MX2

LOMMEL (Flanders) 23 July 2023 – The thirteenth round of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship that took place in the mythical sand track of Lommel for the Monster Energy MXGP of Flanders welcomed on Sunday the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Flanders and Flemish Minister of Education, Sport, Animal Welfare and Flemish Border Ben Weyts.

The Minister once onsite met several people from the MXGP Paddock including Infront Moto Racing COO Daniele Rizzi and the Belgian Motorcycle Federation President Jos Driessen who gifted the Minister with some MXGP goodies before entering into the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 facilities. The minister was able to talk with the team owner Hans Corvers along with the team members. Few moments later in Yamaha VIP Hospitality, Belgian rider and hero Jago Geerts met with the Mr. Weyts in a friendly atmosphere.

The visit continued to the KTM facilities where another Belgian motocross legend and KTM Motocross Sports Director Joel Smets greeted the Minister and both chatted for a moment while showing him around the structure. Mr.Weyts was gifted by KTM,  the racing shirt of young Belgian rider Sacha Coenen before following MX2 Race 2 from the pit lane.

Later in the day, the Minister took also the opportunity to be present in Lommel for participating in the MX2 and MXGP podium ceremonies and give riders their trophies. This visit cements the importance of Motocross for Flanders while it also shows the incredible political support of the Monster Energy MXGP of Flanders.

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Due to complications following a fall in the Qualifying Race at the MXGP of Czech Republic a week ago, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2's Thibault Benistant has made the tough decision to withdraw from the 13th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, which is taking place in Lommel, Belgium today.

Despite an initial attempt to participate, Benistant, after consulting with Yamaha and the team, has decided to prioritize his health and recovery.

Benistant will now return to France to continue his recovery process under the supervision of medical experts, ensuring he receives the best possible care and advice. 

An update on his return to action will be shared on Yamaha Racing’s social media platforms when available

Photo Credit: Yamaha

Lommel (Belgium) 22 July 2023 – The RAM Qualifying Races on the sandy circuit of Lommel are now done and dusted. The Monster Energy MXGP of Flanders has started with a bang with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Glenn Coldenhoff winning his first RAM Qualifying Race of the season in MXGP and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Jago Geerts dominating his RAM Qualifying Race.  

The new layout offered a tough challenge to the riders who rode back on sand for the first time since Kegums in Latvia. As usual in Lommel, Belgian fans came up in really large numbers to cheer and support the riders in all categories and created an amazing atmosphere throughout the whole day. 

Along with the RAM Qualifying Races, the first races in EMX125 presented by FMF Racing and in the EMXOpen took place on Saturday and it was Karel Kutsar in EMXOpen and MJC Yamaha Official EMX125’s Janis Reisulis in EMX125 who came out victorious.

Following the RAM Qualifying Races, the Belgian fans were treated to the Paddock Show with the winners of the RAM Qualification Races plus the MXGP and MX2 Red Plates Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Andrea Adamo along with the Belgian riders Sacha Coenen, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Lucas Coenen and Standing Construct Honda MXGP’s Jeremy Van Horebeek.

In the MXGP RAM Qualifying Race, Jorge Prado got again the best start and took the lead in front of Glenn Coldenhoff, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Jeremy Seewer and Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre. Febvre overtook Seewer on lap 2 to go 3rd behind Prado and Coldenhoff. A battle between the front three ensued over the rest of the race. Prado got the advantage and looked so composed at the lead while Febvre was threatening Coldenhoff over the first part of the race. As both riders were pushing each other, Coldenhoff closed in on Prado on lap 9 and decided to put his efforts to chase the lead. On lap 9 of 12, Coldenhoff made an amazing pass, showing off his great skills along the way to squeeze past Prado on the inside for the lead. Coldenhoff edged away to race to his first RAM Qualifying Race win in style. 

Prado took some time get his groove back and crashed, leaving Febvre capitalising on that mistake to move 2nd on lap 10 while Prado moved down to 3rd. Febvre finished 2nd in the end. However, the race was not finish for Prado who got threatened by Seewer. Seewer pushed a lot and managed to muscle his way past Prado on the last lap but crashed a corner later. Prado could not avoid him and fell too. These mistakes benefitted Team Gebben Van Venroy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen who keeps on performing to very high standards after his race win in Loket last weekend. Vlaanderen moved up and finish 3rd. In the end, Prado picked his bike up quicker than Seewer in 4th but got overtaken by the Swiss on the very last corners. Seewer finished 4th while Prado settled for 5th in the end losing few points to Febvre in the Championship.

The winner of the 2022 edition, Standing Construct Honda MXGP’s Brian Bogers is getting his flow back as he performed greatly again in Lommel to finish 6th and get his best result of the season. Team HRC’s Rubén Fernández managed to get into the points again as he rode solidly into 7th. 

Jeremy Van Horebeek keeps displaying great ridings after his two top 10s this season and finished 8th just in front of another great performer KTM Kosak Team’s Maximilian Spies who went from 12th on lap 1 to finish into the points in 9th place and his season-best finish. Team HRC's Tim Gajser started strongly as he overtook Fernandez on the first lap but made a mistake on lap 3 to move down to 9th. He then could do nothing when Spies passed him on lap 4. Gajser finished 10 and got another point for the Championship. 

Glenn Coldenhoff: “It is really quite tough for a Saturday. This new layout is hard an demand more physically. I tried to save some energy but I knew I could win too so I decided to go for it. I was fast on one part the track and I managed to pass Prado there. Its good, it’s the first RAM Qualifying Race so I am looking forward for tomorrow!”

MXGP – RAM Qualifying Race - Top 10 Classification: 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Yamaha), 26:14.735; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:03.117; 3. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:21.645; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Yamaha), +0:29.500; 5. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), +0:34.635; 6. Brian Bogers (NED, Honda), +0:40.686; 7. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Honda), +0:46.028; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Honda), +0:55.610; 9. Maximilian Spies (GER, KTM), +1:01.901; 10. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +1:13.222

MXGP - World Championship - Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 620 points; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 519 p.; 3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 472 p.; 4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 456 p.; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 438 p.; 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 410 p.; 7. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 386 p.; 8. Alberto Forato (ITA, KTM), 302 p.; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 276 p.; 10. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, GAS), 203 p

Main Photo: Glenn Coldenhoff

Bottom Photos: 1. Romain Febvre  ; 2. Calvin Vlaanderen

In the MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, Jago Geerts took the best start and took the lead over the first corner. Geerts kept going with the lead and looked very composed until Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Simon Laengenfelder started to get dangerously close to Geerts. Laengenfelder went 4th on the turn of lap 1 but quickly overtook on lap 2 of 12 Sacha Coenen and F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo who both made a great start. Laengenfelder now 2nd, kept charging forward, setting the fastest lap of the race. As the german got really close to Geerts, he made a mistake and Geerts was off the hook to win the RAM Qualifying Race.

Laengenfelder looked to finish second but Lucas Coenen was determined to finish strongly after a solid race. L.Coenen was 6th on lap 1 and gained a position each lap to get to 3rd on lap 4. The young Belgian kept a strong pace to finally be able to pass Laengenfelder on the very last lap and finish 2nd while Laengenfelder settled for 3rd.

S.Coenen made a great start on his home GP as he got to 3rd on lap 1. Unfortunately, he crashed while he was riding in front of his brother Lucas in lap 3. L.Coenen could not avoid him and rolled over his brother’s bike to continue his charge forward. S.Coenen picked himself 16th but managed to finish 12th. Horgmo on the other side was 2nd on lap 1 and moved down the rank to finish at a good 7th place to take 4 points. 

It was a great race for Andrea Adamo who rode cleanly and strongly. Adamo who was 8th on lap 1 made his own race and benefitted from other riders' mistakes few times. In the end the Red Plate finished at a really good 4th place in front of his teammate Liam Everts who rode consistently around the 5th place. Everts got threatened by Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf and had to defend for most of the second part of the race. De Wolf was pushing a lot, maybe a bit too much as he buried his front wheel towards the end of the race and crashed which let Everts finished comfortably 5th. De Wolf didn’t lose a position and finished in 6th place.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Rick Elzinga is getting better and better since his comeback as the Dutch managed to keep his composure and clinch the 8th place and 3 points. Equally good, VHR Racing Team’s Isak Gifting showed that he can perform on this tough track and that he has the skills. The Swedish managed to finish 9th. 

It was the first MX2 point for Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing Team’s Ivano Van Erp who rode excellently to gain three positions during the race and didn’t get overtaken. He went from 13th on lap 1 to finish 10th in the end. 

It was not the dreamed race for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Thibault Benistant who had to fight his way up couple of times after some mistakes to finish outside the points in 13th place.
 

Jago Geerts: “I was in the lead after the first corner. I felt quite good, I wasn’t pushing that much but really trying to ride as comfortable as possible and don’t waste too much energy for tomorrow. In the end I am very happy with the RAM Qualifying win”
 

MX2 – RAM Qualifying Race - Top 10 Classification: 1. Jago Geerts (BEL, Yamaha), 26:30.635; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:04.054; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:07.357; 4. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:20.295; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:21.499; 6. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:43.463; 7. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Kawasaki), +0:45.016; 8. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +1:02.267; 9. Isak Gifting (SWE, GASGAS), +1:03.378; 10. Ivano Van Erp (NED, Yamaha), +1:08.390

MX2 - World Championship - Top 10 Classification: 1. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 538 points; 2. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 501 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 501 p.; 4. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 462 p.; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 453 p.; 6. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 433 p.; 7. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 398 p.; 8. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 381 p.; 9. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 332 p.; 10. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 253 p

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Main Photo: Jago Geerts

Bottom Photos: 1. Lucas Coenen ; 2.Simon Längenfelder

TIMETABLE (Local Time / CEST)

SUNDAY: 09:45 EMXOpen Race 2, 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 11:30 EMX125 Race 2, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 14:15 MXGP Race 1, 16:10 MX2 Race 2, 17:10 MXGP Race 2.

MONSTER ENERGY MXGP OF FLANDERS QUICK FACTS:

Circuit length: 1850m

Type of ground: Sand

Temperature: 20°

Weather conditions: Mostly Cloudy

LINKS

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Lommel
 

Yamaha Motor Europe is excited to announce the start of a year-long celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the World Championship winning YZ. 

The Yamaha YZ250 initially entered production in 1974, but Hakan Andersson raced a prototype version of the bike, the YZM250 complete with monoshock suspension, from the third round onwards in the 1973 FIM 250cc Motocross World Championship. Andersson went on to win the championship that year, securing Yamaha its first world title in motocross.

Throughout its five-decade history, various iterations of the Yamaha YZ have amassed an impressive 34 FIM motocross world titles, with the most recent achieved by Nancy van de Ven in the 2022 FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship.

To commemorate this historic milestone, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams will run a special retro inspired livery on their YZ450FM and YZ250FM machines at the Monster Energy MXGP of Flanders in Lommel, Belgium this weekend.

The same livery will also adorn the YZ450F and YZ250F bikes of the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing riders in the United States, as they contest round eight of the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Washougal in Washington state the same weekend. 

The specially designed commemorative livery is based on the iconic colourway that featured on the YZ250, YZ125 and YZ80 two-stroke bikes launched by Yamaha for the 1993 season, following the FIM 250 Motocross World Championship title won by American racer and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Donny Schmit, the previous year.

To complement the distinctive livery on their YZ450F and YZ250F machines, Yamaha's motocross racers will line up at Lommel and Washougal wearing special race kits inspired by the same iconic 1993 purple and white design.

For the first time in a long time, a bunch of Belgian riders will descend on the Lommel circuit this weekend with three of the youngsters hunting for yet another MX2 Grand Prix victory in 2023. Of course, led by the more experience Jago Geerts, names like Liam Everts, Lucas and Sacha Coenen will want to impress in front of their home supporters.

Last weekend at the Loket circuit in the Czech Republic, Geerts claimed his 21^st GP of his career and is the defending MX2 winner at Lommel. Having won there in 2022, he is the big favourite to win this coming weekend and after last weekends success, it is hard to argue that point.

“Overall,” Geerts said. “It was a good weekend. I didn’t feel great on the track, but I still managed to win the first heat. The second race was a bit more of a struggle, but I still managed to get to third and win the overall, which I have to be happy with. Now I am really looking forward to the next two GP’s back in the sand!”

16-year-old Sacha Coenen is slowly getting to where many expected him to be and last weekend in Loket he raced up front and gained a lot of confidence as he heads to Lommel this weekend.

“Definitely a good weekend,” Coenen said. “Even though I always want to be riding at the front! 7th was not too bad, but we were close to the podium places. I was running 2nd for quite a long time in the second race but lost some ground when Andrea (Adamo) past me and I came up short on a jump. I’m happy but importantly we are getting closer to the top three. My home GP next weekend and I’m excited. All the fans will be there, and it will be a nice GP.”

Twin brother Lucas Coenen had been in brilliant form, nearly winning a Grand Prix in Germany a month ago and then locking up his first GP victory at the Sumbawa circuit in Indonesia. Coming into Lommel, the Husqvarna factory rider is excited to race at home.

"This was not the day that I was hoping to have of course,” Coenen said about Loket. “but we collected some solid points. I am already excited to get back on track at Lommel. I am so excited to race at home and I hope to be back on the podium."

As for Everts, he suffered some major bad luck in the Czech Republic and expect a lot of attention for the third-generation rider as thousands of Belgians will be willing to see him victorious. Despite an up and down Loket, he is excited for this next GP.

“A strong qualifying race,” Everts said about Loket. “I was happy with 3rd place, but someone lost the rear in front of me at the start of the first moto and took away my front wheel. It wasn’t anybody’s fault. It was just a shame, and I hit the ground pretty hard, so it took a while to get up. I managed to get a few points even though my front brake was missing. I started well in the second race and after a mistake on the first lap I worked my way up to 6th and that’s where I stayed. A bit of a shame as I felt there was a lot more to take from this weekend but I’m looking forward to Lommel now. It is always nice to race at home, but it will be a busy one!”

So, keep an eye on these four as they battle for that MX2 victory, with Jeremy Van Horebeek also looking for as many points as possible in the MXGP class. With these riders all pushing to success, expect a huge crowd to arrive at the most popular sand circuit in the World.

Photo Credit: Yamaha