MX2

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 11 June 2014 – Italian fans redefine the word passion year after year, which is what is to be expected during MXGP of Italy which is set to take place at the recently upgraded Maggiora circuit this weekend.

Marking round ten of the FIM Motocross World Championship, last year’s MX2 winner Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings has the chance to take a step towards yet another record this weekend, with only one rider in history to have won two Grand Prix’ at the circuit of Maggiora. That rider was Italian legend Alessandro Puzar, and now Dutch prodigy Herlings has the chance to tie with Puzar as the rider with the most Grand Prix victories in Maggiora.

Meanwhile in the MXGP class Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s local legend Antonio Cairoli narrowly lost out to Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin last year in one of the most memorable battles in the history of our sport. This season the Frenchman, Paulin, is unfortunately still on the mend after breaking his collar bone and thumb during MXGP of The Netherlands, which has left MXGP of Italy in the palms of MXGP fan favorite Antonio Cairoli.

Joining the paddock of MXGP and MX2 this weekend, rounds four of the European Championships EMX300 and EMX250 will take place with British CNC Racing KTM’s Steven Clarke leading the EMX250 and Italian two-stroke star TM Racing Team’s Samuele Bernardini leading the EMX300.

As for upgrades to the track and venue, the roads and streets leading into the circuit have been widened for better traffic flow and access, while new lighting systems have been put in place for better nighttime visibility. Alterations have been made to the track to make it a little more technically challenging. New obstacles have been introduced with the idea of providing a wider selection of lines and options to overtake while the spectating zones that surround the track have been developed to offer the public better visibility to improve their overall MXGP experience.

MXGP

Known to his fans as MX Panda, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle is looking like he has reached his peak in physical and mental condition over the last few rounds of MXGP as he continues to quietly chomp away at the lead of Italian favorite Antonio Cairoli.

With the Yamaha Factory Racing team being based in Italy, it’s almost like a home GP for their star Jeremy Van Horebeek who has openly said he believes he will bag at least one MXGP overall win this year.

Meanwhile, with more than 376K likes on Facebook, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli is one of Italy’s biggest stars and this weekend there is sure to be tens of thousands of raging ‘TC222’ fans rooting for their hero as he looks to take home the victory at his home Grand Prix.

All of Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s eggs are in the basket of Steven Frossard since their other super fast Frenchman Gautier Paulin is still out with injury. Frossard has been showing good form lately and after winning the qualifying race at MXGP of Trentino back in April, there is no counting the Frenchman out on a hilly Italian style circuit such as Maggiora.

Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev nailed his best MXGP round finish this season at MXGP of France in Saint Jean d’Angely. The Russian came away with fifth overall which could be a good sign things are looking up.

Keeping those green, white and red Italian flags waving, the 2008 FIM Motocross World Champion David Philippaerts on board his DP19 Racing Yamaha and TM Ricci Racing’s Davide Guarneri will be keeping the fans pumped as both battle for their best MXGP finish of the season. 

MXGP Championship Classification Top 10: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 393 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 373 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 358 p.; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 276 p.; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 205 p.; 6. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 197 p.; 7. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 183 p.; 8. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 168 p.; 9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 166 p.; 10. Xavier Boog (FRA, HON)

2013 MXGP Podium

1. Gautier Paulin     

2. Ken de Dycker

3. Antonio Cairoli

2013 MXGP POLEMAN: Gautier Paulin

MX2

With Herlings being the hot favorite for the MX2 title, the next best challenger is more often than not CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus. Tonus said at MXGP of France he is working towards being able to win against Herlings this year, which has got MX2 fans on their feet as they anxiously await this great duel.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier is still trying to redeem himself after a rough start to the year. The Frenchman is steadily climbing the charts and is now fourth in the overall standings only six points shy of fellow Frenchman Romain Febvre.

Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre is hungry to hold on to that podium spot in the overall standings. While the challenge is going to be tough, Febvre has proved time and time again that he is a fighter and he never backs down.

Meanwhile Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod has been so close, yet so far, but has still proved the speed is there which leaves promise for the Swiss sensation to stand on the podium at least once before the season comes to a close.

MX2 Championship Classification Top 10: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 394 points; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 349 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 297 p.; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 291 p.; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 278 p.; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 235 p.; 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 216 p.; 8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 205 p.; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 199 p.; 10. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, SUZ), 176 p.

2013 MX2 Podium

1. Jeffrey Herlings     

2. Jose Butrón

3. Alessandro Lupino

2013 MX2 POLEMAN: Aleksandr Tonkov

While in other events, the organizers of MXGP of Italy have arranged a mountain bike show with ramps and a pump track as well as a giant air-bag trampoline which is 9 meters long for people to jump on.

On Friday 13 June, the charity Road2Recovery is hosting a charity dinner in the Balmone restaurant which is located onsite. The dinner will feature special guest, American legend Johnny O’mara who was one of the victors for team USA during the 1986 FIM Motocross of Nations, which took place at this very circuit in Maggiora. The dinner begins at 20:00, for more information click here.

Also the following night, Saturday 14 June, there will be a massive party with Virgin Radio which will be followed by Team Italy playing Football on the Maxi screen over in Brazil for the Football World Cup.

All the photos of the MXGP of Italy will be available here.

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY: EMX300 Free/Timed Practice 08:15; EMX250 Group 1 Free/Timed Practice 08:50; EMX250 Group 2 Free/Timed Practice 09:30; MX2 Free Practice 10:15; MXGP Free Practice 10:45; EMX250 Last chance qualifying race 11:40; MX2 Time practice 14:00; MXGP Time practice 14:35; EMX300 Race 1 15:20; MX2 Qualifying race 16:10; MXGP Qualifying race 17:00; EMX125 Race 1 17:40.

SUNDAY: EMX300 Warm-up 08:40; EMX250 Warm-up 08:55; MX2 Warm-up 09:15; MXGP Warm-up 09:40; EMX300 Race 2 10:10; EMX250 Race 2 11:00; 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 Italy

During the 15^th June weekend the MXGP of Italy will be held in Maggiora and together with MXGP and MX2 classes, it will take place the fourth round of EMX250 and EMX300 Championships.

By clicking here you will be able to download the complete timetable of the race. 

Last Thursday 05 June MXGP of Italy, which is set to place in Maggiora this weekend, was presented to the national media.

With over twenty-five of Italy’s top media representatives in attendance Maggiora Park Organizer’s Mr. Paolo Schneider and Mr. Stefano Avandero, Mayor of Maggiora Mr. Giuseppe Fasola, Marketing Manager of Performance in Lighting Miss Alessia Usuelli along with the 2008 FIM Motocross World Champion and Italian star David Philippaerts presented to the national media all improvements that have been made to the venue in order to make MXGP of Italy one of the best of the season.

This year the historic circuit of Maggiora has undergone a slight make over. Alterations have been made to some areas of the track to increase the skill level required to ride. New lines should be formed throughout the weekend offering more options for riders to overtake. As for the jumps, they have been restored and cleaned up ready for the Grand Prix.

Surrounding the track, spectating zones have been developed to offer the public better visibility and improve their overall MXGP experience. The streets leading to the track have been widened and new low energy lighting systems have been put in place thanks to the company ‘Performance in lighting’.

Last Monday the defending seven-time world champ, Antonio Cairoli stopped by to check out the improvements to the circuit and venue as well as catch up with the MXGP of Italy organizers Mr. Schneider and Mr. Avandero.

As of now, MXGP of Italy is ready to go in Maggiora and is set to be a showstopper with a chain of activities put in place. Spectators can expect to enjoy all the action of MXGP and MX2 as well as support classes EMX250 and EMX300. In addition to the racing, there will be a mountain bike show with ramps and a pump track in place, as well as a giant air-bag trampoline which is 9 meters long for people to jump on.

On Friday 13 June, the charity Road2Recovery is hosting a charity dinner in the Balmone restaurant which is located onsite. The dinner will feature special guest, American legend Johnny O’mara who was one of the victors for team USA during the 1986 FIM Motocross of Nations, which took place at this very circuit in Maggiora.  The dinner begins at 20:00, for more information click here.

The following night, Saturday 14 June, there will be a massive party with Virgin Radio which will be followed by Team Italy playing on the Maxi screen over in Brazil for the Football World Cup.

The HSF Logistics Motorsport Team and Brian Bogers have signed a multiple year agreement. The HSF Logistics Motorsport Team, who is currently for the second year in international motorcross scene, has the intentions to grow to FIM MX2 World Championship together with Brian Bogers.

Last year the team has gained experience in the Dutch Open Championship and the European MX2 Series. This year they are riding the same championships and they are also riding the Grand Prix events which are not in the same weekend as the EMX250 Series. Brian has done a great job in the Grand Prix so far and he has scored points in every single round. The highlight was his thirteenth position in the opening moto in Valkenswaard.

In 2015 HSF Logistics Motorsport Team will move up to MX2 World Series including the overseas Grand Prix rounds. As Brian has the potential to grow to the top ten in the FIM MX2 World Championship the team has given him a multiple year contract in order to let him focus only on his racing and not on the worries of team negotiations and contractual matters.

For more information have a look at www.hsfmotorsport.nl

Copyright: Photo: Motocrossplanet.nl

At MXGP of Sweden, which is set to take place at the well-known circuit of Uddevalla on the weekend of July 06, the FIM Veteran Motocross World Cup will take place.

With Sweden being the home of the most successful veteran motocrosser in history, Mats Nilsson, who has a whopping eleven race wins under his belt and three VMX World Cup titles, Uddevalla is the perfect place to host the one and only round of the 2014 FIM Veteran Motocross World Cup.

The ‘Vets’ will ride both Saturday and Sunday of the event, with one race each day plus their allocated training sessions. So far Youthstream’s sport office has received more than forty-two entries, so for those who would like to participate you better get in quick.

If you are over 40, love racing motocross and would like to enter, click here and fill in the form.

For more information over the Uddevalla round of MXGP click here and by clicking here you will be able to download the complete timetable of the event.

For further help with your entry to the 2014 VMX World Cup in Sweden, e-mail: sportoffice@youthstream.org

The tenth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship will be held in Maggiora, Italy on the 15^th June weekend and together with MXGP and MX2 classes, it will take place the fourth round of EMX250 and EMX300 Championships.

The EMX250 and EMX300 Entry Lists can be found here below:

EMX250 Entry List

EMX300 Entry List

Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings continues to dominate the 2014 FIM MX2 World Championship as he took another victory at the Grand Prix of France last weekend. The Flying Dutchman controlled both motos going 1-1 to extend his already sizable points lead.

Having won 14 of the 16 motos this year he now leads Tonus by 45 points  and despite missing the Grand Prix of Brazil because of injury, is clearly the man to beat in the MX2 class.

“I am feeling good now, after all the injury problems at the start of the season. I wouldn’t say I am 100%, but closer than I was, and the riding is going well. Last weekend in France it was fun to race, because it is a nice circuit, but it wasn’t a circuit for passing and I needed good starts. It isn’t one of my favourite circuits, that’s for sure, but still a nice circuit.”

Despite riding a circuit that isn’t his favourite Herlings totally controlled the action, winning the first moto by a large margin (19 seconds) and then fighting off a challenge from Arnaud Tonus in the second moto before getting away from the rider from Switzerland and winning by nearly nine seconds.

“It was pretty good to win in France. From all the races I have raced in the last couple of years I have pretty much won everything, and it is cool to keep that undefeated thing going on. It was cool, we improved all weekend long. It is a tough track for a Dutch rider because we don’t ride tracks like this. We had good starts, three good starts and that was important, it was fun and we had a good weekend. I am proud of how we did.”

One of the things Herlings did well in France was take the starts. In both moto’s he had the lead from the opening moments of the races, which made his job a lot easier on a circuit that didn’t allow too much passing.

“Since I stopped practicing starts I get better starts. I think it was in my head, thinking about where I need to sit on the bike, do I need to lean more to the front or the back, trying to start like Butron, but then I stopped doing that and just lined up on the start and since then it’s getting better and better.”

He did however have to fight off the challenge of Tonus in the second moto and while the Kawasaki rider looked strong early Herlings was able to slowly move away from him.

“The second moto I had a good start and Arnaud was in second and pressuring me. I wasn’t riding that well, I was struggling, then after 15 minutes I got into my rhythm and got going. The watering of the track was good today.”

Now onto Maggiora, another circuit that Herlings doesn’t really enjoy, but on this current form it is going to be hard to beat the defending MX2 Champion as he runs for MX2 world title number three.