MXGP

(ORLYONOK) Russia, 7 June 2017 - After a weekend off the MXGP field is ready to race once again. The 10th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship will be held for the first time ever at the circuit of Orlyonok in Russia. Orlyonok did however prove itself as a worthy host after holding the 2016 FIM Junior World Motocross Championship.

The last MXGP visit to the country was in 2012. The venue is a 98 Mile drive from Sochi, Russia, host of the 2014 Winter Olympics with the track located on the eastern edge of the black see in a coastal setting.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass have momentum on their side after winning the last stop in France with Desalle claiming his first of win of season.

In addition to MXGP and MX2 the weekend will include European championship racing in the form of EMX300 Presented by FMF Racing and EMX250. Brad Anderson leads EMX 300 Presented by FMF Racing’s Championship after winning the opening round in Germany while Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Morgan Lesiardo leads EMX250 4 rounds into the series.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli is the current points leader, he won the last visit to Russia and with no previous MXGP race held in Orlyonok and the reigning champion Team HRC’s Tim Gajser out with injury the podium is wide open for new history to be made. The #222 will look to go 2 for 2 on Russian soil this weekend.

Frenchman and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Gautier Paulin has made a habit of racing up front the past few races, after his win at the MXGP of Europe and podium in France he is hungry for more. The last visit to Russia provided Paulin with a 7th overall, a result he will want to better.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Clement Desalle is coming off the best racing performance of his season, winning the overall in France. Desalle will strive to keep the momentum after the weekend off. Finishing second overall at the 2012 MXGP of Russia a podium if not another win is well within the Belgian’s reach.

Fifth in points but tied with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings is Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek. Both riders raced the MXGP of Russia but in 2012 they were in the MX2 category. Herlings claimed the 2012 overall but Van Horebeek was not far behind with third overall.

Russian native and HRC rider Evgeny Bobryshev has confirmed he will race his home GP after his broken collar bone in Germany. The #777 is motivated to come back as he is 7th in the points and HRC’s only rider for the weekend as Tim Gajser was recently diagnosed with a fractured shoulder blade and an unknown return date.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre had some of his best races at the previous GP in his home country of France. The 2015 Champion has been struggling this season but will use his improved french weekend as something build on.

MXGP Championship Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 347 points; 2. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 297 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 289 p.; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 261 p.; 5. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 261 p.; 6. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 253 p.; 7. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 214 p.; 8. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 209 p.; 9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 200 p.; 10. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 176 p.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass is continuing to perform at the level of a champion now half way through the 2017 season. Jonass took the overall in France 2 weeks ago and now has a 42 point lead over the second in the championship.

Suzuki World MX2’s Jeremy Seewer is the closest to Jonass and his main title competitor. 42 points behind Seewer’s performances are improving and in France he finished 3rd overall but most importantly he minimized the mistakes which have been his foe thus far. Seewer is on a mission and is certainly one to watch this GP.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen comes into Russia looking for the podium after missing it in France. The Danish rider has impressed in his rookie MX2 season and will most likely continue to do so in Russia. Olsen is sitting 3rd in the points but only 9 ahead of 4th.

LRT KTM’s Julien Lieber started the season strong with multiple podium finishes but lately he has struggled with mistakes. Now on his last year in the MX2 class Lieber is the only privateer in the top 5 of the points. The #33 is looking to impress the 450 teams and a strong Russian GP after some unfortunate rounds would do just that.

Kemea Yamaha Official MX Team’s Benoit Paturel is coming off his best performance of the season at his home GP in France. While most of the season has been filled with lackluster starts and battling through the pack, France saw a different Paturel, one who grabbed a career first FOX Holeshot and race win on the way to second overall. Paturel is turning his season around and will hope to continue moving in the winning direction for Russia.

MX2’s “Beast from the East”, Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki’s Vsevolod Brylakov will unfortunately sit out this weekends racing due to injury but will be in attendance of what is his home GP.

MX2 Championship Top Ten: 1. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 372 points; 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 330 p.; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 291 p.; 4. Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 282 p.; 5. Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 265 p.; 6. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 208 p.; 7. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 206 p.; 8. Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 174 p.; 9. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, SUZ), 171 p.; 10. Darian Sanayei (USA, KAW), 157 p.

All the photos of the MXGP of Russia will be available here

TIMETABLE

Saturday: EMX300 Free/Timed Practice 09:15; EMX250 Free/Timed Practice 10:00; MX2 Free Practice 11:30; MXGP Free Practice 12:00; EMX300 Race 1 13:30; MX2 Time Practice 14:15; MXGP Time Practice 14:45; EMX250 Race 1 15:30; MX2 Qualifying Race 16:25; MXGP Qualifying Race 17:10.

Sunday: EMX300 Race 2 09:45; MX2 Warm up 10:25, MXGP Warm up 10:45 EMX250 Race 2 11:30; MX2 Race 1 13:15; MXGP Race 1 14:15; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Russia

MXGP and Monster Energy continue to have a strong and successful partnership as well as a large brand presence at every round of the FIM Motocross World Championship as well as the Monster Energy FIM MXoN.

As many may have noticed their logo is now on the front of every starting gate. The newly branded starting gate shows the dedication that the company continues to have in the Motocross World Championship with their sponsorship.

It comes as an addition to the current brand representation of the Starting line, Finish line, Paddock, Monster Rig, and always popular Monster Girls the new starting gate is a premier location shown on live television worldwide. 

One hundred and fifty-sixth issue of this re-designed bi-weekly motorcycle sport magazine, tackling the latest races and issues in MXGP, MotoGP, AMA Motocross/Supercross and World Superbike as well as general motorcycling and accessories with the best blogs and photographs. In OTOR 156: Delivering the TKO; OTOR finds out why European Champion & rookie Thomas Kjer Olsen has been able to punch a large hole in the MX2 class of the FIM Motocross World Championship. MotoGP in Mugello; news, Blogs and talking points from Italy and another unpredictable chapter of 2017 MotoGP as Grand Prix continues to surprise and entertain. The Next One: Pecco Bagnaia; Italy are not short of pacey motorcycle racers but if anyone is to become the darling of the Mugello hillsides then Pecco Bagnaia has a damn good shout. TT, MXGP, SBK & more; words and action from the Island, MX from France, Blog perspective from WorldSBK and Roland gets on the gas with the Yamaha XSR900 Arbath.

Read it HERE

While it is multiple Motocross World Champion Guennady Moisseev of Russia, who is best remembered by the motocross historians, it was Victor Arbekov who made history for his country by winning the very first 250 motocross world championship in 1965 for his homeland.

Interest in the sport in Russia was big throughout the 1970s, with thousands and thousands of fans attending the Grand Prix rounds and a handful of very good Russian riders competing.

Not surprisingly, the 250 class, of which the Russian riders mainly competed, held 18 Grand Prix from 1962 until 1985, and while Torsten Hallman picked up wins in 62, 67 and 68, it was often a home rider who would steal victory in those early years. Four Russian riders won at home in the 250 class, Viktor Arbekov in 1966, Vladimir Kavinov in 1969, Anatoly Ovchinikov in 1976, Guennady Moisseev in 1977 and Kavinov again in 1980.

Ove Lundell won the first 500cc GP in Russia in 1963, and names like Jeff Smith, Paul Friedrichs, and Roger De Coster had multiple success there. Smith won in 1964 and 1967, Friedrichs in 1966 and 1970 and De Coster in 1972 and 1975.

Only one 125cc Grand Prix was ever held in Russia, and that was in 1983, with Italian legend, Michele Rinaldi winning at the Leningrad circuit.

With three Motocross World Championships, and 14 Grand Prix victories, Guennady Moisseev is without question the greatest rider to come out of Russia. When you think of current KTM heroes such as Antonio Cairoli, and Jeffrey Herlings, then you can imagine that Moisseev fits right in with those two legends.

Moisseev won the 1974, 1977 and 1978 World 250cc championship riding for KTM, and in 1976, he narrowly lost the 250-world championship by one point to Finnish legend, and three times world motocross champion, Heikki Mikkola.

In 1978, Moisseev was a member of the winning Russian team in the Motocross des Nations. Moisseev won a race for the last time in 1979 when friction developed between the Russian Motorcycling Federation and the KTM factory.

Moisseev, like many Russian sports stars of his era, was enlisted in the Russian Army, rising to the ranks of Major during his racing career. His extreme fitness combined with team tactics made him a fearsome competitor. After retiring from competition, Moisseev became a motocross coach. In 1977, Moisseev was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and, in 1978 he was given the honorary title of “Honoured Master of Sports.” In December 2000, he was elected president of the Russian Motorcycle Federation.

Russia also won the Motocross of Nations on two occasions, the first time in Kishinev, Russia in 1968 and again in 1978.

Russian riders disappeared from the motocross world championships for many years, and in recent times riders like Evgeny Bobryshev, Alexandr Tonkov and Vsevolod Brylyakov are having some success. Of course, Bobryshev finished third in the world in 2015, the best result for a Russian rider in decades.

Russia has held just two Grand Prix’s in recent times, one in 2002 on the outskirts of Moscow, and of course back in 2012.

At this year’s Grand Prix of Russia, five Russian riders will line-up in the MXGP class, and two in MX2.

Russian GP winners

Guennady Moisseev 14

Victor Arbekov 10

Vladimir Kavinov 8

Anatoly Ovchinnikov 2

Igor Grigoriev 1

Pavel Rulev 1

Eugenij Rybalchenko 1

Evgeny Bobryshev 1

Copyright: Photo: KTM

MXGP, its paddock, and the entire motocross community are sad to hear of the loss of 2010 EMX250 Champion and MXGP rider Steven Lenoir.

The French rider passed away today, 5th June, after a crash during a session at the Motocross de Cassel French International. 

Rest in Peace Steven!

Following two recent crashes for Tim Gajser at the MXGP of Latvia and then two weeks after in the MXGP of Germany, Team HRC MXGP can confirm that unfortunately the World Champion has sustained a broken shoulder blade, meaning he will not be fit to ride at the MXGP of Russia this weekend.

The crash in Latvia left him badly bruised, but the tough Slovenian remounted his Honda CRF450RW in Germany after a fortnight of rest, gritting his teeth to try again. Unfortunately, a second crash at the Teutschenthal track left him with what has now been confirmed as a broken shoulder.

Tim has been treated by a specialist from the National Sports Injury clinic in Slovenia and will continue to receive treatment and physiotherapy over the next few weeks. As rest is a vital part of his recovery, he will be unable to race at the Russia track of Orlyonok this weekend.

This is a decision which Team HRC have not taken lightly and time and again Tim has demonstrated his determination and strength to push through pain, but with ten Grands Prix remaining this season, giving him time to heal properly now is the prudent option. Should his recovery go as expected, he will be back for the Italian GP in three weeks.

Tim Gajser said: this is something I was really trying to avoid as I really do not want to miss any races. Unfortunately, my shoulder injury is a little worse than we first realised, so I have to accept that I can’t race this weekend in Russia. I want to make sure it is fully recovered before I come back. I will really miss racing in Russia, especially as it is the first race over there since 2012. I just want to say I am sorry to my fans, sponsors, team, Honda and all the other people who help me be where I am. In terms of my recovery we all agree that it is the right decision, and one thing I can say is that I will come back stronger!

MX2 rider, Lars Van Berkel has been doing his share of team changes, in many cases a rider with too many teams.

The young Dutchman, who started the year with the Vamo Racing Honda Team, then switched to the HRC Factory effort, before finally ending up in the the HSF Logistics Motorsport Team.

We caught up with him and asked him about the musical chair season.

Q: You have had a very interesting season so far, with a lot of team changes. Can you explain how your current team came about?

Van Berkel: After Trento, I filled in for HRC for two races. For myself it wasn’t like I was riding with my full potential, and I had problems with my health. Things didn’t work with my current team and I thought about doing some EMX rounds. But then Calvin (Vlaanderen) got injured and the HSF Logistics Motorsport team called me and within an hour I was already in the team. First, I had to stop with my current team and I was free. I did two days practice before Germany, and it was two positive days.

Q: You have ridden for three teams already this year, how difficult is that to ride for three different teams?

Van Berkel: Of course, your best solution is to ride for one team all year, to start with that team and finish with it. Normally that is the purpose for two or three years. But I went from Honda to KTM. But I changed to a Dutch team, so I know everyone in the team. I have ridden with Brian (Bogers) and trained with him, and I fitted in straight away.

Q: What was it like when HRC Honda called you to fill in for them?

Van Berkel: I was asking a few weeks could I fill in for them. I needed a switch from the team I was in. Of course, it was factory, so you want to go there. After Arco, they said I could fill in for them. I was still working, so training and testing was difficult and it was my home Grand Prix, so a lot of pressure. I finished 11^th on the Saturday and I was happy with that. I had my health issues in Latvia, and I couldn’t understand. I had something wrong with my blood. I didn’t ride after Latvia, just rested. I was a bit over trained.

Q: You went to Argentina and were working a full-time job at the time, or not?

Van Berkel: Yes, I worked up until the Thursday. The owner said to me, the owner of the team is a client from my boss at work, so it was easier to get an unpaid holiday. I was working 33 hours in the week as a salesman. I sold truck parts in France, Germany and Holland. I was really busy with training and riding. I didn’t get enough rest, and that got my over trained a bit. I work like a professional now.

Q: How long is the contract with your current team, with HSF Logistics Motorsport team?

Van Berkel: It is finished with the other riders are back, but maybe they put a fourth bike in. We have to wait and see when the other riders are back and how I am doing and how I fit into the group. It is looking into the unknown, but if I give 100% at the races, maybe I can stay until the end of the season.

Red Bull KTM Factory rider Pauls Jonass and Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Clement Desalle couldn’t be more different. One a fresh young rider, with a handful of years on the world scene, the other a veteran of more than a decade. One with four GP victories, the other 21 GP wins. Yet last weekend at the French circuit of Ernee they both achieved the same result.

With victory Jonass extended his lead in the MX2 championship points, and knows that it’s a long season, and many more of these results will have to come if he wants his first world title.

“You know in Germany,” Jonass said. “Everyone is saying it was a bad race, and I was not happy myself with the race. I was disappointed, but still I only lost five points in the championship and I was on the podium, so it wasn’t so bad. They say you win the championship in your bad days. In Germany, I needed to settle down and it wasn’t the best feeling, but when I tried to push I made mistakes and I settled down.

In France he was rock solid, scoring a moto win, and a top three results to secure the GP win. Despite a massive crowd baying for his blood, the young Latvian remained cool and walked away with celebration.

“You know the first moto I had a good start, pulled a gap in the early laps and just controlled the race. At the end of the moto when Paturel was catching Seewer, it was difficult to stay focused, because I had a big lead, I didn’t need to push so hard, but I could hear the crowd cheering. So, I was looking back to see what was happening, looking behind and wondering what was going on. Benoit rode really well, French crowd, French track and a French rider. It’s always nice to go to France, the atmosphere is so great there. It was also nice to see Paturel win the second moto, I did the same in Latvia and I know how that feels in front of your countrymen. Unfortunately, I also didn’t win the overall in Latvia.”

As for Desalle, his GP win moved him just that little bit closer to red plate owner Antonio Cairoli. The Belgian has finished second behind the Italian enough in world championship battle to know that it’s a long season, and one where he needs to be his old rival more often. In France, it all went to plan.

“I am really happy to win the second moto and overall,” Desalle said. “I was struggling and couldn’t find my lines in the first race. It was tough, finally it is paying off a bit. The work we have done, the training and also the work on the bike. The start was good and it would be great to be on the podium at least once this year. I am really happy, waiting a long time. Two times fourth in the last two races. I am happy with my day there. I was disappointed for the first race, but happy with the second one.

In all fairness, it was his Saturday performance that lined up the perfect Sunday for the multiple GP winner.

“It was a qualification (race), but I wanted to do the same on Sunday. Actually, it gives you a good feeling to have that on Saturday, then you sleep good and are ready for Sunday. I was happy with my settings on Saturday, and I enjoyed riding after getting a good start. A good start is important, then you get in a good rhythm and it is good for a Saturday.”

Now the two will head to Russia this week, and search for that all-important victory once again. For one to move even further from his rivals, for the others to try and close the gap from the points leader. Difference circumstances, but as we saw in Ernée, the same goal at the end of the weekend.

Cop0yright: Photo: Ray Archer

MONACO (Principality of Monaco), 02 June 2017 - Youthstream is proud to announce that the forty-fifth issue of MXGP Mag is now online. This month it features Thomas Kjer Olsen on the cover as the rider of the month where we talk to him about his journey from EMX to MX2 and it includes the best of the MXGP of Latvia, Germany, and France.

In the #45 Issue of MXGP Mag there’s also a throwback to the past with a feature on hall of fame member Donny Schmidt then a 1962 Husqvarna and Thorstein Hallmann. In addition we give a preview of the Monster Energy MXGP of USA, and overview of MXGP Academy, and a whole lot more.

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

Those users who have already downloaded the other issues on their iOs device can automatically download the forty-fifth 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

The MXGP of Russia is kicking off in 1 week at the track of Orlyonok center. Timetable and Entry Lists are online and can be downlaoded in PDF format by clicking the links below.

TIMETABLE

MXGP ENTRY LIST

MX2 ENTRY LIST

EMX250 ENTRY LIST

EMX300 PRESENTED BY FMF RACING ENTRY LIST