MX2

We’re accustomed to expecting the unexpected from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings, so it was kind of no surprise to see the Dutch sensation here in Lommel watching the championship he leads, FIM MX2 World Championship, unfold.

After spending a couple minutes with the champ, it’s obvious he is in good spirits, “Everything is going well, my leg is healing better than expected,” he said. When asked what’s the new plan of attack, he replied, “I hope to be in Mexico so I can win the championship, that is my goal, so we will just have to wait and see and hope everything heals good”.

LOMMEL (Belgium), 02 August 2014 – Grit was the word of the day today at round fifteen of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Lommel as riders gritted their teeth while bashing their way through the soft yet gritty sand. While the circuit, as expected, got gnarly and whooped out it turned out to be a playground for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli and BikeIT Yamaha Cosworth’s Max Anstie as they charged their way to pole.

With racing wrapping up today, we are officially half way through the final rounds of the European Championship’s EMX125, EMX150, EMX250 and EMX300.  Team Mafi Yamaha MX Team’s Alvin Ostlund won EMX125 race one today to overtake injured Red Bull KTM Racing rider Davy Pootjes for second overall in the championship, he now trails Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe's Brian Hsu by twenty-one points, while Fin Jere Haavisto won the first race in the EMX150 and now trails Brit Albie Wilkie by five with one crucial race remaining.

After a epic race in the EMX250, KTM Bodo Schmidt Motorsport’s Calvin Vlaanderen, who is South African yet lives in Holland so is no stranger to the sand, very narrowly won the EMX250 race one while TM Racing Team’s Samuele Bernardini was the first champion to be crowned this weekend wrapping up the EMX300 championship with a win in the penultimate race of the season.

MXGP

The MXGP qualifying race has already got the fans here at round fifteen of the FIM Motocross World Championship all pumped up for what tomorrow may bring. When the gates fell it was local MXGP favorite Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Kevin Strijbos who wasn’t mucking around, pinning it around turn one to claim the holeshot ahead of MXGP’s blast from the past, Marc De Reuver and Swedish young gun Fillip Bengsston.

While De Reuver is not Belgian, he is more or less local, but his years of knowledge and experience at this track did him no good when he crashed three quarters of the way into lap one. With Bengsston taking over second and Strijbos still in sight, the Swede wasted no time in embracing the ‘pin it to win it’ technique, surprisingly closing in on the Suzuki rider to keep him honest in the opening laps.

A few laps later Bengsston found himself up against a few of the toughest competitors in the class, Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Shaun Simpson, who ended up nursing a slipping clutch home for seventh, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli and Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek. While the Swede was running a blistering pace in the opening laps, he struggled to maintain it the entire duration and eventually dropped back to tenth, yet he can be proud of the fact he set the fastest lap time of the race.

Around mid-race, a super fluid Cairoli started finding his groove making light work of everyone else as he moved to the front and floated his way to his sixth qualifying heat victory. Meanwhile second place turned into a battle of pride as the young grasshopper Van Horebeek started creeping up on the well-seasoned Strijbos eventually getting the job done with three laps to go.

While Strijbos had a few hairy moments in the closing stages of the race, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ken De Dycker was putting in the best ride we’ve seen from him this year in fourth while Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin soldiered on throughout the moto for a smooth and smart fifth.

MXGP Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 23:48.175; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:03.426; 3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:04.833; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, KTM), +0:14.753; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:16.256; 6. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:17.461; 7. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:26.786; 8. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), +0:31.284; 9. Filip Bengtsson (SWE, KTM), +0:39.285; 10. Rui Goncalves (POR, Yamaha), +0:41.632.

MX2

It may be the turning point of the season for BikeIT Yamaha Cosworth’s Max Anstie, but only tomorrow will tell. After a season completely riddled with bouts of bad luck, Anstie managed to turn it all around today with his dominating performance after the gate drop of MX2’s qualifying race.

No one can lean back any further than KTM Silver Action’s Jose Butrón, who is known for his impressive start technique, although CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis did manage to match the Spaniards pace out of the gate this time to go neck and neck around turn one. One turn later, and the Frenchman was down, collecting Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier and Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser. While Ferrandis and Tixier were able to re-mount, Guillod’s bike resembled something of a banana with snapped triple clamps and bent forks while Gajser’s bike also suffered some kind of damage.

While the carnage on turn two cleared, Butrón had pulled four bike lengths on the rest of the field, briefly, before Anstie started peeling off lap times consistently two seconds faster than everyone, blasting past Butrón and locking down first ever qualifying heat victory.

Meanwhile Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre was putting his winter of testing at this very circuit to good use, making light work of Butrón and wrapping up the race in an unchallenged second.

As for the battle for third, it was pretty surprising to say the least. At the start of the race Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Jeremy Seewer was running the pace up front before disappearing off the radar, as was Yamaha Factory Racing’s Christophe Charlier and Marchetti Racing KTM’s Pauls Jonass. While Charlier replicated Seewer and eventually retired from the race, Jonass looked solid in third for the majority of the moto before succumbing to the pressure of seasoned MX2 stars Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier and Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Aleksandr Tonkov.

Hats off to Tixier for his awe-inspiring performance, ripping all the way from outside the top twenty to bring home third just ahead of Tonkov. And also a plausible effort for Jonass who held on for his best qualifying heat result of the season in fifth.

On another note it was great to see the defending champion Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herling’s, who is nursing a broken femur which has recently been pinned, out watching his fellow competitors vie for their qualifying positions in a terrain he loves to ride. As was seeing the return of Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Glenn Coldenhoff who got tangled with another rider early in the race yet managed to bounce back for a respectable tenth.

MX2 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Max Anstie (GBR, Yamaha), 24:07.111; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:22.107; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:32.472; 4. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:42.012; 5. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:45.613; 6. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:45.961; 7. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), +0:59.319; 8. Michael Hool (NED, KTM), +1:05.533; 9. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:08.349; 10. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Suzuki), +1:09.540

Click here to obtain the complete results.

All the photos of the MXGP of Belgium will be available here

MXGP will be available across the board in high definition, and is also globally available to view live and in HD on www.MXGP-TV.com. Click here for the complete list of countries and cooperating MXGP broadcasting networks, viewing times can be viewed by clicking on the logo of your chosen broadcasting network.

MXGP BELGIUM – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1675

Type of ground: sand

Temperature: 24°

Weather conditions: sunny

TIMETABLE

SUNDAY: EMX300 Warm-up 08:00; EMX150 Warm-up 08:15; EMX125 Warm-up 08:30; EMX250 Warm-up 08:45; EMX300 Race 2 09:10; MX2 Warm-up 09:50; MXGP Warm-up 10:10; EMX150 Race 2 10:40; EMX125 Race 2 11:20; EMX250 Race 2 12:05; MX2 Race 1 13:15; MXGP Race 1 14:15; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Belgium

LOMMEL (Belgium), 2 August 2014 – Earlier this morning at MXGP of Belgium, round fifteen of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Lommel, Youthstream President Mr. Giuseppe Luongo joined FIM Europe President Dr. Wolfgang Srb, FIM Europe Secretary General Alessandro Sambuco and MXGP Academy trainer and two-time FIM Motocross World Champion John Van Den Berk in a press conference to announce that as of 2015 Youthstream’s latest project the ‘MXGP Academy’ will be officially managed by FIM Europe but will still receive on-going support from Youthstream.

The MXGP Academy trains, develops and guides young riders to achieve everything they can within the sport of motocross. Because the project targets our youth, with the youth being linked heavily to their national motorcycling federations, the next logical step in the evolution of the MXGP Academy project was to place it under the management of FIM Europe.  In addition to riders’ training, MXGP Academy will also train trainers so that riders receive professional advice.

Mr. Giuseppe Luongo said, “FIM Europe today has new driving force with many years of experience in motocross, Dr. Wolfgang Srb. Together we realized that it would benefit the academy more to be managed by the FIM Europe as they are regularly in contact with the national motorcycling federations, they have much better contact and as a result this will assist the academy in having more structure. Youthstream will continue to partner and support the academy with media coverage, as well as financially, and we feel this is the best way to give the academy the best opportunity and more power.  MXGP Academy is an essential part of the pyramid of success which starts with the MXGP Academy, then goes up to the European MX Championships, MX2 and finally the diamond point of the pyramid which is MXGP.”

Dr. Wolfgang Srb agreed, “For FIM Europe this is a very important and very good step, and I want to thank Mr. Giuseppe Luongo for giving us (FIM Europe) the opportunity to be the umbrella of the MXGP Academy. We, at FIM Europe, have good contacts with the European Federations, but not only within Europe, we are also in contact with other continents. The co-operation we have now with Youthstream does not exist in any other discipline, so to have the world championship and European championships combined is awesome, it’s incredible, we are able to use the exact same racing rules, the same technical rules, the same officials and now with the academy on board, step by step we can guide the young riders into the FIM Motocross World Championship.”

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM Europe

Rising Russian star Vsevolod Brylyakov has signed a one-year deal to continue riding for the Jtech Honda team in 2015 in the MX2 series, aboard a Honda CRF250R supported by Honda Europe.

The 19 year-old multiple Russian motocross Champion, known by his friends as Seva, made his debut with the Jtech Honda team at the MXGP of France this season on a trial basis, and has impressed sufficiently since to be awarded a deal for next year.

Out of a ride at the beginning of the season, a one-off opportunity to compete at the MXGP of the Netherlands in May gave rise to a conversation with Honda Europe and Honda Jtech, which resulted in the agreement of a trial for the Grands Prix in France and Italy. After just his first race with the team, this agreement was extended to the remaining European rounds, and now been formalised with a contract for the 2015 MX2 season in entirety.

Over the last six rounds his results have been steadily improving as he continues to gel with the team and the bike, and he recorded his best of the season last time out in the Czech Republic with seventh in qualifying and fighting firmly within the top ten all weekend.

Vsevolod Brylyakov, No.210

“It’s great just to know that you already have an opportunity for next year. In this case I’m more confident now, more relaxed on the bike and I feel really good. It’s good working with Jtech; we are like a big family here. It’s great to be back to Honda, because all of Honda I think is a big family and that’s why I like to stay. It’s a good feeling to stay with the team. We have such a good relationship and I know they will support me 100 per cent. I like how the bike works, especially with the handling and turning. Since France I’ve improved around ten positions overall in terms of race results and now I’m already fighting in the top ten. We’re doing a great job now, and I know that next year we will do a lot of things to improve more to compete with the factory bikes. I will put everything next season into fighting for the podium every race. I want to and I have to. I talk together with Honda Europe and Jtech and they say we will improve the bike to fight for the top of the podium, and I believe it’s possible.”

Gabriele Rinaldi, Honda Jtech Team Manager

“We are very satisfied and happy to sign Seva because we started to help him two months ago and from the beginning we were confident that his results would get better and better. We always like to help a young rider, and now we have the opportunity to continue next year with him. It’s very, very good. We will have a good programme this winter. We want to start early to test the bike and we want to be ready for next year. We would like to get in the top five next season, not just with Brylyakov but with our other riders too, and I think we have a good chance to get those results now.”

Davy Dousselaere, Honda Europe Off-Road Manager

“We are of course very pleased to sign Seva. First of all we have seen in the races he has done so far that he’s really a fighter and gives everything he has. He’s also very eager to learn and the team is very strong in developing riders with their technique, how to feel the bike and how to develop the engine, so we have a great fit that works very well.

“We are committed to building motocross talent through our Honda-supported teams in the championship, and I think that Seva is a prime example of this. He joined the Honda Jtech team in France this year, impressed us and now has a permanent ride. We are establishing a clear ladder in motocross now, from nurturing new youth talent through the Honda 150 European Championship to supporting good young riders in the higher classes, giving each of them a clear path of progression from the youth in 150 to EMX250, MX2 and to MXGP when their results show they’re ready to step up.”

Copyright: Photo: Honda J-tech

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 01 July 2014 - Youthstream presents the eleventh issue of MXGP Mag with the best moments of MXGP of Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic, a special feature on FIM Europe President Dr Wolfgang Srb and an exclusive look at the FIM MX2 World Championship chase after the shocking news dominating force Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Jeffrey Herlings was out with a broken femur. This new issue also contains an overview of the European Championship EMX65 and EMX85 final, a feature on FIM Women's Motocross World Champion Kiara Fontanesi and how she won the war, as well as a look at 'TC222 The Movie': A film covering the highs, lows and down right struggles one the best riders in the world has faced and continues to face on his path to being the most successful motocross rider in the world.

Click here to read the eleventh issue of MXGP Mag or download it for FREE on Apple Store or Google Play. The iOs and Android versions contain exclusive videos and several photo galleries, and once the MXGP Mag has been downloaded, the reader does not need to be connected on the Internet to go through the content.

Those users who have already downloaded the other issues on their iOs device can automatically download the eleventh 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 new app: http://bit.ly/IssuuOnAndroid

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP Mag

LOMMEL (Belgium), 31 July 2014 - The fifteenth round of the 2014 FIM Motocross World Championship in Lommel, Belgium, marks the last European destination for the MXGP series this year. With that said, loads of broadcasting networks have jumped onboard to share all the action that MXGP of Belgium is sure to bring.

In Belgium, VRT will be on site with their own commentator to broadcast MXGP race one and two LIVE. VRT will also have their own crew onsite to produce their own news bulletins and to follow Belgium’s star rider Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek.

Great news for the Italians this weekend, popular television network Mediaset will screen all races live on Italia 2 starting with MX2 race one at 13:00 (CET) and MXGP race one at 14:00 (CET), meanwhile Italia 1 will also jump on board to screen MX2 race two and MXGP race two LIVE, with MX2 race two starting at 16:00 (CET) and MXGP race two at 17:00 (CET).

Also on location in Lommel, Switzerland’s SRG will be onsite to follow their young Swiss sensations Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod and Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Jeremy Seewer.

Meanwhile, the rest of Europe will also receive an impressive amount of coverage with Eurosport 2 screening all races LIVE and in HD!

Eurosport International will also broadcast MXGP-TV’s 26mn Magazine, which includes all the best moments from the weekend, this Wednesday, August 6^th, at 22:30 (CET).

MXGP will be available across the board in high definition, and is also globally available to view live and in HD on www.MXGP-TV.com. Click here for the complete list of countries and cooperating MXGP broadcasting networks, viewing times can be viewed by clicking on the logo of your chosen broadcasting network.

EUROPE 

PAN EUROPE 

Eurosport 2 - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                  13:00 (CET)

Eurosport 2 - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)               14:00 (CET)

Eurosport 2 - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                  16:00 (CET)          

Eurosport 2 - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)               17:00 (CET) 

MotorsTV - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                     13:00 (CET)

MotorsTV - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                  14:00 (CET)

MotorsTV - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                     16:00 (CET)          

MotorsTV - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                  17:00 (CET)

EUROSPORT INTERNATIONAL

Wednesday 6 August - 26MN Magazine         22:30 (CET)

BELGIUM

VRT  - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                          14:00 (CET) 

VRT - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                           17:00 (CET)

BULGARIA

BNT  - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                          14:00 (CET)          

BNT - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                           17:00 (CET)

FRANCE

Eurosport 2 - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                      13:00 (CET)

Eurosport 2 - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                   14:00 (CET)

Eurosport 2 - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                      16:00 (CET)          

Eurosport 2 - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                   17:00 (CET) 

MotorsTV - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                         13:00 (CET)

MotorsTV - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                      14:00 (CET)

MotorsTV - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                         16:00 (CET)          

MotorsTV - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                      17:00 (CET)

BEIN SPORT MAX 3 - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)         13:00 (CET)

BEIN SPORT MAX 3 - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)      14:00 (CET)

BEIN SPORT MAX 3 - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)         16:00 (CET)          

BEIN SPORT MAX 3 - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)      17:00 (CET) 

ITALY 

ITALIA 2 - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                          14:00 (CET)

ITALIA 1 & 2 - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                       16:00 (CET)          

ITALIA 1 & 2 - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                    17:00 (CET)

PORTUGAL

SPORT TV 3 - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                       13:00 (CET)

SPORT TV 3 - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                    14:00 (CET)

SPORT TV 3  - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                      16:00 (CET)          

SPORT TV 3 - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                    17:00 (CET) 

SLOVENIA

SPORT TV  - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                        13:00 (CET)

SPORT TV  - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                     14:00 (CET)

SPORT TV - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                         16:00 (CET)          

SPORT TV - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                      17:00 (CET) 

UK 

Eurosport 2 - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                         12:00 (BST)

Eurosport 2 - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                      13:00 (BST)

Eurosport 2 - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                         15:00 (BST)          

Eurosport 2 - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                      16:00 (BST) 

MotorsTV - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                            12:00 (BST)

MotorsTV - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                         13:00 (BST)

MotorsTV - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                            15:00 (BST)          

MotorsTV - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                         16:00 (BST)

AMERICA

USA – CANADA 

CBS Sports Network - Race 2 MX2                        4.00pm (EST) / 1.00pm (PST)  

CBS Sports Network - Race 2 MXGP                     5.00pm (EST) / 2.00pm (PST)  

BRAZIL

Bandsports - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                            08:00 am (local timing) 

Bandsports - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                         09:00 (local timing)

Bandsports - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                            11:00 (local timing)        

Bandsports - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                         12:00 (local timing)

ASIA 

PAN ASIA 

FOX SPORTS - Race 1 MX2 (DELAYED) 

FOX SPORTS - Race 1 MXGP (DELAYED) 

FOX SPORTS - Race 2 MX2 (DELAYED) 

FOX SPORTS - Race 2 MXGP (DELAYED) 

THAILAND

True Vision - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                            13:00 (CET)

True Vision  - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)                        14:00 (CET)

True Vision - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                            16:00 (CET)          

True Vision - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)                         17:00 (CET)

PAN MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

BeIn SPORT MENA - Race 1 MX2 (LIVE)                13:00 (CET)

BeIn SPORT MENA - Race 1 MXGP (LIVE)             14:00 (CET)

BeIn SPORT MENA - Race 2 MX2 (LIVE)                16:00 (CET)          

BeIn SPORT MENA - Race 2 MXGP (LIVE)             17:00 (CET)

All the photos of the MXGP of Belgium will be available here

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY: EMX300 Free/Timed Practice 08:20; EMX150 Free/Timed Practice 08:55; EMX125 Free/Timed Practice 09:30; MX2 Free Practice 10:15; MXGP Free Practice 10:45; EMX250 Free/Timed Practice 11:10; EMX300 Race 1 12:30; EMX150 Race 1 13:20; MX2 Time practice 14:00; MXGP Time practice 14:35; EMX125 Race 1 15:20; MX2 Qualifying race 16:10; MXGP Qualifying race 17:00; EMX250 Race 1 17:40.

SUNDAY: EMX300 Warm-up 08:00; EMX150 Warm-up 08:15; EMX125 Warm-up 08:30; EMX250 Warm-up 08:45; EMX300 Race 2 09:10; MX2 Warm-up 09:50; MXGP Warm-up 10:10; EMX150 Race 2 10:40; EMX125 Race 2 11:20; EMX250 Race 2 12:05; MX2 Race 1 13:15; MXGP Race 1 14:15; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Belgium

LOMMEL (Belgium), 30 July 2014 – From one extreme, the heavily elevated hard pack clay of the Czech Republic, to the other, the bottomless whooped out sand of Belgium, the fifteenth stop from seventeen on the FIM Motocross World Championship calendar will be this weekend, August 03, in Lommel. While the circuit itself hardly needs introducing, as it is definitely one of the most widely recognized tracks in the world, known to be the ultimate test of both physical and mental strength, riders can expect to dig deep on a track layout similar to that of 2012’s edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations.

Also donning a set of scoop tires this weekend, the boys of the European Championships EMX300, EMX250 and EMX125 will be set to go bar to bar for their overall ranking as it is the seventh and final round of their championships, while the Honda European Championship EMX150 will be contesting their fifth and final round.

MXGP

It’s home away from home for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli, who will head into this weekend as the hot favorite. While it’s hard to call TC222 a ‘sand specialist’ since he basically specializes at every surface, the Italian seven-time world champion openly admits sand is more his forte than clay, a statement like “I always look forward to going to Lommel, I like to race in the sand” coming from the champ means it’s not going to be a easy weekend for the rest of the competitors in MXGP.

But, if anyone is going to rise to the occasion this weekend it will probably be one of the local heroes Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek or Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Kevin Strijbos. Van Horebeek experienced his first taste of victory last weekend in Czech and while he is said to favor hard and slick surfaces, he doesn’t mind the sand either and is sure to have put in his fair share of laps around Lommel over the years. Meanwhile, Strijbos has been banking results that haven’t necessarily reflected his speed. The twenty-eight year old is looking hungry for a win, could this weekend be a breakthrough for ‘The Kid’?

It may be a bit far fetched to predict Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin for a win given he’s a little rusty on the racing front and a track of Lommel’s caliber is no walk in the park. At the end of the day, a racer is a racer and there is no doubt GP21, if he’s ‘feelin’ it’ could be a contender for the overall.

While the list goes on for riders that base themselves around Lommel during the season, another ‘local’ is Team HRC’s Max Nagl. Like Cairoli and Strijbos, Nagl lives no more than twenty minutes from the track and can never be counted out for a podium performance. If the German can get off the line and around turn one at the sharp end of the field, he’s sure to be a threat for that top step.

It’s hard to say if we’d be surprised to see Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Shaun Simpson on the podium this weekend. While he remains the underdog, more for statistical reasons, it’s a knowledgeable fact the Scot digs the sand and if anyone’s going to mix things up in the results sheets, it’s probably going to be him.

2011 MXGP of Limburg

1. Antonio Cairoli

2. Clement Desalle

3. Max Nagl

MXGP World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 619 points; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 562 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 484 p.; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 469 p.; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 333 p.; 6. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 325 p.; 7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 291 p.; 8. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 235 p.; 9. David Philippaerts (ITA, YAM), 234 p.; 10. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), 232 p.

MX2

Adrenalin levels have just spiked thinking about the racing that’s going to occur in MX2. Who’s going to win remains anybody’s guess and what makes it even harder to predict is the fact that the last Grand Prix to be run in the treacherous sand of Lommel was back in 2011 when most of these guys were still racing the European Championships.  

Starting with last weekend’s winner, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier. Tixier fired back at all his critics last weekend with his impressive performance in race one for his first ever MX2 race victory which eventually left him topping the box for the first time in his career as the overall Grand Prix winner. With Lommel being at the opposite end of the spectrum to Loket, and the sand being so shifty and unpredictable ‘the Tix’ is going to have to bring his ‘A’ game this weekend if he wants to relish that view from the top once again.

Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod can’t be overlooked. It’s his first full season in MX2 and the kid has shown he’s got some serious skill on a motorcycle. As one of the five caught up in the epic duel for third at the last round (which can be seen by clicking here) he proved he’s a genuine force to be reckoned with claiming second overall for his first Grand Prix podium of his career in Loket.

Funnily enough, the most neglected of the Frenchmen pegged to rise above in MX2 at the moment was the one of the ones who pulled through last weekend. Yamaha Factory Racing’s Christophe Charlier flew in under the radar to claim a convincing race win in the second moto which was enough to land him on the third step of the podium for his best result of the season. With three rounds left to make the most of his MX2 career before being forced up to MXGP, it will be interesting to see just how deep the Frenchman can dig.

Meanwhile, the other two French toppers, Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre and CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis will be out for redemption this weekend after last weekend not exactly panning out the way they had hoped. Both were looking solid for a podium in Czech, but cracked under the pressure. With Ferrandis claiming to be the strongest Frenchman in the sand, and Febvre’s team being based in Lommel, this weekend there is high chance that one of these two super fast Frenchmen could lob their name into that exclusive circle of MX2 Grand Prix winners.

KTM Silver Action’s Jose Butrón still remains a candidate for the podium, as does Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser. While Butrón has relocated to Belgium to train under the watchful eye of the great Harry Everts, which means he’ll be spending a lot of time in the sand, Gajser has podiums to his name and talent to burn and also can rest easy knowing there are no rocks on the circuit to smash him on the knee cap, which according to Team HRC team manager Roger Harvey was the cause of his slow-up and look of discomfort halfway through race two in Czech.

2011 MXGP of Limburg

1. Jeffrey Herlings

2. Ken Roczen

3. Jeremy Van Horebeek

MX2 World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 594 points; 2. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 492 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 453 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 425 p.; 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 420 p.; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 389 p.; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 354 p.; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 335 p.; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 321 p.; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 282 p.

EMX125

Heading into Lommel, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Brian Hsu has a twelve-point advantage over the early season dominator Red Bull KTM Racing’s Davy Pootjes. Pootjes, who at one point in the season had more than a fifty-point lead on the current championship leader Hsu, was forced to sit out the round of Germany due to an on-going shoulder problem he has been carrying since a crash at round two in Bulgaria. While there has been no official announcement, word is a shoulder operation is on the cards for Pootjes who is still struggling with the injury; the sixteen-year-old took to Facebook to say, “Today my shoulder dislocated again. I didn’t crash, I will go back to the hospital on Thursday and will keep you guys updated.”

EMX250

We’re predicting the EMX250 title will be a hard fought one as Team CNC Doors KTM’s Steven Clarke leads Team HSF Logistics Motorsports Brian Bogers by eleven. While Bogers is Dutch, meaning he’s naturally fast in the sand, the kid hanging out in third place trailing Bogers by nineteen, Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Ben Watson is also known for his sand skills after winning the junior division of the toughest beach race in Europe, the ‘Le Touquet’.

EMX300

Pressure shouldn’t really be an issue for TM Racing Team’s Samuele Bernardini as the Italian leads with a healthy thirty-four-point buffer over Team Maddii Racing’s Marco Maddii.  

Meanwhile, it’s pretty close between the little guys on board the Honda’s in the EMX150. Great Britain’s Albie Wilkie currently leads Finlands Jere Haavisto by ten.

All the photos of the MXGP of Belgium will be available here

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY: EMX300 Free/Timed Practice 08:20; EMX150 Free/Timed Practice 08:55; EMX125 Free/Timed Practice 09:30; MX2 Free Practice 10:15; MXGP Free Practice 10:45; EMX250 Free/Timed Practice 11:10; EMX300 Race 1 12:30; EMX150 Race 1 13:20; MX2 Time practice 14:00; MXGP Time practice 14:35; EMX125 Race 1 15:20; MX2 Qualifying race 16:10; MXGP Qualifying race 17:00; EMX250 Race 1 17:40.

SUNDAY: EMX300 Warm-up 08:00; EMX150 Warm-up 08:15; EMX125 Warm-up 08:30; EMX250 Warm-up 08:45; EMX300 Race 2 09:10; MX2 Warm-up 09:50; MXGP Warm-up 10:10; EMX150 Race 2 10:40; EMX125 Race 2 11:20; EMX250 Race 2 12:05; MX2 Race 1 13:15; MXGP Race 1 14:15; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Belgium

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.

If there was ever a time to believe the hype, it’s now! The 2014 FIM MX2 World Championship has just leveled up with no rider being the easy bet for the race win. Watch the 26mn Magazine from MXGP of Czech Republic to witness the epicness that defines MXGP including an exclusive catch up with some of the hottest names in the business such as Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser and Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin.

To watch all of this and much more, click here or tune into Eurosport tonight, Tuesday 29 July, at 22.30 (CET).