MXGP

Grand Prix motocross has had many magical moments through the years, from the 1960’s with Torsten Hallman, Joel Robert or Roger De Coster until the performances of Tim Gajser and Jeffrey Herlings in 2020. Many World Champions have been crowned and exciting rounds of the World championships have taken place.

One race though really turned the sport on its head as thousands and thousands of fans headed to the new circuit in the valley of Matterley Basin. Having held just one Grand Prix a few months earlier, this young track saw a weekend of magic and for the promoter of the event, Steve Dixon, it was a day he will never forget.

“I mean,” Dixon said. “That was generally the biggest crowd I have ever seen at a race. Then we had that big storm, hurricane Gordon and everyone was trying to get it. It was so successful, it was unsuccessful, and it will go down as one of those ones, like Woodstock or Glastonbury. There were people everywhere, but the racing was unbelievable. I still watch the video of Stefan (Everts) and James (Stewart) having the banter about it all being for the team and Stefan saying Ricky (Carmichael) would have raced him for the overall. I will always remember when Billy (Mackenzie) got into the lead and he was my rider, I had goose pimples all over my body.”

While it was Team USA who won that years MXoN, the star of the day was Belgian legend, Stefan Everts. His final major race as he retired from the sport, and a day he dominated and put on a perfect performance. His battles with Team USA’s rider James Stewart will go down as one of the best battles in the sports history.

“When I rode there in 2006,” Everts said. “It was the biggest crowd I had ever ridden in front of in Europe and the Nations, so a good moment, even great moment. It is always nice going back to Matterley. It is one of the nicest tracks on the season, along with Argentina, and Matterley is equal. You can see 100% of the track, which is awesome for the crowd and also the teams. It’s a cool track and the layout is nice. My fight with James Stewart was really a nice fight and I remember how the crowd reacted to my overall win. One of the best days of my career.”

So, while Matterley Basin is not on the 2021 calendar, what we all will never forget about this English circuit though, is that day in 2006, when a legend left the sport on top, and that greatest race in the world took another step in the right direction.

Photo Copyright: Ray Archer 

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 26 February 2021 – Infront Moto Racing is excited to announce that the agreement with Portuguese TV channel Sport TV has been extended for a further three years that will see the MXGP of Portugal broadcast LIVE along with MXGP’s 26-minute Magazine aired for the entire season of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Sport TV is the leading sports channel in Portugal and is transmitted by subscription cable and satellite, entirely dedicated to national and international sports events. The network first went on air in September 1998 and now boasts five sports premium channels, focused on broadcasting “live and exclusive” major sports events, covering all the relevant sports news in Portugal and in the World, with daily news programmes live from its studios.

Infront Moto Racing is pleased to continue working together with Sport TV in order to bring great coverage of MXGP events in Portugal, including the MXGP of Portugal that is due to take place on the 23^rd - 24^th of October.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

Sport TV Portugal

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s MXGP class competitors Thomas Kjer Olsen and Arminas Jasikonis have both enjoyed highly positive, but very different, winter preparations ahead of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship. With Kjer Olsen quickly adapting to the FC 450 as he readies himself for his first season of MXGP racing, Jasikonis recently returned to the track following his recovery from injury.

Continuing his pro racing career with Husqvarna Motorcycles following four highly successful seasons in the MX2 World Championship, Thomas Kjer Olsen progresses to the ultra-competitive MXGP division for 2021, focused on making a solid first impression. Undoubtedly one of the best performing MX2 riders in recent years, the tall Dane, who placed third overall in both the 2017 and 2018 campaigns before going one better in 2019 as series runner-up, is relishing his opportunity to race against new competitors.

Entering the 2021 season following six overall podium results in 2020, including two back-to-back GP wins, TKO unquestionably signed off his impressive MX2 career on a highly positive note. The FC 450 rider now looks ahead to making his mark in the MXGP category.

Arminas Jasikonis is set to take on his third term of MXGP competition with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, looking to continue his return to full fitness while focused on eventually getting back to challenging for regular podium results. Enjoying a positive start to the 2020 season with a third-place overall result at round two, when racing resumed following the coronavirus-forced break the Lithuanian charged to his maiden race victory at the fourth round of the championship.

In finishing second overall at round five, Arminas remained a podium threat as the series continued until a heavy fall at round nine brought his year to a premature end. Now, having undergone a period of intensive rehabilitation, the 23-year-old recently began riding his FC 450 with the aim of returning to full fitness in readiness for round one of the 2021 season.

Thomas Kjer Olsen – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: “The upcoming season is really exciting for me as I make the move up to the MXGP class. I’ve had a really productive winter getting used to the FC 450 and I’m really happy with my bike and how I feel riding. It did take me a little time to adapt, and it was challenging initially because the bike’s more powerful, but now I feel really good. With the team we’ve made some good progress in recent weeks. It will be my first year in MXGP, but I believe I can battle inside the top 5. For sure there are a lot of talented riders in the class and it won’t be easy, but I am ready for the challenge and I’m really looking forward to round one.”

Arminas Jasikonis – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: “My recovery from my accident has been going really well. Since my crash I had to start from zero and rebuild my physical conditioning, so it has been a long road, but I am getting stronger and fitter and I am really happy with my progress. I’ve recently returned to riding which has been great and I will continue to take things step-by-step. There is not a specific date for when I will return to racing at the moment. Until I am at the stage where I am able to push for 30 minutes plus two laps in tough conditions during practice then it will not make sense to race. For MXGP you need to be 100%, which is something that I am working towards every day. I’d like to thank my team for the support that they have given me throughout my recovery, they have been amazing to me.”

Photo Copyright: Bavo Swijgers / Husqvarna Motorcycles 

The second 2021 issue of monthly motorcycle sport magazine with some of the best interviews, features and Blogs from the heart of MXGP, MotoGP, AMA Motocross/Supercross and WorldSBK as well as tests and reviews of bikes and products from the motorcycling industry. Here are some of the highlights of OTOR #208: 

• Swapping roost for haze: MX to Dakar: Former Grand Prix winner Rui Goncalves finished his very first attempt at the Dakar rally in January. We asked him about the switch from roost to roadbook 
• Orlando Supercross round-up: All the pics and perspective from Florida and the second of the Orlando Supercross dates as the 2021 series already nears the halfway stage. Will #94 stay as #1?
• Cianciarulo on 450SX life: The 24-year old talks of life on the KX450F, teammate to Tomac and coping with a slightly brighter spotlight as a factory rider at the peak of supercross
• Suzuki in MotoGP/KTM & Honda reviews: Will Suzuki cope in MotoGP? We ride the brand new KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S and also the Honda Africa Twin as well as diving in the cult of PulpMX

Read it HERE!

Being a mechanic for a world class team or rider is not an easy task. These are the guys who put in hours upon hours of graft in order to spin the spanners for some of the top riders in the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Towards the end of the 2020 season, we sat down with several mechanics for the top teams in the paddock to learn more about their pre-race rituals, strategies, must-have tools and what a typical day for a mechanic looks like…

BART DIRKX

IN 2020 MECHANIC FOR: Jorge Prado, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

IN 2021 MECHANIC FOR: Jorge Prado, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

NATIONALITY: Belgian

WHAT ARE THE MUST HAVE ITEMS IN YOUR BACKPACK BEFORE TO TAKE TO THE LINE?

“Basic tools, the tools that you need to do something quick on the bike in case if the rider has a little crash, things that you can fix in 2 minutes. Like a bent lever, the tank cap…Then I always have a plastic cap replacement, some tissue, some fuel, especially for the sand races, because we are always on the edge with the fuel amount”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OR MOST USED TOOL?

“Torque wrench is my favourite. Like that I’m sure that all the bolts are at the correct Newton/meters, even if you have a really good feeling with all the bolts of the bike, with the t-wrench you cannot go wrong!”

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PREPERATION OF THE RACE TRUCK BEFORE THE START OF THE RACES?

“It is really important, because you need to know exactly where all the spare parts are. You need to be able to go inside the truck, open the draw and immediately find the parts that you need even without thinking about it. I think that is really important that mechanics load the truck for this reason, this is why I always want to be on site when we load the truck like that I know exactly where all the parts are and I’m sure that all the things that I need are there”.

YOU USE A LOT OF KEY WORDS ON THE PIT-BOARD, IS THERE A STRATEGY BEHIND THEM?

“Yes, especially when you’re together with a rider after a few years you start to understand each other even with small signs that you give to him. It doesn’t have to be a sentence, only a basic keyword that you use every time. Even the way I look at him or the way I move my hands or my fingers in pitlane, he knows exactly what to do. So it is really important to always keep those same key words and the feeling I have with my rider”.

WHAT IS YOUR ‘NORMAL DAY’ ROUTINE VS YOUR ‘RACE DAY’ ROUTINE?

“Race day I start with a coffee. We then unload the bikes and all of the stuff out of the stands, the carpets, the tools… After that, even if it’s not necessary, I check all the bolts again, fill up the tank and do the general checks you have to do on the bike but as fast as I can. At the end I will check my backpack again, even if I already did so the day before. I check that I have the pit board markers, some tissue, some papers, just basically all the things you must have in pitlane. For me this is normal, and I do all these checks even without actually thinking about it”.

“Then on a normal day, when we go to the workshop, we completely split the bike in all its parts, check all the parts that need to be changed and clean all the other parts. This takes a long time and you really need to be focused and precise to have the best outcome”.

BEING A MECHANIS IS MORE THAN JUST LOOKING AFTER THE BIKE. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO ALSO SUPPORT YOUR RIDER FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE?

“Yeah, that’s really important. That doesn’t mean we train together for that, but he puts all his trust in my work. When he goes out on track and makes jumps of 30-40 meters with the bike, it means everything must be built in a proper way. We spend a lot of time together and we really trust each other. It’s like in the army, people that spend a lot of time together have a real connection; that doesn’t mean that we have to be on the phone every day or that we speak all the time… If he has a problem, he tells me, especially because I’m much older than him and knows that he can trust me, we speak about it and we find a solution”.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PRE-RACE RITUALS WITH JORGE?

One thing that Jorge likes to do is to put both of his feet on the foot pegs on the start, this is to make him feel quieter and more relaxed. When we are on the start line, I always stay on the opposite side of the silence, I put the bike on my side and I tell him “ok Jorge, you can put the feet on the bike” and he puts both feet on the pegs and immediately is much calmer and everything is ready, and he is ready to go as well”.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MECHANIC OF A WORLD CHAMPION?

“To be honest for me it doesn’t change anything because I have done this job already for so many years, it is exceptional and everybody likes it, but for me it’s not the most important thing. I really love this job, so I put the same effort working with a rider that finishes 10th in the World Championship and now with Jorge, who has won the World Championship, for me that doesn’t make any difference”.

In the latest issue of MXGP Magazine, we caught up with a few of the MXGP mechanics to learn more about what it takes to work with some of the best riders in the world! Read the full feature HERE.

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 18 February 2021 – Infront Moto Racing is delighted to share the news that Belgian TV channel VRT will continue to cover the FIM Motocross World Championship through to 2023.

VRT is a popular television channel, which brings news and entertainment in Dutch to viewers all across Belgium. VRT and MXGP have worked together since 2017, with the channel bringing LIVE coverage of the MXGP of Belgium throughout the years.

For the 2021 season, VRT will continue to broadcast the races LIVE from the MXGP of Belgium, alongside the 20min race highlights shown every Sunday night after each MXGP, allowing Belgian fans to follow their home riders, Jago Geerts, Jeremy Van Horebeek, Brent Van doninck and others in action!

Infront Moto Racing is excited to continue this partnership with VRT for the next three seasons of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

VRT

As the new season of MXGP prepares to countdown for the season opener, all eyes will be on the main FIM Motocross World Championship protagonists to see who will strike first to take that early advantage. But before we even contemplate who will be doing the winning, let’s take a look at some of the off-season moves and shakers, and the riders who have either changed class, bike, team or all three!

In the latest issue of the MXGP Magazine, we take a look at the Officially Approved Team’s for 2021. Read the full feature HERE!

Being a mechanic for a world class team or rider is not an easy task. These are the guys who put in hours upon hours of graft in order to spin the spanners for some of the top riders in the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Towards the end of the 2020 season, we sat down with several mechanics for the top teams in the paddock to learn more about their pre-race rituals, strategies, must-have tools and what a typical day for a mechanic looks like…

NICOLAS NOGE

IN 2020 MECHANIC FOR: Tim Gajser, Team HRC

NATIONALITY: French

WHAT ARE THE MUST HAVE ITEMS IN YOUR BACKPACK BEFORE TO TAKE TO THE LINE?

“The basic tools like the tools for the wheels if something happens. I also put inside things for the rider like, goggles, spare gloves, some paper to clean the lenses and that’s it”.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE OR MOST USED TOOL?

“The 8mm T wrench. It’s the one I use more for the plastics, the levers and so many other parts of the bike”

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PREPERATION OF THE RACE TRUCK BEFORE THE START OF THE RACES?

“Yes of course I load the truck, this is one of the most important things because when you arrive at the track for the race you must have all the spare parts you need. Especially for us because HCR has very special parts that are not standard, so it’s even more important for me to have everything inside the truck in the correct place”.

YOU USE A LOT OF KEY WORDS ON THE PIT-BOARD, IS THERE A STRATEGY BEHIND THEM?

“We don’t have a specific strategy; it depends on the position that he [Tim] is. So, I give him advice on if he needs to push or not, in case for example if he didn’t make a really good start”.

WHAT IS YOUR ‘NORMAL DAY’ ROUTINE VS YOUR ‘RACE DAY’ ROUTINE?

“On race day, we start checking the bike to make sure everything is ok. You must use the time you have really well because we are always in a rush and we cannot relax for one second and it is forbidden to make any mistakes. A normal day, the situation is quieter. I work on the bike, but I can do everything and take my time without needing to rush”.

BEING A MECHANIS IS MORE THAN JUST LOOKING AFTER THE BIKE. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO ALSO SUPPORT YOUR RIDER FROM A PSYCHOLOGICAL SIDE?

“Of course. The rider and the mechanic have a really strong relationship. The rider has to believe 100% in your work and not have any doubts about what you do on the bike, like that he can be relaxed and focus only on the race. Sometimes we even understand each other without speaking”.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PRE-RACE RITUALS WITH TIM?

“Nothing special. Just before the start I wish him “good luck” and that’s it, I’m always sure that he’ll do his best”.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MECHANIC OF A WORLD CHAMPION?

“I’m proud to be the mechanic of Tim Gajser, and of course I’m really happy to be in this position”.

In the latest issue of MXGP Magazine, we caught up with a few of the MXGP mechanics to learn more about what it takes to work with some of the best riders in the world! Read the full feature HERE.

Glenn Coldenhoff’s move to Yamaha and the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team is one of the most exciting moves inside the MXGP paddock ahead of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship season.

An already proven Grand Prix winner, the 30-year-old Dutchman has finally revealed the motivation behind the ‘fresh start’, his goals for 2021 and how he is finding the new challenge thus far.

What inspired your move to Yamaha and the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team?

I think Yamaha was very interested, and I feel like they were really, really motivated. In the end I had to choose between two really great teams, which was not easy, as I was with the other brand for five years. I feel very good with my new team, we have had some really good times. Also, with my mechanics and the crew I am working the most with, we have already developed a great relationship in a really short time, so I am really happy.

How have you found it so far? Based on what we are seeing on Social Media, it looks like you are enjoying the facilities at the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Head Quarters such as the fully fledged gym?

The gym at the workshop is for sure a big plus. I have a small gym at home and normally I have a guy who takes care of my gym stuff, but he had to close his gym as well because of the Coronavirus. So, when I am at home in The Netherlands, I go to the workshop every day to do some training. It’s also good to have this kind of set up for the connection between the team, the mechanics and the riders, I really like it, it’s really good to have.

You missed the last few rounds of the 2020 MXGP series due to a broken neck, but you made a great recovery. When were you back on the bike and would you say you are back to 100% now?

I was back on the bike after 6-weeks, so at the end of November. It was safe and I was healthy again. I could then ride without pain or any problems. At the moment, I am fully recovered and I’m in full preparation for the new season. I would say I am pretty strong already, but I still want to make another step for when the season starts.

Are you still training with Ryan Hughes and what was the main thing you learned from him?

Ryan has his own vision I think, on how to train as a motocross rider. I actually got to learn a lot of small details, especially with recovery. Now I do ice baths, I bought a sauna… on the training side, like the physical conditioning, I train a little different now because of him and like I said, I learned a lot in a really short time, also with riding the bike and working on technique, I think he is for sure one of the best teachers or coach out there.

Do you think the YZ450FM suits your riding style?

I have just started testing. There are some things I would like to change and try. It’s a good package to start with, the suspension is really good, I would just like to do something different with the engine to suit me better and we should be ready to do that next week. We have only done two days of testing so far, so we still have plenty of time left.

What are you hoping to achieve in MXGP this season?

The goal is to be every weekend on the podium, that is the big goal. Obviously of course I want to win the world title, we all know this is not really easy, but we are doing as much as we can. The team is really professional in helping me with training, I think we are looking good. I just want to improve my consistency a bit, I am pretty consistent in the top five but I want to be consistently in the top three. I think this would already be a big step, and we all know that. I am very motivated to try and achieve the top-three.

Photo Copyright: Yamaha Racing 

There is no doubt, with the current crop of multiple FIM Motocross World Champions in MXGP, we are without question in the greatest era of Grand Prix motocross, as legends are being made, and records being broken.

MXGP is stacked with World titles, Antonio Cairoli with nine, Tim Gajser and Jeffrey Herlings with four each, Jorge Prado with two, while Pauls Jonass, Romain Febvre and Jordi Tixier have one each. 22 World title in the 450 class.

Antonio Cairoli leads the pack when it comes to statistics, his nine World championships and 92 Grand Prix victories the most impressive, while Herlings with his four World titles and 90 GP wins is second, then Tim Gajser with his four World titles and 29 Grand Prix wins sits in third place, although it would be debatable which rider is the best at the moment. HRC’s Gajser is the defending champion and has won World motocross championships in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2020.

While many may say that Jeffrey Herlings is the fastest man on the planet, though Gajser is without question the most successful rider of the last six years, he is stacking up the GP wins and World Championships and doing it better than anyone else at the moment.

“In 450 class, when he (Herlings) moved to MXGP, it happened that he wasn’t 100% and I was, or he was 100%, and I wasn’t 100% in 2017 and 2018 and he was riding amazing and feeling good. But it isn’t just me and Jeffrey, we have Tony with a lot of experience, also Prado coming from MX2, was strong. Also, a lot of other guys like Febvre, Seewer, Jonass, Jasikonis, so many guys.”

Grand Prix promoter Giuseppe Luongo is obviously a fellow Italian to Cairoli, but he knows just how good Herlings is, and like many, feels the Dutchman is one of the fastest riders he has ever seen. He also knows that injuries have caused the Dutchman more issues than many other riders.

“It’s complicated to talk about Jeffrey,” Luongo said. “Jeffrey is everything, in my opinion he is the most determined and fastest rider I have seen in the 40 years of my career, and when he goes fast nobody can stop him, maybe only Jeffrey can stop himself.  But sometimes there is a combination of silly mistakes and bad luck because if you see in his young age, he has won 4 World Championship titles and he has lost at least another 4 due to this. I don’t know if it’s just bad luck, a lack of concentration or a combination of both.  I have a lot of respect for Jeffrey, for his riding and also for his behaviour and I really hope he returns as soon as possible in good health, because with his young age he still has a lot of records to break.”

But Luongo has a soft spot for his fellow Italian (Cairoli), and statistics don’t lie. The Italian is the best of this era, maybe not the fastest, but without question the most successful of the current crop of MXGP riders.

“You know, it’s easy to talk about how great Tony is, his career and his results talk alone.  Tony is a fighter and he will never give up until the end, he is very clever on the bike, and he is without any doubt the rider with the most experience and you see race by race he compensates his age and some little injuries he has with his experience, intelligence and wisdom on the bike, it will be very interesting and it would be great for Tony if he were able to win his tenth title which will bring him to have the same number as Everts (but more titles in the major class), but whatever he does, if he wins or not, it’s out of any doubt that Tony is by far one of the greatest riders in the history of Motocross and he is a great example for many kids who love our sport.  it’s complicated to say now if he will succeed with his ten titles or not because the battle is very tight.”

So, as we enter another season in 2021, and these legends of the sport go head-to-head once again, let’s not talk about who is the fastest, or who will win the championship this year, because as we have seen in the past, the fastest and most experienced have lost out to Gajser. What we do know, is that whoever win the 2021 MXGP championship will have won it against the most stacked field in Grand Prix history.