The 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship kicked off with familiar faces topping the Russian opening round in Orlyonok, with defending champions Tim Gajser and Tom Vialle claiming the round overalls respectively, both walking away with a perfect 50-points.
MX2 also saw Australian Jed Beaton race 7-11 to claim seventh overall, while Wilson Todd finished 16-14, for 15th overall, despite a crash in race two.
MXGP Race 1
Tim Gajser proved why he is a two-time MXGP World Champion, as he took control of the opening race, leading the way from start to finish and eventually winning by 16.794 seconds from Romain Febvre, with Antonio Cairoli third.
Tim Gajser
Jorge Prado grabbed the first Fox Holeshot of the season, before Gajser was able to slip into the lead, with Prado being pushed to second ahead of Cairoli. Just a couple of laps later the Spaniard made a mistake and went down, to re-join down the field in 22nd leaving him with a lot of work to get back up to the leaders.
Jeremy Seewer
Gajser led Cairoli, Febvre and Alessandro Lupino, with the Italian getting off to a great start in the race. He later came under immense pressure from Jeffrey Herlings but was able to keep him at bay for the majority of the race (14 laps) before the Dutchman was able to fight his way through into fourth, where he eventually finished the race.
Thomas Kjer Olsen
Jeremy Seewer had a strong ride to finish the race sixth after spending much of the racing keeping up with Herlings and Lupino.
Following his crash on lap two, Prado was eventually able to fight his way back up to ninth, with Thomas Kjer Olsen having a good ride on his first MXGP outing to finish the race in 10th.
MXGP Race 2
In race two it was Herlings who took the Fox Holeshot, leading Cairoli, Pauls Jonass and Febvre, while Gajser and Prado got caught in some start dramas which saw both riders pushed wide in the first corner. This left Gajser down outside the top 20, which meant he had to work hard to get back up to the front.
Jeffrey Herlings
Herlings’ lead didn’t last for long, as he had a small crash letting Cairoli, Jonass and Febvre through, but re-joining the race ahead of Seewer who was fifth.
Further down the order, Gajser wasted no time, as by lap five he was already up into P3, making passes on Olsen, Seewer, and Lupino. A lap later he also made a move on Herlings, taking an inside line for P2.
Tim Gajser
There was a bit of drama for Febvre, with the Frenchman hitting the back of Jonass as he pushed to pass him, which left him on the side of the track. This mistake was costly, though by the end of the race the Frenchman was able to make some good passes to get back up into sixth after falling to 15th.
At the top of the field Cairoli still led the way keeping a good pace that saw him set a few fastest laps of the race. Gajser was catching quickly however and by lap 12 was the new race leader.
Jorge Prado
Cairoli was keen to challenge Gajser but had an unfortunate crash which left his bike too bent to finish, despite the nine-time world champion’s best effort.
In the end it was Gajser, Herlings and Jonass making up the podium while, Lupino and Seewer completed the top five of the second MXGP race!
Picking up right where he left off from the 2019 MXGP of Russia, Gajser stood on the top step of the podium in Orlyonok once again to take the overall victory and the red plate, with Herlings second and Febvre finishing third overall for the round.
Tim Gajser – P1
“First of all, I’m really happy that we are back racing. It has been a really long period without races and it is great to see so many fans here in Russia. In the first race my start was good, and my riding was smooth and consistent. I was able to get into the lead quickly and control the moto. Then in the second race my jump out of the gate was good but someone on the inside, crashed and pushed me off the track and I even jumped off the bike so when I remounted I was way back in the pack. I searched for some lines in the first few laps, trying to pass as many people as possible. I got into second and looked where best to make the move and once I got into first, I made a gap and took the win. I’m very happy with how it all went this weekend.”
Tim Gajser
Jeffrey Herlings – P2
“I started the day with P1 in time practice. In the first race I had a bad start, I was fourth or something and was struggling with the guys in front, managed to finish fourth which was decent, not good but decent and then in the second race I had a really good start and was leading. Then I made a small mistake, crashed and lost a few places, then worked my way to third then Tim passed me and I was back in fourth. I then passed Pauls [Jonass] for third. I felt a little off the pace, obviously I had a bit of luck with Tony [ Cairoli] going down which I feel sorry for him but managed to finish second and second overall, so it was a decent day, I mean I haven’t race GP’s for 9 months, my fitness is not there yet but I just need to get back in the groove. It’s a big improvement, obviously it’s [the foot] not like new, but I don’t have any pain.”
Jeffrey Herlings
Romain Febvre – P3
“I had a good start in both races but the second could have been better, but I managed to get into third really soon, I saw that I was faster than the other riders but I kind of took my time to look for some lines and Pauls Jonass was in front, he was riding securing the inside line everywhere and at one point I was really close to him, at the last moment he cut his line and went for the inside line and I was there so he took my front wheel and I ended up in the fence. Managed to get the bike and when I stood up I crashed again, so I lost about 20 seconds. I managed to come back to sixth so it’s pretty good, I didn’t think I was on the podium on the last lap, it’s on your bad days that you can fight for the championship, so I’m really happy to finish sixth in the second race and third overall. I struggled with my injury that happened in 2019 but now it’s all good, I feel really good at the moment, my physical condition is pretty good, I’m really calm and I feel I can go fast, so I just need a couple of more races to get into the race condition.”
Jeremy Seewer – P5
“Considering how both motos went for me today, the result is not too bad. I managed some good points, which could have been a bad weekend. The track was sketchy; the speed is high. I am happy this one is done. I am in one piece. It felt like ice out there. Top five was the goal here and I think I achieved that. It’s a good place to start and good to have some points in the pocket. I am still not 100%, I am recovering from a problem I had before the season, but I feel good with the team and the bike. My time will come soon.”
Jeremy Seewer
Thomas Kjer Olsen – P6
“I’m super-happy with today. Coming into this race it was all a little bit of an unknown because I’ve not raced in this class before and there are so many good riders. My goal was to be in the top 10, so to finish sixth overall is really amazing. It took a little while to find my flow in race one but for race two I felt great on the bike, and I just felt physically strong all day. I made a couple of mistakes in race two but still came back to finish seventh. This result is a nice confidence boost early in the season and we’ll go back to work next week, keep doing what we’re doing and I’m really looking forward to round two.”
Thomas Kjer Olsen
Jorge Prado – P7
“A very tough day, one of the toughest race-days from the last few seasons. Just bad luck because I had good speed in an easy way. I could have done very well today. I was a bit nervous because it has been so long since we’ve raced. I made a mistake on the third corner of the first moto. On the second lap I completely lost the back wheel coming down the hill and many guys passed me. I came back to 9th from outside the top twenty and that was very good on a track that is difficult for passing. I was a bit disappointed. In the second moto a few guys just didn’t brake, and ran me off the track in the first corner. I got up to 6th but I had to hit the brakes to avoid some of the marshals at a place that was just too slippery and sketchy. My bars were bent and I couldn’t do much. P8 in the end. Somehow I took top ten finishes today which is not what I want…but the best I could do.”
Jorge Prado
Tony Cairoli – P10
“I’m quite disappointed with my mistake, especially with three laps to go and in a place where many people crash. It shouldn’t have happened and I should have thought a bit more. I was a bit distracted and crashed hard. Luckily, I didn’t hurt myself and wanted to restart as I had some time over the guys behind but the clutch was broken and bar was bent. It’s disappointing because I was feeling very good on this track after struggling in previous years. Let’s regroup and see what we can do in England.”
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What happened this week
JD Beach wins 2019 Buffalo Chip TT
Ryan Sipes tops AFT Singles at Buffalo Chip TT
Gajser and Prado claim victory at 2019 MXGP of Belgium
Van De Moosdijk tops EMX at Lommel
Husqvarna’s Waters & Todd claim titles at Coolum MX Nationals
Bartosz Zmarzlik wins Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
Dan Reardon joins CDR Yamaha for 2019 Australian SX
Cole Seely announces retirement
Team Belgium for 2019 Motocross of Nations announced
JD Beach wins 2019 Buffalo Chip TT
JD Beach took an unexpected last-second victory at the 2019 Buffalo Chip TT at the American Flat Track premiere class showdown in Sturgis, with Jake Johnson seeming a clear winner until a mechanical issue on the final corner of the final lap wreaked havoc on his would-be victory.
AFT Twins Start – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT
TT standout Johnson grabbed the holeshot and quickly broke free at the front while a four-rider fight for second took shape involving Jarod Vanderkooi, Jared Mees, Bronson Bauman and Beach.
And they are off! – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT
Passing opportunities proved few and far between as the riders negotiated the purpose-built TT circuit on the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground that encircled “The Bar” and was pressed tight by thousands of fans on the fences. As a result, the top five could have easily been set from the opening lap if not for repeated drama.
First, Vanderkooi ran wide and quickly gave up three positions. An aggressive Beach then made his way by Bauman as well and immediately went about applying intense pressure on Mees for second.
Jake Johnson – AFT Twins – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT
That pressure was so great, in fact, that Mees ultimately decided it was better to just hand the position over to Beach than invite trouble in an attempt to defend it, especially once he saw that championship rival Briar Bauman was destined to DNF after crashing further back in the field.
At that point, Mees’ calculated decision appeared likely only to open the door for an eventual Estenson 1-2, but Beach still wasn’t satisfied. He somehow reeled in teammate Johnson, arriving on his rear wheel just in time to take the white flag. However, Beach simply couldn’t find a way through and was all but ready to follow Johnson to the checkered flag when Johnson’s bike suffered a mechanical issue exiting the race’s very final corner.
JD Beach claims the win from Jake Johnson – AFT Twins – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT
Beach promptly powered past, officially claiming the victory by 0.201 seconds. The win was the second of Beach’s AFT Twins career and his second straight on the tour’s run of TTs, having also won at the Arizona Super TT earlier this season.
JD Beach
“I’m heartbroken for Jake. He rode an amazing race. I came from like fifth and caught him, but we only had a lap to go. I was trying to find a way by him but there just wasn’t any room. Coming out of the last turn, I heard his bike blubber, so I knew I was hooked up and going. It’s awesome to get a win, but to get a win like that — especially with Jake because he’s such a good guy – it feels good but it doesn’t. I have to thank the whole crowd for coming out. This event is awesome. And I’ve got to thank the whole Estenson racing team. They’ve been working really hard. We’ve got a bike that can go right, and I think we’ve proved it. And we have another chance at the Peoria TT, so we’ll see what happens.”
JD Beach – AFT Twins – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT
Mees came home in third, slashing his title deficit from 26 to just 12 (173-161) to open the second half of the ‘19 title fight. Bronson Bauman finished fourth, followed by Vanderkooi in fifth.
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Ryan Sipes tops AFT Singles at Buffalo Chip TT
For the second consecutive year, Ryan Sipes put on a masterclass of all-around riding ability at the Buffalo Chip TT with a convincing victory in the once-stopped and restarted AFT Singles Main Event.
AFT Singles start – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT
With right- and left-handers of varying radii and jumps to navigate, the TTs demand a somewhat different, expanded skillset compared to the other three AFT disciplines. It should be no surprise that the supremely versatile Sipes once again shone under the lights at the Buffalo Chip, as he showcased the talents that also made him a Supercross race winner and America’s first-ever ISDE overall winner.
Ryan Sipes – AFT Singles – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT
Sipes was in dominant form all day long, and effectively secured the win at the critically important start when he hammered into the lead off the line. His combination of superior speed and inch-perfect lines provided his opponents with precious little hope of defeating the Kentucky native on this night.
Ryan Sipes
“I wanted this one really bad. All I’ve thought about since I crashed at Springfield was I should have won there, and now I have to win here. And I did it, so I feel really good about it.”
Ryan Sipes – AFT Singles – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT
AFT Singles points leader Dalton Gauthier was ecstatic to finish second. With series part-timer Sipes not in championship contention and key title rival Mikey Rush suffering another difficult outing, Gauthier’s podium performance opened up some breathing space at the top of the standings.
Defending champ Dan Bromley took over second in the championship chase with his sixth podium result of the season by finishing third. 2016 class champ Ryan Wells made an impressive charge on a track that was nearly impossible to pass on to arrive in fourth while top qualifier Chad Cose rounded out the top five.
Ryan Sipes topped the AFT Singles podium- AFT Twins – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT
Aussie Max Whale came home in the AFT Singles main event eighth on his Kawasaki KX450F, and currently sits ninth in the standings on 83-points.
Max Whale
“Had a blast at the Buffalo Chip TT. Ended the night with a solid P8. The track was unique, tight and hard to pass! Had to come from row 3. Plenty of bar bagging! Thanks to all my sponsors!”
Max Whale – AFT Singles – 2019 Bufallo Chip TT
Buffalo Chip TT – AFT Singles Main Event
#
Rider
Bike
Gap
1
Ryan Sipes
KTM 450 SX-F
0.000
2
Dalton Gauthier
Husqvarna FC450
2.141
3
Dan Bromley
KTM 450 SX-F
3.272
4
Ryan Wells
Yamaha YZ450F
7.56
5
Chad Cose
Honda CRF450R
8.072
6
James Rispoli
Yamaha YZ450F
8.369
7
Jesse Janisch
Yamaha YZ450F
8.509
8
Max Whale
Kawasaki KX450F
8.86
9
Jacob Lehmann
Honda CRF450R
9.119
10
Andrew DiBrino
Husqvarna FC450
9.866
AFT Singles Standings
#
Rider
Points
1
Dalton Gauthier
189
2
Dan Bromley
168
3
Mikey Rush
161
4
Jesse Janisch
150
5
Ryan Wells
126
6
Shayna Texter
108
7
Chad Cose
105
8
Morgen Mischler
90
9
Max Whale
83
10
Kevin Stollings
79
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Gajser and Prado claim victory at 2019 MXGP of Belgium
Tim Gajser claimed the MXGP of Belgium victory over the weekend, with a 2-2 result netting 44-points and extending his championship lead, with Romain Febvre runner up on 43-points thanks to a 1-4 result. Glenn Coldenhoff claimed the final overall podium position with a consistent 3-3 result for 40-points.
Tim Gajser – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
Following the MXGP of Belgium Gajser holds the championship lead by an all but insurmountable 187-points with four rounds to go, with second place sitting with Jeremy Seewer who took fourth overall over the weekend and now holds 439-points. That’s a 37-point lead over Gautier Paulin on 402. Arnaud Tonus is a close fourth with 396-points.
Tim Gajser
“I had fun today and it is weird saying that in the sand for me. I had two good races and I let Max pass because he was faster, then he made a mistake and I got him back, then he passed me again. They told me if I was second, I would have won the overall. I very happy with this GP win as I didn’t’ expect it. I expected a top five would be good and to win here is really special. We have worked in the sand in the winter and it really worked out. The track was rough, and it was easy to make a mistake. I will try and make a good start and see if I can stay with these guys, but if I can’t I will settle for the points. It is always mental, coming here in Lommel, we know the race will be tough, so deep and so bumpy and I did my best.”
Tim Gajser – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
Romain Febvre
“I used a lot of energy for the qualifying race. I wanted a good start gate. I was first in the first corner of the first race and then Tim passed me, and I passed him again. I was feeling comfortable but it was really tough. The first race was easier, and the second race I didn’t get the start I liked.. It was tough and it was hot. I struggled at the beginning of the first race a bit, then 10 minutes before the end I lost a bit my rhythm and I was super happy to have won the first race. In second race I ended fourth for a second overall. I couldn’t pass Van Horebeek and Coldenhoff and I lost my rhythm. I am a little bit disappointed. Today I felt better than yesterday, but I didn’t have so much energy at the end.”
Romain Febvre – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
Glenn Coldenhoff
“It is great. Two weeks ago I didn’t feel good in the sand, but the team helped with a great bike and I give it to those guys. I am happy to be back up here and I enjoy it. The sand always suits me well, and it is easier than hard pack for me. Yesterday I felt good. I went into qualification to save energy for today’s race and maybe that was wrong, because I couldn’t find my rhythm and I struggled a bit. I pushed this morning and had that good feeling again pulling also the FOX Holeshot. I have to thank my boss and the whole team. We have been through difficult time, but we are back. The team has done an amazing job to have me comfortable in the sand.”
Glenn Coldenhoff – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
MXGP Round Overall
Pos
Rider
Total
1
Gajser, Tim
44
2
Febvre, Romain
43
3
Coldenhoff, Glenn
40
4
Seewer, Jeremy
34
5
Van Horebeek, Jeremy
29
6
Jasikonis, Arminas
28
7
Anstie, Max
25
8
Jonass, Pauls
24
9
Monticelli, Ivo
23
10
Paulin, Gautier
23
MXGP Standings
#
Rider
Points
1
Gajser, Tim
SLO
HON
626
2
Seewer, Jeremy
SUI
YAM
439
3
Paulin, G.
FRA
YAM
402
4
Tonus, Arnaud
SUI
YAM
396
5
Cairoli, A.
ITA
KTM
358
6
Jasikonis, A.
LTU
HUS
355
7
Coldenhoff, G.
NED
KTM
349
8
Febvre, Romain
FRA
YAM
336
9
Van Horebeek, J.
BEL
HON
329
10
Jonass, Pauls
LAT
HUS
321
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In MX2 Jorge Prado proved unstoppable with a 1-1 result and 50 championship points to the tally, with the runner up position proving a tight competition with Calvin Vlaanderen, Ben Watson and Tom Vialle all sitting on 36-points a-piece, with Vialle missing out on the podium and Vlaanderen runner up. Adam Sterry in fifth overall was a further point in arrears.
Jorge Prado – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
Following Belgium Prado (644) holds a 124-point lead from Thomas Kjer Olsen (520), with Tom Vialle (416) a further 104-points back in third place. Jago Geerts sits fourth in the standings on 413-points, while Henry Jacobi completes the top five with 399-points.
Jorge Prado
“Normally it is a tough race even if I had a good flow the whole race. I was enjoying it and I was mentally prepared for this. We are closing in on the championship and looking for the next round. The first race was also good, the track is very rough, and you need to be careful with your energy and have energy for the second one. The second race was good, another FOX holeshot and that was my goal. The last lap I had more than 30 seconds lead and I tried to make it bigger, but I lost my hand and fell, lucky I got up quickly. Third GP win at Lommel, so I am happy.”
Jorge Prado – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
Calvin Vlaanderen
“It feels good to be back, this is the goal to come on the podium. First race I wasn’t happy, put it down and came back. Didn’t expect to be on the podium as I started the second race with the goal to have fun. I was stoked when I saw I was on the podium. I think in Italy I need two good starts and two good races. Maybe on the hard-pack I can put a bit more pressure on Prado and try and fight at the front.”
Calvin Vlaanderen – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
Ben Watson
“I am gutted for my teammate. I come here not knowing what to expect as I decided to race just some days ago. I came here to one of the toughest Grand Prix of the year and got on the podium. I want to thank the team, my girlfriend, my family and everyone who has been a part of this. The last few weeks have been difficult, I had a lot of time to improve after Indonesia and I got a lot of physical training in as I wanted a good comeback race. I only rode Tuesday for the first time, and we decided to come, and it was a big shock to me and the whole team. My teammate Jago deserved the second spot on the podium.”
Ben Watson – MXGP of Belgium 2019, Round 14
MX2 Round Overall
Pos
Rider
Total
1
Prado, Jorge
50
2
Vlaanderen, Calvin
36
3
Watson, Ben
36
4
Vialle, Tom
36
5
Sterry, Adam
35
6
Renaux, Maxime
29
7
Genot, Cyril
22
8
Östlund, Alvin
22
9
Jacobi, Henry
22
10
Geerts, Jago
22
MX2 Standings
#
Rider
Points
1
Prado, Jorge
ESP
KTM
644
2
Olsen, T.
DEN
HUS
520
3
Vialle, Tom
FRA
KTM
416
4
Geerts, Jago
BEL
YAM
413
5
Jacobi, Henry
GER
KAW
399
6
Sterry, Adam
GBR
KAW
314
7
Watson, Ben
GBR
YAM
282
8
Renaux, Maxime
FRA
YAM
271
9
Beaton, Jed
AUS
HUS
250
10
Vlaanderen, C.
NED
HON
248
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Van De Moosdijk tops EMX at Lommel
The EMX250 and EMX125 classes continued their championships stories in Lommel at the MXGP of Belgium, and once again it was the sand masters who came out with amazing skills around one of the toughest circuits in the World.
EMX250 start at Lommel
Roan van de Moosdijk is the king of the sand in the EMX250 class, going 1-1 and taking the points’ lead in the series standings heading to the next round in Sweden. The Dutchman was a level above his competition as he clocked lap times bunch of seconds quicker than the other EMX250 riders. Kevin Horgmo was second overall and Mikkel Haarup third.
In the EMX125 class it was Simon Laengenfelder who scored 2-1 results to win the overall, ahead of series leader Mattia Guadagnini and Tom Guyon. Guadagnini continues to lead the series by 20 points over Guyon.
EMX250
Kevin Horgmo was quickly into the lead in the opening EMX250 race, followed by Isak Gifting, Kay Ebben and Roan van de Moosdijk. Mikkel Haarup moved past van de Moosdijk on lap two, and championship front runners, Rene Hofer was back in seventh, Stephen Rubini was ninth and Alberto Forato way back in 14th. Van de Moosdijk moved into second place on lap three.
Alberto Forato
Van de Moosdijk moved into the lead on the fourth lap while Rubini was up to sixth position. After six laps the lead was 12 seconds between van de Moosdijk and Horgmo. Haarup moved into second on lap 10 and Rubini moved into fifth place. Van de Moosdijk won the Saturday’s race 1 from Haarup and Horgmo.
In the second EMX250 race it was Van De Moosdijk who led early from Horgmo, Raivo Dankers, Bastian Boegh Damm and Rene Hofer. Rubini was down in seventh place. After just one lap the lead was already more than five seconds as the Dutchman was showing off his sand skills. A lap later the lead was nearly 10 seconds.
Forato moved into second place when he passed Horgmo, and Rubini crashed and dropped to 10th place. Not a lot changed with Van De Moosdijk moved to 30 seconds ahead of Forato on lap eight, then came Horgmo, Dankers and Boegh. Rubini remained in 10th place.
With a 32 second lead Van de Moosdijk slipped over in a corner, but still had an easy lead when he got up and just to make matters even better for the leader, Rubini dropped out of the top ten and was in 13th.
Van De Moosdijk won race 2 from Forato and Horgmo and getting is double race win of the season and the Red Plate for the first time in his career. The Dutch rider got in the Belgian round in thirst position in the series and will head to Switzerland leading the series with 11 point over Rubini.
Roan Van De Moosdijk
“I didn’t know I had the points lead until the end of the race. The start today was good, and I controlled the races even if at the end I got tired. It’s been always a dream to have a red plate and now I have it, and close to home with all my family and friends here to see it. I want to thank my team and my trainer.”
Roan Van De Moosdijk
EMX250 – Overall Top Ten
Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KAW), 50 points
Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KTM), 40
Mikkel Haarup (DEN, HUS), 35
Alberto Forato (ITA, HUS), 34
Ken Bengtson (SWE, HUS), 31
Jeremy Sydow (GER, HUS), 28
Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 28
Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 26
Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), 23
Hakon Fredriksen (NOR, YAM), 20
EMX250 – Championship Top Ten
Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KAW), 288 points
Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 277
Alberto Forato (ITA, HUS), 275
Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 195
Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 137
Giuseppe Tropepe (ITA, YAM), 133
Jeremy Sydow (GER, HUS), 131
Josh Gilbert (GBR, HON), 127
Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KTM), 99
Raivo Dankers (NED, YAM), 97
EMX125
Joel Rizzi took the holeshot in the opening EMX 125 race but it was Mattia Guadagnini who took the lead quickly and just walked away from the field. Second was Simon Laengenfelder, and third Tom Guyon. Mike Gwerder finished in fifth and lost ground on the two front guys in the points race.
EMX125 start
The second EMX125 presented by FMF Racing race proved a surprise as Laengenfelder took the lead on Guadagnini and Guyon on lap 3. After five laps the lead was five seconds as the German rider showed amazing sand skills.
Rizzi was also looking good in fourth position ahead of fifth placed Kay De Wolf. Laengenfelder rode brilliant to remain in control and winning from Guadagnini and Guyon.
EMX125 podium
Simon Laengenfelder won his first EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing round of his career with his 2-1 and he stands third in the championship while Mattia Guadagnini keeps the red plate.
Simon Laengenfelder
“I had the holeshot and Guadagnini passed me then I passed him back. I am so happy with the victory. I want to thank my team. This is unbelievable.”
Simon Laengenfelder
EMX125 – Overall Top Ten
Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 47 points
Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 47
Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 40
Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, KTM), 34
Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 30
Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, KTM), 26
Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 25
Max Palsson (SWE, KTM), 24
Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 23
Joel Rizzi (GBR, KTM), 23
EMX125 – Championship Top Ten
Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 265 points
Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 245
Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 175
Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 174
Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, HUS), 165
Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 156
Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 155
Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 123
Guillem Farres (ESP, KTM), 101
Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, KTM), 95
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Husqvarna’s Waters & Todd claim titles at Coolum MX Nationals
DPH Husqvarna Factory Racing team racers Todd Waters and Wilson Todd dominated the final two rounds of the MX Nationals in Coolum, to win both the MX1 450cc and MX2 250cc National Motocross Championships, and become the only team to win both the MX1 and MX2 titles in the one MX Nationals season.
Todd Waters – Image by iKapture
Todd Waters quickly secured the MX1 Superpole on Saturday, before going on to win all three MX1 races, while Wilson Todd took both MX2 wins and secured a dominant round nine display for DPH.
With Sunday hosting the tenth and final round of the MX Nationals on the very same track, Todd Waters once more secured Superpole before going on to win both 16-lap MX1 races and securing the MX1 Championship.
Wilson Todd took a 1-2 finish in the back-to-back format and a third in the final moto to also secure the MX2 overall and the 2019 MX2 Championship.
Wilson Todd – Image by iKapture
Todd Waters – 2019 Thor MX1 Champion
“I’ve wanted this for so long, and I’m pumped to be able to do it with such a great group around me. From personal sponsors that have been with me through my whole career, to new supporters, and the team at DPH, my family, and especially my Dad Steve. Having him behind me at every gate drop has been unreal and really helped to take the pressure off and just enjoy racing my bike. I’ve said it a lot this season, but I really love riding the FC450. DPH builds a family atmosphere where it’s easy to relax, focus and get the job done and that’s exactly what we did this weekend. I was confident coming into the weekend that I could wrap up the season, but I never expected to have a perfect finish with two superpoles and five race wins!”
Todd Waters – Image by iKapture
Wilson Todd – 2019 MX2 Champion
“Everything came together for me this weekend. I’ve been comfortable leading the championship, but with such a small gap, and a double header weekend, anything could’ve happened. I didn’t get a great lap in qualifying, but I got out of the gates strong and was able to ride at a strong pace to take both race wins and increase my lead for the final day of racing. For Sunday, I wanted to win, but not at the sake of the championship, so I used my head, raced hard and took opportunities when they were there, without risking too much. I’m now a two-time MX2 champion, and really glad I could help DPH make history by taking both championships in the one season. Thank you to everyone that supports me and the whole team.”
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CDR Yamaha’s Luke Clout MX1 runner-up
Heading into the final two rounds over the weekend the premier MX1 championship rolled into Coolum on a knife’s edge with just two points separating the top two riders and with four points scoring motos on a track known to wreak havoc, where anything could have happened.
Luke Clout – Image by iKapture
But, fight as he may, Luke Clout wasn’t able to overcome rival Todd Waters and had to settle for fourth place in each round which more than secured second place in the championship on board his Yamaha YZ450F.
Clout stuck to his guns all weekend and went down swinging. He wanted to take the challenge right up to Waters but a crash proved costly and he was unable to make any headway into the championship lead.
Luke Clout
“I did everything I could all weekend and the boys in the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team really put in the hard yards but I wasn’t good enough today and Todd deserved his victory. I felt pretty good on the bike most of the weekend but I had a decent crash in the final race on Saturday afternoon which left me and my bike pretty battered. The team worked through the night to get it back into perfect shape and we gave it our all, but just couldn’t get it done. Congratulations to Todd and his team this year. I know he has wanted this for a long-time and he has been great to race with all season. For me it was a better result than last season which is good, and the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team have been amazing to work with. Finishing second has given me more motivation to work harder for next years championship and I will be back to give it 100%. Thank you to my team, my family and my girlfriend for their support this season, also to WEM and the series sponsors in making the MX Nationals happen. Time now for a few days off and then its back into it for Supercross and I can’t wait to get back in the stadiums again.”
Luke Clout – Image by iKapture
Strong Coolum result for Kawasaki’s Dylan Long
Dylan Long finished off the 2019 MX Nationals championship in spectacular fashion at Coolum, scoring dual MX1 podium results in the double-header series finals.
Saturday’s Round 9 marked Long’s first overall podium of the year after he qualified in sixth position and then powered to 3-7 results in the opening MX1 sprint races for a combined moto score of fourth. In the final outing, he charged to third, granting him a deserved third overall for round nine.
Round 10 was even more impressive for the popular Victorian talent, transferring through Super Pole to qualify in third. The first moto saw him one again ride to a top-three result in third place, before backing that form up with second in moto two. Those results saw him achieve back-to-back overall podiums, this time in P2 for round 10 to cap-off the series.
Dylan Long
“I’m really stoked for myself and the Empire Kawasaki team to finish the season with these podium finishes,” beamed an elated Long. “The goal was to get better and better at every round once I came back from injury and we did that. After finishing third yesterday, I knew I would have to back it up today and we managed to finish second, so we’re really happy. The track was gruelling this weekend and especially today, but Empire Kawasaki had my KX450 working so good in these conditions and I can’t thank them enough!”
Dylan Long – Image by iKapture
2019 MX1 Championship Final Points
Todd Waters 568
Luke Clout 530
Hayden Mellross 462
Kirk Gibbs 435
Brett Metcalfe 432
Justin Rodbell 373
Richie Evans 372
Jesse Dobson 360
Dylan Long 325
Jayden Rykers 300
2019 MX2 Championship Final Points
Wilson Todd 562
Kyle Webster 536
Jay Wilson 523
Nathan Crawford 492
Aaron Tanti 460
Dylan Wills 394
Bailey Malkiewicz 387
Ricky Latimer 360
Cooper Pozniak 345
Morgan Fogarty 327
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Bartosz Zmarzlik wins Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
World No.2 Bartosz Zmarzlik raced to Betard Wroclaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland glory on Saturday night and declared the epic event “the best GP in history.”
2019 Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
The Polish icon raced to his second win of 2019 and the second of his career on home soil – five years on from his unforgettable 2014 Gorzow SGP triumph as a wild card, which saw him become the youngest SGP winner of all time at the age of 19.
Zmarzlik topped the podium ahead of Martin Vaculik and Leon Madsen, and now leads the World Championship standings on 61 points – level with Emil Sayfutdinov and Madsen, but ahead of his rivals by virtue of his FIM ranking.
It was an incredible night of action which saw passing aplenty as Wroclaw staged its first SGP event in 12 years in a sold-out Olympic Stadium.
Zmarzlik was delighted to take the win a huge 17-point haul, but admits he had to fight for it.
Bartosz Zmarzlik
“I think that was the best GP in history because there were so many riders changing places all night. It was nice speedway. I’m very happy because this is my first win in Poland away from my home track Gorzow. I am very happy because I scored good points and it was a good meeting. It was good work today. It wasn’t so easy at the start, but the last heats were the best.”
Bartosz Zmarzlik – Speedway Grand Prix of Poland
Zmarzlik is nicely placed in his quest to become Poland’s third world champion, following in the footsteps of his former Gorzow team mate and mentor Tomasz Gollob in 2010.
But he’s not taking anything for granted at the championship’s halfway stage, with five rounds still to race.
Next up is the Scandinavian SGP at Malilla’s G&B Arena on August 17. Zmarzlik triumphed there in 2016 and has been in extraordinary form in the Swedish Elitserien this season, leading the average charts on 2.900 per race – from a maximum of 3.000.
Vaculik was pleased to pick up his third SGP second place of the season and 15 valuable points. He’s now just two off top spot with 59, occupying fourth place. But the Slovak admits he’s determined to convert his next final appearance into a victory.
Third-placed Madsen produced a show reel of epic rides on his way to the final. While he admits his starts forced him to go on the offensive, he was pleased to have the pace to pull off some big moves to stay among the championship frontrunners.
Bartosz Zmarzlik tops the 2019 Speedway Grand Prix of Poland podium
Speedway GP World Championship Standings
Bartosz Zmarzlik 61
Emil Sayfutdinov 61
Leon Madsen 61
Martin Vaculik 59
Patryk Dudek 55
Fredrik Lindgren 47
Janusz Kolodziej 44
Maciej Janowski 36
Jason Doyle 35
Artem Laguta 34
Betard Wroclaw SGP Scores
Bartosz Zmarzlik 17
Martin Vaculik 15
Leon Madsen 14
Janusz Kolodziej 15
Emil Sayfutdinov 14
Maciej Janowski 12
Patryk Dudek 8
Antonio Lindback 7
Artem Laguta 7
Tai Woffinden 6
Jason Doyle 5
Fredrik Lindgren 5
Maksym Drabik 4
Max Fricke 4
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Dan Reardon joins CDR Yamaha for 2019 Australian SX
Former multi-time Australian Supercross champion, Dan Reardon, will re-unite with the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team for the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship starting on October 12 in Brisbane.
Dan Reardon on the podium for the SX1 Overall at the Aus-X Open in 2018 Jason Anderon 75 Dean Wilson 62 Daniel Reardon 60
Reardon, who finished third in the 2018 championship on board a YZ450F, has joined forces with the most powerful team in Australian motocross and supercross and already deep into his preparations for the coming season.
In a deal that sees Reardon combine the championship winning formula of the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team, he has also been able to bring his own sponsors to the effort to create a unique and powerful team.
Dan Reardon
“It’s awesome to be back with the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team and working with a great group of guys. We won the championship together in 2015 and I have built a close bond to CDR and Yamaha over the years. Last year I did my own program together with the help of Yamaha but the logistics of managing that and also preparing to race become more time consuming than I anticipated. It’s great to be back with CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team again as I know that all the background work is taken care of and my sole focus is to win races and get the job done with no distractions. Craig has been great to work with in putting this deal together and we have been able to put together a deal that allows me to keep my global deals in place with companies like Fasthouse, DR Homes, Bell, Go Pro and Boost, but also take on the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team sponsors, infrastructure and support. I’m excited to go racing again and really looking forward to a successful year and a great championship battle in 2019.”
Dan Reardon – Image by TBG
The CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team were on the look out for another rider for the 2019 supercross season as Kirk Gibbs is contracted for the MX Nationals only. After assessing all options, team owner Craig Dack, felt Reardon was the right man for the job and with previous success, Dack hopes to build on the already proven platform.
Craig Dack – CDR Yamaha Team Owner
“Dan is obviously a talented, highly skilled and well credentialled supercross rider who has had a long term relationship with Yamaha here in Australia and the US. On limited budget in 2018, he was able to put together an impressive season and now with the extra support and infrastructure the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team can provide, we hope to take it to the next level with Dan in 2019. He is already comfortable with the Yamaha YZ450F and well under way in his preparation for the series. We are happy to put this deal together with Dan and some of his partners that have been behind him in recent years and feel we have the riders and the team to challenge for the 2019 SX1 supercross championship.”
CDR Yamaha’s Craig Dack
The opening round of the Australian Supercross Championship gets under way on Saturday October 12 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre before travelling through Adelaide, Wollongong and Auckland before the grand final at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on November 30.
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Cole Seely announces retirement
Team Honda HRC rider Cole Seely announced his retirement from professional racing after over a decade competing at the highest level in both the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross series. Seely has dedicated nearly his entire professional career to the Honda brand, riding for a Honda satellite team throughout most of his 250 tenure before spending five years aboard a factory CRF450R.
At 29, Seely has accomplished a number of milestones. After turning pro in 2009, he signed with the then-Honda-backed Troy Lee Designs team in 2010. During his five-year stint with that team, Seely captured five 250SX victories and finished runner-up in the 2014 250SX West title chase.
In 2015, he was awarded 450SX Rookie of the Year honors after finishing third overall in the AMA Supercross series, highlighted by his first 450cc victory, at the Houston Supercross. Seely also represented Team USA at the 2017 Motocross of Nations.
Cole Seely – Image by Hoppenworld
Over the past few seasons, Seely has been plagued by injuries, which contributed to his decision to retire.
Cole Seely
“These past two years have been very difficult. Last year’s injury was severe and very tough on me both mentally and physically. I fought hard to return this season, but it was much more challenging than I anticipated. Now with this recent shoulder injury, it’s just another setback. This decision definitely wasn’t easy, but I think it’s the right choice. I’m grateful for having been given the opportunity to do something I’ve loved since I was a kid and to make it into my career. I’m grateful for the support from my fans and many sponsors throughout the years. I’d especially like to thank Honda, who has been behind me for my entire career, supporting me through the ups and downs. I’m grateful to have been partnered with such a great brand. I’m looking forward to this next chapter and to seeing where the future takes me.”
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Team Belgium for 2019 Motocross of Nations announced
The MXGP of Belgium hosted the presentation of the Belgian team for the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations. Presentation was held at the public area of the Lommel GP in front of a huge crowd of Belgian fans.
Team Belgium Manager Johan Boonen presented the 2019 Line up representing the Belgian colors in Assen on September the 28thand 29th.
Team Belgium for 2019 Motocross of Nations announced
Jeremy van Horebeek will lead the team riding the MXGP class, while Jago Geerts will compete the MX2 class and veteran Kevin Strijbos rounded up the Squad representing Belgium in the Open class.
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Kirk Gibbs won Superpole ahead of the opening MX1 moto but due to incidents in the previous MXD moto, riders were pulled back from the gates as organisers chose to instead delay the start of the MX1 moto and head to an early lunch break instead.
Hayden Mellross carried some injuries into the opening MX1 moto and it was clear from the outset that those knee problems were causing him issues, and likely ruining his championship chances. Heading to Moree Luke Clout held an 11-point lead over Mellross, who in-turn had three-points over Todd Waters.
Kirk Gibbs had been effectively ruled out of the championship chase due to his problems earlier in the season but that had not dented any of his drive for race wins.A much better middle part of the season has pushed Gibbs forward into fourth place but it would still take not only amazing rides for Gibbs over the remaining races of the season, but probably also some significant misfortunes for the leading trio, for the rider to improve on that placing.
Kirk Gibbs – 2019 MX Nationals – Round 8, Moree
Once racing recommenced, Gibbs capitalised on his pole position to break away to an early lead over Todd Waters and that pair quickly started to march away from third placed Brett Metcalfe and Dylan Long. The order remained static until late in the race when Waters squeezed past Gibbs and then pulled away to take a clear victory.
What unfolded ahead of the next race for the premier classes was something we saw once before at a road race meeting. The rough Moree circuit had taken its toll, with 12 riders already sent off tothe local hospital, which saw the hospital administration declare that they were not in a position to take any more urgent patients.
Thus organisers were left no choice but to call it a day, and Todd Waters will take the red plate to the championship finale, with a two-point buffer over Luke Clout.
As it stands Todd Waters leads Luke Clout in the Thor MX1 class on 422-points to 420, with Hayden Mellross a further 12-points behind Clout on 408. Kirk Gibbs is a distant fourth with a 61-point gap to third placed Mellross, while Brett Metcalfe holds fifth on 323-points.
The 2019 Pirelli MX Nationals will reconvene next weekend at Coolum for the final double-header round that will decide who will wear the championship crowns, with Waters, Clout and Mellross all in the mix, with Kirk Gibbs holding an outside chance of breaking into the top three.
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship made its first east coast stop of the 2019 at the High Point National for Round 4, with High Point having become a Father’s Day tradition, and saw Eli Tomac come-from-behind in both motos to take his second 450 victory of the season.
AMA MX 2019 – High Point
In the 250s Adam Cianciarulo kept his winning streak alive by capturing his fourth consecutive victory, taking the win with a 2-1 result from Hunter Lawrence with a 1-3.
450 Moto 1
As the gate dropped for the opening 450 moto, it was Blake Baggett who emerged with the holeshot ahead of Cooper Webb, Joey Savatgy and Eli Tomac. With Baggett out front, the defending champion Tomac quickly went to work and managed to cross the opening lap second, followed by Webb in third.
AMA MX 2019 – High Point
Baggett set a blistering pace early in the race as he attempted to breakaway from the field, but Tomac matched his pace and started to inch his way up to the KTM riders rear fender. As Tomac looked to make a move on Lap 4, he made a costly mistake that shuffled him back into the fourth position, allowing Webb and Jason Anderson to slip by.
Jason Anderson – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
On Lap 6, Baggett continued upping his pace by breaking into the 2:02 lap times, which allowed him to build a comfortable lead over his championship rivals. Webb began to fall under heavy pressure from both Anderson and Tomac, losing second to Anderson on Lap 7 and third to a hard charging Tomac just one lap later.
Eli Tomac – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
Baggett was dominant as he took his first moto victory since the 2017 High Point National, winning by 9.8 seconds. Anderson rode to an impressive runner-up finish, giving him his best moto result of the season. Tomac rebounded to finish third.
450 Moto 2
The deciding 450 Class moto saw Savatgy take his first holeshot of the season ahead of Webb and Justin Barcia. Webb immediately attacked Savatgy heading into turn two, taking over the race lead. At the completion of the opening lap it was Webb, Savatgy and Anderson out front, while first moto winner Baggett found himself buried deep in the pack.
Joey Savatgy – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
Webb put his head down and went to work as he looked to rebound from a challenging first moto, however, Savatgy had other plans as he matched the leaders pace and kept the gap to within a couple of seconds.
Championship point leader Ken Roczen began to find his stride and blitzed his HRC Honda around Anderson for third on Lap 6. Roczen was relentless in his push to the front, muscling his way by Savatgy and eventually around Webb with an inside pass for the lead on Lap 9.
Ken Roczen – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
As Roczen quickly opened a lead over Webb, both Savatgy and Anderson engaged in the battle for third, with Anderson getting the upper hand, followed by Tomac in hot pursuit. On Lap 13, Tomac moved himself into a podium position by overtaking Anderson. The final stages of the moto saw Tomac and Webb pull alongside each other several times before Tomac took control of second on Lap 15.
Roczen carried on to his third moto win of the season, by 4.9 seconds ahead of Tomac. Webb followed in third, matching a career-best moto finish.
Cooper Webb – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
Tomac’s 3-2 effort gave him his second overall victory of the season and the 19th of his career, which puts him into sixth on the all-time list. Roczen’s second-moto win vaulted him into the runner-up spot (6-1), while Anderson finished third overall (2-5).
Eli Tomac – P1
“Today was a unique situation by winning with 3-2 moto scores, I’m not sure if I’ve ever won a race without winning a moto. We did what we could and battled towards the front, so overall the day was good. The track had a lot of good character today, the ruts were plenty deep and the track was rough.”
Eli Tomac – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
With the win, Tomac move to a tiebreaker with Roczen in the championship point standings with 176 points apiece. Teammates Osborne and Anderson are tied for third, 32 points out of the lead.
Jason Anderson – P3
“My weekend was good, I came really close to winning my first overall, I got pretty good starts today and I’m happy with the way I rode. I’m getting better every weekend and getting closer to the win.”
Jason Anderson – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
Cooper Webb – P4
“Today at High Point was a much better day and a huge turnaround for me. My starts were great all day and I made a few mistakes but I was happy to battle up front like I did. I even lead the second moto for about 20 minutes – I haven’t been able to do that so far this season, so that was awesome. Fourth is my best overall, so it was a good weekend and I’ll keep building from here.”
Cooper Webb – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
Zach Osborne – P5
“Overall, it was a pretty positive day, we made some good changes to the bike during the week off and they translated to be good today. I just need to improve on my first couple of laps, I have the fitness down on the final stretch, so I feel like I’m in a good position moving forward. I have some good tracks coming up – this was a good track for me but I just didn’t make it happen, I was only able to muster up a 5-4 so overall a good a good day, strong points and we’ll just keep trucking.”
Zach Osborne – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
Marvin Musquin – P6
“It was a tough day. I was feeling great but unfortunately, I didn’t have a good start in the first moto and I couldn’t make good passes right away, so I lost a bunch of time in the first few laps. In the second moto, I went around the outside off the start and was really aggressive and ran into the back of another guy. I was dead last and came back to seventh, so it’s very disappointing because I love that track and I felt pretty good but when you crash on the start there’s nothing you can do. The top six riders were up front and the gap was just too big to catch them.”
Marvin Musquin – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
Justin Barcia – P10
“Not the day we wanted, obviously. I struggled a bit getting comfortable with the setup and things like that. We definitely are going to work hard and try to figure it out to be really good for Jacksonville. On a positive note, I had a really good start in the second moto I. I just didn’t have a good, comfortable feeling today overall. We’ve got to regroup and put the not-so-great finishes behind us and move forward into next weekend. I believe that we’ll figure out how to get that comfort and when the time is right, we’ll be right there. All in all, not the best day, but a few positives to take out of it. We have to do a lot of work to get where we want to be.”
Justin Barcia – AMA MX 2019 – High Point
Dean Ferris – P11
“Today I qualified twelfth and went 11-11, so I guess that’s where I belonged at the moment. I really struggled to go with the faster guys, which was kind of disappointing for me as I went so well here three years ago. We’ll keep trucking forward and keep trying to improve.”
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Thunder Valley AMA MX falls to Roczen and Cianciarulo
Denver’s Thunder Valley National provided the setting for the third round of the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship and it was Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen who went 1-2 to earn his second 450 Class win of the season while Adam Cianciarulo made it three in a row in the 250 class.
450 Start – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
450 Report
Despite the hard charging Zach Osborne earning the holeshot Roczen won the opening moto by over 30 seconds over Osborne and Cooper Webb while Jason Anderson and Eli Tomac pushing Dean Ferris from fourth to sixth in the dying laps. But the ride of the moto came from Marvin Musquin who crashed after being pushed off the track in the second turn by Justin Barcia but Marv bounced back to earn a sensational eighth place finish from dead last.
Ken Roczen – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
It is also worth noting that Tomac had to stop for new goggles when his tear off system failed while Todd Waters came from way back to a credible 14th place finish.
The final moto of the day saw Webb get the holeshot over Roczen, Blake Baggett, Musquin and Tomac with Ferris sitting in ninth and Waters just inside the top 20 but it didn’t take long before Roczen was in the lead and stretching it out.
Eli Tomac – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Tomac had his work cut out for him but he eventually got around the three KTMs of Baggett, Musquin and Webb to cement second place. It then took another 15 minutes to catch and pass Roczen for the lead and the eventual win by 9.1 seconds. Tomac took the win ahead of Roczen while Musquin, Osborne, Anderson, Barcia, Baggett, Webb, Ferris and Justin Bogle rounded out the top ten. Waters finished 14th.
Todd Waters – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Roczen’s 1-2 effort easily gave him his second overall victory of the season while Tomac’s second-moto win vaulted him to second overall ahead of Osborne who earned his first 450 Class podium result in third.
Ken Roczen
“I tried all the way through [to the second moto finish]. [Tomac] was just quicker in the end there. The good thing was I didn’t let him get away. I almost got together with a lapper there coming to the white flag. He crashed right in front of me. It definitely got rougher in the second moto, for sure, but we did exactly what we needed to do to get the overall [win].”
Ken Roczen – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
With the win, Roczen holds a two-point lead over Tomac, while Osborne moved into third, 26 points out of the lead as the whole series takes a week off.
As for the Aussies, Ferris earned a lot of brownie points by holding down fourth place for the majority of the opening moto before backing that up with a solid ninth in the second moto for eighth overall, to also sit eighth in the points. Waters is suffering from poor starts but he continually puts his privateer Husqvarna inside the top 15 to now sit 14th in the points – hats off to both riders.
Dean Ferris – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Dean Ferris
“Big improvements for me today, I got two reasonably good starts and kind of got pulled along with the big group. We made improvements with the bike. I’m somewhat comfortable now and feel like we’re getting the train on the tracks now for the rest of the season. The conditions were demanding, the track was really rutted and rough as usual, but I liked it. I’m definitely really happy about the improvements we made and the result this weekend. It’s something to build on.”
450 Podium 1) Roczen, 2) Tomac, 3) Osborne – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
450 Overall
Ken Roczen 1-2
Eli Tomac 5-1
Zachary Osborne 2-4
Jason Anderson 4-5
Marvin Musquin 8-3
Cooper Webb 3-8
Blake Baggett 7-7
Dean Ferris 6-9
Justin Barcia 11-6
Justin Bogle 10-10
Cole Seely 9-12
Justin Hill 12-11
Fredrik Noren 15-13
Todd Waters 14-14 …32. Cody Cooper 30-29
450 Points after Round 3 of 12
Ken Roczen – 136
Eli Tomac – 134
Zach Osborne – 110
Marvin Musquin – 107
Jason Anderson – 106
Cooper Webb – 98
Justin Barcia – 77
Dean Ferris – 69
Justin Bogle – 63
Blake Baggett – 61
Cole Seely – 59
Justin Hill – 51
Fredrik Noren – 46
Todd Waters – 46
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250 Class Report
The first 250 Class moto of the afternoon saw RJ Hampshire, Cianciarulo, Justin Cooper, Colt Nichols and Dylan Ferrandis all going toe-to-toe but there was no stopping Cooper. He blew by Cianciarulo and Hampshire to take the lead by the end of lap three but then the rain started to fall and Cianciarulo soon moved to second.
250 Start – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Cianciarulo began chipping away at his deficit to Cooper as they battled both the rain and lapped traffic but it was obvious that Cianciarulo was the fastest rider on the track before race officials were forced to bring the moto to an end due to lightning. This handed Cooper the win ahead of Cianciarulo. Ferrandis, Michael Mosiman and Hampshire while the Aussie duo of Hunter Lawrence and Wilson Todd finished 10th and 14th respectively.
Adam Cianciarulo – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Cooper earned the holeshot in moto two over Cianciarulo, Jordan Smith and Nichols but the top two soon gapped the field with Cianciarulo continually using wide lines to try and get around Cooper, which saw the championship leader briefly jump through track markers before re-joining the circuit to continue the pursuit again.
Cooper then gave up the lead after a major bobble which caused him to veer off track and onto the ground handing Cianciarulo the lead and the eventual win, well ahead of Cooper, Mossiman, Nichols and Ferrandis with Lawrence managing a credible seventh while Todd came home in 17th after a small crash mid moto.
Justin Cooper – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
With identical moto scores between them, Cianciarulo (2-1) and Cooper (1-2) ended up tied for the overall win, but by virtue of his second-moto triumph, his third straight, Cianciarulo earned the tiebreaker to capture his third consecutive overall victory. Cooper settled for his third runner-up finish in a row, while Mosiman (4-3) earned the first overall podium result of his career on a breakthrough afternoon.
Six points still separate Cianciarulo and Cooper in the 250 Class standings, while Ferrandis, who finished fourth (3-5), remains third, 33 points out of the lead.
Adam Cianciarulo
“That was a great [final] moto. Justin [Cooper] has been riding so good lately and we’re really pushing each other so much, I’m really enjoying [the battles]. It feels incredible to get three wins in a row. We’ve been putting in so much work, so to get the season start the way we have is amazing.”
Adam Cianciarulo – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Michael Mosiman
“It feels so good to have the monkey off my back, to hit the podium and carry the confidence that brings is super awesome. We are absolutely shredding out there so to be able to run the pace is super cool, to finally get the podium is super exciting, just stoked for all of my friends, family and everyone who have been backing me all this while, this is cool.”
Michael Mosiman – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Todd had his work cut out for him in the second race after starting deep in the field. A hard working ride lifted him to 17th by race end, leaving him 15th for the round the same position he now sits in the 250 series standings.
Wilson Todd – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
The 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will observe its first off weekend of the summer next weekend, before returning to action on Saturday, June 15, with the Circle K High Point National in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania.
250 Podium – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
250 Overall
Adam Cianciarulo 2-1
Justin Cooper 1-2
Michael Mosiman 4-3
Dylan Ferrandis 3-5
Chase Sexton 7-6
Colt Nichols 13-4
RJ Hampshire 5-11
Hunter Lawrence 10-7
Shane McElrath 8-10
10, Jordon Smith 11-8
Garrett Marchbanks 12-9
Alex Martin 9-12
Ty Masterpool 6-16
Brandon Hartranft 16-14
Wilson Todd 14-17
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Russell Wins New York GNCC
New York hosted Round 7 of the GNCC series and it was the defending champion in Kailub Russell who secured his fourth win for 2019 once again ahead of arch rival Thad Duvall and fellow KTM rider Steward Baylor while Aussie Josh Strang struggled to ninth place.
Kaileb Russell topped the Tomahawk GNCC XC1 Open Pro Podium – Image by Ken Hill
Russell continues to lead the points by 18 over Duvall with Strang maintaining his fifth position which is unfortunately over 100 points behind Russell.
In the other classes Ben Kelly earned his seventh straight XC2 class win before Nick Davis earned his first XC3 win. Thankfully Tayla Jones got her championship back on track with a win in the WMX class to reduce her points deficit to championship leader Becca Sheet to just two – fellow Aussie Mackenzie tricker finished back in eighth.
XC1 Open Pro – Bike – Class Points
Kailub K Russell – 195
Thaddeus Duvall – 177
Steward Baylor Jr – 141
Trevor Bollinger – 127
Josh V Strang – 92
Yamaha Dominated Dutch Masters
Rhenen hosted the latest round of the Dutch Masters and it was Yamaha pilots Romain Febvre and Jago Geerts who earned the MXGP and MX2 overall wins respectively but the big news was the return to racing by defending MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings who finished third overall in the MXGP class with 1-4 moto results.
Febvre went 3-1 for the overall with Arminas Jasikonis going 2–2 for second overall ahead of Herlings, Pauls Jonass and Glen Coldenhoff while Geerts continued his red-hot form to go 1-1 to earn the MX2 overall ahead of teammate Ben Watson while Roan Van De Moosdijk rounded out the podium.
MXGP Overall
Romain Febvre
Arminas Jasikonis
Jeffrey Herlings
Pauls Jonass
Glenn Coldenhoff
Petar Petrov
Lars Van Berkel
Sven Van De Mierden
Jeffrey Dewulf
Luca Nijenhuis
MX2 Overall
Jago Geerts
Ben Watson
Roan Van De Moosdijk
Henry Jacobi
Bas Vaessen
Brent Van Donick
Raivo Dankers
Adam Steery
Tom Vialle
Freek Van Der Vlist
Mees Wins Lexington Red Mile
Lexington Red Mile – American Flat Track 2019
Lexington hosted the Lexington Red Mile last weekend and it was the defending AFT champion Jared Mees who finally got his first main event win for 2019 despite being badgered by current points leader and Indian teammate Briar Bauman all of the way to the flag. Mees has now won eight of the last 12 Miles dating back to 2017’s Red Mile.
Jared Mees
“I started to get a little worried about tires. When we had that red flag, it looked like we were buzzing the tires down pretty good, so I wanted to slow the pace down a little bit and try to ease it off in the corners and keep it inline. I knew if I did that (Briar) was going to catch me. But the Indian Motorcycle has worked so good all day… it’s been so good here the last three years.”
Jared Mees – Lexington Red Mile – American Flat Track 2019
Bauman extended his perfect run of podium results in 2019.
Briar Bauman
“I can’t even put this into words. We’re leading the championship, but at the same time, I’m probably more excited than Jared is right now. This is actually my first Mile podium, and I was able to reel him in and make a race of it for the fans who stuck out the weather. I’m really excited.”
Bryan Smith managed to score the final step on the podium just ahead of Stephen Vanderkuur while Henry Wiles completed the top five.
AFT Twins Main Event Podium 1) Jared Mees, 2) Briar Bauman, 3) Bryan Smith – Red Mile 2019
Bauman continues to dominate the AFT Twins points standings at 122, but Mees now trails by only 19 points, while Brandon Robinson retains the third position with a total of 95.
AFT Twins Main Event – The Red Mile 2019
Jared Mees 25 Laps
Briar Bauman +0.056
Bryan Smith +1.143
Stephen Vanderkuur +1.329
Henry Wiles +4.086
Davis Fisher +7.250
Bronson Bauman +10.124
Robert Pearson +10.233
Jake Johnson +10.541
Jeffrey Carver Jr. +13.031
AFT Twins Standings
Briar Bauman 122
Jared Mees 103
Brandon Robinson 95
Jarod Vanderkooi 70
Henry Wiles 67
Sammy Halbert 63
Bronson Bauman 62
Jeffrey Carver Jr. 60
Robert Pearson 56
Jake Johnson 53
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AFT Singles Report
Mikey Rush scored his first victory since joining the AFT Singles after a race long duel with Shayna Texter while Kevin Stollings earned the final podium position ahead of Dalton Gauthier, Ryan Wells, Tristen Avery and Aussie Max Whale.
Michael Rush celebrating the AFT Singles win – Red Mile 2019
The big news was championship leader Jesse Janisch who finished back in 11th which tightened up the points race considerably with Janisch still leading on 119 points, three ahead of Rush while Gautier sits on 111 points – Whale sits on 49 points and is in tenth position outright.
Mikey Rush
“I feel great, I was really, really hungry for this win; I was getting tired of second. My team worked their tails off for me. It’s a great group of people and we’re having a great time doing this. And when you’re having a great time, you’re going to win races.”
Shayna Texter
“I’m bummed. Honestly, I felt I had Mikey set up really good on that last lap, but I got a little spun up and Mikey got a killer drive. Congrats to him and his team.”
AFT Singles Main Event Podium – Red Mile 2019
AFT Singles Main Event – The Red Mile 2019
Mikey Rush 15 Laps
Shayna Texter +0.102
Kevin Stollings +2.318
Dalton Gauthier +2.331
Ryan Wells +2.349
Tristan Avery +2.400
Max Whale +3.367
Tanner Dean +3.428
Dan Bromley +3.473
Morgen Mischler +3.612
AFT Singles Standings
Jesse Janisch 119
Mikey Rush 116
Dalton Gauthier 111
Dan Bromley 100
Ryan Wells 78
Shayna Texter 66
Morgen Mischler 61
Chad Cose 61
Michael Inderbitzin
Max Whale 49
Jarvis Wins Erzberg
In what has been described as one of the toughest races in years, veteran Graham Jarvis has won the Erzberg Rodeo for the fifth time this time ahead of Manuel Lettenbichler and Mario Roman while Alfredo Gomez and Wade Young rounded out the top five. Jarvis finished with a time of 2:26:45 and Lettenbichler was just 2:09 behind.
2019 Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble
Graham Jarvis
“This feels amazing. I think this could be the most important Erzberg victory of my career. A lot of people were talking about my age, and at 44 I did have some doubts about my fitness for the full race. But I just kept my focus and kept pushing. I knew I would have work to do from the start, but the faster sections of the race, early on, never really suit me. Once I got to Carl’s Diner I started to make up time. It was different to when I walked it, and I was feeling it physically, but it went really well. I managed to lead going into Green Hell, but it was close there with Manni. I just had to keep pushing after that. It’s amazing to be a five-time Erzberg rodeo winner.”
Graham Jarvis claims victory at the 2019 Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble
Manuel Lettenbichler
“That was a tough race, but I’m super happy to finish second. I got a great start and was third behind Garcia and Walker and followed those guys into the forest. I made a small mistake, but I arrived first at Carl’s Dinner. I knew Graham was close, so I just ride as hard as I could. It was really tough in there. When Graham passed me, I did all I could to stay with him and got right onto his rear wheel in Green Hell. If I’d have got ahead of him there, well, who knows what might have happened. From there to the finish I gave everything, but I couldn’t catch Graham. I had a great race and to finish second to someone like Graham is amazing. The 25th Erzberg has been incredible, I’m so pleased to be on the podium.”
Manuel Littenbichler – 2019 Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble
Mario Roman
“So many riders crashed in front of me on the first climb after the start, so I just tried to be calm and not make any crazy mistakes. After that I started to find my rhythm, passing riders one-by-one. To finish third is a great result, I’m very happy. In Carl’s Dinner I tried to push hard there and passed Billy, Alfredo, Jonny and Wade. I knew there was still a long way to go so I rode as smart as I could. It’s amazing to be on the podium.”
Mario Roman – 2019 Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble
Taddy Blazusiak crashed early but bounced back to finish sixth ahead of Billy Bolt, Jonny Walker, Pol Tarres Roca and Travis Teasdale to round out the top ten.
Interestingly, there were three riders from Great Britain in the top ten which matched Spain while South African had two riders with Poland and Germany one each.
16 riders completed this year’s race – 2019 Erzbergrodeo Hare Scramble
Red Bull Erzberg Rodeo Results 2019
Graham Jarvis, Husqvarna, Great Britain.
Manuel Lettenbichler, KTM, Germany.
Mario Roman, Sherco, Spain.
Alfredo Gomez, Husqvarna, Spain.
Wade Young, Sherco, South Africa.
Taddy Blazusiak, KTM, Poland.
Billy Bolt, Husqvarna, Great Britain.
Jonny Walker, KTM, Great Britain.
Pol Tarres Roca, Husqvarna, Spain.
Travis Teasdale, KTM, South Africa.
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Zmarzlik Wins Slovenian FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Bartosz Zmarzlik has not only won the Slovenian FIM Speedway Grand Prix in Krsko last weekend he has also earned the lead in the championship, albeit tied on points with Patrick Dudack.
Zmarzlik dropped just two points on his way to a 13-point haul from his five heats before earning second in his semi final then dominating the final to earn 18 points.
Bartosz Zmarzlik
“I’m very happy, this place has been a little unlucky for me before. But I can leave here and head home very happy. Today was a different day for me. I’m starting with a different setup, and my starts are not bad. But this result is now history, and I’m looking forward to the next round in Prague. All the time I was looking at Martin Vaculik and thinking where he is likely to go. I wanted to make sure the bike was that little bit faster on the straight. Everything worked, and I’m very happy to pick up the win.”
Bartosz Zmarzlik
Zmarzlik’s win has promoted him to the top of the World Championship standings, while Slovenian FIM Speedway Grand Prix runner up Martin Vaculik moved up to fourth after registering 17 points in Krsko.
Martin Vaculik
“Congratulations to Bartosz Zmarzlik, he was unbelievably fast tonight. I’m happy with how many points I registered, and I’m happy with second place too. I’m now looking forward to the next round and making sure that I deliver my best. Keeping focused is important to me.”
Tai Woffinden scored nine points to move up to eighth in the standings with 15 points – level with British compatriot Robert Lambert while Aussie Jason Doyle once again struggled to earn 6 points after five rides.
The series now moves onto its third round in two weeks’ time as Prague’s Marketa Stadium hosts the ANLAS Czech Republic FIM Speedway Grand Prix.
FIM Slovenian Speedway Grand Prix Result
Bartosz Zmarzlik 18
Martin Vaculik 17
Leon Madsen 13
Patryk Dudek 12
Emil Sayfutdinov 13
Tai Woffinden 9
Artem Laguta 9
Robert Lambert 7
Niels-Kristian Iversen 7
Janusz Kolodziej 7
Jason Doyle 6
Matej Zagar 6
Fredrik Lindgren 5
Maciej Janowski 4
Antonio Lindback 3
Matic Ivacic 2
Nick Skorja 0
SGP World Championship Standings
Bartosz Zmarzlik 28
Patryk Dudek 28
Leon Madsen 26
Martin Vaculik 24
Niels-Kristian Iversen 21
Fredrik Lindgren 20
Emil Sayfutdinov 19
Tai Woffinden 15
Robert Lambert 15
Artem Laguta 13
Matej Zagar 13
Antonio Lindback 13
Jason Doyle 11
Janusz Kolodziej 11
Bartosz Smektala 10
Maciej Janowski 4
Max Fricke 3
Matic Ivacic 2
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Duffy Wins Manjimup 15000
Local gun Regan Duffy has won the 2019 Manjimup 15000 which was held at the iconic circuit last weekend and in doing so has put his name among some of the legends of the sport.
Kirk Gibbs – 2019 Manjimup 15000
Duffy spectacularly won the opening moto from Kyle Webster, Hayden Mellross, Luke Clout and Kirk Gibbs but then back it up with a second place behind Gibbs in moto two then a third in moto three behind Gibbs and Webster.
Luke Clout – 2019 Manjimup 15000
Duffy’s 1-2-3 moto score put him one point ahead of Gibbs’ 5-1-1 score while Webster earned the final podium spot with 2-6-2 moto finishes – American Kyle Cunningham was fourth ahead of Mellross.
Kirk Gibbs
“It was another good day here at Manjimup and I always love coming here as it’s a great place to race. The first race fifth was the down fall for me as over coming that point gap in a three race format is tough when the other riders were pretty consistent. Still, it was pleasing to be able to race at a good level so quickly after my shoulder injury and it still feels good at the end of the day on a demanding track. A huge thanks to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team for making this happen as its never easy to race on the other side of the country and also to the Manjimup club and event organisers as this event is always a highlight for me and I love racing here in front of such an enthusiastic crowd.”
RecoveR8 has earned the naming rights to the 2019 Australian ISDE Team and the new Australian owned sport supplement is set to make its mark on the Australian motorsport scene.
With RecoveR8 officially making its global launch at the Tatts Finke Desert Race Pit Party this Friday the 7th June, Motorcycling Australia (MA) is thrilled to confirm the all new RecoveR8 partnership.
RecoveR8 announced as 2019 Australian ISDE team naming sponsor
The RecoveR8 Australian ISDE Team will jet off to Portimao, Portugal for the 42nd edition of the ISDE later this year, with Day One of racing commencing on 11th November. Over six days, our 10 Australian competitors will go head to head with riders from over 30 nations, traversing 1,500 kilometres in pursuit of yet another impressive result.
Kevin Williams – RecoveR8 General Manager
“We’ve seen the success of the Australian ISDE team over a number of years. When the opportunity came up to be the naming sponsor for the team, we jumped at it. Team Australia have to back it up six days in a row, and this product is designed for recovering and rejuvenating, so the match was certainly made in heaven.”
2019 Australian World Trophy team member, Daniel Milner, who is also a Recover8 international brand ambassador, says “RecoveR8 is a part of my everyday program. It’s helped eliminate 95% of my arm pump and I’m always feeling good, and able to back it up the second day.
Daniel Milner
MA’s Operations Director, Martin Port, is thrilled with the partnership with RecoveR8. “This new partnership between MA and RecoveR8 demonstrates our commitment to developing and supporting Australia’s Off-Road motorcycling community. The addition of RecoveR8 to the Australian ISDE family will help raise the profile of our talented riders, whilst also encouraging emerging competitors, male and female, to participate in events such as the Australian Off-Road Championship.”
RecoveR8’s website will be launched this Friday 7th June, during their official launch at the Tatts Finke Desert Race.
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Ken Roczen has taken top honours at Round 3 of the AMA Pro Motocross and in doing so claimed the lead from Eli Tomac. In the 250 class it was Adam Cianciarulo who took the win from Justin Cooper, with each taking a win and a second place, but with Cianciarulo coming out on top to continue his winning streak, and holding onto the 250 standings lead.
2019 Thunder Valley National MX
The mile-high altitude of the greater Denver area provided the setting for Round 3 of the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, and was also the landmark 15th running of the Thunder Valley National at the Thunder Valley Motocross Park. The highest professional motocross track in the world, at an elevation of 6108 feet, provides a unique challenge to the world’s best riders.
Dean Ferris – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Dean Ferris lead the Aussies in the 450 class with a 6-9 result for eighth overall, while Todd Waters was 14th, with the same result in both motos. New Zealand’s Cody Cooper was 32nd with a 30-29 result. Dean Ferris currently sits eighth in the standings.
Hunter Lawrence – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
In the 250s Hunter Lawrence recorded a 10-7 for eighth overall, while Wilson Todd was 15th with a 14-17. Hunter Lawrence is now ninth in the standings.
450 Class
The opening 450 Class moto followed a brief thunderstorm at the track and it presented riders with a much different racing surface than what they’d previously been competing on. When the gate dropped rookie Zach Osborne grabbed his first holeshot over Roczen and Cooper Webb.
450 Start – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
As Osborne looked to assert himself in the lead for the first time in his 450 Class career he came under fire from Roczen, who let it fly on the track’s biggest and longest downhill descent to surge into the top spot. With the clear track, Roczen upped his pace and was able to establish a multi-second gap over field at the completion of the opening lap.
Behind this battle, entering point leader and reigning back-to-back champion Eli Tomac was forced to fight his way from outside the top 10 aboard his Monster Energy Kawasaki. The Colorado native was in the mix in the top five off the start, but a crash by Marvin Musquin briefly held Tomac up and forced him to lose valuable track position.
Ken Roczen – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Roczen was able to continue to add to his advantage, which left Osborne and Webb to settle into second and third, respectively. Without much action up front, the focus turned to Tomac and his quest to climb up the running order. He successfully broke into the top 10, but then encountered an issue with his goggles, which slowed his pace and saw him lose a position.
Tomac elected to make quick pit stop in the mechanics area to get new goggles and returned to the track in the thick off the battle for 10th place. He easily cleared Musquin and Justin Hill and made a push to gain more positions in the waning moments of the moto.
Eli Tomac – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Roczen rode to a dominant and uneventful moto victory, his second of the season, by 35.4 seconds over Osborne. Webb rode to his best moto result of the season in third, with Anderson fourth and Tomac able to salvage a hard-fought fifth.
450 Start – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
The deciding 450 Class moto saw Webb edge out Blake Baggett for the holeshot and surge out to the early lead. Roczen, who started third, was able to get around Baggett and quickly attacked Webb for the lead. Webb withstood the initial pass attempt and carried on to lead the opening lap.
Behind them Musquin engaged in a fierce battle with Baggett for third, with the two riders swapping the position. The Frenchman gained the upper hand as they started the next lap, while their battle allowed Tomac to close in from fifth.
Marvin Musquin & Eli Tomac – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Roczen stalked Webb throughout the next lap and eventually made the pass happen. Just like in the first moto, Roczen took full advantage of the clear track to establish a multi-second lead. Tomac began a determined charge from fifth that carried him around Baggett, then around Musquin into third.
He was able to close in on Webb for second and made the pass for the position in the exact same spot where Roczen took the lead. Once Tomac found his way into the runner-up spot he and Roczen were separated by about four seconds. Webb continued to lose ground and gave up third to his teammate Musquin, and later dropped another spot to a hard-charging Osborne.
Ken Roczen – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Tomac continued to chip away at the gap to Roczen, and a battle for the lead began with about 10 minutes left in the moto. Tomac easily got within a bike length of Roczen, but found it difficult to make the pass.
Tomac was able to show a wheel to Roczen in a few turns, but the German was able to fend him off on numerous occasions. With the home crowd passionately cheering him on, Tomac finally found his way into the lead and quickly distanced himself from Roczen.
Jason Anderson – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Tomac carried on to his fourth moto win of the season, 9.1 seconds ahead of Roczen. Musquin followed in a distant third.
Roczen’s 1-2 effort easily gave him his second overall victory and the 16th win of his career, which puts him into a tie for eighth on the all-time list. Tomac’s second-moto win vaulted him into the runner-up spot (5-1), while Osborne earned his first 450 Class podium result in third (2-4).
Ken Roczen – P1
“I tried all the way through [to the second moto finish]. [Tomac] was just quicker in the end there. The good thing was I didn’t let him get away,” said Rozen. “I almost got together with a lapper there coming to the white flag. He crashed right in front of me. It definitely got rougher in the second moto, for sure, but we did exactly what we needed to do to get the overall [win].”
Ken Roczen – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
With the win, Roczen also reclaimed control of the points lead for the second time this season. He holds a two-point lead over Tomac, while Osborne moved into third, 26 points out of the lead.
Zach Osborne – P3
“It was a pretty solid day, to get third in qualifying and then 2-4 in the motos for third overall, I feel pretty good about it. I feel like I didn’t ride to my peak today but I’m going to work on finding a little bit more speed and continuing to move forward from here.”
Zach Osborne – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Jason Anderson – P4
“I’m happy to be leaving Colorado with 4-5 finishes, that’s the most points I’ve ever scored here. I’ll move on and try to be better for the next one at High Point.”
Jason Anderson – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Marvin Musquin – P5
“It was a rough start of the day for the motos and I gave my best to come back to eighth in the first moto. Those guys out front were fast, so to catch more than that, it was difficult. I put myself in a better position to fight for the podium and the win in the second moto. Something clicked a little bit and then my riding was better – I had better lines and better flow. We improved the bike a little bit for the second moto and that was the positive.”
Marvin Musquin – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Cody Webb – P6
“It was a tough day in Colorado. I struggled a little bit in practice so it was nice to get on the podium in Moto 1. In Moto 2, I made a bike change that wasn’t good at all and I really struggled. It was a tough day but we have two weeks now to try to get better and start the east coast nationals off on a better note.”
Cody Webb – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
The season has been one of learning and adjusting for Ferris, but he has also been eager to put his talent to the test. In the opening moto, he nearly grabbed the holeshot and was in the mix for over half of the race running in fourth. Near the end he fell back to sixth, but that still gave Ferris his best moto finish of the season. In Moto 2, it was more of an uphill battle as he pushed inside the top 10. Ferris would eventually make it up to ninth, giving him a 6-9 score for eighth overall.
Dean Ferris – P8
“Big improvements for me today. I got two reasonably good starts and kind of got pulled along with the big group. We made improvements with the bike. I’m somewhat comfortable now and feel like we’re getting the train on the tracks now for the rest of the season. The conditions were demanding, the track was really rutted and rough as usual, but I liked it. I’m definitely really happy about the improvements we made and the result this weekend. It’s something to build on.”
Dean Ferris – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Justin Barcia – P9
“It was a tough day for me. I went back to Florida this week and came down with some kind of sickness. I don’t really know what it was but I had really bad migraines all week and struggled with that. I didn’t get a lot of sleep. It was difficult. I wasn’t feeling good the first moto at all and unfortunately it showed. That was really frustrating. In the second moto I felt a little bit better, kind of regrouped, got a little energy and put it all out there. All in all, I was happy with my bike settings and stuff like that. It seems like I’ve been making some progress, but it really hasn’t shown at the moment. I just need to use this off-week coming up to do a little testing, get healthy and go to the East Coast. That’s when I plan on really moving forward and turning it on.”
Justin Barcia – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
Todd Waters took 14-14 results on his Husqvarna for the same position overall, and holds 46 championship points for 14th in the standings. Cody Cooper went 30-29.
Todd Waters – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
450 Results Thunder Valley National
450 Podium 1) Ken Roczen, 2) Eli Tomac, 3) Zach Osborne – 2019 Thunder Valley National MX
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Tomac and Cianciarulo Storm Pala AMA Motocross
California’s Pala Raceway hosted the second round of the AMA Motocross Championship last Saturday, and under perfect weather conditions it was the Kawasaki riders in Eli Tomac and Adam Cianciarulo who won the 450 and 250 classes respectively on a day where the racing was red hot!
Eli Tomac – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
450 Report
The pace at Pala was hot at the pointy end of the 450 class and half way through the opening moto it looked like Roczen was going to repeat his Hangtown performance with a runaway opening moto win. But as Tomac started pressing forward from his fourth place he brought Marvin Musquin and Jason Anderson closer to the rear wheel of Roczen.
In the end there was no denying Tomac with the defending champion passing Anderson, Musquin then Roczen to take the lead and win ahead of Roczen. Roczen didn’t have much room back to Musquin, Anderson, Zach Osborne and Cooper Webb while Dean Ferris put in a solid tenth place ride, while the ride of the race has to go to Todd Waters who went from 37th to 16th.
Marvin Musquin – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Moto two saw Justin Bogle and Musquin out front ahead of Tomac, Anderson, Roczen and Osborne but it wasn’t long before Musquin and Tomac opened up a small gap over Anderson Roczen and Osborne while Ferris and Waters were well outside the top ten.
Tomac pushed hard around a quickly deteriorating track to finally get by Musquin for the lead just as Anderson lost two positions to Roczen and Osborne. That is how they finish with Webb coming home in sixth once again while Waters got the better of Ferris this time with the Aussies coming home 11th and 13th respectively.
Jason Anderson – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Tomac will take the red plate to Freestone next weekend with a 4-point break over Roczen who in turn has a 15-point gap back to Musquin while Ferris sits a credible eighth in the points and Waters is on 32 points, tied with Justin Hill and Frederik Noren for 12th.
Eli Tomac
“Marvin was laying down a really good pace in the second moto. We were just going but after the half way mark I was on a charge, put the pressure on, got on the outside of him and got some good momentum, I was really happy with my riding, once I got out front I kept riding loose, hit may marks and my lines, all up a solid day.”
Eli Tomac – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Marvin Musquin
“It’s good, I am glad that I am landing on the podium, we had a rough week (Note: Marv was sore after a big crash the week before at Hangtown and only rode once during the week), bit I feel I was back to myself, feeling pretty good with the bike, my turns were good so overall I am happy.”
Marvin Musquin – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Ken Roczen
“It’s all good, I’ll take a third place here, the track was brutal and I just really wanted to get out of here safe. The other guys rode really good but we fought hard all of the way to the end and I am glad we got on the podium, it’s a long season and I’m looking to better myself every weekend.”
Round 2 of the AMA Pro Motocross season head to the Fox Raceway in Southern California, with Eli Tomac claiming top honours with a dominant win from Marvin Musquin and Ken Roczen. Dean Ferris was 11th overall, Todd Waters 13th and Cody Cooper 35th.
Eli Tomac – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
In the 250 class Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo captured back-to-back victories to start the season and extend his point lead, with Justin Cooper second and Dylan Ferrandis third. Hunter Lawrence was ninth overall, claiming second in Moto 2, with Wilson Todd 19th with a 29-14 and Tyler McCoy 36th.
450 Moto 1
The opening 450 Class moto of the day saw Blake Baggett emerge with the holeshot, but he was quickly passed by Team Honda HRC’s Ken Roczen. The point leader proceeded to set a torrid pace on the opening lap to establish a multi-second margin over the field.
Eli Tomac – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Baggett settled into second on the opening lap but then crashed out of the position, which moved Jason Anderson briefly into second before he lost the position to Marvin Musquin. Just behind them Cooper Webb gave chase from fourth, with Tomac fifth.
At the halfway point of the moto Tomac was able to capitalize on a mistake from Webb to move into fourth and set his sights on Anderson for third. The reigning back-to-back series titleholder faced a five-second deficit to third and successfully overcame that gap to drop Anderson off the podium. He then made a push to track down the top two.
With less than three minutes remaining in the moto Musquin was able to close to within a second of Roczen, while a hard-charging Tomac closed in from third. Soon all three were less than 1.5 seconds apart, and only got closer as the time wound down.
Musquin attempted to make a pass on Roczen, but it didn’t work and instead opened the door for Tomac to take over second. The champ never let up as he stormed around Roczen before the completion of that same lap.
Marvin Musquin – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Tomac pulled away over the final laps to take the moto win by 3.8 seconds over Roczen, while Musquin followed in third. Anderson was fourth, while his rookie teammate Zach Osborne was fifth.
450 Moto 1 Results
Eli Tomac 2:08.161
Ken Roczen +03.836
Marvin Musquin +04.816
Jason Anderson +13.081
Zach Osborne +20.609
Cooper Webb +21.753
Justin Barcia +1:04.418
Justin Hill +1:04.954
Fredrik Noren +1:21.323
Dean Ferris +1:25.541 …16. Todd Waters +2:10.358 …29. Cody Cooper
450 Moto 2
As the riders emerged from the first turn at the start of the final moto it was Justin Bogle who earned the holeshot ahead of Musquin and Tomac. Anderson, Baggett, and Roczen jockeyed for position behind them.
450 Start – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Musquin was aggressive on the opening lap and attacked Bogle for the lead, with the Frenchman successfully making the pass. Tomac followed into second shortly thereafter, while Anderson moved into third right after they started the second lap.
The lead trio was able to settle into their positions, with Musquin establishing about a 1.5-second lead on Tomac. Anderson ran solidly in third, but Roczen kept him honest from fourth. Roczen applied persistent pressure for several laps and eventually made his move into podium position just before the halfway point, but was nearly 10 seconds behind the leaders.
Tomac’s impatience grew as the second half of the moto unfolded and he began to force the issue with Musquin. The Frenchman responded, but Tomac made a determined pass to grab control of the moto with just over 10 minutes to go. The champ was able to inch away from Musquin from there. Behind them, Roczen received heavy pressure from Osborne, but the German withstood the challenge.
Marvin Musquin – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Out front, Tomac ran the closing moments of the moto all by himself and took an emphatic moto win by 11 seconds over Musquin, with Roczen finishing third.
It’s Tomac’s first 1-1 sweep since the ninth round of last season at Washougal, and marks the 18th win of his 450 Class career, tying him for sixth all time with Kent Howerton.
Musquin (3-2) and Roczen (2-3) ended up in a tie for the runner-up spot, but the better second-moto result gave the Frenchman the tiebreaker.
Eli Tomac
“That second moto was really comfortable [on the bike]. It was really clean at the end. Marvin [Musquin] had a really good pace going there, and about halfway I was able to put pressure on him and make a really good pass. Once I got out front I was able to ride loose, picking good lines, and carried on to the win. We’re in a great position now [with the championship], so we’re right where we want to be.”
Eli Tomac – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Tomac entered the day facing a four-point deficit to Roczen, but leaves with a four-point lead over the German. Musquin moved into third, 19 points out of the lead.
Marvin Musquin – P2
“Coming from Hangtown, I had a rough week with only a little bit of riding on Thursday and Friday so I didn’t have much expectation. I just wanted to get back to my full potential and I feel like today I was back to myself. I’m glad to be back on the podium with second overall and happy with my riding.”
Marvin Musquin – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Zach Osborne – P4
“It was a pretty solid day for me with 5-4 finishes and I have to be content leaving California healthy. This track was brutal today. This is the one that I was the most nervous about as far as the schedule goes and I came out with two decent results. I feel good about my position moving forward and I’ll just keep hammering.”
Zach Osborne – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Jason Anderson – P5
“My weekend went pretty good, the first moto, I kind of just hung in there for a fourth place and stayed with the guys. The second moto, I was riding good but I didn’t really have it in me to up the pace comfortably, so I tried to latch onto third and fourth and do my best to finish strong.”
Jason Anderson – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Cooper Webb – P6
“I didn’t the best starts today and just struggled to work my way to the front. I feel like I rode consistently but not at the pace I needed to be at. I’m looking forward to getting back to Florida and getting back into the routine of things this week so we can come out swinging at Thunder Valley.”
Cooper Webb – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Justin Barcia – P8
“I didn’t get a great flow in the morning and didn’t qualify my best, but going into the moto I knew I would do better. Ended up finishing seventh In the second moto, where the track got even more rough. I’m still building up my fitness and getting stronger coming off of my injuries from earlier this year. All in all it was a decent weekend. I’m glad to leave Fox Raceway healthy, but definitely looking to keep improving and getting better. I’m looking forward to Thunder Valley, I usually do good there.”
Justin Barcia – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Dean Ferris – P11
“I feel like I started the weekend solid, making improvements. First moto was pretty solid and had to dig pretty deep for that one. In the second moto, I got more comfortable with the settings and was pushing toward the front. I ended up having a crash but pushed as hard as I could. All in all we are making progress and will keep working toward improving.”
Dean Ferris – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
450 Results – AMA MX Round 2
450 Podium – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
450 Moto 2 Results
Eli Tomac 2:09.070
Marvin Musquin +11.085
Ken Roczen +17.486
Zach Osborne +20.187
Jason Anderson +32.659
Cooper Webb +50.402
Justin Hill +53.797
Cole Seely +1:01.765
Fredrik Noren +1:08.174
Justin Barcia +1:12.309
Todd Waters +1:29.706
Justin Bogle +1:37.358
Dean Ferris +1:43.119 …38. Cody Cooper
450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (1-1)
Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (3-2)
Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda (2-3)
Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (5-4)
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (4-5)
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (6-6)
Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., Suzuki (8-7)
Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha (7-10)
Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Honda (9-9)
Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (11-8) …11. Dean Ferris, Australia, (10 – 13) …13. Todd Waters, Australia, (16 – 11) …35. Cody Cooper, New Zealand, (29 – 38)
450 Class Championship Standings
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 93
Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda – 89
Marvin Musquin, France, KTM – 74
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna – 72
Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 70
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 65
Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha – 52
Dean Ferris, Australia, Yamaha – 42
Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., KTM – 41
Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda – 38 …14. Todd Waters, Australia, 32 …22. Cody Cooper, New Zealand, 6
250 Moto 1
The first 250 Class moto of the afternoon got underway with the fastest qualifier of the day, Justin Cooper, racing to the holeshot aboard his Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing machine, with teammate Colt Nichols in tow.
250 Start – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Cianciarulo took a gamble on his starting position and lined up his Kawasaki on the farthest outside gate, but it didn’t pay off. With his closest championship rival up front, Cianciarulo started outside the top 10 and had his work cut out for him.
The clear track in the early laps gave Cooper a huge advantage and he was able to establish a bit of a gap over Nichols and the rest of the field. Nichols rode in a solid second, while rookie Hunter Lawrence ran third.
Hunter Lawrence – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Nichols was able to keep Cooper within striking distance, but Lawrence soon received pressure from Jordon Smith. The two riders engage in a brief battle for the position and made contact, which ultimately took both riders to the ground. That allowed RJ Hampshire to move into third, with his teammate Chase Sexton fourth and a hard-charging Cianciarulo in fifth.
In the late stages of the moto, Cianciarulo, who moved into fourth, applied heavy pressure on Hampshire, which ultimately carried them to Nichols in second and ignited a three-rider battle for the final podium positions.
Adam Cianciarulo – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Hampshire was able to withstand a brief pass by Cianciarulo to regain third and then make his way around Nichols for second coming to the white flag. Cianciarulo was able to keep the pressure on Nichols and take over third with just a couple turns remaining.
For the second straight weekend Cooper went wire-to-wire in the opening moto, earning the win by 1.8 seconds over Hampshire. Cianciarulo battled back from his bad start to finish third, with Nichols and Chase Sexton rounding out the top five.
Justin Cooper – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
250 Moto 1
Justin Cooper 2:10.743
R.J. Hampshire +01.888
Adam Cianciarulo +02.745
Colt Nichols Colt Nichols +03.642
Chase Sexton +03.872
Christian Craig +34.613
Dylan Ferrandis +36.982
Michael Mosiman +38.229
Garrett Marchbanks +56.359
Alex Martin Alex +57.855 …29. Wilson Todd …32. Tyler McCoy
250 Moto 2
As the field roared into the first turn for its deciding second moto it was Shane McElrath who came away with the holeshot over rookie Ty Masterpool and Alex Martin. Soon Martin moved into second, while Cooper followed into third. Masterpool then lost another spot to Cianciarulo.
250 Start – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Cianciarulo was on a determined march to the front as he made the pass on Cooper for third. As Martin attempted to make a pass on McElrath for the lead, it allowed Cianciarulo to capitalize on a small mistake from the Suzuki rider.
On the following lap Cianciarulo’s forward surge was complete when he got by McElrath to seize control of the lead. Not long after that Lawrence made an impressive climb from fifth to second to drop Martin out of podium position and bump McElrath to third.
Adam Cianciarulo – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Both Martin and McElrath continued to lose positions, as Cooper fought his way up to third and brought his teammate Dylan Ferrandis along with him into fourth. It wasn’t long before Ferrandis passed his teammate for third.
Lawrence stayed within two seconds of Cianciarulo and at the halfway point of the moto he had closed to within a couple bike lengths. A bobble by Lawrence put some distance between them, but the rookie dug deep to closed back in on Cianciarulo.
Hunter Lawrence – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
As they navigated through lapped riders Cianciarulo made an outside line choice that opened up the inside for Lawrence, and the Australian took full advantage of it to make the pass and establish some breathing room between he and Cianciarulo.
That pass tipped the battle for the overall into Cooper’s favor, but Lawrence gave up the lead with less than two minutes remaining when he tipped over. Nearly four seconds separated the lead duo when Lawrence resumed, but the rookie still managed to close to within just over a second as they came to the white flag.
Dylan Ferrandis – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
On the final lap Cianciarulo picked up the pace and successfully went on to take the moto win by 2.9 seconds over Lawrence. Ferrandis followed in a distant third, just ahead of Cooper.
For the second weekend in a row a second-moto victory vaulted Cianciarulo to the top of the overall classification, where his 3-1 finishes were enough to edge out Cooper (1-4) by just a couple points. Ferrandis grabbed the final spot on the overall podium following 7-3 results.
Adam Cianciarulo – P1
“I had no idea what was happening [with the overall standings]. I just tried to put my best foot forward because I used a lot of energy in the first moto. I can’t say enough good things about Hunter Lawrence. He rode so good. When he crashed I thought I as clear of him [through to the finish], but then all of a sudden I could hear him behind me. I’m just so stoked to get two in a row. This is awesome.”
Adam Cianciarulo – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Cianciarulo was able to add to his early lead in the championship standings, which now sits at six points over Cooper. Ferrandis moved into third, 22 points behind Cianciarulo.
Justin Cooper – P2
“Overall it was another solid day. I’m really striving for the win though, so to come close again is disappointing. It’s also fueling the fire. I was looking to be at front [in Moto 2] but I wasn’t riding as aggressive in the middle of the race and it cost me at the end. I couldn’t catch the front guys and had to settle for second. I am really happy with the bike and team, we will keep fighting to be on top. We are so close! I’m blessed to be in this position so far in the season and pleased that all the hard work is paying off. It’s just going to take a little more to get the job done. I’m really looking forward to getting that win this season.”
Justin Cooper – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Dylan Ferrandis – P3
“In the first moto, I had a crash with Adam (Cianciarulo) and I was way back. I had to push really hard to make it up into the top 10. I didn’t really expect to make the podium and wasn’t really worried about it in the second moto. After the start, I tried everything I could but couldn’t make it up to the rest of the guys. It’s really cool to make it back up on the box after missing out last weekend. I’ll try hard next weekend to get back in the championship chase. It’s a long season.”
Dylan Ferrandis – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Colt Nichols – P5
“Overall a little disappointed with how the day ended up after feeling really good, but we get to try again next week. My bike was great and I’m really happy with the progress we made this past week. The track was tough today, mostly because passing seemed to be hard. Everyone was getting jammed up a bit at times. I’m really looking forward to next week and am ready to head back east.”
Colt Nichols – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Michael Mosiman – P8
“My starts were poor today. The first one, I kind of wheelied out of it so we made a little adjustment for the second moto and then the gate flinched and I hit it, so I was dead last. It’s brutal out there when you’re really charging for 30 minutes but I’m pleased with my fitness. 8-11 finishes are not what we work for and not what we wanted but all things considered, I’m happy with how I rode.”
Michael Mosiman – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
Thomas Covington
“Today started out pretty good, I got off to a good start and ran in the top-10 for most of the first moto, so that was a step forward for me. In the second race, I ended up hitting the gate with a few guys next to me and I just had a tough time finding my rhythm for the rest of the moto. I’m going to go back to work this week and try to make another step.”
Thomas Covington – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
250 Results – AMA MX Round 2
250 Podium – AMA MX 2019 Round 2 – Fox Raceway
250 Moto 2
Adam Cianciarulo 2:09.590
Hunter Lawrence +02.957
Dylan Ferrandis +12.584
Justin Cooper +13.135
Chase Sexton +28.728
Alex Martin +50.873
Colt Nichols +53.595
Garrett Marchbanks +1:09.123
Martin Davalos +1:09.620
Shane McElrath +1:10.250 …14. Wilson Todd +1:22.403 …35. Tyler McCoy
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (3-1)
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (1-4)
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The LATEST News
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Roczen & Cianciarulo Win AMA Motocross at Hangtown
The 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship kicked off last weekend with the Bell Helmets Hangtown Motocross Classic and it was Ken Roczen who got the overall in the 450 class while Adam Cianciarulo bounced back from a tough loss in supercross to win the 250 class overall.
Ken Roczen – Image by Hoppenworld
450 Report
The opening moto saw riders taking on a track that was breaking down faster than usual thanks to rain in the lead up to the weekend and there were battles right from the get-go but the real head-turner was Roczen blowing by Eli Tomac, Justin Barcia, Jason Anderson and early leader Cooper Webb to take the lead before the completion of the opening lap.
Eli Tomac – Image by Hoppenworld
Once he had a clear track Roczen quickly put multiple seconds between he and Webb, while Anderson, Zach Osborne and Tomac rounded out the top five but Tomac made his way by Osborne before actually passing Anderson for third but Anderson quickly got back around the defending champ then started his way to the rear wheel of Webb.
With ten minutes to go the rain began to fall and Anderson’s pace increased, while Tomac’s dropped which carried the two riders into different directions with Anderson moving by Webb for second as Tomac lost a spot to Osborne to be in fifth.
Jason Anderson – Image by Hoppenworld
Despite the rain, Roczen continued his flawless ride all the way to the finish where he took the opening moto win by 15 seconds over Anderson, Webb and Tomac who was gifted fourth when Osborne crashed in the slippery conditions.
In muddy conditions Marvin Musquin emerged with the second moto holeshot over Webb, Tomac and Roczen but it wasn’t long before Tomac was in the lead ahead of Roczen and the two soon opened up a gap over Anderson who got by his training partners in Osborne, Webb and Musquin.
Cooper Webb – Image by Hoppenworld
Roczen’s impressive early pace allowed him to jump by Tomac into the lead but the Honda rider couldn’t shake Tomac and as they approached lapped riders just before the halfway point it worked to the benefit of Tomac who seized the moment to dive to the inside the reclaim the lead.
From that point on, he left Roczen and the rest of the field behind taking the chequered flag by 43 seconds over Roczen while a resilient Musquin never backed down in his pursuit of Anderson for third, and successfully got back around, but in the closing laps a hard charge from Osborne ultimately put the rookie onto the moto podium.
Marvin Musquin – Image by Hoppenworld
Roczen’s 1-2 outing provided him with his first win since the final round of his championship-winning 2016 season. Since then he has endured through a pair of career-threatening injuries to each of his arms, in which he was forced to fight his way back from more than 10 total surgeries. It’s been a long and difficult road, but Roczen was able to prevail for the 16th win of his career.
Ken Roczen
“It’s been a very, very long time [since I won a race]. Overall the whole day was good,” said Roczen. “It’s difficult at the first race to know what to expect [from yourself] and to know where everyone else is. I just did my best every time I was on the track and it got us a win. It was really sloppy out there and [when conditions are like that] it can easily go in either direction [bad or good], so it feels good that we ended up on the positive side of it.”
Ken Roczen – Image by Hoppenworld
Tomac’s second-moto win vaulted him to second overall (4-1), while Anderson rounded out the overall podium in third (2-5) so Roczen holds a slim four-point lead over Tomac in the 450 Class standings heading into the second round. Anderson sits nine points back in third.
As for the Aussies and Kiwis, factory Yamaha fill-in rider Dean Ferris came back from two bad starts to end the day with 11-8 moto finishes for ninth overall while Todd Waters took his privateer Husqvarna to 12-13 finishes for a credible 12th outright, but there was a disappointing result for Cody cooper who earned 15th in the opening moto before not finished the second mud moto.
450 Class Overall Results Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda (1-2) Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (4-1) Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (2-5) – Image by Hoppenworld
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250 Report
Justin Cooper narrowly grab the holeshot over Chase Sexton and Cianciarulo while Hunter Lawrence started well outside the top ten but that wouldn’t last for long with the Aussie flying his way into the top ten.
Justin Cooper – Image by Hoppenworld
Up front Cooper successfully held on to that advantage and established himself as the early leader, with Cianciarulo slotting into second and Sexton into third but with about eight minutes left the Kawasaki rider was all over Cooper’s rear fender, but the Yamaha rider withstood the charge and used lapped riders to his advantage to extend the lead once more.
Hunter Lawrence had forced his way up to sixth place after passing teammate RJ Hampshire and just as they were closing in on fifth placed Colt Nichols, Hunter high sided over an inside rut and was clipped by Hampshire’s footpeg gouging a wound across Lawrence’s arse.
Hunter Lawrence – Image by Hoppenworld
Cooper went wire-to-wire on to take the second moto win of his career by 1.8 seconds over Cianciarulo, who rode to an uneventful second-place finish but the battle for third came down to the final corner, where a moto-long charge by Dylan Ferrandis, who started sixth, culminated with a stellar last lap in which he stole third from Sexton as they came to the line.
Lawrence dropped all of the way back to 18th but managed to climb back to 11th place, four places ahead of fellow Aussie Wilson Todd who was up to 12th at one point in the moto.
With rain falling, the deciding moto got underway with Nichols earning then holeshot from Cianciarulo who quickly moved to the lead while Cooper and Ferrandis were at the tail end of the top ten as Lawrence and Todd sat just outside the top ten.
Dylan Ferrandis – Image by Hoppenworld
With the track deteriorating to a slippery mess, Cianciarulo easily opened up a considerable margin over the rest of the field but as the moto wore on, Ferrandis and Nichols began to inch closer to second placed Alex Martin but the Suzuki rider was able to hang on to the runner up spot while Nichols and Cooper got around Ferrandis in the dying laps
In the end Cianciarulo took the moto win by 16.3 seconds over Martin, Nichols, Cooper and Ferrandis while Todd finished in a sensational ninth place, three places ahead of a struggling Larence.
Colt Nichols – Image by Hoppenworld
Cianciarulo’s 2-1 effort gave him the second overall win of his career in his first start since the 2017 season, following knee surgery last summer. He becomes the 32nd different rider to earn a 250 Class victory at Hangtown.
Adam Cianciarulo
“It means a lot [to get this win], for all the kids out there that watch us, we go through such peaks and valleys. [This win] is a testament to understanding that the most important shot is your next one. You’ve got to keep fighting. It feels great to get a win at the opening round of the [Pro Motocross] season and start this summer off on a high note.”
Adam Cianciarulo – Image by Hoppenworld
Cooper’s resilient second moto landed him in the runner-up spot (1-4) for the second time in his career. Nichols (5-3) and Ferrandis (3-5) ended up in a tie for third, but by virtue of his better result in the final moto Nichols earned the tiebreaker.
Cianciarulo establishes a four-point lead over Cooper in the 250 Class standings entering the second round, while Nichols and Ferrandis sit 11 points back.
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish) Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (2-1) Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (1-4) Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha (5-3) – Image by Hoppenworld
250 Moto Results and Overall
Adam Cianciarulo 2 -1
Justin Cooper 1-4
Colt Nichols 5-3
Dylan Ferrandis 3-5
Chase Sexton 4-6
RJ Hampshire 6-7
Michael Mosiman 7 -11
Alex Martin 23-2
Shane McElrath 14-8
Christian Craig 13-10
Hunter Lawrence 11-12
Wilson Todd 15-9
250 Class Championship Standings
Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 47
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 43
Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 36
Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha – 36
Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 33
RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda – 29
Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Husqvarna – 24
Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki – 22
Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM – 20
Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda – 19
Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda – 19
Wilson Todd, Australia, Husqvarna – 18
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Villopoto wins at Hangtown
The Hangtown Motocross Classic fans at Prairie City OHV Park were treated with seeing multi AMA motocross and supercross champion Ryan Villopoto taking on a field of 32 riders and win the first round of the 125cc All-Stars race.
Ryan Villopoto – Image by Hoppenworld
RV piloted his No. 2 Yamaha to victory ahead of fellow YZ rider Robbie Wageman while 16-year-old Brandon Ray rounded out the podium in third aboard a KTM.
125cc All Star Results
Ryan Villopoto, Yamaha
Robbie Wageman, Yamaha
Brandon Ray, KTM
Wyatt Mattson, Husqvarna
Carter Dubach, Yamaha
Tyler DuCray, KTM
Angus Riordan, KTM
Cole Barbieri, Suzuki
Dennis Stapleton, Husqvarna
Ty Freehill, Yamaha
Derik Denzin, Yamaha
John Ayers, Husqvarna
Antonio Calavano, KTM
Bryson Olson, Honda
Conner Degraaf, KTM
Toline Tyler, KTM
Hunter Cross, KTM
Talon Gorman, Honda
Steven Stultz, Yamaha
Jared Lang, Honda
Dylan Simao, Yamaha
Geoff Wills, KTM
Tyler Edmondson, Honda
Aron Martin
Wyatt Bullen, Kawasaki
Brooks, KTM
Blaine Holdsclaw, Yamaha
Derek Cappiello, Yamaha
Chase Forsberg, KTM
Nick Roby, Kawasaki
Jeremy Ryan, KTM
Ryan Eager, Suzuki
Gajser and Prado Win MXGP of Portugal
The Portuguese circuit of Agueda has hosted the sixth round of the 2019 World Motocross Championship and it was Tim Gajser and Jorge Prado who went 1-1 in the MXGP and MX2 classes respectively.
MXGP of Portugal 2019
MXGP Report
Antonio Cairoli was in a winning position in both of the MXGP motos but the KTM rider stalled briefly in the opening moto while leading and tipped over in the second moto while in the same position and both times Gajser was right there to take advantage of the situation to claim both moto wins, the overall and to reduce Cairoli’s championship points lead to 34 points
Tony Cairoli – MXGP of Portugal 2019
Cairoli took 2-2 for 2nd overall ahead of Arnaud Tonus who reached the podium with hard fought 3-3 finishes while Clement Desalle, Jeremy Seewer, Pauls Jonass, Julien Lieber, Romain Febvre, Glenn Coldenhoff and Gautier Paulin rounded out the top ten.
Tim Gajser
“Last weekend was tough, so I tried to forget it and just focus on this weekend. I was feeling good yesterday and also today, the riding was good, and I had two good starts. It was great racing and I am really happy to win both races, hopefully we can carry that moment to the next round.”
Tim Gajser
Antonio Cairoli
“On one side I’m happy because this is the goal to be on the podium and always consistent but on the other side I’m disappointed of course. I am happy like I said but focused on the next one where I will try to be consistent and not make these mistakes.”
Tony Cairoli – MXGP of Portugal 2019
Arnaud Tonus
”It feels amazing, it is hard to find the right words at the moment, I have been through a lot so it is good to be up here. I really had to fight today, in the first race I was battling with Jeremy (Seewer) and he passed me in the beginning of the race so I had to come pass him back, it feels even better knowing that I fought to make it happen. I am super happy and I hope that I can keep it going.”
Arnaud Tonus
MXGP Results
MXGP Race 1 Top Ten
Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 34:00.609
Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:01.197
Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:17.885
Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:27.240
Julien Lieber (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:28.880
Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:29.847
Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:35.562
Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:51.205
Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:52.970
Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:53.969
MXGP Race 2 Top Ten
Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), 34:47.988
Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:10.604
Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +0:12.909
Clement Desalle (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:15.819
Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:18.856
Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:20.225
Pauls Jonass (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:22.115
Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), +0:24.630
Julien Lieber (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:27.080
Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:30.999
MXGP Overall Top Ten
Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 50 points
Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 44
Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 40
Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 33
Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 29
Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 28
Julien Lieber (BEL, KAW), 28
Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 27
Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 26
Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 22
MXGP ChampionshipTop Ten
Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 285 points
Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 251
Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 197
Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 175
Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 166
Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 153
Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 137
Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 136
Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 122
Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 120
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MX2 Race Report
Prado took the opening moto holeshot and eased away for an easy win over Thomas Kjer Olsen, Jago Geerts and Mitchell Evans but in the second moto Prado was forced to pass the fast starting Roan Van de Moosdijk for the lead and usually that is where the action stops for the lead but this time Mitch Evans decided he wanted to have a run at the front and soon passed Van de Moosdijk and Prado for the lead.
Jorge Prado – MXGP of Portugal 2019
Evans held the lead for four laps before Prado found his way through to take the lead and the eventual win ahead of Henry Jacobi, Evans and Kjer Olsen.
This was Prado’s 5th 1-1 result of 2019 and despite Kjer Olsen finishing second overall but it was a bitter sweet moment as he also lost the championship lead to Prado while for the second time in his rookie MX2 season Evans reached the podium in 3rd position.
Jed Beaton – MXGP of Portugal 2019
As for Jed Beaton, the Husqvarna pilot was a solid 12th in the opening moto despite a crash and a stall but the second moto went pear shaped with his bike being landed on after an early crash forcing the Aussie to DNF the race. Beaton sits 13th in the championship.
Jorge Prado
“This is the closest race to a home GP for me, we are very close to Spain and there are so many fans that came out and many were cheering for me, I really enjoy it. When I went onto the podium they went crazy so it is great to have a race like this and it was a great weekend. For me it was important to get the red plate because I feel more comfortable with it but it is tough to keep so I try to not make any mistake but in motocross you never know.”
Jorge Prado – MXGP of Portugal 2019
Thomas Kjer Olsen
“I felt like my riding all weekend was really good so that was a huge positive. I felt pretty calm all weekend and I had a lot of confidence in my riding along with my technique on the bike. I am kind of bummed out about the mistake I made on the start of race 2 but it could have been much worse and I got up to 4thwhich was pretty good. I am just going keep working and focus on myself to be the best that I can, not worrying about much else.”
Thomas Kjer Olsen – MXGP of Portugal 2019
Mitch Evans
“It feels great to be back on the podium, we had a few tough weekends with some little injuries and my fitness dropped off because of it. We are finally back to the normal program and I am feeling a lot better which also gives a lot confidence coming into the weekend.”
Mitch Evans – MXGP of Portugal 2019
Jed Beaton
“It’s been a tough GP for me. I’m pretty beaten up and, yeah, things just didn’t go well despite two good starts. I went down in the second turn in the first moto so I just pushed as hard as I could. I stalled my bike at the end of the wave sections after passing about 10 riders, so I went back to last again. I gave everything to get to 12th, which I think was a good result considering what happened. I was about sixth off the start in the second heat but clashed with another rider over one of the jumps. I got landed on, my bike got landed on and it was pretty messed up and bent. There was no point in continuing so unfortunately I had to retire.”
Jed Beaton – MXGP of Portugal 2019
MX2 Results – Portugal MXGP
MX2 Race 1 Top Ten
Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 35:07.339
Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:03.304
Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), +0:27.504
Mitchell Evans (AUS, Honda), +0:28.329
Mathys Boisrame (FRA, Honda), +0:34.618
Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), +0:35.418
Henry Jacobi (GER, Kawasaki), +0:44.519
Adam Sterry (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:45.789
Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:51.829
Bas Vaessen (NED, KTM), +0:53.710 …12. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:03.407
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Duncan Dominates Portugal WMX
Portugal hosted the second round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship and it was Kiwi flyer Courtney Duncan who not only won both motos but also took over the championship lead.
Courtney Duncan – MXGP of Portugal 2019
Duncan won the opening moto by 12 seconds ahead of Larissa Papenmeier and Nancy Van De Ven before dishing out a similar performance in moto two to take the win over Van De Ven and Papenmeier so the championship leaders red plate now belongs to Duncan with 89 points while former championship leader Van de Ven is four points back in second.
Aussie Tahlia TJ O’Hare struggled in the tough conditions to score just 7 points over the two motos for 19th outright to now sit 13th in the championship.
Courtney Duncan – MXGP of Portugal 2019
Duncan will now return to New Zealand to continue her training before taking the red plate into round 3 in Loket, Czech Republic, July 27-28.
Courtney Duncan
“I was really happy with the weekend; the goal was to put two solid races together and I did that. I got blocked in at the first turn in that second race, but I didn’t panic, sorted out a good place to make a clean pass and could race away. I’m just taking it race by race at the moment and not really thinking about the championship, but I’m stoked to get the double win and take the red plate to the next round. We’ve got a nine week break now, so I’ll be going back to New Zealand to keep doing the work and come out swinging at Loket.”
Courtney Duncan – MXGP of Portugal 2019
WMX Race 1 Top Ten
Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), 25:37.493
Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Yamaha), +0:12.938
Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:20.911
Lynn Valk (NED, Yamaha), +0:49.788
Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), +0:59.251
Nicky van Wordragen (NED, Yamaha), +1:07.227
Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), +1:13.030
Line Dam (DEN, Honda), +1:34.821
Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:39.651
Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Yamaha), +1:42.185
WMX Race 2 Top Ten
Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), 24:51.296
Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:30.514
Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Yamaha), +0:45.003
Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), +1:08.450
Lynn Valk (NED, Yamaha), +1:13.670
Line Dam (DEN, Honda), +1:14.835
Nicky van Wordragen (NED, Yamaha), +1:24.616
Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), +1:25.103
Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Yamaha), +1:28.714
Britt Van Der Werff (NED, Husqvarna), +1:39.760
WMX Overall Top Ten
Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 50 points
Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 42
Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 42
Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 34
Lynn Valk (NED, YAM), 34
Nicky van Wordragen (NED, YAM), 29
Line Dam (DEN, HON), 28
Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 27
Amandine Verstappen (BEL, YAM), 23
Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 20
WMX ChampionshipTop Ten
Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 89 points
Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 85
Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 82
Amandine Verstappen (BEL, YAM), 67
Lynn Valk (NED, YAM), 63
Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 61
Line Dam (DEN, HON), 54
Nicky van Wordragen (NED, YAM), 54
Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 49
Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 37
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Kras Wins Portuguese EMX
Portugal hosted the third round of the EMX2t championship and it was Mike Kras who grabbed his second overall in as many rounds to take over the championship points lead by one over Brad Anderson.
Kras won the opening moto from Todd Kellett and Youri van t Ende while Anderson was back in eighth before the second moto also went to Kras with Anderson in second ahead of Andero Lusbo.
Now leading the championship by 1 point over Anderson, Kras, and the rest of the field will head to Russia’s south in 3 weeks’ time for round four at Orlyonok.
EMX2T Presented by FMF Racing Result
EMX2T Presented by FMF Racing Race 1 Top Ten
Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 29:58.291;
Todd Kellett (GBR, Yamaha), +0:06.600;
Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), +0:14.879;
Vaclav Kovar (CZE, Gas Gas), +0:16.610;
Andero Lusbo (EST, Husqvarna), +0:17.066;
Brad Todd (GBR, Yamaha), +0:23.102;
Emanuele Alberio (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:25.081;
Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), +0:27.130;
Andrea Vendruscolo (ITA, Yamaha), +0:27.656;
Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), +0:28.476.
EMX2T Presented by FMF Racing Race 2 Top Ten
Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 29:52.732;
Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), +0:05.300;
Andero Lusbo (EST, Husqvarna), +0:07.202;
Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), +0:09.878;
Vaclav Kovar (CZE, Gas Gas), +0:11.292;
Todd Kellett (GBR, Yamaha), +0:27.263;
Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, Yamaha), +0:28.560;
Brad Todd (GBR, Yamaha), +0:34.053;
Andrea Vendruscolo (ITA, Yamaha), +0:43.325;
Ben Putnam (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:44.770.
EMX2T Presented by FMF Racing Overall Top Ten
Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 50 points;
Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), 38
Todd Kellett (GBR, YAM), 37
Andero Lusbo (EST, HUS), 36
Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 35
Vaclav Kovar (CZE, GAS), 34
Brad Todd (GBR, YAM), 28
Pier Filippo Bertuzzo (ITA, YAM), 25
Andrea Vendruscolo (ITA, YAM), 24
Ben Putnam (GBR, HUS), 21 p
EMX2T Presented by FMF Racing Championship Top Ten
Mike Kras (NED, KTM), 119 points
Brad Anderson (GBR, KTM), 118
Vaclav Kovar (CZE, GAS), 101
Todd Kellett (GBR, YAM), 95
Youri van t Ende (NED, KTM), 88
Brad Todd (GBR, YAM), 86
Andero Lusbo (EST, HUS), 82
Ben Putnam (GBR, HUS), 60
Andrea Gorini (SMR, YAM), 59
Andrea Vendruscolo (ITA, YAM), 59
FIM Junior Motocross World Cup heads to Trentino in 2019
Youthstream have announced the venue and timing of the 2019 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship and FIM Junior Motocross World Cup! On the 13-14th of July 2019 Junior Motocross riders from around the world will head to the famous circuit of Trentino in Italy’s North.
The event will return to Italy eight years after its last visit in 2011. The 2019 edition will take place at the same venue as the MXGP and MX2 World Championship of Pietramurata. The two-day event will host practice and qualifying sessions Saturday followed by racing of the three classes, 125cc, 85cc, and 65cc, on Sunday. Riding for themselves and also their country with the results of nations makes the event one of a kind and always creates a great atmosphere of both comradery and competition.
FIM Junior Motocross World Cup heads to Trentino in 2019
The world class facility has been a long time favorite of riders and fans with its stunning backdrop and amazing surroundings. The venue, aside from being in one of the most passionate motocross countries in the world, is easily accessible from the nearby cities of Milan, Venice, and Verona.
The FIM Junior Motocross World Championship includes the 125cc and 85cc two stroke categories plus the 65cc FIM Junior Motocross World Cup. Along with returning competitors and even previous champions the junior rising talents of motocross will all be going to Trentino from different countries racing at the unique race for the chance to become an FIM Junior Motocross World Champion!
Duvall Wins Ohio GNCC
Thad Duvall has won the sixth round of the 2019 GNCC which was held in Ohio last weekend and in doing so has reduced his points deficit to championship leader Kailub Russell to just 13 points.
Kailub Russell – Image by Ken Hill
Duvall scored his second win of the year at Ohio ahead of Russell and Trevor Bollinger while Steward Baylor Jr and Josh Strang rounded out the top five.
XC1 Open
Kailub K Russell – 165
Thaddeus Duvall – 152
Steward Baylor Jr – 123
Trevor Bollinger – 111
Josh V Strang – 83
Ben Kelly is undefeated the XC2 class and took the Ohio win over Craig Delong and Evan Smith while Austin Lee and Michael Witkowski rounded out the top five.
XC2 250 Pro Result
Benjamin M Kelley – 180
Michael Witkowski – 119
Evan Smith – 107
Austin Lee – 91
Liam Draper – 78
Becca Sheets got her second win of the season in the WXC class over Aussie Mackenzie Tricker and Rachael Archer while defending champion Tayla Jones had a shocker with a rare ninth place finish.
WCX Result
Becca N Sheets – 160
Tayla Jones – 153
Mackenzie Tricker – 125
Rachael Archer – 107
Shyann Phelps – 85
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Madsen Wins SGP of Poland
The much-awaited opening round of the 2019 FIM Speedway World Championship got underway with the Boll Warsaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland last weekend and the surprise winner was Danish star Leon Madsen who pounced on a Fredrik Lindgren error to hit the front and win the final.
2019 SGP of Poland
Madsen didn’t win any of his regular heats, but made it into the semis on eight points, before finishing second to Niels-Kristian Iversen in semi-final two to reach his maiden SGP final where he got his first win of the night when it mattered most and the European champion celebrated wildly with a 50,000-plus crowd.
Madsen made no secret of his bold SGP ambitions ahead of the meeting as he targets World Championship gold. But he insists he’s not piling the pressure on himself to land the world title at the first attempt.
Leon Madsen
“I don’t need to be No.1 this year. I am here to gain a lot of experience, especially on tracks like Warsaw. I am not here just to take part. I am here to fight for the championship. It was a good round tonight and I clocked a lot of points. If I can be consistent all season, things could be quite good. But I’m not setting the bar higher. I’m just in this game to fight for the championship. I don’t put it as a goal that I must be No.1 or in the top three. You are obviously here to fight for the championship and I feel I have the quality to do that.”
Despite recovering from a crash and coming third in the final it is Patryk Dudek who topped the World Championship standings with his 16-point haul.
2019 SGP of Poland
Patryk Dudek
“Before the last heat, I heard my name and I was thinking ‘oh, but let’s see what happens after the heat!’ I was third, so that’s not bad. I would like to say a big, big thank you to the fans. This night was tough for me and the season has been tough for me. Today was great. I want to say a big thanks to my team, my family and my sponsors. I hope to stay in the same position at the next round. But we will see.”
It was his third straight Warsaw final and Fredrik Lindgren was delighted to leave the PGE Narodowy cauldron of noise with another podium finish.
Fredrik Lindgren
“Overall I am very happy, I really enjoy racing here in front of this crowd. It is intense and you have to give 100 percent for all four laps. I am disappointed not to win after the start I made in the final. I made a huge mistake on lap two to lose the winning position. But I am also very happy with the way I was racing, the points I scored and the way our team worked together.”
It was far from the prefect start to the championship for the Aussie duo of Jason Doyle and Max Fricke who scored 6 and 5 points respectively after a full night of racing.
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Doyle kicked off in fine form, marking a strong return from injury not even two weeks prior. As the evening progressed, Doyle’s injuries weighed heavy, but the Australian star remained steadfast as he focussed on racking up as many points as possible. Doyle finished Round 1 of the 2019 SGP with five points, landing in 13th place in the World Championship standings.
Jason Doyle
“The bike is good and the crowd is awesome! We’re just trying to get the right set up at the moment because the conditions are different from practice, as we expected. Tonight we’re just trying to get points and stay consistent.”
Newcomer to the SGP line-up, Fricke tackled what was undeniably an intense environment, finishing Saturday night with three points. Now sitting on 16th place in the World Championship standings, Fricke suffered a blow when he crashed out during one of his heats, however the young Australian remained the image of positivity as he reflected on the turn of events.
Max Fricke
“I’m really grateful for this call up! It’s not something I ever expected to happen this year so I’m really grateful for this experience and to be able and come out in front of a huge stadium. I picked up a few points, learnt a lot, and lead a few laps in the end, but I threw it away, which is on me. Hopefully we can come back sometime during the year and do some more rounds of the SGP.”
2019 SGP of Poland Podium
Boll Warsaw SGP Result
Leon Madsen 13
Fredrik Lindgren 15
Patryk Dudek 16
Niels-Kristian Iversen 14
Bartosz Smektala 10
Bartosz Zmarzlik 10
Antonio Lindback 10
Robert Lambert 8
Martin Vaculik 7
Matej Zagar 7
Emil Sayfutdinov 6
Tai Woffinden 6
Jason Doyle 5
Janusz Kolodziej 4
Artem Laguta 4
Max Fricke 3
Dominik Kubera DNR
Rafal Karczmarz DNR
World Championship Standings
Patryk Dudek 16
Fredrik Lindgren 15
Niels-Kristian Iversen 14
Leon Madsen 13
Bartosz Zmarzlik 10
Antonio Lindback 10
Bartosz Smektala 10
Robert Lambert 8
Matej Zagar 7
Martin Vaculik 7
Tai Woffinden 6
Emil Sayfutdinov 6
Jason Doyle 5
Artem Laguta 4
Janusz Kolodziej 4
Max Fricke 3
Garcia Win WESS in France
Spain’s Josep Garcia has won round two of the World Enduro Super Series, storming to victory at France’s Trèfle Lozérien AMV ahead of Jamie McCanney and Nathan Watson.
Josep Garcia – 2019 Trefle Lozerien
For 2019, the second round of the WESS championship proved a challenge for the 600-plus riders competing with continuous rain throughout the three days of racing at France’s most-prestigious Enduro – Trèfle Lozérien AMV – ensured the 719 kilometres of riding were both physically and mentally demanding for all.
Josep Garcia
“To get my first WESS victory of 2019, and also to create a little piece of history by being the first non-French winner here at Trèfle Lozérien, is amazing. The conditions really didn’t suit me – I’m not really a big fan of wet, slippery mud. But I pushed hard on all special tests and, well, everything went perfectly. Coming here straight from Extreme Lagares wasn’t easy but I knew this race was going to be important to my WESS championship.”
Josep Garcia – 2019 Trefle Lozerien
Behind Garcia the battle for the remainder of the podium places was fierce but McCanney held his ground over his rivals to take the runner-up result.
Jaime McCanney
“Right from when I started walking the special tests here in France I knew Josep Garcia would be the rider to watch. When conditions weren’t too wet, or when they suited the 450 more, I managed to win some tests. And I’m really pleased about that. But Garcia was really strong throughout the event. I’ve been away from enduro racing for some time now, firstly getting over a shoulder injury and surgery and then focusing on rally. To come here and get the result I’ve got is really great. Despite the weather it’s been a great event. I can’t say if I’ll be back for more WESS racing, but I’d love to compete at Hawkstone if my schedule allows it.”
Jamie McCanney – 2019 Trefle Lozerien
Entering the final special test it was all to play for between Watson and Julien Gauthier for third with Gauthier holding just one tenth of a second in hand over the KTM rider and with both riders putting it all on the line, Watson edged out Gauthier by just over one second to snatch the final step of the podium in the last few moments of the race.
Nathan Watson
“I’m really happy with third overall, this is the first Classic Enduro I’ve raced since this event 12 months ago, so I came into it a little unsure what to expect but also confident that it would suit me. I had a consistent three days and kept things upright over the 15 special tests, which was really important. I’ve really enjoyed racing the 450 – being able to keep things smooth in these conditions has really helped me. Things were really close coming into the final test, just half a second between third and fourth overall. Thankfully, I managed to jump up one position to third, which was a great way to end the race.”
Nathan Watson – 2019 Trefle Lozerien
For Gauthier it was not to be and with his fourth place result it also marked the first time in the event’s history that a French rider wasn’t present in the top three positions. After a strong ride on day two, Tarroux slipped down to fifth, with teammate Theo Espinasse (FRA) completing the top six.
The eight-round World Enduro Super Series continues with round three at Austria’s Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble on May 30 – June 2.
Results – Round 2: Trèfle Lozérien AMV 2019
Josep Garcia (KTM – ESP) 01:03:07.557
Jaime McCanney (Yamaha – GB) 1:03:49.586 +42.029
Nathan Watson (KTM – GB) 1:03:55.612 +48.055
Julien Gauthier (Yamaha – FR) 1:03:57.013 +49.456
Jeremy Tarroux (Sherco – FR) 1:04:10.136 +1:02.579
Theo Espinasse (Sherco – FR) 1:05:04.311 +1:56.754
Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas – FR) 1:05:10.817 +2:03.260
Joe Wootton (Husqvarna – GB) 1:05:52.828 +2:45.271
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Brayton Set for 2019 Aussie SX Championships
Justin Brayton is the first of the international riders to confirm that he will compete in this year’s Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne on November 30 at Marvel Stadium as part of his attempt to win a fourth straight Australian Supercross Championship.
Justin Brayton
“The AUS-X Open is one of the greatest events outside of the US, and having been so close to winning it before, I’m determined to come back faster and ready to win in November. The racing at Sydney was always incredible but I think moving to Melbourne, into such an awesome stadium, is going to take Supercross racing in Australia to the next level and I can’t wait to put on a show for all the fans in Australia. Marvel Stadium will be the closest thing Australia gets to the World Championship. The track will be full-sized and I have no doubt both the racing and the atmosphere will be electric on November 30.”
Justin Brayton – Image by Hoppenworld
The AUS-X Open Melbourne is the final round of the Australian Supercross Championship and is sanctioned by Motorcycling Australia (MA).
“I’m so pumped to be returning to Australia in 2019 and fighting for the Australian Supercross title for a fourth straight year with Penrite Honda Racing,” Brayton said. “I have the most amazing team when I head down under to race, and it would be awesome to bring home the trophy again, especially in front of the huge Melbourne crowd.”
Chad Reed returns for 2019 AUS-X Open
Two-time World Champion Chad Reed has announced he’ll be back to race on home soil this November 30 at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, as tickets go on sale from for the Monster Energy AUS-X Open.
Chad Reed at the AUS-X Open in Sydney in 2018
The 37-year-old will head to Victoria to race for the first time since 2012 and his first time racing in Melbourne since 2000, where he says he’ll be looking for redemption. The legend sat out the 2017 event due to injury and was unable to complete a fairytale comeback last year, with the 2018 World Champion Jason Anderson (USA), taking the win.
Chad Reed
“I’m definitely looking for redemption, to come out and work hard and just be better prepared on all levels myself, the bike, the team, so I can hopefully take out that AUS-X crown. Getting back to Melbourne to race will be awesome, it’s been a long time since I’ve raced there, I love the city, and I’ve never been to Marvel Stadium before so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Chad Reed – Image by Hoppenworld
Tickets for the event will be available exclusively through Ticketmaster.com.au, starting from $39.95, and are expected to sell out fast.
Australia’s largest Supercross event, the AUS-X Open, has proven successful for the Aussie hero since its inception, including back-to-back wins during the first two years in 2015 and 2016, and Reed says he’s proud to have watched the event grow over the past four years and how it has significantly changed the Australian Supercross industry.
Chad Reed
“My favourite thing about AUS-X Open as a rider and an athlete is it’s such a reflection for me, remembering back to when I was eight years old watching all the Australian greats in a Newcastle motordrome, and now seeing it, [AUS-X Open] being held at Marvel Stadium at the highest level makes me real proud to be apart of the sport. I was around for the first ever AUS-X Open in Sydney and I’m really proud to see how it’s grown into Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. It’s so hard to put into words the energy that you get at a stadium like Marvel, a stadium filled with 35-45,000 people, there’s just nothing like it. And really why I still, at 37-years-old, choose to do this as my day-to-day job. I love it, and I can’t replace that feeling and I’m always excited to come back for more.”
Chad Reed after winning the 2016 AUS-X Open
Reed will not have it all his own way in Melbourne, with what will arguably be the most competitive field of international supercross racers, to ever line up on Australian soil. More of the world’s biggest names in Supercross and Freestyle Motocross, including recent World Championship winners, will be announced in the coming days.
Already confirmed to compete on November 30, are current World Number 10 and defending Australian Supercross Champion – Justin Brayton, as well as 2019 World Supercross Championship Rookie of the Year and current World Number 8 – Joey Savatgy.
The 25-year-old American rider had an incredible rookie season in the premier 450SX1 class of the 2019 World Championship and is expected to be hard to beat at the AUS-X Open.
Joey Savatgy
“I can’t wait to head Down Under for the Monster Energy AUS-X Open. The calibre of riders that the event brings each year makes me so pumped to get out there and take it to the world’s best on Aussie soil. Racing Chad Reed at home, is certainly not going to be easy, but a challenge I’m ready for.”
Joey Savatgy competing in the World Supercross Championship
The largest international Supercross and action sports event in the world outside of the USA, the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne, will feature the world’s best riders going head-to-head on a full-sized World Championship style Supercross track for the first time ever inside Marvel Stadium.
It will also be an engineering feat, arguably unmatched by any Supercross event in the world, as supports imported and constructed in the lower level carpark, prepare to handle the immense pressure of up to 6,000 tonnes of dirt, machinery and infrastructure, all positioned within Australia’s largest indoor stadium.
Featuring live music and entertainment, stunning pyrotechnics and the world’s best freestyle motocross riders battling to win the best-trick and best-whip competitions; the Monster Energy AUS-X Open Melbourne is an incredible entertainment spectacle for all ages.
The AUS-X Open Melbourne is the final round of the Australian Supercross Championship and is sanctioned by Motorcycling Australia (MA). *$39.95 Silver Tickets will incur additional transaction and booking charges.
Wollongong SX to Feature ‘Speed & Style’ Championship
Troy Bayliss Events have announced that the Recover8 Australian Speed & Style Championship will be held on Saturday the 9th of November at Wollongong WIN Stadium – coinciding with Round 3 of the Australian Supercross Championships.
The Australian Speed & Style Championship will also be featured at Wollongong
The exclusive feature for fans attending the Wollongong Supercross, Recover8 Australian Speed & Style Championship will be run and won on the night, in a thrilling elimination style winner takes all format.
Australian and International riders are invited to compete, with the winner crowned the Official Australian Speed & Style Champion by sanctioning body Motorcycling Australia.
Speed and Style is a unique sport that originated at the American X-Games and combines the technical racing skills of Supercross with the incredible talents of Freestyle Motocross, giving fans an unbeatable mix of speed and wow.
Riders will race head-to-head, across whoops, over jumps and around berms with the added obstacle of a steel up-ramp and 75-foot gap for a finish line, allowing riders to perform backflip variations, huge whips and much more. Riders are judged based on a combination of time and the difficulty of tricks performed within the short action-packed race.
Troy Bayliss right – TDJ Images
Troy Bayliss
“If you haven’t planned your trip to Wollongong Supercross yet, I suggest you do. Not only will fans be treated to an incredible night of Bar to Bar Supercross Action they will now be on the edge of their seats watching the best in the business compete for the Recover8 Speed & Style title. Troy Bayliss Events welcomes Recover8 as the official partner to the Australian Speed & Style Championship. Recover8 is a brand new supplement product that is being widely promoted as a go-to product by many elite athletes here in Australia and around the world, and makes for a perfect fit for this exciting feature.”
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
James Stewart finally announces retirement
James Stewart, the seven-time AMA Motocross and Supercross Champion, who has not raced since July 23, 2016, has finally announced that he is retiring from the sport.
James Stewart
“Where I’m at in my life, I think it’s time to say I’m retiring. I’ve retired, it’s hard for sure, because I love racing and I love the fans, I love the opening ceremonies, I love the autograph lines, but I don’t miss the sweat and tears and training and having to feel like you have to win every race and having to be James Stewart. I don’t love doing that anymore.”
James Stewart retires
Stewart had a controversial career where he at times put other riders at risk with his brash riding style and while he was once known as the “fastest man on the planet,” he was also known as the “fastest soil sampler on the planet” with multiple crashes tainting what was supposed to be a dominating and long career – of which neither materialised.
Stewart retires with 20 career 250/450 Class wins in AMA Pro Motocross (fifth all-time) and 28 career 125/250 Class wins (first all-time) and 50 supercross wins.
Smarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop
The 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship has kicked off with the Hangtown Motocross Classic, giving riders and spectators alike a taste of the full season to come. While rain ultimately made for some extremely challenging conditions, it resulted in an afternoon of redemption for its two winners.
2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Round 1 – Hangtown Motocross Classic
After three years of a long and tough comeback from injury, Ken Roczen made his long-awaited return to the top step of the podium in the 450 Class. In the 250 Class, Adam Cianciarulo rebounded from his heartbreaking end to the recent AMA Supercross season with a hard-fought win.
Ken Roczen
The Anzacs
Moto 1 in the 450 class saw Aussies Dean Ferris and Todd Waters claiming 11th and 12th respectively, while New Zealand’s Cody Cooper came home 15th.
Dean Ferris
Ferris improved to finish in eighth in Moto 2, for ninth overall. Todd Waters was 13th in the second moto which gave him 12th overall. Cody Cooper had to rely on his Moto 1 results, giving him 19th overall.
Todd Waters
In the 250 class Hunter Lawrence finished 11th in Moto 1, with Wilson Todd 15th.
Hunter Lawrence
Todd improved in Moto 2 to claim ninth, while Lawrence was 12th. Hunter Lawrence 11th overall just ahead of Todd who claimed 12th overall.
Wilson Todd
450 – Moto 1
The first 450 Class moto of the afternoon began with Cooper Webb capturing the holeshot over Justin Barcia. As they duked it out for the top spot it allowed Jason Anderson and Roczen to jump into the fray. Webb established control of the lead, with Anderson slotting into second and Roczen third.
2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Round 1 – Hangtown Motocross Classic
An aggressive Roczen then found his way around Anderson for second and set his sights on Webb for the lead. The German continued to push and successfully took over control of the race before the conclusion of the opening lap.
Ken Roczen
Once he had a clear track Roczen quickly put multiple seconds between he and Webb, while Anderson settled into third. Reigning 450 Class Champion Eli Tomac had his work cut out for himself after starting seventh, but the rider successfully worked his way forward and was soon in the top five, right behind rookie Zach Osborne. It wasn’t long before the champ found his way around to take over fourth and set his sights on the podium.
Eli Tomac
With Roczen checking out on the field and Webb running a strong second, the focus shifted to Tomac’s determined charge on Anderson. The Husqvarna rider was impressively consistent and it took an extended amount of time for Tomac to close in enough to mount a challenge for the position. With about 10 minutes left in the moto Tomac made his move.
Tomac chasing Anderson
He made the pass on Anderson, but a counter attack put Anderson right back in third. Tomac appeared to have no answer, and then the rain began to fall. As the skies opened up, Anderson’s pace increased, while Tomac’s dropped. That carried the two riders into different directions. Anderson started to close his deficit to Webb for second, while Tomac lost a spot to Osborne and fell to fifth.
Cooper Webb
As the clock approached 30 minutes Webb and Anderson found themselves in a captivating battle for the runner-up spot. Webb was able to fend off the pressure for a while, but Anderson’s persistence paid off as they came to take the two-lap board. As this unfolded Osborne fell, which allowed Tomac to reclaim fourth.
Despite the rain, Roczen continued his flawless ride all the way to the finish. He took the opening moto win by 15 seconds over Anderson. Webb was third, while Tomac salvaged fourth.
Ken Roczen
Moto 1 Result
Ken Roczen 2:20.289
Jason Anderson +15.045
Cooper Webb +19.485
Eli Tomac +30.919
Zach Osborne +52.974
Blake Baggett +1:10.223
Marvin Musquin +1:15.489
Justin Barcia +1:18.415
Cole Seely +1:31.332
Justin Bogle +1:39.453
Dean Ferris +1:42.328
Todd Waters +2:01.499
Jake Masterpool +2:06.318
Ben LaMay +2:15.034
Cody Cooper +2:28.122
450 – Moto 2
Much more difficult track conditions awaited the riders for the second moto and as the field stormed out the gate it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin who emerged with the holeshot over Webb and Tomac.
Zach Osborne
Musquin was able to maintain his hold on the top spot, but it was short lived as Tomac was determined to get to the front, and did so. Behind them, Roczen moved his way into third and surged past Musquin to take second right behind Tomac.
Marvin Musquin
The lead duo were able to pull away from the rest of the field almost immediately, and Roczen’s impressive early pace literally allowed him to jump over Tomac into the lead. Behind them, Anderson was making a charge of his own and passed Musquin for third.
Eli Tomac
The battle up front saw Tomac keep Roczen within reach, with both riders patiently working their way through the rough and muddy conditions. Tomac kept Roczen honest, and as they approached lapped riders just before the halfway point it worked to the benefit of the champ.
Ken Roczen
As Roczen slowed briefly, Tomac seized the moment to dive to the inside the reclaim the lead. From that point on, he left Roczen and the rest of the field behind.
Tomac’s path to the second moto win wasn’t without its moments, but he took the checkered flag by 43 seconds over Roczen, who ultimately chose to protect the win and ride all by himself in second. A resilient Musquin never backed down in his pursuit of Anderson for third, and successfully got back around, but in the closing laps a hard charge from Osborne ultimately put the rookie onto the moto podium.
Eli Tomac and Ken Rozen after a muddy race two
Roczen’s 1-2 outing provided him with his first win since the final round of his championship-winning 2016 season. Since then he has endured through a pair of career-threatening injuries to each of his arms, in which he was forced to fight his way back from more than 10 total surgeries. It’s been a long and difficult road, but Roczen was able to prevail for the 16th win of his career.
For the past six seasons at Hangtown the 450 Class win has gone to either Roczen or Tomac, with Saturday’s victory being the third for the German at the iconic venue. Tomac’s second-moto win vaulted him to second overall (4-1), while Anderson rounded out the overall podium in third (2-5).
Roczen holds a slim four-point lead over Tomac in the 450 Class standings heading into the second round. Anderson sits nine points back in third.
Ken Roczen
Moto 2 Result
Eli Tomac 2:53.875
Ken Roczen +43.041
Zach Osborne +52.429
Marvin Musquin +54.340
Jason Anderson +1:26.412
Cooper Webb +1:41.527
Justin Barcia +1:50.775
Dean Ferris +3:10.964
Justin Bogle +3:26.451
Blake Baggett +12 Laps
Jake Masterpool +12 Laps
Ben LaMay +12 Laps
Todd Waters +12 Laps
AMA Pro Motocross Round One Hangtown 450 Class Overall Results 1. Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda (1-2) 2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (4-1) 3. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (2-5)
“It’s been a very, very long time [since I won a race]. Overall the whole day was good. It’s difficult at the first race to know what to expect [from yourself] and to know where everyone else is. I just did my best every time I was on the track and it got us a win. It was really sloppy out there and [when conditions are like that] it can easily go in either direction [bad or good], so it feels good that we ended up on the positive side of it.”
Ken Roczen
Jason Anderson – P3
“My weekend went pretty well, in the first moto, I just tried to figure out my groove since I haven’t been racing. At the beginning, I was a little tight and I ended up stalling the bike one time but all-in-all I was able to come back and make some good progress. Finishing 2-5 for third overall is not bad for the first round.”
Jason Anderson
Zach Osborne – P4
“Overall, it was a good start to my 450 outdoor career, I had a silly mistake in the first moto that cost me an overall podium but it was still a good weekend. I started off solid in the motos and I had an epic second moto from basically last to third, so I’m really happy with that and I’m pumped for next weekend and the rest of the series.”
Zach Osborne
Cooper Webb – P5
“The opening round went pretty well considering the conditions at the end of the day. In the second moto, I struggled in the mud to get a flow going and I fell a few times. Overall, it’s not what I wanted but it’s a good start to the season and we’re in a good position, so we’ll get better from here.”
Cooper Webb
Marvin Musquin – P6
“I was super sore after my crash in practice but I tried to regroup and get as better as I could before the motos but the first moto was tough. The feeling was not good and the start was not there, so I was battling with myself, basically, and then the track – I couldn’t find a good flow or rhythm. The second moto was better but it was a very disappointing outcome for me as I’ve gotten second the last two years here. Hangtown is always tough, so we know where we are now and it can only get better.”
Marvin Musquin
Justin Barcia – P7
“I haven’t been able to ride too much and this was the first day doing a 30-minute moto so I think it was a good day. I just wanted to get through it, let alone be in the top 10 all day, so that was nice. In the first moto I got a good start but got shuffled back to eighth. The second moto it was really coming down. It was difficult on my wrists for sure. We have some work to do but I’m glad to get through the first one and wasn’t even expecting a top 10. I obviously want to be up there, I just know it will take some time. We’ll put in the work.”
Justin Barcia
Dean Ferris – P9
“I’d say the day started really slow but we reverted back a bit to what we knew. I messed up my start a little in the first moto and had to come through the pack. Toward the end I found my pace. I had a better start in the second moto but it was chaotic with the mud and rain. The track was treacherous with the rain, but I think eighth (from Moto 2) was where I should have been today. I’m sure round by round we’ll keep improving.”
The opening 250 Class moto saw Justin Cooper narrowly grab the holeshot over Chase Sexton and Cianciarulo. Cooper successfully held on to that advantage and established himself as the early leader, with Cianciarulo slotting into second and Sexton into third.
2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Round 1 – Hangtown Motocross Classic
Cooper rode a consistent pace to maintain a lead over Cianciarulo, and the two gradually began to distance themselves from Sexton. As the field settled into the 30-minutes-plus-two-laps moto, Cooper was well in control, with Cianciarulo holding on to an assertive second place.
As the moto counted down to under 10 minutes to go, Cianciarulo began to pick up the pace and chip away at the deficit. With about eight minutes left the Kawasaki rider was all over Cooper’s rear fender, but the Yamaha rider withstood the charge and used lapped riders to his advantage to extend the lead once more.
When time ran out on the clock and the two-lap board was shown Cianciarulo wicked up the pace again, but Cooper responded to stop the threat before it even began.
Cooper went wire-to-wire on to take the second moto win of his career by 1.8 seconds over Cianciarulo, who rode to an uneventful second-place finish. The battle for third came down to the final corner, where a moto-long charge by Dylan Ferrandis, who started sixth, culminated with a stellar last lap in which he stole third from Sexton as they came to the line.
Moto 1 Result
Justin Cooper 2:19.850
Adam Cianciarulo +01.891
Dylan Ferrandis +03.504
Chase Sexton +04.320
Colt Nichols +25.115
R.J. Hampshire +39.024
Michael Mosiman +44.598
Garrett Marchbanks +1:10.455
Martin Davalos +1:17.375
Derek Drake +1:19.299
Hunter Lawrence +1:24.858
Ty Masterpool +1:31.286
Christian Craig +1:40.946
Shane McElrath +1:46.896
Wilson Todd +1:49.892
250 – Moto 2
With rain falling, the deciding moto got underway with Colt Nichols easily racing to the holeshot. Cianciarulo followed into second, but seized the moment to take the lead, getting much-needed clear track in the wet conditions.
2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Round 1 – Hangtown Motocross Classic
Nichols settled into second, with Michael Mosiman in third. Behind the lead pack, Cooper and Ferrandis were at the tail end of the top 10. A chaotic early portion of the race saw several different riders occupy third, as Mosiman gave way to Martin Davalos, who then lost the spot to Sexton.
As he looked to assert himself Sexton went down, which handed third to Alex Martin. This jostling of position also benefitted the Yamaha duo of Ferrandis and Cooper, who were able to close in on the top five.
Cianciarulo easily opened up a considerable margin over the rest of the field, which allowed him to manage his way through the ever-changing conditions. As the moto wore on, Ferrandis began to inch closer and closer to Martin to challenge him for third.
The Frenchman got alongside his veteran counterpart, but Martin resisted and pulled away. This battle helped bring the duo closer to Nichols in second, and when a downed rider caused Nichols to come to a stop on the track, both Martin and Ferrandis got around him to take over second and third, respectively.
Ferrandis’ pursuit of Martin never ceased, but it soon resulted in misfortune that caused him to give up a spot to Nichols and fall into the clutches of Cooper, who was running fifth. Cooper would get the better of Ferrandis in the late stages of the moto to drop the Frenchman to fifth.
Although he had to ride without goggles for the final few laps, Cianciarulo rode as perfect a race as one could in such difficult conditions to take the moto win and the overall victory by 16.3 seconds over Martin. Nichols followed in third, with Cooper and Ferrandis rounding out the top five.
Cianciarulo’s 2-1 effort gave him the second overall win of his career in his first start since the 2017 season, following knee surgery last summer. He becomes the 32nd different rider to earn a 250 Class victory at Hangtown.
Cooper’s resilient second moto landed him in the runner-up spot (1-4) for the second time in his career. Nichols (5-3) and Ferrandis (3-5) ended up in a tie for third, but by virtue of his better result in the final moto Nichols earned the tiebreaker.
Cianciarulo establishes a four-point lead over Cooper in the 250 Class standings entering the second round, while Nichols and Ferrandis sit 11 points back.
The 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship continues next Saturday, May 25, with American motocross’ anticipated return to Fox Raceway in Pala, California, for the first time since the 2011 season.
Moto 2 Result
Adam Cianciarulo 2:37.166
Alex Martin +16.382
Colt Nichols +17.424
Justin Cooper +38.851
Dylan Ferrandis +44.130
Chase Sexton +47.142
R.J. Hampshire +1:03.634
Shane McElrath +1:19.100
Wilson Todd +1:24.117
Christian Craig +1:28.904
Michael Mosiman +1:48.833
Hunter Lawrence +1:49.910
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (2-1)
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (1-4)
Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha (5-3)
Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha (3-5)
Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (4-6)
RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda (6-7)
Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Husqvarna (7-11)
Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki (23-2)
Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM (14-8)
Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda (13-10)
Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda, (11-12)
Wilson Todd, Austrailia, Husqvarna, (15-9)
AMA Pro Motocross Round One Hangtown 250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish) 1. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (2-1) 2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (1-4) 3. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha (5-3)
250 Quotes
Adam Cianciarulo – P1
“It means a lot [to get this win]. For all the kids out there that watch us, we go through such peaks and valleys. [This win] is a testament to understanding that the most important shot is your next one. You’ve got to keep fighting. It feels great to get a win at the opening round of the [Pro Motocross] season and start this summer off on a high note.”
Adam Cianciarulo
Justin Cooper – P2
“Great start to the season with the first moto win and a good day overall. I was able to salvage a decent amount of points in the second moto considering the conditions. It was gnarly out there, so I can’t complain too much on the result, but we want more. I’m looking to take this momentum into next week!”
Justin Cooper
Colt Nichols – P3
“Starting off the season is always a challenge to see how you stack up, so I just wanted to see where we were. I’ve felt like I’ve been good at outdoors but have been underprepared the last few seasons so this is a great start on the podium. The track was brutal and the Yamaha felt great today. Everyone who has been helping me out has been awesome and it feels great to get third overall.”
Colt Nichols
Dylan Ferrandis – P4
“The day started out well. I felt very comfortable physically and on the bike during practice. In the first moto I made a late charge to the front to finally finished third. In the second moto I was feeling good. The speed was really good too until I fried my clutch and had to slow down to save the bike to finish the moto. It was really frustrating for me and now I’m really disappointed but we’re onto the next one in Pala next weekend and hoping to get back on top.”
Dylan Ferrandis
250 Class Championship Standings
Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 47
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 43
Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 36
Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha – 36
Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 33
RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda – 29
Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Husqvarna – 24
