Rd 8 – AMA Motocross Nationals, Millville, Minnesota
Rd 7 – Canadian Motocross Nationals – Truro, Nova Scotia
Rd 6 – Adrian Flux British FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Cardiff)
Rds 5 and 6 – FIM World Enduro Championships – GP of Portugal
Dan Reardon to Re-New Chad Reed Rivalry
Daniel Reardon has signed up with the MEGA Fuels Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team and will campaign the factory KX450F in the Australian Supercross Championship and a clash with Chad Reed at the AusX Open in Sydney could well reignite a rivalry that started many years ago at Raymond Terrace.
Dan Reardon joins KRT
The 2015 Australian Supercross Champion joins the team on the back of a supercross effort in the USA.
Daniel Reardon
“It’s nice to be back and to be part of a brand that I have had so much success with in the past. I’ve won four championships with Kawasaki and it’s been around ten years since I’ve ridden a Kawasaki so it’s wonderful to be back and to be a part of that again. It was the right time for a change. I know Troy Carroll well and I know the team structure so I wanted to lock in something that I knew would work and that would be flexible. Troy has a strong team and I have my facility for training as well so we have a solid plan in place to be 100% prepared for the Supercross this year. I haven’t ridden a bike for 8 weeks. I’ve been on a different brand and smaller capacity bike so considering that, I’ve adapted a lot quicker than I anticipated to become comfortable on the KX450F. I left the track with a smile on my face. Even though today was my first day on the bike and all went well, we still have a long way to go. There are always challenges with every series and every race. The only way to approach it is to be as prepared as you can be. Dominance, that’s what I want and that’s what I think the team, myself and the KX450F is capable of. We are 12 weeks out so we have plenty of time to prepare properly and I will be comfortable coming into the series.”
Troy Carroll – MEGA Fuels Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team Manager
“Dan Reardon will have a huge impact and we can definitely see him landing the KX450F on the podium many times throughout the Supercross series later this year. We know what Dan is capable of, we know he has a strong work ethic and he is determined, so to say that we are excited would be an understatement.”
Port Macquarie to welcome MX Nats Round 8 decider
This coming weekend the Australian Motul MX Nationals will make its way to Port Macquarie in Northern New South Wales for the first time in the championship’s history, for the eighth round of this year’s series.
More than 100 of the country’s fastest motocross riders as well as event support staff are set to make their way to the coastal town on July 30, filling accommodation venues, restaurants, and injecting local businesses with significant revenue over the action packed weekend.
After seven epic events spanning across four states so far this season, the coastal town of Port Macquarie in Northern New South Wales will have it’s turn to host the action this weekend, and with two championships set to be decided, Round 8 is going to be one of the biggest on this year’s calendar.
Jy Roberts
In the Pirelli MXD class, Husqvarna mounted Jy Roberts currently leads the title chase by a slim five points from Yamalube Yamaha Racing Team’s Cody Dyce, while 67 points behind the lead pair is Queenslander Isaac Ferguson in third with only a single round of racing remaining.
In the Yamaha 125cc Gold Cup category, Cody Mackie (Husqvarna) leads the charge by 16 points from Yamaha’s former Australian Champion Cameron Taylor, while only six points behind him is Kerrod Morrissy, meaning the support class title will go down to the wire this weekend.
Motul MX Nationals Series Promoter Kevin Williams says that his team is excited for the event’s visit to Port Macquarie, and shared that the first of three championships will be decided as part of Round 8 next Sunday.
MX1 Start
Kevin Williams
“It’s been a long time coming, and we’re very excited to finally be heading to Port Macquarie for the eighth round of our Championship next Sunday. Port Macquarie has always been somewhere that we have wanted to take the championship, and this year all of the stars aligned so we’re eager to see how the event is received. We’re looking forward to doing our bit to bring our sport to the people, as well as provide a boost to the area’s local economy. Next weekend we will be wrapping up our first championship, the Pirelli MXD class. This is the first time we’ve concluded the Under 19’s title at Round 8 in a number of years, so it’s very exciting for the fans who are coming along, as they will witness us crowning our first 2017 Champion. We have been very lucky to receive support from the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, and we believe the Motul MX Nationals will be a great event for sports fans, families, children and more.”
ANZACs at the Czech Republic
Jed Beaton, Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence, Emma Milesevic, Courtney Duncan and Madison Brown were all on hand representing the ANZAC spirit at the Czech Republic round of the World Motocross Championship held at Loket last weekend – to see how they all went read the race report below:
Hunter Lawrence with Stefan Everts at Loket
Trey Canard Retired
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team rider Trey Canard announced his retirement from professional racing after a decade of competing at the sport’s highest level.
Trey Canard – Image by Rich Shepherd
The Oklahoma native had a successful amateur career before joining the professional ranks in 2007. From there, Canard went on to capture the 2008 AMA Supercross Lites East Championship and the 2010 AMA Motocross Lites Championship. Additionally, Canard captured a total of five overall wins in the 450 division and 11 wins in the 250 division.
Canard also represented the U.S. Team at the Motocross des Nations in 2010 where he contributed to the team’s incredible championship-winning performance.
Trey Canard
“I love racing and my passion for doing so has not changed, but there comes a time in every racer’s career where you come to the realization that although the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak, and I know in my heart it’s time to call it a day. I’ve had many injuries throughout my career and have always done my best to heal and bounce back. However, I feel I am not able to push myself to the level I need to in order to be competitive at the highest level of racing. I am sad to say goodbye but also extremely grateful and thankful for the last 10 years of my life. I never could have dreamed I’d do the things I’ve been able to do, to live out a childhood dream and meet and become close with so many wonderful fans and industry people. I’m extremely grateful to KTM for the opportunity to work alongside everyone at the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team this last year and I am happy to end my career with the full support of the team. I’ve raced for top manufacturers and teams throughout my career and I’m honoured that they chose me to race for them at the highest level of racing and represent their brands. I can’t say thank you enough to my family and close friends who have been with me since day one and I hope to see everyone at the races for many years to come. This will always be a community that I cherish and feel connected to on so many levels.”
Trey Canard – Image: Simon Cudby
Canard joined the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team in 2017, where he lined up for a total of six AMA Supercross Championship rounds and two Pro Motocross events.
Ian Harrison
“Trey is one of those riders who has always been great to have around. He’s such a nice guy and we have enjoyed his positivity and passion. Unfortunately things didn’t go the way we planned from both sides but we wish Trey nothing but the best, we know he will be successful in whatever he decides to do next.”
RIP Gennadij Moiseev
On Sunday, July 23rd after a long illness three times 250cc Motocross World Champion Gennadij Moiseev passed away at the age of 69. Moiseev was a fierce competitor known for not only his talent on the track but also his fitness and never-say-die attitude that took him to glory in the 1974, 1977 and 1978 250cc World Motocross Championship.
Dunlop Geomax MX3S
RIP Igor Cuharciuc
Young Igor Cuharciuc from Moldova has tragically passed away after crashing heavily during the opening European Motocross 85cc Championship race in Loket, Czech Republic last Saturday.
Cuharciuc sustained serious injuries during the fall before the race was stopped and despite the efforts of the event medical team who were immediately at the scene and the attendance of a helicopter medical team he sadly passed away.
RIP Igor Cuharciuc
As a mark of respect, the European Motocross 85 cc race scheduled for Sunday has been cancelled and Youthstream, the FIM, FIM Europe, ACCR, Motoclub Loket and his fellow competitors and their families extend their condolences to the family, friends and the team of Igor.
Forkner Injured
Austin Forkner suffered a crash while practicing last week and sustained a concussion that forced the Kawasaki pilot to miss round eight of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship at the Spring Creek National on Saturday in Millville, Minnesota last weekend.
Austin Forkner
Glenn Coldenhoff re-signs with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing have confirmed that their current rider roster will remain the same for the 2018 FIM Motocross World Championship after Glenn Coldenhoff signed a contract to compete alongside Tony Cairoli in MXGP next year and on the KTM 450 SX-F.
The 26-year-old Dutchman has already graced the podium of the premier class this term as the squad holds a hefty 91 point lead with Tony Cairoli in control at the top of the MXGP points table and third teammate, Jeffrey Herlings, lies in fourth place, just 5 points from a KTM 1-2.
Coldenhoff has offered solid feedback on the development of the 450 SX-F (all official KTM riders have earned silverware with the motorcycle in 2017) and his working relationship with the entire team has been an important factor in the general high level and performance of the crew in what is arguably the most competitive field seen in MXGP.
Glenn Coldenhoff
“I’m really happy I have the opportunity to stay with KTM for another year. The co-operation within the team is really good and they provide me with the best material, conditions, and circumstances to fulfill the job. I will continue to work with the same people so we can keep on building. I feel like I am still growing as an athlete and a racer, and I’m sure with this team the results will come.”
Glen Coldenhoff
Claudio de Carli – KTM MXGP Team Manager
“We are pleased to continue with Glenn. We have had two positive years with him and have always worked with enthusiasm and great will to improve,” commented MXGP Team Manager Claudio de Carli. Glenn is very well integrated into the team and always ready to work in training, in physical preparation and in bike development. We think that Glenn has the potential to achieve a bit more in terms of results, and our goal is to make him fight for the positions he deserves in Grand Prix. This renewal for a third year means that we trust him, we want to motivate him and the whole team is ready to do their utmost to help him to express and demonstrate his value to KTM. When we signed Glenn we knew we were getting a smart and studious rider and one that would take some time to settle in, find the right feeling with the bike and then push-on,” said KTM Motorsports Director Pit Beirer. “We also knew he would fit well into our factory team and this has been very much the case, so it was easy to imagine Glenn again being part of our plans. We know with three years with Claudio and the boys we’ll be able to see some more of his full potential.”
Australian ATV Nationals To Race At The Iconic Murray Bridge
The Australian ATV Nationals, originally slated to be held from the 23 – 24 September has been rescheduled to September 30 – October 1. In addition, the event will now be held at the famous Murray Bridge SA track, instead of Barmera.
Australian ATV to Murray Bridge
The Australian ATV Nationals is Australia’s premier Quad event. For enthusiasts of four-wheeled dirt action, this is one that simply cant be missed. Quads have been increasing in popularity in recent years and the community eagerly anticipates the event’s return to South Australia.
Australia’s elite quad riders will go head-to-head for champoinship glory. Several competitors that raced in the famous Finke Dessert Race will also take part.
Verity Hendy – President of the Quadriders Association of SA
“We are very excited for the 2017 Australian ATV Nationals, this one-of-kind event will raise the bar for all riders and teams. The event will now race at the excellent Murray Bridge, SA track. We have been there before, everyone knows it and it’s in a great location. Many competitors love it Australia wide, with its great atmosphere and layout. I would like to extend our thanks to the Rural City of Murray Bridge and Council. Their support behind the 2017 event is greatly appreciated. The last time we had the nationals in South Australia, it was the biggest ATV Event in Australia back in 2009. We still hold the attendance record for that. If we can get somewhere near that, it would be phenomenal. South Australia is a very central state, which assists riders to get to the track. We will have quite a few riders coming from a spread of states, including the Northern Territory, WA and Victoria in particular.”
Dunlop Geomax MX3S
2017 MXGP of the USA venue change
Due to an unforeseen impasse between the landowners and event promoter Unlimited Sports, Youthstream has announced the 2017 Monster Energy MXGP of the USA, scheduled for September 2-3 at Gatorback Cycle Park in Gainesville, Florida, will now be held at WW Motocross Park in nearby Jacksonville, Florida.
WW Motocross Park, Jackson, Florida
Fortunately, WW Motocross Park at WW Ranch is ready to host a world-class event. The new facility, which opened in 2013 with a course built by DreamTraxx, was recently rated the #1 Motocross Track in Florida by Moto Playground Magazine.
Located just west of downtown Jacksonville, approximately 51 miles north of Gatorback Cycle Park, WW Motocross Park has a rich Florida sand base and well-crafted obstacles that make it a popular destination for riders all over the Southeast.
FIM Oceania Supermoto Championship Supplementary Regulations released
Motorcycling Australia (MA) is pleased to announce the release of the Official Supplementary Regulations for the FIM Oceania Supermoto Championship in conjunction with Newcastle International Supermoto & World Vets Challenge taking place September 2 – 3 2017.
The Father’s Day weekend event will be held at the famous Newcastle Showground. Non-stop and action-packed racing is scheduled for both days, along with off-track entertainment, including the Flair Riders extreme trial demonstration. A host of talented names and the sport’s greatest champions are set to compete.
FIM Oceania Supermoto Championship Supplementary Regulations released
Classes to race during the event include:
FIM Oceania Supermoto Championship
Newcastle PRO
Newcastle OPEN CLUB
World VETS Challenge
Women’s Open
Postie Bike Challenge
Race of Champions Feature
The 2017 FIM Oceania Supermoto Championship in conjunction with the Newcastle International Supermoto & World Vets Challenge is an exciting format raced on both road and dirt. Not only will the race showcase Australia’s top domestic riders, but also a host of elite international champions as well.
The event is broadcast throughout the world and this year’s event will be live streamed to a global audience. With the inaugural FIM Oceania Supermoto Championship taking place, it wont be one to miss!
Rd 13 – FIM World Motocross Championship – Loket, CZECH REP
The 13th round of the 2017 FIM Motocross World Championship was held in Loket, Czech Republic last weekend and it was the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo of Antonio Cairoli and Pauls Jonass who each took their 6th overall win this season to extend their respective championship leads.
MXGP Start
MX1
Cairoli was again in devastating form with a come from behind third place to Tim Gajser and Clement Desalle in the opening moto but in moto two the Italian won convincingly from Desalle to claim his 83rd career overall and to extend his championship lead to an incredible 92 points.
Tony Cairoli
“I’m really happy to ‘skip’ this GP with a victory. My goal was make the podium because I’ve never had much of a good feeling with this track and I struggled a lot in the past. This year was better because we have been working well lately with the bike and I feel it’s working almost perfectly for me: I enjoy riding. It was also the first time I rode here with the 450 and that was easier than the 350 because I had to be more aggressive and missed the extra torque of the 450 in some parts of the track. I made too many mistakes in the first moto and had some arm-pump and by the time I found a good rhythm then it was a bit too late. Third was OK because the points are important for the championship and that’s what we are looking at now. I’d like to dedicate this victory to Igor Cuharciuc. It was a difficult night for everybody and riding the bike on the spot of the accident was not easy. I want to say we are thinking of the family.”
Antonio Cairoli
Desalle continues to prove himself at the pointy end of the field with the veteran scoring second overall with 2-2 finishes.
Clement Desalle
“Of course it is not a win but twice second is a strong day and a good result. I’m happy I could make today a ‘positive’ because yesterday I had a really bad start in the qualification heat. Together with my team last night we said that the start would be the big key to this GP and I was able to do that in the first and also the second races. I focussed on myself and enjoyed what I could do.”
Clement Desalle
Gajser was wrapped to win the opening moto but the defending champ lost his rhythm in the second moto and had to settle for a third place for third overall.
Tim Gajser
“I am really happy as the weekend has been really positive for me after many weekends struggling. Too now be back on the podium is great, I had a good first heat leading all the race. The second race I took the holeshot and for the first couple of minutes I was feeling great and then made some small mistakes, lost my rhythm and it was not easy to come back from that. I was struggling in the last couple of minutes. All in all, I am happy. It is the first weekend in a long time that I have enjoyed riding the bike, I am going to take all the positives from this weekend, focus on that and bring them to Lommel.”
Tim Gajser
Jeffrey Herlings struggled with poor starts for fourth overall and now sits third in the championship.
Jeffrey Herlings
“The starts cost me the win because both times I was outside the top ten. After the rain it was so tough to pass. [starts] They have cost me a couple of times this year and I’m not sure what to do anymore because we have one of the best bikes and it is something I need to be doing better. Hopefully at Lommel we’ll make it work but the start is a little less important there. I have been very consistent again today and I’m third in the championship now and close to second but it has been a while since I’ve been winning.”
Jeffrey Herlings
MXGP Overall Top Ten
Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 45 points
Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 44 p.
Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 43 p.
Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 36 p.
Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 34 p.
Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 29 p.
Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 27 p.
Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 26 p.
Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 20 p.
Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 19 p.
MXGP Overall Top Ten Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 45 points Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 44 p. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 43 p.
MXGP Championship Top Ten
Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 523 points
Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 431 p.
Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 418 p.
Gautier Paulin (FRA, HUS), 417 p.
Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 353 p.
Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 338 p.
Maximilian Nagl (GER, HUS), 308 p.
Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 294 p.
Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 286 p.
Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 279 p.
MX2
Jonass is looking more like a champion each weekend and his 2-1 results not only scoring the KTM pilot the overall but his points lead over Jeremy Seewer is now up to 47 points
MX2 Start
Pauls Jonass
“I was feeling good all weekend. I didn’t get the best start in the first moto: the track was a bit muddy and it was difficult to make passes. I was struggling in the first laps and it was difficult to pass my teammate. I ran out of tear-offs so it became even more difficult but I still managed to finish second. The second moto start was much better and I made the pass on Jorge quite quickly and could make a gap and control the race. The track was sketchy; slippy in some parts and with traction in others. I ended my season at this track last year and it was really disappointing. I think since that crash I have changed a lot mentally and with my riding style. I am a different rider now and it is a nice feeling to come back and win the overall.”
Pauls Jonass
Seewer struggled in the opening moto to finish in fifth place but in moto two the Suzuki pilot managed to claw his way up to second for second overall on the day.
Jeremy Seewer
“In the first moto I got an ok start and was going around the first corner in fifth position but on the outside. That meant that I got squeezed out, as the leaders slid out in the wet conditions, so a decent start turned into a bad start. In the beginning I could make a lot of passes as there was still rain on the track and there were some lines available, but then it started to dry and it turned into one fast dry line which made it so difficult to pass. With all the roost I ended up running out of tear-offs so I had to take the goggles off and that meant I could only finish fifth as passing any riders was so difficult. In the second race, I changed my start strategy a little bit and lined-up on the inside and it worked really well. I almost made the holeshot and then made some quick passes to get into third, but then I got stuck behind Jorge Prado Garcia almost the entire moto. I ended up crashing because of him as he braked in a corner and I ran into the back of him and Benoit Paturel ran into the back of me. I still came back strong though and passed him eventually to get second position but unfortunately Pauls Jonass was gone by then. The championship isn’t over yet though. Today wasn’t a good day, however there are still plenty of races left and we won’t give up.”
Jeremy Seewer
Thomas Covington won Saturday’s qualifying race as well as moto one on Sunday so it was all looking good for the Yank until he crashed early in moto two which saw the Husqvarna rider forced to pass all of his way up to 10th place, one place behind the Aussie duo of Jed Beaton and Hunter Lawrence.
Thomas Covington
“I had some ups and downs so it’s quite good I got a spot on the podium. Getting third in the qualifying moto I was confident I could do even better in the final motos. I got a good start in race one and found myself following Garcia in second. I wanted to make a quick pass and I managed to pull it off. Then I kept my head down and tried to avoid mistakes. I pushed hard for the next couple of laps and got myself a clear gap for the win. With all that rain on Sunday morning the track was quite tricky. I had some bad luck in moto two as I got tangled up with some other riders right after the start. I re-joined the race from the back of the pack and slowly brought myself up to 10th. I’m happy with the podium and I’m already looking forward to Lommel.”
Thomas Covington
As for Lawrence, the Suzuki pilot returned to action after missing out on the last GP with an injury so two top ten finishes is a more than satisfactory result.
Hunter Lawrence
“I got out of the gate quite well in the first moto but lost ground in the first corner and had to work my way up from outside the top 20. I got back to eighth and I was happy with that, I was feeling good, especially considering it was my first race back and my first 30 minutes plus two in the last five weeks. In the second moto I had a similar start which made my life a bit harder but I got to work and passed as many guys as I could and finished eighth again. After that I was completely finished as it’s so hard to come back to racing GPs with such little seat-time under my belt. I almost didn’t ride this weekend as I thought I’d embarrass myself so I’m delighted to have got two top-10 results and it gives me a great platform for the upcoming rounds where I’ll hopefully be much stronger.”
Hunter Lawrence
Beaton usually races for Carglass Honda in the EMX250 class but has been drafted into the HRC team for the Czech, Lommel and Assen GPs and the Aussie didn’t let the team down with 14-9 finishes for 12th outright on the day.
Jed Beaton
“Today was a good day for me. Like I said I wanted to improve every time I rode and that is exactly what I did this weekend. I know I just need to improve my starts as I didn’t have a good gate today and as a result I had to put in a lot of extra work to get the results. In the first race, I had to lose my goggles 15 minutes into the race but the race was not so bad. The second race the track had dried out and it was so much better and it was a better result. I just tried to ride consistently ride and maintain my speed and positions.”
Jed Beaton – Image by Bavo
MX2 Overall Top Ten
Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 47 points
Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 38 p.
Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 36 p.
Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 35 p.
Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 35 p.
Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 32 p.
Hunter Lawrence (AUS, SUZ), 26 p.
Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 26 p.
Marshal Weltin (USA, KAW), 20 p.
Conrad Mewse (GBR, HUS), 20 p.
Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 19p.
Jed Beaton (AUS, Honda), 19p.
MX2 Overall Top Ten Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 47 points Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 38 p. Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 36 p.
MX2 Championship Top Ten
Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), 548 points
Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 501 p.
Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 403 p.
Benoit Paturel (FRA, YAM), 398 p.
Julien Lieber (BEL, KTM), 374 p.
Thomas Covington (USA, HUS), 339 p.
Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 273 p.
Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 268 p.
Brent Van doninck (BEL, YAM), 226 p.
Hunter Lawrence (AUS, SUZ), 225 p.
WMX – Round 4
The Women’s Motocross World Class was the first on the tricky Loket circuit this weekend for the 4th round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship and it was Kiwi Courtney Duncan who took out the overall and now leads the championship with two rounds remaining.
The first race of the weekend was Saturday where Shana Van der Vlist lead the early laps but she dropped positions starting on lap 4 to the heavy hitters and title contenders of Kiara Fontanesi, Courtney Duncan, and Livia Lancelot.
Courtney Duncan
Courtney Duncan had an incredible race coming from 8th position on the first lap to a make a well timed pass on Kiara Fontanesi only two corners before the finish and win.
Following the top two was Nancy Van De Ven who briefly ran second after she passed a struggling Livia Lancelot. At the finish Larissa Papenmeier rounded out the top 5 just ahead of KTM Silver Action’s Amandine Verstappen while the Aussie duo of Madison Brown and Emma Milesevic ended the moto in 12th and 14th respectively.
Sunday’s race two started with a holeshot from Verstappen who was chased by Duncan and after patiently following Verstappen for the first half of the race Duncan lost traction in a corner and went down, and while she didn’t lose the position she did drop 16 seconds off of the lead.
Behind Duncan and Verstappen, it was Fontanessi charging forward from a 6th on the first lap to the back wheel of Livia Lancelot in 3rd. The two prior champions eventually came together after Fontanesi’s inside line faded to the outside and into Lancelot.
With both Lancelot and Fontanesi going down Nancy Van de Ven and Nicky Van Wordragen capitalized by taking over 3rd and 4th. The #114 and #8 both managed to keep their bikes running and each remounted to finish 5th and 6th with Lancelot ahead of Fontanesi. Up front Amandine Verstappen lead every lap and took her first ever race win good enough for 2nd overall.
Courtney Duncan finished second in race two but more importantly grabbed the overall and takes the championship lead with only two rounds remaining this season. The final overall podium spot went to Nancy Van De Ven with Brown and Milesevic coming home in more than credible 11th and 12th positions for 10th and 14th outright on the day.
Courtney Duncan
“I got a terrible start actually and got pushed wide on the first corner and had to come from really far back. In my sighting lap I knew that it was really slippery, so I knew I just had to be patient on the first opening laps so I didn’t risk any passes on the other riders. I found my way to fourth and then just took it from there.”
Duncan Courtney
From third place and seven points off the lead at the start of the weekend, Duncan is now on top and three points clear of Fontanesi, with Lancelot now third, four points further back. Duncan now looks ahead to the fifth and penultimate round of the championships, the Dutch GP at Assen, in The Netherlands, on September 10.
WMX Overall Top 10
Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 47 points
Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 40
Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 40
Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 37
Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 34
Nicky van Wordragen (NED, YAM), 32
Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 26
Emelie Dahl (SWE, YAM), 24
Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 23
Madison Brown (AUS, YAM), 19
WMX Championship Top 10
Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 155 points
Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 152
Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 148
Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 143
Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 122
Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 121
Nicky van Wordragen (NED, YAM), 119
Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 89
Francesca Nocera (ITA, SUZ), 77
Virginie Germond (SUI, YAM), 70
EMX65 – Championship Round
After a series of regional qualifying races held throughout Europe earlier this year, Mads Fredsoe Sorensen was crowned as the 2017 EMX65 European Champion at the Czech GP where this weekend’s racing was the pinnacle of the season and the lone championship decider.
This weekend was also scheduled to host the EMX85 Championship Final but it was cancelled after a red flag incident resulted in the tragic loss of the young Moldovian rider Igor Cuharciuc.
In the EMX65 race one on Saturday the two Dutch youngsters Ivano Van Erp and Damian Knuiman joined early race leader, Jaka Peklaj in a three way battle as Sorensen sat close behind in fourth and after a jaw dropping final lap Van Erp and his 65cc KTM took the race win one narrowly ahead of Knuiman with Sorensen taking a close third.
Race two was held after an early rain so the soil was quite soft but it didn’t stop the young gladiators from railing around the circuit. Mads Fredsoe Sorensen started third but passed Julius Mikula and Damian Knuman like a veteran before going on to take the win ahead of Czech rider Mikula and Knuman who held on to finish 3rd in the race but second in the championship and overall.
Race 1 winner Ivano Van Erp started 26th but with his never give up attitude he came back to finish 10th and reach the Championship podium!
EMX65 Podium – Loket
EMX65 Overall Top 10
Mads Fredsoe Sorensen (DEN, KTM), 45 points
Damian Knuiman (NED, HUS), 42
Ivano Van Erp (NED, KTM), 36
Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), 35
Maksymilian Chwalik (POL, KTM), 34
Antonio Gallego Ramos (ESP, KTM), 31
Noel Zanocz (HUN, HUS), 24
Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, HUS), 21
Aleh Makhnou (BLR, KTM), 19
Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 16
EMX65 Championship Top 10
Mads Fredsoe Sorensen (DEN, KTM), 45 points
Damian Knuiman (NED, HUS), 42
Ivano Van Erp (NED, KTM), 36
Julius Mikula (CZE, KTM), 35
Maksymilian Chwalik (POL, KTM), 34
Antonio Gallego Ramos (ESP, KTM), 31
Noel Zanocz (HUN, HUS), 24
Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, HUS), 21
Aleh Makhnou (BLR, KTM), 19
Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 16
Dunlop Geomax MX3S
Rds 9 and 10 – AORC – Kyogle, NSW
Rounds nine and ten of the AORC was held in Kyogle last weekend and it was Wil Ruprecht who dominated both days in the E1 class while Daniel Milner and Lachlan Stanford did the same in the E2 and E3 classes as Fraser Higlett and Michael Driscoll swapped wins in the EJ class.
Daniel Milner
Daniel Miler won the overall on both day while Jack Simpson was back in action after his pre-Finke mega crash with the former motocross star earning 2-3 results in the E1 class.
The final two rounds of the AORC will be held at Omeo, VIC over the weekend of the 5th and 6th of August.
E1 Provisional Saturday Results
Wil Ruprecht – 59:46.196
Jack Simpson – 1:00:51.240
Brad Hardaker – 1:01:42.568
Geoff Braico – 1:03:16.087
Baylee Davies – 1:03:58.149
Andrew Janke – 1:05:33.194
Krisian Sprenger – 1:06:54.614
Mackenzie Bowser – 1:07:39.001
Dan Gordon – 1:08:25.484
Nathan Watson – 1:08:35.568
Wil Ruprecht
E1 Provisional Sunday Results
Wil Ruprecht – 53:46.953
Scott Keegan – 54:59.367
Jack Simpson – 55:56:454
Brad Hardaker – 56:29.806
Geoff Braico – 56:55.191
Baylee Davies – 57:44.637
Andrew Janke – 59:32.656
Kristian Sprenger – 59:55.871
Mackenzie Bowser – 1:02:02.068
Nathan Watson – 1:02:43.495
E2 Provisional Saturday Results
Daniel Milner – 57:48.113
Josh Green – 59:17.513
Riley Graham – 1:00:57.355
Stefan Granquist – 1:01:42.625
Andrew Wilksch – 1:02:49.563
Kane Hall – 1:03:04.333
Kaleb Treasure – 1:03:52.685
Matt Murry – 1:04:49.469
Cameron Binstead – 1:07:10.659
Brodie Crane – 1:07:40.341
Daniel Milner
E2 Provisional Sunday Results
Daniel Milner – 52:45.452
Josh Green – 53:57.707
Riley Graham – 54:48.036
Stefan Granquist – 55:47.066
Andrew Wilksch – 56:35.178
Kane Hall – 57:23.167
Kaleb Treasure – 58:46.739
Matt Murry – 58:53.694
Brodie Crane – 1:00:10.504
Casey Treasure – 1:01:06.822
E3 Provisional Saturday Results
Lachlan Stanford – 59:15.472
Lyndon Snodgrass – 1:00:43.621
Tom Mason – 1:02:40.324
Jesse Lawton – 1:03:28.422
Hayden Conroy – 1:05:43.329
Steven Braico – 1:13:25.577
Bill Everingham – 1:14:09.542
Matthew Adcock – 1:19:01.884
Sam Quin – 1:21:21.690
Kaleb Drake – 3:20:04.552
Lachlan Stanford
E3 Provisional Sunday Results
Lachlan Stanford – 53:41.862
Lyndon Snodgrass – 54:49.377
Jesse Lawton – 57:26.909
Tom Mason – 57:54.100
Hayden Conroy – 58:50.964
Bill Everingham – 1:06:32.137
Matthew Adcock – 1:11:32.892
Steven Braico – 3:07:17.648
Sam Quin – 2:44:26.995
EJ Provisional Saturday Results
Fraser Higlett – 1:00:49.100
Michael Driscoll – 1:01:18.769
Nic Tomlinson – 1:03:09:870
Dalton Johnson – 1:03:49.059
Harry Teed – 1:04:00.424
Wes Keeley – 1:04:04.007
Lachlan Allan – 1:04:52.606
Hayden Keeley – 1:04:56.402
Jaiden Treasure – 1:05:06.692
Kade Dorrington – 1:05:10.773
Michael Driscoll
Transmoto EJ Provisional Sunday Results
Michael Driscoll – 55:26.110
Fraser Higlett – 55:45.937
Nic Tomlinson – 56:18.174
Dalton Johnson – 57:50.623
Wes Keeley – 57:51.807
Kade Dorrington – 58:38.480
Lachlan Allan – 59:10.008
Harry Teed – 59:14.843
Hayden Keely – 59:30.245
Neil Collard – 1:00:01.556
Rd 8 – AMA Motocross Nationals, Millville, Minnesota
Marvin Musquin and Joey Savatgy have won the 450 and 250 classes respectively at round eight of the AMA Motocross Championship held at the famous Millville Circuit in Minnesota last weekend.
450 Class
Marvin Musquin didn’t get to see the action behind him as he led all of the opening moto and all but the opening lap of the second moto while arch rival and championship leader Eli Tomac suffered from several crashes and poor starts throughout the day.
The first career 1-1 effort by Musquin gave him his second career 450 Class overall win, and his first since the second round of the season at Glen Helen.
Marvin Musquin
“Today the track was just really technical and challenging. Being able to go 1-1 is a dream come true to me right now. I tried to get out front early, get a clear track, and stay out of the roost. When you’re in the lead it helps so much and that is exactly what we were able to do today. I’ve been doing a lot of rehab on my knee injury and I’m slowly beginning to get it strong and get my confidence back.”
Marvin Musquin
The big surprise of the day was Dean Wilson who fought tooth and nail to earn 3-3 results for second overall.
Dean Wilson
“I had a really good day, I am really happy. I got a really good start in the opening moto but I was struggling with my rhythm and flow, somehow I managed to hold on to third then again in the second moto I got a ripper start which I was really happy about so I just settled into a pace that wasn’t that great but it was good enough for another third.”
Dean Wilson
Tomac’s ability to rebound from his crashes was enough to place him third overall (2-5).
Eli Tomac
“When I went down I was just trying to get back to my bike as quickly as I could. Luckily it happened on the first lap, which gave me time to try and make my way back through the field. I had a second crash when I ran into the back of another riders tire, so that set us back even more. I was able to make it back to fifth and that ended up being better than I was expecting I could do. The track was tough today. It was tough to find a flow with the spongy dirt.”
Eli Tomac
Tomac’s podium effort ultimately added an additional point to his lead in the championship standings, which now sits at 20-points over Baggett, who finished fourth (6-2), in second. Musquin maintains his hold on third in the standings, gaining 12-points on Tomac to sit 60 points out of the lead.
450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM (1-1)
Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Husqvarna (3-3)
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (2-5)
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (6-2)
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (4-9)
Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Suzuki (5-8)
Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Husqvarna (11-4)
Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda (8-6)
Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda (7-7)
Fredrik Noren, Lidkoping, Sweden, Honda (13-10)
450 Class Championship Standings
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 329 Points
Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 309 Points
Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM – 269 Points
Dean Wilson, Glasgow, Scotland, Husqvarna – 238 Points
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna – 216 Points
Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda – 192 Points
Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Suzuki – 188 Points
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 177 Points
Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Suzuki – 172 Points
Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Husqvarna – 170 Points
250 Class
Despite a plethora of action packed racing the biggest drama in the 250 class was Zach Osborne riding around with a blown radiator hose in the opening moto and once the steam stopped and the Husqvarna ran out of water with five laps remaining it was a gamble s to whether the bike would last the distance or not.
Joey Savatgy
With Savatgy a mile out front to take an easy win Osbourne was able to limp over the line in eighth place but in moto two Osbourne scorched his way around the tricky layout to take the win and salvage the final podium position behind Savatgy and Alex Martin.
The 1-2 effort by Savatgy helped him capture his sixth career victory, followed by local hero Martin, whose 2-4 moto scores were good enough for second overall.
Joey Savatgy
“I felt really good today. It’s obviously easy to say that when you win, but I haven’t felt this strong in a while. I did some testing with the team in Florida during the break and it seems to have paid off. It’s important to feel one with the bike, and the team did a great job to get me comfortable. It was really hot and muggy today, almost like another day of training in Florida. I’m headed in the right direction and look forward to contending for some more wins from here on out.”
Joey Savatgy
Despite his troubles in the first moto, Osborne’s triumph in Moto 2 helped him complete the overall podium in third (8-1). “I was pretty nervous in the first moto with the bike issue that we had,” said Osborne.
Zach Osborne
“Fortunately, I was able to salvage some points and had some luck that my bike lasted until the finish. To get an eighth under those circumstances, I’ll take it. The second moto I was able to go out and run my pace, which I felt was pretty good, and came through for the win. All in all it feels good to have minimized the damage and keep the points lead.”
Zach Osborne – Image by Jeff Kardas
Osborne continues to hold the red plate as championship leader, holding a 43-point advantage over Alex Martin, who sits in second. Jeremy Martin used a fourth-place finish (4-5) to maintain third in the standings, trailing his brother by 20-points.
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Kawasaki (1-2)
Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., KTM (2-4)
Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (8-1)
Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda (4-5)
Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (6-6)
The 2017 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will return to action next Saturday, July 29, for the ninth round of the season at Washougal MX Park in Washougal, Washington.
Dunlop Geomax MX3S
Rd 7 – Canadian Motocross Nationals – Truro, Nova Scotia
Dillan Epstein and Jess Pettis have up-staged the established stars to win the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively at round seven of the Canadian Motocross Championships held in Truro last weekend.
Dillan Epstein
MX1
Epstein won the opening moto from Mike Alessi, championship leader Matt Goerke and Christophe Pourcel and in the second moto Epstein this time got the win over Goerke and Kyle Chisolm while Pourcel looked like his was going to finish in second before being passed late in the race by Goerke.
Christophe crossed the finish line in third but was assessed a 5-position penalty for not showing up to the podium after the moto. He ended up sixth overall.
Thanks to Pourcel’s misdemeanour Goerke now holds a 19 point lead in the championship.
MX1 Round 7 Results
Dillan Epstein (Kaw) 1-1
Matt Goerke (Yam) 3-2
Mike Alessi (Kaw) 2-6
Kyle Chisholm (Hon) 7-3
Tyler Medaglia (Hon) 5-4
Christophe Pourcel (Hus) 4-8
Colton Facciotti (Hon) 9-5
Tim Tremblay (Yam) 8-7
Nathan Bles (Hon) 10-9
Brock Leitner (Kaw) 11-10
Matt Goerke
MX1 Point Standings 2017 after 7 Rounds
Matt Goerke (Yam) 368
Christophe Pourcel (Hus) 349
Colton Facciotti (Hon) 326
Mike Alessi (Kaw) 316
Tyler Medaglia (Hon) 311
Dillan Epstein (Kaw) 309
Kyle Chisholm (Hon) 254
Tim Tremblay (Yam) 232
Cade Clason (KTM) 213
Nathan Bles (Hon) 195
MX2
Shawn Maffenbeier won the opening moto over Pettis and Dylan Wright but in the second moto Pettis got the win from Jacob Hayes and Wright while Maffenbeier’s Yamaha stopped in moto two while he was making his way towards the lead – the new championship leader un-plugged the heat sensor and ended the race in 24th for 8th overall and thanks to Thompson pulling out of the series and Osby crashing out of moto two Maffenbeier now leads the championship by 19 points.
Shawn Maffenbeier
After going out in practice and completing only one lap, KTM Canada Thor Racing’s Cole Thompson called it quits for the season. After the race, Thompson announced that he will have surgery to fix the ligaments in his thumb that he injured during Round 6. Up until last weekend, Thompson was having another great season and was in a good position to repeat as MX2 Champion in 2017.
Redemption Racing KTM’s Josh Osby came into Round 7 only nine points back of the series lead and had a lot of momentum after earning his first moto win of his career at Round 6. Osby qualified third and struggled to finish eighth in the first moto.
After grabbing the holeshot in Moto 2, Josh led for 10 laps before colliding with Wright over the finish line jump and going down hard in a violent crash that forced him to be taken to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with a lacerated liver.
Jess Pettis
MX2 Round 7 Results
Jess Pettis (Yam) 2-1
Jacob Hayes (Kaw) 4-2
Dylan Wright (Hon) 3-3
Ryan Surratt (Kaw) 7-4
Tanner Ward (KTM) 5-6
Bobby Piazza (Hus) 6-7
Davey Fraser (Hus) 15-5
Shawn Maffenbeier (Yam) 1-24
Casey Keast (Yam) 13-8
Jason Benny (Kaw) 12-11
MX2 Point Standings 2017 after 7 Rounds
Shawn Maffenbeier (Yam) 328
Josh Osby (KTM) 307
Ryan Surratt (Kaw) 300
Cole Thompson (KTM) 298
Dylan Wright (Hon) 295
Jacob Hayes (Kaw) 236
Casey Keast (Yam) 229
Davey Fraser (Hus) 213
Jess Pettis (Yam) 205
Hayden Halstead (Yam) 204
Rd 6 – British FIM Speedway Grand Prix (Cardiff)
Polish star Maciej Janowski has scored back-to-back SGP wins after storming to victory in the Adrian Flux British FIM Speedway Grand Prix in Cardiff ahead of World Championship leader Jason Doyle, Matej Zagar and Bartosz Zmarzlik.
Jason Doyle on the SGP podium
Doyle on 78 points now has a three-point cushion at the top of the championship while Janowski overhauled compatriot Patryk Dudek for second place by virtue of his superior 2016 ranking, with the pair tied on 75.
And in turn Janowski and Dudek are now holding a 17-point advantage over Fredrik Lindgren in fourth place, the top three are setting a blistering pace with six rounds still to go.
Despite firing himself firmly into the title picture, Janowski knows there is still much work to do.
Maciej Janowski
“I think we’ll all try and win it. But we still have six rounds to finish. Maybe someone else will fight for the gold in the end? All I know is I’m working hard at the moment and I’ll work even harder. We’ll see what happens next. We all know how it is in speedway. We can be so confident, but I need to stay focused and keep working hard. For now everything works. I need to keep that up and work a bit harder.”
Jason Doyle was pleased to have ground a podium out of another night that started on the wrong foot – having scored just a point in his first ride, before falling in the next. Doyle was delighted to extend his lead to three points.
Jason Doyle
“Apart from Horsens, I’ve started a couple of GPs not very well and I have really been digging deep. After the first couple of rides, I barely had any points and had to do it the hard way. I snuck into the semis again and fair play to Magic and Zagar. They were also good tonight. They had all the lines sorted out. I’m really happy with performance. I did it for everyone watching in my box. I thought I’d be sitting out of the semis, so I’m very happy with where I ended up. It’s a long way to go this season – there are another six GPs. It doesn’t matter where you stand at the moment. You just need to bang those points in and see where you stand at the end of the season. We’re all going to be pushing hard – it’s the GPs. It’s tough racing.”
Third-placed Zagar was pleased to put his season firmly on track with a 12-point haul that leaves him ninth in the standings – just one point off the top eight and 10 away from fourth place.
Matej Zagar
“It’s very tough out there and you have to get everything right to be successful. I’m in a much better position now than I was at the beginning of the season. I’m pleased with that. I would just like to say the future is bright!”
World champion Greg Hancock withdrew from the meeting after heat one. He initially dislocated his shoulder when he fell down the stairs at his home in Sweden, and was unable to continue after it popped out during practice on Friday and on the first lap of heat one.
Chris Holder scored 10 points on the night and now sits 11 overall, just five points out of the all-important 8th place in the series.
Next up is the Teng Tools Swedish SGP in Malilla on August 12.
British SGP Scores
Maciej Janowski 17,
Jason Doyle 13,
Matej Zagar 12,
Bartosz Zmarzlik 16,
Emil Sayfutdinov 11,
Peter Kildemand 10,
Patryk Dudek 10,
Chris Holder 10,
Tai Woffinden 9,
Niels-Kristian Iversen 7,
Fredrik Lindgren 7,
Antonio Lindback 7,
Martin Vaculik 4,
Josh Bates 2,
Craig Cook 2,
Piotr Pawlicki 1,
Adam Ellis 0,
Greg Hancock 0.
FIM Speedway World Championship Standings
Jason Doyle 78,
Maciej Janowski 75,
Patryk Dudek 75,
Fredrik Lindgren 58,
Emil Sayfutdinov 58,
Tai Woffinden 57,
Bartosz Zmarzlik 55,
Martin Vaculik 49,
Matej Zagar 48,
Greg Hancock 45,
Chris Holder 44,
Dunlop Geomax MX3S
Rds 5 and 6 – FIM World Enduro Championships – GP of Portugal
EnduroGP points leader Steve Holcombe has extended his championship lead at the 5th and 6th rounds of FIM World Enduro held in Portugal last weekend while in the Enduro 2 class Josep Garcia claimed a double runner-up result to maintain a narrow lead over Jamie McCanney in the point’s standings.
Steve Holcombe (Beta)
EnduroGP
Nathan Watson dominated the first day of competition, winning seven of the nine special tests but the Poms hopes of a double EnduroGP class win were ended when he damaged his gear shift lever in the extreme test on lap two of day two.
Nathan Watson
Forced to replace the shifter inside the special test and with the clock ticking, Nathan lost more than four minutes and despite bouncing back to win the very next enduro test the KTM rider would end the day in 6th place.
Nathan Watson
“I guess you could say I had good speed but some bad luck this weekend. Obviously, day one was amazing. I liked the look of the special tests before the race and felt really comfortable on them. Day one was almost perfect, and to win by more than one-minute was amazing. Despite waking up feeling a little tired I was confident of a good result on day two. Winning the first test by nearly ten seconds was great. I went into the enduro test and dropped it twice ending up stalling my bike both times, which was really disappointing. I made up for the lost time in the motocross test and got back to within a couple of seconds of Steve Holcombe, who was leading. Unfortunately, in the second extreme test I caught a rock and ripped my gear lever clean off, with the bike stuck in neutral. After losing so much time fitting a new gear lever it was hard to concentrate for the rest of the day and I ended up making more mistakes. I know my speed was good, I just wasn’t able to get the day two result I feel I should have.”
Holcombe on the other hand kept himself in check with a steady third place on the opening day behind Watson and defending champion Matthew Phillips but on day two the Beta pilot took full advantage of the conditions to take the win over Christophe Charlier and Phillips to now sit 37 points ahead of Loic Larrieu in the points.
Steve Holcombe (Beta)
Christophe Charlier
“This was a really difficult GP for me. After breaking my hand, I hadn’t had that much time on the bike, so I felt a bit tired, especially going into day two. I was suffering with some pain yesterday and had to take some medication to see me through to the end of the day. Today I took the medication beforehand and I felt stronger all day. To get my third podium is great and I’m really happy with my riding. I think, given more time on the bike, I could have challenged for the win today. It’s been a very positive GP.”
Christophe Charlier
EnduroGP – Day 1
Nathan Watson (KTM) 1:12:26.83
Matthew Phillips (Sherco) 1:13:50.33
Steve Holcombe (Beta) 1:13:51.49
Loic Larrieu (Yamaha) 1:14:09.32
Christophe Charlier (Husqvarna) 1:14:16.49
Jaume Betriu (KTM) 1:14:36.57
Christophe Nambotin (KTM) 1:15:45.48
EnduroGP – Day 2
Steve Holcombe (Beta) 1:14:26.51
Christophe Charlier (Husqvarna) 1:14:30.24
Matthew Phillips (Sherco) 1:14:40.29
Loic Larrieu ( Yamaha) 1:14:45.42
Jaume Betriu (KTM) 1:15:04.54
Nathan Watson (KTM) 1:18:50.72
EnduroGP Podium – Portugal 2017
EnduroGP – Championship Points (after round 6)
Steve Holcombe (Beta) 259 points
Loic Larrieu (Yamaha) 222
Matt Phillips (Sherco) 202
Nathan Watson (KTM) 200
Christophe Nambotin (KTM) 180
Jaume Betriu (KTM) 139
Enduro 2
Garcia was locked in an intense two-rider battle with friend and championship rival Jamie McCanney on day one with McCanney taking the win by 23 seconds but on day two Garcia came out swinging by winning four special tests but once again McCanney proved his liking for the dusty conditions to win the remaining tests and score another win while earning 50 valuable championship points to reduce the gap to Garcia to just six points.
Jamie McCanney
Aussie Daniel Sanders had an up and down weekend but managed two top ten finishes and now sits sixth in the championship points.
Jamie McCanney
“We had a great battle with Josep Garcia throughout the weekend and I’m so happy I secured two victories. From the first to the last test on both days there was no room to relax – I had to give my best in every single corner. I was feeling confident so kept my head down and tried to avoid mistakes. I was probably a little bit too cautious in the short extreme test, but my speed was very good in the enduro test and the cross test. Overall, it was a tough weekend and the tests were pretty long. But I proved I’ve done my homework. I’m so happy with how things turned out in Portugal. The gap to Josep, who’s leading the championship, is now down to six points. With two more rounds to go anything can happen.”
Jamie McCanney
Josep Garcia
“The weekend has been really tough for me. Battling with Jamie means I’m riding on the limit the whole time. I fell on the first extreme and the second enduro test and it was hard to catch back to Jamie on day one. I made a few more mistakes on day two and felt more tired. Despite that, I am happy with my speed and was able to win a few tests. I just need to work on my consistency, concentrate on that and continue to work hard with the team before the next round.”
Josep Garcia
Daniel Sanders
“I got through this weekend ok, but it wasn’t what I was hoping for. I arrived in Portugal still nursing a sore head after a crash at a desert race back home in Australia. Unfortunately, a mistake early on day one caused damage to my clutch, which put me on the back foot from the off. I didn’t really take to the tests here in Portugal. I feel I’m better suited to the tougher style of enduro tests – this was too fast, too straightforward. We’ll work hard and see what the next round brings.”
Riding and reviewing motorcycles for some time now, Kris writes for MCNews from time to time while also being an awesome all-rounder helping to keep the site content flowing.
