MXGP

With the next round of the MXGP championship at the Orlyonok circuit in Russia, it might be time to remember a little about the countries amazing motocross history.

Russia has a rich history with the Grand Prix series, dating back to the 1960s. Of course, in recent times it has been Evgeny Bobryshev who has shown impressive results in the MXGP class, and Alexandr Tonkov and Vsevolod Brylyakov in MX2 and now MXGP. But long before these guys were even born came the very best of Russian motocross.

Since 1963 Russian motocross sportsmen became regular participants of the International races of the highest level. However, there was an obstacle, since the Russian riders had to overcome the difficulties because of the ideological prohibition of the western motorcycles.

Russian racers were permitted to use only motorcycles produced by the allies of the Soviet Union, in particular, Czech Republic (then it was called Czechoslovakia). Czechs produced famous at that time models Jawas and CZ’s. But Czech motorcycles were weaker in many aspects compared to the machines produced in Europe and Japan.

Nevertheless, in 1965 Victor Arbeckov could become the Champion onboard a CZ, which was a real surprise for the motorcycling world. Arbeckov could gain a victory even over great six-time World Champion Joel Robert from Belgium, who was at the peak of his sporting career.

Another famous racer, Gennady Moiseev proved to the world the high potential of the Russian racers once again in 1973. During one of the rounds of 1973 World Championship Gennady Moiseev appeared to have no motorcycle, as the Czech partners were not in time to deliver their CZ for him. Then the representatives of the young KTM company from Austria offered the Russian racer their machine. Gennady Moiseev took the offer and won the race.

Frankly, that liberty cost the representative of the Russian delegation his Communist party membership and the position. On the other hand, the Russian team acquired the great KTM machine. With the KTM Gennady Moiseev became three-time World Champion, in 1974, 1977 and 1978.

However, in 1979 Gennady Moiseev was prohibited by the Soviet authorities to use Austrian KTM, and he was ordered to switch to CZ model again, which immediately worsen his position to the tenth place in the Championship.

Before 1980 the national team of Russia took the first places three times, two times - second places and four times - third places in Motocross of Nations and Trophy Des Nations. During the first 18 years the leading motocross racers of Russia - Arbekov, Grigorieyv, Moiseev, and Kavinov - won 4 golden medals, 2 silver medals, and 4 bronze medals in World Championships.

Only in the beginning of the 1990-s the Russian sportsmen got the freedom and possibility to use modern motorcycles produced in Western countries. But the ideological iron curtain had been preventing the natural development of motorized sports in Russia for years, and the riders lost their skills to be competitive with the rest of the world. Sometimes the Russian sportsmen couldn't qualify for the World Championship.

However, step by step Russian motocross gains the strength. There's a good organization and the Russian racers become more competitive, they work hard, and react quickly for the changes of modern motocross racing.

ORLYONOK (Russia) 05 June 2019 - MXGP is in route to the Patron MXGP of Russia and the 8^th round of the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship this weekend. The venue is prepped, and racing is set to take place this Saturday and Sunday on the coast of the Black Sea in Orlyonok, Russia. Returning for its third year as a host, the hilly, hard pack, and high-speed circuit will be the newest chapter in the 2019 MXGP and MX2 title saga with all the best riders ready to race.

The Russian round of the MXGP and MX2 Motocross World Championships will also be joined with the FIM Europe Motocross Championships of EMX250 and EMX2T presented by FMF Racing. The last EMX250 racing took place only two weeks ago in France where we saw Maddii Racing Husqvarna’s Alberto Forato defeated for the first time this season and to none other than his title competitor Stephen Rubini from the Honda Redmoto Assomotor team. On the other hand, EMX2T presented by FMF Racing has had one extra week to prep for Russia after the last round in Portugal ended with a dominant victory by Team Ecomaxx Fuels Mike Kras to take over the red plate from Verde Substance KTM’s Brad Anderson.

The MXGP title is getting tighter and tighter after Team HRC’s Tim Gajser has made the most of the last 2 rounds in Portugal and France with double victories and 100 points. The Slovenian has returned to his 2017 MXGP World Champion form and is set to continue his winning streal this week.

Meanwhile Antonio Cairoli from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing still leads the Championship by 10 points, a gap which was previously much larger prior to his almost scoreless Race 2 finish at the last round in France.

Gajser and Cairoli will likely go head to head once again this weekend but have to face the defending MXGP of Russia winner for the last 2 seasons, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle. Desalle has gone somewhat under the radar so far this year but holds 4^th in the standings coming into this weekend and will look to not only repeat his winning performances of 2017 and 2018 but to also surpass Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP’s Gautier Paulin who is currently third in the points.

Paulin’s Monster Energy Wilvo Yamaha Official MXGP teammate Arnaud Tonus will be especially intriguing to watch this week after scoring 3^rd overall in Portugal followed by 2^nd overall in France, not to mention the Swiss rider is surely well versed on the hard pack conditions likely this weekend.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team is also shaping into form over the past two rounds and is now back at full strength with Romain Febvre and Jeremy Seewer both ready to battle in the top 5.

Additional riders to watch this weekend include BOS Factory’s Evgeny Bobryshev, in what is his home GP, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass, who won MX2 here last year, and the reigning MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing who is expected to make his long-awaited return to the stacked MXGP lineup.

2018 MXGP of Russia MXGP Podium:

1. Clement Desalle
2. Jeffrey Herlings
3. Antonio Cairoli

2019 MXGP Championship Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 311 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 301 p.; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 218 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 208 p.; 5. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 190 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 184 p.; 7. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 162 p.; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 156 p.; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 144 p.; 10. Julien Lieber (BEL, KAW), 141 p.

Main Photo: MXGP of Russia 2018 View

Bottom Photos: 1. Antonio Cairoli; 2. Jeffrey Herlings

The MX2 action is also developing with new contenders such as Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha Official MX2’s Jago Geerts inserting himself into the battle for wins dominated by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado. 

Prado had been unbeatable this season until being one upped by Geerts in Race 1 at the MXGP of France 2 weeks ago. The addition of Geerts to the already interesting racing between Prado and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen, who won in Prado’s absence, is just another cherry on this tasty cake that is the 2019 MX2 World Championship fight.

Geerts’ Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha teammate Ben Watson has had a hit and miss season so far but has made improvements each round. Watson was on the podium here last year behind Prado and could make a surprise return this week.

Another rider who has performed well in Russia is DIGA Procross Husqvarna’s Davy Pootjes. Pootjes has already scored his first career podium earlier this year and could be on track to score second on Sunday.

F&H Racing’s Henry Jacobi had shown brilliance in the early round of the year but struggled with mistakes in both Portugal and France which will make him eager to rebound in Russia. Aside from Jacobi other podium threats include his teammate Adam Sterry, Honda 114 Motorsports’ Mitch Evans, and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle.

2018 MXGP of Russia MX2 Podium:

1. Pauls Jonass
2. Jorge Prado
3. Ben Watson

2019 MX2 Championship Standings: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 297 points; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 283 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 217 p.; 4. Henry Jacobi (GER, KAW), 210 p.; 5. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 187 p.; 6. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 184 p.; 7. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 182 p.; 8. Davy Pootjes (NED, HUS), 157 p.; 9. Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 157 p.; 10. Bas Vaessen (NED, KTM), 125 p.

Main Photo: MXGP of Russia MX2 Start

Bottom photos: 1. Jorge Prado; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen

Timetable GMT+3

SATURDAY:09:10 EMX2t Free Practice, 09:35 EMX250 Free Practice, 10:10 EMX2t Qualifying Practice, 10:50 EMX250 Qualifying Practice, 12:30 MX2 Free Practice, 13:00 MXGP Free Practice, 13:55 EMX2t Race 1, 14:40 MX2 Time Practice, 15:15 MXGP Time Practice, 16:05 EMX250 Race 1, 16:55 MX2 Qualifying Race, 17:40 MXGP Qualifying Race.

SUNDAY: 09:45 EMX2t 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.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

FIM Europe

PATRON MXGP of Russia

Reigning MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings will make his first FIM Motocross World Championship appearance of the year this weekend at Orlyonok for the PATRON Grand Prix of Russia: round eight of eighteen in the 2019 series.

The 24 year old completed national race events in Holland and Austria last week where he scored top three classifications on his factory Red Bull KTM 450SX-F: it was the first competitive outings for the Dutchman since he broke his right foot and underwent surgery in January.

Herlings will ride alongside current MXGP standings leader and teammate Tony Cairoli for what will be the first of three consecutive Grands Prix with Latvia and Germany to follow the long trip to Orlyonok.

In 2018 Herlings triumphed in 17 of 20 GPs, scored 19 podiums and 33 moto victories from a possible 38 on the way to his first title (the fourth of his career) in the premier class in just his second season in the division. He holds 84 Grand Prix wins.

Jeffrey Herlings: “I’ve just been on the bike for three weeks and it has been going ok. I’ll be going to Russia with a different mindset to usual. It will be the first of three races in a row and those will be important weeks to build-up race-rhythm for the rest of the season. I did two national events and my speed was there but I was struggling with the normal things you get on the way back from injury: arm-pump and running with other riders again. It will be even tougher with a whole bunch of top guys in Russia! I don't have a position in mind. I’ll do my best of course and I’ll be happy with something between 5-10 but we have to keep realistic. When we go to Latvia next, which is a bit sandy, then we can look and see and maybe think a bit differently.”

Dirk Gruebel, Team Manager and Technical Co-Ordinator: “It almost goes without saying that we cannot wait to have Jeffrey back as part of the team and to be full strength for the first time this season. We’ll have to take it easy in Russia and let him just find his speed and place back in the MXGP pack. The rest of the guys have almost half a season of racing under their belt so Jeffrey is going to need to find his bearings and then try to improve and keep patient. It feels like a long time since his unfortunate injury at the beginning of the year but I’m sure many MXGP fans will be interested to see him battling for top positions again.”

MXGP-TV is stoked to announce our mid-season promo that gives you OnDemand access to all the races of the epic 2019 MXGP season so far plus the second, and championship deciding, half of the season for half price, only 65€!  

The Mid Season Package gives LIVE and OnDemand access, from any device anywhere in the world, to all 18 stops this season including Saturday Qualifying Races, Sunday’s Championship racing, and live support classes such as WMX and EMX250 plus the 2 strokes of EMX125 and EMX2T presented by FMF Racing!

As we head to the Patron MXGP of Russia this weekend for round 8 of 18 we have already seen plenty of amazing racing. Team HRC’s Tim Gajser and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli have put on a show so far this year with Gajser returning to his former MXGP World Champion self and Cairoli continue to build on his impressive legacy. The pair battled in Trentino, Portugal, and several other moments in cat and mouse like racing. The MXGP-TV season package will not only allow you to watch the replays of the best races so far but also the action from each of the upcoming 11 rounds where new challenges will face the title contenders such as returning MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings.

Also included in the promo is LIVE and OnDemand access to the single biggest motocross race of the year, the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations to be held at the famous Assen TT circuit in the Netherlands.

Don’t miss your chance to save big and watch the stars of the MXGP Championship fight for the title of Motocross World Champion plus the highly anticipated 2019 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations! Purchase the pass and sign up HERE.

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 4 June 2019 -Youthstream is proud to announce that MXGP Mag issue number seventy is online.The newest issue of MXGP Mag features Tim Gajser as rider of the month and goes through the best racing as it happened in Mantova, Agueda, and Saint Jean d’Angely including the updated ranking of the FOX Holeshot competition. 

Issue #70 includes a special feature on the FIM and its motocross commission introduced to the media during the Monster Energy MXGP of Lombardia, as well as an article describing the first session of the MXGP Academy which was celebrated in Agueda, Portugal. We also travel back in time to remember the achievements of Hakan Andersson and to learn more about Alessio ‘Chicco’ Chiodi’s 1999 Husqvarna CR125.

Click here to read the seventy issue of MXGP Mag or download it for FREE on Apple Store or Google Play.

Those 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

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP MAG

Timetable and Entry Lists corresponding to the Patron MGXP of Russia, taking place this weekend, Saturday and Sunday 8th and 9th June are availble for download in PDF format here below: 

Timetable

MXGP Entry List

MX2 Entry List

EMX250 Entry List

EMX2t Presented by FMF Racing Entry List

For nine-time World Motocross Champion Antonio Cairoli the last two weeks haven’t really gone to plan. After putting together a 40-point lead over Tim Gajser in the MXGP Championship Points standings in the first five rounds, the Grand Prix of Portugal and the Grand Prix of France saw his lead drop down to just 10 points.

In France one week ago, Cairoli had a tough time, going 2-17 for seventh overall despite crashing on a couple of occasions. As always Cairoli looks on the positive side and will head to Russia next week with the goal of once again winning.

“It was not the best day,” Cairoli said. “We take positives and that is some points. It felt like the whole weekend was a struggle right from that crash on the first corners of the Qualification Heat and getting run over by some riders. My ankle is not perfect it was pretty sore; this track is very slick, and it is easy to put your foot on the ground. From 14th place I chose a good gate in the first moto but not in the second. I tried to come back fast through the group, and it was going well actually but I crashed again while 11th and got hit again. I restarted and tried to get as many points as I could. We are looking for the next race now. We need to keep focussed. This was not the best race of the season, but we learn from the mistakes – I’m still learning at almost 34 years old – and I will try to be on the podium again at the next race.”

The previous week around the red clay circuit of Agueda, the Italian finished with 2-2 scores, but once again had to yield to the younger, faster HRC rider of Tim Gajser. Despite the loss Cairoli knows that there will be many chances to get the better of Gajser.

“On one side I’m happy because the goal is to always be on the podium but in another way, I’m disappointed. In the first moto I made a silly mistake and I stalled the bike, but I could get back to Tim. In the second I was swapping lines. Where I crashed was a lottery, there was a lot of mud and I chose another line at the last moment and there was a rock that twisted my front end. I’m happy I didn't hurt myself.”

Now onto Russia in a week, and the chance to return from back to back losses and try and figure out how to lead Gajser to the finish line. Russia is a circuit that should suit both, and for sure Cairoli will be wanting to pick up GP win number 90.

Youthstream, the MXGP Paddock, the MXGP Media Center and the entire motocross community is deeply saddened to hear of the loss of the journalist Adriano Dondi. 

Adriano Dondi has had an important role in the Motocross World Championship and the Motocross world in general. MXGP will always remember you as a smiling friend and colleague.

RIP Adriano!

Find out the science behind Team HRC’s Honda CRF450RW, as explained by double world champion Tim Gajser and general manager Marcus Pereira de Freitas. Already in 2019, Gajser has shown that the machine is capable of winning MXGP races, with the Slovenian having won six of the last eight motos and three of the last four overalls, placing him just 10 points off the MXGP championship lead.

Tom Vialle will remain a Red Bull KTM rider for the next two years after extending his contract with the reigning FIM World Champions.

The 18 year old has impressed immensely in his very first MX2 campaign and after the factory team spotted talent and potential in the wake of some bright showings in the 2018 EMX250 European Championship. The Frenchman claimed his very first podium finish at the Grand Prix of Great Britain for the third round of nineteen. He has taken three top-three race results from the fourteen outings to-date and is fighting for a top five slot in the series standings.

Vialle has used the power and handling of the KTM 250 SX-F to brilliant effect in learning the demands of the MX2 division. He has regularly started at the front of the field (three of the fourteen holeshots) together with teammate and world champion Jorge Prado: the Spaniard winning six of the seven Grands Prix this year so far.

With his calm manner, maturity and ability to handle pressure, Vialle has risen to the challenge of factory rider admirably and will continue his education and career with the Austrian crew for another two seasons.

Tom Vialle: “I’m very happy to extend my contract for another two years. I could not learn in a better way at this level than being surrounded by the best team. I have taken onboard so much already in just a few months. It is a pleasure to go racing every weekend with this team: Joel, Dirk, Valentina, Harri, Quentin and all the people that make the team happen. It really is a super place and I’m excited to continue working with them. A big thank you to all at KTM.” 

Robert Jonas, Vice President of Offroad: “It’s exciting to be able to say Tom will be one of our MX2 riders for another two years. We are watching a young rider seize the chance he has been given and he has exceeded our expectations even before the halfway point of his first season. We believe there is a lot of potential ahead and - as well as the results and success - that is something we like to see. I’d like to thank the team, Joel, Dirk and everybody, for the work and the encouragement and all their experience to help Tom along the way. It proves that again we have a very competitive package and programme at the highest level of motocross.”