MX2

The motocross world has been saddened by the news that Belgian motocross legend Joël Robert passed away at the age of 77 on Wednesday 13th of January 2021 after a cardiac arrest.

Robert was an inspiration for many of the upcoming talents in Belgium, after becoming the youngest World Champion at the age of 21 when he secured the 250cc title in 1964. He then followed that up with five more titles, two more with Czech brand CZ in 1968 and 1969, and then three consecutive wins with Suzuki in 1970, 1971 and 1972.

In addition to the impressive six world titles, the list of achievements includes 250 victories in both the 250cc and 500cc categories, as well as a with at the Motocross des Nations with Team Belgium in 1969, alongside teammates Roger De Coster, Jef Teeuwissen, Sylvain Geboers and Jaak Van Velthoven.

Following his career, Mr Joël Robert remained involved in racing, and was the Team Manager for the Belgian Motocross of Nations team between 1997 and 2006, during which time the Belgian’s won five times.

His impressive career received a special recognition by the FIM in 2019, which celebrated all his achievements. He also joined in the festivities as he awarded the trophies to the 2019 FIM World Champions in the off-road disciplines.

Copyright: Photo: FIM

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 7 January 2021 – Infront Moto Racing is thrilled to share that the 89^th issue of the MXGP Magazine is now online!

The January 2021 issue of the monthly online magazine features a special interview with Gautier Paulin who talks about his impressive racing career, his success at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations and more!

The 89^th edition also includes the Racing Catch-up which takes a look at the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship Calendar, along with two extra features about the 2020 FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion Courtney Duncan and MXGP-TV’s newest OTT platform!

Additionally, this month’s Hall of Fame will take a look at Vladimir Kavinov racing career, as well as more throwback moments in our vintage bike section!

You can find all this plus more in the 89^th issue of MXGP Mag, which you can download for FREE on the Apple Store or Google Play.

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.

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The KTM Racestore Team managed by Paolo Mencacci is pleased to reconfirm the agreement with the young Jan Pancar. Given the positive and constantly growing results obtained in the 2020 season, the young Slovenian will be back on the KTM SX-F 250 of the Tuscan team and will race in the MX2 category of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship.

In addition to the World Championship, the team will participate in the Italian Prestige Championship and will also support Jacopo Fabbri, a young talent on the Italian scene.

Jacopo Fabbri who will participate in the Italian Prestige Championship and as a “wild card” in some races of the EMX250 European Championship.

Paolo Mencacci, Team Manager: “We have seen a lot of commitment and perseverance in Jan, qualities that have led him to grow both as a rider and as a person, obtaining good results especially in the second half of the season, we are sure that by continuing the work together started last year we can achieve even more. I am also happy to have Jacopo in the team. He is a rider I had seen in action in the local area and his skills immediately impressed me. Thanks to KTM Italia for the trust and support given for next season”.

Photo Copyright: KTM Racestore

To start 2021 with a bang WZ Racing team owner and manager Waldemar Zichanowisch, has released his rider line-up for the upcoming season, which means a new challenge for the team as well.

Cato Nickel will represent the team in the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing category, as he stays with the German team. The 16 years old has already showed his pace and ability to be a front runner in 2020 and in 2021 could be one of the favourites in the fight for the title.

A new challenge awaits Rasmus Pedersen. The young Dane will step up to EMX250 for his rookie season on a 250 KTM.

Rasmus Pedersen: “I’m definitely looking forward to be riding the 250 and to put in some work. It’s going to be hard for sure as it’s my rookie year. But I will give it my best and just going to keep working and improving throughout the season. The goal is to try and be consistent every race and I definitely want to be in the top 10 or even top 5”.

Rasmus is strengthened by his new teammate Mike Gwerder in the EMX250. The Swiss is coming back from a tough injury and is looking forward to work with WZ Racing.

Mike Gwerder: “After my femur injury I want to ride as good as possible. My goal is to be one of the frontrunners! I think, it’s going to be a good year and will be fun to work with WZ Racing”.

Bastian Bøgh Damm can also look forward to a new challenge in 2021, because his World Championship dream will come true. The 19-year-old is upping his game with the German KTM team by his side and is going to ride the MX2 FIM Motocross World Championship.

Lion Florian, a German talent, is also taking the risk of the MX2 World Championship and is fulfilling his childhood dream.

Lion Florian: “I’m really looking forward to ride the MX2 class, even if it means a big step for me. 2021 will be the decisive year for me and I want to take the opportunity. I’m definitely aiming for the top ten”.

Photo Copyright: Ralph Marzahn

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 22 December 2020 - In what has been only his second season in the MX2 World Championship scene, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle claimed his very first world title in style, with an impressive 14 race wins and matching podiums, along with 7 overall victories and an outstanding 21 Fox Holeshots!

Vialle’s love for bikes came as a result of watching his father, who was a pro rider, competing in various events including Supercross, which inspired the young Frenchman to start riding. And at the age of 5, Vialle got his very own bike, entering his first race around the same year.

In 2018, Vialle entered the EMX250 series where he showed promise from the opening round in Red Sand, Spain. The youngster finished the races second and fourth that time around to claim the second spot on the box. At the following round in Portugal he was not so lucky as he only scored three points, though was able to fight back with a race win in Russia. The following few GP’s the Frenchman struggle with consistency, as he battled well within the top three, to finish some races in second and third, but could not put two consistent heats together for a strong overall. Eventually he finished 8^th in the Championship standings, before being picked up by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for the following season.

Vialle then made his MX2 World Championship debut at the MXGP of Argentina in 2019 as part of the factory KTM squad, alongside Jorge Prado. He had a steady first GP to finish well inside the top 10 with a 7-8 result which was still pretty impressive. At the following GP in Great Britain, Vialle continued to surprise as he got himself onto the podium with a strong 3-4 race result and then followed that up with another podium in Trentino.

The following GP’s in Lombardia, Portugal, France, Russia and Latvia saw him struggled, before making a comeback in Germany, Indonesia and Asia with a string of 2^nd overall finishes. The Frenchman also claimed his first overall that season, as a consistent 2-2 handed him the overall in Sweden, while his teammate celebrated his MX2 title.

In the end, Vialle finished the season 4^th in the standings with an overall victory and 7 podiums, which placed him among the favourites for the title in 2020.

And as the gate dropped for the first race in Matterley Basin, Great Britain, this year, there was no doubt that Vialle was the man to beat. He started with second overall at the British Grand Prix, before turning things around in the Netherlands where he took the GP win, as well as the red plate.

Then the racing stopped for 5 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though as things picked back up in Latvia, with what was the first triple-header of the season, Vialle was able to pick up exactly where he left off, going 1-2 for the top step of the podium. Though at the following race in Kegums, the Frenchman struggled and would not make the podium, but he was able to recover for the last Latvian race to go 1-2 for second.

Vialle then followed that up with two overall wins in Faenza, as he took his first double race win of the season, during the MXGP of Città di Faenza. He followed this up with 7 more podiums, which by the end of the season put his tally up to 14.

All season long, Jago Geerts and Vialle traded at who would win the races, along with a couple of other riders who were victorious too, though despite the close battles, Vialle was able to claim the title a round early, during the MXGP of Pietramurata. The day wasn’t easy for the Frenchman who had to start the races from outside the gate, though he was able to get the job done and get that gold plate with a race win in the opening heat. The second race was unlucky for Vialle who had an issue with his bike and could only fight back to 23^rd. Despite missing out on the podium, Vialle didn’t let this dampen his mood, as he picked up his championship winning plate!

Now with his maiden title in his back pocket, it will be interesting to see if Vialle can handle the pressure of being a defending World Champion in 2021 and once again show his dominant force that we saw this season.

“It was an incredible season for me. To take my first world title was just amazing” shared Vialle, adding, “I tried to be as consistent as possible and I tried my best every time, get a good start and ride like I do in training. I really want to thank all the team, my family, Joel Smets, as riding with the team for the last two years has been amazing”.

For more details on Tom Vialle’s world title read our MXGP feature: ‘The Road to Gold’ by clicking HERE

Quick Facts…

DOB: 28/10/2000

PLACE OF BIRTH: Avignon, France

RACING NUMBER: 28

BEST RESULT: 2020 MX2 World Champion

FIRST GP RACED: 2019 MXGP of Patagonia - Argentina

FAVOURITE TRACK: Neuquen

FAVOURITE FOOD: Steak Tartare

FAVOURITE MUSIC: Rap

DREAM HOLIDAY: USA

HOBBIES: Video Games

2020 stats:

RACE WINS: 14

PODIUMS: 14

OVERALL VICTORIES: 7

LAPS LED: 328

FOX HOLESHOTS: 21

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Tom Vialle

With the support of Yamaha Motor Italy and Yamaha Motor Scandinavia, JK Racing Yamaha have confirmed Swedish rider, Alvin Östlund, to take part in the FIM Motocross World Championship on board the Yamaha YZ450F, on what will be his rookie season in the premier MXGP class.

With Östlund in MXGP, the rest of the team line-up will include Line Dam, who will contest in the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, while Daniel Gimm will represent the team in the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing class and Manuel Iacopi in the EMXOpen.

An additional rider, who will represent the team in the MX2 category, will be announced shortly.

Photo Copyright: JK Racing Yamaha

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 21 December 2020 – Infront Moto Racing and GP Limburg VZW are delighted to confirm the MXGP of Flanders - Belgium in Lommel until 2023!

The extension of contract means that for the next three seasons, MXGP will head to the ‘toughest sand circuit in the world’ as the stars of the FIM Motocross World Championship take on the challenge of the deep sand of Lommel.

The popular Belgian circuit hosted its first FIM Motocross World Championship event back in the 90’s and since then has presented many successful Grand Prix’s, as well as the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in 2012, along with this year’s incredible Belgian triple-header!

The three GP’s in Lommel this season, tested even the most skilled sand riders in the paddock, as the pilots were treated to different track layouts, with the track undergoing a complete overhaul from its regular design.

Infront Moto Racing is excited to continue working with the Belgian Grand Prix organiser, GP Limburg VZW and FMB-Fédération Motocycliste de Belgique, and return to this iconic venue for the next years.

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MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 21 December 2020 – Infront Moto Racing is excited to announce that the long-standing partnership between MXGP and Progrip will continue for the 2021 season of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

After many years of working together, Progrip and MXGP are delighted to extend this great corporation for another season, in order to continue to take motocross to new heights on the world stage.  

The Progrip product range is not limited to the production of the best grips in the industry, as the company name would suggest, but they also produce a wide array of goods that includes their very own line of racewear, goggles, helmets, protection and other accessories.

With over forty years of experience, their extensive knowledge, attention to quality and detail and the use of the finest raw materials is the reason why today, the products are loved and used by many of the World Championship teams and riders.

For the upcoming season, you can expect to see the brand-new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider, Mattia Guadagnini, along with 2020 MX2 Vice World Champion, Jago Geerts and Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing’s Romain Febvre, among others, all using Progrip products.

To find out more about PROGRIP, visit www.progrip.com

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MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 18 December 2020 - They say winning a title is hard but defending it is even harder. Despite the added pressure, Team HRC’s Tim Gajser managed it pretty well to successfully defend his 2019 Championship win and take the crown in MXGP this season, making it his fourth world title.

Tim Gajser started his journey in motocross pretty young, as he got his first bike at the age of three and then by the age of seven (2006) he entered the EMX65 Championship, where he finished 3^rd. Back for more the following year, a young Gajser claimed the title that year and then repeated his success two years later in the EMX85 category.

In 2010, he made his debut in the EMX125 Championship and by 2012, at the age of fifteen, he dominated the class to win the EMX125 Championship title and become the FIM 125cc Junior Motocross World Champion that season too.

The following year, Gajser made his debut in the MX2 World Championship to finish 20^th in the standings and the next season he was picked up by Honda Gariboldi (now known as Team HRC) and had a much better year as he finished the campaign in 5^th, with 9 top five overalls and 6 podium finishes.

The 2015 season saw the Slovenian claim his first world title as he became the MX2 World Champion, that time around. Though he struggled in the beginning of the season, Gajser was able to turn things around when the series returned to Europe to get his first MX2 race win and GP victory at the MXGP of Trentino, Italy. He then fought an injury during a couple of the races, though was able to come back strong and clinch that title by the end of the season.

In 2016, Gajser made the move up to the premier MXGP class, where he was nothing short of extraordinary. The Slovenian won a total of 15 races, 7 Grand Prix’s and took a total of 15 out of a possible 17 podiums. Having showed maturity and strength all season long, Gajser made history to take back-to-back titles in MX2 and MXGP as he became the 2016 Champion.

The 2017 season was a tough one for Gajser, as he lined-up at the opening round in Qatar as the defending champion, but a year full of crashes and injuries made it hard for the Slovenian to fight back, which forced him to settle for 5^th that time around. Then 2018 was another blow, as he entered the season with a big injury, which meant he had to skip the opening round, due to recovery. That year Gajser finished without any victories, though still managed 4^th place in the championship standings.

The following year, 2019, Gajser regained his strength and it was consistency which helped him win his third title following a season that saw him win 16 races, 9 GP’s and make 15 podium appearances. The stand-out moment for many from that season was no doubt the epic battle between Gajser and Antonio Cairoli during the MXGP of Trentino, which was a turning point in the championship and a huge confidence boost for the Slovenian.

In 2020 Gajser lined up at the opening round in Matterley Basin as the defending world champion, once again, a label which is not easy to carry. The first race in Great Britain did not deliver the result the Honda rider would have wanted, though he was able to redeem himself in the second heat to take the race win and secure second on the podium. He followed that with another podium in the Netherlands and in Latvia, though the second and third rounds during the Latvian triple-header proved to be tough for the Slovenian who struggled with technical issues, as well as costly crashes and mistakes.

He was able to shake that bad luck to come back onto the podium during the MXGP of Città di Faenza, as well as the MXGP of Emilia Romagna in Italy, where he placed second overall once again. As the series headed to Mantova for another trio of races, the opening round, the MXGP of Lombardia would see Gajser finally take the red plate, before adding an overall two GP’s later as he won the MXGP of Europe. At the next 7 GP’s Gajser was consistently on the podium, winning Grand Prix’s in Lommel as well as the last two rounds in Pietramurata.

This season Gajser proved himself as the strongest competitor and a worthy winner in the MXGP class, as he claimed the title a round early during the MXGP of Pietramurata.

“It feels just unbelievable. Like I said many times, winning one is incredible but now four is just… I’m speechless. I’m really happy. It was a weird season, but anyway in the end everything came together, and we won another title” shared Gajser.

2021 will be another big year for the Slovenian who will no doubt rise to the occasion, once again, to defend his title and go after championship number 5!

For more details on Tim Gajser’s read our MXGP feature: ‘The Road to Gold’ by clicking HERE

Quick Facts…

DOB: 08/09/1996

PLACE OF BIRTH: Slovenia

RACING NUMBER: 243

BEST RESULT: 4-time World Champion

FIRST GP RACED: 2012 MXGP of Europe, Faenza, MX2

FAVOURITE TRACK: Matterley Basin

FAVOURITE FOOD: Everything

DREAM HOLIDAY: Croatia

HOBBIES: Mountain Biking, Football, Jet skiing, Xbox

2020 stats:

RACE WINS: 15

PODIUMS: 14

OVERALL VICTORIES: 5

LAPS LED: 226

FOX HOLESHOTS: 6

Other Results:

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Tim Gajser

With the launch of the all-new MXGP-TV website, there is no better time than now to make the most of our 2021 season early-bird promo and get set for another epic year of the FIM Motocross World Championship with MXGP-TV!

Are you stuck for the perfect Christmas gift? Look no further! Take this occasion to secure the most epic present for any motocross fan out there.

The 2021 Early Bird package gives you LIVE and OnDemand access, from any device anywhere in the world. This also includes the qualifying races on Saturday, Sunday’s Championship racing and additional LIVE coverage of the WMX and EMX classes! The only way to see all the action unfold live is to tune in to MXGP-TV.com.

The 2021 MXGP season will once again take us to some of the most epic venues all around the world, include new tracks in Oman, Netherlands, Finland and more! And with 20 rounds to go, the upcoming year is set to be another busy one. Check out the provisional championship calendar HERE!

Log-in & purchase your 2021 MXGP-TV pass now with our special early bird discount and enjoy a year of amazing racing. Offer ends on January the 15th so be quick and don’t miss out!