MX2

With already seven rounds of MXGP done and dusted, one of the most worshipped rounds of MXGP is fast approaching. MXGP of Italy, home of the seven-time FIM Motocross World Champion Antonio Cairoli, will take place in Maggiora as round ten of the FIM Motocross World Championship on the weekend of June 15.

After being voted best organizer in 2013, the club in Maggiora has signed on to host a round of MXGP right through to 2020 with the pinnacle being the FIM Motocross of Nations which is set to take place in 2016, exactly 30 years after the ground breaking FIM Motocross of Nations in Maggiora back in 1986.

At the circuit, which is also recognized as “Mottaccio del Balmone”, preparation has already begun with several projects already in progress. Excavators are widening some areas of the track, as well as including some new obstacles. The public area will be staggered to allow better vision of the racing for more spectators and roads that lead to the track will be more efficient with an added 3 meters of width on the main road in. Along with these things, new lighting systems will be put in place in the restaurant area and food and beverage services will be handled internally.

Last year, Maggiora’s round of the FIM Motocross World Championship drew in a massive 38,000 spectators, 1000 VIP guests, 157 media representatives, 10,000 cars, 1000 campers and 8 hours of LIVE TV coverage, making it one of the most successful rounds of that year. The club in Maggiora would like to say a big thanks to “SCHAVA S.R.L”, Paolo Schneider and Stefano Avandero, and we look forward to seeing you back again this year to enjoy round 10 of the FIM Motocross World Championship featuring MXGP, MX2, EMX250 and EMX300 racing at our cutting edge motocross park in Maggiora, Italy.

Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing is enjoying a very positive start to the 2014 FIM Motocross World Championship. Seven races into the series both team riders currently sit inside the top ten in the MX2 championship standings. Aided by two visits to the podium, Frenchman Romain Febvre holds third overall while Russian Aleksandr Tonkov is eighth.

Eager to find out more about the team’s progress, Husqvarna Racing News spoke with Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team manager Jacky Martens, and asked him about the year so far.

Husqvarna Racing News: Firstly Jacky, you must be pleased with both the team’s progress and competitiveness so far this season?

Jacky Martens: “I’m really happy with how everything has gone so far. Step by step we have been improving at each round of the championship and are now regular contenders for the podium.”

HRN: How has the team settled into their relationship with Husqvarna Motorcycles?

Jacky Martens: “Coming into the season there was a lot of change. We’d just started our new relationship with Husqvarna Motorcycles and were learning about the new bikes all of the time. There was a lot of work to do but I could see that everyone on the team and everyone involved in Husqvarna Motorcycles were motivated to get it done. As soon as any request for new material was made it was immediately taken care of. I’m happy that we are going in the right direction but also that it’s at the right pace. It is important not to rush the process but instead move in the correct rhythm. I feel like everything is beginning to click into place.”

HRN: What’s been the highlight of season to date?

Jacky Martens: “Personally I think the GP of The Netherlands in Valkenswaard was my highlight so far. Obviously it was great to see Romain finish on the podium but for him to do it in the sand was even better. As a Frenchman sand riding isn’t what he grew up on but despite his inexperience – this is only his second year as a factory rider – he rode an incredible race.”

HRN: Currently third overall in the MX2 championship, Romain Febvre is having a fantastic season. What will it take for him to capture a race win?

Jacky Martens: “Like I said, we’re moving in the right direction and at the right pace so it’s about building up to that victory. Last weekend in Spain Romain almost got there. In the second race he rode great and was fighting for the victory. Unfortunately he crashed twice – once was not his fault – but still came back from those mistakes to finish strongly. At the moment he is lacking experience and the only way he can gain it is to learn from those negative moments like in Spain. As a rider it’s about learning and moving on from the bad stuff. Romain is nearly there, guys like Jeffrey Herlings are not unbeatable.”

HRN: Aleksandr Tonkov has had a bit of an up and down time of late. What is the reason for it?

Jacky Martens: “Your first year on a factory team is never easy, there is a lot to learn and take in. I think Aleksandr is so far doing well. He’s had some bad luck that wasn’t his fault and he’s also made some mistakes that were his fault. But like Romain he’s also learning. Aleksandr is very strong at starts but during the last couple of races he’s been outside the top ten on the first lap and in a class as competitive as MX2 it’s difficult to fight back through the pack. We’re working on this to get his confidence back and when it does he’ll be back fighting for a top five or six result.”

HRN: Are you surprised by the level of the competition in the MX2 class?

Jacky Martens: “No, all the riders in MX2 are good and are focused to win or be on the podium. They are also a young bunch of riders and are ready to push the limits. It’s been great racing this year.”

HRN: Finally, what are the team’s goals for the remainder of the championship?

Jacky Martens: “We want to see both riders running inside the top six on a regular basis. I think that is achievable. Aleksandr and Romain are capable of that. Romain is holding third place in the championship so hopefully he can hold onto the position for the rest of the year and with some more consistency from Aleksandr he can improve to sixth. For me I think that would be a brilliant end to the year.”

The FIM Motocross World Championship continues with round eight at Matterley Basin in Great Britain on May 25.

Copyright: Photo: Husqvarna Racing

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 15 May 2014 – Youthstream is pleased to announce that TWIN AIR has entered into a three-year partnership agreement with the MXGP (FIM Motocross World Championship) and the MXoN (Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations) that will see TWIN AIR becoming the MXGP Air Filter Supplier.

TWIN AIR's legendary quality heralds back more then 40 years when stock paper air filters were a big problem for the engine especially in the sandy, gritty soil of The Netherlands. Single foam and paper filters gave riders airflow, but didn't cut it for protection and lasted only 30 minutes in the sand dunes of Holland.

TWIN AIR found the solution to deliver unbeatable performance and protection by producing special laminated Foam air filters and filter accessories. The original typical Paper air filter was consequently replaced by washable TWIN AIR foam air filters. These TWIN AIR filters are, when treated with the right filter oil, a perfect product to prevent dirt, grime, sand and water entering the carburettor and giving unbeatable performance.

Now TWIN AIR is known because of its superior quality, craftsmanship, supplying and service of foam air filters with a very large distribution network all over the world.

Pieter Does, General Manager of TWIN AIR, said: “Twin Air and Youthstream have already had a great working relationship for many years, so we are very happy to extend our collaboration with a new three year partnership. We are excited to continue our partnership with MXGP as the official Air Filter Supplier. We look forward to our cooperation and to help to promote this great sport ”

MXGP and TWIN AIR Partnership started with the MXGP of The Netherlands, on May the 3^rd, at Valkenswaard.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

TWIN AIR

Summer is fast approaching and to celebrate MXGP-TV is offering 23% off of the full MXGP-TV HD Season Package. This means you will pay only €4,27 per event, and you will receive 117 LIVE and OnDemand hours of action packed motocross racing including both days of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations!

With this package you can also enjoy MXGP-TV’s filmed production 26mn Magazine which 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 with never-before seen footage.

To purchase, click here.

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The latest issue of the FREE e-magazine Motocoss Illustrated is online and once again with some great stories. Jeffrey Herlings talks about his possible move to the MXGP class, or maybe his desire to break records in the MX2 class. Also stories with Arnaud Tonus, and the MXGP series. Legends talk about Legends, a piece where some of the greats of the sport let you know what they think of each other.

Check it out by clicking here

Standing Construct KTM team owner Tim Mathys sat down and talked about his feelings about the current situation with the age rule in the MX2 class, and also his happiness about the form of his current rider Valentin Guillod, who won last weekend’s MX2 qualification race and is really showing amazing speed in 2014.

Q: Signing a rider like Valentin Guillod must have been a nice step after losing Glenn Coldenhoff in the winter. He had shown great form in the 2013 MXoN, and was expected to have a good future. So it was a nice signing.

Mathys: We were looking for a rider with the same possibilities as Glenn results wise, and we talked to Valentin (Guillod). He told me he wanted to ride for only two teams, that was the Red Bull KTM Factory team or my team, so it didn’t take long to make a deal with him.

Q: It must give you a big buzz to see riders improve at the rate Valentin has this year, similar to what Glenn did in 2013 or not?

Mathys: I think with Valentin we are doing the same thing we did with Glenn. Maybe not as many people believed in Glenn or Valentin, but we gave them the chance and let them do their thing in the winter as far as preparing for the season, and you can see now that Valentin has really stepped it up, just like Glenn did in 2013.

Q: My guess is that it gives you a lot of motivation to continue when you can find young riders like this?

Mathys: For sure, that is my motivation. I created this team to give young kids with talent, riders who might not normally get these opportunities. There was no interest in Glenn when we signed him, and the problem was when we signed him he had never ridden on hard-pack and we sent him to Spain where he rode the whole winter and you saw the improvement in him in 2013. With Valentin we gave him the material he wanted, the suspension he wanted, and now he is making the results.

Q: Tim, can you give me your opinion on the age rule for the MX2 class, I understand you support the rule?

Mathys: For sure I am positive about the rule and why do I support this rule, it is because they push the best riders to the MXGP class. We should see the MX2 class as a step-up class and the best riders move up to the MXGP class. That is in fact the reason why I created our team to give young riders the chance in the MX2 class. I don’t see us as an MXGP team, we want to give guys with talent the chance and help them improve.

Q: We will see a lot of riders moving to the MXGP class from the MX2 class in 2015. What is your opinion of this?

Mathys: I also think the MXGP class needs fresh blood, there are riders in the MXGP class that are maybe not cruising around, but are not fast enough anymore. They are riding in the MXGP and they know there are no better riders to replace them, but now with a lot of riders coming from the MX2 class for the 2015 season these riders need to maybe move aside and make room for the younger riders.

Q: Obviously with the younger, less experienced riders you also get riders who are less expensive. That is a positive for the MX2 teams, or not?

Mathys: For sure that is a positive thing for the MX2 teams. I don’t think many people know, but the cost of an MX2 team is more expensive than an MXGP team. Our bikes, the 250’s cost more to make go fast than a 450, and having riders who ask less money is an advantage for our teams due to the heavy costs of the bikes.

Q: Losing Glenn to the Factory Suzuki team was obviously difficult having seen him improve a lot in the 2013 season.

Mathys: Firstly the fact we lost Glenn was one of the worst experiences I have ever had in Motocross. Glenn is a good guy and his mechanic Franky was a friend, we worked together for more than two years and we had more contact with each other than I had with my girlfriend. So it was tough seeing them go.

Q: Do you still have good contact with Glenn and enjoy seeing him ride well (before his injury)?

Mathys: I still talk to Glenn, and I like to see his results improve and I still regret we lost him. When I saw him doing well in Qatar at the start of the season, I was really happy. There was some bad talk in the winter both about Glenn and myself because of our split-up, but both Glenn and I stayed correct, and that is why we are still friends. For sure when I see Glenn doing well it makes me happy.

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, an on-board lap of the track as well as the inside scoop from the pits at each round of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Take to the Bullfighting ring with KTM Silver Action's Jose Butrón before catching up on MXGP of Spain's racing highlights. Share some traditional Spanish Tapas with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli. Get some inside information from the paddocks suspension experts over the evolution of factory spec motocross forks and spend 99.9 seconds with BikeIT Yamaha Cosworth’s Rui Conçalves.

Click here to watch now.

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 13 May 2014 – Youthstream announces that the event in Belgium, scheduled on 3 August, will be held in Lommel and the event originally scheduled on 17 August is cancelled and will not be replaced.

The updated calendar is the following: 

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM