EMX250

MANTOVA (Lombardia) 6 March 2022 – The EMX250 riders have completed the opening round of the series in Lombardia, with Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing’s Rick Elzinga victorious.

The Dutchman leaves Italy with the red plate, ahead of Fantic Factory Team Maddii duo of Cornelius Toendel and Haakon Osterhagen.

In EMX250 race one, it was Mike Gwerder of WZ Racing Team who was flying out of the gate and led the way. Behind him was David Braceras from Team VRT KTM Veritise, Raf Meuwissen of Raf’s Motorsports, Marcel Stauffer of Sturm STC Racing Team and Andrea Bonacorsi from Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing.

Stauffer then crashed out of fourth which allowed Bonacorsi and Rick Elzinga of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing through, but Bonacorsi’s charge to the front did not last long as a battle with Cornelius Toendel of Fantic Factory Team Maddii ended with Bonacorsi down on the ground and Toendel moving up to fourth.

Elzinga then set the fastest lap of the race, a 1:58.443 as he closed in on Braceras for second position.

Further down the field, Federico Tuani of SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery and Stauffer came together before a take off a jump, which resulted in a DNF for Tuani, while Stauffer was able to continue for a few more laps but ultimately did not finish either.

Meanwhile on lap four we saw a change for the lead as Braceras got by Gwerder! Elzinga was looking to launch an attack of his own on the Swiss and did just that a lap later. It then took him just two more laps to pass Braceras for the lead, as Gwerder continued to drop down the order.

Towards the final laps of the race we saw Jorge-Matthias Talviku of Sahkar Racing make his way up the order and battle it out with Braceras for second, but he was not able to find a way through and was forced to settle for third.

Elzinga took the first race victory of 2022, with Braceras holding on to second. Haakon Osterhagen from Fantic Factory Team Maddii finished fourth on his first outing in the EMX250 class, while Oriol Oliver of WZ Racing Team and Camden Mc Lellan of TBS Conversions Racing Team crossed the line fifth and sixth. While Bonacorsi did not finish the race.

In the second race, it was Osterhagen who took the holeshot and was leading Gwerder, Meuwissen, Toendel and Meico Vettik. Meanwhile Bonacorsi didn’t get off to the best start and was outside the top 20. Elzinga was also buried in the mid-pack with Braceras.

At the sharp end of the field though we saw Toendel pass Vettik and Osterhagen for the lead, while Osterhagen dropped two positions in the space of just a couple of corners.

Elzinga then passed Mc Lellan for ninth and continued his charge forward, as Bonacorsi moved into 16^th.

Quentin Marc Prugnieres of 9MM Energy BUD Racing Kawasaki crashed out of fifth to eventually finish the race in 11^th.

Toendel was looking comfortable in the lead as he was already 2.483 seconds ahead of Vettik, while Osterhagen was safe in third.

But it was Elzinga who was the hard charged as he passed Meuwissen for sixth and started to gain ground on Gwerder who was ahead. By the end of lap eight, we saw him move into fifth. Two laps later he passed Oliver but was just out of reach to get Osterhagen too.

Meanwhile Bonacorsi put in a sprint in the final few laps of the second heat and managed to get himself up to sixth place ahead of Gwerder, scoring valuable points after yesterday’s DNF.

In the end it was Toendel who won the race 4.412 seconds ahead of Vettik and Osterhagen. Meanwhile Elzinga was fourth just ahead of Oliver in fifth.

The 1-4 result gave Elzinga his first overall victory of 2022 and with that he secured the red plate going into round two of the series. Joining on the podium were the two Fantic Factory Team Maddii riders Cornelius Toendel and Haakon Osterhagen.

The next round of the EMX250 championship will take place in Portugal on the 2^nd / 3^rd of April.

Rick Elzinga: “First race was really good, and I really enjoyed racing here. The second race, I had some trouble in the first couple of laps and by then the front guys were already far ahead of me, so it was difficult to catch. But I think I did a good job, got the red plate and the winter prep really showed. Happy to be back on Yamaha and I am happy to be on the podium. Thanks to Yamaha and everybody back home”.

Main Photo: Rick Elzinga 

Bottom Photos: 1. EMX250 Start; 2. Haakon Osterhagen

EMX250 - Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), 30:12.973; 2. David Braceras (ESP, KTM), +0:04.114; 3. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, KTM), +0:04.834; 4. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, Fantic), +0:05.459; 5. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:06.711; 6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, KTM), +0:13.022; 7. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, Fantic), +0:14.789; 8. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:15.511; 9. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), +0:20.713; 10. Meico Vettik (EST, KTM), +0:21.646;

EMX250 - Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, Fantic), 30:06.155; 2. Meico Vettik (EST, KTM), +0:04.412; 3. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, Fantic), +0:10.725; 4. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +0:21.560; 5. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:31.434; 6. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:41.831; 7. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), +0:44.651; 8. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, KTM), +0:50.039; 9. Raf Meuwissen (NED, KTM), +0:51.523; 10. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, KTM), +0:53.758;

EMX250 – Overall Top 10 Classification: 1. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 43 points; 2. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, FAN), 39 p.; 3. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, FAN), 38 p.; 4. Meico Vettik (EST, KTM), 33 p.; 5. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, KTM), 31 p.; 7. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, KTM), 28 p.; 8. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, KAW), 23 p.; 10. David Braceras (ESP, KTM), 22 p.;

EMX250 - Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 43 points; 2. Cornelius Toendel (NOR, FAN), 39 p.; 3. Haakon Osterhagen (NOR, FAN), 38 p.; 4. Meico Vettik (EST, KTM), 33 p.; 5. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, KTM), 31 p.; 7. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, KTM), 28 p.; 8. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Quentin Marc Prugnieres (FRA, KAW), 23 p.; 10. David Braceras (ESP, KTM), 22 p.;

EMX250 - Manufacturers Classification: 1. KTM, 44 points; 2. Fantic, 43 p.; 3. Yamaha, 43 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 23 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 8 p.;

All the photos from the MXGP of Lombardia will be available HERE.

You can find the complete results HERE.

MXGP OF LOMBARDIA QUICK FACTS:

Circuit length: 1670m

Type of ground: Hard Sand

Temperature: 10° C

Weather conditions: Mostly Cloudy

Crowd Attendance: Limited to 5,000 spectators per day due to COVID restrictions.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM Europe

MXGP of Lombardia

MANTOVA (Italy) 4 March 2022 – The FIM Motocross World Championship carries momentums into the second round of the series, this weekend, taking place in Mantova for the MXGP of Lombardia.

In 2021, Mantova was at the forefront of some of the most memorable moments; being the host of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations and the home of the spectacular season finale where we watched Jeffrey Herlings take the crown in MXGP.

While this time around the stakes are not so high, the action still promises to be intense as Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Simon Längenfelder will aim for two on the bounce, while the likes of Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer, Maxime Renaux and Jago Geerts will fight for their place on the top step.

Below you can also find a list of TV channels that will air LIVE and delayed action of the MXGP of Lombardia, along with the 26min Behind-the-Gate magazine, available to enjoy on MXGP-TV.com and via our TV magazine partners following the GP weekend, featuring the best moments from the races and exclusive interviews, plus more!

This weekend Italy’s RAI, with whom MXGP renewed their TV partnership for another two years, will be onsite to provide coverage of the event with their very own Italian commentary. Details of how to watch the races on RAI can be found below.

As always, MXGP fans can follow the races LIVE throughout the weekend, all you need to do is log onto www.MXGP-TV.com this Saturday and Sunday to watch the MXGP,MX2, EMX250 and WMX action from the comfort of your home.

USA CANADA

CBS Sports Network

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 2 – 00:30 pm ET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 01:30 am ET – Delayed

EUROPE

EUROSPORT 2

Monday 7 March 2022 – MX2 Race 1 – 10:30 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MXGP Race 1 – 11:00 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MX2 Race 2 – 11:30 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MXGP Race 2 – 12:00 CET - Delayed

BELGIUM 

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 1 – 12:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET - LIVE

VRT

Sunday 6 March 2022  – 20mn highlights

ESTONIA

Go3

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 1 – 12:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET - LIVE

FINLAND

MTV Max

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 17:00 Finnish timing - LIVE

FRANCE

AUTOMOTO LA CHAINE 

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 1 – 12:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET - LIVE

EUROSPORT 2

Monday 7 March 2022 – MX2 Race 1 – 10:30 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MXGP Race 1 – 11:00 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MX2 Race 2 – 11:30 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MXGP Race 2 – 12:00 CET - Delayed

ITALY

RAI SPORT HD

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 17:10 CET – Delayed

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 18:10 CET – Delayed

RAI STREAMING

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE Streaming

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET – LIVE Streaming

EUROSPORT 2

Monday 7 March 2022 – MX2 Race 1 – 10:30 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MXGP Race 1 – 11:00 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MX2 Race 2 – 11:30 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MXGP Race 2 – 12:00 CET - Delayed

LATVIA

TV3 Sport Open

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 1 – 12:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET - LIVE

LITHUANIA

Go3

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 1 – 12:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET - LIVE

NETHERLANDS

NOS

Sunday 6 March 2022  2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE Streaming

Sunday 6 March 2022  2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET – LIVE Streaming

SLOVENIA 

Sport TV1

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 1 – 12:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET - LIVE

SPAIN

TV Galicia

Sunday 6 March 2022  2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET – LIVE

Teledeporte

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 14:05 CET – Delayed

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 17:10 CET – Delayed

RTVE Play

Sunday 6 March 2022  2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE Streaming

Sunday 6 March 2022  2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET – LIVE Streaming

BRAZIL

Bandsports

Sunday 6 March 2022  2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET – LIVE

ASIA

Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand

EUROSPORT ASIA

Monday 7 March 2022 – MX2 Race 1 – 10:30 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MXGP Race 1 – 11:00 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MX2 Race 2 – 11:30 CET – Delayed

Monday 7 March 2022 – MXGP Race 2 – 12:00 CET - Delayed

INDIA and Subcontinent (Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives)

VIACOM 18

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 1 – 12:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET - LIVE

PACIFIC

AUSTRALIA

STAN SPORTS

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 1 – 12:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET – LIVE

Sunday 6 March 2022  – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET - LIVE

26min Behind-the-Gate Magazine Partners:

AMERICA

Direct TV                     Latin America                         Thursday after each MXGP 8:30pm

USA                             MAV TV                                   During the week after the event

AFRICA

Africa                           AXP                                          During the week after the event

EUROPE

Albania                        Kreator TV                               Thursday after each event at 20:15

Austria                        Kreator TV                               Thursday after each event at 20:15

Baltics                          TV3 Sport Open                      Thursday after each MXGP

Belgium                       SPORT TEN                              tba

Bosnia                         Kreator TV                               Thursday after each event at 20:15

Croatia                        Kreator TV                               Thursday after each event at 20:15

Finland                        MTV                                         During the week after the event

Hungary                      Kreator TV                               Thursday after each event at 20:15

Kosovo                        Kreator TV                               Thursday after each event at 20:15

Montenegro                Kreator TV                               Thursday after each event at 20:15

Northern Macedonia  Kreator TV                                Thursday after each event at 20:15

Portugal                      SPORT TV                                Tuesday after the event        

Romania                      Look Sport                               Wednesday after each event

Serbia                          Kreator TV                               Thursday after each event at 20:15

Slovenia                      Sport TV                                  Tuesday after the event

Spain                           Movistar                                  Friday after each event at 12am

INDIA and Subcontinent (Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives)

VIACOM 18                                                                 TBC

WORLDWIDE

Worldwide                  Motorvision                             During the week after the event

                                    Redbull TV                              Race Craft and Vlog

MXGP of Lombardia LIVE MXGP-TV Timetable

TIMETABLE (Local Timing CET)

SATURDAY: 07:50 WMX Free Practice, 08:15 EMX250 Group 1 Free Practice, 08:40 EMX250 Group 2 Free Practice, 09:05 WMX Qualifying Practice, 09:50 MX2 Free Practice, 10:20 MXGP Free Practice, 11:10 EMX250 Group 1 Qualifying Practice, 11:45 EMX250 Group 2 Qualifying Practice, 12:25 MX2 Time Practice, 13:00 MXGP Time Practice, 13:45 WMX Race 1, 14:30 EMX250 Race 1, 15:25 MX2 Qualifying Race, 16:10 MXGP Qualifying Race.

SUNDAY: 08:45 WMX Race 2, 09:25 MX2 Warm-up, 09:45 MXGP Warm-up, 10:30 EMX250 Race 2, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

MXGP of Lombardia

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 2 March 2022 – The FIM Motocross World Championship continues this weekend with the second round of the series heading to Mantova for the MXGP of Lombardia.

Last season, Mantova was at the forefront of some of the most memorable moments from the 2021 season and even in history of the sport, including the victory of Team Italy on home soil at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, the intense title showdown between Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings, Kawasaki Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre and Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and the last race of the legendary Antonio Cairoli.

This time around Mantova will have a lot to live up to but if the actions of the British Grand Prix last weekend, are anything to go by, nothing less can be expected!

Joining the MXGP and MX2 stars this weekend will be the EMX250 and Women’s Motocross World Championship riders for their opening rounds of the 2021 season.

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser will enter the second round with the red plate on his CRF450R. There is no doubt that the Slovenian will look for that 1-1 that he so narrowly missed out on in Matterley Basin, after crashing out of the lead in race two. Gajser has won twice in Mantova, which was back in 2016 and 2020 but another win could be highly likely if he carries the same momentum as he had in Great Britain.

There to keep him on his toes once again will be Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado who finished second on the box last weekend and won the second race after fending off Gajser for most of the race. The starts have been a big advantage for Prado who has been able to get out in front early doors, so the same can be expected this weekend as he will once again battle for the podium, especially the top step which he is yet to achieve in Mantova in the MXGP category (he has won in MX2 in 2019).

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings and Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Romain Febvre will once again miss out on the Grand Prix, with their return yet to be confirmed.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer, Maxime Renaux and Glenn Coldenhoff were out in full force in Great Britain with the trio finishing third, fourth and fifth respectively. For Seewer, it was his first time ever finishing on the box at the opening round of the championship and he will no doubt be motivated to make it back-to-back podiums and add a second GP win in Mantova, to the one he got in 2020, which was also his first ever GP victory in the MXGP class. Meanwhile Renaux was impressive to say the least on his first outing in the MXGP class, so it will be interesting to see if he can bring this competitiveness once again.

MXGP rookie Jed Beaton from F&H Kawasaki Racing Team delivered some strong results during his first race in the premiere class finishing sixth overall. It would be nice to see him at the sharp end again this weekend as he gets to grips with the new category.

Same goes for Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez who looked promising in Matterley Basin. The Spaniard got unlucky in race one but had a much stronger second race where he placed fifth and definitely has the potential for something more in Mantova.

Alberto Forato of SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery was also impressive at the British round as he delivered his first top 10 overall result of the season, finishing seventh. Heading to his home round, it would be nice to see him build upon his previous result.

While his fellow countryman Alessandro Lupino of Beta SDM Corse will hope to bounce back after a disastrous first outing with the new team. Lupino did not finish either of the MXGP races and therefore scoring 0 points last weekend.

For Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis it was much of the same, as the Lithuanian struggled in both races. He DNF’d race one and place 20^th in race to and will no doubt be looking to improve in Mantova.

2021 MXGP of Città di Mantova – Top 3 MXGP:

1. Jeffrey Herlings 50pts

2. Tim Gajser 42pts

3. Romain Febvre 42pts

Main Photo: MXGP Start 2021

Bottom Photos: 1. Tim Gajser 2. Jorge Prado

MXGP - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 47 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 43 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 35 p.; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 32 p.; 6. Jed Beaton (AUS, KAW), 30 p.; 7. Alberto Forato (ITA, GAS), 28 p.; 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, KTM), 24 p.; 9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, BET), 23 p.; 10. Brian Bogers (NED, HUS), 23 p.;

MXGP - Manufacturers Classification: 1. Honda, 47 points; 2. GASGAS, 43 p.; 3. Yamaha, 42 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 30 p.; 5. KTM, 24 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 23 p.; 7. Beta, 23 p.;

In MX2, the second round of the MX2 World Championship will be interesting to see whether Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Simon Längenfelder can bring the same type of dominance that we saw in Matterley Basin. The young German won the qualifying race, both races, took both Fox Hoelshots and left the first round with the red plate. Pressure will be high to deliver something along the same lines, so it will be interesting to see how he can adapt to the more sandy circuit.

Meanwhile, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle will look for every opportunity to fight back and get himself a race win and on the top step of the podium. The Frenchman confirmed in a press conference that he was not feeling 100% after his foot injury last year but is hoping to re-group in Mantova. Vialle is yet to win in Mantova but has come close before, so maybe this time will be his turn.  

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts will look to repeat his podium success in Mantova as he continues to get back to strength after his arm surgery that only saw him back on the bike days before the first GP. Geerts has the potential to be strong in the sand of Mantova as he has won the Grand Prix there three times before, twice in 2021 and once in 2020 so as far as favourites go, Geerts is among the top to win.

Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing duo of Kay de Wolf and Roan Van De Moosdijk will be looking for that podium spot this weekend after tying on points in fourth last weekend. Both are strong sand riders so could be serious contenders for race wins and certainly for the podium.

F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Kevin Horgmo showed a lot of promise at the opening round, as he finished eighth overall but ran with the leaders in both races. This is Horgmo’s first season back in MX2 after he made the move back down to EMX250 in 2021. Now part of the F&H squad and under the guidance of former GP rider Marc De Reuver, it will be interesting to see how Horgmo will match up in the sand.

Big Ban World MTX Kawasaki Racing’s Mikkel Haarup also showed what could be in store as he finished sixth overall with an 8-7 result in the races. As did Stephen Rubini of Team Ship to Cycle Honda who was 7^th overall and Isak Gifting of Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee who ended his weekend 9^th overall. All three of the riders were right in the mix during the weekend and much of the same could be expected this time too.

Meanwhile home rider Mattia Guadagnini from Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing will need to re-group and bounce back as he currently sits 10^th in the MX2 World Championship standings. Many may have expected Guadagnini to be on the podium at the opening round, since he podiumed in Great Britain last year. But that was not the reality, as a 13-8 result was the best he could do. The MXGP of Lombardia will be an opportunity for Guadagnini to fight back and one that he will need to make the most of, in order to keep with the title contenders this year. He has previously won in Mantova in the EMX125 and EMX250 categories, which means he’s no stranger to winning in  the hard sand, and it could be just what he needs to boost his confidence for the remainder of the year.

Another name to look out for at the Italian Grand Prix is SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery rider Andrea Adamo who has picked up pretty much where he left off in 2021. On his first outing in 2022, the Italian has finished 10^th overall, which is a nice result to build upon this season.

2021 MXGP of Città di Mantova – Top 3 MX2:

1. Jago Geerts 47pts

2. Maxime Renaux 45pts

3. Kay de Wolf 37pts

Main Photo: MX2 Start 2021

Bottom Photos: 1. Jago Geerts 2. Mattia Guadagnini

MX2 - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 50 points; 2. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 36 p.; 5. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 33 p.; 6. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, KAW), 27 p.; 7. Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 27 p.; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 26 p.; 9. Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), 22 p.; 10. Andrea Adamo (ITA, GAS), 22 p.;

MX2 - Manufacturers Classification: 1. GASGAS, 50 points; 2. KTM, 42 p.; 3. Yamaha, 40 p.; 4. Husqvarna, 38 p.; 5. Kawasaki, 28 p.; 6. Honda, 27 p.;

TIMETABLE (Local Timing CET)

SATURDAY: 07:50 WMX Free Practice, 08:15 EMX250 Group 1 Free Practice, 08:40 EMX250 Group 2 Free Practice, 09:05 WMX Qualifying Practice, 09:50 MX2 Free Practice, 10:20 MXGP Free Practice, 11:10 EMX250 Group 1 Qualifying Practice, 11:45 EMX250 Group 2 Qualifying Practice, 12:25 MX2 Time Practice, 13:00 MXGP Time Practice, 13:45 WMX Race 1, 14:30 EMX250 Race 1, 15:25 MX2 Qualifying Race, 16:10 MXGP Qualifying Race.

SUNDAY: 08:45 WMX Race 2, 09:25 MX2 Warm-up, 09:45 MXGP Warm-up, 10:30 EMX250 Race 2, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

MXGP of Lombardia

The second round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship heads to Mantova this weekend for the MXGP of Lombardia.

Timetable and entry lists for the MXGP of Lombardia can be found at the links below:

TIMETABLE

MXGP ENTRY LIST

MX2 ENTRY LIST

EMX250 ENTRY LIST

WMX ENTRY LIST

The 2021 season will no doubt be remembered for many reasons, of course the main one being the level of competition that we have witnessed across all the classes of the FIM World and European Championships.

The EMX categories are vital to the FIM Motocross World Championship, as these support classes help to nurture young and up and coming talents into the FIM Motocross World Championship at a professional level. Even the youngest EMX65 riders right through to the EMX250, all have a chance to show their skills on world level tracks, with professional treatment and opportunities.

So, as we gear up for another epic season in 2022, let’s meet the crème-de-la-crème of the 2021 EMX Championships! 

Read the full article in the latest issue of the MXGP Magazine HERE! 

You can find all this plus more in the 101^st issue of MXGP Mag, which you can download for FREE on the Apple Store or Google Play. Read it HERE!

Users who have already downloaded other issues on their iOS device can automatically download the new issue by opening the News Stand and clicking on the cover of the MXGP Mag. Whereas those readers using an Android device will be able to download the magazine for free thanks to this app: http://bit.ly/IssuuOnAndroid.

To celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, MXGP would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year by sharing our annual Christmas video for 2021.

Immerse yourself into the sounds of MXGP with a festive twist!

Fantic Factory Team Maddii have announced the riders that will represent the team in 2022, with riders across all major World and European Championships.

The 2021 EMX250 Champion, Nicholas Lapucci will make the move up to MXGP, meanwhile the 125cc Junior Motocross World Champion Hakon Osterhagen will move up to the EMX250 category and race alongside new teammate Cornelius Tondel. While in the EMX125 class, the team will see Cas Valk and Alexis Fueri represent the Italian team and brand.

Sharing on their social media platforms, the team said “The work is already started and we will do our best to be ready for this new chapter and new challenges”.

Photo Copyright: Fantic Factory Team Maddii

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

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

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

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

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

All three MJC Yamaha riders celebrated podium silverware in 2021. Van Erp emerged as one of the major title contenders with three race and round wins at EMX125 events in Germany, Spain, and Italy. After starting the 2021 season with an injury, Reisulis bounced back with a vengeance. The 16-year-old Latvian rounded out his season with two overall podiums at the final two rounds in Italy, finishing second on both occasions. Zanchi was classified second overall at the first round in Matterley Basin, while the Italian’s first full season in the series also included an impressive race victory in France.

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

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

Loic LeFoll, MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 Team Owner: “I am so happy to continue working with these young riders. All three riders are very talented, which is exciting for our team, and in addition to that, they are very hard working and have great attitudes on and off the bike. I really enjoy working with riders like this, and we are already looking forward to the new season. The team is motivated, the riders are motivated, the YZ125 is a fantastic bike and we are excited for the 2022 season."

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