MXGP

Youthstream representatives are currently present at the 29^th edition of Sportel Monaco. The event starts today the 22nd of October, at the famous Grimaldi Forum and continues until Wednesday the 24th.

Sportel is an important event to attend as it is the most prestigious convention in the world for sports marketing and media leaders, where key figures for sports-rights and other media outlets are discussed. More than 1,000 worldwide companies from many sectors attended the event in 2017 all working together to increase the level of worldwide sports coverage.

Youthstream is present, as every year, and available at booth E-07 to meet with both long-term and new partners as preparation for the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship Season.

The time spent at Sportel over the past years by Youthstream has brought MXGP coverage and the visibility of motocross to many new areas of the world. The same goal of bringing motocross to the world remains this week so stay tuned to MXGP Platforms for further updates.

The 2018 MXGP of Italy in Imola was home to many awards ceremonies for not only the worlds top MXGP and MX2 athletes but also top industry members. Together with the various other ceremonies was the presentation of the Spada Photo Contest winner inside of the Autodromo Enzo & Dino Ferrari media center.

The contest was founded in 2016 in honor and remembrance of the former MXGP photographer Stefano Spadavecchia who passed away 3 years ago due to a serious illness.

Winning this year’s contest was MXGP’s Official Photographer Roman Borak with one of his countless and amazing images from the FIM Motocross World Championship being chosen.

Presented by the daughter of Stefano, Federica Spadavecchia, along with Stefano’s wife, was a framed version of Mr. Borak’s winning photo. Roman Borak joins other top photographers and past winners of the Spadavecchia photo contest Ray Archer and Stefano Taglioni.

The SDM Corse Yamaha Official EMX250 Team - formerly titled 'ASTES4-TESAR Yamaha Official EMX250' - will enter the 2019 EMX250 Championship with a fresh and exciting new line-up. The team is thrilled to announce the signing of Gianluca Facchetti, Ruben Fernandez and Rick Elzinga, that will see the trio contest the 2019 European Championship onboard GYTR kitted YZ250F machinery.

Spearheading their effort will be the 2017 FIM Junior Motocross 125cc World Champion Gianluca Facchetti. At the tender age of 18-years-old, Facchetti has already experienced a multitude of success. The youngster finished inside the top-three in the 2017 EMX125 Championship with five consecutive podium finishes before making his EMX250 Championship debut this season, in 2018. After proving to be a solid top-five contender in the 2018 EMX250 Championship, the talented Italian led Team Italy to victory at the Motocross of European Nations in Poland with a dominating 1-1 performance.

After a challenging season in MX2, Fernandez has moved back to the EMX250 Championship to further refine his skills and experience on the Grand Prix circuits before returning to the pro league. As the 2017 EMX250 Championship bronze medalist, the 19-year-old already has a wealth of experience inside the EMX250 class and will enter the 2019 EMX250 Championship with high hopes. 

Despite an unlucky year in 2018 where he missed most of the EMX125 season due to injury, Elzinga was nothing short of impressive at the three rounds he did attend. Upon his return to racing, the 17-year-old sensation challenged for race wins in every race he lined up for and managed to finish on the podium on two of three occasions. For the 2019 season, he has swapped his GYTR kitted YZ125 for GYTR kitted YZ250F where he will be a rookie to watch inside the hotly contested EMX250 Championship.   

All three riders will be based in Italy where they will ride and train on a regular basis with the 2008 MX1 World Champion David Philippaerts.

Daniele Marchese, SDM Corse Yamaha Official EMX250 Team Manager

"We are really looking forward to next year and taking on a new challenge. We will enter the 2019 EMX250 Championship with three new riders. We are really excited to have Gianluca Facchetti onboard. He is the 2017 Junior World Champion and is easily one of the most talented riders' that is racing the European Championship right now. Rick Elzinga is a young guy that has an enormous amount of potential to grow and we feel that with the guidance of our team, that within the next two years he could take the title. The third of our riders, Ruben Fernandez is rider that has a lot of experience, not only in the EMX250 Championship but also inside the World Championship. He had some good races inside MX2 this year, and we believe that he will be a tough challenger in the EMX250 Championship next year."

Erik Eggens, Yamaha Motor Europe MX Racing Manager

"Yamaha has had the pleasure of working with the SDM Corse team for the last two-years and it is nice to extend our relationship with this team as we prepare for an exciting 2019 European Motocross Championship season.  The SDM Corse Yamaha Official EMX250 Team has a significant place inside the Yamaha Racing pyramid as it is 100% Yamaha's philosophy to develop the younger generation of motocross riders by giving them the tools, team and support required to achieve their goals. The EMX250 class prepares younger YZ250F riders for their professional careers, and helps to make the step-up into MX2 Grand Prix easier. SDM Corse's line-up for 2019 has an enormous amount of potential, and it's really nice to see a group of talented young riders that are excited to live in Italy and train with each other and of course the 2008 World Champion David Philippaerts."

Copyright: Photo: Yamaha Racing

The 2018 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations might be a couple of weeks ago, but the memory of that brilliant Redbud event truly continued this event and its magnificent growth. Going to USA on a regular basis for this event is something that everyone is working for, and this year’s event proved to be a big success.

Giuseppe Luongo is more than proud of how the event went off, but also what the MXGP riders did in showing so much improvement every single time they race.

“For me the big emotion did not come by who won,” Luongo said. “Because for us what is important is to organize the greatest event.  As always, the 2018 Monster Energy FIM MXoN was full of emotion on the track, also the fans created an amazing atmosphere, and, as always, the racing was unpredictable right up until the last laps of the last heat. What Herlings, Coldenhoff, Cairoli, Prado, Lawrence, Paulin and Lupino did was really remarkable - and yes, I am extremely proud of them!”

Davey Coombs from MXsports, like Luongo is excited for the future of the relationship between the MXoN and America and saw a lot of improvements in the working relationship between the two at Redbud.

“With the very unfortunate and unexpected results from Team USA aside,” Coombs said. “It was a fantastic event. I think everyone at Redbud and at Youthstream should be really proud of how that came off, despite the weather. People might have left disappointed that homeboys didn’t win, but everyone had a smile on their face, because it was a wonderful shared experience. It was like going to Woodstock and tramping around in the mud with a bunch of friends and get to wave and get it up and wave flags and blow airhorns. Just celebrate motocross and that is what the MXoN always was in Europe and I am glad we were able to pull it off in America too.

And finally, FIM Motocross commission president, Tony Skillington was pleasantly surprised by the Redbud facility and the way the event went ahead, in very tough weather conditions.

“My first impression,” Skillington said. “When I drove in there, because I had never been there before, was, this is Woodstock for motocross, that is what ran into my head. The expansive area for parking and for camping, it was a special place. Then dealing with the people there at the ground, not that I had a lot to do with them, but the initial reactions were very positive and the race was run in a very professional way, which was very different to the way it was before when we went to America. We were all together in this, and everyone was pushing in the same direction, and that was fantastic.”

And now we move into Assen in Holland, for the 2019 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations. Again a massive crowd is expected and again the best motocross riders in the World will turn up and put on one of the most exciting races of the season.

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 18 October 2018 - With the conclusion of the 2018 season, Youthstream is pleased to announce the calendar for the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship including the additional World and European Support Classes.

The season opening venue has yet to be announced but will take place in the second week of March and be joined by the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship. Remaining as previously announced will be MXGP’s return to Great Britain at the Matterley Basin circuit, Valkenswaard for the MXGP of the Netherlands, and the MXGP of Trentino at Pietramurata before heading to the MXGP of Hong Kong and the MXGP of China in Shanghai.

The series will then return from Asia for the MXGP of Lombardia in Italy as the MXGP of Russia will be held in June. Between the rounds of Italy and Russia MXGP will return to Agueda, Portugal for a third year in a row along with a second consecutive year at the MXGP of France in Saint Jean d’Angély!

The MXGP of Latvia and the MXGP of Germany will follow Russia before MXGP heads to a brand-new Palembang venue for the MXGP of Indonesia and then the impressive Semarang circuit for the MXGP of Asia.

The familiar track of Loket in the Czech Republic will host the Championship’s return to Europe before the testing sands of Lommel, Belgium. The 17th and 18th stops of the 20-round season will be with the MXGP of Switzerland in Frauenfeld-Gachnang and then MXGP of Sweden in Uddevalla after being missed in 2018.

Returning for the penultimate round will be the MXGP of Turkey in Afyonkarahisar while the finale will again take to the famous Imola Autodromo for the MXGP of Italy. The season finale will also lead straight into the single biggest race of the year, the 2019 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, only one week later at another famous venue, the Assen TT Circuit in the Netherlands.

The provisional MXGP and MX2 calendar including the racing scheduled for WMX and EMX can be viewed below.

Click HERE to download the 2019 Calendar graphic. 

Click HERE to download the 2019 Calendar in PDF Format.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

FIM Europe

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 18 October 2018 - The annual tradition of MXGP, MX2, and the Monster Energy FIM MXoN champions each being awarded with a winning ring to celebrate and seal their championships has continued again this year.

MXGP Motocross World Champion Jeffrey Herlings and MX2 Motocross World Champion Jorge Prado receive their rings at the MXGP Awards in Imola, Italy while the Monster Energy FIM MXoN winners of Team France, Gautier Paulin, Dylan Ferrandis, and Jordi Tixier, were awarded in RedBud, USA by Youthstream Vice President David Luongo just after lifting the famous Chamberlain trophy for an amazing 5th year in a row!

These unique jewels are custom made from silver to symbolize victory, each engraved with the year, and for the MXGP and MX2 Champions, their names are also inscribed.

The rings are designed and produced by the Italian company PR Model which is headed by Mr. Telemaco Cane, a huge fan of motocross himself.

Main Photo: Jorge Prado, Telemaco Cane, Jeffrey Herlings

Bottom Photos: 1. Monster Energy FIM MXoN Rings; 2. Youthstream Vice President David Luongo & Team France

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 16 October 2018 - Youthstream and FIM-Europe explain the changes to the Regulations for the 2019 FIM-E Motocross European Championships.

Youthstream and FIM-E work for the overall interest of the sport, therefore some slight adjustments will be made to the some of the 2019 European Championship Regulations as explained below:

'The European Championships were mainly created to help youth grow and help them prepare for MX2 and then MXGP and be competitive in these classes. This pyramid system is working well because together with this fact and by having the youth race on the same tracks and same weekends as MXGP and on tracks which are very technically demanding it has permitted all these riders to grow and implement their skills. Our pyramid system shows its success because it is without any doubt that today the MXGP and MX2 riders are the fastest in the world, and they all have come from the European Championships. We are seeing more and more riders competing in the European Championships who come from other continents to prepare themselves to become professional. We want this to continue and we strive to improve this. With the development of MX2 and MXGP and also of the European Championships, over the last few years we have seen some riders aged more than 23 remain or return to the EMX250 and this creates a problem for the young riders in this class to find a good team and to shine in this Championship. Therefore, for all these reasons, and in agreement with FIM-E a decision has been taken to create an age limit of 23 in EMX250 as of 2019. The goal of this Championship is to prepare young for the World Championship classes.'

On top of that, and for the same reason, the 2-stroke Championship is to be re-boosted and in 2019 it will have a new name (EMX 2t), with a new capacity of bike (250cc instead of 300cc) and without age limit in the way to welcome all the riders who are above the age limit for EMX250 and who are not at a level to compete in MXGP. This new class will be strongly promoted in order to give the riders and teams who will take part in it a great visibility. 

In order to avoid confusion, from 2019 there will be an increase of the maximum age of the 250cc class in the Motocross of European Nations from 21 years old to 23 years old in order to make it the same maximum age as EMX250.

In the EMX85 class there will also be a slight modification to the age limit in the aim to keep things in line; from 2019 the maximum age will be reduced in the EMX85 championship to 14 years old, making it the same as the maximum age of the 85cc riders in the FIM Junior World Championship.

The Chairman of FIM-Europe MX Commission, Eddie Herd, said: “I firmly believe that this is the right way to go forward and improve the European Championships. FIM-Europe must continue to focus on the development of the youth and young riders, as it has in previous years, which will help secure the future of MX2 and MXGP.”

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM Europe

The 2018 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations at RedBud was an amazing weekend for many but no one enjoyed it more than the winning team France.

Now 6-time winners of the event with this year being the 5th in a row the French have plenty to celebrate and the riders have since been awarded many honors, trophies, and gifts.

Among the top prizes and gifts received by the winning team was impeccable Tag Heuer watches.

Partner of both the MXGP series and the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations Tag Heuer honored each of the winning riders, Gautier Paulin, Dylan Ferrandis, and Jordi Tixier, along with team manager Pascal Finot, high quality Swiss timepieces to match the high quality of the 6-time winning team. Youthstream Vice President David Luongo rewarded Team France with the watches after the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of nations Press Conference on Sunday 7th October.

MXGP-TV is stoked to have finished out another season of epic racing and shared it live around the world. To celebrate the end of the 2018 season we are announcing and opening sales on the 2019 FULL Season MXGP-TV Early Bird Promo.

The 2019 MXGP season will travel to new venues in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and more as part of another epic 20-race season in addition to the 2019 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations at the famous TT Assen circuit of the Netherlands. The 2019 Early Bird package gives LIVE and OnDemand access, from any device anywhere in the world, to all of the above including Qualifying Races on Saturday, Sunday’s Championship racing, and LIVE support classes such as WMX, the EMX Championships and more!

Will Jeffrey Herlings continue his dominance, will Antonio Cairoli win his 10th World title, or will someone like MXGP rookies ot the 2018 Monster Energy FIM MXoN OPEN overall winner Glenn Coldenhoff rise to the occasion? The only way to see it all unfold live is to tune in to MXGP-TV.com!

Don’t miss your chance to save big and watch the stars of the MXGP Championship fight for the 2019 title of Motocross World Champion plus the 73rd edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations!

Sign up & Purchase the 2019 MXGP-TV video pass with big early bird discount HERE.

Offer lasts until the 20^th January 2019!