MXGP

UDDEVALLA (Sweden), 04 July 2015 - Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP’s Kevin Strijbos and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings had a firm grip on the slickness of Uddevalla today to qualify on pole for the eleventh round of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Meanwhile in the sixth and fourth rounds of the European Championship EMX250 and EMX300, Kemea Yamaha Yamalube’s Damon Graulus rode solid for his second race win of the season while Marco Maddii capitalized on an error made by the red plate holder Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Racing’s Yentel Martens for his first.

The cat-like reaction speed of Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Dean Ferris assisted him in leading Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP’s Kevin Strijbos, Team HRC’s Gautier Paulin and Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Glenn Coldenhoff around turn one. Ferris is looking pretty comfortable at the moment and managed to keep Strijbos at bay for the first few laps before being out braked into a turn and handing Strijbos the lead.

Strijbos was quick to pull a gap on Ferris who was being hounded profusely by Paulin. While Paulin tried to force an error or find an opening, the new red plate holder Yamaha Factory Racing Yamalube’s Romain Febvre was already on the charge.

After whipping around Coldenhoff, Febvre turned the battle between Ferris and Paulin into a three-way, briefly, but it was all too easy as neither could match his phenomenal speed. As the race went on, Febvre continued to shave seconds off of his lap times and soon challenged Strijbos for the lead. It was extremely impressive to watch the rookie challenge one of the most seasoned riders in the class for the win, but after a solid three lap effort, which had the massive crowd on their feet, used his noggin and settled for second.

Meanwhile Yamaha Factory Racing Yamalube’s Jeremy Van Horebeek started to emerge from the dust to challenge Ferris, who was pushed back to fourth by Paulin. In doing so, Van Horebeek made a charge up the inside of Ferris as they headed into the valley which was unlucky timing as Ferris got squirley and came slightly off of his line. Both riders collided and went down which left Van Horebeek in eighth at the checkers and Ferris back in eleventh.

Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev then took over and finished fourth while Glenn Coldenhoff put in a solid ride for fifth.

MXGP Qualifying Race Top Ten: 1. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 24:12.498; 2. Romain Febvre (FRA, Yamaha), +0:04.589; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Honda), +0:12.068; 4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:18.685; 5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Suzuki), +0:20.152; 6. Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), +0:21.503; 7. Todd Waters (AUS, Husqvarna), +0:29.100; 8. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:36.430; 9. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:37.860; 10. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:38.600.

The MX2 qualifier went down to the wire today in Uddevalla as the four fastest MX2 riders in the world went bar-to-bar to determine their grid positions for tomorrows racing.

Having had his collarbone plated less than two-weeks ago Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings couldn’t have asked for a better start to the race as he led the way around turn one. At first his teammate Pauls Jonass was right on his tail but a cautious approach to the first lap dropped the Latvian back in the blink of an eye.

With Jonass dropping back fast, second place at the end of lap one was occupied by Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jordi Tixier who was grilled for five laps by Standing Construct Yamaha Yamalube’s Valentin Guillod who went wide around a banked turn for an epic run at the waves which he hit wide open for the inside line at the next turn and the second position.

Although Guillod got around Tixier, the race was far from over as the trio still continued to scrap for the top three positions. Also right in on the battle was Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser who threw everything he had at Tixier but couldn’t get the job done.

At the checkers, Herlings remarkably managed to hold off a raged Guillod for his eighth qualifying heat victory of the season, while Tixier and Gajser were only 2.7 seconds back in third and fourth. Rounding out the top five with his best qualifying race result of the season was Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Jeremy Seewer.

MX2 Qualifying Race Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 24:21.717; 2. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Yamaha), +0:00.869; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:02.062; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:02.764; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +0:18.826; 6. Max Anstie (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:19.978; 7. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:26.868; 8. Benoit Paturel (FRA, Yamaha), +0:29.807; 9. Julien Lieber (BEL, Yamaha), +0:33.020; 10. Vsevolod Brylyakov (RUS, Honda), +0:37.581

Click here to obtain the complete results.

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

MXGP SWEDEN  – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1530 m

Type of ground: Hard Pack

Temperature: 27°C

Weather conditions: sunny

TIMETABLE

Sunday: EMX300 Warm-up 08:30; EMX250 Warm-up 08:45; EMX300 Race 2 10:00; MX2 Warm up 10:40; MXGP Warm up 11:00; 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 Sweden

CONGRATULATIONS to our MXGP of Italy Athena GET Photo competition winner Davide Morello. 

Here below the picture which got more likes on Facbook!

Chris will receive an OGIO Backpack and will go in the draw to win the grand prize of two VIP passes to any round of the 2016 MXGP season.

What you have to do to win an amazing OGIO prize is: 

1. Find any ATHENA or GET Logo on the rider’s gear, on the bikes, on the team trucks, and around the paddock of MXGP on various other banners and advertising panels.

2. Take a photo of it

3. Upload it to the Athena Photo Competition app on MXGP’s Facebook page. Click HERE.

Don't forget to VOTE for your favourite photo on our Athena GET photo competition:http://mxgpathena.pgtb.me/rdBQ6b

And don’t forget to follow @Athenasocial on Facebook and Twitter and hashtag #MXGP & #AthenaLive

The first GoPro lap of Uddevalla with Christophe Charlier & Jeremy Seewer.

Paul Malin & Adam Wheeler get the scoop from inside the paddock at each round of MXGP. This weekend's guests on the MXGP Studio Show were Gautier Paulin, Sylvain Geboers and Christophe Charlier. Check out what they have to say in the video below.

After a difficult first half of the 2015 season, Wilvo Forkrent KTM and Steven Frossard have taken the decision to part company.



The partnership didn’t work out as planned and despite repeated attempts to find a solution, it was evident that finding a common ground that would facilitate a turnaround in fortunes was unachievable. Therefore, it has been decided that it would be in the best interest of the team and rider if they went their separate ways.
 


The team would like to thank KTM and all their sponsors and partners for the continued support, and would like to add that all team personnel are fully committed to continuing to provide the professional support and assistance for returning MXGP rider Jake Nicholls, and EMX250 Championship contender Adam Sterry.

SHIFT Racing unveiled its 2016 line of motocross gear this evening in the paddock here in Uddevalla. American legend and SHIFT ambassador Jeff Emig was onsite to introduce the all-new gear and explain the concept behind SHIFT’s design and approach.

SHIFT is worn by the three-time MX2 grand prix winner Tim Gajser who was also at the presentation to chat a little bit about his season and his thoughts on the new range. On display were all four lines of racewear, Strike, Faction, Assault and Recon.

After the product launch all of the media in attendance made their way to the beer tent, not to drink beer, but to play about on CRF50’s in the SHIFT Ride Club. Twelve teams of two were formed and a little circular circuit was pegged out. The rules were ‘there are no rules!’ Shift’s motto is to live and ride without boundaries, which means there was a lot of bar bashing and a lot of happy faces.

Check out their uber cool gear at www.shiftmx.com

There is a lot of enthusiasm and excitement in the air here in Uddevalla where the MXGP of Sweden will take place this weekend. This morning our host Lisa Leyland caught up with Wilvo Forkrent KTM’s Jake Nicholls, who will be making his return to MXGP tomorrow. You can watch the Pit-Chat in the video below.

Later on in the day, many of the worlds fastest racers gathered at the Torp shopping centrum in Uddevalla to sign autographs for their fans while a small freestyle and stunt show took place in the background.

Riders such as Yamaha Factory Racing Yamalube’s Romain Febvre and Jeremy Van Horebeek, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP’s Kevin Strijbos and Glenn Coldenhoff, Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Todd Waters, Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Dean Ferris, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Tyla Rattray and Thomas Covington, Hitachi Construction Machinery Revo KTM’s Shaun Simpson, 24MX Honda Racing’s Filip Bengtsson and Kemea Yamaha Yamalube’s Benoit Paturel and Brent Van Doninck were more than willing to spend time with the fans here in Sweden.

With a lot of happy fans excited for tomorrows racing, the MXGP of Sweden is sure to be epic.

Pit Chat with Jake Nicholls

The nineteenth edition of the International Fair Play Awards, a ceremony that celebrates and encourages good sportsmanship and honors some of the worlds best athletes for their initiative and achievements in making sport fun and fair.

SEL Sport & Event Logistics are the main sponsor of the International Fair Play Awards, “For all of us at SEL Sport & Event Logistics, 2015 is a year of growth and great achievements. The Fair Play Awards is a great way of celebrating champions and heroes and more.”

As a partner of MXGP, this year was extra special for SEL Sports and Logistics as the former three times FIM Motocross World Champion Alessio Chiodi was the winner of the Sport e Ambiente award. Honoring Chiodi, who was the first Italian to win a motocross world title on a bike that was manufactured in Italy, was SEL Director, Mr. Pier Carlo Bottero.

On behalf of MXGP, we would like to congratulate Alessio Chiodi on this fantastic achievement.