FIMWOMENS

Don't miss MXGP's 26 minute magazine tonight on Eurosport International at 23:00 CET. 

In a sport dominated by males, Livia Lancelot is an unsung hero, or should I say heroine? This French wonder lady is not only one of the best female motocross riders in the world, she also stacks up against the males and will be out to prove it this weekend in Si Racha, Thailand, for the second round of the FIM Motocross MX2 World Championship.

So, news just broke you will be lining up in Thailand next weekend for the FIM MX2 World Championship?

“Yeah, last year Youthstream came to me with this idea that I should race in Qatar and Thailand. Of course, I said yes right away, it is a great opportunity for me and also for my sponsors. But also, I like to ride against the boys. I do it every year in the French Championship and also in the Le Touquet.”

Tell me about your experience in Si Racha (Thailand) last year…

“Yeah, I loved the track there; it was so cool, at least before it rained. After the rain, the track became really muddy and then I was struggling with the lines. So because I was not riding so well in the pre-qualifying I didn’t make the main race because of the 108% rule. I was still really happy to be there.”

Do you think the difference in strength between girls and guys is really obvious when racing MX2?

“Yes, of course. You know, girls are little bit more smooth than the boys and we try not to fight the bike so much. In the pre-qualifying last year, Jeffrey Herlings passed me on the straight before the big tabletop. It was so muddy there his bike was going sideways, like I could see both his number plates on the sides of his bike. I just thought to myself, woah, I can’t ride like that, if I tried and the bike went left and right like that, then for sure I wouldn’t be on the bike anymore.”

What are your goals or motivation for this race?

“You know, it’s a little bit hard to have goals in this race. But I guess I will just try not to be last (laughs). Otherwise, I will just try to ride my own race, not do anything crazy because this is not my class. I just want to go there to show to Thailand that girls can ride motocross too and for me, it’s really good practice.”

And you are back for your first full season since 2008 in the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, what are your goals?

“Basically I want to have the red plate at the end.”

Okay, Thanks Livia, good luck!

LOSAIL (Qatar), 01 March 2014 - With cool gusty winds breezing across the beautifully floodlit circuit of Losail, Qatar, round one of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship got underway. Dominating the first round of 2014, Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge surprisingly stood head and shoulders above the rest this weekend. The nineteen-year-old Australian took two from two holeshots and went on to control both races from start to finish for her first ever World Championship double race victory. Meanwhile HM Plant KTM UK’s Natalie Kane and Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot came home with second and third respectively.

Nerves had to be skyrocketing as the ladies of WMX shot off the line for their first ever start of the season. Coming around the first turn in front was Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge. Rutledge was quick to stamp her authority, stretching out a lead of plus four seconds within two laps. While the Australian went on to win the race unchallenged, the battle for second was hot with HM Plant KTM UK’s Natalie Kane, Young Dutch talent Nancy Van De Ven, Twenty Suspension Suzuki’s Larissa Papenmeier-Picoto and former four-time WMX world champion Stephanie Laier all dicing back and forth for a podium position. Each lap was give or take all the way to the checkers, but in the end it was HM Plant KTM UK’s Natalie Kane who crossed the line in second in front of the flying Yamaha YZ 125 two-stroke of Nancy Van De Ven with Stephanie Laier and Larissa Papenmeier-Picoto rounding out the top five.

Lining up for race two, race one winner Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge was looking more focused and determine than ever. Proving her case, the Australian underdog took her second holeshot of the evening and went on to dominate yet again for a perfect start to the season. Meanwhile Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot redeemed herself after her terrible start in race one. While the French wonder women did lay down the fastest laptime, she couldn’t match the flawless consistency of the Australian teenager Rutledge. Sixteen seconds back from Lancelot was HM Plant KTM UK’s Natalie Kane who finished a comfortable third a further eight seconds ahead of the reigning and former WMX World Champions Chiara Fontanesi and Dragon Moto’s Stephanie Laier.

WMX Race 1 top ten: 1. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki), 25:47.520; 2. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), +0:13.168; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:14.585; 4. Stephanie Laier (GER, Suzuki), +0:15.344; 5. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:17.737; 6. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:30.059; 7. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:37.893; 8. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +1:01.746; 9. Justine Charroux (FRA, Yamaha), +1:15.910; 10. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:19.912.

WMX Race 2 top ten: 1. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, Kawasaki), 24:48.548; 2. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:09.094; 3. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), +0:25.611; 4. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:33.531; 5. Stephanie Laier (GER, Suzuki), +0:37.492; 6. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +0:54.246; 7. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +1:00.772; 8. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +1:01.975; 9. Marianne Veenstra (NED, Husqvarna), +1:03.683; 10. Sara Pettersson (SWE, KTM), +1:11.128.

WMX Overall top ten: 1. Meghan Kat Rutledge (AUS, KAW), 50 points; 2. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 36 p.; 4. Stephanie Laier (GER, SUZ), 34 p.; 5. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 34 p.; 6. Chiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 33 p.; 7. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 29 p.; 8. Francesca Nocera (ITA, SUZ), 28 p.; 9. Marianne Veenstra (NED, HUS), 22 p.; 10. Justine Charroux (FRA, YAM), 21 p.

WMX Manufacturer: 1. Kawasaki, 50 points; 2. KTM, 42 p.; 3. Yamaha, 38 p.; 4. Suzuki, 34 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 22 p.

All the results are available here.

All the photos of the MXGP of Qatar are available here

MXGP QATAR – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1595m

Type of ground: hard pack

Temperature: 23°C

Weather conditions: windy

Crowd attendance: 7.000

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Qatar

LOSAIL (Qatar), 27 February 2014 - The atmosphere is warming up here in Qatar with the welcoming press conference of the 2014 FIM Motocross World Championships, the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship presentation and a specially organized media opportunity out on the breath-taking Doha Corniche all taking place.

Around noon today, some of the top MXGP, MX2 and WMX riders took the opportunity to get out and explore Doha on a traditional Dhow Charter. The Dhow charter is a sixty-year-old wooden boat traditionally used for fishing, but today it has been renovated and is now used to carry people out onto the beautiful Doha Corniche where the exquisite skyline view of the city of Doha can be admired.

Later in the afternoon, QMMF President and Losail International Circuit General Manager Mr Nasser Khalifa Al Attya, Youthstream President Mr Giuseppe Luongo, FIM Deputy President Jorge Viegas and FIM/CMS Director Dr Wolfgang Srb hosted a press conference to welcome all international and national media, as well as riders and teams to the second ever MXGP of Qatar. During the press conference QMMF President and Losail International Circuit General Manager Mr Nasser Khalifa Al Attya shared his feelings of pride and thanks for the opportunity the country of Qatar and the QMMF have received to host the opening round of the FIM Motocross World Championship for the second year in a row. This year a significant amount of work has gone into improving the facilities in order to cater specifically to the FIM Motocross World Championship. For this, both Youthstream and the FIM are very thankful, not only for the efforts of the QMMF but also for the professionalism and enthusiasm they have shown. The new and improved lighting systems that have been put in place, improves the quality of the FIM Motocross World Championship for all that are involved. Better lighting means a better view, not only for the riders and spectators, but also for TV coverage which will in turn reward MXGP with even more global coverage. This year many major television broadcasters have jumped onboard with MXGP and will be viewing the last race of each MXGP in each countries prime viewing time on a Sunday afternoon. “This is massive,” Mr Giuseppe Luongo concluded, “having the major broadcasters such as Eurosport, Mediaset and CBS Sports Network for example, only improves the quality of our sport”.

Coming into the closing stages of the press conference Miss Nita Korhonen, Director of the CFM, was welcomed to the podium to introduce the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship. This is the first ‘fly-away’ race in history for the women and is hoped to be the first of many. Miss Nita Korhonen expressed her thanks to the FIM, Youthstream and QMMF for their belief and investment in women’s motocross.

Mr Giuseppe Luongo added, “There is no doubt motocross is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world, but that does not mean women can not part take. In fact, I have seen some very impressive racing out of some women in the sport such as Livia Lancelot and Kiara Fontanesi, and I am sure that this WMX season will be very competitive”.

With the official introductions and ‘meet and greets’ complete, the MXGP community will unwind tonight and enjoy the calm before the storm, for tomorrow it all will unfold.

All the photos of the MXGP of Qatar will be available here

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Qatar

Have a sneak peak at the surroundings here at the Grand Prix of Losail, Qatar, as the opening round of the 2014 FIM Motocross World Championship gets set to get underway. View here below. 

The Entry List of FIM Women's Motocross World Championship for the first MXGP, which will take place in the International Circuit of Losail, Qatar, on the 1^st March, is now official and can be found here below: 

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 14 February 2014 – Youthstream is thrilled to announce that www.MXGP-TV.com (former www.MX-LIFE.tv) has a new look!

New MXGP-TV.com website includes public video playlists, a calendar with countdown for the upcoming events, and for subscribers an access to the LIVE and PREMIUM content of one of the most exciting sports in the world, motocross!

On MXGP-TV.com it is also possible to check directly the news from the free monthly MXGP Mag and stop by MXGP Facebook and Twitter live feeds.

Click here to join the MXGP trip on your computer or any mobile device.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP-TV.com

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 12 February 2014 – Youthstream and Mediaset have reached an agreement for Mediaset to broadcast the MXGP, FIM Motocross World Championship 2014, as well as the MXoN, the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, in Latvia, the Monster Energy FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, which be held in Belgium and the SNX, FIM Snowcross World Championship. Viewers will be able to follow all the races on Italia 2 and for the MXGP of Italy on Italia 1.

Mediaset S.p.A. is an Italian-based mass media company which is the largest commercial broadcaster in the country. Founded in the 1970s by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and still controlled today with a 38.6% stake by his family holding company Fininvest.

Mediaset's headquarters are in Milan, Lombardy. Many of its studios are located in the Milano 2 area of Segrate, a municipality bordering Milan, where broadcasts of local station TeleMilano (now airing nationally as Mediaset's Canale 5) began in 1978. After merging with various local broadcasters to form Canale 5 syndication, much production was moved to Cologno Monzese, where the infrastructure of the former Telealtomilanese was present. The company currently has three main television production centres, in Segrate, Cologno Monzese and Rome.

This agreement will give to all Italian fans the opportunity to see their favorite riders compete in the world's biggest motocross championship over the next two (2) years.

As the seven-time reigning world champion, the Italian rider Antonio Cairoli, will aim to win a fifth consecutive title in September.

Giuseppe Luongo, President of Youthstream, endorsed the partnership with Mediaset. "It is a great pleasure for us to announce this signed agreement with Mediaset, a leading broadcaster in Italy. This will enable all Italians fans to follow the performance of their national riders, which has already given them so many reasons to celebrate in recent years. This broadcast agreement also complements the strong results achieved on the development of the MXGP series.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

Mediaset

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 11 February 2014 - Youthstream is very pleased to present the new, fresh, easy & brand website www.MXGP.com. www.MXGP.com (previously www.motocrossmx1.com) will be the main source for the MXGP series. All the latest news, photos, interviews, videos, race reports, live timing and results will be found here.

New features include riders and team profiles, track information, a countdown for the upcoming MXGP, a direct link to the free monthly magazine MXGP Mag and live feeds from MXGP’s social media platforms Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Also taking place on www.MXGP.com, on the main taskbar (located at the top of the page) there are links to MXGP’s other great services; www.MXGP-TV.com - where you can watch all MXGP rounds live and in HD - Ticket sales, VIP package sales and information along with a link to the official MXGP Merchandise store www.MXGP-store.com.

Now with MXGP’s new look and up to the minute news, headlines, interviews, photos and videos, you are sure not to miss any of this season’s action. Bookmark www.mxgp.com now and get ready to start your browsers!

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM