 160
18 Rubini, S. FRA HON 142
19 Boegh Damm, B. DEN KTM 112
20 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 108
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Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto Wrap | Duffy injury update | GNCC | MX | SX | EMX | MXGP

Ivano Van Erp tops EMX125 at Trentino

Ivano Van Erp of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC secured his third overall victory of the season at the round of Trentino after intense battles with the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championship leader Valerio Lata of MRT Racing Team KTM and ASA United GasGas Racing’s Bobby Bruce.

In race one, it was Bruce who grabbed the holeshot from Lata, Scott Smulders of No Fear / Jumbo BT Racing Team, Andrea Viano and Van Erp. Bruce then pulled a 1.789 second lead over Lata as Van Erp got passed by Janis-Martins Reisulis.

Bobby Bruce and Valerio Lata

Viano then started to push Smulders who was looking to respond but then the Dutchman crashed. He eventually came back to 11th.

On lap four, Van Erp got by Viano for third as he also set the fastest lap of the race. The Yamaha rider was then around five seconds behind Bruce and Lata. But as the race progressed Van Erp caught onto the back of the pair and then we witnessed a three-way battle for the win.

Lata cut Bruce’s gap considerably as he started to apply pressure onto the Brit and Van Erp made the most of this opportunity as he made an attempt to pass them both.

On lap 12 Lata was the new leader and it didn’t take long for Van Erp to get around Bruce also, as the GasGas rider dropped to third. Van Erp then focused on Lata and the pair fought closely until the end of the race.

Van Erp took the lead on several occasions, but Lata was able to respond and steal the victory from Van Erp, while Bruce finished third ahead of Bence Pregel and Kay Karssemakers of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL.

Ivano Van Erp
Ivano Van Erp

In race two, it was once again Bruce who got the holeshot, but a mistake from the Brit allowed Lata to quickly take the lead ahead of Van Erp. But by the end of the first lap we saw Van Erp get around Lata as he led the Italian, Bruce and Lucas Coenen of 9MM Energy Drink Bud Racing Kawasaki.

Van Erp then led by 2.291 seconds as Coenen got around Bruce for third. The Belgian then also set the fastest lap of the race. Further down the field a few of the other riders were also making passes as Marc-Antoine Rossi of Tech 32 got by Alexis Fueri of Fantic Factory Team Maddii and Ferruccio Zanchi of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC got around Pregel for 12th.

Van Erp continued to lead, with Lata keeping close and Coenen third, but then with just a few laps to go Lata managed to get onto the rear wheel of the Yamaha rider and it was game on for the race win again.

The gap went down to just 0.817 but Van Erp was able to hold on to it and win the race just 0.610 seconds ahead of Lata as Coenen crossed the line third, while Bruce was fourth ahead of Rossi in fifth.

With a second and a race win, Van Erp finished the day on the top step of the podium while Lata finished second and Bruce was third.

Ivano Van Erp
Ivano Van Erp

Lata continues to lead the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championship standings 20 points over Bruce, while Karssemakers is a further 20 points behind. The European 125cc Championship will continue on Tuesday for the round of Pietramurata.

Ivano Van Erp – P1

“I felt good all day long in free and time practice. In the first race my start was not so great, and I had to come from seventh place, just got my concertation and got to third I think. Then I saw on my pit board eight seconds to Bobby and Valerio. I managed to cut the gap and have a nice battle in the end of the race with Valerio and then in the second race I had a better start and then on the second lap I passed Valerio, had good focus for the rest of the race to take the win so I am very happy.”

Valerio Lata – P2

“Today it was quite difficult in the races but I had a good first race and took the victory and then in the second race I got a good start but Ivano was very fast, so I finished second. Now I’m ready for the next race here in Pietramurata.”

Valerio Lata
Valerio Lata

Bobby Bruce – P3

“We got two good starts today which was really good. I led a good amount of the race in the first one and just tensed up a bit. We didn’t really have so much time in between the races to get a good bike set-up, but I feel we’re making good progress. In the second race I felt good but the guys in front just had better pace today. I am excited for Tuesday to do it all again.”

EMX125 Trentino 2021 Results

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Van Erp, Ivano NED YAM 22 25 47
2 Lata, Valerio ITA KTM 25 22 47
3 Bruce, Bobby GBR GAS 20 18 38
4 Coenen, Lucas BEL KAW 9 20 29
5 Karssemakers, Kay NED HUS 16 12 28
6 Fueri, Alexis FRA FAN 13 14 27
7 Pergel, Bence HUN KTM 18 8 26
8 Smulders, Scott NED HUS 10 15 25
9 Puig, Victor ESP YAM 12 13 25
10 Reisulis, Karlis Alberts LAT YAM 14 11 25
11 Rossi, Marc-Antoine FRA KTM 8 16 24
12 Viano, Andrea ITA HUS 15 4 19
13 Kees, Valentin GER KTM 5 7 12
14 Escandell, Elias ESP GAS 7 5 12
15 Reisulis, Janis Martins LAT KTM 1 10 11
16 Gallego, Antonio ESP GAS 11 0 11
17 Zanchi, Ferruccio ITA YAM 0 9 9
18 Cazal, Xavier FRA KTM 3 6 9
19 Garcia, Francisco ESP HUS 6 1 7
20 Mikula, Julius CZE KTM 4 0 4
21 Haution, Diego FRA HUS 0 3 3
22 Lusis, Roberts LAT KTM 0 2 2
23 Turaglio, Nicolò ITA KTM 2 0 2

EMX125 Standings

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Lata, Valerio ITA KTM 221
2 Bruce, Bobby GBR GAS 201
3 Karssemakers, K. NED HUS 186
4 Van Erp, Ivano NED YAM 164
5 Coenen, Lucas BEL KAW 148
6 Smulders, S. NED HUS 140
7 Rossi, M. FRA KTM 130
8 Zanchi, F. ITA YAM 110
9 Coenen, Sacha BEL KAW 110
10 Osterhagen, H. NOR FAN 95
11 Sanchez, Raul ESP GAS 95
12 Reisulis, K. LAT YAM 94
13 Cazal, Xavier FRA KTM 91
14 Viano, Andrea ITA HUS 81
15 Fueri, Alexis FRA FAN 80
16 Puig, Victor ESP YAM 78
17 Escandell, E. ESP GAS 77
18 Rossi, Andrea ITA KTM 51
19 Mikula, Julius CZE KTM 46
20 Monne Viles, A. ESP KTM 37
21 Pergel, Bence HUN KTM 35
22 Ruffini, Luca ITA KTM 34
23 Canet, Edgar ESP GAS 32
24 Gutierrez, P. ESP GAS 29
25 Petit, Adrien FRA YAM 26
26 Valk, Cas NED HUS 24
27 Duhamel, N. FRA KTM 24
28 Nickel, Cato GER KTM 23
29 Haution, Diego FRA HUS 21
30 Kees, Valentin GER KTM 21
31 Bennati, M. ITA HUS 20
32 Salvini, N. ITA HUS 16
33 Werner, M. GER KTM 16
34 Garcia, F. ESP HUS 12
35 Gallego, A. ESP GAS 11
36 Reisulis, J. LAT KTM 11
37 Turaglio, N. ITA KTM 10
38 Karu, Romeo EST HUS 7
39 Johnston, B. GBR GAS 7
40 Aguilo Azorin, U. ESP KTM 6
41 Hindersson, K. FIN KTM 6
42 Mesters, B. NED KAW 5
43 Alonso, Marco ESP HUS 4
44 Vantaggiato, M. ITA HUS 4
45 Costa, Fabio PER GAS 3
46 Lusis, Roberts LAT KTM 2
47 Volpicelli, E. ITA GAS 2
48 Lobo, Sandro POR YAM 2
49 Israel, N. CHL KTM 1
50 Beernaert, B. BEL GAS 1
51 Stenberg, Nico FIN KTM 1
52 Giorgessi, T. FRA GAS 1

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Courtney Duncan crowned WMX 2021 Champion

Courtney Duncan has won her third consecutive FIM Motocross World Championship in Trentino, clinching the title in the first race of the day, and ending the season 31-points clear of runner up Nancy Van De Ven.

Courtney Duncan - Bike It MTX Kawasaki
Courtney Duncan – Bike It MTX Kawasaki

Despite hitting the dirt last weekend, fracturing her finger and left with a nasty cut, nothing could stop Duncan in her final charge to victory, riding calculatingly for a championship winning third in the opening race. As carnage unfolded around her and her main competitor Italian Kiara Fontanesi went down after a collision with another rider, the Kiwi superstar rode through the finish flags with enough points to claim her third WMX winner’s gold plate.

Courtney Duncan

“It comes down to how much it means to you, and how much is on the line and how much you want to win it. I was definitely feeling a little anxious but as soon as I got to the line, the helmet went on and I felt pretty controlled out there. I was able to finish third which was good enough to win the championship in the first one, which was pretty crazy. I wasn’t expecting that. This year’s been really tough. We’ve had ups and downs. Along the way it hasn’t been a smooth run. I’ve made the best out of every situation and got as much points as possible. I got to share the victory with my team and Kawasaki and a couple of friends I have over here. It’s been awesome how there’s not so much Covid over here, so we had the whole team and fans watching this weekend. I wish I could say I was going home to New Zealand soon now that the season’s over but it’s difficult to travel at the moment so I might be a Brit for a few more months.”

Courtney Duncan - Bike It MTX Kawasaki
Courtney Duncan – Bike It MTX Kawasaki

2021 WMX Final Standings – Top 10

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Duncan, C. NZL KAW 268
2 Van De Ven, N. NED YAM 237
3 Fontanesi, K. ITA GAS 227
4 Papenmeier, L. GER YAM 214
5 van der Vlist, S. NED KTM 197
6 Verstappen, A. BEL KAW 184
7 Valk, Lynn NED HUS 174
8 Andersen, Sara DEN KTM 159
9 Guillen, D. ESP KTM 154
10 O’Hare, T. AUS HON 112

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2021 MXGP of Trentino – Round 14 Report

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing dominated the MXGP of Trentino, Jeffrey Herlings topping the MXGP, while Tom Vialle won the MX2, with both riders going 1-1 for the win.

Jeffrey Herlings topped the MXGP in Trentino

Once again, both classes delivered on some intense battles and very close racing, especially in MXGP as the top four battled within just a few seconds of one another in both heats. This was a treat for the huge crowd of fans that lined the hard-pack circuit and who were keen to cheer on their favourites.

Riders will do it all again on Wednesday as the FIM Motocross World championship will continue with the MXGP of Pietramurata for round 15 of the series.

MXGP Race 1

In MXGP race one, it was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer who grabbed the Fox Holeshot from his teammate Ben Watson, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings. Meanwhile Tim Gajser from Team HRC started around sixth position.

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Watson then crashed which allowed Herlings through as Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre followed the Dutchman. Gajser then got around Prado as well for fourth and was the fastest rider out on track in one of the first few laps.

Febvre then looked for a way to launch an attack onto Herlings as the pair pushed on and urged on the leader, Seewer, who set his best lap of the race. Herlings kept it close to Seewer as Febvre and Gajser were also searching for an opportunity to pass.

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

The racing within the top four was extremely close, as the gap was just 2.573 between Herlings in first place and Gajser who was down in fourth.

Further down the field Prado, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff were having a good fight for fifth.

Glenn Coldenhoff
Glenn Coldenhoff

Herlings then close in on Seewer, who had Febvre closing in on him, who had Gajser chasing him down too… In the end Herlings made a nice move on the Swiss on lap 11 to take over the lead.

Prado then crashed but only lost three positions, finishing the race in 8th ahead of Mathys Boisrame who made his debut with Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team in the MXGP class.

In the end Herlings won ahead of Seewer and Febvre, with Gajser fourth after struggling to pass the Frenchman ahead of him. Coldenhoff had a good first heat to end in fifth place ahead of Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass.

MXGP Race 2

In the second heat, the Fox Holeshot went to JM Honda Racing’s Henry Jacobi as a couple of riders got tangled up in the first corner, this included Olsen and Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Brian Bogers.

Herlings and Gajser started the race 12th and 13th, while Jacobi led Febvre, Coldenhoff and Honda SR Motoblouz rider Benoit Paturel. The German’s time in the lead did not last long as Febvre was in the driving seat by the end of the first lap. Coldenhoff went through as well.

Gajser then managed to make up some good positions as he got by Watson for fifth as Herlings followed through. The Slovenian then got around Paturel and set his sights on Jacobi who made it a little bit harder to pass, but by lap four he was ahead of the JM Honda rider. Herlings did the same not too long after.

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Seewer had to fight through the field in the second race as he got around his teammate Watson for seventh. The Swiss made a couple of more passes and finished the race fifth, but it was not enough for a podium.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli had more bad luck in race two, as he also DNF’d the second race after struggling from his crash in race one.

Brian Bogers
Brian Bogers

Prado also struggled with Bogers and Jonass ahead of him. The two GasGas riders managed to come back to 12th and 13th, while Prado finished in 17th.

Febvre then started to come under pressure from Coldenhoff who brought the gap down to 1.920. Gajser also caught onto the pair and was looking for the perfect moment to pass. As the battle for the lead went on, it looked like Febvre struggled with arm pump as he started to make mistakes.

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

Herlings then joined the three-way battle for first as he took third from Gajser. Coldenhoff also made a pass as he moved into the lead on lap 12. The Dutchman led for five laps before being caught by his fellow countryman Herlings.

Gajser and Febvre then fought for third as the factory Honda rider was eventually able to secure the position after the pair made contact in one of the corners.

In the end Herlings was the race winner as Coldenhoff was able to fend off Gajser in third, while Febvre and Seewer rounded out the top five.

Tim Gajser

With two race wins, Herlings added a fifth GP victory in Trentino to become the most successful rider at this venue, with Coldenhoff and Gajser tied on points in second and third places. In fact, Coldenhoff, Gajser, Febvre and Seewer all finished with 38 points, while Herlings was on 50.

Herlings now leads the MXGP standings 24 points over Febvre, while Gajser is just three points behind.

Jeffrey Herlings – P1

“It wasn’t an easy one. In the first race Jeremy was leading, riding smooth and at a good pace so it was tough to pass him. But at one point I knew I had to go because the boys behind me started pushing, so I had to pass him. The second race, I was caught up a bit in the start. Tim and I were somewhere around 10th or 12th and we both fought our way back to the front. He was one place ahead of me. At one point we caught up to the leader and I managed to pass him. Then I had to defend and pass Romain. It was a tough run, but I am happy to have won. I feel like I am in a very good shape right now, but I should never underestimate the competition from Tim, Romain or Glen today. It can be anyone’s race. So, I will keep charging till the end. We are only 17 days away and a lot of things may happen during the last four races.”

Jeffrey Herlings

Glenn Coldenhoff – P2

“I have been struggling all year long except in Maggiora, so it’s good to be back on the podium. It’s been a very long and hard road. It’s good to be back here and I also feel like I belong here. I had a good feeling straight away this morning. I finished fifth in the first race. The second one was quite intense to say the least. In the beginning I was behind Febvre. I got so much pressure from behind, so I really had to do something. I managed to pass Romain and lead a few laps. I can tell you it was a great feeling. Definitely looking forward to having more battles like that. Jeffrey as we know is really strong lately. He passed me and I don’t think it’s a shame. It’s good that we have two more rounds here. I started this stretch on a positive note and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Tim Gajser – P3

“I did not have the best start in both races, so I had to fight my way back. Then I came to the top four and we were all riding at a similar pace so it wasn’t easy to make a pass. Overall, the speed was there. I think we have to work on the starts, to get better starts and to be in front and to battle for the win. Really looking forward to Wednesday. The gap in the championship is already quite big. But we know that anything can happen until the end. So definitely we will push hard until the end and try to win some races and GPs if I can and finish the season strong.”

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Romain Febvre – P4

“Of course I am disappointed to miss the podium as we are four riders with the same number of points for second! The first race was pretty good; my start was not that good but I made some passes during the first lap and my rhythm was good but it was difficult to pass during the rest of the race. Second race I got a great start and took the lead on the first lap; I had good lap times until mid-race, then I started to make little mistakes and I didn’t really know which better lines I could take; Glenn, Jeffrey and Tim passed me and of course I’m disappointed, but that’s how it is and we’ll try to do better on Wednesday.“

Jeremy Seewer – P5

“Today was one of my best days so far this season. The bike seems to work well on this track, which is really positive. I feel good, I feel sharp and I am enjoying riding my bike. I am having a lot of fun; I am quick. I managed to get pole position, which is usually not my strong point. It was cool to get the holeshot and lead in the first moto for a while, and I was close to winning. Going into the second race I felt good, but was I got squeezed off the start and was very lucky not to go down. I clipped Jorge (Prado)’s back wheel and had to go straight. To recover to P.5 was great because I started last. It’s a shame I am not on the podium. We are with four riders on the same points, so let’s look at the positives, good points, and I’m looking forward to going racing here again in a couple of days.”

Mathys Boisrame – P6

“It was a good day for my first experience in the MXGP class! I posted the tenth fastest time in the morning but the first start was not easy and in the fourth corner I crashed with Cairoli! I was twenty-fifth and came back through to ninth which was not bad. The second start was similar but once more I came back to ninth. I am tired but satisfied with my riding and over the moon with a sixth overall at my first MXGP race.”

Mathys Boisrame

Pauls Jonass – P7

“After making some good progress in recent weeks I was a little disappointed with my riding today. Having said that, race one was ok and I moved into sixth with two laps to go so that was a good result despite not feeling my best. Then in race two I had a pretty big crash all on my own on the first lap so I was way down the field. It’s not an easy track to make passes on but I managed to salvage 12th so that wasn’t too bad. I need to work on a few things before Wednesday and my aim is to be back up front again.”

Ben Watson – P10

“I had good starts today and that is a positive point. It always helps. Around here, it’s really difficult to pass. I am still not feeling 100%. My ankle is not perfect, and in general, I’ve not had a lot of time on the bike since I’ve injured it, so I am a bit behind. I felt pretty good out on the track, I just had a couple of crashes in the first race, but in the second one, I was consistent with consistent laps. Overall, not a bad day.”

Jorge Prado – P13

“I gave everything I had. 100%. Even with a broken bone I was fighting for top five in the first moto. It was a pity about the crash with five minutes to go but I still managed to finish. I suffered a lot. I missed the start completely in the second moto and wasn’t happy about 17th but I cannot really fight in my situation at the moment. Hopefully it will be less painful on Wednesday. Starts count for so much here and I also want to make less mistakes like I did in the second moto.”

Jorge Prado

2021 MXGP of Trentino Results

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Herlings, Jeffrey NED KTM 25 25 50
2 Coldenhoff, Glenn NED YAM 16 22 38
3 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 18 20 38
4 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 20 18 38
5 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 22 16 38
6 Boisrame, Mathys FRA KAW 12 12 24
7 Jonass, Pauls LAT GAS 15 9 24
8 Koch, Tom GER KTM 10 13 23
9 Paturel, Benoit FRA HON 7 15 22
10 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 6 14 20
11 Olsen, Thomas Kjer DEN HUS 14 5 19
12 Lupino, Alessandro ITA KTM 11 6 17
13 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 13 4 17
14 Guillod, Valentin SUI YAM 0 11 11
15 Jacobi, Henry GER HON 0 10 10
16 Bogers, Brian NED GAS 1 8 9
17 Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 2 7 9
18 Van Horebeek, Jeremy BEL BET 9 0 9
19 Wright, Dylan CAN HON 8 0 8
20 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 4 3 7
21 Butron, Jose ESP KTM 3 2 5
22 Strijbos, Kevin BEL YAM 5 0 5
23 Locurcio, Lorenzo VEN KTM 0 1 1

2021 MXGP Standings – Round 14

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Herlings, J. NED KTM 555
2 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 531
3 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 528
4 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 457
5 Cairoli, A. ITA KTM 419
6 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 411
7 Jonass, Pauls LAT GAS 376
8 Coldenhoff, G. NED YAM 340
9 Lupino, A. ITA KTM 250
10 Olsen, T. DEN HUS 239
11 Bogers, Brian NED GAS 218
12 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 217
13 Vlaanderen, C. NED YAM 203
14 Van Horebeek, J. BEL BET 165
15 Jacobi, Henry GER HON 145
16 Van doninck, B. BEL YAM 120
17 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 119
18 Forato, A. ITA GAS 108
19 Strijbos, K. BEL YAM 103
20 Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 100
21 Jasikonis, A. LTU HUS 87
22 Paturel, B. FRA HON 86
23 Monticelli, I. ITA KAW 54
24 Koch, Tom GER KTM 53
25 Östlund, Alvin SWE YAM 50
26 Sterry, Adam GBR KTM 39
27 Locurcio, L. VEN KTM 36
28 Tixier, Jordi FRA KTM 33
29 Brylyakov, V. MFR HON 30
30 Boisrame, M. FRA KAW 24
31 Guillod, V. SUI YAM 24
32 Genot, Cyril BEL KTM 15
33 Gilbert, Josh GBR HUS 10
34 Butron, Jose ESP KTM 9
35 Wright, Dylan CAN HON 8
36 Bobryshev, E. MFR HUS 6
37 van Berkel, L. NED HON 5
38 Clochet, Jimmy FRA BET 4
39 Watson, Nathan GBR HON 4
40 Desprey, M. FRA YAM 3
41 Roosiorg, H. EST KTM 1
42 Gole, Anton SWE HUS 1
43 Lesiardo, M. ITA HON 1
44 Kellett, Todd GBR YAM 1
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MX2 Race 1

In MX2 race one, it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle with the Fox Holeshot as he led Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Thibault Benistant into the first corner.

Tom Vialle
Tom Vialle

Benistant then slipped to third as Isak Gifting of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing got around the Frenchman. Meanwhile further down the field, the championship leader Maxime Renaux from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing struggled out of the gate as he started the race down in 18th position.

Vialle continued to lead Gifting, Benistant and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts as Renaux climbed his way into 13th in the first few laps. The red plate holder then caught onto Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rene Hofer and after passing him, shifted his focus on getting around Andrea Adamo of SM Action Racing Team YUSA Battery.

Rene Hofer
Rene Hofer

As Renaux struggled to pass Adamo, Beaton also joined the battle for eighth as he raced behind Hofer. It took Renaux four laps to pass the Italian, but he was eventually able to get it done on lap six.

Geerts then got by Benistant as he moved into third, while Tom Guyon of Team VHR KTM was having a great ride in 12th. He eventually finished the race in 13th position on what was a wildcard appearance in the MX2 category.

Jago Geerts

Benistant then crashed and struggled for the remainder of the race as it turns out he had an electrical problem with his bike. Meanwhile his teammate Geerts was applying pressure onto Gifting for second as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf and Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez fought for fourth place. Fernandez ended up winning that fight.

Vialle then stretched his lead to 12.051 seconds as Gifting worked hard to keep Geerts behind him but as the race progressed, he succumbed to the pressure and let the Yamaha rider through on the last lap.

Tom Vialle

Vialle went on to win the race ahead of Geerts and Gifting, while Renaux managed to come back to sixth as local hero Mattia Guadagnini of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing struggled the entire race and could only manage 18th.

MX2 Race 2

In race two, it was again Vialle with the Fox Holeshot as Renaux went down in the first corner. The KTM rider led his teammate Hofer, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton, Geerts and Mike Gwerder of WZ Racing Team.

Tom Vialle
Tom Vialle

Fernandez then got by Gwerder, as Gifting started down in 11th position. He only managed to get back to ninth by the end of the race.

Renaux had a big battle on his hands as he started in last but was able to make some nice passes in the first few laps.

At the front of the field though, Hofer crashed out of second which allowed Geerts to move into second. Beaton was right there too as he clocked the best lap of the race as he was closing in on the two leaders.

Mattia Guadagnini

Guadagnini has a much better second race as he got by Guyon for seventh, while Renaux passed Honda Racing Assomotor Team’s Stephen Rubini. Gifting and Gwerder were next in his sights.

Benistant then crashed out of ninth position as he looked a little hurt while getting up. He continued the race to finish in 17th.

Geerts then started to close down the gap to Vialle and began to apply the pressure onto the leader. With two laps to go Geerts was within striking distance but could not find an opportunity for a pass and was forced to settle for second as Vialle went on to win the race. Beaton was third ahead of Fernandez and Hofer.

Jed Beaton
Jed Beaton

With two race victories, Vialle went on to win the MXGP of Trentino as Geerts got himself back on the box for second overall, while Fernandez celebrated his first GP podium in 12 races to finish third overall.

Renaux was eighth overall this weekend but continues to lead the championship by 92 points over Geerts and Vialle who moves to third in the standings and is just four points behind the Belgian.

Tom Vialle – P1

“It was a tough one. In the second race, Jago started third I think, and I had actually Rene behind me. I know he crashed because I saw him crash. Then Jago was second after 4 or 5 laps and I knew it was going to be a tough one. I tried to stay focused. I think I did a good race overall, not so many mistakes. It was a great weekend and started off really good right from the morning. I felt good on the track and also had two great starts, so everything was fine today. We all know it’s a nice area here. The track is also pretty cool. We still have two more races here, so I will try to have good starts, fight for the top position in the championship and try to close the gap as much as possible. That’s what I did today, and I will try to continue this way.”

Tom Vialle

Jago Geerts – P2

“I am really happy with the day. I felt really good in time practice. I had two solid races with two second places. The riding was really good, but we still need to improve the start a little bit. I think I started off fourth both times, but a really good start is needed on the track to seal the win. I just had a difficult period. Everything went well again since the second race in Spain, where I finished second. That gave me a real confidence boost. Then now two more second places so I am really happy with that.”

Ruben Fernandez – P3

“I did not feel really good at the beginning in practice. The track was slippery, and I did not find a good rhythm. But I had better start in both races where I was in the top 10. The first race was a bit worse. I then made my way into fourth during both heats. I am happy with the riding; it’s been calm and solid I would say. 4-4 for third overall, I’ll take it. I am happy to be back on the podium after the second round of the season. I had an injury in between, with no riding for three weeks. I came back in France and from there I have been improving and getting back on my feet, which I am really happy with.”

Jed Beaton – P4

“Overall, it’s been a good day and it ended with a strong result, but it definitely should have been better. If it wasn’t for a small crash in race one, I’m pretty sure I would have gotten on the overall podium, but I made a small mistake and it cost me big time. In race two I got another great start and I was putting together a strong race for the first half. I then made a few mistakes and lost the tow from the leaders, so I settled down, rode better lines, and secured third for fourth overall. I’m looking forward to Wednesday and my aim is to put together two solid races and get back on the box.”

Isak Gifting – P5

“It’s been a really positive day for me after not qualifying so well this morning. I had a great start in race one and it was awesome to be riding in clean air and up front with the top guys. I was in second for the whole moto and a little mistake on the last lap dropped me to third, but overall I was super-happy with that one. I didn’t get the best of starts in race two but I made it happen, making a lot of passes and ended up ninth for fifth overall. I’ll take a couple of days to rest now and I’m excited to be racing here again in a few days’ time.”

Isak Gifting
Isak Gifting

Kay de Wolf – P6

“After my big crash and breaking my nose last weekend I’m really happy with my results today. I really didn’t expect to bounce back like this and I made the best of it to finish sixth overall. I had great starts in both races and stayed out of trouble all day. My riding was solid today and I enjoyed myself out there, so I’m excited for Wednesday.”

Rene Hofer – P7

“The day began really well with 3rd place in qualifying but I had a top twelve start in the first moto and around this track you lose quite some time when you’re not at the front. I rode a solid race in P8. I was 2nd after Tom in the second race and could follow his pace for four laps and unfortunately, I made a small crash. I fell back to P5 and finished there. Riding-wise the day was pretty good and I had the speed for the podium. I’m looking forward to another two races here. I like the track, it’s not perfect but I like being here and will search for the podium again.”

Rene Hofer

Maxime Renaux – P8

“It was a tough day for me as you said. Actually, I felt really great in the morning. I had a really good lap time and finished second. Everything was on point and under control but then I really struggled in those two races. First start I was out of the top 20. I think I was 24th and fought as hard as I could. In the second race, I crashed in the first turn. I tried a different technique on the start, cutting a little bit more inside but I just lost the front in the first corner and touched the guys from the outside. Anyways, I just tried to fight my way back to the top and get as many points as I could because that’s all I could do. I finished eighth that race. Eighth overall as well, with 6-8. For sure, it was not the result we were waiting for, but I couldn’t make anything better today with my conditions and the way I started my races. It’s a strange feeling, but we’ll try to move on to better things and come back stronger on Wednesday with two good starts hopefully.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P12

“Probably the worst race of the year! It started with a big crash in Timed Practice and then I wasn’t feeling so great. I had a terrible start in the first moto and was trying to make some passes when I went down again. I lost the rhythm and just tried to get some points. Of course, 18th is not what I want. The second moto start was better and the whole race generally, even if I lost a few too many positions on the second corner for my liking. 7th was just OK and we’ll get better for the next GP.”

2021 MXGP of Trentino MX2 Results

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 25 25 50
2 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 22 22 44
3 Fernandez, Ruben ESP HON 18 18 36
4 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 14 20 34
5 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 20 12 32
6 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 16 15 31
7 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 13 16 29
8 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 15 13 28
9 Rubini, Stephen FRA HON 12 10 22
10 Guyon, Tom FRA KTM 8 11 19
11 Adamo, Andrea ITA GAS 10 9 19
12 Guadagnini, Mattia ITA KTM 3 14 17
13 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 9 7 16
14 Laengenfelder, Simon GER GAS 7 8 15
15 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 11 3 14
16 Fredriksen, Hakon NOR YAM 6 6 12
17 Hsu, Brian HUN KTM 0 5 5
18 Meier, Glen DEN KTM 5 0 5
19 Benistant, Thibault FRA YAM 0 4 4
20 Todd, Wilson AUS KAW 4 0 4
21 Sandner, Michael AUT KTM 0 2 2
22 Gwerder, Mike SUI KTM 1 1 2
23 Facchetti, Gianluca ITA KTM 2 0 2

2021 MX2 Standings – Round 14

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 563
2 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 471
3 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 467
4 Guadagnini, M. ITA KTM 443
5 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 429
6 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 393
7 Benistant, T. FRA YAM 366
8 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 362
9 Fernandez, R. ESP HON 328
10 Laengenfelder, S. GER GAS 245
11 Todd, Wilson AUS KAW 231
12 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 225
13 Boisrame, M. FRA KAW 223
14 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 215
15 Van De Moosdijk, R. NED KAW 190
16 Adamo, Andrea ITA GAS 182
17 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 143
18 Rubini, S. FRA HON 142
19 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 99
20 Boegh Damm, B. DEN KTM 97
21 Polak, Petr CZE YAM 54
22 Facchetti, G. ITA KTM 47
23 Meier, Glen DEN KTM 31
24 Florian, Lion GER KTM 29
25 Horgmo, Kevin NOR GAS 26
26 Guyon, Tom FRA KTM 19
27 Teresak, Jakub CZE KTM 18
28 Sandner, M. AUT KTM 17
29 Everts, Liam BEL KTM 15
30 Brumann, Kevin SUI YAM 14
31 Fredriksen, H. NOR YAM 12
32 Dickinson, A. GBR KTM 11
33 Hammal, Taylor GBR KAW 10
34 Goupillon, P. FRA KTM 10
35 Tropepe, G. ITA HUS 7
36 Wagenknecht, J. CZE KTM 7
37 Farres, G. ESP GAS 6
38 Lata, Valerio ITA KTM 6
39 Weckman, Emil FIN HON 6
40 Olsson, Filip SWE HUS 6
41 Hsu, Brian HUN KTM 5
42 Scuteri, E. ITA TM 4
43 Petrashin, T. MFR KTM 4
44 Rizzi, Joel GBR HON 2
45 Congost, G. ESP YAM 2
46 Renkens, N. BEL KTM 2
47 Gwerder, Mike SUI KTM 2
48 Ludwig, Noah GER KTM 1
49 Nordström Graaf, A. SWE YAM 1
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2021 Racing schedule

2021 MXGP Calendar

Round Date MXGP Location 
11 03 Oct MXGP of Germany Teutschenthal
12 10 Oct MXGP of France Lacapelle Marival
13 17 Oct MXGP of Spain intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos
14 24 Oct MXGP of Trentino (ITA) Pietramurata
15 27 Oct MXGP of Pietramurata (ITA) Pietramurata
16 31 Oct MXGP of Garda (ITA) Pietramurata
17 07 Nov MXGP of Lombardia (ITA) Mantova
18 10 Nov MXGP of Città di Mantova (ITA) Mantova


2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship

Round Date Event Location  
Round 1 May 7-9 Extreme XL Lagares Portugal FMP
Round 2 June 3-6 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo Austria AMF
Round 3 July 10/11 TBD Italy FMI
Round 4 July 27-31 Red Bull Romaniacs Romania FRM
Round 5 August 14/15 Red Bull TKO USA AMA
Round 6 September 18/19 TBD Poland PZM
Round 7 October 1-3 Hixpania Hard Enduro Spain RFME
Round 8 October 30/31 GetzenRodeo Germany DMSB

2021 Australian Speedway events

Championship Location  Date
2021 Australian Under 21’s Speedway Championship Gillman Speedway, SA Postponed
2021 Speedway FIM Oceania Speedway Championship Gillman Speedway, SA Postponed to November

2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies calendar

Date Event Cat 1 RallyGP Cat 2 Rally 2 Cat 3
Grp1 Moto-Rally Grp1 Moto-Rally Grp2 Moto Enduro Grp3 Quad Adventure Trophy Grp1+3 SSV
April 9-13 BP Ultimate Portugal Rally (POR) X X X X X X
June 7-13 Rally Kazakhstan (KAZ) X X X X X
July 1-11 Silkway Rally (RUS) X X X X X
August 13-22 Rally do Sertoes (BRA) X X X X X
October 8-13 Rallye du Maroc (MAR) X X X X X X
November 6-12 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (UAE) X X X X X X

2021 GNCC

Round Date Event Name City, State Micro/eMTB
Rnd 1 Feb 20-21 Big Buck Union, SC Micro
Rnd 2 Mar 6-7 Wild Boar Palatka, FL Micro
Rnd 3 Mar 13-14 The General Washington, GA Micro/eMTB
Rnd 4 Mar 27-28 Camp Coker Bullet Society Hill, SC Micro
Rnd 5 Apr 17-18 Tiger Run Union, SC Micro/eMTB
Rnd 6 May 1-2 Hoosier Crawfordsville, IN Micro/eMTB
Rnd 7 May 22-23 The John Penton Millfield, OH Micro/eMTB
Rnd 8 Jun 5-6 Mason-Dixon Mount Morris, PA Micro/eMTB
Rnd 9 Jun 26-27 Snowshoe Snowshoe, WV eMTB
Rain Jul 10-11 RAIN DATE
Jul-31 Loretta Lynn eMTB Hurricane Mills, TN eMTB
Rnd 10 Sep 11-12 The Mountaineer Beckley, WV Micro/eMTB
Rnd 11 Sep 25-26 Burr Oak Millfield, OH Micro
Rnd 12 Oct 9-10 Buckwheat 100 Newburg, WV Micro
Rnd 13 Oct 23-24 Ironman Crawfordsville, IN Micro
Rain Nov 13-14 RAIN DATE
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2021 AORC won’t crown champions with only two rounds run

Unfortunately, with no clarity provided by State Governments around the timing for the opening of state borders, the AORC Management Team has made the necessary decision to cancel the 2021 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championships.

As only two rounds of the 2021 AORC Championship were conducted and in accordance to the AORC Championship regulations, there will be no Champions awarded for any classes in 2021.


Quintanilla wins Rally du Maroc 2021 – Sanders third

While it was Walkner and KTM winning the war that was the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, the battle victory went to the Monster Energy Honda Team’s new recruit Pablo Quintanilla. On the final day of the rally the Chilean saw off his rivals to claim both stage and race victories.

The 166-kilometre final special stage went quickly for most of the riders still in contention for victory at this Rallye du Maroc. David Castera, race director, had designed a stage with very little navigation. With little movement of wind, the dust hanging in the air accompanied the riders throughout the journey, making it impossible for riders starting from the rear to make up time.

Pablo Quintanilla started in a fine position from which to attack Mathias Walkner’s lead. The Monster Energy Honda Team rider held a sufficiently strong pace to allow him to fulfil this main mission and capture the final stage of the Rallye du Maroc and overall rally victory.

Pablo Quintanilla – P1

“I am very happy with the victory. It was a very difficult week and I want to thank the whole team for the great job they did. It was fantastic for us. Personally, I felt very comfortable, I was riding with great pace, with good navigation and that’s very good for my confidence. I am also very motivated for the next objective, which is the Dakar. We are going to take a short break, rest, recharge our batteries and then we will concentrate on the Dakar.”

Pablo Quintanilla
Pablo Quintanilla

Of the three championship rounds raced so far, Walkner has shown incredible consistency, finishing as runner-up at the high-speed Rally Kazakhstan, before taking the win in the contrasting conditions of the epic Silk Way Rally, held in Russia less than one month later. Now, with another podium result in Morocco, the experienced 35-year-old has shown he is clearly on form and will now be aiming to carry his winning momentum into the final round of the series in Abu Dhabi before focusing on the 2022 Dakar next January.

Matthias Walkner – P2

It’s been a super cool rally for me. I set out this morning hoping to take the win, but I made a small mistake about halfway through that only maybe cost me a minute, but it was enough on the shortened stage to lose out. Second place overall is great though and to win the world championship title early is amazing. The team have been great all year, so a big thank you to them. It’s time to relax now and really enjoy the moment.”

Matthias Walkner

Aussie youngster Daniel Sanders secured third overall for his, and GASGAS’, first ever podium result in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Even with a minor setback on day three, the Aussie turned things around on the final two stages, upping his pace and rapidly closing in on the leader to complete the rally just over five minutes short of the win.

Daniel Sanders – P3

“The last day is done and what a week it’s been! Opening the final stage was pretty cool. After around 80 kilometers the navigation became a bit more tricky so I had to slow my pace to make sure I was on the right path. I actually had a small crash in the dunes but I was up quick and straight back on a decent rhythm. I’m really happy to have finished third on this stage after opening and overall it’s been a great week. To end it with a podium and secure the first podium result for GASGAS in the world championship is really cool. Now I’m looking forward to the next race in Abu Dhabi.”

Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders

Returning to competition following injury, KTM’s Toby Price put the all-new 2022 model KTM 450 RALLY through its paces in its competitive debut. Making changes and developing the bike as the event progressed, the experienced Dakar champion was pleased with the performance of the machine and look forwards to continuing at the next round in Abu Dhabi.

Toby Price – P13

“It’s good to get the last day done, and out of Morocco in one piece. I picked up a small penalty for speeding in today’s stage but all-in-all I can’t complain. It’s good to get the first one under the belt after being off the bike for so long and I’m looking forward to Abu Dhabi now to see what we can do there.”

Toby Price
Toby Price

Provisional Results
Stage 5 Rally du Maroc 2021

  1. QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team 1:39’12
  2. BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +0’17
  3. SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +0’18
  4. PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 0’37+
  5. BRANCH Ross BWA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +0’37
  6. BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +1’05
  7. HOWES Skyler USA Husqvarna Factory Rally Team +1’58
  8. WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +2’36
  9. VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +3’45
  10. BÜHLER Sebastian POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +4’51

Provisional Final Outright Overall Standings
Rally du Maroc 2021 after 5 of 5 stages

  1. QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team 16:26’51
  2. WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +1’59
  3. SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +5’27
  4. BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +7’14
  5. VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +18’01
  6. BENAVIDES Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +34’03
  7. BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +39’38
  8. RODRIGUES Joaquim POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +41’03
  9. SHORT Andrew USA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +41’53
  10. CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +45’19
  11. BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +48’12
    13. PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +55’44
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Great Britain wins 2021 Speedway of Nations

Great Britain hero Robert Lambert dedicated the Lions’ famous Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations world-title triumph to injured star Tai Woffinden as 32 years of hurt ended in Manchester on Sunday.

British duo Lambert and Dan Bewley won the Grand Final 5-4 to send the National Speedway Stadium into raptures. Despite being beaten by Polish icon Bartosz Zmarzlik, the Lions filled second and third place after Maciej Janowski crashed dramatically on the first lap.

The Brits had not won a world team title since England lifted the 1989 World Team Cup at Bradford. Lambert, Bewley and under-21 star Tom Brennan were not alive 32 years ago.

Robert Lambert

We did it for Woffy and gave him everything we could. Hopefully he is sitting at home proud in front of the TV watching this. Tai was texting our mechanics throughout the meeting and telling us things he could see from his perspective. It was good. We have had a hard weekend with Tai getting injured. But obviously we had a strong guy to come into the team in Dan. I was born in 1998. It’s the first time in my lifetime that I have seen Great Britain as world champions, apart from Woffy being a world champion as an individual. It’s a great feeling and I am going to treasure this gold medal for as long as I live. We did it with such a young team as well. Me and Dan went out and did the business in the last race at such a high level against the two best Poles in the world. It’s such a great feeling for us and also Team GB. I am very, very proud of everyone involved.

2021 Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations champs Great Britain

Janowski was visibly heartbroken after his Grand Final fall as Poland took a third straight silver medal in the Monster Energy SON. While their wait for a world title goes on, he was still proud of a performance that saw the Poles top the heat score chart over two days, scoring an astonishing 74 points from a possible 84.

Denmark took the bronze medal, with Australia’s Max Fricke, Jason Doyle and Keynan Rew fourth.

Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations
Final One and Two Combined Scores

  1. GREAT BRITAIN 64: Robert Lambert 32, Tai Woffinden 14, Dan Bewley 11, Tom Brennan 7.
  2. POLAND 74: Bartosz Zmarzlik 38, Maciej Janowski 31, Jakub Miskowiak 5.
  3. DENMARK 68: Leon Madsen 38, Mikkel Michelsen 23, Mads Hansen 7.
  4. AUSTRALIA 49: Max Fricke 30, Jason Doyle 15, Keynan Rew 4.
  5. FRANCE 47: David Bellego 34, Dimitri Berge 13, Steven Goret 0.
  6. LATVIA 42: Andzejs Lebedevs 32, Olegs Mihailovs 8, Francis Gusts 2.
  7. SWEDEN 30: Philip Hellstrom-Bangs 24, Pontus Aspgren 4, Jacob Thorssell 2.

2021 FIM Oceania Speedway Championship cancelled

FIM Oceania and Motorcycling Australia regret to announce the cancellation of the 2021 FIM Oceania Speedway Championship, due to the continued uncertainly around COVID-19 border restrictions.

The Championship was initially scheduled for January this year and was rescheduled to December 28, at South Australia’s Gillman Speedway due to COVID-19 restrictions faced across Australia earlier in 2021.

However, due to the current border restrictions, and their impact on the event, including the many riders who are based in Europe who are impacted by travel restrictions, the tough decision has been made to cancel the FIM Oceania Speedway Championship.

FIM Oceania and Motorcycling Australia are pleased to announce that the 2022 FIM Oceania Speedway Championship will be held on December 28, 2022, at Gillman Speedway in South Australia.

The FIM Oceania Speedway Championship is one of the key international events for the Oceania region and we look forward to seeing some of world’s best speedway riders and great local talent battling it out to be named the FIM Oceania Champion in 2022.


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Herlings wins MXGP of Spain 2021

KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings topped the MXGP of Spain over the weekend, going 3-1 for the overall, with Jorge Prado runner-up on 42-points. Tim Gajser rounded out the podium on 40-points, just one in front of Romain Febvre.

Herlings now leads the MXGP class by 12-points, from Febvre, with Gajser a further three-points in arrears.

MXGP Race 1

In MXGP race one, it was Prado who grabbed the Fox Holeshot from Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff and Team HRC’s Tim Gajser. Herlings struggled in the start and was down in 11th position.

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

Having a brilliant start though was Honda SR Motoblouz rider Benoit Paturel who was fifth ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli. The 9-time World Champion was keen on getting around Seewer and the two even banged bars, but the Swiss was able to stay ahead.

Gajser then managed to pass Coldenhoff, as Herlings got himself into ninth just behind Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass.

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Febvre charged his way onto the rear wheel of Prado as Gajser was keen on staying close and we saw something that has probably never happened before… Both Febvre and Gajser set the exact same lap time; a 1:51.692. The Frenchman then had Prado just 0.794 seconds ahead of him and the fight only intensified as the laps went on. Eventually by lap nine there was a change for the lead as the Kawasaki rider got into the driving seat.

Herlings looked stuck for a couple of laps as he couldn’t find a way past Jonass, but once he managed to do so, he quickly got by Cairoli too, but Paturel put of much more of a fight as he looked to defend his sixth place.

Tony Cairoli
Tony Cairoli

Meanwhile Seewer was edging closer to his teammate Coldenhoff as he searched for an opportunity to take fourth. He eventually got it done but by that point Herlings was past Paturel and catching the pair fast.

At the top end of the field though Febvre had just got the lead as Gajser caught onto the rear wheel of Prado too. The Slovenian needed to find way around the Spaniard fast as Herlings was making good progress.

Glenn Coldenhoff
Glenn Coldenhoff

After passing Coldenhoff, Herlings then got by Seewer on lap 13 and then it was game on to get to the top three. This was when Gajser started to get frustrated behind Prado and started to make mistakes as the pair battled closely. The Honda rider went down but managed to pick himself up in third just a few seconds ahead of Herlings.

It didn’t take long for Herlings to fly past Gajser and third was the best he could do as Febvre went on to win his fourth race win of the season, with Prado finishing second, putting the struggles of the French Grand Prix well and truly behind him.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, Prado got the start once again as he led Gajser, Jonass, Herlings and Cairoli. But there was issue for the winner of the opening heat, as Febvre was way down the order.

Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado

Jonass, Herlings and Cairoli almost collided as they battled for third, but it was Herlings who won that fight. Jonass made a mistake and went off track which cost him two spots as Cairoli and his teammate Brian Bogers from Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing went through.

Herlings was also quick to get by Gajser as he set his sights on Prado who was 3.219 seconds ahead. But Gajser was looking to fight back as he kept it close to the Bullet.

Febvre was also making good progress as he managed to get himself into 13th position.

Herlings then set the fastest lap of the race as he got a little closer to Prado. Gajser was there too but was starting to come under attack from Bogers who was having a great ride.

Tony Cairoli
Tony Cairoli

The battle between Prado and Herlings sent the Spanish crowd wild, as the Dutchman was applying immense pressure onto the young Spaniard. The fight went on for a few laps but eventually by lap 10, Herlings was able to make a nice clean pass on Prado to take over first place.

Jonass then got by Bogers for fifth, as Gajser chased Prado. While his focus was on the KTM rider in front of him, Cairoli managed to sneak up of the Slovenian and join the battle for third.

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

By lap 13, Gajser finally managed to get around Prado for second place and Cairoli was keen on doing the same. Of course we were treated to another battle of the teammates as the two came close on several occasions, but Prado was able to keep Cairoli behind him to secure third in the race.

Herlings went on to win, crossing the line 4.281 seconds in front of Gajser who improved upon his result in race two.

Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings

Herlings secured his sixth GP win of the 2021 season as he took to the top step of the podium, while Prado celebrated second at his home round, with Gajser finishing third overall for the second weekend in a row.

Heading into the triple-header in Pietramurata, Herlings leads the championship by 12 points over Febvre as Gajser gets within three points of second position.

MXGP of Spain Overall

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Herlings, Jeffrey NED KTM 20 25 45
2 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 22 20 42
3 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 18 22 40
4 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 25 14 39
5 Cairoli, Antonio ITA KTM 14 18 32
6 Jonass, Pauls LAT GAS 15 16 31
7 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 16 13 29
8 Paturel, Benoit FRA HON 13 12 25
9 Bogers, Brian NED GAS 8 15 23
10 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 12 10 22
11 Olsen, Thomas Kjer DEN HUS 10 9 19
12 Lupino, Alessandro ITA KTM 7 11 18
13 Coldenhoff, Glenn NED YAM 11 7 18
14 Vlaanderen, Calvin NED YAM 9 5 14
15 Van Horebeek, Jeremy BEL BET 5 6 11
16 Jacobi, Henry GER HON 0 8 8
17 Locurcio, Lorenzo VEN KTM 3 3 6
18 Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 6 0 6
19 Brylyakov, Vsevolod MFR HON 1 4 5
20 Guillod, Valentin SUI YAM 4 0 4
21 Butron, Jose ESP KTM 0 2 2
22 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 2 0 2
23 Koch, Tom GER KTM 0 1 1

Jeffrey Herlings – P1

“We started well in time practice, but I don’t what what happened after the gate dropped. I had a bad turn, was around seventh or eighth and then we came back to thirteenth, then to tenth. It took me some time to get going. The first fifteen minutes were awful then the next fifteen were great, especially the last seven or eight laps. I couldn’t get the win, but I came from so far back. The second race was good, I was fourth after the start and then Tim made a mistake which allowed me to pass. Then there was Jorge who was having a great race and riding the best lines, so it was hard to pass him. Anyways, it was a great day after all and I am looking forward to Trentino where I will hopefully have a better start.”

Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings

Jorge Prado – P2

“I love it. I love the fans. I think it’s the first time that I have so many fans because we couldn’t have a crowd in my previous home GP. They were amazing today and brought so much positive energy. I have never lived something like this my whole life. It makes me a very happy person to have all these guys supporting me. It was incredible, especially after this past week. It was difficult to get back in shape after the surgery. Thankfully I was able to recover quite quickly. I gave my all coming into this weekend like I usually do for every race. I think it was obvious that I was betting on having two good starts to win this GP. The starts went well, and I think it was difficult to pass me, and I will make sure it will be even more difficult in the next races, so I am really looking forward to that one.”

Tim Gajser – P3

“The speed was good today, and I was feeling great on the track, since the morning. I pushed a little bit too much in the first race and went off track and crashed. Then Jeffrey passed me. But for the second one, I managed to get a good start. Riding was good. I made a mistake and Jeffrey passed me. Then I tried to keep up and passed Jorge at the end. I tried to get closer to Jeffrey and we were kind of riding at the same pace, but I finished second. It’s good to finish on the podium and I am also very happy with my improvement at the start, which is what we were struggling with during the past couple of weeks. I am really looking forward to the next race. It’s nice to finally have the fans back. We can see over here for Jorge’s home GP that we had so many fans getting together for him and hopefully it will be the same for the last five rounds in Italy.”

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Romain Febvre – P4

“I felt amazing on this track; it very well-prepared so the conditions were perfect already in the morning and I was happy with a third gate-pick. I got a good start in the first race, second behind Jorge Prado; I tried several times to pass him without success and I also made a few mistakes in the process but finally I passed him and put in several fast laps to make a gap. I was happy to win this moto but unfortunately my second start wasn’t so good and in the third corner I collided with other riders and crashed; I was under my bike so I lost a lot of time; I came back in the race last but I had good speed and was able to come back to seventh. Everything was OK apart from this crash; I was actually happy to finish seventh as I couldn’t imagine that was possible when I got back on my bike. Now we move to Arco; it is one of my favourite tracks and I expect more great results there to continue our challenge for the title.“

Tony Cairoli – P5

“A tough race today but I’m actually happy about my feeling, and my health is getting better. I didn’t have the same problem as the last few races where I had to ride with painkillers. The starts were important again and in the first moto I messed up. My pace was improving when I had a stone come into my boot; something very strange that has never happened to me before. I had to stop and open the boot because it was hurting a lot. So, I lost a couple of positions that I then fought to regain. I enjoyed riding this weekend and made the most of a good start in the second moto. I caught Jorge but never really had the chance to pass him. 4th was OK and we’ll take the positive thing about my chest and ribs feeling better, which means we’ll hopefully be even more competitive in Arco.”

Pauls Jonass – P6

“Overall it has been a really good weekend in Spain. My riding was good, my bike was good, and I finally found that intensity that I needed in the early part of the races. I had the second fastest lap time in race two, so I know I have the speed and if it wasn’t for a little tip over early on in that second race then I know it could have been better. I feel like everything is really coming together now and I’m going to Italy aiming for the podium.”

Pauls Jonass
Pauls Jonass

Jeremy Seewer – P7

“Things are definitely improving for me. I struggled here in Spain last year on this track, so I feel that we’ve made a big improvement in terms of my riding and feeling on the track. Still, I hoped for more because I felt good and I had good speed and a good time in Timed Practice. I have something to work on in the first two turns because I get good starts, but it just seems that I am at the wrong place at the wrong time, so when I enter the first corner second, somehow in the chaos before turn two, I end up around sixth. After that, I pick it up quickly, but if you’re like me and not in top shape, it’s really hard to move forward to the front again because the racing is so close. You need to be 100%. I got solid points today. I did my best. I need to keep working on myself, keep pushing to improve my condition, and also with the team and the bike, we have some work to do to get back on the podium, so we will keep pushing.”

Brian Bogers – P9

“All day I felt great on my bike, and I had a good feeling on the track from the moment I went out for qualifying. Unfortunately, my start in race one wasn’t the best and I was struggling for around 20 minutes, but in the last 10 I felt really comfortable which gave a me good feeling for race two. My start wasn’t the best in the second moto either, but I managed to pass a lot of riders in the first few corners and rode a solid race to finish sixth. I was really happy with that one and now I’m much closer to the top 10 in the series so overall, it’s been a really positive day for me and the team.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen – P11

“It was a tough GP but overall, I’m quite happy with the end result just because of the feeling I had on the bike. In the first race I was able to move forward and felt great, making passes and I found some good lines as well which really helped. I did actually exert myself a little but too much in that one as for race two I felt strong, I just didn’t have that last little bit to push like I did in race one. I would say it was a solid weekend and now it’s onto Arco next weekend. I know that track really well so I’m looking forward to three GPs there.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen
Thomas Kjer Olsen

Glenn Coldenhoff – P13

“This morning we tried a few things and played with the set-up, but it was quite difficult with the limited time to do this. So, we didn’t get quite to where I wanted to be, but I tried my hardest. Every time I go out, I try my hardest. It felt okay in the first moto. I had a really good start. I was third and then moved to second. I had a few guys pass me and then I came together with Jeffrey (Herlings) and went down, so I only managed to finish 10th. My start was not as good in the second race, but still alright, and my riding and feeling was the same as in the first race. I also had another small crash and then was 14th. Honestly, not where I want to be or where we want to be. I am quite disappointed, but we will keep working hard to get back to where we should be.”

MXGP Standings

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Herlings, J. NED KTM 505
2 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 493
3 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 490
4 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 440
5 Cairoli, A. ITA KTM 419
6 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 373
7 Jonass, Pauls LAT GAS 352
8 Coldenhoff, G. NED YAM 302
9 Lupino, A. ITA KTM 233
10 Olsen, T. DEN HUS 220
11 Bogers, Brian NED GAS 209
12 Vlaanderen, C. NED YAM 203
13 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 197
14 Van Horebeek, J. BEL BET 156
15 Jacobi, Henry GER HON 135
16 Van doninck, B. BEL YAM 120
17 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 112
18 Forato, A. ITA GAS 108
19 Strijbos, K. BEL YAM 98
20 Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 91
21 Jasikonis, A. LTU HUS 87
22 Paturel, B. FRA HON 64
23 Monticelli, I. ITA KAW 54
24 Östlund, Alvin SWE YAM 50
25 Sterry, Adam GBR KTM 39
26 Locurcio, L. VEN KTM 35
27 Tixier, Jordi FRA KTM 33
28 Koch, Tom GER KTM 30
29 Brylyakov, V. MFR HON 30
30 Genot, Cyril BEL KTM 15
31 Guillod, V. SUI YAM 13
32 Gilbert, Josh GBR HUS 10
33 Bobryshev, E. MFR HUS 6
34 van Berkel, L. NED HON 5
35 Clochet, Jimmy FRA BET 4
36 Watson, Nathan GBR HON 4
37 Butron, Jose ESP KTM 4
38 Desprey, M. FRA YAM 3
39 Roosiorg, H. EST KTM 1
40 Gole, Anton SWE HUS 1
41 Lesiardo, M. ITA HON 1
42 Kellett, Todd GBR YAM 1
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Maxime Renaux tops MX2 – Beaton on the podium

In MX2, only two-points separated Maxime Renaux and Tom Vialle, 47-45 points, while Australia’s Jed Beaton completing the podium. Wilson Todd also made an appearance inside the top ten, in ninth.

Renaux holds a significant lead on 535-points, with Jago Geerts and Mattia Guadagnini separated by a single point in second and third respectively, 427 to 426.

MX2 Race 1

The first MX2 race of the day saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle secured another Fox Holeshot as he led the way ahead of his teammate Mattia Guadagnini, Renaux and Isak Gifting of DIGA PROCROSS GasGas Factory Racing.

2021 MXGP of Spain
2021 MXGP of Spain

Renaux was quick to get into second, as his teammate Jago Geerts of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing started applying the pressure onto Guadagnini for third but came short.

Home rider Ruben Fernandez of Honda 114 Motorsports started well inside the top 10 and was going after Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton and later Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rene Hofer. Beaton continued to move up the order as the race went on, getting by Gifting for fifth, who had dropped a few positions by that point.

Jed Beaton
Jed Beaton

Renaux then caught onto the rear wheel of Vialle, who was able to respond quickly and take the gap back up to 2.275 seconds, as Geerts dropped back to 13th. A couple of laps later, Renaux was back onto Vialle for the win as just 0.882 separated the pair, but again Vialle was able to respond and preserve that lead.

Fernandez was keen on putting on a good performance for the fans as he chased Simon Längenfelder of DIGA PROCROSS GasGas Factory Racing, eventually making the pass for eighth position. He was able to pass one more rider before the chequered flag fell to finish the race seventh.

Jago Geerts
Jago Geerts

Meanwhile Geerts found himself in trouble again, as he crashed out of 11th position, eventually finishing the race 13th which was costly for the championship.

At the top end of the field Renaux was keeping close to Vialle, but then lost a load of time on the KTM rider as the gap increased to 9.591 seconds. And while Vialle led Renaux, Guadagnini was having a pretty lonely race in third, as Beaton kept it steady in fourth ahead of Hofer.

Mattia Guadagnini
Mattia Guadagnini

His teammate, Kay de Wolf of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing had a nice battle with Gifting for a few laps, before making a pass stick and finishing the race in sixth.

In the end, Vialle secured the race victory 6.972 seconds in front of Renaux, with Guadagnini third.

MX2 Race 2

In race two, Vialle continued to assert his dominance in the starts as he got another Fox Holeshot with Geerts and Guadagnini just behind. Renaux was there too as he got around Guadagnini for third, while Geerts took the lead from Vialle.

Kay de Wolf
Kay de Wolf

Guadagnini came under more pressure as both Beaton and de Wolf got by the Italian pushing him down to sixth, but the KTM rider was able to retaliate and take back a spot from de Wolf not long after. The Dutchman then crashed and dropped out of sixth.

Renaux set the fastest lap of the race as he caught onto Vialle for second, while Guadagnini went down trying to get around Beaton.

Rene Hofer
Rene Hofer

Fernandez had another top 10 start in the second heat and was making good progress up the field. He eventually fought his way back up to fifth and that’s where he would also finish the race.

On lap nine, Renaux took second from Vialle and then it was a Yamaha 1-2 as Geerts led Renaux by 2.495 as the Frenchman worked away at the gap to the Belgian. By lap 13 we saw a change for the lead as Renaux jumped into first position.

Maxime Renaux
Maxime Renaux and Jago Geerts

But the race was far from over, as Vialle had both Renaux and Geerts in his sights with four minutes plus two laps on the clock. The top three were then just within 2.401 seconds of each other. Vialle might have pushed too hard as he went down but was lucky to not lose any positions.

In the end, Renaux secured his 7th race win of the season, with Geerts crossing the line in second and Vialle finishing third. With a 2-1 result, Renaux took to the top step of the podium, as Vialle was forced to settle for second ahead of Beaton who had another solid day, going 4-4 for third on the podium.

Tom Vialle
Tom Vialle

Renaux continues to lead the MX2 standings with a healthy 108-point vantage over Geerts, while Guadagnini is just one point behind in third.

MXGP of Spain – MX2 Overall

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 22 25 47
2 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 25 20 45
3 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 18 18 36
4 Guadagnini, Mattia ITA KTM 20 13 33
5 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 16 15 31
6 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 8 22 30
7 Fernandez, Ruben ESP HON 14 16 30
8 Benistant, Thibault FRA YAM 12 14 26
9 Todd, Wilson AUS KAW 10 11 21
10 Laengenfelder, Simon GER GAS 11 10 21
11 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 6 12 18
12 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 15 3 18
13 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 9 8 17
14 Rubini, Stephen FRA HON 7 9 16
15 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 13 0 13
16 Facchetti, Gianluca ITA KTM 2 7 9
17 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 1 6 7
18 Boegh Damm, Bastian DEN KTM 3 4 7
19 Farres, Guillem ESP GAS 4 2 6
20 Horgmo, Kevin NOR GAS 0 5 5
21 Adamo, Andrea ITA GAS 5 0 5
22 Polak, Petr CZE YAM 0 1 1

Maxime Renaux – P1

“It feels really good, and I am really happy with the day. The first race was good. I took a good start and tried to stick with Tom, but he wasn’t making any mistakes. He was riding really good. So, I couldn’t find any gaps and was able to satisfy myself with my position. Second race was really good. Had a good start again. I was third behind Jago and Tom then I could find the spot to make a pass happen and I went for it. As you said, it was a confidence boost. Really happy to be back at the top of the podium. So, everything is going really well, good advantage on the championship as well, getting good points. I just need to stay focused till the end and it will be good.”

Tom Vialle – P2

“It was a special day. The first race was pretty good, I had a great feeling on the bike and everything was fine. Another great start in the second race, but I just did not feel so good. Jago passed me in the first lap, I tried to follow him, then Maxime also passed me in the same place I believe. I felt better at the end and tried to pass Jago, then I crashed, so It was not a good race for me but I am pretty happy with how it finished. It’s not easy to win every race every weekend, you also need to accept coming second but I will try to be back at the top in the next race. I have closed the gap in the championship because Jago and Mattia didn’t have a great race today. So, the goal is to finish second if I can and always do my best.”

Tom Vialle
Tom Vialle

Jed Beaton – P3

“It was a pretty solid day. Quite happy I did not end up 4th. I have been finishing fourth a lot lately. But that’s on me. I need to be up there right from the start with these guys, because when I miss the start, I don’t put myself in a position to fight with them. They’re already 10 seconds ahead, which makes it impossible. Again, that’s on me and I need to work on that. The start is one of the most important things in Trentino and it won’t be easy to pass. But I will get going and hopefully put myself in a great position with a good start.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P4

“The day started quite badly with a big crash in Free Practice and I had to change the bike and wasn’t feeling too good, especially in Timed Practice. I had a good start in the first race and although I made an error and [Maxime] Renaux past me I ran some decent lines. It was a pretty lonely race in 3rd. I went too wide in the first corner of the second moto but too many mistakes, especially when I was trying to pass [Jed] Beaton for the podium. I jumped too long and lost control of the bike. I then tried not to lose many points and 8th was OK, even though I’m not happy with that second race. I should have been on the podium. We’re close for second in the championship and we’ll have plenty of home races now.”

Rene Hofer – P5

“A solid day: nothing more, nothing less. It was all about the position after the first lap. In both motos I got stuck behind some guys almost stopped in the ruts and lost a few places. My speed was good. I cannot be too disappointed. Perhaps I need to make some better line choices on the first laps. It was difficult to get a flow in the ruts here. Anyway, some decent points for the championship and we’ll try again next weekend.”

Rene Hofer
Rene Hofer

Jago Geerts – P6

“The first race today was just really difficult. My pace was not too bad, but honestly, I didn’t feel too good on the bike. Then I had two really stupid crashes. I hit a hay bale in one and then crashed on my own. In the second heat I was close to the holeshot and then almost led the whole race, but then Maxime (Renaux) passed me. I tried to pass him back on the last lap but, in the end, couldn’t make it happen. Overall, I felt much better on the bike. My speed was good, so hopefully it stays like this for the next races.”

Thibault Benistant – P8

“My day was not easy, but better than the last one. My riding was good, I felt great on the bike. I struggled a little bit off the start, so I had to work hard and give my all to come back. I made some nice passes today. Physically I felt good, and I also felt good on the bike too. So, I know I just need a good start and then I can stay upfront.”

Thibault Benistant
Thibault Benistant

Simon Langenfelder – P10

“It’s been another good GP for me and I’m happy with my weekend and to be back inside the top 10 overall is where I should always be. I had a strange start in the first race, my jump from the gate was bad but I was able to get the power down and I came out of the first turn around fifth or sixth. I was a little surprised, but I’ll take it! I didn’t quite get the same start in race two and ended up 11th which was ok but overall, but it’s nice to put two motos together and go into the triple header in Arco with this positive result.”

Kay de Wolf – P12

“I was putting together a pretty decent GP but in the second one I had a pretty big crash and broke my nose. It was a struggle for the last two laps, and I ended up 18th for three points which may prove to be really important at the end of the season. After finishing sixth in race one I was confident of doing the same in race two, but crashes happen and it’s frustrating. Overall, I’m ok and I’ll be doing everything I can to be ready for next weekend.”

MX2 Standings

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 535
2 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 427
3 Guadagnini, M. ITA KTM 426
4 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 417
5 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 395
6 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 364
7 Benistant, T. FRA YAM 362
8 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 331
9 Fernandez, R. ESP HON 292
10 Laengenfelder, S. GER GAS 230
11 Todd, Wilson AUS KAW 227
12 Boisrame, M. FRA KAW 223
13 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 209
14 Van De Moosdijk, R. NED KAW 190
15 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 183
16 Adamo, Andrea ITA GAS 163
17 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 129
18 Rubini, S. FRA HON 120
19 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 99
20 Boegh Damm, B. DEN KTM 97
21 Polak, Petr CZE YAM 54
22 Facchetti, G. ITA KTM 45
23 Florian, Lion GER KTM 29
24 Horgmo, Kevin NOR GAS 26
25 Meier, Glen DEN KTM 26
26 Teresak, Jakub CZE KTM 18
27 Everts, Liam BEL KTM 15
28 Sandner, M. AUT KTM 15
29 Brumann, Kevin SUI YAM 14
30 Dickinson, A. GBR KTM 11
31 Hammal, Taylor GBR KAW 10
32 Goupillon, P. FRA KTM 10
33 Tropepe, G. ITA HUS 7
34 Wagenknecht, J. CZE KTM 7
35 Farres, G. ESP GAS 6
36 Lata, Valerio ITA KTM 6
37 Weckman, Emil FIN HON 6
38 Olsson, Filip SWE HUS 6
39 Scuteri, E. ITA TM 4
40 Petrashin, T. MFR KTM 4
41 Rizzi, Joel GBR HON 2
42 Congost, G. ESP YAM 2
43 Renkens, N. BEL KTM 2
44 Ludwig, Noah GER KTM 1
45 Nordström Graaf, A. SWE YAM 1

Ivano Van Erp tops EMX125 in Spain

Round five of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championship has concluded in Arroyomolinos as Ivano Van Erp of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC went on to take the overall victory at the Spanish round of the series.

Ivano Van Erp
Ivano Van Erp

EMX Race 1

In the first EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing heat, it was Julius Mikula who got into an early lead ahead of Alexis Fueri of Fantic Factory Team Maddii, Scott Smulders of No Fear / Jumbo BT Racing Team and Karlis Alberts Reisulis of Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC. Meanwhile the series leader Valerio Lata of MRT Racing Team KTM started in around 23rd position.

Nicolas Duhamel of Team VHR KTM Racing started well in fourth ahead of Kay Karssemakers of Husqvarna SKS Racing NL. Smulders was looking to take over the lead as Duhamel got into second.

Bobby Bruce passing Manuel Carreras Lopez
Bobby Bruce passing Manuel Carreras Lopez

Mikula then led Duhamle, Smulders and Edgar Canet from RFME GasGas MX Junior Team, as Van Erp got around Bobby Bruce of ASA United GasGas Racing Team for fifth. Lucas Coenen of 9MM Energy Drink Bud Racing Kawasaki also got around Bruce, as the Brit dropped down to sixth.

The action within the top 10 was extremely close, as riders traded positions and battled intensely. Meanwhile further down the field, Lata ran into some troubles just as he was getting back within the top 10 and as a result fell to 32nd.

Duhamel was another rider to crash, which allowed Canet to get all over the back wheel of Mikula and challenge the Czech rider for the lead. As Canet took over first position, Mikula came under more pressure from Van Erp who moved into second and set his sights on the win. It took three laps for Van Erp to make a pass for the lead.

Lucas Coenen picked up his pace as he started to make good passes to move up the order. The Belgian then caught up with Bruce and was able to get around him for third. It took a few laps, but Coenen also caught up with Canet and took second from the Spaniard with four laps remaining.

Van Erp went on to win the race ahead of Coenen and Canet.

EMX Race 2

In race two, it was Pablo Gutierrez who took the holeshot from Nicolo Turaglio, Lata and Smulders. Lata was keen on making up for the 18th place finish in race one as he was quick to get around Turaglio and move into second.

Valerio Lata
Valerio Lata

Bruce and Karssemakers started the race in ninth and 10th, while Sacha Coenen of 9MM Energy Drink Bud Racing Kawasaki also started well in fourth. His brother Lucas Coenen was inside the top 10 too, but later crashed and dropped way down the order.

Gutierrez continued to lead Lata by 5.153 seconds, as Smulders dropped a few positions and then later made a mistake which allowed Bruce to move up to sixth. The GasGas rider then picked up another position as Van Erp went off track. Xavier Cazal from Team VHR KTM Racing was the next right in his sights, and he was able to also pass him and get into fourth place.

As Lata took the lead, further down the order, Lucas Coenen began his comeback as he got himself into 14th place, while his brother Sacha Coenen was getting in the mix with Lata and Gutierrez, gaining ground on both riders ahead. The Kawasaki rider was on track for his first podium finish, but his day ended in a DNF.

Lata then got ahead by 4.458 seconds over Gutierrez as Bruce picked up his pace and caught up with the Spanish rider. He needed to push hard but ultimately was able to get the job done to finish the race second behind Lata who was the race winner.

With a 1-4 result, Van Erp bagged himself his second overall victory of the season, with Bruce placing second overall and Lucas Coenen securing his third consecutive podium after coming back to eighth place in the second race.

Despite not finishing on the podium, Lata still leads the championship with an 11-point advantage over Bruce. Karssemakers is third just five points behind.

Ivano Van Erp

“It’s unbelievable. Two not-so-good starts. I came from 10th in the first one, I think. I was then able to take the lead after 15 minutes, which was very nice. In the second race, I believe I was 7th or 8th at the start, and I came from behind but also made a small mistake. I had to keep going and I saw on the pit board after 20 minutes that I had the overall, so I kept my focus and won the overall again. I train a lot, so I believe I can do it again. It’s a great feeling. I hope to get three great races in Trentino, we head there, and we’ll see what it brings. Thank you to everyone, my fans, family and sponsors.”

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Overall Top 10 Classification

1. Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 43 points; 2. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GAS), 40 p.; 3. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KAW), 35 p.; 4. Pablo Gutierrez (ESP, GAS), 29 p.; 5. Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 29 p.; 6. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 28 p.; 7. Xavier Cazal (FRA, KTM), 27 p.; 8. Scott Smulders (NED, HUS), 27 p.; 9. Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), 26 p.; 10. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 25 p.;

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing – Championship Top 10 Classification

1. Valerio Lata (ITA, KTM), 174 points; 2. Bobby Bruce (GBR, GAS), 163 p.; 3. Kay Karssemakers (NED, HUS), 158 p.; 4. Lucas Coenen (BEL, KAW), 119 p.; 5. Ivano Van Erp (NED, YAM), 117 p.; 6. Scott Smulders (NED, HUS), 115 p.; 7. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KAW), 110 p.; 8. Marc-Antoine Rossi (FRA, KTM), 106 p.; 9. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, YAM), 101 p.; 10. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, FAN), 95 p.;

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Scharinger earns European Junior eMX #1 plate

Having got to grips with the demands and characteristics of intu-Xanadú Arroyomolinos the previous day for round four, the 25 youngsters contesting the final round of the series were back making laps around a special section of the MXGP layout for their last spin of the season.

Tobias Scharinger tops the Junior eMX podium

Hot sunshine beat down on the venue that was packed full of fans and spectators. The junior e-motocrossers loaded the gate with KTM SX-E 5, Husqvarna Motorcycles EE 5 and the GASGAS MC-E 5 electric machinery and the competition between Tobias Scharinger, Spaniard Eleu Jose and Austrian Elias Eder was particularly close.

In the first race of the day Scharinger, riding a Husqvarna Motorcycles EE 5, was able to defeat French junior Timotei Cez by more than three seconds. Jordan Cadenel was 3rd after the initial 7 minutes and 1 lap chase. In the afternoon and through deeper and bumpier ruts, Austria’s Scharinger had his hands full with rapid Spanish KTM SX-E 5 racer Logan Liberal Rodas. The native rider was able to pull away in the final two laps to stretch a five-second margin over Scharinger who went 2-1 on the day and therefore earned the overall victory as well as ownership of the series.

Scharinger will receive a brand-new motorcycle as his prize, and all participants in the full schedule will have a testing and training opportunity this winter with an MXGP factory team. During the campaign the champion and Eleu Jose split the spoils between them: Scharinger was quickest in Italy and the Spanish double while Jose ruled in Germany and France.

Tobias Scharinger

“My bike is a lot of fun and I really liked being able to ride on the MXGP tracks. It was great to win the series and I am really happy.”

As a showcase for the performance of KTM, Husqvarna Motorcycles and GASGAS electric motocross machinery and a staging point for the raw ability and enthusiasm of junior racers in an elite environment, the European Junior e-Motocross Series has been a notable success.

The first edition was initially oversubscribed and saw a spread of ages, nationalities and riders from both genders take part. Details for the 2022 edition will be released in the coming months.

Source: MCNews.com.au