MANTOVA (Italy) 27 September 2021 – The 2021 YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup Superfinale is off to an exciting start at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in Mantova, Italy, with podium medals awarded in the YZ65, YZ85 and YZ125 categories.
More than 101 YZ65, YZ85 and YZ125 riders have traveled from 22 countries to attend the 2021 YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup Superfinale in Mantova today.
Designed to prepare youngsters for elite-level competition and talent growth, the Superfinale offers YZ riders their first life experience inside the paddock they ultimately aim to race in.
Having qualified for the YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup Superfinale through the results of their national series’, all the young YZ racing stars were eager to get out on track and put their skills to the test this morning.
In the YZ65 class, Edoardo Riganti was the rider to beat. After qualifying more than 2.5 seconds faster than any other rider, the young Italian was unstoppable as he took a massive holeshot and fearlessly attacked the Mantova circuit on his way to a convincing race victory. The little rocket ship was followed by the second-fastest qualifier, Bulgarian Dani Tsankov, who remained unchallenged in second position from start to finish.
Proving he also has what it takes, Riganti’s younger brother Pietro made it a fairy-tale experience for the Riganti family and all the Italian fans by defending third position from a hard-charging Dane, Storm Maymann.
A further 8-seconds adrift, a little French rider named Tylan Lagain put in an awe-inspiring ride to round out the top-five.
Main Photo: FIM Europe President Martin de Graaff, YZ125 Podium, Infront Moto Racing CEO David Luongo, Director Marketing & Motorsports Yamaha Motor Europe Paolo Pavesio
Bottom Photos: 1. Edoardo Riganti; 2. FIM Europe President Martin de Graaff, YZ65 Podium, Infront Moto Racing CEO David Luongo
In the YZ85 category, poleman Noe Zumstein took the holeshot ahead of the 2019 YZ65 FIM Europe Cup Superfinale winner Jekabs Kubulins.
As a YZ65 bLU cRU Cup graduate, Kubulins went on to show just how successful the bLU cRU program is. The young Latvian pressured the early race leader, Zumstein, and patiently waited for the prime time to pass. On lap-5, he made a perfect pass for the lead and inched away from the chasers to win by 5-seconds.
After dropping back to second position, Zumstein’s race was not over. The Swiss rider came under pressure from speedy talents Frederik Rahn Stampe and Davide Zanone. A three-way battle ensued and the race for second position went right down to the wire.
At the checkered flag, Danish star on the rise Rahn Stampe edged Zumstein back to third in the final throws, while home-soil hero Zanone had to settle for fourth after a thrilling last-lap challenge for the podium.
Making up the top five was a smooth and consistent Belgian, Emile De Baere.
1: YZ85 Start; 2. Jekabs Kubulins
The final day of the hugely successful 2021 YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup Superfinale saw Frenchman Adrien Petit storm to victory in the YZ125 category after a mammoth charge through the pack and a hard-fought battle with Spaniard Victor Puig.
With less than 2-seconds separating the top-five lap times in qualifying, the highly anticipated main event lived up to all expectations.
In timed practice yesterday, Spanish sensation Victor Puig went pole just 300ths of a second faster than Frenchman Adrien Petit, who finished the session in second position. Making up the top five, Norwegian Elias Auclair rounded out the top three and was closely followed by Sweden’s Hugo Forsgren and fellow countryman Adrian Bolviken.
When the gates fell for the YZ125 Cup Superfinale, Puig rocketed out of the gate and took the holeshot ahead of a hard-charging Forsgren. As Puig controlled the race upfront, an exciting battle for second ensued after a fit, fast and flashy Petit carved his way through the pack. On lap 6, Petit set the fastest lap of the race and blitzed past Forsgren with ease.
After reeling in the leader, on lap 9, Petit was able to launch his YZ125 into the lead. Puig tried to respond but was unlucky in lapped traffic.
At the checkered flag, it was Petit who won by 3.4 seconds over Puig.
Finishing 34-seconds further adrift, Forsgren remained unchallenged in third, while Elias Auclair won a race-long fight for fourth after edging Italian Maurizio Scollo, who finished fifth.
Following the results of the YZ125 bLU cRU FIM Europe Cups, the top three finishers, Petit, Puig and Forsgren, have earned an invite to the bLU cRU Masterclass that will take place in November in Spain. Joining them will be two wild cards that will be carefully selected later this week.
The Masterclass is an event specifically designed to give young riders from road and off-road backgrounds a taste of what the racing world can throw at them as well as being a place to receive expert tuition and advice from Yamaha Racing’s bLU cRU ambassadors. At the end of the event, which takes place over three days, one YZ125 rider will win a place on a Yamaha backed EMX125 team where they will receive support to contest the EMX125 Championship in 2022, while the YZ65 and YZ85 riders will win added support from Yamaha Motor Europe for the next season.
For full results, click here.
LINKS
Infront Moto Racing
FIM Europe
