MXGP

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 3 August 2022 – This weekend, the FIM Motocross World Championship returns to Uddevalla for the first time since 2019 to celebrate the comeback of the MXGP of Sweden!

The Uddevalla circuit can be considered among the OG’s when it comes to hosting the FIM Motocross World Championship which made its first appearance at the Swedish venue back in 1958. That time around, local hero Sten Lundin was victorious in the premier 500cc category.

Over the years, Uddevalla has hosted a total of 23 GPs with the last edition taking place in 2019 that saw Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle victorious in MXGP and MX2.

Though when it comes to winning Grand Prix’s, Antonio Cairoli and Stefan Everts top the charts with six victories each, while other winners include the likes of Joel Smets (3 wins), Team HRC’s Tim Gajser (2 wins) and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings (2 wins) among others.

This weekend will be another opportunity for some new faces to join the winners circle, or for some to go up the order and increase their stats. Alongside the 15^th round of the series, we will also see rounds of the EMX250 and EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing classes where previous round winners Lucas Coenen of Jumbo Husqvarna BT Racing Team and Janis Martins Reisulis will be looking to repeat their success and fight for a podium spot once again.

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser is well and truly on his way to his fifth world title, with the likelihood that he will wrap up the championship in Finland. And with a healthy 122-point lead over his closest rival Jeremy Seewer of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing, there should be no pressure for the Slovenian, other than to bounce back from two difficult GPs in Czech Republic and Lommel.

Meanwhile, Seewer will also be looking to do the same. The Swiss showed great form in Loket and was looking good for the GP in Lommel after winning the qualifying race. However, this did not translate into the races, as he failed to mount the podium. After a week off, Seewer could come back with a victory and repeat his success of 2017 when he won the Grand Prix in MX2.

While Seewer and Maxime Renaux struggled in the deep sand of Lommel, their teammate Glenn Coldenhoff managed to bring home the podium for the team after winning the second race. Coldenhoff was feeling sick all weekend, which made his race victory and third place podium finish even more impressive as he tackled brutal conditions of the ‘toughest sand track in the world'. This will hopefully give the Dutchman confidence with the added bonus of entering the Swedish GP as the defending winner, having won there back in 2019 upon our last visit.

Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado also has some nice memories in Uddevalla. The Spaniard wrapped up his second MX2 title there in 2019, which will hopefully give him a boost entering this weekend as he continues to ride back to full fitness.

Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory duo of Brian Bogers and Pauls Jonass will be one to watch this weekend, after Bogers' triumphant weekend in Belgium where he claimed his very first GP victory that must have filled him with a lot of confidence for the remaining GP’s as he will be looking to end his best season in MXGP on a high. Meanwhile his teammate Jonass was forced to watch the Flanders GP from the side-line after getting hurt in Loket. Though this will only light a fire under the Latvian who will want to prove his capabilities in these last few races and get back on the podium, same as he did in Uddevalla in 2019 where he finished third behind Coldenhoff and Gajser.

Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen was another podium finisher in Lommel alongside fellow Dutchies Bogers and Coldenhoff. Vlaanderen was also a podium finisher in 2019 in the MX2 category, so will be looking to do the same on his first MXGP appearance in Uddevalla.

There are quite a few local riders entered for the Swedish GP which includes regulars Alvin Ostlund of JK Yamaha Racing and Anton Gole, along with some wildcard entries from the likes of Danne Karlsson, Anton Nordström Graaf, Emil Berggren, and Eddie Hjortmarker.

2019 MXGP of Sweden – MXGP Top 3:

1. Glenn Coldenhoff

2. Tim Gajser

3. Pauls Jonass

Main Photo: MXGP Start from 2019

Bottom Photos: 1. Tim Gajser 2. Glenn Coldenhoff

MXGP - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 605 points; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 483 p.; 3. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 465 p.; 4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 442 p.; 5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 441 p.; 6. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 342 p.; 7. Brian Bogers (NED, HUS), 332 p.; 8. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 312 p.; 9. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 287 p.; 10. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, BET), 239 p.;

As we near the end of the 2022 season, the last few GPs are going to be very important for the MX2 title contenders. Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts will be full of confidence after winning his home Grand Prix last time around. The Belgian also picked up extra points over Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle as now 23-points separate the duo which is probably the biggest the gap has been this season.

Geerts will be looking to continue his winning streak after winning in Loket and Lommel, but Vialle has the memories of winning in Uddevalla back in 2019 which was his first GP win in MX2, so we could see him repeat that success once more – and he will need to in order to keep the title hope alive.

Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Roan van de Moosdijk is another rider who has nice memories of racing in Uddevalla after securing the crown in the EMX250 championship back in 2019. For the Dutchman, it will be his first GP in MX2 at the Swedish venue where he will want to impress as he did in Lommel at the previous round upon his comeback from injury. Moosdijk led the MX2 race for a few laps and was right at the sharp end which can be expected again this weekend.

His teammate Kay de Wolf was also very impressive too, as he finished on the box after winning the opening race and challenging Geerts for the win in the second heat. de Wolf will also have the extra motivation of moving up in the standings as he is just one point behind Ship to Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz’s Stephen Rubini who is ahead in eighth position.

Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Simon Längenfelder is comfortable in third position in the MX2 championship standings but is still chasing podiums. The German came close to another visit to the box in Lommel, but struggle with the heat and demanding track conditions in the final lap which cost him third overall. So it is expected that he will be another rider looking to bounce back and put on a strong performance this weekend.

Hitachi KTM Fuelled by Milwaukee’s Isak Gifting will no doubt be highly missed by his home fans this weekend as he would have been a podium hopeful. Gifting picked up a knee injury while racing the British Championship and is now ruled out for the rest of the series, with the Swede shifting his focus on the next season.

Though other local names, including Filip Olsson, Leopold Ambjörnson and Albin Gerhardsson, will be flying the flag and will be looking to put on their best performance on home soil.

2019 MXGP of Sweden – MX2 Top 3:

1. Tom Vialle

2. Calvin Vlaanderen

3. Jorge Prado

Top Photo: MX2 Start from 2019

Bottom Photos: 1. Jago Geerts 2. Tom Vialle

MX2 - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 590 points; 2. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 567 p.; 3. Simon Längenfelder (GER, GAS), 469 p.; 4. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 410 p.; 5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 378 p.; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, GAS), 365 p.; 7. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, KAW), 358 p.; 8. Stephen Rubini (FRA, HON), 321 p.; 9. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 320 p.; 10. Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), 255 p.;

WEEKEND TIMETABLE (Local Time CEST)

SATURDAY: 08:35 EMX250 Free Practice, 09:05 EMX125 Group 1 Free Practice, 09:35 EMX125 Group 2 Free Practice, 10:05 EMX250 Qualifying Practice, 10:50 MX2 Free Practice, 11:20 MXGP Free Practice, 12:10 EMX125 Group 1 Qualifying Practice, 12:45 EMX125 Group 2 Qualifying Practice, 13:25 MX2 Time Practice, 14:00 MXGP Time Practice, 14:35 EMX250 Race 1, 15:30 EMX125 Race 1, 16:25 MX2 Qualifying Race, 17:10 MXGP Qualifying Race.  

SUNDAY: 09:45 EMX125 Race 2, 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 11:30 EMX250 Race 2, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 14:15 MXGP Race 1, 16:10 MX2 Race 2, 17:10 MXGP Race 2.

All the photos from the MXGP of Sweden will be available HERE.

You can find the complete results HERE.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

Uddevalla

The FIM Motocross World Championship carries heads into the 15^th round of the series this weekend at the Uddevalla circuit in Sweden for the return of the MXGP of Sweden!

Take a look at the timetable and entry lists for the event below;

TIMETABLE

MXGP ENTRY LIST

MX2 ENTRY LIST

EMX125 PRESENTED BY FMF RACING 

EMX250

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 2 August 2022 – Infront Moto Racing is pleased to share the #107 edition of the MXGP Magazine!

The 107^th edition of the monthly magazine takes a closer look at the EMX finals and Junior e-Motocross series at the MXGP of Czech Republic in the ‘Champions of Tomorrow’ feature, while the rest of the magazine includes the monthly Racing Catch-Up of the previous rounds in Indonesia, Czech Republic and Belgium, along with the current standings of the Fox Holeshot competition.

There is also a Special Feature on FIM-Europe’s Eddy Herd, as well as the Vintage Bike section includes Donny Schmit 1992’s Yamaha 250cc while in this month’s Hall of Fame we learn more about the career of Daniel Pean!

You can find all this plus more in the 107^th issue of MXGP Mag, which you can download for FREE on the Apple Store or Google Play. Read it HERE!

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.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

MXGP MAG 107

The Swedish Grand Prix has had a rollercoaster journey over the last 10 years, with the Uddevalla circuit missing from the calendar in 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021, the last two seasons due to Covid. Now back on the schedule for 2022 and the whole Grand Prix paddock is excited to head back to the sand circuit.

Prior to 2012, there was one man who completely dominated the Swedish Grand Prix, and that man was Italian legend Antonio Cairoli, who took victories in MX2 in 2005, 2007 and 2008, and then in MXGP in 2009. Of course, Cairoli also added more win in 2013 and 2014, but you can read that below. We thought maybe it is a good idea to look at the winners from the last 10 years.

A decade ago, in 2012 Belgian tough man Clement Desalle captured the GP win with 1-1 scores and in the MX2 class it was Tommy Searle who tasted victory with 2-1 results. A year later Antonio Cairoli won in Sweden with 1-1 results and his love affair with the Swedish track began. In MX2 Jeffrey Herlings won in 2013 with 3-1 results.

A year later and it was again Cairoli with another perfect day and 1-1 and Herlings doing the same in MX2 with 1-1. A change in the winners in 2015 as Romain Febvre added his name to the winner’s box with 1-1 and Tim Gajser scored his first victory there in MX2, with 2-1 scores.

With no Grand Prix run in Sweden in 2016, we had to wait until 2017 when Gajser won his second Grand Prix there, this time in the MXGP class and he scored 1-2 results, while Febvre was second with 6-1. In MX2 it was Jeremy Seewer with 2-2 who stood on top of the podium, while Jorge Prado was second with 1-5 finishes.

Again, the Swedish track missed a Grand Prix in 2018, but in 2019, Dutchman Glenn Coldenhoff won in MXGP with 1-2 results, Gajser was second with 3-1 and in MX2, Tom Vialle won with 2-2 and Jorge Prado was second with 1-4 scores.

So, with the last two years missing out, the Swedish fans are expected to rush to the huge rockface that overlooks the circuit and cheer on the best motocross riders in the world. Can Gajser score his third GP win there, or will Seewer, Febvre or Coldenhoff add to their success?

Obviously the two most successful men at Uddevalla are Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings, but next man up is Gajser and with his 122 points lead, you get the idea he might want to add to his victories in 2015 and 2016.

This season the BitCi MXGP of Turkey is set to host the season finale on the 3^rd and 4^th of September! Don’t miss your chance to witness the final race of 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship and watch this year’s champions receive their medals!

In MXGP Tim Gajser is on track for his fifth world title, but in MX2 the fight for the gold plate could not be any closer, with Jago Geerts and Tom Vialle still locked in a tight battle for the top spot – Who will come out on top? Get your tickets for the MXGP of Turkey to find out.

Afyonkarahisar first appeared on the MXGP calendar in 2018 when Thomas Covington and Jeffrey Herlings took victories in MX2 and MXGP. Since then, the Turkish venue has hosted four events, which included a double-header last year!

Like every year, the MXGP of Turkey is a unique music festival ‘Moto Fest’ which features some of the biggest musical performers and other entertainment that will keep you busy throughout both race days.

Alongside the regular action we will also witness the final rounds of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship and the EXM Open series where we will once again see tight fights for the title!

Don’t miss your chance to watch the fastest MXGP, MX2 as well as WMX and EMX Open riders in action during the two days FULL of excitement! Get your tickets HERE

Why not upgrade and go VIP? Check out the details for the VIP GOLD SKYBOX pass HERE!

While Team HRC rider Tim Gajser has had one of the best seasons of his career, as he takes a 122-point lead into the final four rounds of the 2022 MXGP championship, you start to get the feeling that the road to that fifth Motocross World Title can bring up some obstacles. Entering the deep sand circuit there was no lack of confidence to gain maximum points.

“I’ve had some really good results in Lommel the past few years,” Gajser said. “So, I was going to try my best to get back to that level and get myself on the top step of the podium again. Loket didn’t go my way, but in the end, it was a good result for the championship so I can’t be too disappointed. Lommel would be a completely different challenge and I thought the racing would be a lot better, because it is so easy to make up, or lose time with just the smallest line choice. I felt confident and was looking forward to getting there and seeing just how difficult the track would be!”.

Having already won at the Lommel track, Gajser came into the Belgian GP with some confidence and managed first in free practice and second in timed practice, so all looked good for a solid result in the qualification race. Sure enough, a runner-up finish gave the Slovenian a great position on the gate for Sunday.

“Lommel is always a tough day. Overall, it went okay, with me second in both timed practice and the qualification race. The track was pretty flat early on, but by the time our race came around, it was technical and typical Lommel conditions. The hot temperatures didn’t make it any easier and it was expected to be even hotter on Sunday, so I just kept a good pace and tried not to expend any unnecessary energy. I think my speed and fitness is good, so if I can grab two good starts, I believe I can add to my three overalls here and give all my fans a lot to cheer about.”

The Sunday though was another day that didn’t really go his way, with 7-7 scores and one of his worst overall results this year. Possibly thinking about his big points lead and just being careful played in the head of the HRC boy, one thing was for sure, there was some disappointing moments as Gajser relived the overall position in his comments.

“I never really found a good flow in either race and when the track is as rough as it was, that makes things exceedingly difficult. I tried to push as much as I could, but the rhythm wasn’t there, and it was more survival than racing. Obviously, I’m a little disappointed with the overall performance as I always want to be challenging for wins, so I’m going to use this weekend off to just make sure I’m ready for these final four GPs where I want to finish the season strongly.”  

Now onto Sweden, a place that will suit the Honda rider and with that massive points lead, he again has the chance to play it cool, run similar results to his main opposition and head to the next round in Finland where he should wrap up his fifth world title.

Photo Copyright: Bavo Swijgers

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 25 July 2022 – MXGP is excited to continue the Fox Holeshot competition for the 2022 season of the FIM Motocross World Championship, together with MXGP partner Fox.

How does the competition work?

Every Grand Prix race, during both MXGP and MX2 races, the rider who crosses the white line painted on the ground at the exit of the first corner secures the Fox Holeshot and receives one point. At the end of the season, the two riders, one per category, with the most Fox Holeshot points will win the mega prize!

At the MXGP of Flanders the starts were dominated by Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado in MXGP and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts in MX2, as both riders secured the Fox Holeshot in races one and two.

After 14 rounds, Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado and Tom Vialle continue to lead the Fox Holeshot Classifications with 15 and 9 points each. The Fox Holeshot competition will continue at the MXGP of Sweden.   

MXGP Fox Holeshot Classifications

MX2 Fox Holeshot Classifications

Watch the Fox Holeshot Films from the MXGP of Flanders below.

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 25 July 2022 – For the 2022 season of the FIM Motocross World Championship, we see the return of a very exciting competition, that is the Best Rider of the Year Sponsored by Athena.

Throughout the season fans have the opportunity to cast their votes race-by-race and decide who becomes the ‘Best Rider of the Year Sponsored by Athena’ in MXGP at the end of this year’s championship.

Votes are tallied at every Grand Prix, with the ‘Best Rider of the GP’ being chosen during each event of 2022. The rider who is voted the most times as the best rider, will walk away with the ultimate prize and be presented with the special award for ‘Best Rider of the Year Sponsored by Athena’!

How to vote:

Every Grand Prix Sunday a dedicated post is shared on MXGP’s official Instagram page under which fans can comment who their favourite rider of the weekend is. This competition is only for MXGP riders and the voting closes at 8pm on Sunday.

The comments are then counted and the rider with the most votes is chosen as the best rider of that GP. 

At the MXGP of Flanders, the overall Grand Prix winner Brian Bogers of Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing stood on the first step on the MXGP podium for the very first time in his career and was also voted by the fans as the Best Rider at the MXGP of Flanders after receiving 38.8% of the votes, compared to Tim Gajser of Team HRC who received 37% ahead of Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen who received 11%.

After 14 rounds, Tim Gajser continues to hold a comfortable lead with nine points. The Best Rider of the Year Sponsored by Athena will continue at the MXGP of Sweden.

2022 Best Rider of the Year Sponsored by Athena Standings