WMX

VALKENSWAARD (The Netherlands), 03 May 2014 – Offering a hard and choppy base with sandy topsoil, Valkenswaard set a very tricky and challenging stage for round six of the FIM Motocross World Championship, which kicked off today with the qualifying heat dominance of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s dynamic duo Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings.

MXGP

The MXGP class had their work cut out for them right from the get-go when the reigning world champion Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli got off to a cracker of a start. Chasing the Italian around turn one, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin led two of Belgium’s hottest sand riders, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek and Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Kevin Strijbos.

While Cairoli appeared to find his rhythm immediately, Van Horebeek and Strijbos were ganging up on the Frenchman Paulin, who soon subdued to the pressure of Van Horebeek. With Van Horebeek going through to take second, Paulin was dropped back to third and forced to juggle his modes of attack or defense, while Strijbos remained relentless in fourth.

Although all three kept each other honest, it was Van Horebeek to cross the line nine seconds back from the red plate of Cairoli, while Paulin held off the Belgian Strijbos for third. Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle found a way around Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev and Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray late in the race to finish fifth while Bobryshev rode steady to take sixth with Rattray coming home in seventh.

MXGP Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 24:47.567; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:09.375; 3. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:11.446; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:14.663; 5. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:37.726; 6. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:43.907; 7. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Husqvarna), +0:46.394; 8. Joel Roelants (BEL, Honda), +0:48.898; 9. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:53.139; 10. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), +1:04.094.

MX2

With a gigantic roar of the crowd, the gates dropped to the advantage of CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus who claimed the holeshot ahead of two of MX2’s freshest faces, Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod and Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser. With Tonus in the prime position and the king of sand Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings sitting well outside of the top five, the fans got on their feet in anticipation of yet another Herlings vs Tonus show down.

Although the idea of a massive battle between the red plate holder Tonus and the reigning MX2 world champion Herlings sounded great in theory, it turned out to be somewhat of an anti-climax as Herlings wasted no time in slicing his way through the pack to take over the lead on lap two. While Herlings unsurprisingly went on to check out, Tonus was forced to deal with a bout of pressure from his Swiss counterpart Guillod who was charging hard in third yet doing his best to keep the 2012 EMX125 champion Gajser at bay.

While the top four proceeded to run away, a huge battle was unfolding as Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre, CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier engaged in a three-way for fifth. After dicing the position back and forth for the majority of the race, it was Tixier who eventually rose to the occasion and took control of the position.

Twenty-minutes plus two laps on, the real Jeffrey Herlings confirmed his attendance, stamping his authority in the sand once again by winning by over twenty-seven seconds over Arnaud Tonus, Valentin Guillod and Tim Gajser. Jordi Tixier edged out a persistent Romain Febvre for fifth while Dylan Ferrandis dropped back to finish a comfortable seventh.

MX2 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 24:38.409; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:27.919; 3. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), +0:33.531; 4. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:34.371; 5. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:37.604; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:43.509; 7. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:56.064; 8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), +1:05.112; 9. Damon Graulus (BEL, KTM), +1:06.603; 10. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +1:08.314.

EMX

Round three of the European Championship EMX125 and the opening round of the European Championship EMX150 also took to the gnarly Valkenswaard sand with two local heroes both winning the first races of their respective classes.

Red Bull KTM Racing’s Davy Pootjes did his home fans proud, wining his fourth EMX125 race of the year ahead of Diga Racing’s Tomass Sileika and SV Racing MX Team Russia’s Ivan Baranov, while in the EMX150 another Dutch sensation in the form of Rick Elzinga dominated ahead of Finnish duo Jere Haavisto and Matias Murto.

WMX

The third round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship also got underway with their first race of the weekend. After winning her home round in Arco di Trento, Italy, Chiara Fontanesi was in tip-top shape here today passing Natalie Kane in the early phase of the race to run away with her second victory this season. Meanwhile Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge recovered from a bad start to charge her way to second, dropping the red plate holder, Kane, back to third.

Click here to obtain the complete results.

All the photos of the MXGP of The Netherlands will be available here

MXGP NETHERLANDS – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1500

Type of ground: Sand

Temperature: 14°C

Weather conditions: sunny

MXGP will be available across the board in high definition, and is also globally available to view live and in HD on www.MXGP-TV.com. Click here for the complete list of countries and cooperating MXGP broadcasting networks, viewing times can be viewed by clicking on the logo of your chosen broadcasting network.

TIMETABLE

SUNDAY: WMX Warm-up 08:20; EMX150 Warm-up 08:40; EMX125 Warm-up 09:00; MX2 Warm-up 09:15; MXGP Warm-up 09:40; WMX Race 2 10:30; EMX150 Race 2 11:15; EMX125 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 the Netherlands

She’s won races, she’s won rounds but she’s never led the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship until now. After years of being the bridesmaid but never the bride, it is finally HM Plant KTM UK’s Natalie Kane’s turn to bolt the WMX red plate onto her number forty-four KTM250SXF. We caught up with the humorous Irish lady today at round three of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship in Valkenswaard, The Netherlands to chat about her latest great accomplishment…

Nat, it has been a long time coming but now you have the red plate, how long have you been waiting for this moment?

“Well the first time I did a GP, I was 15 but I didn’t do the full season. So from when I was 16 years old, now I am 22, so that’s like 6 years. 6 years I have been waiting.”

It must be a good buzz, tell me what it means to you?

“It means a lot ya know, I didn’t win a race to get the red plate, but you know that’s just how this season is going. When I first started the GP’s at 16 it was like that, you could be first or you could be sixth and then for a few years you could have a bad race, and your bad race was third. Now I’ve got the red plate, and I know it’s unlucky for Meghan (Rutledge), but I am the one who has been the most consistent. I remember a few years ago Steve Ramon won the title like that, so I am really happy although I am not so happy with the way that round (in Arco di Trento) went, like with my riding and stuff, but when I got the red plate I was just so surprised and shocked. It was really good.”

Do you think the talent in WMX racing is deeper this year than the last couple of years?

“Definitely! A lot deeper than the last two-years I would say. Everyone is back, Larissa (Papenmeier-Picoto) is back, Meghan (Rutledge) is here from Australia although she was here last year but this year everybody has stepped it up. Livia (Lancelot) is back, Steffi (Laier) is back… (Laughs) yeah Steffi, she’s getting old but you can never rule her out, you never ever know when she’s gonna come out of nowhere. But the talent is good, you can see it’s all in the start, Livia’s had a sixth, Chiara (Fontanesi) has had a fifth and I’ve been fourth it’s just all up and down. Right now you can’t not ride good, everybody has to be on their game.”

Do you think it’s because the girls are back with MXGP that the bar has been raised?

“Yeah it’s definitely because we are back with MXGP and MX2. You know I am so glad we are back here with MXGP and MX2, not just for the publicity but for the tracks. On the tracks from MXGP you have to use so much more technique because it’s really rough and you have to pick your lines and there are more lines to choose from. It is just better in all ways, I like it a lot.”

What is your favourite track on the calendar?

“I quite like the sand, so here in Valkenswaard, although I have been struggling a bit here in the past but I still like it and I am always better in a race. Otherwise I guess I like Germany.”

Do you watch MXGP & MX2 races live or on TV?

“I do. I do watch MXGP, and even when I look at our calendar, especially if I see a track I haven’t been to before, I will go back and watch it online so I can see the lines. Sometimes it’s learning to ride with your head rather than your speed.”

What do you learn from watching those guys?

“I definitely learn a lot. Cairoli is just something special, he always looks like he’s going nowhere but he’s not, he’s riding faster than everyone else and when he gets a bad start he just continues to ride the same speed, so you can watch him for lines. He takes lines that most people would never think of taking and it’s good because then I can think about it, and then I know some more lines if I have to pass someone.”

What are your goals for this weekend in Valkenswaard?

“I will see how it goes and how I am feeling. Of coarse I want to stay on the podium, actually I want to win, but mostly I just wanna stay consistent.”

Do you think you can win the championship?

“Yeah I think I can, but I know it definitely won’t be easy. Right now I have the red plate, but actually I would much rather have it at the final round and be able to exchange it for a gold plate. But you never know what’s gonna happen. The way I look at it is; Can I win it? Yeah. But can five other people win it also? Yeah.” 

When Youthstream decided to add the European Championships to the schedule of the FIM World Motocross Championships it seemed a great idea to give the young talent the chance to race on the same circuits the MXGP and MX2 riders had ridden, but is also gave them the chance to race under Grand Prix conditions. Rough tracks, big crowds and high pressure.

Several of the current MXGP and MX2 champions have shown promise in recent European Championships, including Gautier Paulin (2007 MX2 European champion) and Joel Roelants (2005 and 2006 125cc European Champion) who won their respective euro titles.

Of course a little later when young sensations like Jeffrey Herlings, Ken Roczen, Max Anstie and Christophe Charlier came out of the European Championships there was no surprise the younger European Championship riders looked more positively at the chance to fight for a title without the big four still around.

Current Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jordi Tixier was one of the first to take up the challenge, winning the 2010 EMX125cc Championship, a year later Romain Febvre won the EMX250 title before signing with the Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory team in 2014. Both are considered of the brightest stars in the MX2 World Championship.

2012 champions Mel Pocock (EMX250) and Tim Gajser (EMX125) already have solid rides in the Grand Prix scene, Pocock with Bike It Yamaha and Gajser with the Gariboldi Honda team. Gajser who scored fifth place overall in the last round of the FIM MX2 World Championship is an amazing 10^th overall in this year’s series points. Many expect him to move up the rankings as the season moves on and his experience continues to grow.

Valentin Guillod the 2013 EMX250 Champion showed what he is capable of by actually leading a moto at least years Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, and it was no surprise when the Dutch Team Standing Construct KTM picked him up for the MX2 class in 2014. His performances in 2014 have seen him holding down 11^th place in the series points and in Brazil he finished sixth overall.

2013 EMX125 champion Pauls Jonass is another who has made the step to the EMX250 class. He now rider for Marchetti Racing KTM Team and will once again be a major candidate for another European title in 2014.

Dutch rider Davy Pootjes, the 2012 EMX85 champion, and Great Britain’s Conrad Mewse, the 2013 EMX85 Champion are seen as riders who will rise to the next level when they make the move to the MX2 class and finally the MXGP class. It might be a little while before we see these guys running with the big boys, but everyone in the sport of Motocross is awaiting their arrival.

All in all, the whole European Championship scene has grown to mammoth proportions and as the series grows so too do the riders who race them. The future is bright for our Grand Prix series.

ARCO DI TRENTO (Italy), 9 April 2014 – Arco di Trento is typically known for its beauty, peace and serenity, surrounded by sheer limestone cliffs and snowy peaked mountains, the location is quite literally a breath of fresh air. While the town, situated in the North East of Italy in the province of Trentino, usually attracts nature enthusiasts, rock climbers, snowboarders and skiers as well as families that want to camp by the lake and absorb the crisp, refreshing air of Trentino, this weekend the main attraction will be round four of the FIM Motocross World Championship, which is extra special as it is Europe’s first round of the 2014 MXGP season.

Also in attendance along side the premier MXGP and MX2 classes this weekend, the EMX125 European Championship series will kick off while the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship will also be gracing the grid for their second round this year with Meghan Rutledge flying in from Australia to defend the WMX red plate on her Bud Racing Kawasaki KXF250.

MXGP

Everyone knows the Italians love their Italian athletes, but none more than their very own Antonio Cairoli who was voted late last year as the 2013 Sportsman of the year, even against the likes of other Italian greats such as Valentino Rossi, Francesco Totti, Mario Balotelli, just to name a few. With the unconditional love and support of his fans, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli won MXGPs round of Trentino last year ahead of his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Ken De Dycker who will be sitting it out this year as he recovers from injury.

After winning the last four MXGP races in Thailand and Brazil, Tony will be the hot favourite here in Arco, which raises the question “who can stop the wrath of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli as he storms his way to FIM Motocross World title number eight?”

The early red plate holder Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin will be one of the first riders to put his hand up and say, “I’ll stop him”. Anything is possible, especially if the Frenchman can put together some consistent results from here on out.

Tied with Paulin for second in the MXGP championship, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek has been the surprise of the season, throwing his name into the hat as a guy who is capable of winning. After winning the opening round of the Belgian Championship last weekend, Van Horebeek is carrying some wicked momentum and has gone on the record to say he believes he is in the best condition of his career.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle has been picking up steam recently and is currently stalking his prey as he sits fourth in the championship only one point back from Paulin and Van Horebeek in second.

Meanwhile Team HRC’s Max Nagl is playing the consistent card since coming out firing on all cylinders in Qatar. It’s no secret that Nagl prefers to be 100% in routine, meaning he can eat his own food and train as he normally would. Now with the championship returning to European turf, it will be interesting to see what the German can pull out of the bag.

CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy MXGP has expanded. One of the fan favourites of MX2, Alessandro Lupino has moved up to the MXGP class as of this weekend, and will be making his 450cc racing debut. Jean Jacques Luisetti, owner of CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy, said, “we offered Alessandro the possibility to already start riding a 450; it’s a good opportunity for him to show what he can do in this class and I’m sure that his smooth riding style will suit our KXF450 perfectly”.  

A couple of other Italians in MXGP that will be keeping the flags waving and the horns hooting this weekend; the 2008 FIM Motocross World Champion David Philippaerts who is back on Yamaha riding this year for his own team DP19 Racing Yamaha and TM Ricci Racing’s Davide Guarneri who put in a fantastic ride at round two in Thailand where he crossed the line eighth in both races for eighth overall.

2013 MX1 Podium

1. Antonio Cairoli

2. Ken De Dycker

3. Gautier Paulin

2013 MX1 POLEMAN: Ken De Dycker

MX2

Getting ready to pierce the peace in Arco, and looking extremely odd without red plates on his number 84 KTM 250SX-F, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings will be riding extra determined after missing the Grand Prix of Brazil due to a shoulder injury. Herlings is now fourth in the points, trailing the points leader Arnaud Tonus by fifteen.

CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus has joined the very very exclusive MX2 winners circle after round three of the MX2 world championship in Beto Carrero, Brazil. Now carrying the red plate as the MX2 Championship points leader, the target is on the back of the Swiss star as he has to deal with a very fired up Jeffrey Herlings, as well as two eager championship contenders, Coldenhoff and Ferrandis who have that coveted red plate right in their sites.

Another one with a fire in his belly this year, Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Glenn Coldenhoff has been showing excellent form. Although his game plan didn’t go exactly to plan in race one in Brazil, the young Dutchman bounced back in moto two to take home his first MX2 race victory of the year as well as the first of his career. With only two points separating him and the MX2 championship point’s leader, Tonus, one race could hand him his first ever FIM MX2 World Championship red plate.

First impressions last forever, which is great news for CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis, who won the opening race of the 2014 MX2 World Championship in Losail, Qatar fair and square. Ferrandis has proved he can win, and after his amazing performance in race one in Brazil where he moved from outside the top five to cross the line in second place, there is no counting out the flying Frenchman who sits only five points back from the championship lead.

CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy have made a new recruit! In the form of another young star American Thomas Covington. Covington is mostly recognized for his remarkable third place in race two at the season opener in Qatar. Although the last few rounds have been a learning curve, the rookie Covington is a star student, willing to learn and do what it takes to progress.

Meanwhile Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s team of young guns Romain Febvre and Aleksandr Tonkov are inseparable, with some of the biggest battles throughout the MX2 race being between these two teammates. Currently the duo, Febvre and Tonkov are sitting fifth and sixth in the championship respectively.

2013 MX2 Podium

1. Jeffrey Herlings

2. Jordi Tixier

3. José Butrón

2013 MX1 POLEMAN: Jordi Tixier

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

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY: EMX125 Group 1 Free/Timed practice 08:00; EMX125 Group 2 Free/Timed practice 08:35; WMX Free practice 09:15; MX2 Free practice 10:15; MXGP Free practice 10:45; WMX Time practice 11:15; EMX125 last chance Qualifying race  12:20; 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; EMX 125 Race 1 17:40.

SUNDAY: WMX Warm-up 08:15; EMX125 Warm-up 08:30; MX2 Warm-up 09:15; MXGP Warm-up 09:40; WMX Race 2 11:10; EMX125 Race 2 12:00; MX2 Race 1 13:10; MXGP Race 1 14:10; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Trentino

It has been a groundbreaking start to the year for Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot as she continues to break records, even six years after being crowned FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion back in 2008. Although the friendly French star had a winter, which was spent between physiotherapy sessions and the rehabilitation center due to a knee reconstruction, Lancelot has some big goals for this year, and has already been able to tick a few boxes.

Starting in the desserts of Qatar, round one of the 2014 FIM WMX World Championship made history being the first ever ‘fly-away’ for the women of motocross. Not only was it the first fly-away, it was also the first night race and also the return of the WMX to the paddock of MXGP after a two-year hiatus. For Lancelot, the night had its ups and downs, although she didn’t feel as prepared as she could have been, the bubbly French lady came away with a respectable second place overall.

While the rest of the WMX riders returned home after round one, Lancelot packed her gear bag and headed for Thailand where the boys of MX2 and MXGP would be contesting round two of their 2014 championship. Unafraid, Lancelot signed herself in, and set out to be the first ever female to score FIM MX2 World Championship points. Although the conditions where challenging with the excessive plus 40 degree heat being a huge factor in the end result, Lancelot toughed it out to come home in 20th and make history as the first ever female to take home FIM MX2 World Championship points.

From Thailand, the flight box of her team, Team One One Four, was shipped to Brazil where MXGP of Brazil was set to take place in glorious Beto Carrero. Lancelot couldn’t bear the thought of her bike being in beautiful brazil without her, so for the second time this year, the uber stylish WMX star lined up to race the boys of MX2.

After bouncing around the globe, taking on the world, Lancelot has returned to her home in France to prepare for round two of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship which is set to take place this weekend in Arco di Trento, Italy.

Check out the footage of Livia’s overseas experiences in the film below.