MX2

AGUEDA (Portugal) 2 April 2022 – Infront Moto Racing is delighted to share that ticket sales for the MXGP of Latvia on the 23^rd - 24^th of April are now open!

Motocenter "Zelta Zirgs" has been a part of the FIM Motocross World Championship calendar since 2009 officially, though previously hosted the MX3 and European 125cc Championship rounds in 2005 and 2006. Now back for the 13^th time, the MXGP of Latvia promises to bring plenty of action for the sixth round of the series.

Alongside the usual MXGP and MX2 action, the Latvian Grand Prix will also host rounds of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing and EMX Open categories.

Don’t miss your chance to witness your favourite riders in action and support local hero Pauls Jonass of Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing as he and the rest of the MXGP stars take on the challenge of the Latvian Kegums circuit! Get your tickets for the event HERE!

Why not upgrade? A VIP option is available! The VIP GOLD Skybox pass gives you access to the most exclusive areas of the venue with the added bonus of the best views and incredible breakfast and lunch! Learn more about the VIP tickets HERE!

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 30 March 2022 – It has been three years since the FIM Motocross World Championship took place in Agueda, Portugal and finally, this weekend, MXGP will see the return of the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Agueda has been on the MXGP calendar since 1985, with the inaugural event won by David Strijbos in the 125cc division. Since then, the Portuguese circuit, known for its distinctive orange clay base has hosted 22 FIM Motocross World Championship events, with this weekend's race being the 23^rd time.

As it stands, Antonio Cairoli holds the record for the most Grand Prix victories at the venue, having won five in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2017. While in the Women’s Motocross World Championship, it’s Courtney Duncan of Big Van World MTX Kawasaki who has the most victories having won the previous two events that took place there.

Last time around in 2019, the MXGP of Portugal saw Team HRC’s Tim Gajser go 1-1 for the second time that season in MXGP, while in MX2, Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado won both of his races too and went on to claim the red plate from Diga Procross KTM Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen for the first time that season.

Heading into the races this weekend, there is no doubt that Gajser is the top favourite to win. The Slovenian is yet to let anybody else win a GP this season, having won the last three out of three events. He is without a doubt in great form and positive memories from the last time that he visited Agueda will only add to his strength.

When it comes to the championship standings, Gajser also holds a 17-point lead over Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Maxime Renaux, but he will need to be careful of the Frenchman this weekend, after we witnessed him secure his first race victory in the MXGP category less than two weeks ago. Renaux has certainly made some heads turn as he has solidified himself as a true MXGP competitor and title contender for 2022. He has also shown time and time again that he has the strength, speed and the mentality to run with the front-runners of the premier class and therefore could be a big threat for the championship.

Meanwhile Prado will take the opportunity to bounce back from a tough Argentinian Grand Prix. Despite landing on the podium, the Spaniard did not look like his usual self throughout the weekend, confirming the feeling himself at the post-race press conference, he also declared that he is excited to return to Portugal, a place that holds nice memories. Last time around Prado took the red plate in MX2 and continued the season with a string of victories to dominate the championship and claim his second world title. He will no doubt use those memories to his advantage this weekend as he will look to come back with a strong result.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer had an unlucky weekend at the previous round in Villa La Angostura, as a crash in the second race with Olsen went on to cost both riders valuable points. Seewer is currently fourth in the standings and will need a good result in Portugal in order to not lose the group ahead of him and stay within contention of the title this season. Meanwhile Olsen is seventh and has shown some positive results this season and it will be interesting to see what more he can deliver.

Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass may have surprised a few people in Argentina, after he claimed the MXGP qualifying race win and led 11 laps of the first race. The Latvian struggled with injury in the off-season and admitted that a lack of bike time was an issue, but despite his wound opening up in Mantova and needing further surgery to fix that, Jonass came to Argentina without any pressure, and that certainly paid off. Now it will be interesting to see if he can carry this momentum to Agueda and continue his year in a positive direction. Meanwhile his teammate Brian Bogers did not get so lucky. After coming close to a podium finish in Mantova, Bogers drew some attention by the time we arrive to Argentina. Things were looking positive until a big crash with F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jed Beaton in the qualifying race saw the Dutchman dislocate his shoulder and not line up for the races. It is unclear how Bogers is at the moment, but his name remains on the entry list for the weekend.

Another name to look out for in MXGP is Honda 114 Motorsports Ruben Fernandez who has finished well inside the top 10 during the last two GP’s. This is Fernandez’s rookie season, but already he has shown a glimpse of what can be expected for the future as he gains more experience and confidence in the category.

Meanwhile, finally making his return to MXGP and his debut with the JM Honda Racing Team is Ivo Monticelli who due to injury was missing from the first three rounds of the season. But now back on the bike and ready to go, it will be interesting to see how Monticelli will match up against his competitors and his teammate Henry Jacobi who has been strong out of the gate the last couple of rounds as he claimed two Fox Holeshot’s this year so far.

2019 MXGP of Portugal Top 3 – MXGP:

1. Tim Gajser

2. Antonio Cairoli

3. Arnaud Tonus

Main Photo: MXGP Start 2019 Agueda

Bottom Photos: 1. Tim Gajser 2. Maxime Renaux

MXGP - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 141 points; 2. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 124 p.; 3. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 118 p.; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 94 p.; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, BET), 76 p.; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 74 p.; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, KTM), 73 p.; 8. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 71 p.; 9. Jed Beaton (AUS, KAW), 58 p.; 10. Alberto Forato (ITA, GAS), 58 p.;

In MX2, things are also getting interesting as we finally witnessed Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle make his much-anticipated return to the top step of the podium after a tough couple of weeks. The Frenchman struggled with injury in the off-season and then upon his return had some big crashes, most notably the crash in Mantova and another in the last lap of practice in Argentina. But he bounced back with a win in the second heat to steal the overall victory from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts.

Three rounds in, Geerts leads the MX2 standings by 26 points over Vialle, who is just a point ahead of Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Simon Längenfelder. As it stands, the trio have a GP victory each to their names, while Geerts is slightly ahead with 3 podiums and 3 race victories. But those stats don’t mean a lot at the moment as there are still plenty of rounds to go.

Riders who could challenge the top three include the likes of SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery’s Andrea Adamo who has caught attention of many in the first few races this season, along with Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Mikkel Haarup who celebrated his first podium since 2020 after finishing third overall in Argentina. It will be interesting to see if he can carry on with this momentum and who knows maybe this could be a start of string of podiums for the Dane and regular top five finishes, as he has shown that he has the ability to run at the sharp end.

And the same goes for F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo who has demonstrated that he can battle with the riders at the front, though crashes have proven to be costly for him. Nonetheless, he has made a lot of progress over the off-season that is evident, and a podium finish is likely on its way.

Despite struggling in the first few races this season, there is still a lot of hope that Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini will turn things around and get back up to podium fighting positions, where he deserved to be. Last season Guadagnini racked up a nice number of podiums, before struggling in the latter part of the season and it’s still unclear what has been holding him back this year, but one thing for sure is if things come together he can run at the front.

Last time around in Argentina, it seemed like the MX2 category took a big hit as two of the top stars, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf and Roan Van de Moosdijk suffered crashes and went out with injuries. Now news comes that de Wolf will aim to make a return for Portugal, which is great news as he was among the top guys in the class, while Van de Moosdijk underwent surgery on his shoulder and is nursing a broken collarbone and fracture wrist as well. His return is not yet known.

On a more positive note, this weekend we will see the return of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Thibault Benistant who was another rider who missed the start of the season due to injury.

Hitachi KTM Fuelled by Milwaukee rider Isak Gifting and Gianluca Facchetti of KTM Beddini MX2 will miss the upcoming GP due to injuries sustained in Argentina. Their return is not yet confirmed.

2019 MXGP of Portugal Top 3 – MX2:

1. Jorge Prado

2. Thomas Kjer Olsen

3. Mitch Evans

Main Photo: MX2 Start 2019 Agueda

Bottom Photos: 1. Tom Vialle 2. Jago Geerts

MX2 - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 137 points; 2. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 111 p.; 3. Simon Längenfelder (GER, GAS), 110 p.; 4. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, KAW), 92 p.; 5. Andrea Adamo (ITA, GAS), 85 p.; 6. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, GAS), 81 p.; 7. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 78 p.; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 78 p.; 9. Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 69 p.; 10. Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), 67 p.;

Joining the main action this weekend will also be the EMX250 and WMX riders, with Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing’s Rick Elzinga and Ceres 71 Racing’s Nancy Van De Ven currently leading the standings. It will be interesting to see whether the pair can hold on to the red plate after this weekend or whether they will be challenge by the rest of the field.

TIMETABLE (Local Timing UTC+1)

SATURDAY: 08:45 WMX Free Practice, 09:10 EMX250 Group 1 Free Practice, 09:35 EMX250 Group 2 Free Practice, 10:05 WMX Qualifying Practice, 10:50 MX2 Free Practice, 11:20 MXGP Free Practice, 12:10 EMX250 Group 1 Qualifying Practice, 12:45 EMX250 Group 2 Qualifying Practice, 13:25 MX2 Time Practice, 14:00 MXGP Time Practice, 14:45 WMX Race 1, 15:30 EMX250 Race 1, 16:25 MX2 Qualifying Race, 17:10 MXGP Qualifying Race.

SUNDAY: 09:45 WMX Race 2, 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 11:30 EMX250 Race 2, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 14:15 MXGP Race 1, 16:10 MX2 Race 2, 17:10 MXGP Race 2.

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

You can find the complete results HERE.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

MXGP of Portugal

Following such a superb start to the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing suffered a setback at the most recent stop in Argentina. Kay de Wolf was running a brilliant third in the championship standings when he crashed out of the first race and his teammate, Roan van de Moosdijk, had shown similar potential aboard his steed.

With the Grand Prix of Portugal, the fourth round, on the horizon, Kay de Wolf is eager to pick up where he left off and put his FC 250 back inside of the top five. Cleared of any broken bones last week, de Wolf eased into things by riding his mountain bike over the weekend and will get back on his bike on Wednesday. The goal is for him to be on the starting line at this weekend's Portuguese event. 

Roan van de Moosdijk has not been quite as fortunate – the shoulder that he injured at the second stop of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship was made worse in his Argentina crash and required surgery. A successful operation was performed late last week. Unfortunately, he is also nursing a broken collarbone and fractured left wrist that will not need surgery.

Husqvarna Factory Racing wishes Roan well in his recovery and hopes to see Kay back out on track as soon as possible.

Rasmus Jorgensen (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager): "The specialist had some good and bad news for us once we got home. The good news is that Kay has no broken bones, but he did still take a hit to the head and has been taking it easy. We will see how he gets on when he tries to ride later this week. Roan has had some bad luck with a fractured wrist and broken collarbone, then his shoulder injury from Mantova was made worse and required surgery. The good news is that the operation was a success. We are looking forward to getting him back to one hundred percent, but it will take time and patience."

Photo Copyright: Bavo Swijgers

The FIM Motocross World Championship continues this weekend on the 2^nd and 3^rd of April in Agueda for the MXGP of Portugal.

Take a look at the timetable and entry lists below:

Timetable

MXGP Entry List

MX2 Entry List

EMX250 Entry List

WMX Entry List

21-year-old Tom Vialle is very much a young man who is heading for big things in the sport. Already an MX2 World Champion in 2020, and with 15 Grand Prix victories, he is making his way up the list of very good Grand Prix riders.

Last weekend in Argentina the Frenchman scored his first Grand Prix victory of 2022 and showed Jago Geerts that his season will be as tough as it has always been, as the young Belgian and the KTM rider will once again go head-to-head this year.

The season started a little slow for Vialle, with his British GP performance solid, but not overwhelming. A 2-3 scoreline gave him second overall behind Red Bull GasGas Factory rider Simon Langenfelder, but he did feel something was missing.

“Not a bad result to start the season,” Vialle said. “Although, I was a bit disappointed with the crash at the end of the second race while trying for the win. If we consider that I’ve only been riding a month and a half, and we are fine-tuning the new race bike then this was a good day. It was nice to be at the front and it was a bit of a surprise to have that good rhythm. A good GP for the confidence. Mantova next week and a track where we race a lot. We know it well and we will be ready.

A week later in Mantova, that little crash in England seemed like nothing as Vialle was involved in a horrible crash and saw him fail to score any points in the second race. Again, a mistake cost him another GP win as he led the second race after a second-place finish in the opening heat.

“A strange weekend. It started well with second place on Saturday, so I had a good place in the gate. The first race was okay and second again was good, but I wasn’t that happy with my riding. We changed the bike a bit for the second race, and I felt better. I was leading but the jump take-off had been watered and it was still early in the race. It was a huge crash! I was very lucky. I’m thankful for that. We have Argentina next and a bit of time now to train and to continue to improve.”

It all came together thought for Vialle in Argentina last weekend, when he put together a 2-1 finish, to win his 15^th Grand Prix, just ahead of main rival Geerts, who scored the same results, but 1-2, with the poorer second race costing the Belgian his second overall win in three rounds.

“A nice weekend and I really wanted to win that second race, but it was very fast and tough out there. I wanted to make the passes quickly and it worked out I had to stay focussed. I’m getting back to speed and physically I’m strong after a difficult winter of preparation. The season is getting going for me now. We have another 17 GPs ahead. I want to thank the whole team for the job at this GP. We have an amazing race bike.”

And now, we head to Portugal, a circuit that will suit the little Frenchman and hopefully see his battles with Jago Geerts light up the Agueda circuit. Still 26 points off the red plate of Geerts, you just know Vialle will be trying to finish with as many points as possible and hopefully keep the Yamaha rider off the top step of the podium.

Photo Copyright: Ray Archer

Following his incredible performance at the season opener in Matterley Basin, Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s newest addition Simon Längenfelder quickly declared himself as a potential title contender for the 2022 season of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

The 17-year-old German, who will turn 18 at the end of April, made his intentions and potential clear by winning the qualifying race, claiming both Fox Holeshots and winning MX2 races one and two, leaving Great Britain with the red plate.

Of course, the big question was whether he could back that up with another strong performance the following weekend and while the MXGP of Lombardia in Mantova saw Längenfelder deliver results good enough for fourth overall, only two points off the box, which also mean he lost the series lead – it was his overall performance, as he battled through the field to top point scoring positions, that was noteworthy and confirmed him as a very strong competitor.

Längenfelder is no stranger to winning races and standing on the podium, as he did so back in 2019 when he finished third in the EMX125 Championship. The young German podiumed four of the seven rounds, placing second overall in Lombardia, Germany and Sweden, while also winning the round in Lommel, Belgium.

He was then quickly picked up for a MX2 ride in 2020 with the DIGA Procross GasGas Factory Racing squad, now known as DIGA Procross KTM Racing Team, which saw him FastTrack from the EMX125 class straight to the MX2 World Championship, without taking the traditional route of the EMX250 class.

Längenfelder’s first season in MX2 was clouded by an injury sustained in Faenza but his first few races showed a glimpse of promise. Then in 2021 during his full season in MX2, he finished 10^th in the World Championship rankings which clearly caught the attention of Claudio and Davide De Carli.

“I always watch some young riders, usually in the European Championship, and I think the first time I saw Simon was 2019 and he was riding in the 125 class. If I remember well, he had a great race in Lommel, and he was very young’” shared Claudio De Carli.

“I remember I talked about him with Pit Beirer; Simon was in a GasGas team, we were still KTM but when our team passed to the GasGas brand, we wanted a young rider alongside Mattia (Guadagnini) and talking with Pit we decided that Simon could be a good choice” he added.

“I always liked his riding style, very clean and ‘light, but I was sure he could improve a lot, mentally, physically and everything. He joined us in the winter, and he worked so much and is always positive. Before the start of the season, I was sure he could fight with everyone in the MX2 category, but honestly, I could not imagine such a great result in the first GP in Matterley Basin, where he was perfect and unbeatable. I think he can go on like this because he has the mentality and the preparation” Claudio explained.

So, for this season, he remains with GasGas but joins the Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing team alongside Jorge Prado and Mattia Guadagnini, which is a very exciting move and a great set-up to be a part of when chasing top results and world titles, exactly what the De Carli Racing Team are known for.

“Simon showed in the first two GPs that he is riding to win. We are not putting pressure on him, and we’ll see what the season brings” confirmed Claudio “I think that Simon can do really good, he is only 17 years old, so he is improving a lot and we are really positive” added Davide De Carli.

But to get a better idea of who Simon Längenfelder is, MXGP sat down with the young German ahead of the MXGP of Lombardia to find out more about the opportunity to move to the De Carli GasGas team, the results in Great Britain and whether he feels any pressure going forward.

Read the full feature HERE!

You can find all this plus more in the 103^rd 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.

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 24 March 2022 – Returning for a second season after a highly positive maiden campaign in 2021, rider registrations for the 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series – co-created successfully between Infront Moto Racing and  KTM AG - are now officially open. With all 40 places on the gate expected to sell out fast, parents and guardians of interested riders are encouraged to sign up now to secure a place on the start line for what’s set to be another exciting year of e-powered motorsport.

Unified by a shared mission to develop talented young racers, KTM AG and Infront Moto Racing joined forces just under 12 months ago to create the European Junior e-Motocross Series. The all-electric racing series proved to be incredibly popular in 2021 and for 2022 will once again be played out over five rounds alongside selected FIM Motocross World Championship events.

Beginning on May 29 at the MXGP of Spain, the European Junior e-Motocross Series will visit France and Germany, before drawing to a close with a two-day event at the MXGP of Czech Republic over the weekend of July 16-17. Retaining a proven race format, all 40 riders competing in the European Junior e-Motocross Series will take on a timed qualifying session to determine gate pick, followed by two races. At the conclusion of each round the top three riders overall will then climb onto the podium to celebrate their success.

To enter the series, all riders must be aged between 6-8 years old (age taken on January 1, 2022) and ride an electric-powered KTM SX-E 5, GASGAS MC-E 5 or Husqvarna EE 5, committing to racing at a minimum of three rounds. Successful entrants will then receive a special entry package consisting of branded merchandise dependant on the bike they own. For the eventual 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series champion, an exclusive prize is on offer – a trip for two to the USA to attend the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations on September 25.

David Luongo, Infront Moto Racing CEO: “The partnership that was formed last year between Infront Moto Racing and KTM AG to create the European Junior e-Motocross Series has been really positive. We have received such enthusiastic feedback from the riders and their families, which has made all the hard work behind the scenes worthwhile. It’s a really exciting series that not only allows young riders the chance to compete alongside MXGP, but it allows the manufacturers, KTM, Husqvarna Motorcycles, and GASGAS, to gain valuable information on their bikes being raced in a competitive environment. E-powered motorsport is evolving all the time and for Infront Moto Racing, it’s an important step to have this series running alongside the FIM Motocross World Championship.”

Florian Burguet, Vice President KTM Global Marketing: “The European Junior e-Motocross Series returns for 2022 and marks another exciting and positive step towards the future. For KTM AG and its brands, the introduction of this series, which was created alongside Infront Moto Racing last year, was a pivotal moment for all involved. It’s incredibly important because we can showcase the latest developments in e-powered technologies to a worldwide audience thanks to each round taking place alongside MXGP. As the global leader in the offroad market, we understand the importance of introducing younger racers into the sport of motocross and the European Junior e-Motocross Series is the perfect place for them to begin their racing careers.”

To discover everything there is to know about the European Junior e-Motocross Series and to secure a place on the start line, please visit - www.junioremotocross.com

Calendar – 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series

Round 1: 29 May MXGP of Spain – intu Xanadú - Arroyomolinos

Round 2: 5 June MXGP of France - Ernée

Round 3: 12 June MXGP of Germany - Teutschenthal

Round 4: 16 July MXGP of Czech Republic – Loket

Round 5: 17 July MXGP of Czech Republic – Loket

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

European Junior e-Motocross Series

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 22 March 2022 – MXGP is excited to continue the Fox Holeshot competition for the 2022 season of the FIM Motocross World Championship, together with MXGP partner Fox.

How does the competition work?

Every Grand Prix race, during both MXGP and MX2 races, the rider who crosses the white line painted on the ground at the exit of the first corner secures the Fox Holeshot and receives one point. At the end of the season, the two riders, one per category, with the most Fox Holeshot points will win the mega prize!

At the MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina the Fox Holeshot awards were presented to four different riders across the MXGP and MX2 categories.

In MXGP, the first Fox Holeshot went to Henry Jacobi of JM Honda Racing, while the second one was received by Team HRC’s Tim Gajser who went on to win his third consecutive Grand Prix.

Meanwhile in MX2, the Fox Holeshot’s went to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle in race one, while in race two it was Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Simon Längenfelder who got out of the gate fast. Vialle went on to claim his first GP win in 2022.

As it stands, Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado continues to lead the Fox Holeshot classifications in MXGP, meanwhile in MX2, Längenfelder and Vialle remain tied on three points.

The Fox Holeshot competition continues in a couple of weeks’ time at the MXGP of Portugal!

MXGP Fox Holeshot Classifications

MX2 Fox Holeshot Classifications

Watch the Fox Holeshot Films from the MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina below.