MX2

Ninetieth issue of this bi-weekly motorcycle sport magazine, tackling the latest races and issues in MotoGP, the FIM Motocross World Championship, AMA Motocross/Supercross and World Superbike as well as general motorcycling and accessories with the best blogs and photographs. In OTOR 90: Kegums comedown: report, opinion and killer images from Latvia and the 68th Motocross of Nations where France triumphed for the second time. Lorenzoland in Aragon; MotoGP makes a penultimate European stop at Motorland Aragon and JL seizes control again of the series before the epic flyaway leg. The countdown; a look back at the thrilling fight for the 2014 MX2 FIM title through the words and thoughts of the Red Bull KTM at the centre of the drama. Wheelie-king; meet the USA’s youngest and coolest motorcycle stunt master. Aaron Colton opens his garage and shows off the Super Duke heart of his shows.

Click here to read the 90th issue of OTOR

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 1 October 2014 - Nine-times US champion Ryan Villopoto will contest the FIM MXGP World Championship for the Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team in 2015, while Jordi Tixier will defend his MX2 world title in Green.

Having won the Monster Energy FIM Supercross world title for the last four years, 26 year old Villopoto, a loyal Kawasaki rider throughout his professional career, will take on the challenge of the world's premier outdoor motocross series with the intention of bringing Kawasaki their first World Championship in the MXGP class; the worldwide series will host 18 rounds on four continents in 2015.

“I am ready for the next chapter in my career and to accomplish new goals,” said Villopoto. “I’ve never been one to look at the record books so when an opportunity like this comes around, to race against the best in the world and represent USA, I have to see it through. It will be a major change of pace, but I am extremely excited about the opportunity and also to be joined by a former champion like Tyla (Rattray). He knows what is needed to succeed on the world championship stage and I know I can learn a lot from him.”

Racing alongside Villopoto for the Kawasaki Racing Team in the MXGP class will be Tyla Rattray; the 28 year old South African won the MX2 world title in 2008 and was a regular race winner during a highly successful career in the USA with Kawasaki.

For Kawasaki Motors Europe, Racing Manager Steve Guttridge commented: “Ryan Villopoto is a truly global motocross star; for fans around the world to see him race on their home tracks will indeed be a privilege. After such dominance in Supercross it is refreshing and characteristically brave to see Ryan take on the world’s best MXGP riders and set his sights on supremacy in this class as well.”

Team owner Thierry Chizat Suzzoni proudly added: "For 2015, we are very excited to welcome Ryan Villopoto and Tyla Rattray into the Kawasaki Racing Team. It’s a fantastic challenge for the team and we are aware that the 2015 championship organized by Youthsteam is going to be very demanding, but our team is very enthusiastic and has ended this season on a high at the Motocross of Nations so we are going to actively prepare with the goal of taking up this challenge. I would like to thank Kawasaki, Monster Energy and all our partners for helping us to make this project become a reality."

MX2 world champion Jordi Tixier, who clinched the title in an epic duel at the final round in Mexico last month, will bolt the number one plate to his KX250F in the Monster Energy Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team next season; his teammates will be Dylan Ferrandis and Thomas Covington.

2015 will be Tixier's final season in the MX2 class due to the age limitation ruling and will mark a welcome return to green machinery as he clinched a French junior title on a KX125 during his youth. Monster Energy Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team will focus next season exclusively on the MX2 class with the full support of the Kawasaki factory.

“I’m very happy to have signed with the Monster Energy Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team; they approached me during the season and I saw how motivated they were to sign me," explained an enthusiastic Tixier. "It will give me further motivation to defend my World title on a new bike; I know that everyone in the team is motivated and so am I. The team have the support of the Kawasaki factory in Japan; we spoke a lot with the technical staff and I know that they are able to provide us with the best material for every situation.”

The 21 year old will be joined in the team by fellow French youngster Dylan Ferrandis (20) and the 18 year old American talent Thomas Covington. Each of them has already shown his competiveness this season as Ferrandis raced to a career first GP moto victory on his way to fourth in the final standings, while Covington proved his speed with a moto podium on his debut in Qatar in March.

Steve Guttridge, Kawasaki Motors Europe, said: “It's fantastic that Jordi is coming back into the Kawasaki family for 2015 in MX2. I truly hope he can take the final step in his MX2 career and get another World Champion title with Team Green before moving up to the MXGP class in 2016!  The team has a great line-up of riders again for next season and we are all motivated to give them the very best tools and equipment to win at world level on the KX250F."

Team owner Jean Jacques Luisetti commented: “Of course I'm delighted to have Jordi in the team alongside Dylan Ferrandis and Thomas Covington; we’ll have one of the best line-ups for next season and Jordi will make his first appearance for the team at the Paris-Lille Supercross next month. We will stop our investment in the MXGP class to focus on the competitive MX2 class where we have the full support of the Kawasaki factory and of course from our sponsors who trust in our project.”

Meanwhile, leading the charge in the U.S. for Kawasaki, the team welcomes two former 250 supercross champions as Davi Millsaps and Wil Hahn make their debut on the KX450F.

“We are extremely anxious to begin the 2015 season,” said Dan Fahie, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Manager. “We have big shoes to fill after winning four-straight supercross titles but I could not be more excited to have both Davi and Wil on the team. Both riders have proven to be top contenders in the 450 class and they are just as enthusiastic as we are to get back racing and on top of the box.”

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki is excited to return to sweeping the podium with a nearly all-new roster for 2015. Adam Cianciarulo returns for his second full year after an astounding rookie showing in 250 East Supercross, winning the first supercross he entered along with two additional wins and five podium finishes in five races. Four-time arenacross champion Tyler Bowers returns to the team for his first full season following special appearances that included a 250SX win at Las Vegas in 2013.

Chris Alldredge will make his supercross debut following impressive top-10 finishes in the last three Pro Motocross nationals along with Arnaud Tonus who will make his U.S. debut after competing in the MX2 World Championship for Kawasaki where he won the 2014 MXGP of Brazil. Rounding out the roster is Joey Savatgy who scored his first professional podium finish in Indiana with second overall.

“We have a fresh crop of riders for the new season, all of which have a lot of potential,” said Mitch Payton, Pro Circuit owner. “We expect Adam and Tyler to hit the ground running, while Alldredge and Tonus will be making their supercross debuts, and Savatgy will be looking for a breakthrough year. I expect nothing but the best from each of these guys every weekend.”

“We have put together a tremendous group of riders for the 2015 season. The championship proven line of KX bikes has allowed us to fill our stable with race winners and champions,” said Reid Nordin, Senior Manager of Racing for Kawasaki Motors Corporation. “Having TwoTwo Motorsports choose Kawasaki is important to us as well. Chad is a proven champion and knows he needs good equipment in order to be competitive and win. We’re also excited to have Hanny return to racing. He came close to winning a championship for us in the past and we believe he has the talent and determination to be competitive.”

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

With what has been a mega season of MXGP racing in our rearview, we flash back on some the best moments captured by the stars of MXGP and MX2 with their GoPro on-board cameras. Thanks to GoPro and their awesome, compact, versatile and durable GoPro Hero3+ devices, we have been able to experience some of the most real and raw moments experienced throughout the 2014 FIM Motocross World Championship from the rider’s perspective, in crystal clear HD format.

Click HERE to watch the video and get amongst it!

At the 2014 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations there will be a long list of European nations looking to continue the domination Europe have over the last couple of years.

Of course everyone will remember the way Team Germany won the Chamberlin Trophy back in 2012 around the very tough Lommel circuit. With perfection from their MX2 rider Ken Roczen and solid back-up performances by Max Nag and Marcus Schiffer it was always going to be difficult to beat them as Team USA struggled in the deep sand.

A year later at the Teutchenthal circuit in Germany it was the always competitive Belgian team of Clement Desalle, Ken De Dycker and Jeremy van Horebeek who scored the least points, thus walking away with the winner champagne. Despite a final moto crash by Desalle and DNF the Belgian team still stopped Team USA from adding to their already impressive 22 MXoN victories.

Now in 2014 the nations line up to challenge each other for the most important prize in motocross. This year hasn’t been the most friendly for the European teams, with major injuries to riders like Clement Desalle, Ken De Dycker and Jeffrey Herlings, while the non-appearance of Ken Roczen and Jordi Tixier will make the job of beating Team USA even more difficult.

The French even without their MX2 world champion Tixier have a strong line-up. Gautier Paulin loves this event and has won two motos in his time as a Team France rider, winning motos in 2009 in Italy and 2011 in France. Paulin burst back into form with his victory at the last GP of the season in Mexico, and will be excited to once again line-up against the American riders.

“The Motocross of Nations is a special event,” Paulin said. “Everyone who races the MXoN wanted to perform at their best. I feel lucky to have won two motos, and to be able to represent my country in Latvia gives me great pride.”

Alongside Paulin will be Dylan Ferrandis and Steven Frossard. Frossard too has performed well in the MXoN finishing with a 5^th place in a moto in 2009. Frossard also won an MX2 GP at Kegums a few years ago, so his hopes will be high come next weekend. France have only won the MXoN on one occasion, at the Namur circuit in Belgium in 2001, when David Vuillemin, Luigi Seguy and Yves Demaria shocked the Belgian team to take victory.

Other European teams looking for some success will be Team Great Britain with Shaun Simpson, former AMA 250 champion Dean Wilson and big event rider Tommy Searle, and of course Team Italy with MXGP world champion Antonio Cairoli, Davide Guarneri and former world champion David Philippaerts.

Team GB haven’t won the event since 1994, and despite being one of the most successful nations in the MXoN, it would be a huge surprise if they won in Latvia. Italy have two victories in the MXoN, in 2002 and in 1999.

Marchetti Racing team KTM has reached an agreement with rider Jose Antonio Butron Oliva. The Spanish champion, and third place at the 2013 World Championship MX2, in 2015 will be part of the team led by Elio Marchetti, with the direct support of KTM.
Butron, twenty-three years old, will be riding the KTM 350 SX F in the next MXGP World Championship season, and will be assisted already by KTM Marchetti Team at the 2014 Motocross of Nations, scheduled for 28th September in Kegums (Latvia) where he will race for the Spanish Team in the MXGP category.
Butron, ninth in the top-ten of the MX2 World Championship in 2014 season, in 2015 will also attend the Internazionali d'Italia Championship and the Spanish Motocross Championship.
 
Elio Marchetti (Marchetti Racing KTM team manager): ‘It's with great pleasure that I welcome a rider I admire for his determination, courage and desire to win; in MX2 he has been amongst the protagonists. Amazing in the starting, I think he has a great potential to express even in the difficult highest class, the MXGP, and I am sure he will settle very well in our team’.

Jose Butron: 'Next season will be very important for my career because it will be my first season in the hardest class, the MXGP. I am confident I can do well and I’ll try to prepare myself at best. The opportunity offered by the  KTM Marchetti team is perfect for me: I know that they guide and follow their riders a lot, and I am not too bad with Italian language. I have everything it takes to do the best’.

In the MX2 class is confirmed for the 2015 season the rider Ivo Monticelli, best italian of the category. Born in Filottrano (Ancona), twenty years old, Monticelli will ride the Internazionali d’Italia Championship and the Motocross World Championship MX2 class, with the KTM SX 250 F by KTM Marchetti Racing team.

Ivo Monticelli: 'I am happy to continue with the KTM Marchetti team. I found myself very well with them and this season we did a great job. Unfortunately there was some physical problem but we have also done something good in the difficult and hard-fought MX2. I am confident for the next season; we will try to get in the best condition '.
 
2014 has been a positive season for the KTM Marchetti Racing. Some injuries have not allowed Pauls Jonass and Ivo Monticelli to achieve the expected results, but both have shown a continuous growth, which has allowed Jonass to shine enough to earn promotion to the official KTM MX2 team , and Monticelli to fight consistently in the top-ten of the MX2 World Championship. 
The team has also increased its engagement with young riders, and has led Andrea Zanotti to the Italian junior 85cc. title. 
 

Jose Antonio Butron Oliva.

Born  27/01/1991 in Chiclana de la Frontera (Cadice)
Race number: #17
Website: www.josebutron.com
His first race at 7 years old. Second in the 2005 junior 125cc World CHampionship, Butron ha has won nine  Andalucia Motocross National Championships; eight Spanish Motocross National Championships. Third in the final classification of the 2013 MX2 World Championship, e has reached eight MX2 World Champioship podiums.

Copyright: Photo: Marchetti Racing Team KTM

MXGP-TV’s 26mn Magazine is a filmed production that covers all the action, both on the track and off, with highlights from racing in MXGP and MX2, a GoPro on-board lap of the track as well as the inside scoop from the pits at each round of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

It was and will go down in history as one of the most gripping FIM Motocross World Championship finales in history. Amidst the cactus’ that decorated the infield of the all new circuit in Leon, Mexico, all craziness was breaking loose as both Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Jeffrey Herlings and Jordi Tixier vied for the 2014 FIM MX2 World Championship crown. Meanwhile, the saying goes “you’re only as good as your last race”, and with MXGP of Leon being the final world championship round until next year, it was a relentless race for bragging rights for the hard chargers in MXGP.

So, it wasn’t ALL taco’s in tequila in Mexico. Check out the vid of what really happened at the final round of the 2014 FIM Motocross World Championship by clicking HERE or tune into Eurosport tonight, Wednesday 17^th September at 23:50 (CET).

Eighty-ninth issue of this bi-weekly motorcycle sport magazine, tackling the latest races and issues in MotoGP, the FIM Motocross World Championship, AMA Motocross/Supercross and World Superbike as well as general motorcycling and accessories with the best blogs and photographs. In OTOR 89: Mexican melee; MXGP rounds off for 2014 with altitude, attitude and a tense climax to the MX2 title chase. Ray Archer imagery, report and perspective inside. Gautier takes the lid off; a special and personal interview with one of MXGP’s most charismatic stars with a cool photoshoot to match. GP also chats 2015 and the future. On the trails with MXGP; Arnaud Tonus, a new Scott bicycle, some sunny off-road trails and then an intro to Scott’s 2015 wares. What could go wrong? It was bloody…

Click here to read OTOR 89