WMX

You may have noticed last year’s force in the WMX class Bud Racing Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Meghan Rutledge was not on the line in Matterley Basin for the third round of the 2015 FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship. While the bubbly young girl from Australia didn’t have the perfect start to the season this year, she was still a solid title threat running third in the championship before the third round.

We caught up with the down to earth Aussie chick to see what’s up.

The question on everybody’s lips, why weren’t you at the third round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship?

I was involved in a photo shoot for a film, RIDEUNITED, two days after returning from Thailand. At the shoot sight I had the opportunity to do a training moto before they started filming. Unfortunately this moto didn't go as planned I came off the bike and fractured my thumb.

Can you explain the injury and when you will be back on the bike?

I have a Rolando fracture of the base of the first metacarpal of my right thumb. Which in non-medical terms meant I had 12 fractures with 5 of them displaced in the base of my thumb. I had surgery to wire the pieces together and have been in a splint for 10 weeks. The surgery went well getting the thumb and pieces back into the best position possible due to the extent of the damage. At this stage I'm hoping to be back on the bike by the end June.    That sucks, how are you feeling about it all?

I am extremely gutted about missing the rest of this year, but missing this year will only make me work harder and want it more next year.  If there is an upside to missing last weekend, I was probably lucky not be overseas as I was rushed to the dentist on Thursday with wisdom teeth problems and have to get them out next week.  I must admit, last weekend sitting at home following the live timing for Matterley Basin was extremely hard.

Yeah I bet. From here, what are your goals?

I came across a quote “success in life comes when you simply refuse to give up, with goals so strong that obstacles, failure, and loss only act as motivation.”

M goal at the moment is to get back on the bike. My long-term goal is return to Europe in 2016 on a Kawasaki for Team Bud Racing and win the Women's World Championship.  

Good goal! What are you doing for rehab on the thumb?

I'm currently having intense physiotherapy on my thumb and at this stage I am not sure how much movement I will get back. I have been doing a lot of leg and core work at the gym, but have just been given the ok to start doing a full gym workout including light weights. Unfortunately there are still a few exercises I can't do due to the thumb. The area around the where the fractures were is still quite painful, if this hasn't settled down by the next specialist visit in 2 weeks I will be having more scans. So at this stage I'm hoping all will be ok and I will be back into a full training program by the end of June. 

Is there anything else you want to add?

I would love to thank the sponsored who have helped me follow my dreams, I couldn't do this with out their help and support even while I'm injured. 

Team Bud Racing

Kawasaki Europe

Monster Europe

Fox Australia

Hitachi Power Tools Australia 

Yesterday evening the current WMX red plate holder Livia Lancelot hosted a media opportunity to present to the media the all-new FOX Flexair gear she will be wearing this weekend for her home round of WMX in Villars sous Ecot. The gear design is French inspired, red, blue and white, which will look amazing on her French themed Kawasaki KXF250 that she will be racing.

Livia, who rides for and runs her own team, Team One One Four, will also be wearing a special butt patch on her super light and flexible FOX Flexair pants this weekend which reads “Made in Paris”. Lancelot said, “I am wearing ‘Made in Paris’ because that is where I come from and I am very proud of this. I am proud of being French and I want to show it.”

Livia is the 2008 FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion and current leads the 2015 FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship by 23 points over the defending WMX world champion Kiara Fontanesi.

VILLARS SOUS ECOT (France), 27 May 2015 - While we are reasonably familiar with most of the tracks on the MXGP calendar, this weekend the eighth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship will take place in the fresh-ish location of Villars sous Ecot, France. The reason we say ‘ish’ in the previous sentence is because although we haven’t stopped at Villars sous Ecot in a long time, it has in fact hosted three rounds of the FIM Motocross World Championship in the past.

The first time Villars sous Ecot let the best motocross riders in the world loose on their clay based, typical French style, tight and compact circuit, was back in 1982 where Belgian André Malherbe was the victor on that day. Four years later, 1986, the world championship returned with French hero Jacky Vimond taking the honors. A further twelve years on, in 1998, the FIM 250cc Motocross World Championship returned for the last time where the legend Stefan Everts won.

The French are some of the most passionate dirt bike fans in the world. They always create an incredible atmosphere, which will only be amplified this year with their country carrying the coveted Chamberlain Cup as the winners of the 2014 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations.

Also adding to the buzz, the fourth round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship will take place, which is headed by one of the most popular and talented female riders in the world, Frances own Livia Lancelot. Moreover, the fifth round of the European Championship EMX125 will take place where young French star on the rise Kemea Yamaha Yamalube’s Maxime Renaux currently sits second five points shy of KTM Factory Juniors Jorge Prado.

This is the part of the year where the eight times FIM Motocross World Champion Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli starts gaining momentum. TC222 has already got the ball rolling with two grand prix wins after his switch from the 350SX-F to the 450SX-F and is slowly chipping away at the championship points lead.

A podium finish is more than likely not going to be enough for Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP’s Clement Desalle this weekend with the Belgian getting seriously itchy over not having had a grand prix win since MXGP of Germany in 2014. If the MX Panda can top the box this weekend, depending on where Nagl finishes, there is a good chance he could also take the red plate.

As the rider who has led the most laps and had the most race wins, Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl will carry the red plate this weekend. The German is currently four points clear of Clement Desalle and will be looking to retain the championship lead.

Surprisingly, the fastest Frenchman of 2015 is the Yamaha Factory Racing Yamalube rookie Romain Febvre. Romain is one rider everyone should get really excited about, he only turned 23 on the 31^st of December which makes him the youngest in the class and after nailing his first race win last weekend and with already two podium finishes to his name, it is safe to say the number 461 has a really bright future.

Team HRC’s Gautier Paulin is sure to have an army of die-hard GP21 fans in behind him as he tackles his home grand prix. Hopefully this will give him the push he needs to be challenging for the lead. Meanwhile fellow countrymen Wilvo Forkrent KTM’s Steven Frossard and Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s fill-in Xavier Boog could use some of the crowd’s energy, as could 24MX Honda Racing’s Christophe Charlier who actually won a round of the European Championship EMX250 here in Villars sous Ecot back in 2009.

MXGP Championship Top Ten: 1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 295 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 291 p.; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 274 p.; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, HON), 237 p.; 5. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 235 p.; 6. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 207 p.; 7. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 145 p.; 8. Ryan Villopoto (USA, KAW), 124 p.; 9. Todd Waters (AUS, HUS), 121 p.; 10. Tyla Rattray (RSA, KAW), 118 p.

2014 MXGP of France, Saint Jean d’Angely MXGP Top 3

1. Clement Desalle

2. Jeremy Van Horebeek

3. Antonio Cairoli

We can’t get over how amazing it is to see ripples in the MX2 statistics. While Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings has been by far the most dominating force in the class with 148 laps led versus Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Dylan Ferrandis, who sits second on the ‘Laps led’ chart with 36, The Bullet has not had it all his way.

Back in April at MXGP of Trentino, Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser took a race and grand prix win over the flying Dutchman. While that was impressive, one of the most memorable races of the season is going to be MX2 race two from the MXGP of Great Britain where Standing Construct Yamaha Yamalube’s Valentin Guillod proved JH84 can be beaten straight up.

This weekend, Guillod should have a good fan base. If he takes the overall again, he will then have the most consecutive grand prix wins in MX2 for 2015.

Meanwhile, it’s a big weekend for France’s own defending MX2 world champion, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jordi Tixier, who is also looking for his first race win this season. As is Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki’s Max Anstie who came so close at his home grand prix last weekend.

MX2 Championship Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 308 points; 2. Valentin Guillod (SUI, YAM), 216 p.; 3. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 213 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 205 p.; 5. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 189 p.; 6. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KAW), 189 p.; 7. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 182 p.; 8. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 169 p.; 9. Julien Lieber (BEL, YAM), 167 p.; 10. Max Anstie (GBR, KAW), 158 p.

2014 MXGP of France, Saint Jean d’Angely MX2 Top 3

1. Jeffrey Herling

2. Arnaud Tonus

3. Jordi Tixier

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

TIMETABLE

Saturday: EMX125 Group 1 Free/Timed practice 08:20; EMX125 Group 2 Free/Timed practice 09:00; WMX Time practice 09:45; MX2 Free Practice 10:15; MXGP Free Practice 10:45; WMX Time Practice 12:40; EMX125 Last Chance Qualifying Race 13:30; MX2 Time Practice 14:00; MXGP Time Practice 14:35; WMX Race 1 15:20; MX2 Qualifying Race 16:10; MXGP Qualifying Race 17:00; EMX125 Race 1 17:40.

Sunday: EMX125 Warm-up 09:10; WMX Warm-up 09:25; EMX125 Race 2 10:30; MX2 Warm up 11:10; MXGP Warm up 11:30; WMX Race 2 12:00; 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 France

MATTERLEY BASIN (Great Britain), 24 May 2015 – On the rolling hills of Matterley Basin, which are situated close to the city of Winchester, England, the third round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship took place where Team One One Four’s extremely talented French lady Livia Lancelot took control of the championship with a double race victory.

When the gates dropped under the clouded skies today, it was the former five times WMX world champion Stephanie Laier who took her second holeshot of the weekend but was quickly passed by yesterday’s race winner and the new championship leader Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot. Lancelot, the 2008 FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion, was on a whole other level this weekend and blitzed everyone for her second double race victory of the season.

Yamaha MXFontaracing’s Kiara Fontanesi was around fifth around turn one but managed to slam her Yamaha into the second position before the end of lap two. Laier tried to respond but eventually lost site of the defending champion and was forced to settle for third.

Back in fourth Yamaha’s Nancy Van De Ven was in a killer battle with Honda’s Natalie Kane, but was soon gifted that position when Kane stalled her engine mid-race. With Kane struggling to fire her bike back up, Australian Maddison Brown happily took over fifth.

At the end of the weekend, Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot placed a firm grip on the championship with two unchallenged race wins for the overall victory ahead of Stephanie Laier and Nancy Van De Ven who both stood on the podium for the first time this year.

Livia Lancelot now leads the championship by twenty-three points over the three times FIM WMX World Champion Kiara Fontanesi and will carry the red plate next weekend at her home round in Villars sous Ecot, France.

WMX Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 26:02.434; 2. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), +0:08.743; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:17.442; 4. Natalie Kane (IRL, Honda), +0:20.871; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +0:39.611; 6. Madison Brown (AUS, Yamaha), +0:46.335; 7. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +0:55.262; 8. Genette Vaage (NOR, KTM), +1:10.273; 9. Marianne Veenstra (NED, Husqvarna), +1:19.908; 10. Virginie Germond (SUI, Suzuki), +1:40.516

WMX Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 25:59.157; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:14.292; 3. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), +0:21.285; 4. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:33.293; 5. Madison Brown (AUS, Yamaha), +1:14.397; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +1:29.272; 7. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +1:29.440; 8. Marianne Veenstra (NED, Husqvarna), +1:33.829; 9. Natalie Kane (IRL, Honda), +1:37.871; 10. Justine Charroux (FRA, Yamaha), +1:43.601

WMX Overall Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 50 points; 2. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 38 p.; 4. Madison Brown (AUS, YAM), 31 p.; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 31 p.; 6. Natalie Kane (IRL, HON), 30 p.; 7. Francesca Nocera (ITA, SUZ), 28 p.; 8. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 27 p.; 9. Marianne Veenstra (NED, HUS), 25 p.; 10. Virginie Germond (SUI, SUZ), 21 p.

WMX Championship Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 144 points; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 121 p.; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 99 p.; 4. Francesca Nocera (ITA, SUZ), 91 p.; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 82 p.; 6. Meghan Rutledge (AUS, KAW), 78 p.; 7. Genette Vaage (NOR, KTM), 77 p.; 8. Justine Charroux (FRA, YAM), 62 p.; 9. Virginie Germond (SUI, SUZ), 56 p.; 10. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 52 p.

WMX Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki, 144 points; 2. Yamaha, 136 p.; 3. KTM, 100 p.; 4. Suzuki, 94 p.; 5. Honda, 62 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 45 p.

Click here to obtain the complete results.

All the photos of the MXGP of Great Britain will be available here

MXGP GREAT BRITAIN – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1640m

Type of ground: Hard Pack

Temperature: 21°C

Weather conditions: cloudy.

MXGP will be available across the board in high definition and is also globally available to view live and in HD on MXGP-TV.com. Click here for the complete list of countries and cooperating MXGP broadcasting networks.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Great Britain

Check out the GoPro lap of Matterley Basin, MXGP of Great Britain with Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki's Max Anstie.

On the heels of MXGP of Great Britain in Winchester, the city closest to the magnificent circuit of Matterley Basin, FOX launched their all-new FLEXAIR race wear line. Here to reveal the new ground breaking and innovative product, FOX Europe CEO Mr. Matthieu Bazil introduced the line while Mr. Paul Harrington explained the thought process and development of the gear.

Some of MXGP’s fastest riders, Team HRC’s duo of Gautier Paulin and Evgeny Bobryshev played a big part in the development, which they explained during the launch yesterday evening. Other FOX riders also onsite were Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Glenn Coldenhoff, Honda Gariboldi’s Jorge Zaragoza and Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot, among others. Both Paulin and Bobryshev will be wearing the new kit today in Matterley Basin.

Welcome to Matterley Basin, England where round seven of the FIM Motocross World Championship, MXGP of Great Britain will take place.

MATTERLEY BASIN (Great Britain), 20 May 2015 - Riders and fans alike couldn’t be more excited for the MXGP of Great Britain, round seven of the FIM Motocross World Championship, which set to take place at the glorious track Matterely Basin this weekend.

As always, the ambience in and around the paddock will be epic with thousands of fans expected to flock to the venue to witness what is one of the greatest and most spectator friendly grand prix on the calendar.

The first MXGP to take place on the wide, flowing and grippy natured Matterley Basin was back in 2006 where Stefan Everts won the premier class and David Philippaerts won in MX2. Since 2006, the British Grand Prix has been held at Matterley Basin a total of six times with its most recent grand prix being last year, in 2014, where Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli won the MXGP while his teammate Jeffrey Herlings won MX2.

Also joining in on the action this weekend, the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship will return after a long break to take on the third round of their championship. As it stands, the defending WMX world champion FontaMX Yamaha Racing’s Kiara Fontanesi has the red plate but is tied for points with former WMX world champion Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot.

Meanwhile the fourth rounds of EMX125 and EMX250 will also take place with KTM Factory Juniors Jorge Prado leading the 125’s by nineteen points over Kemea Yamalube Yamaha’s Maxime Renaux, while J-Tech Honda’s Nick Kouwenberg leads the EMX250 by five points of Bud Racing Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Maxime Desprey.

The Honda European Championship EMX150 will also be hosting its second round with Swede Albin Larsen narrowly leading the championship by one point over Fin Emil Weckman. 

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Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli decided to switch things up last weekend when he rocked out with an extra 100cc, due to the swap from the KTM350SX-F to the KTM450SX-F, and a new color scheme in his choice of AXO race wear. With the change attracting a lot of attention, it was a move that panned out for the Italian who won his first grand prix since August 2014. This weekend in Matterley, the eight-times FIM Motocross World Champion will be the likely bet for the win having won here last year and if he does so, he will claim his sixth British Grand Prix victory which will make him the most successful MXGP rider on British soil.

Again, Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl cannot be counted out. With so much hype surrounding Tony and his random choices at MXGP of Spain, it has shadowed the fact that Max did tie with Tony on forty-five points for the grand prix win. Of course the victory was awarded to Tony who had the better result in the final race, but we can expect to see Max eager to be back on top this weekend.

It’s hard to believe Yamaha Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre is still a MXGP rookie. We are getting so used to see him running up front, it almost wouldn’t come as much of a surprise if he bags a race win or even an overall before the season is out. The little Frenchman landed on the podium for the first time in his premier class career at MXGP of Spain and is bound to be hungry to do it again.

Meanwhile in 2013 Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP’s Clement Desalle edged out TC222 for the Grand Prix of Great Britain victory. TC retaliated last year and edged Desalle out for it, so as always, we can expect to see the MX Panda, who has admitted he loves the track in Matterley, at the sharp end of the field, possibly vying for his first MXGP overall of the year.

Both of Team HRC’s talents Evgeny Bobryshev & Gautier Paulin are always potential podiumers. Seven rounds in to the MXGP series, we’ve learnt that if these two get off the start up front, that’s where they remain. So it’s up to them to notch some of those FOX Holeshots to their belts and bank some valuable championship points.

Another hot topic is the presence of American Mike Alessi. Alessi will race his Smartop MotoConcepts Racing Suzuki this weekend, which will add a little more flare and excitement to the already stacked MXGP class. The last time Alessi raced the FIM Motocross World Championship was back in 2010 at the US Grand Prix in Glen Helen where he finished second overall to Antonio Cairoli.

There is sure to be a ton of hype surrounding Hitachi Construction Machinery Revo KTM’s Shaun Simpson. Okay, so we know Shaun is actually Scottish, but this is the closest grand prix he has and as the multi-time British champion he is bound to have loads of support. As for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tommy Searle, it appears that he will not be lining up after breaking his collar-bone in the crash he had in Spain.

Unfortunately the number two machine of Ryan Villopoto won't be on the line this weekend which was confirmed in a press release from his team Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing, "The specialist medical team working with the four time US Supercross champion have confirmed Ryan’s coccyx injury and have also discovered an L4 compression in Ryan’s lower spine. Upon close examination, X-rays indicated that the injured bone material is healing but not at the speed either the Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team rider or his advisors would hope." 

2014 MXGP of Great Britain MXGP Top 3

1. Antonio Cairoli

2. Clement Desalle

3. Jeremy van Horebeek

It has already been a pretty crazy year for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s MX2 phenomenon Jeffrey Herlings. Jeffrey has had some pretty massive get offs this season, of which he has been very lucky to come away unscathed. Despite each of those uncharacteristic occasions, the twenty-year old knows how lucky he has been and is just happy to retain the red plate.

How amazing would it be if Standing Construct Yamaha Yamalube’s Valentin Guillod took another race win this weekend. Let’s face it, the kid from Switzerland has insane speed and style and he brings another dimension to MX2 racing. Now that he had a taste of what it is like to stand on top of the box, we are sure he is confident he can do it again and we look forward to seeing what he will bring to the table this weekend.

The defending champion Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jordi Tixier will be hoping he can minimize his errors this weekend and throw together two solid results. Meanwhile a lot of the attention within the team will be placed on their latest import Bulgarian Petar Petrov who will be filling in for the injured Dylan Ferrandis who underwent a knee operation last week.

Rounding out this weekend’s preview, two riders who could set Matterley on fire are Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser and the local hero Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki’s Max Anstie. While Gajser proved he is capable with his race and overall win at MXGP of Trentino, he will need to keep the bike rubber side down if he is to be of any genuine threat to Jeffrey this weekend. The same can be said for Max.

2014 MXGP of Great Britain MX2 Top 3

1. Jeffrey Herlings

2. Arnaud Tonus

3. Tim Gajser

All the photos of the MXGP of Great Britain will be available here

TIMETABLE

Saturday: EMX150 Free/Timed practice 07:45; WMX Free practice 08:20; EMX125 Group 1 Free/Timed practice 08:45; EMX125 Group 2 Free/Timed practice 09:20; WMX Time practice 09:55; MX2 Free Practice 10:30; MXGP Free Practice 10:55; EMX125 Last Chance Qualifying Race 11:30; EMX250 Group 1 Free/Timed practice 12:00; EMX250 Group 2 Free/Timed practice 12:35; EMX150 Race 1 13:30; MX2 Time Practice 14:00; MXGP Time Practice 14:35; WMX Race 1 15:20; MX2 Qualifying Race 16:10; MXGP Qualifying Race 17:00; EMX125 Race 1 17:40; EMX250 Last Chance Qualifying Race 18:25.

Sunday: EMX150 Warm-up 07:45; WMX Warm-up 08:00; EMX125 Warm-up 08:15; EMX250 Warm-up 08:30; EMX150 Race 2 09:10; WMX Race 2 09:50; EMX125 Race 2 10:30; MX2 Warm up 11:10; MXGP Warm up 11:30; EMX250 Race 1 12:00; MX2 Race 1 13:15; MXGP Race 1 14:15; EMX250 Race 2 15:10; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Great Britain

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 30 April 2015 – Youthstream is pleased to announce the official entry lists for MXGP of Great Britain, which will take place in Matterley Basin, Winchester, England, on the weekend of May 24^th. At this event we will also have an American owned team in the paddock, Smartop / Motoconcepts Racing, which will consist of American talent Mike Alessi and Spaniard Sergio Castro. Both riders will take part in the MXGP class in Matterley and also the following weekend at MXGP of France in Villars sous Ecot.

All official entries are listed in the tables below:

MXGP Entry List

MX2 Entry List

WMX Entry List

EMX125 Entry List

EMX250 Entry List

EMX150 Entry List

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

FIM Europe