WMX

LOMMEL (Flanders, Belgium) 31 July 2021 – The second round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship delivered some interesting races that saw Shana Van Der Vlist come out on top to take her first ever WMX overall victory and take over the championship lead after an unlucky day for Bike it MTX Kawasaki rider Courtney Duncan who missed out on a podium position.

As the gate dropped for the first WMX race, it was Van Der Vlist with a flying start with Larissa Papenmeier of 423 Yamaha Racing and Kiara Fontanesi right there as well. Meanwhile Duncan started further down the order in eighth place.

Papenmeier then dropped a few positions as Fontanesi remained in third with Lynn Valk going through into second. While Britt Jans-Beken was having a strong ride in fourth.

We saw our first lot of drama in the race as Duncan was looking to dive down the inside of Sara Andersen, but the pair touched, and both crashed as a result.

Meanwhile, Nancy Van De Ven of Ceres 71 Racing was making her way up the order as she looked for a way around Amandine Verstappen who was in fifth.

As the gap between Van Der Vlist and Valk remained at 3.028 seconds, Jans-Beken was pushing for a way around Fontanesi for third, while Duncan made her way into 9^th place as Andersen broke into the top 20 after the crash with the Kawasaki rider and a brief stop in pitlane.

But all eyes were at the front of the field as Valk took the lead from Van Der Vlist on lap six. The pair then kept things close until the end of the race.

Jans-Beken briefly managed to get Fontanesi for third, though by the end of the race she dropped to fifth as Fontanesi and Van De Ven found a way through. In the end it was Valk who secured her first ever win ahead of Van Der Vlist.

In the second race it was Duncan who led Papenmeier as Van De Ven took second from the German, with Verstappen right there too.

Fontanesi started the race further down the field in eighth place but was moving quickly on the opening lap as she was second by lap two. The Italian then set the fastest lap of the race as it was clear she was hungry for the win.

Van Der Vlist had to work harder in the second race as she made her way into the top five, as Duncan defended the lead from Fontanesi, with the GasGas rider making several attempts to pass the Kiwi and by lap four she was the new race leader.

Van De Ven then made a mistake which allowed Van Der Vlist through, who then put on strong charge for the lead and was the new race leader on lap seven.

Duncan then got herself into third after a nice battle with Van De Ven which went on for several laps as Van Der Vlist edged out by 6.846 seconds.

In the end it was Van Der Vlist who enjoyed her first WMX race victory as Fontanesi, and Duncan finished second and third. With a 2-1 result, Shana Van Der Vlist was the overall round winner, with Kiara Fontanesi making her first podium appearance of the season in second and Lynn Valk also making her first ever podium appearance as she took to the third step of the podium.

After an unlucky first race, Duncan drops to second in the championship as Van Der Vlist leads with just a two-point advantage as Valk moves to third. The WMX action heads to Turkey for a special double-header race on the 4^th and 5^th of September, followed by a mid-week race on the 7^th and 8^th of September.

Shana Van Der Vlist: “I still can’t believe it actually. I really enjoyed riding in the sand today. The track was really heavy and tough, but I had two good races. I could take the win, so it is unbelievable. In the first race I had a battle with Lynn. Actually all race. First, I was in the lead and then she passed me, I stayed behind her all race and I could not make a pass for the lead, so I was happy with second place. In the second race, I had a really bad start. In the first lap I was around twelfth place. I just had a good flow and good speed. I was just passing all the girls for the win and I am really happy. I just try to enjoy the ride and don’t put too much pressure on myself”.

Kiara Fontanesi: “After the race in Loket, it was important for me to come here, make no mistakes and get some points. So, I am happy about how the races went. It was difficult to get in the rhythm in the beginning because I haven’t raced in those kind of tracks since Valkenswaard last year and I haven’t even trained on sand. I was much more prepared for Loket than here, and we knew it. But I could find a good rhythm in the second race and that’s why I came from the back to the lead, pushed really hard and got really tired. Shana was really fast today. She caught me and she passed me. But I was happy anyway to finish second because we moved up a bit in the championship. I am closer to the girls now and the championship is still long, and we go home with a happy result”.

“I didn’t go to Turkey in 2019 because I was pregnant so, it is completely new for me. I go to Turkey happy and with a positive mind because I felt great in Loket and this means we are very well prepared for the hard pack and I feel good physically and mentally. The bike is really strong and I am positive. For sure I won’t look at the championship now because it makes no sense. We’ll take race by race and try to enjoy it without any risks, this is what we need”.

Lynn Valk: “I didn’t expect the podium because I was sixth and my mechanic did not tell me anything. So, I was really happy to be on the podium for the first time. The first race was great, I took a good start and had a great battle with Shana and I could win. The second one was tough. I had a bad start. My body isn’t feeling one hundred percent after Loket, but I am happy to be on the podium for the first time. I will be ready and fit for Turkey”.

Main Photo: WMX Start

Bottom Photos: 1. Shana Van Der Vlist 2. Lynn Valk

WMX - Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Lynn Valk (NED, Husqvarna), 26:34.230; 2. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), +0:01.430; 3. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GASGAS), +0:21.818; 4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:31.414; 5. Britt Jans-Beken (NED, KTM), +0:39.261; 6. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), +0:54.047; 7. Daniela Guillen (ESP, KTM), +0:59.392; 8. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:00.463; 9. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:24.980; 10. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Yamaha), +1:31.160;

WMX - Race 2 -  Top 10 Classification: 1. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 27:22.139; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GASGAS), +0:06.803; 3. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), +0:07.330; 4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:36.026; 5. Britt Jans-Beken (NED, KTM), +0:56.810; 6. Lynn Valk (NED, Husqvarna), +1:07.029; 7. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Yamaha), +1:07.551; 8. Daniela Guillen (ESP, KTM), +1:21.392; 9. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:34.710; 10. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), +1:45.572;

WMX - Overall Top 10 Classification: 1. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 47 points; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GAS), 42 p.; 3. Lynn Valk (NED, HUS), 40 p.; 4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 36 p.; 5. Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 35 p.; 6. Britt Jans-Beken (NED, KTM), 32 p.; 7. Daniela Guillen (ESP, KTM), 27 p.; 8. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KAW), 25 p.; 10. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 22 p.;

WMX - Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 87 points; 2. Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 85 p.; 3. Lynn Valk (NED, HUS), 72 p.; 4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 72 p.; 5. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GAS), 70 p.; 6. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 61 p.; 7. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KAW), 58 p.; 8. Daniela Guillen (ESP, KTM), 50 p.; 9. Britt Jans-Beken (NED, KTM), 47 p.; 10. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 44 p.;

WMX - Manufacturers Classification: 1. KTM, 87 points; 2. Kawasaki, 85 p.; 3. Yamaha, 74 p.; 4. Husqvarna, 72 p.; 5. GASGAS, 70 p.; 6. Suzuki, 31 p.; 7. Honda, 22 p.;

Click here to obtain the complete results

All the photos from the MXGP of Flanders-Belgium will be available HERE

MXGP OF FLANDERS-BELGIUM – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1830m

Type of ground: Sand

Temperature: 21°

Weather conditions: Cloudy

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

Lommel

LOMMEL (Flanders-Belgium) 29 July 2021 – The FIM Motocross World Championship continues this weekend with the MXGP of Flanders-Belgium as the action heads to the sandpit of Lommel.

Last season, Belgium hosted one of the few triple-headers of the season as Tim Gajser, Jorge Prado, Tom Vialle and Ben Watson took victories at the toughest sand circuit in the world. And as the competition heats up this season in both MXGP and MX2, it will be interesting to see who will rise to the challenge and come out on top.

Fans in Belgium will be able enjoy the action on Belgian TV channels, including Telenet who will continue broadcasting the season LIVE, along with VRT who are covering the races in their sport program on Sunday evenings, as well as RTV. 

Below you can find a list of TV channels that will air LIVE and delayed action of the Belgian Grand Prix, along with the 26min Behind-the-Gate magazine, available to enjoy on MXGP-TV.com and via our TV magazine partners following the GP weekend, featuring the best moments from the races and exclusive interviews, plus more!

As always though, MXGP fans can follow the races LIVE throughout the weekend, all you need to do is log onto www.MXGP-TV.com this Saturday and Sunday to watch the MXGP, MX2, WMX, EMX250 and EMX2t Presented by FMF Racing action from the comfort of your home.

USA - CANADA

CBS Sports Network

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MX2 Race 2 – 03:00 pm ET Delayed

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 04:00 pm ET Delayed

EUROPE

EUROSPORT 2

Thursday 12^th August 2021 – MX2 Race 1 – 18:00 CET Delayed

Thursday 12^th August 2021 – MXGP Race 1 – 18:30 CET Delayed

Thursday 12^th August 2021 – MX2 Race 2 – 19:00 CET Delayed

Thursday 12^th August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 19:30 CET Delayed

BALTICS (Estonia – Latvia - Lithuania)

TV3 SPORT OPEN

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET LIVE

BELGIUM 

PLAY SPORTS OPEN

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MX2 Race 1 – 12:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET LIVE

VRT

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – 20mn highlights

FINLAND

Cmore Max – CMORE Sport 1 – Cmore Sport 2

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET LIVE

FRANCE

AUTOMOTO LA CHAINE  

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MX2 Race 1 – 14:00 CET Delayed

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET LIVE

EUROSPORT 2

Friday 13^th August 2021 – MX2 Race 1 – 08:30 CET Delayed

Friday 13^th August 2021 – MXGP Race 1 – 09:00 CET Delayed

Friday 13^th August 2021 – MX2 Race 2 – 09:30 CET Delayed

Friday 13^th August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 10:00 CET Delayed

ITALY

RAI SPORT HD

Sunday 1^st August 2021  – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET LIVE

EUROSPORT 2

Thursday 12^th August 2021 – MX2 Race 1 – 18:00 CET Delayed

Thursday 12^th August 2021 – MXGP Race 1 – 18:30 CET Delayed

Thursday 12^th August 2021 – MX2 Race 2 – 19:00 CET Delayed

Thursday 12^th August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 19:30 CET Delayed

NETHERLANDS

NOS

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 1 – 14:00 CET LIVE Streaming

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 17:00 CET LIVE Streaming

SLOVENIA 

Sport TV1

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MX2 Race 1 – 12:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MX2 Race 2 – 15:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET LIVE

SPAIN

TV Galicia

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 1 – 13:00 CET LIVE

Sunday 1^st August 2021 – MXGP Race 2 – 16:00 CET LIVE

26min Behind-the-Gate Magazine Partners:

AMERICA

FOX Latin America      Latin America                          Thursday after each MXGP at 8:30pm

USA                             MAV TV                                   During the week after the event

AFRICA

Africa                           AXP                                          During the week after the event

EUROPE

Albania                        Kreator TV                               During the week after the event

Austria                        Kreator TV                               During the week after the event

Baltics                          TV3 Sport Open                      Thursday after each MXGP

Bosnia                         Kreator TV                               During the week after the event

Croatia                        Kreator TV                               During the week after the event

Finland                        MTV                                        During the week after the event

France                         Automoto TV la chaine           During the week after the event

Hungary                      Kreator TV                               During the week after the event

Kosovo                        Kreator TV                               During the week after the event

Montenegro                Kreator TV                               During the week after the event

Northern Macedonia  Kreator TV                               During the week after the event

Portugal                      SPORT TV                                Tuesday after the event        

Romania                      Look Sport                               During the week after the event

Serbia                          Kreator TV                               During the week after the event

Slovenia                      Sport TV                                  Tuesday after the event

Spain                           Movistar                                  Tuesday after the event

WORLDWIDE

Worldwide                  Motorvision                            During the week after the event

                                    Redbull TV                               MX World and Vlog

MXGP of Flanders-Belgium LIVE MXGP-TV Timetable

TIMETABLE (Local Timing GMT+2)

SATURDAY: 07:45 EMX2t Free Practice, 08:10 WMX Free Practice, 08:35 EMX250 Group 1 Free Practice, 09:00 EMX250 Group 2 Free Practice, 09:30 EMX2t Qualifying Practice, 10:05 WMX Qualifying Practice, 10:40 EMX250 Group 1 Qualifying Practice, 11:15 EMX250 Group 2 Qualifying Practice, 12:20 EMX2t Race 1, 13:10 WMX Race 1, 13:55 EMX250 Race 1, 14:50 EMX2t Race 2, 15:40 WMX Race 2, 16:35 EMX250 Race 2.

SUNDAY: 09:15 MX2 Free/Time Practice, 10:15 MXGP Free/Time Practice, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

Lommel

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 28 July 2021 – The time has come for the FIM Motocross World Championship to head to the deep sand of Lommel for the MXGP of Flanders-Belgium!

Every season, the Belgian Grand Prix is one of the most talked about races of the year as the track is considered to be the heartland of motocross and has played a vital part in the Motocross World Championship for many years, becoming known as one of the toughest sand circuits in the world.

Many memorable races have taken place in Lommel, including the 1981 Motocross of Nations and total of 18 Grand Prix’s since 1990, including last year’s triple-header!

During the Belgian triple-header, we saw Team HRC’s Tim Gajser take two out of the three victories, while Jorge Prado of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing was the overall winner during the second of three GP’s. Meanwhile in MX2, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle won the first two events, while Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Watson finished off his MX2 career with a high to secure his first MX2 overall victory.

Other winners at the popular sand circuit include the likes of Marnicq Bervoets, Stefan Everts, Avo Leok, Ken Roczen, Max Anstie, Jeffrey Herlings and Antonio Cairoli.

The MXGP of Flanders-Belgium will be even more exciting this season as the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship riders will make their very first appearance in Lommel for round two of the championship, as defending world champion Courtney Duncan of Bike it MTX Kawasaki will look to continue her dominant force with another solid result, while Larissa Papenmeier of Yamaha Racing 423 will look to keep the championship gap close, as Nancy Van De Ven and Kiara Fontanesi will look to get themselves on the podium after a tough weekend in Loket.

This weekend’s races will also see round two of the EMX2t Presented by FMF Racing as Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Maximilian Spies will enter the race in Lommel as the championship leader looking to keep that gap to Verde Substance KTM’s Brad Anderson and his teammate Federico Tuani. Former MXGP rider Ken De Dycker will also make a wildcard appearance in the EMX2t category this weekend, so it will be interesting to see if he can make things interesting for the leaders.

In addition, there will also be races of the EMX250 category, as Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Nicholas Lapucci will look to keep the red plate on his Fantic machine and keep SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery’s Kevin Horgmo, Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing’s Andrea Bonacorsi, Liam Everts of KTM Liamski and Rick Elzinga of TBS Conversions KTM Racing Team at bay.

This weekend will be a chance for Team HRC’s Tim Gajser to claw back some valuable championship points that he lost out on in Loket due to the crash in the second race. Last season, Gajser won four of the six races that took place in Lommel during the Belgian triple-header, so entering the races this weekend, he is likely to pick up where he left off last time around.

Of course, there’s a field of riders who won’t make this easy, one of those riders being Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli who will look to continue his podium streak as he chases his fifth consecutive top three finish. Last time Cairoli was victorious in Lommel was 2014, so a GP victory in the sand is well overdue and it will be interesting to see how he can manage this weekend.

His young teammate, Jorge Prado will aim to make two GP wins on the bounce after his first podium of 2021 in Loket last weekend. Prado has somewhat struggled at the beginning of the year, though it looks like the Spaniard is picking up the pace now, as he proved this in Czech Republic with his race one win and GP victory.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre will look for redemption in Lommel after some tough races in Oss and Loket. For Febvre staying on two wheels and consistency is the only thing missing, as he’s finding it tough to put together two strong races, which would put him in the fight for the podium and more importantly for the overall.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing riders Glenn Coldenhoff, Jeremy Seewer and Ben Watson are all within a fighting chance of some top results this weekend and even podium finishes. Last year in Lommel Watson secured two race wins and his first MX2 overall, so no doubt he will have an extra boost of confidence coming back to the circuit this weekend. While his teammate Seewer will enter the Belgian GP off the back of his first podium finish this season which is a big confidence boost for the Swiss who struggled in the beginning of the year.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis could shine this weekend as the tall Lithuanian has been making great progress in getting back up to speed during the last couple of GP’s. While the races in Loket didn’t deliver on the results Jasikonis would have wanted, we did however see a glimpse of what can be expected in Oss as he rode his way to a top 10 finish for the first time this season.

For Gebben Van Venrooy Racing’s Brent Van Doninck and Kevin Strijbos, along with Beta SDM Corse Motocross Team’s Jeremy Van Horebeek the races this weekend will be extra special, as the trio will want to put on their best performance for their home Grand Prix.

But the biggest talking point as we enter the sand races is whether or not Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings will make his return after a shoulder blade injury sustained in Oss. Herlings revealed in an interview with Lisa Leyland that he would want to return for Lommel in order to keep his championship chase alive, though the smart decision would be to return a couple of weeks later. So, it will be interesting to see what decision the team and Herlings make and whether we will see him line-up for the sand race on Sunday.

MXGP of Flanders-Belgium Top 3 MXGP:

1. Tim Gajser

2. Gautier Paulin

3. Jorge Prado

Main Photo: MXGP Start from 2020

Bottom Photos: 1. Tim Gajser 2. Ben Watson

MXGP - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 194 points; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 183 p.; 3. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 177 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 174 p.; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 151 p.; 6. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 143 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 140 p.; 8. Pauls Jonass (LAT, GAS), 119 p.; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, KTM), 109 p.; 10. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 90 p.

In MX2, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Maxime Renaux will enter the sixth round of the series as the championship leader by just two points over Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini who was the overall winner in Loket. There is no doubt both riders will want to do their best this weekend to gain some valuable championship points.

Thibault Benistant from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing is a rider to look out for as he will line-up in Lommel after his maiden MX2 podium in Loket, after a 9-1 result. Last season, Benistant was impressive in the deep sand of Lommel as he chased his EMX250 title, so it will be interesting to see where he will match-up in the sand among the other MX2 riders.

For the third factory Yamaha rider, Jago Geerts, the home Grand Prix this weekend will be another chance for him to have some good races to get himself back on the podium and make his way up the championship standings. Last year the three races in Lommel were a mix for Geerts who struggled to keep it on two wheels, so hopefully this season he will be able to show what he is capable of in the sand.

Meanwhile Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle will continue his return after injury. Last week in Loket saw Vialle finish second behind Guadagnini in race one, while in the second race, the Frenchman went down twice and did not finish the race. Hopefully the crashes of last season have not been a set-back in his recovery and he can continue to get back to grips and defend his title.

Finally, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton and Kay De Wolf have been very promising so far this season as the pair have regularly been running at the top end of the field. In the sand race in Oss, the pair were second and third on the podium as they both challenged for race wins, so it will be good to see them do the same this time around.

Missing this weekend will be F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Roan Van De Moosdijk who would’ve been among the favourites for this sand race. The Dutchman unfortunately broke his scaphoid after a crash in Loket and has undergone surgery this week to repair it.

MXGP of Flanders-Belgium Top 3 MX2:

1. Tom Vialle

2. Jago Geerts

3. Ben Watson

Main Photo: MX2 Start from 2020

Bottom Photos: 1. Jago Geerts 2. Mattia Guadagnini

MX2 - World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 179 points; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, KTM), 177 p.; 3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 165 p.; 4. Mathys Boisrame (FRA, KAW), 149 p.; 5. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 146 p.; 6. Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 142 p.; 7. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 140 p.; 8. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 137 p.; 9. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, KAW), 132 p.; 10. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 114 p.;

TIMETABLE (Local Timing GMT+2)

SATURDAY: 07:45 EMX2t Free Practice, 08:10 WMX Free Practice, 08:35 EMX250 Group 1 Free Practice, 09:00 EMX250 Group 2 Free Practice, 09:30 EMX2t Qualifying Practice, 10:05 WMX Qualifying Practice, 10:40 EMX250 Group 1 Qualifying Practice, 11:15 EMX250 Group 2 Qualifying Practice, 12:20 EMX2t Race 1, 13:10 WMX Race 1, 13:55 EMX250 Race 1, 14:50 EMX2t Race 2, 15:40 WMX Race 2, 16:35 EMX250 Race 2.

SUNDAY: 09:15 MX2 Free/Time Practice, 10:15 MXGP Free/Time Practice, 12:15 MX2 Race 1, 13:15 MXGP Race 1, 15:10 MX2 Race 2, 16:10 MXGP Race 2.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

Lommel

LOKET (Czech Republic) 24 July 2021 – The opening round of the 2021 FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship has concluded in Loket with Courtney Duncan of Bike it MTX Kawasaki dominated the field to go 1-1 and win the round of Czech Republic.

In race one, it was Duncan who took the holeshot while several riders including, Kiara Fontanesi, Larissa Papenmeier of Yamaha Racing 423 and Nancy Van De Ven of Ceres 71 Racing got caught up in a first turn incident.

Duncan then led Shana Van Der Vlist and Lynn Valk who got around Amadine Verstappen, while Fontanesi, Papenmeier and Van De Ven were fighting their way up to the top 5.

Lap by lap, Duncan edged out further, while Van De Ven, Fontanesi and Papenmeier continued their charge for valuable championship points.

In the end Duncan won the race by an impressive 22.534 seconds over Van Der Vlist, while Valk placed third. Van De Ven managed to break into the top five for fifth, while Fontanesi and Papenmeier were sixth and seventh.

In race two, it was Papenmeier who got a flying start, though a couple of corners later it was Duncan who led the way. Van Der Vlist got another good start and battled inside the top three, while Fontanesi and Van De Ven started around sixth and seventh.

While Duncan started the second heat much like the first, this time around Papenmeier was not letting her get away easy as she kept close with the Kiwi for quite a few laps. And while the German searched for a way around the defending champion, it was Fontanesi who was the fastest rider on track as she caught up with the two leading ladies.

As Fontanesi caught up with Papenmeier, this was the perfect opportunity for Duncan to open up a gap, as the two ladies behind her were locked in battle.

Eventually Fontanesi went through on Papenmeier for second, though not long after crashed and re-joined in fifth. She finished the race in eighth.

With three laps to go, we saw more drama as Duncan got caught up with a backmarker. The leader did go down but was able to pick herself up quickly to take the race win ahead of Papenmeier and Van De Ven.

With two race wins, it was Duncan who was the overall winner, with Van Der Vlist second and Papenmeier third. It is also how the championship looks right now as the ladies head into round two next weekend in Lommel, Belgium.

Courtney Duncan: “We have to be happy with the weekend of course starting the championship with two wins is more than I can ask for, so I’m really happy. And as you say, two different races, two starts really helped, especially in the first one where I got a little bit of a gap and maintained that lead. And then race two was a little bit closer, having Larissa there which was cool and then I came together with a backmarker with three laps to go but managed to maintain the lead and win the overall”.

“I don’t feel too different, last year I was also defending the championship and I feel every year I still have a little bit of pressure and a target on my back, but I just do the best I can do each weekend and that’s all I can ask for”.

Shana Van Der Vlist: “Before the weekend, I didn’t expect to be on the podium, but I am really happy. I like the track here in Loket. I had two good starts which was really important and I’m really happy how today went”.

Larissa Papenmeier: “The first heat wasn’t that great, I had a bad start, I got stuck behind a rider that crashed so I had to stop. I managed to get seventh eventually which I was not happy about, so I concentrated on the second heat. I got second, I came close to Courtney then Kiara passed me, I lost my rhythm, but I saw Kiara crashed so I was second again. I’m really happy with third overall at the first race, at least getting some points”.

Main Photo: WMX Start

Bottom Photos: 1. Courtney Duncan 2. Shana Van Der Vlist

WMX - Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), 24:12.041; 2. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), +0:22.534; 3. Lynn Valk (NED, Husqvarna), +0:27.839; 4. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:30.559; 5. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:36.583; 6. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GASGAS), +0:37.359; 7. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Yamaha), +0:38.074; 8. Britt Jans-Beken (NED, KTM), +1:19.072; 9. Line Dam (DEN, Yamaha), +1:23.162; 10. Elisa Galvagno (ITA, Yamaha), +1:25.897;

WMX - Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Kawasaki), 24:41.209; 2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Yamaha), +0:09.361; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:31.191; 4. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), +0:33.013; 5. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), +0:44.752; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:48.751; 7. Daniela Guillen (ESP, KTM), +0:55.608; 8. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GASGAS), +1:09.799; 9. Lynn Valk (NED, Husqvarna), +1:13.807; 10. Tahlia Jade O'Hare (AUS, Honda), +1:21.675;

WMX - Overall Top 10 Classification: 1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 50 points; 2. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 36 p.; 4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 36 p.; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KAW), 33 p.; 6. Lynn Valk (NED, HUS), 32 p.; 7. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GAS), 28 p.; 8. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Daniela Guillen (ESP, KTM), 23 p.; 10. Elisa Galvagno (ITA, YAM), 17 p.;

WMX - Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, KAW), 50 points; 2. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, YAM), 36 p.; 4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 36 p.; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KAW), 33 p.; 6. Lynn Valk (NED, HUS), 32 p.; 7. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, GAS), 28 p.; 8. Sara Andersen (DEN, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Daniela Guillen (ESP, KTM), 23 p.; 10. Elisa Galvagno (ITA, YAM), 17 p.;

WMX - Manufacturers Classification: 1. Kawasaki, 50 points; 2. KTM, 40 p.; 3. Yamaha, 38 p.; 4. Husqvarna, 32 p.; 5. GASGAS, 28 p.; 6. Honda, 11 p.; 7. Suzuki, 9 p.;

Click here to obtain the complete results

All the photos from the MXGP of the Czech Republic will be available HERE

MXGP OF CZECH REPUBLIC – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1586m

Type of ground: Hard pack

Temperature: 27°

Weather conditions: Sunny

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While ‘back in the day’ sports like motocross were typically considered ‘a man’s sport’, such a statement couldn’t be further from the truth in this day and age. Today, the FIM Motocross World Championship is full of leading ladies who have taken up a role in all areas of the sport from media to mechanics, to riding and managing teams and everything else in between!

It’s exciting to see women taking centre stage and breezing through some of the toughest roles in any sport, proving that gender has no limits when it comes to getting the job done. And while there are still steps to be taken to further diversify the industry, there’s no doubt in the fact that women are well and truly making their mark and helping the sport reach new heights.

MXGP Magazine caught up with some of the leading ladies in the MXGP paddock to learn more about their background, the role they play in the industry and what is like to work in the FIM Motocross World Championship.

With so many ladies to talk to and learn about, the special feature has been split in two parts with the second part coming next month!

Read the part one of the interviews HERE!

As title chases go, they do not come much tighter than what we witnessed in the 2020 FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, where no less than four riders still had a chance of becoming World Champion going into the final race of the season. While we thought the 2017 fight was tight, but even this one eclipsed that, as two riders ended the year tied on points at the top of the championship standings.

During the off-season, the new two-time WMX World Champion, Courtney Duncan, flew back home to her native New Zealand for a well-earned rest after what was, on reflection at least, a mentally and physically demanding 2020 campaign.

MXGP Magazine caught up with her just before Christmas to get her thoughts on how the season panned out, a season which threw up everything from pre-season injuries, COVID-19, huge crashes and come from behind victories.

Read the full interview with Courtney Duncan in January’s issue of the MXGP Magazine, HERE!

With the support of Yamaha Motor Italy and Yamaha Motor Scandinavia, JK Racing Yamaha have confirmed Swedish rider, Alvin Östlund, to take part in the FIM Motocross World Championship on board the Yamaha YZ450F, on what will be his rookie season in the premier MXGP class.

With Östlund in MXGP, the rest of the team line-up will include Line Dam, who will contest in the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, while Daniel Gimm will represent the team in the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing class and Manuel Iacopi in the EMXOpen.

An additional rider, who will represent the team in the MX2 category, will be announced shortly.

Photo Copyright: JK Racing Yamaha