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Cairoli tops MXGP of Pietramurata | Beaton P7 | Todd P8

2021 MXGP of Pietramurata – Round 15


Red Bull KTM Factory Racing had another great round at the mid-week MXGP of Pietramurata, with Antonio Cairoli and Rene Hofer celebrating the round wins in their respective classes.

In the MX2 class, Australian Jed Beaton frustratingly suffered a crash that was outside of his control early in moto one contributed to a disappointing 16th-place finish. Regrouping for race two, and following another great start, Beaton charged hard to place third in the moto, crossing the finish line just seven seconds behind the eventual race winner, Rene Hofer. He now sits fifth overall in the standings.

Jed Beaton – P7

“Another tough one today and it was just down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was coming through the pack with Mattia Guadagnini and he slid out in a corner just a little bit, which clipped my front tyre and then a few of us went down in a heap. All my focus was then on moto two and I made it happen with a third-place finish, which made up for race one. But overall, today should have been better.”

Jed Beaton
Jed Beaton

Fellow Australian Wilson Todd on the Bike It MTX Kawasaki returned to the top ten, having recovered from the after-effects of food-poisoning on Sunday, he posted seventh-fastest time in Qualifying.

An eleventh-placed start provided the impetus to push forward throughout the first thirty-five minute race to snatch sixth place five laps from the finish, defending the position admirably against the series leader through the final stages. He immediately went on the charge from a fifteenth-placed start in race two to break into the top ten after four laps and hold down ninth until a slip two laps from the end cost him two positions. Eighth overall on the day, he remains eleventh in the series standings, just fifteen points away from a top-ten world ranking with three GPs remaining.

Wilson Todd – P8

“I’m all good today; better than Sunday. The track’s hard to ride but I had a good Qualifying and first race. I was looking at another good result in the second race but I tipped over with a lap to go and lost two places.“

Wilson Todd
Wilson Todd

MXGP Race 1

In MXGP race one, it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado who grabbed the Fox Holeshot from Team HRC’s Tim Gajser. Gajser was quick to get into the lead as Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre put on a charge to get around the Spaniard too.

Jorde Prado
Jorde Prado

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings was unlucky out of the gate as he went down in the first turn. As the Bullet picked himself up to get going, he soon realised that there was a problem with his KTM machine, which meant he could not carry on with the race. This was a huge moment for the championship.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer had a good start too as he was sitting in fourth behind Febvre but had Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli breathing down his neck.

Gajser continued to lead as Febvre brought the gap down to 1.876 seconds after setting the best lap of the race. The Frenchman closed right in on the Slovenian as Gajser’s lead was brought down to less than a second, but Gajser was able to respond, going green in sector one and purple in sectors three and four, which then gave him the fastest lap of the race.

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Honda SR Motoblouz rider Benoit Paturel started the race well inside the top 10 but was forced to DNF after what looked like a bike problem.

Meanwhile, Cairoli was able to get close enough to Seewer to get around the Swiss and move into fourth, with his focus then shifting onto his younger teammate Prado. It took a few laps for Cairoli to line-up the perfect pass on the Spaniard but eventually on lap eight he was able to take third.

Toni Cairoli
Toni Cairoli

Back with the leaders though, it looked like Gajser had picked up the pace after being spooked by Febvre, but this quickly changed as Febvre responded with another fast lap. The Kawasaki rider got onto the rear wheel the Slovenian once again but made a mistake and lost a load of time as a result. But the time Gajser crossed the line he was 5.929 seconds ahead.

Seewer then managed to close the gap to Prado as the pair began their combat for fourth. This battle went on for the majority of the race, with Seewer launching several failed attempts on the Spaniard. But with three laps from the end, the Swiss was finally able to get the job done and move into fourth place.

While Seewer had a good race in fourth, his teammates Ben Watson and Glenn Coldenhoff were also riding well in sixth and seventh. That’s where the pair eventually finished the heat.

Romain Febvre

In the last final few laps of the race, we saw an intense fight between Gajser and Febvre, with the Frenchman taking a load of time out of the Slovenian as he once again caught onto his rear wheel. The pair had a couple of close moments, as Febvre moved briefly into the lead and was passed back by Gajser.

But with just a couple of laps to go, the Frenchman was able to make a pass stick as he got by Gajser and secured the race win. Cairoli was third ahead of Seewer and Prado.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, it was Cairoli with a huge Fox Holeshot as he led Seewer, Prado, Paturel and Coldenhoff. Meanwhile Herlings, Gajser and Febvre were buried in the mid-pack. Herlings and Gajser were quick to move up the order though, as they managed to get by Paturel.

Cairoli continued to control the race with Seewer and Coldenhoff behind him. Prado then came under pressure from Herlings who was keen on getting by the Spaniard, but Prado was not backing down without a fight. Eventually the Bullet was able to make a pass stick as Gajser looked to do the same.

By lap three Gajser was ahead of Prado and started to close back in on Herlings, as Febvre got by Paturel for seventh place.

Tim Gajser

Seewer then set the fastest lap of the race as he maintained a manageable 1.680 second gap to Cairoli. But further behind them saw Herlings made a mistake and crash, which allowed Gajser to go through. Febvre was able to make the most of this too, as he caught onto the rear wheel of Herlings.

The battle between Herlings and Febvre went on for 15 laps, with some close moments but Herlings was not backing down and Febvre could not find an opportunity as they finished the race fourth and fifth which still gave Herlings the advantage for the championship.

Romain Febvre

Back in the lead though, Cairoli was impressive. Lap after lap, the 9-time world champion bettered his time and set several fastest laps of the race as he pulled away from Seewer and Coldenhoff.

In the final few laps, Coldenhoff came under pressure from Gajser who was eager to get around the Dutchman for vital championship points. After a few tries he was able to get it done. But Herlings and Febvre followed in his footsteps, as Coldenhoff dropped down to sixth.

Gajser then had a chance to go after Seewer but ran out of time as Cairoli won the race and the Swiss held onto second.

Jeffrey Herlings

Cairoli’s 3-1 result gave him the overall, with Gajser second on the box with Febvre third. While Herlings failed to make it inside the top three, he does carry the red plate into the next round this Sunday as just one point separates him and Febvre, while Gajser is just another two points behind the Frenchman.

Antonio Cairoli – P1

“It was a struggle since the crash in Sardegna. I was very scared when it happened and for sure it got the best of me during the next GPs. Also, my ribs were really causing me pain until Spain. In Spain I was already feeling better. Of course, coming here I was really looking to bounce back after that bad stretch. Then I really got sick on Saturday night. Nevertheless, I tried to have a good start on Sunday, but I was in the middle pack and I got taken out on the first lap. Damage was done. Then in the second race, I tried to avoid Van Horebeek by changing lines, but somebody took my front off. I had some problems again with my clutch lever. It looked like something was pulling me to the ground that day and I was not happy about it of course. Today I felt a little bit better since this morning. However, I have had really good races on that track in the past and I really wanted to be on the podium. I did everything I could, especially in the first race. I had a good start. I was third. Then I made a mistake and dropped to sixth, then back to third. I was very happy with my riding. In the second race, I got the holeshot then I mostly controlled the race. I was getting a little tired, but with my experience I could save some energy at some parts of the track, and I could manage to keep Jeremy at the back. So, I was very happy about that. I hope from now on I could feel better and be on the podium every weekend because that’s what I try to do every time I ride. Let’s hope for the same results.”

Antonio Cairoli

Tim Gajser – P2

“It was a good and consistent day. I had a good start in the first race. I was leading the race quite comfortably then I got a little arm pump. Romain passed me in the last lap, and I finished second. I was a little disappointed about that. I didn’t have the best start in the second race. Jeffrey made a mistake then I was also able to pass Glenn. I finished third. Consistent points. It’s getting really tight in the championship, but we still have three GPs, so I will give my best and try to not to put too much pressure on myself and just try to enjoy as much as possible.”

Romain Febvre – P3

“It’s just as if the championship started again. The top three are three points apart, so it’s pretty cool. I will try my best to be first at the end. I was feeling really good today, better than last Sunday. I made some mistakes in the middle of the first race, but then I caught up with Tim. We had a nice battle during the last five laps. It was very challenging, so it was cool to win it. Second race, I didn’t have a good start which is really crucial to have over here. I made my way through the pack and came back behind Jeffrey. I passed him once then he passed me again. At the end, I could not do much more than that given the circumstances. I am a little bit disappointed because it’s been a while since I have had two really solid race. I will try to do so on Sunday.”

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

Jeremy Seewer – P4

“I feel really good. This was an amazing moto to finish second in the last race, but Tony (Cairoli) was just on a mission. I tried to follow him, but he had slightly more, not a lot. He didn’t get away too much. I feel happy about today. It was consistent and good. To have a 4-2 score and no podium is quite odd, but it shows how competitive the class is, and whether I am on the box or not, I was close and I took good points for the championship and that is all that matters. I’m happy with everything, so now I will take some rest and try to be back for another chance at being on the box at ‘Arco 3’.”

Jeremy Seewer
Jeremy Seewer

Glenn Coldenhoff – P5

“Today didn’t start too well. I felt good on the track, but my lap time was 16th, which didn’t matter too much here. The gate pick was still okay. I didn’t get the best start in the first race. I was pretty far behind, which is really difficult on a track like this. I also didn’t feel very comfortable. The second moto was definitely better, I started in the top-five and moved immediately into third position, but halfway, I started to ride tight and made some huge mistakes, which allowed the guys to pass me. Overall, it was a consistent day and solid, but we want more.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen – P6

“Today was just awesome. From the moment I headed out onto the track in qualifying I felt great on the bike and that really showed in my performances. It’s a hard track to pass on but I came through in both motos from outside the top-10 and I was able to battle to the end, which is something I’ve really worked on improving recently. It’s been a great day and if I can improve my starts I’m excited to see if I can battle with the guys a bit further up the field.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen
Thomas Kjer Olsen

Ben Watson – P7

“Overall, I am happy about today. I am finally starting to feel normal. I know my ankle is still not 100%, but I was able to ride how I wanted to ride today without that playing on my mind. It was good. I even felt good in qualifying today. I would say that today, my first race was one of the best I have had all season. The second one was also not so bad with another solid top-10, so we just look forward to being back again on Sunday.”

Brian Bogers – P8

“It was a hard day for me because on Monday I caught a cold, which really didn’t help me today! I still did my best though like always and in the first moto my riding wasn’t bad, but I had to come from the back and finished 11th. In the second moto it was the same story as I had to battle through the pack and finished eighth for eighth overall. If I can improve my starts and combine them with my speed then we can definitely improve.”

Brian Bogers

Jeffrey Herlings – P11

“It’s pretty devastating. The front wheel washed out and I wanted to pick up my bike right away. Actually, I didn’t even notice that someone rode over my bike. A lot of things broke like my handlebar and so forth. It was a done deal. It hurts, especially when you worked so hard to get those points and be where you are. Then in a blink of an eye it’s done. Then you just watch from the sidelines. That being said, in that second race, I just couldn’t get in my rhythm. I mean it’s been a bad day, what else to say. We went from +24 to +1. But yeah, it’s going to be an interesting next three races, so we will see how things turn out.”

Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings

Jorge Prado – P13

“I’m happy that I was just a little bit better and I felt a small improvement with my back. Two days is too short to heal when you need a couple of weeks. I had a very good start in the first moto and could finish 5th, which was a decent race. I didn’t get a start in the second moto and still managed 3rd after the second corner with a very nice line around the outside. The guys were faster than me and it was difficult to go fast when the bike was moving a lot. It was hard to control it because of the pain. Jonass touched my back wheel halfway through and we both went down. It was a pity. I was last and decided to stop because I couldn’t do better. I now have four days and I think I will feel even better on Sunday.”

Pauls Jonass – P14

“Well, that was a tough day at the office! The second turn here is super tight and unfortunately I crashed there in race one, then crashed again a few corners later. I was way, way behind but came through to score a few points. Race two wasn’t much better because of another crash and I managed to salvage 10th which isn’t where I should be. On the positive side, my speed is good so if I can just stay upright and start up front then I know I can battle for the top spots.”

Pauls Jonass

2021 MXGP of Pietramurata Results

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Cairoli, Antonio ITA KTM 20 25 45
2 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 22 20 42
3 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 25 16 41
4 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 18 22 40
5 Coldenhoff, Glenn NED YAM 14 15 29
6 Olsen, Thomas Kjer DEN HUS 13 14 27
7 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 15 12 27
8 Bogers, Brian NED GAS 10 13 23
9 Jacobi, Henry GER HON 12 10 22
10 Van Horebeek, Jeremy BEL BET 11 9 20
11 Herlings, Jeffrey NED KTM 0 18 18
12 Lupino, Alessandro ITA KTM 8 8 16
13 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 16 0 16
14 Jonass, Pauls LAT GAS 4 11 15
15 Wright, Dylan CAN HON 9 4 13
16 Koch, Tom GER KTM 6 6 12
17 Guillod, Valentin SUI YAM 5 5 10
18 Paturel, Benoit FRA HON 0 7 7
19 Brylyakov, Vsevolod MFR HON 7 0 7
20 Van doninck, Brent BEL YAM 0 3 3
21 Forato, Alberto ITA GAS 3 0 3
22 Boisrame, Mathys FRA KAW 0 2 2
23 Strijbos, Kevin BEL YAM 2 0 2
24 Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 0 1 1
25 Gilbert, Josh GBR HUS 1 0 1

2021 MXGP Standings – Round 14

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Herlings, J. NED KTM 573
2 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 572
3 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 570
4 Prado, Jorge ESP KTM 473
5 Cairoli, A. ITA KTM 464
6 Seewer, Jeremy SUI YAM 451
7 Jonass, Pauls LAT GAS 391
8 Coldenhoff, G. NED YAM 369
9 Lupino, A. ITA KTM 266
10 Olsen, T. DEN HUS 266
11 Watson, Ben GBR YAM 244
12 Bogers, Brian NED GAS 241
13 Vlaanderen, C. NED YAM 203
14 Van Horebeek, J. BEL BET 185
15 Jacobi, Henry GER HON 167
16 Van doninck, B. BEL YAM 123
17 Tonus, Arnaud SUI YAM 119
18 Forato, A. ITA GAS 111
19 Strijbos, K. BEL YAM 105
20 Simpson, Shaun GBR KTM 101
21 Paturel, B. FRA HON 93
22 Jasikonis, A. LTU HUS 87
23 Koch, Tom GER KTM 65
24 Monticelli, I. ITA KAW 54
25 Östlund, Alvin SWE YAM 50
26 Sterry, Adam GBR KTM 39
27 Brylyakov, V. MFR HON 37
28 Locurcio, L. VEN KTM 36
29 Guillod, V. SUI YAM 34
30 Tixier, Jordi FRA KTM 33
31 Boisrame, M. FRA KAW 26
32 Wright, Dylan CAN HON 21
33 Genot, Cyril BEL KTM 15
34 Gilbert, Josh GBR HUS 11
35 Butron, Jose ESP KTM 9
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

MX2 Race 1

In MX2, race one saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle grab the first Fox Holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts, Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing’s Simon Längenfelder and Ruben Fernandez of Honda 114 Motorsports.

Tom Vialle

Team Honda Racing Assomotor’s Stephen Rubini came together with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Thibault Benistant in the first corner, with the Frenchman being stretcher off the track. He did not line-up for race two.

Championship leader Maxime Renaux of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing and local hero Mattia Guadagnini from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing didn’t get off to the best start, as the pair crossed the line in 18th and 19th.

Fernandez was quick to get by Längenfelder for third, while Renaux made some very good passes in the opening lap to get himself into 12th.

Maxime Renaux
Maxime Renaux

There was a moment for Guadagnini who went down together with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton, with a couple of more riders also getting caught up in the chaos, including SM Action Racing Team YUSA Battery’s Andrea Adamo who up until then was having a solid ride.

But it was Vialle who led Geerts by 1.653 seconds, as Geerts was looking to whittle down that lead and go for the win. The Belgian went on to set the fastest lap of the race which allowed him to cut the gap down ever so slightly, but Vialle was able to keep it clam in first place.

Further down the field, Renaux was fighting back as he got by Längenfelder for ninth and focused his attention onto Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf, who was just ahead. The two made contact as Renaux searched for a way through, which resulted in Renaux going down.

Kay de Wolf

Hitachi KTM Fuelled by Milwaukee rider Conrad Mewse was having a great opening race as he was closing in on Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rene Hofer for fourth. Unfortunately, his race was cut short after a bike issue forced him out of the heat.

De Wolf then crashed and once he got going had Renaux, Gianluca Facchetti and Längenfelder forming a train behind him. Renaux was able to get by to claim eighth place as Facchetti dropped a couple of spots to 13th and was coming under fire from Guadagnini.

Mattia Guadagnini

Meanwhile Geerts kept things close to Vialle throughout the opening heat, maintaining a steady gap under two second. On the last lap just 1.341 seconds separated the pair and unfortunately, Geerts was unable to find a way through as Vialle went on to win the race. Fernandez finished third ahead of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing’s Isak Gifting.

MX2 Race 2

In race two, the Fox Holeshot went to Vialle as Renaux was just behind him. Hofer and Guadagnini followed the pair. Looking to waste no time, Renaux quickly made a pass on his fellow countryman to take over the lead on the opening lap. Not long after though the pair had a moment which saw Vialle down and Renaux off the track and tangled up in a fence.

Maxime Renaux
Maxime Renaux

Hofer inherited the lead with Guadagnini second and Längenfelder third. Vialle able to get going in fourth while Renaux was down in 10th.

Having a tough start to the race was Geerts who was in around 17th place in the first few laps, as well as Mewse who had been doing and making his way up from last.

Vialle was then looking to fight back but made a mistake and went down hard and that was the end of his race as he limped back to pitlane.

Jago Geerts

Hofer led Guadagnini with a 3.211 second advantage as he set the fastest lap of the race. Beaton then went to better that, while riding around in fourth ahead of Adamo who was riding solid in fifth. The Italian then came under fire from both Renaux and Fernandez as he dropped a few spots.

After passing Adamo, Renaux then caught onto Beaton and Längenfelder, who were fighting for third. Renaux had the perfect opportunity to get by both, but could not find the perfect moment as Beaton was able to make a pass to take the spot.

Meanwhile at the top end of the field, Hofer was riding a steady race as he was 7.649 seconds ahead of Guadagnini with 15 minutes plus 2 laps on the clock.

Rene Hofer

Renaux then struggled to get by Längenfelder, as Fernandez joined the party, putting a charge on the Yamaha rider. The pair were then side-by-side as the Frenchman was able to keep the Spaniard behind him and focus his attention onto Längenfelder ahead. Eventually he was able to get around the German for fourth. Geerts was also making passes as he got by Adamo for seventh.

In the end, Hofer went on to win the race ahead of Guadagnini and Beaton. The win in race tow put Hofer on the top step of the podium as he became the first Austrian Grand Prix winner since 1987 (or 2013 in MX3). Second overall was Geerts while Fernandez made it two podiums on the bounce with third overall.

Rene Hofer

Despite failing to make it on the box, Renaux continues to lead the MX2 World Championship standings by 87 points with three Grand Prix’s remaining. His closest rival is Geerts with Vialle still third, despite a DNF in race two.

Rene Hofer – P1

“For sure it’s a day I will never forget. It was just so nice. When I crossed the finish line, I was celebrating with Mattia. It was a really nice feeling, especially in front of the fans. I really hope the Austrian fans at home enjoyed it. As you said, it’s been a while since an Austrian has won a Grand Prix. I am really speechless right now. Actually, I didn’t have the best flow in the first race, but the second one was much better. Obviously, I was a bit lucky that I wasn’t involved in the crash with Maxime and Tom, but anyway, I felt great out there. I was a bit nervous with 10 minutes to go. I made a lot of mistakes but was still able to bring it home somehow. It’s a really good feeling for sure. It was quite a big injury I had last year so the winter was really tough for me. But we really put in the work. It got better after the summer break. We used the summer break to train a lot and put in the work. Since Turkey, I feel more confident after each GP and for sure my confidence will grow with a day like today. I’m just going to try to do my best for the last three GPs. But for sure this season is already nice with my first GP win.”

Jago Geerts – P2

“I am pretty happy with second overall today. First race, I had a good start and was second behind Tom during the whole race. I couldn’t make the pass, but I was feeling good on the track. My riding was good. Second race, I messed up my start. I think I was outside of top 20 after the first lap. But I felt good, the riding was good. I came back to 6th place, and it was enough for second overall. I am pretty happy with that.”

Jago Geerts
Jago Geerts

Ruben Fernandez – P3

“It’s been a good day. Started off with pole position in practice. This was my second one this year and ever. First race went well. I had a good start for once and was able to finish in third position. But then in the second one, I struggled at the start again and I think I was 19th once I crossed the finish line in the first lap. I had to work a lot to gain as many points as possible. At the end, I could make the podium happen. It’s a shame because I felt like I could have been fighting for more, but I messed up the second one especially with the start. I am still happy with the overall result. It’s now two podiums in a row. The last one before Trentino was in the second round, so it’s been a long way to get here. It’s nice to be able to keep the ball rolling and hopefully I could fight for more in the next one.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P4

“I was feeling much better today than I was on Sunday. Unfortunately, I had a bad start in the first moto and also had a small crash that meant I was almost last. My riding was not so bad to come back to 11th and the lap-times were good. My start was better in the second moto and when two riders crashed in front of me that meant I was 2nd. I had to get used to riding at the front again! I tried to stay focused and find good lines. 4th overall; but the most important thing was finding the speed and the feeling again. Hopefully on Sunday we can go for the podium again and the win.”

Mattia Guadagnini

Maxime Renaux – P5

“Actually the day started like last Sunday. I had a bad start and almost crashed in the first corner. Then I came back pretty good. I think I was around 7th after 10 minutes, so it was a good comeback. I felt like I could come back even more but got took out by another rider. I had a big crash and had to fight again and come back. Eventually I came back to 7th place, I think. Then in the second race, I was able to make it happen at the start, so I was really happy. Second on the start was really good. I could then push on the first lap to get the lead. That was just the ideal race, just like how things were planned. Then an incident happened. I have nothing to say about that. Like I said, it was a racing incident. I went out and into the fence. I tried to take it out as quickly as possible. It was just a mess. Then a cable came into my rear wheel so I was really worried during the whole race because I was so afraid that the cable would go into my wheel. I couldn’t control it, but thankfully I was able to make it until the end of that race. I finished fourth. It was much better. A good result too for the championship standings because my two rivals where behind me. Overall, it was not so bad, but I was a little bit disappointed for not being able to get a race win. But, it is what it is.”

Simon Langenfelder – P6

“Today was way better for me. I had really good starts and it was nice to be battling up front. I did get shuffled back a little early on in each race, but what’s really important at this track is to stay upright. You can lose so much time if you crash on the first lap. I had a great battle with Jago Geerts in race two and it feels great to be in a battle up front. Overall, I’m really happy to be back inside the top 10 and I can’t wait for Sunday.”

Simon Langenfelder

Mikkel Haarup – P10

“Today was an improvement on Sunday and eighth in Qualifying was OK for the gate. Both motos I couldn’t get my starts sorted and had to come from around twentieth; I was riding great both motos, working hard all-the-way from start to finish. It wasn’t a bad result but I know I can do better. It is what is is; we keep working and I stay positive for the last three GPs.“

Kay de Wolf – P11

“Not my best day today and certainly a learning one. My starts were not the best in either race which didn’t help and crashing in both motos made for a difficult day. I had a good second moto going but then I crashed out of ninth and ended up 12th for 11th overall. It’s now onto the next one here on Sunday and the goal is to put together two good rides and leave this track with a strong result.”

Thibault Benistant – P12

“Today was really difficult for me. I didn’t have a good feeling on the track and was only 13th in Timed Practice. In the first moto, I was stuck in the first corner with another rider, and then I had really bad arm-pump because we are trying new things on the bike and I was not feeling too good with this. In the second race, I tried to find my rhythm, but it was not really easy for me this week.”

2021 MXGP of Pietramurata MX2 Results

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 18 25 43
2 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 22 15 37
3 Fernandez, Ruben ESP HON 20 16 36
4 Guadagnini, Mattia ITA KTM 10 22 32
5 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 14 18 32
6 Laengenfelder, Simon GER GAS 12 14 26
7 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 5 20 25
8 Todd, Wilson AUS KAW 15 10 25
9 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 25 0 25
10 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 11 11 22
11 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 13 9 22
12 Benistant, Thibault FRA YAM 6 12 18
13 Facchetti, Gianluca ITA KTM 8 8 16
14 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 16 0 16
15 Adamo, Andrea ITA GAS 0 13 13
16 Scuteri, Emilio ITA TM 4 6 10
17 Boegh Damm, Bastian DEN KTM 9 0 9
18 Sandner, Michael AUT KTM 0 7 7
19 Tropepe, Giuseppe ITA HUS 7 0 7
20 Polak, Petr CZE YAM 0 5 5
21 Hsu, Brian GER KTM 0 4 4
22 Wagenknecht, Jan CZE KTM 2 2 4
23 Goupillon, Pierre FRA KTM 0 3 3
24 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 3 0 3
25 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 0 1 1
26 Zonta, Filippo ITA HON 1 0 1

2021 MX2 Standings – Round 14

Pos Rider Nat. Bike Total
1 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 595
2 Geerts, Jago BEL YAM 508
3 Vialle, Tom FRA KTM 492
4 Guadagnini, M. ITA KTM 475
5 Beaton, Jed AUS HUS 454
6 Hofer, Rene AUT KTM 436
7 Benistant, T. FRA YAM 384
8 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 384
9 Fernandez, R. ESP HON 364
10 Laengenfelder, S. GER GAS 271
11 Todd, Wilson AUS KAW 256
12 Haarup, Mikkel DEN KAW 247
13 Gifting, Isak SWE GAS 231
14 Boisrame, M. FRA KAW 223
15 Adamo, Andrea ITA GAS 195
16 Van De Moosdijk, R. NED KAW 190
17 Mewse, Conrad GBR KTM 144
18 Rubini, S. FRA HON 142
19 Boegh Damm, B. DEN KTM 106
20 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 102
21 Facchetti, G. ITA KTM 63
22 Polak, Petr CZE YAM 59
23 Meier, Glen DEN KTM 31
24 Florian, Lion GER KTM 29
25 Horgmo, Kevin NOR GAS 26
26 Sandner, M. AUT KTM 24
27 Guyon, Tom FRA KTM 19
28 Teresak, Jakub CZE KTM 18
29 Everts, Liam BEL KTM 15
30 Tropepe, G. ITA HUS 14
31 Scuteri, E. ITA TM 14
32 Brumann, Kevin SUI YAM 14
33 Goupillon, P. FRA KTM 13
34 Fredriksen, H. NOR YAM 12
35 Dickinson, A. GBR KTM 11
36 Wagenknecht, J. CZE KTM 11
37 Hammal, Taylor GBR KAW 10
38 Hsu, Brian GER KTM 9
39 Farres, G. ESP GAS 6
40 Lata, Valerio ITA KTM 6
41 Weckman, Emil FIN HON 6
42 Olsson, Filip SWE HUS 6
43 Petrashin, T. MFR KTM 4
44 Congost, G. ESP YAM 2
45 Rizzi, Joel GBR HON 2
46 Renkens, N. BEL KTM 2
47 Gwerder, Mike SUI KTM 2
48 Zonta, Filippo ITA HON 1
49 Ludwig, Noah GER KTM 1
50 Nordström Graaf, A. SWE YAM 1

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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Source: MCNews.com.au

KTM dominates MXGP of Trentino | Beaton P4

2021 MXGP of Trentino – Round 14


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.

Continuing to display incredible consistency Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton placed fourth overall at the MXGP of Trentino, just two points adrift of the overall podium, his fourth consecutive top five overall result.

Jed Beaton came agonisingly close to securing another top-three overall finish. A great start in moto one saw the FC 250 racer up front in eighth and focused on moving up the leaderboard during the opening laps. Frustratingly, a small crash on lap three proved costly with Beaton relegated down to 12th place. Putting in a spirited charge to the finish, he claimed a hard-earned seventh.

Jed Beaton
Jed Beaton

With a much-improved start in race two, Jed was quickly into third and set about chasing after the leaders. Running with the top-two well into the second half of the moto, a couple of small mistakes on the slick riding surface saw him lose sight of the leaders, opting for a safe, yet well-deserved, third-place finish. Ending another GP with a solid points haul, Beaton now moves to within 14 points of the top four in the MX2 World Championship.

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.”

For fellow Australian Wilson Todd, he raced to P17 in Race 1, but was 33rd in Race 2, a disappointing result after being close to the top 10 in the previous few rounds.

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

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.”

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

Source: MCNews.com.au

Courtney Duncan wraps up third WMX title in Trentino

2021 MXGP of Trentino – Courtney Duncan crowned WMX 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

Duncan now surpasses fellow New Zealand world champion Katherine Oberlin-Brown (nee Prumm) as the country’s most successful female motocross rider. Prumm won the FIM Women’s Motocross World Cup, which was the forerunner to the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, in 2006 and 2007.

The following year injury hampered Prumm’s title tilt, before a crash in training ended her motocross career in 2009. The only blip on her radar is that Duncan has been unable to secure an MIQ spot to return to New Zealand now that her European race season is finished.


WMX Race 1

In race one, it was Larissa Papenmeier who grabbed the holeshot. Fontanesi and Duncan were a little further behind on the opening lap. Bad luck struck Fontanesi not long after as she went down hard after getting caught up with another rider.

Courtney Duncan and Verstappen
Courtney Duncan and Amandine Verstappen

Papenmeier then led Amandine Verstappen, Nancy Van De Ven, Duncan and Lynn Valk. Van De Ven wasted no time to get into second place, as Fontanesi picked herself up in 32nd after her crash.

Duncan then caught onto the back wheel of Verstappen and passed her for third position on lap four. Meanwhile Van De Ven tried several times to get within striking distance of Papenmeier but could not make it happen as Papenmeier secured her first race victory of the season. Van De Ven finished third, while Duncan crossed the line third as the 2021 WMX Champion.

Courtney Duncan
Courtney Duncan

Fontanesi managed to get back to 15th place, but it was not enough to take the title fight to the final race.

WMX Race 2

In race two, it was once again Papenmeier with the holeshot as she led Duncan and Fontanesi. Valk started well once again as she was in fourth place, while Van De Ven was ninth on the opening lap.

Courtney Duncan
Courtney Duncan

Moments later we saw a repeat of what happened in race one, as Fontanesi went down once again and was right at the back of the field.

Papenmeier then led Duncan, Valk, Sara Andersen, Van De Ven, Talia O’Hare and Verstappen. But by the second lap we saw a change for the lead as Duncan was able to get around the German.

Van De Ven was also setting herself up to launch an attack on Andersen, as Fontanesi got by Giorgia Montini for 10th.

Duncan then stretched the lead to 4.391 seconds over Papenmeier who continued ahead of Valk and Van De Ven who finally managed to get by Andersen.

Duncan had full control of the race until the chequered flag, to add race win number five of the season as Papenmeier crossed the line second ahead of Van De Ven who was able to get by Valk.

Courtney Duncan
Courtney Duncan

With a race win and a second, Papenmeier won the final round of the series, with Duncan second on the podium, while Van De Ven was third.

In terms of the championship, Duncan secured her third consecutive world title as Nancy Van De Ven finished the 2021 season with the silver medal ahead of Fontanesi who had to settle for bronze.


Nancy Van De Ven – Championship P2

“I put some pressure on myself because of course everyone who’s here wants to win a world title. But when you come close a few times, you want it even more and more because you almost taste it. I came here with a lot of points from second in the championship so It was pretty unexpected that I take the second place. It was unexpected but also a really nice way to end this difficult season. Today my riding felt really good. In the first race I was feeling so confident, but I just could not make a pass in the beginning of the race to lead, and I finished in second position. I had some good battles. In the second race I had a good start going into the first turn. But after I got a little close, had to give away a few positions and had to come a little bit from behind. Then I managed to come back to third position and third on the podium. This was a pretty nice way to end the season as well.”

Kiara Fontanesi – Championship P3

“I am happy about what I could give because I think it’s the best season I’ve had so far. Not in terms of results, but I have been really competitive on the bike. I felt really great, and I think the setup that I have is the best that I have ever had. So, I am really happy about that and about the speed and everything. For sure, I wanted to win but I had to deal with such bad luck this season and I think the bad luck won. It’s something that’s not up to me, so I cannot do anything about it. I just could be happy and proud of the races I could do, I hope not to have this bad luck next season.”

Larissa Papenmeier – Round P1

“For sure. It was good to end the season like that. I was struggling a bit the whole season. I had some body problems. It was difficult for me for sure but really nice to end the season with a win. Also, well deserved to Courtney for the title, she deserved it and I am really happy for her.”


2021 MXGP of Trentino WMX Results

Pos Rider Nat. Bike R1 R2 Total
1 Papenmeier, Larissa GER YAM 25 22 47
2 Duncan, Courtney NZL KAW 20 25 45
3 Van De Ven, Nancy NED YAM 22 20 42
4 Valk, Lynn NED HUS 16 18 34
5 Verstappen, Amandine BEL KAW 18 13 31
6 Andersen, Sara DEN KTM 13 16 29
7 Guillen, Daniela ESP KTM 14 15 29
8 van der Vlist, Shana NED KTM 15 12 27
9 O’Hare, Tahlia Jade AUS HON 12 11 23
10 Fontanesi, Kiara ITA GAS 6 14 20
11 Montini, Giorgia ITA GAS 9 10 19
12 Dam, Line DEN YAM 8 9 17
13 Seleboe, Mathea NOR YAM 10 7 17
14 Jakobsen, Malou DEN KTM 11 3 14
15 Jans-Beken, Britt NED KTM 0 8 8
16 Sanchez Nequi, Jana ESP YAM 7 0 7
17 Germond, Virginie SUI KTM 0 6 6
18 Blasigh, Giorgia ITA GAS 0 5 5
19 Astudillo, Jamie USA KTM 5 0 5
20 Ribic, Mia CRO GAS 0 4 4
21 Keller, Sandra SUI KAW 4 0 4
22 Giudici, Giorgia ITA HUS 2 1 3
23 Berry, Avrie USA HUS 3 0 3
24 Raunkjaer, Laura DEN KTM 0 2 2
25 Gelissen, Danee NED KTM 1 0 1

2021 WMX Final Standings

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
11 Jakobsen, M. DEN KTM 83
12 Seleboe, M. NOR YAM 77
13 Galvagno, E. ITA YAM 71
14 Jans-Beken, B. NED KTM 70
15 Dam, Line DEN YAM 69
16 Germond, V. SUI KTM 53
17 Astudillo, J. USA KTM 46
18 Borchers, Anne GER SUZ 39
19 Berry, Avrie USA HUS 37
20 Seisdedos, G. ESP KTM 36
21 Blasigh, G. ITA GAS 30
22 Karlsson, S. SWE KAW 21
23 Montini, G. ITA GAS 19
24 Keller, Sandra SUI KAW 19
25 Sanchez Nequi, J. ESP YAM 17
26 Ribic, Mia CRO GAS 8
27 Van der Beek, J. NED KTM 7
28 Gelissen, D. NED KTM 6
29 Kapsamer , E. AUT GAS 3
30 Raunkjaer, L. DEN KTM 3
31 Giudici, G. ITA HUS 3
32 Reitze, Alicia GER YAM 2
33 Hoppe, Fiona GER HUS 2
34 Lehmann, J. GER YAM 2
35 Braam, K. NED GAS 2
36 Stoutjesdijk, S. NED HUS 1

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto Wrap | Duffy critical | WMX | Enduro | ProMX | MXGP | EMX

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

Beaton on the podium at MXGP of Spain | Herlings wins

MXGP Head


KTM’s Jeffrey Herlings topped the MXGP of Spain over the weekend, with Maxime Renaux of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing the fastest MX2 rider, narrowly winning the overall from Tom Vialle.

Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings

The Spanish Grand Prix produced incredible racing, thanks to the enormous crowd of fans that filled the grand-stands around the intu-Xanadù Arroyomolinos circuit, showing support for home hero, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado.

2021 MXGP of Spain Highlights Video

In the Aussies, top performer Jed Beaton claimed third overall at the MXGP of Spain in MX2. In the opening moto of the day, the Australian carved a tight inside line around the first corner, before being pushed wide in turn two where he frustratingly lost a handful of positions. With Beaton feeling comfortable on the hard and rutted track, he quickly made a number of passes during the early laps of the moto to advance into fourth place where he would remain for the duration of the race.

After the gate dropped for moto two, Beaton enjoyed an improved start and was well-placed inside the top five. On lap two he would make the pass on teammate Kay de Wolf for fourth but despite his very best efforts, Jed was unable to reel in the top three. Completing the moto in fourth secured his spot on the podium and with another solid points haul, Jed further extends his margin over sixth place in the series standings.

Jed Beaton – P3

“It’s been a good day but in both motos I was pushed wide in the second turn which cost me a few positions in both races. I had good starts, stayed tight around the first turn but then that set me up on the outside for turn two. I made things happen quickly in both races which I’m really happy with, but by the time I got into fourth the top three were just a little out of reach. It’s nice to be back on the podium, though, for myself and the team. We’ve all been working really hard so to get back on the box makes it all worthwhile.”

Jed Beaton
Jed Beaton

Bike It MTX Kawasaki’s Wilson Todd also had a strong weekend, closing to within three points of a top-ten series ranking in the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship after another single-digit GP result in Spain.

The Australian earnt more than twenty points in a GP for the seventh time this season with a dramatic final lap which has lifted him to eleventh in the championship standings, just three points shy of the top ten with five rounds remaining.

From eighteenth gate-choice he rounded turn one twentieth in race one but made immediate moves to advance into the top fifteen within three laps and keep charging for eleventh at the finish.

Race two followed a similar pattern as he progressed to hold twelfth entering the closing stages; with his direct championship rival in his sights the Bike It MTX Kawasaki rider showed his strength and determination, setting his fastest laps of the race at the end, making two passes on the very last lap to take the chequered flag tenth for ninth overall on the day.

Wilson Todd – P9

“I was just a bit off the pace in Quali and two bad starts from an outside gate didn’t help. I just got stuck behind other riders at their pace but could pick it up after I got around them; I finally came alive the last five laps. I’m looking forward to the next three rounds at Arco; I rode there last year so I already know the track for once.“

Wilson Todd
Wilson Todd

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

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

Source: MCNews.com.au

Herlings narrowly wins MXGP of France | Beaton P4

MXGP 2021
MXGP of France, Lacapelle Marival – Round 12


Lacapelle Marival held Round 12 of the MXGP Championship over the weekend, as riders duked it out in France for top honours, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing topping both classes. Jeffrey Herlings took the narrowest of wins from Romain Febvre, with the two tied on points, while Tom Vialle swept the two MX2 races, although Renaux retains a healthy lead.

Herlings took top honours, despite tying on points with Romain Febvre
Herlings took top honours, despite tying on points with Romain Febvre

Top Australian was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton in securing a strong fourth place overall result in the MX2 class. Starting race one in the best way possible, Beaton rounded the first turn up front and quickly moved into fourth place during the opening lap. With his sights set on the podium, the Australian then worked his way around Jago Geerts on lap five before enjoying a largely untroubled moto to secure a deserved third-place finish.

In race two, Beaton didn’t quite secure the start needed for a repeat podium finish. Able to make several passes through the early laps and move into sixth, he went on to finish right behind the battle for the top-five, placing sixth in the moto for fourth overall.

Jed Beaton – P4

“I guess overall It was a good day but on this track you really needed two good starts. I got a great one in race one and brought it home for third so that was pretty decent, and I was happy with my riding. I didn’t quite execute the same start in race two but I was able to make a few passes early on and ended up sixth. Not too bad but with a better start I know I could have been much closer to the front. It’s a little frustrating but now it’s onto Spain next weekend.”

Jed Beaton
Jed Beaton

Bike It MTX Kawasaki’s Wilson Todd once more showed top ten pace and was poised for his best-ever result until an incident in race two robbed him of his just rewards. He wasn’t able to capitalise completely on his seventh place in Qualifying as he lost traction momentarily leaving the start in race one but used the benefit of an inside gate to emerge top ten from turn one and advance two further positions before the end of the moto.

A fifth-placed start in race two augured well and he kept the leaders in sight until he was pushed into the trackside fence. Rejoining the race twenty-second he was quickly back to sixteenth but, faced with a deficit of eight seconds to the next rider, that was also his position at the finish. He was eleventh overall in the GP, just missing another top-ten GP finish on the tie-break.

Wilson Todd – P11

“Something happened at the start of race one but I had the inside at turn one and came out round about tenth. I settled in through the opening laps and then I closed down Roan and got round him. I went after Renaux too but I got held up and he was gone. I got a good start the second race but I ended up on my head. I’m looking to finish top ten every moto when I can and move into the top five. It all depends on getting out of the gate and how I’m gelling with the track.“

Wilson Todd
Wilson Todd

MXGP of France Highlights


MXGP Race 1

In the opening MXGP race, it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings who was fastest out of the gate and went on to claim the Fox Holeshot. Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer was second ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre and Glenn Coldenhoff of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing.

Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser struggled in the start and started the race in around 10th position.

While Herlings led, Febvre was quick to get around Seewer, as he set his sights on the Bullet. Meanwhile a little further behind there was Jeremy Van Horebeek of SDM Corse Racing Team who was having a great ride in fifth place, ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli.

Gajser was pushing his way up the field as he found himself in eighth place behind Arnaud Tonus of Hostettler Yamaha Racing. The Slovenian then made a small mistake which cost him two positions, which meant he had to start all over again.

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Meanwhile, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado was keen to salvage some important championship points as he fought inside the top 20. It was clear that the Spaniard was struggling after the crash in Germany as he only managed to come back to 16th.

Herlings continued to lead, but it was clear that Febvre was not going to let him have the win. The Frenchman set the fastest lap of the race as he worked away at the gap and before he knew it, he was on the rear wheel of the factory KTM rider.

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

On lap eight we saw Febvre take over the lead, as Herlings dropped to second. Meanwhile Seewer was still third followed by Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass.

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

Gajser then managed to pass Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen to move into eighth and then worked hard to get around Tonus too. Also making moves was Cairoli who finally found an opportunity to get past Van Horebeek, as Gajser also caught onto the Beta rider.

Unfortunately, Van Horebeek did not finish the race as he crashed while under pressure from Gajser.

In the final few laps, we saw Herlings step it up, as he caught onto the back wheel of Febvre, and it was game on for the win! Febvre did a great job to manage under immense pressure from the Dutchman and his efforts paid off as he was victorious in the first race. Herlings was second as Seewer held on to third.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, it was Cairoli who took the Fox Holeshot from Herlings, Febvre, Gajser and Seewer.

KTM dominated the 2021 MXGP of France, with both MXGP and MX2 wins
Tony Cairoli took the holeshot in Race 2

Cairoli’s time in the lead did not last long as the Italian made a mistake which allowed both Herlings and Febvre through. Herlings then controlled the race by 2.835 seconds but that gap came down quite quickly as Febvre was on a charge.

Gajser then caught onto the back of Cairoli. The Slovenian needed to make the pass, not only for the championship points, but also for a spot on the podium.

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Herlings then has a small bobble which played into the hands of Febvre who wasted no time to get out in front. The Frenchman was the new race leader on lap eight and immediately stretched out his lead to 3.614 seconds.

Gajser continued to search for a way past Cairoli, as Herlings was looking to make up for lost ground. And he did just that. As Herlings closed in, Febvre started to make little errors which proved to be costly in the end as Herlings was able to pass the Frenchman on lap 16.

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

The factory Kawasaki rider tried to respond but it was not enough, as Herlings took the win with Febvre second and Gajser third. And that’s exactly how the riders finished on the podium, with Herlings taking a 95th career Grand Prix victory.

Herlings is now back in the driving seat of the MXGP championship standings as he leads the way with 460 points, while Febvre moves to second and is just six points behind, while Gajser drops to third on 450 points.

Jeffrey Herlings – P1

“Actually today was pretty good. I raced here three years ago so I definitely knew Romain was going to be good today and that I had to step up my game. This morning you could see that nobody could really match my speed. We were two seconds ahead of the 3rd. Going into the race I knew I had to bring my A game. Actually, the set up I had for race one was pretty difficult. I was struggling a bit and got arm pump. Then I just could not hold Romain and he made a pass. I had to let him go and try to close him at the end of the race but it was too late and I could not put a good fight anymore. He won fair and square. Second race, I had a good start again. He beat me on the first turn, then I managed to pass him on the second or third turn. I was trying to pull away, but it was tough with his speed. I think I had a 2 or 3 second gap, then I had an issue. I’m lucky I did not lose much time and kept the 3 second gap. I managed to win this race and win the overall and looking forward to next weekend.”

Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings

Romain Febvre – P2

“I was happy to win the first race, especially because I haven’t won a race in a long time so I am happy with that. Our speed with Jeffrey was really fast which made the second race really challenging because we were again 1 and 2 after a few turns, I knew it was going to be challenging until the end. Like he said, he made a mistake in the turn which allowed me to go around him and pass him. I tried to make a few fast laps to make a gap. At the end, I wasn’t that fast in a few sectors, then he caught me. Obviously, I was disappointed because I almost won at home, but anyway it’s good to be on the podium. It’s great to see a lot of fans out there. They deserved the win but I could not make it happen. We are really close in the championship which means every weekend you can take the red plate, which for me is fine. Hopefully we keep it like this until the end and we have to find something in the pocket in the few last rounds.”

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre

Tim Gajser – P3

“It was a bit of a frustrating day here, despite ending up on the podium. I knew coming in that starts would be crucial because the track is so tight and narrow in a lot of places, and unfortunately I wasn’t able to get out of the gate well enough in either moto. In the first race I was around 10th place early on and it was just really difficult to make any passes, it was hard to find a good rhythm, but eventually I worked my way through to sixth, which was all I could manage. In race two, my start was a bit better but I couldn’t latch onto the top two and battle with them and so once I got into third, I was too far behind to catch them. Still, there are a lot races to come and I will now focus on next weekend when we head to Spain.”

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser

Jeremy Seewer – P4

“I was quite close to a podium. I had two really good starts, but I had Jeffrey (Herlings) come somehow into my line and then into a scary straight. I ended up losing some spots to the freight train behind me. So, that was a bit unlucky. Overall, P.3 in moto one was a massive comeback, two good starts and a good timed practice. To sum it up, it was one of my best GPs of the whole year. I am starting to enjoy it again. I had a lot of fun riding my bike today. I am on my way up. I still have energy, and I feel like I am becoming more fresh. There are still plenty of GPs left and I just want to keep moving up and hopefully be back on the podium soon.”

Jeremy Seewer

Tony Cairoli – P5

“It seemed better today compared to last week in Germany but I’m still struggling a lot. It’s four weeks now since I’ve been able to ride during the week. I didn’t do much before Sardinia because I knew it would be a heavy GP but then I crashed and haven’t trained since. I cannot do much cardio either because the ribs hurt. It’s hard to keep my condition like it was before. Today I was 5th in the first moto and could push until the end but in the second I started to suffer. It was good to get the holeshot in the second and be 3rd. I was riding a bit conservative but Gajser was chasing me a lot and I started to get cramps in my side and back. I was hard to hang-on anymore. It was a shame to be 4th because another few laps would have given me the podium. I have to accept that things are not easy for me at the moment in this condition and with the training. I can only hope that this week I can do a bit more than I could recently and regain some more speed with the bike.”

Tony Cairoli
Tony Cairoli

Pauls Jonass – P6

“On paper today was a good day overall, although a fourth and a fifth for sixth is a little bit difficult to accept! I felt pretty strong on the bike in both races and the set up that we have on my MC 450F is working really well, it’s just that I’m missing that last little bit of speed early on in the races. Today was an improvement in that respect from last week, though, so it was actually a pretty decent day with decent points, and we still have a lot of racing to go in the championship.”

Pauls Jonass
Pauls Jonass

Thomas Kjer Olsen – P7

“I’m really happy with my results today and I’m also a little bit relieved as well. It’s been a little bit up and down this season but today showed that I can do it. I’ve been making steps forward in recent weeks and it all came together today. I qualified well, which gave me a good gate pick, and that meant I could start up front and overall it was just a great day all round.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen
Thomas Kjer Olsen

Glenn Coldenhoff – P8

“I felt pretty good this morning. The times were really close in Timed Practice and I was eighth, which was still good for the start position. In the first race, I got a really good start, but there was a bit a of chaos in front of me with riders changing lines, and then I hit a kicker as well and went down while in fifth position. On a track like this, it’s very difficult to come through the pack, especially with the times so close to each other. In the second race, I wasn’t really feeling it. I stayed way too long behind the riders in front of me. I found some better lines in the end, but only finished eighth. 13-8 are disappointing results. We will work towards Spain.”

Jorge Prado – P14

“Coming here this weekend I didn’t know if I could even ride the bike but I had the mentality to try. I’m in the fight for the championship and to get some points is something. After these two motos the cut looks OK and it’s not worse. It was a rough day because I didn’t feel there was much strength in the arm. I didn’t get a good lap in Timed Practice, so I didn’t get a good gate and then actually touched the gate for both starts with my front wheel! I did what I could, and I began to feel better in the second moto. We got some valuable points and now we’ll get ready for the home GP because I want to bounce back as soon as possible.”

Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado

Source: MCNews.com.au

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2021 Australian Speedway Champs officially cancelled

Motorcycling Australia, in conjunction with the MA Track Commission and key stakeholders, have now advised the 2021 Australian Speedway Senior Solo, Australian U21’s and Australian U16’s 250cc Championships have been cancelled, along with postponing the 2022 Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship.

Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship

With so much uncertainty around the State border restrictions, as well as lockdowns and the lack of availability of international flights and with a significant number of riders currently overseas a decision as early as possible as important.

Motorcycling Australia (MA) and the Australian Track Commission have been in consultation with riders and clubs and are now concentrating on delivering a successful condensed 2022 Championship calendar pending Government restrictions around Covid-19.

  • April 1–3 – Australian U16’s 125cc Individual & Teams Speedway Championships – Sidewinders SA
  • November 26 – Australian U16’s 250cc Speedway Championship – Gillman Speedway SA
  • November 26 – Australian U21’s Speedway Championship– Gillman Speedway SA
  • December 2-3 – Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship – TBA

Eli Tomac joins Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing for 2022

Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing will welcome Eli Tomac to the team for the 2022 Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season, joining the newly crowned 2021 Pro Motocross Champion Dylan Ferrandis, while Christian Craig will join the duo for the outdoor season stepping up to the Yamaha YZ450F.

Tomac brings with him a wealth of experience and is a proven championship contender. In addition to his three consecutive Pro Motocross 450MX titles from 2017-2019, he added the coveted 450SX Championship to his resume in 2020. The Coloradan has amassed an impressive number of victories and is the winningest rider currently active in both premier class championships.

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing

“I’m really excited about this next chapter of my racing career with the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team. With the recent success of the team, motorcycle, and crew members in place, I know we will be ready for the challenge of winning races. January can’t come soon enough!”

Eli Tomac joins Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing
Eli Tomac joins Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing

The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team is fresh off of a great debut in the premier class. After a solid start in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship with all three riders earning their first 450SX podium and finishing comfortably inside the top-10 in the standings, the team had a stellar Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season.

In addition to Ferrandis securing the title a weekend early, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. earned Manufacturer of the Year honors, and the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing Team was named Team of the Year. The series also awarded Jeremy Coker Team Manager of the Year and the 450 Mechanic of the Year went to Ferrandis’ mechanic, Alex Campbell.

Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing 450 Team Manager

“We’re really happy to have Eli on board next season. He is a proven championship contender and an incredible athlete. Together with Dylan and then Christian joining us for the outdoor season, we have a great line-up and look to be fighting up front for the number-one plate in both championships. This year was a great first year in the premier class for the team and an absolutely incredible Pro Motocross season. We look to build on that and are really excited for the 2022 season.”

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Husqvarna and Jason Anderson part ways after seven years

Husqvarna Motorcycles thanked Jason Anderson for his hard work, commitment, and racing achievements during the last seven years, as following a highly successful relationship with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, the American’s time with the team has now drawn to a close.

Jason Anderson - 2021 AMA SX Round 17 - Image by Jeff Kardas
Jason Anderson – 2021 AMA SX Round 17 – Image by Jeff Kardas

Since joining Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in 2015 to compete on FC 450 machinery in the 450 class, Jason Anderson has entered each AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross season as a genuine title contender.

The highlight of Anderson’s time with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna came in 2018 when he was crowned 450SX champion. The victory marked the first 450 supercross title for Husqvarna Motorcycles with Jason’s performances and championship result also making a notable contribution to the brand’s international standing, as well as adding to their now 106 World Championship wins. During his time with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Jason won seven 450SX Main Events and claimed 27 podium finishes.

Jason Anderson - 2021 AMA SX Round 2 - Image by Jeff Kardas
Jason Anderson – 2021 AMA SX Round 2 – Image by Jeff Kardas

Further success was achieved outdoors in the 450 Pro Motocross series, with Anderson claiming 16 overall podium results and a career-best championship finish of fourth in 2019. Outside of racing in America, Anderson won multiple Australian Supercross Championship races and represented Team USA at the FIM Motocross of Nations on two occasions.

Stephen Westfall – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager

“It’s been an honour to have worked with such a talented and committed racer like Jason. His dedication and talent, together with his willingness to always put the work in, ensured he was always the best rider he could be. It’s unfortunate that his time with the team coincides with him being injured as he was showing some great speed early on in the Pro Motocross season. On behalf of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, I wish Jason well and look forward to seeing him at the races in the future.”

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Monster Energy Kawasaki welcome Anderson to the team

Jason Anderson will join Adam Cianciarulo with the Monster Energy Kawasaki race team for 2022, alongside testing and development rider Broc Tickle.

Monster Energy Kawasaki to run Anderson and Cianciarulo in 2022
Monster Energy Kawasaki to run Anderson and Cianciarulo in 2022

Anderson closed out his amateur racing career with Kawasaki Team Green, winning the AMA Horizon Award aboard a KX250 before moving on to become a 250 Supercross West Champion, now reunited with Kawasaki, Anderson is prepared to repeat his former success and fight for premier class supremacy in both the AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross Championships.

Jason Anderson – Monster Energy Kawasaki Race Team

“It’s great to join the Monster Energy Kawasaki race team for 2022. I’m ready to start working with the team to have a successful run right out of the gate when we go racing in January. The bike is proven, and the many accolades of the team speak volumes to what we can achieve together. I’m looking forward to the good times ahead.”

Meanwhile, Cianciarulo hopes to see his record-setting amateur years with the Kawasaki Team Green race team and success underneath the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team awning reach a culmination in 2022 with his goal of championship contention in the upcoming year of premier class racing.

Building from his AMA Pro Motocross Rookie of the Year honors that came along with second place in the 2020 450MX Pro Motocross standings, Cianciarulo led 51 laps during the 2021 season and secured three overall podiums. Cianciarulo now looks to capitalize on a full off-season of development with the team to claim the top step of the podium in 2022.

Adam Cianciarulo – Monster Energy Kawasaki Race Team

“I’m ready for the 2022 season. I’ve had a lot of great experiences in my first two seasons with the team. We have made major strides together and are positioned to perform at our very best in this upcoming year of racing. I look forward to continuing to improve and reaching our goals together.”

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2022 Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team roster breaks cover

With the 2022 racing season marking nearly three decades of success, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki race team has revealed five-rider lineup for the upcoming season. The team will field the established Austin Forkner, Cameron McAdoo, Jo Shimoda and 2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Rookie of the Year, Seth Hammaker. Kawasaki also welcomes long-time Team Green amateur rising star Jett Reynolds to the fold as he graduates into the pro ranks.

Austin Forkner
Austin Forkner

As one of the most successful teams in the paddock, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki boasts an resume that includes the most combined supercross and motocross wins in the 250 class and 29 total championships.

Mitch Payton – Pro Circuit Owner

“We have a skilled group of riders on the team for the 2022 season. With seasoned riders like Austin, Cameron, and Jo returning, last year’s rookie sensation Seth ready to begin his sophomore season and Jett making his pro debut; we are in a good spot to compete for both 250 West and East Supercross titles. Everyone on the team including riders, staff and personnel, are preparing for the new season to begin and we expect to finish on top of the podium.”

Returning for a seventh season with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki squad in 2022 is Austin Forkner. The 12-time 250 Class race winner has high hopes to return to his winning ways this season after his promising 2021 supercross title campaign was cut short due to injury.

Cameron McAdoo
Cameron McAdoo

McAdoo is also back under the Kawasaki tent for the upcoming season. Coming off a career-best season in 2021 that saw McAdoo collect his first AMA 250 Supercross win, the Iowa native is keen on improving his third-place finish in the Supercross 250 West Championship point standings.

Back for his second year with the Kawasaki team is Shimoda. Building on a stand-out 2021 season, the Japanese-born rider secured a career-first 250SX Class win along with six podiums last season and appears ready to use his experience running up front to mount a championship fight.

Jo Shimoda
Jo Shimoda

Entering his sophomore season, Hammaker returns to the Kawasaki squad with his first career 250SX Class win and three AMA Supercross podiums under his belt. Last year’s rookie stand out heads into the new season with expectations to battle for race wins and podiums.

Seth Hammaker
Seth Hammaker

Making his professional debut with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team is Reynolds. Carrying nine AMA Amateur National titles and the 2017 Monster Energy Cup Supermini Class championship, Reynolds is set to make an immediate impact for the team in both series at the beginning of the 2022 season.

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Rallye du Maroc returns in 2021!

With the 2020 edition cancelled due to the global pandemic, it has been two years since the Rallye du Maroc has been held in the Kingdom of His Majesty Mohammed VI. From 7 to 13 October, housed in a bivouac outside Zagora, the race returns to the desert. Hand in hand, the Moroccan authorities, ODC Events and their local partners have put all their energy into making the running of the rally possible.

David Castera

“Each year, the Rallye du Maroc takes on ever more importance in the country. It is no longer simply a case of us organising an event on our own, with permission from the Moroccan authorities. The Rallye du Maroc is now the fruit of a common enterprise, the will and help of the authorities, partners such as Maroc Telecom, Afriquia or OCP, and the tourism industry, right down to the small businesses and service providers who are close to us on the ground, happy and proud to be working again. A strong relationship between us has been forged in this very special context. This edition will be one of resilience for us all.”

Rallye du Maroc Toby Price
Rallye du Maroc 2019 – Toby Price

As a reward for the efforts made over the last few weeks by all involved in resurrecting the Rallye du Maroc, the number of entrants expected at administrative and technical scrutineering on Thursday 7 October will break all records. 160 bikes and 100 cars are expected to arrive at the bivouac in Zagora next week eclipsing previous figures.

All the official teams are present and 27 riders are registered in RallyGP, while there are no less than 99 in Rally2.

In RallyGP, we see the best drivers in the cross-country discipline. KTM’s Matthias Walkner leads the provisional classification of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and is joined in Morocco by the current FIM World Champion Sam Sunderland, Toby Price and Kevin Benavides.

Yamaha has entered Rally Kazakhstan winner Ross Branch, Adrien Van Beveren and Andrew Short.

Husqvarna, meanwhile, will run machines for Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes, while Daniel Sanders rides for Gas-Gas.

Honda will participate in its first rally of the season with Pablo Quintanilla, Ricky Brabec, Nacho Cornejo and Joan Barreda. Hero will also be present with Franco Caimi, Sebastian Bühler and Joachim Rodrigues, while Sherco lines up with Lorenzo Santolino, Rui Gonçalves and Harith Noah.

Two Juniors will also be in the starting blocks in RallyGP: Konrad Dabrowski (KTM) and Tomas de Gavardo (KTM).

Between the competitors, their entourage and the organisation, the 2021 Rallye du Maroc caravan will number 850 people, housed for almost ten days in the ephemeral bivouac of Zagora.

David Castera

“If I had asked for such a bivouac in France or anywhere else in the world, people would have thought I was insane,. The know-how of the nomads and their capacity to adapt is phenomenal. Nothing is impossible, the answer to every question is always ‘machi moushkil’, literally ‘no problem’. And they always manage to pull it off, sometimes really incredible feats. The Rallye du Maroc no longer simply bears the name of a country, but that of its people, who share with us the values of solidarity and pushing one’s limits that have always been intrinsic to rally-raid.”

2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship Standings

Pos Rider Man. Points
1 Mathias Walkner KTM 58
2 Gregorio Caselani Honda 38
3 Skyler Howes Husqvarna 36
4 Daniel Sanders Gas Gas 33
5 Franco Caimi Hero 32
6 Adrien Van Beveren Yamaha 31
7 Ross Branch Yamaha 25
8 Sebastian Bühler Hero 24
9 Luciano Benavides Husqvarna 24
10 Andrew Short Yamaha 23
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Charlotte Half-Mile set for AFT finale

Following 15 fiercely fought Progressive American Flat Track rounds, the season-ending Honda Charlotte Half-Mile will determine the 2021 Grand National Championship under the lights at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, October 8.

Briar Bauman
Briar Bauman

As they arrive in Charlotte, North Carolina, reigning two-time Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) and living legend Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) are separated by just four points. That means both factory Indian stars are in position to secure the 2021 crown from the top step of the podium, simple as that.

It gets a bit more complicated should another rider play the spoiler and steal away the victory. Should that happen, Mees’ slight lead earned on the strength of an active four-race win streak provides him an advantage in that he could still take the title by finishing close behind Bauman on track.

Considering their combined ability, winning percentage, and motivation, it may seem unlikely that another rider is able to elbow ahead with so much on the line, but Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) managed to do just that (twice) in last year’s similarly tight DAYTONA finale.

Jared Mees
Jared Mees

The scenario of a title-shifting upset just became that much more realistic with the news that Jeffrey Carver, Jr. (No. 23 Happy Trails Racing/DPC/KullyCo/Bigelow Indian FTR750) has been added to the entry list. As a reminder, in last year’s late-season battle in Charlotte, Bauman and Mees traded the lead back and forth until privateer Carver shot past them both en route to a huge win. A repeat effort could literally decide which bike the #1 plate is brandished upon in 2022.

The field is stocked with potential spoilers, including Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Coolbeth-Nila Racing Indian FTR750), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), Brandon Price (No. 92 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).

AFT Singles

The 2021 AFT Singles championship will be determined in Charlotte as well. While there doesn’t appear to be much room for drama as in the premier class, if second-ranked Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) manages to dethrone defending class champ Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), you can bet some serious drama went down.

Max Whale - 2021 AFT Sacramento Mile II
Max Whale – 2021 AFT Sacramento Mile II

With 20 points and the tiebreaker working in his favor, Daniels merely needs to finish 13th or better in the Main even if Australian Whale wins. And if Whale doesn’t win, Daniels doesn’t need to do anything but collect his trophy.

Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Mission Roof Systems KTM 450 SX-F) is nearly as safe in third with Daniels’ teammate, Mikey Rush (No. 15 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), 18 points back in fourth.

Last year’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was a classic, with Daniels clinching the title thanks to a last-lap pass for victory over Mischler. Whale finished fourth, just 0.201 seconds back of the win, which sets the table nicely for another spectacular scrap on Friday night.

AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines

Last season, Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Roof Systems Yamaha MT-07) scored a holeshot-to-checkered flag win in Charlotte. The situation was considerably different, as Texter was desperate just to keep his slim 2020 AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines title hopes alive at the time.

Cory Texter - 2021 AFT Sacramento Mile I
Cory Texter – 2021 AFT Sacramento Mile I

Now he comes into the finale having already locked down a second-career AFT Production Twins championship. That said, Texter is a racer’s racer and one making up for lost time spent as a long-time journeyman pilot. He’s unlikely to lack for motivation even with the title already taken care of.

Meanwhile, AFT Production Twins championship runner-up honors are still up for grabs with Chad Cose (No. 49 Voodoo Ranger/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) nine points up on Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) with one race to go.

The evening also presents one final chance for the likes of Ben Lowe (No. 25 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Jesse Janisch (No. 96 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) to get a win before the year is out.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Charlotte Half-Mile will also feature the season finale of Royal Enfield’s hugely popular BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. program and the penultimate round of the innovative Super Hooligan National Championship. BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. showcases the talent, versatility, competitiveness, and enthusiasm of female motorcyclists in its own action-packed style, while the outlaw-minded Super Hooligan series features customized heavy street bikes competing at a road race circuit, a Short Track, a Half-Mile and an asphalt oval to determine the nation’s most all-around skill heavy street bike racer.

The Honda Charlotte HM will also feature all the pomp and circumstance befitting a season finale off the track as well. NASCAR superstar Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will serve as the evening’s Grand Marshal ahead of the weekend’s NASCAR doubleheader at Charlotte Motor Speedway.


Al-Balooshi wins 2021 Qatar International Baja

The UAE’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi sealed outright victory in the motorcycle category of the Qatar International Baja after the third desert selective section that was held in punishing heat on Saturday.

Mohammed Al-Balooshi
Mohammed Al-Balooshi

MX Ride Dubai’s Mohammed Al-Balooshi delivered a polished performance over the closing 249.68km selective section that started at Al-Kharsaah and included a tricky final passage through the sand dunes near the Inland Sea, south of Doha, where temperatures rose into the low forties Centigrade.

He completed the gruelling stage in just under nine minutes shy of five hours to seal a 10min 57sec victory over British youngster Robert Wallace in the motorcycle section. The latter’s consolation was sealing top spot in the FIM Juniors category.

Mohammed Al-Balooshi

“It was a very tough two stages but I am happy that we managed to bring the bike home and win this round of the FIM Bajas World Cup and extend our championship lead. I am a little bit disappointed that Abdullah Abuaisheh could not start because it is good to have your main rival competing. I thank him for letting me use his front wheel. I damaged mine. Now I will go to Portugal for the last round, which is double points. I started off with third in Dubai, a win in Jordan and a win here. But I have a torn ligament in my shoulder. I was nursing it home and managed to win. I probably only rode at 60 or 70%.”

The UK’s Andrew Newland rounded off the podium places and Kuwait’s Abdullah Al-Shatti overcame a fall to finish fourth. Richard Dors and Makis Rees-Stavros rode strongly on the final day to snatch fifth and sixth.

Unfortunately, x-rays confirmed Martin Chalmers’s worst fears and the Qatar-based Australian was forced to withdraw from the motorcycle event with two broken ankle bones and ligament damage. It was testament to his determination that he had completed the second stage in first position and managed to put his bike into Parc Ferme to restart, albeit with eight minutes of penalties later added to his time.

2021 Qatar International Baja Results

Pos Rider Nat. Man. Time
1 Mohammed Al-Balooshi ARE KTM 450 RR 9hr 25min 12sec
2 Robert Wallace GBR KTM 450 RR 9hr 36min 09sec
3 Andrew Newland GBR KTM EXC F 10hr 00min 49sec
4 Abdullah Al-Shatti KWT KTM 450 10hr 06min 52sec
5 Richard Dors GBR KTM 450 RR 10hr 41min 19sec
6 Makis Rees-Stavros GBR KTM 450 EXC-F 11hr 03min 04sec
7 Gennadii Korolenko RUS KTM EXC 450 11hr 34min 02sec
8 Edward Lines NZL KTM 450 RFR 11hr 36min 19sec
9 Sheikh Mohammed Al-Thani QAT Honda CRF 450 Rally R5 14hr 10min 54sec
10 Kurt Burroughs GBR KTM 450 Rally 14hr 42min 37sec

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Gajser reclaims MXGP lead in Germany | Jed Beaton P5

MXGP 2021
MXGP of Germany, Teutschenthal – Round 11


The MXGP kicked back into action for the first time following the Motocross Of Nations, with the MXGP of Germany marking round 11 on the calendar, as racers took to the track at Teutschenthal. Team HRC’s Tim Gajser took back the series lead in MXGP as he made his return to the top step of the podium following a shoulder injury.

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

In MX2 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Maxime Renaux finished the weekend with an overall victory to extend his title lead, as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle was handed a two-place penalty in race two.

For the Aussies, top performer was Jed Beaton who raced to a hard-earned fifth overall in Germany. Capitalising on a strong start in race one, the Australian ran up front with the leading riders and moved into fourth position with five laps to go. With the top three just out of reach, Beaton brought his FC 250 home in a well-deserved fourth place.

Lining up for race two with a strong chance of an overall podium result, Jed once again enjoyed a great start. Completing the opening lap in fifth place, the 23-year-old advanced to fourth on lap four where he would remain until the closing stages of the moto. Losing just one spot to Rene Hofer, Beaton secured fifth in the moto for fifth-overall.

Jed Beaton – P5 MX2

“It wasn’t a bad weekend overall. My starts have been really good recently, which has really helped. Starting up front makes things a lot easier as you can stay out of trouble for the most part and ride your own race. It was a difficult track today. Some parts were really fast and a little sketchy and then in other parts the ruts were really deep. Everyone seemed to be on a similar pace so my good starts really made a difference today and I was able to put two solid races together.”

Jed Beaton
Jed Beaton – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Bike It MTX Kawasaki’s Wilson Todd had a day of mixed fortunes. The Australian was running twelfth early in race one until he bent the gearshift pedal in a deep rut and was forced to pit for repairs. He showed admirably what he was capable of in race two as he converted another twelfth-placed start into seventh at the finish, for P14 overall.

Wilson Todd

“I had a tough first moto. My start was OK but there were a lot of deep ruts and the gearshift got pushed up; I was stuck in second gear so I had to pit to fix it. The second race was not too bad; I sat back for a while but then I worked forward for seventh with good speed.”

Wilson Todd
Wilson Todd – 2021 MXGP of Germany

MXGP Race 1

In MXGP, the action was unbelievable, and it only confirmed how strong and unpredictable the MXGP class is this season, with the top five championship contenders having close battles in both races.

Jorge Prado
Jorge Prado – 2021 MXGP of Germany

In race one, it was a Red Bull KTM Factory Racing top three out of the gate as Jorge Prado took the Fox Holeshot from Jeffrey Herlings, Antonio Cairoli and Gajser. Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers also started well with the pair sixth and seventh.

Pauls Jonass
Pauls Jonass – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Herlings then took away the lead from Prado, as Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre got himself into third behind the pair and started to look for a way to pass Prado for second.

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Gajser then caught onto the back of Cairoli as he searched for a way around the Italian, eventually making a pass stick a couple of laps later. Though while this was going on, we saw Prado make a move on Herlings to take over first position.

The Spaniard then stretched over Herlings, as Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff pushed Jonass for sixth. His teammate Jeremy Seewer was also looking to make a move on Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen to move into the top 10.

Jeremy Seewer
Jeremy Seewer – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Febvre then edged closer to Herlings as he searched for an opportunity to make a pass, but after several attempts could not get the job done and was caught out by a hard-charging Gajser who took away third. The Slovenian then went after Herlings who was urged onto the back of Prado and that’s when we saw the intense battle for the win.

There was virtually nothing in it as Prado and Herlings crossed the line, with Prado securing the race win but colliding with his teammate mid-air, which took both down. Herlings was able to walk away from the incident, while Prado had to take a trip to the hospital to receive stitches under his armpit. He did not line-up for race two.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, it was Febvre who clinched the second Fox Holeshot with Seewer, Jonass, Coldenhoff and Gajser just behind. Though a couple of corners later and after some very smart moves, Gajser was up in second.

Romain Febvre claimed the Race 2 holeshot
Romain Febvre claimed the Race 2 holeshot

Herlings started the second race further down the order, though was quick to get Jonass for fourth. Meanwhile Cairoli was even further down as he battled his way up from 14th. The Italian eventually finished the race in 10th.

Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Febvre continued to lead Gajser, Coldenhoff and Herlings, as the Bullet pushed hard to get around his fellow countryman. It took Herlings seven laps to pass Coldenhoff and after that it seemed like he was happy to settle for solid points than to push forward to get Gajser and Febvre.

Glenn Coldenhoff
Glenn Coldenhoff – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Eventually Gajser caught onto the rear wheel of Febvre’s factory Kawasaki, and it took several attempts and block passes for the Slovenian to secure the lead on lap 12. He then got his head down to finish the race 12 seconds ahead of Febvre, with Herlings crossing the line third.

Tim Gajser victorious at the 2021 MXGP of Germany
Tim Gajser – 2021 MXGP of Germany

With a 3-1 result, Gajser made his comeback to the top step of the podium, with Herlings second and Febvre securing his fifth podium of the season. And in terms of the MXGP World Championship, the standings could not be any closer, as Gajser has take the red plate back and leads Herlings by just two points, while Febvre is third a further six points behind.


Tim Gajser – P1

“I am so happy with how things went today, to come here just three weeks after surgery and get the moto win, the overall and the red plate is more than I could have hoped for coming into this weekend. A big thank you to the whole team who worked hard to get me feeling as close to 100% as possible and have supported me throughout, I couldn’t do it without them. In both races I got good starts and that put me in a position to challenge for victory. I had good lines and although I felt I was fast enough to finish further forward in race one, third was still a good result. In race two, I had another good battle, but this time I could make the pass for the lead and win the race and it was just amazing to cross the line in first. I knew I was feeling better after two weeks of recovery since Sardinia so now, I will try to keep this momentum as we go to a new track in France next weekend. Also, a big thank you to all the fans at the track today and who have messaged me online, it really helps a lot to get that kind of support and it was great to hear so many fans whilst racing today.”

Tim Gajser
Tim Gajser – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Jeffrey Herlings – P2

“What can I say? As good as it starts as bad as it ends. I’m lucky to still be racing today. I made some mistakes in the first 15 mins of the first moto but was then able to catch Jorge. We know he is not the easiest rider to pass; he defends his line and there is nothing wrong with that but jumping? My knee had a big impact and it’s 100% OK, but the trauma of the bang meant it was really sore in that second moto. This is not my favorite track so when I got up to 3rd place I did not even try to close the gap and accepted second overall. We’ll work on the knee now and I’ll look forward to France and hope to fight with the boys again.”

Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Romain Febvre – P3

“My speed was good today and I got good starts both motos. In the first I was behind Prado and I was faster but it was really tough to pass; then I was behind Jeffrey (Herlings) and at the same time I saw Tim (Gajser) was coming back because I was stuck. Then I made a mistake in a turn; I tried to pass him again at the end but it was not quite enough. I knew with a good start I had a chance to win the GP, and I took the holeshot in race two, but Tim was better today; I did everything I could to hold him but he had some better lines in sectors three and four and I couldn’t figure out exactly where he would be able to pass. They were good points for the championship today but still I want more and next weekend we go to France for my home GP. “

Romain Febvre
Romain Febvre – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Pauls Jonass – P4

“Overall, it was a good day with decent starts and decent results. The only thing I’m lacking is a little intensity on the opening laps. My speed is good so if I can just stay a little closer to the leaders early in the races then I think I can improve my results a little. Together with the Standing Construct GASGAS team we’ve found a really good setting with the bike and with a lot of hardpack races coming up on the calendar, I’m feeling really confident for the weeks ahead.”

Jeremy Seewer – P5

“It’s definitely going forward, which is positive. It’s going well physically. I feel good and I was able to make some improvements today. I know I am not in the top five where I know I should be in Timed Practice, but it’s going forward. I hope in a few GP’s I will be more upfront and battling for the podium.”

Jeremy Seewer
Jeremy Seewer – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Glenn Coldenhoff – P6

“In the end, it was a positive day. We did some testing last week and we have made some improvements which I am very happy about. In practice, I still struggled a little bit, but I think we still found a good setup. I had two good starts, which is a really positive point. In the second race, I showed good intensity and felt really good with the bike. It’s a shame about the last 10 minutes of the race, somebody crashed in front of me and Pauls Jonass passed me and then Jeremy (Seewer) on the last lap, which was not the best, but I am okay with it. We made good progress and it’s our first solid result which I am happy about and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Glenn Coldenhoff
Glenn Coldenhoff – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Tony Cairoli – P7

“I knew it would be tough here because I couldn’t ride in the week due to my painful ribs. I took some medication and rode at the Nations – although the first moto crash and someone hitting my ribs again didn’t help – and I survived the weekend and we won. It was something I was missing in my career and I wanted to do it but I didn’t think too much about the reaction and the consequences and I was feeling really bad here. I was struggling with my health and I knew it would be a tough day from Timed Practice. After fifteen minutes I couldn’t really hold onto the bike that much anymore. A 5th in the first moto was OK and I was very happy with that result but the second moto was so tough and I knew it would be before I went to the gate. I just tried to make my way to the end. 10th is not what we want but I couldn’t do any more. Let’s try to recover this week and try to do what we can in France.”

Tony Cairoli
Tony Cairoli – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Ben Watson – P11

“A pretty positive day. I didn’t feel like I was ‘wow,’ but I was solid and consistent and definitely making progress. I know I need to change ASAP when it comes to qualifying because where I need to start, I am too far out on the gate, making it difficult to get a good start. I kind of finished where I gated, it was a little bit ‘follow the leader’ in both races, but still a solid result and I am pleased with that.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen – P12

“After last weekend I was feeling really good and despite the results not showing it, there are a lot of positives from today. In the second moto I felt strong and I was attacking the track. I was in ninth and setting up a pass for eighth before I crashed. Crashing obviously isn’t positive but I felt like I was going to move further forwards in the race and it’s a shame that I went down. I feel like everything is going in the right direction and with so many races coming up, I think we can enjoy a good end to the season.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen
Thomas Kjer Olsen – 2021 MXGP of Germany

Source: MCNews.com.au

Moto News | Trial des Nations | Supermoto | TrialGP | MXGP

2021 ProMX Championship remains on hold

The ProMX Management Team has advised that all Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores events continue to remain on hold due to the current national landscape around COVID-19 State Border Restrictions.

With all remaining championship events postponed, a final decision on the status of running the remainder of the championship rounds will be announced no later than 15th October 2021.

2021 Australian ProMX
2021 Australian ProMX

ProMX is continuing to examine the environment around COVID-19 State Border Restrictions, relying on information from state governments on plans to reopen borders.

Planning for the 2022 ProMX Championship is also underway, with an aim to begin in March 2022 with eight Championship events. Further updates and information will be provided in the coming weeks and months.

ProMX Management is also monitoring the changing landscape of potential vaccine passports which may be required by State and Federal governments for future air travel, entry to venues, and as a condition of inclusion in some situations. Some sporting venues in Australia have already made announcements where proof of double vaccination will be required for entry, whilst other are considering their position on this topic.

ProMX respects the choice of individuals when it comes to the topic of COVID-19 vaccination. However, it is highly likely that proof of vaccination or vaccination passport may be required for entry into some states and venues moving forward. ProMX Management provides this as information only.

2021 Penrite ProMX Championship Calendar

Round Date Location Status
Round 5 TBA Wodonga, VIC Postponed
Round 6 TBA QMP, QLD Postponed
Round 7 & 8 TBA Coolum, QLD Postponed
Round 9 & 10 TBA Gillman, SA Postponed

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2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Calendar

The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship is set to expand to nine rounds for 2022. Build on what’s been a successful inaugural season of racing for the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, the series will provisionally expand to nine rounds for 2022, while introducing a host of new events to the calendar.

Further strengthening its grip as a truly international offroad motorcycling world championship, the series will see races in Israel, Serbia and Canada added to an already bustling schedule.

An early start at the beginning of April will see the 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship season commence in Israel. Venturing to Asia for the Minus 400, the best Hard Enduro riders in the world will showcase their talents in front of enduro fans in the Middle East.

Returning to Europe for round two, Xross is a Hard Enduro Rallye in the Serbian mountains of Zlatibor, Tara and Mokra Gora. A long-established event, Xross has been running since 2014 and prides itself on featuring some of the most remote and technical Hard Enduro terrain in the southeast of Europe.

WESS Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble Rnd Start
Erzbergrodeo

The return of Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in Austria for 2022 is sure to set fans and competitors hearts racing. On hold for the past two years due to the Covid pandemic, everyone is waiting for the Iron Giant to roar back into life in spectacular fashion next June.

Following its successful debut this year, the Abestone Hard Enduro returns to the championship for 2022. The distinct Tuscany venue has already become a much talked about race. Busily preparing trails for 2022, organiser Michele Bosi is eager to deliver something special next year.

Synonymous with Hard Enduro, it would be impossible not to feature the iconic Red Bull Romaniacs in the 2022 schedule. Now a mecca for Hard Enduro competitors from across the world, organisers are currently working on the 19th edition of this world famous Hard Enduro Rallye.

Red Bull Romaniacs

From Romania, the series will take a trip across the Atlantic to North America for a double header in the USA and Canada. Kicking things off for round six will be Red Bull TKO in Tennessee. The venue produced some spectacular racing and many memorable battles this year and will be eagerly anticipated next August.

Two weeks later, the championship heads north to Canada for the already established Red Bull Outliers in the Badlands of Alberta. The feature race is a multi-lap extreme cross-country event across a rugged wasteland with plenty of near-vertical climbs.

2021 Red Bull TKO Hard Enduro

HERO Challenge will play host to the penultimate round in mid-September. A welcomed addition to the 2021 series, its format twist of motocross, superenduro and hard enduro elements pushed competitors to their physical limits. Now, with 12 months to prepare for the next edition, expect organisers to raise the bar even higher.

Seven months after round one in Israel, the championship will draw to an exciting conclusion at Spain’s Hixpania Hard Enduro in Aguilar de Campoo, as a spectacular end to the 2022 season is guaranteed.

Winfried Kerschhaggl – FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Manager

“It’s great to already have the 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship provisionally in place. I would like to thank all event organizers for their commitment to the championship, and for the energy they have. Being so early with this provisional calendar gives everyone the advantage of being able to market each particular event professionally, as well as giving competitors an early look at the exciting championship we have. Pushing so hard in 2021 earned us a lot of interest from fans, media and potential event organizers all around the world. With Israel, Serbia and Canada added to an already diverse calendar we aim to strengthen our grip as a true offroad motorcycling World Championship.”

2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Provisional Schedule

  • Round 1: Minus 400 – Israel, April 5/6/7
  • Round 2: Xross – Serbia, May 19/20/21
  • Round 3: Red Bull Erzbergrodeo – Austria, June 16/17/18/19
  • Round 4: Abestone Hard Enduro – Italy, July 8/9/10
  • Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs – Romania, July 26/27/28/29/30
  • Round 6: Red Bull TKO – USA, August (date TBC)
  • Round 7: Red Bull Outliers – Canada, August (TBC, two weeks after TKO)
  • Round 8: HERO Challenge – Poland, September 10/11 (location TBC)
  • Round 9: Hixpania Hard Enduro – Spain, October 7/8/9
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HRC Manager Erik Kehoe retires

Just over a week after Jett Lawrence wrapped up the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross 250MX Championship, Erik Kehoe announced that he will step down from the position of Manager of Team Honda HRC, the manufacturer’s U.S. factory motocross/supercross squad.

Kehoe was a Honda-backed professional racer in the late ’80s and early ’90s before managing the Honda of Troy/Yamaha of Troy race program for seven seasons. He served an earlier stint managing the factory team from the 2002 season through 2012. During Kehoe’s management tenures, Team Honda HRC earned five AMA Pro Motocross National Championships and two AMA Supercross Championships.

Erik Kehoe

“This decision to retire was very difficult, but at the same time, I know it’s time to slow down my pace. I would like to thank American Honda, and [Manager of Sports & Experiential] Brandon Wilson in particular, for giving me the chance to return to the team this last time. I really wanted to help get Honda some positive momentum in supercross and motocross, and this past season, I think the team has enjoyed many successes. I’ve truly enjoyed my time here, but it’s time to focus on some personal projects that I’ve been putting off for some time.”


Takahisa Fujinami retires from Trial World Championship in Portugal

After 26 seasons in the Trial World Championship, a record number of participations, 168 podiums, 34 victories, 7 runner-up finishes and one world championship title, Repsol Honda Team rider Takahisa Fujinami (Mie, Japan, 13/01/1980) will bring his career to a close this coming Saturday in Portugal.

Takahisa Fujinami
Takahisa Fujinami

Since his debut in Navacerrada, Spain in 1996 at the age of 16, he has spent over a quarter of a century fully dedicated to trial competition, collecting several key achievements along the way including the world championship title sealed in 2004.

In addition, the Japanese rider has also broken several records in the specialty, such as the youngest rider to win a world championship event (Talheim, 1997) at the age of 17, as well as the record for the most elderly rider, attained earlier in 2021 with a win in Italy aged 41. Indeed, this kind of longevity has led him to become the rider with the highest number of participations in elite competition, with a tally of 355, including this Saturday’s event in Gouveia.

With 34 victories – always with Montesa-Honda – Takahisa Fujinami is the rider with the fifth highest number of triumphs in world championship trials and is fourth in terms of number of podiums, surpassed only by Adam Raga, Toni Bou and Dougie Lampkin. He has also finished in the world championship top five over 20 consecutive seasons.

Fujigas’ has also been world championship runner-up on seven occasions. The number rises further with the indoor competition tally: one runner-up, one victory and 36 podiums out of 139 trials. In Japan, he also won five national titles between 1995 and 2001. Finally, he took part in 15 Trial du Nations events representing the Japanese team, contributing to five runner-up finishes.

Takahisa Fujinami

“I firmly believe that the time has come to close the curtain on my career as a world trial championship rider after 26 years in the competition. Thanks to everyone’s support, over this period, I have been able to make trial my profession and perform at a more than satisfactory level for over a quarter of a century. Thank you very much. They have been 26 great years. And I have to also thank my family, who supported me from the first moment, my team-mates, the brand, the sponsors and also the fans who have cheered me on throughout. I would like to greet each of my fans one by one, and I hope to do it someday, to thank them for the enormous support they have given throughout this time. Honda Racing and Montesa-Honda gave me a bike to participate in the world championship when I was 16 years old and, since then, I am proud to have battled with this team right through to the very end.

Takahisa Fujinami
Takahisa Fujinami

“I still remember the shouts and applause of support at my debut in Japan and also in Spain: ‘Fujigas’ was born there! The first victory in Germany, the tough, complicated years, but also the joy of the world title in 2004. It’s a long time ago, but it’s my particular treasure… I would also like to particularly remember the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, which started in 2000 and has always had such an enthusiastic crowd. Thank you again. As for what I will do from now on… I don’t really know yet. I haven’t made up my mind yet what I will do after retiring from competition, but I hope to stay involved in trials in some way. I’m confident that everything will go well in my new life.”

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Toni Bou wins a 29th Trial World Championship title in Portugal

Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou has been proclaimed the 2021 TrialGP World Champion, also winning the day’s trial in Portugal – taking his GP palmares to 125 triumphs and 15 consecutive TrialGP titles, plus 14 indoor –  29 championship wins for the greatest rider of all time.

Toni Bou

The Repsol Honda Team ace set the benchmark from the start in a trial filled with natural yet demanding sections, where the first 12 sections had been made quite slippery by the water which flows through the Portuguese town of Gouveia. Bou made it through to the end of the trial with sufficient advantage to claim a 125th victory in the Trial World Championship for the Montesa Cota 4RT rider. This season saw him victorious in seven 2021 Trial World Championship events to clinch the top TrialGP World Championship honours for a 15th time in a row.

Today was also a very special event for Japanese Repsol Honda Team rider Takahisa Fujinami who brings to an end his career in the Trial World Championship. Fujinami rode a trial that went from strength to strength, improving considerably on the second lap before eventually posting seventh place on the day. “Fujigas” thus wraps up the world championship in sixth place overall.

With this final trial in Portugal, Repsol Honda Team bids farewell to this year’s TrialGP campaign. The next appointment for Toni Bou will be tomorrow, held in the same Portuguese town, where the champion will represent the Spanish national team in the Trial des Nations event.

Toni Bou – P1

“This year has been very special for me because at the beginning things were very complicated with the injury just a month before the start of the championship. In the end there will come a year when I will not be able to win – I’ve won for 15 consecutive years – but the fact that I got injured just before the start of the world championship made it special and I didn’t want to lose a championship in this way. Once again we battled 100%, I tried to get into shape as the championship progressed and the fact that I had a very good work rate before I got injured also helped me to recover faster. I am very happy to be able to win another world championship. Once again, many thanks to the whole team. Today was also a very special day for everyone as it was Fujinami’s last trial. It is very difficult to think of Team HRC without him. I wish him all the best for the future.”

Toni Bou and Takahisa Fujinami celebrate

Takahisa Fujinami – P7

“First of all, I want to thank Honda, HRC and the whole Montesa team, including mechanics, minders and all the people who have helped me over these 26 years. Without all of them I could not have been in the world championship for 26 years. Today I wanted to get a good result, in the end I finished seventh, but I’m still happy with the way I rode today. I battled until the end. Today I close this stage, but I am sure that the future will be promising. Today was a really special day, thanks to the whole trial family, all the brands and all the people who were in Portugal today. I am very proud to have shared this day with all of them.”

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GasGas’s Laia Sanzs wraps up 2021 TrialGP Women title

After eight years away from the Trial World Championship, Laia Sanz has returned to the top of the podium once again, winning the final round of the 2021 season on her GASGAS TXT GP 300 to become TrialGP Women World Champion for an incredible 14th time.

Laia Sanz

“It’s been an incredible day, to win is amazing. It wasn’t the hardest trial of the championship, but the hard thing for me was to stay 100% focused, so mentally it wasn’t easy at all. Coming back to TrialGP after so many years away, to return and finally be successful and win another world title, it’s amazing. Apart from section three on the first lap, I think I had one of my best days of the championship today. It’s not been an easy year for me, so I am proud that I have been able to do what I hoped I would. Also, I want to thank the team and GASGAS, they have been so, so good to me. It’s the result that we all worked really hard for.”

Laia Sanz
Laia Sanz

Proving once again that she’s unquestionably the queen of trial, Laia Sanz did exactly what she needed to do at the all-important final round of the 2021 TrialGP World Championship, winning the day and claiming an incredible 14th trial title.

Coming into the Portuguese event one point behind her closest championship rival Emma Bristow, Laia set her sights on winning from the moment she entered the day’s opening section.

Knowing that there was no room for error, she completed the opening lap having lost just four marks. In doing so she put one hand on the women’s title. Holding her nerve, her best was yet to come as she dropped just two marks on the second lap and delivered her best ride of the season, when it mattered most.

Laia Sanz
Laia Sanz

Securing her third win of the championship, in never finishing lower than second this season Laia’s composure and consistency ultimately ensured she won her 14th trial world title.

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Source: MCNews.com.au