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Moto News Weekly Wrap
June 11, 2024

What’s New:

• David Walsh claims King of the Desert at Finke
• Trackmasters Meeting this Saturday
• Marc-Antoine Rossi injury update
• FIM Bajas World Cup calendar update
• Andorra Trial GP
• EMX125 Report – MXGP of Latvia
• EMX250 Report – MXGP of Latvia
• MXGP of Latvia – Kegums – Round Nine Wrap
• Desafío Ruta 40 Wrap
• Pro MX Thunder Valley National Round Three Wrap
• 2024 Racing Calendars

David Walsh claims King of the Desert at Finke

Alice Springs desert racing legend David Walsh etched his name in the Tatts Finke Desert Race history books by claiming his fifth-consecutive ‘King of the Desert’ crown in 2024, equalling the longest-ever win streak, and that was despite starting behind his main rivals after a third-placed Prologue on Saturday, powering through the gruelling 226 km stage from Alice Springs to Finke.

Walsh’s blistering time of 1h47m36.812s saw him chase down the riders ahead of him, then build a comfortable 2m47s buffer over fellow KTM contender, Callum Norton (STE Racing).

Equipped with the 2024 KTM 500 EXC-F, 34-year-old Walsh played a smart return leg back to Alice Springs, as his nearest competitors tried to close the gap.

When both stages were tallied, Walsh finished with a time of 3h38m12s, just 47 seconds ahead of second-placed Norton. KTM filled four of the top five overall positions for the weekend.

Walsh’s victory saw him equal Randall Gregory’s five-year domination achieved between 1991 to 1995, and has managed to continue his remarkable record of finishing on the podium at every Finke he’s completed since 2012.

David Walsh

“Being a local and growing up watching Finke, I never thought I’d be lucky enough to win it once and now I’ve won it five times in a row. I feel very honoured to match Randall Gregory’s record – he was an idol of mine growing up. I honestly thought the boys had my number this year, and I was a bit concerned when my cousin [Liam] set a blistering Prologue time. Yesterday, I put my head down and went hard for the first 70 km and caught the boys, then was able to relax and cruise it into Finke. Today I knew they were going to be charging to get me, but I just had to get through all the big stuff and make sure I stayed safe. There’s a lot of nasty stuff out there, but that’s Finke, and that’s what makes it the best race in the country.”

Meanwhile, HMG Motorsport KTM teammate Liam Walsh’s weekend got off to a flying start when he logged the fastest Prologue time aboard his 500 EXC-F. That meant he started the opening leg of the desert race at the front of the pack.

Unfortunately, after getting chased down by his cousin David, and Norton, the 23-year-old endured a big crash just before the first refuel station and his promising weekend ended with a fractured wrist.

Liam Walsh

“The event started really well for me. The aim was to go out and do a smooth, clean lap in Prologue, and that’s what I did. I had the same aim coming into Saturday, but it ended badly. David passed us at about the 70km mark and I pulled back to give myself some room. Then I started to catch Callum again, and I think I just got a bit excited. I got into a bit of dust and lost control in some deep whoops about 500m before the refuel station. It was a pretty big, fifth-gear crash and I ended up with a fractured wrist. We’ll find out next week if I need surgery, but at a minimum I’m out for six weeks and will miss Hattah. I should be back in time for the Don River Dash in September, though. It was a disappointing end to this year’s race, but I’ll look at the big picture – I’m only 23, so I’ve still got plenty of Finke years ahead of me.”

Honda’s Brodie Waters won the 450 class, competing against 90 other competitors, returning to Alice Springs first outright in class. Mitchell Outram and Jack Colbert rounded out the 450 top three.

Brodie Waters

“At times I rode too conservatively. The road to Finke and back is unforgiving, and I didn’t want to make a mistake. Our goal was to win the 450 class, where I faced the most competitors. I was patient because I knew what was at stake. The Honda was flawless, beating larger capacity bikes and winning the class. I am so happy for Honda and our sponsors; this was a team effort.”

Honda also captured second place in the women’s class with Taylah Maurice. Last year’s Queen of the Desert took an unfortunate fall on her return to Alice but, with grit and determination, was able to remount and finish second against a field of 19 women racers, Madi Healey taking the win and Emma Haylock third.

2024 Finke Desert Race – Bike Results

1. David Walsh (HMG Motorsport KTM) 3h38m12.583s
2. Callum Norton (STE Racing KTM) 3h38m59.445s
3. Korey McMahon (GASGAS) 3h40m04.161s
4. Corey Hammond (KTM) 3h44m46.484s
5. Luke Hayes (KTM) 3h47m23.716s

Trackmasters Meeting this Saturday

The 2024 staging of the annual Trackmasters motorcycle meeting will be staged as a one-day meeting at the Barleigh Ranch Raceway this Saturday (June 15).

After first being staged at the Newcastle Showground in 1989 the Trackmasters has become a feature on the race calendar and in recent years the awarding of several significant trophies has added to the importance of the meeting.

While numbers are down in some classes the Hunter Motor Cycle Club has been able to fit the 79–event programme into a big day of racing on Saturday. The quality of the entry list is evident which should ensure some great battles in all classes of racing.

Riders in the Trackmasters Unlimited class will be competing for the Rod Allen Memorial Trophy, awarded in memory of the man who was for many years the voice of dirt track and speedway commentary across the state.

Cody Lewis is the only previous winner racing on Saturday, and as the winner of the Central Coast Cup last month he will be one of the favourites. There is certain to be plenty of opposition though from the likes of Connor Ryan, Luke Bush, Canberra rider Michael Price and a bunch of teenagers Brayden Gay, Thoren Openshaw, Cody Wilby and Jett Carter.

The top four from the Unlimited class, plus one additional rider nominated by the club, will then contest a series of match races for the Max Toth Golden Helmet.

The Golden Helmet honours a life member of the Wallsend Motor Cycle Club and was first awarded in 1965.

The inaugural secretary of the Raymond Terrace Motorcycle Club which later became part of the Hunter Motor Cycle Club, Don Begley, is honoured with the trophy for the sliders class.

The Junior Trackmasters for the 13 to Under 16 year olds has also attracted an evenly matched line-up with riders from Sydney, Gunnedah, the Central Coast and Albury coming to take on the locals. The younger age groups have among them plenty of talented youngsters, including several who have championship wins on the board.

Barleigh Ranch is a great venue where fans can take in the entire track and they can see the action for a $20 admission charge per car. Practice starts at 9am on Saturday.

Marc-Antoine Rossi injury update

Marc-Antoine Rossi will put his 2024 MX2 plans temporarily on ice, following a ACL injury to his left knee sustained at the MXGP of Germany. Post race medical checks revealed that Rossi had fractured his ACL and external meniscus, and Rossi will now undergo surgery in Lyon, France.

A clearer timeframe for Rossi’s return to racing will follow after the surgery. However, due to the severity of the injury, as well as the necessary treatment and recovery time, the 18 year old French racer will miss the remaining 13 MX2 events of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship this season.

Marc-Antoine Rossi

“I’m deeply disappointed that my rookie year in MX2 has been cut short by one of the longest injuries a rider can face. It’s incredibly tough to accept that my season is over already in early June. However, I’m determined to come back stronger and sooner than ever. I can’t thank my team, my family, and everyone who supports me enough. I know I’ll never walk this path alone!”

2024 FIM Bajas World Cup calendar update

The dates of the final two rounds of the 2024 FIM Bajas World Cup have been reversed and the Jordan Baja is now scheduled to take place from November 15-17 and Dubai International Baja is expected to be the final stage from November 28-30.

*Updated* 2024 FIM Baja World Cup calendar

Andorra TrialGP

Day One

Reigning champion Toni Bou tightened his grip on the 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship with a crushing victory in the premier TrialGP class on day one of the TrialGP of Andorra as fellow Spaniard Arnau Farré came out on top in Trial2 and Britain’s George Hemingway kicked off the defence of his Trial3 title in style.

With the event based 900-metre above sea level in Sant Julià de Lòria with some sections plotted another 500-metre further up the severely steep and wooded mountain slopes, altitude was always going to be a factor, but if he was feeling the effects of the reduced oxygen at such lofty heights Bou did not show it.

As we have seen so many times before, the tougher the event the more the 37-year-old excels and he looked completely at home negotiating the huge natural rock steps – made slippery by early morning rain – that typically feature in Andorran sections and remains on course to claim his 18th consecutive TrialGP crown thanks to a comfortable win today to go with his double victories at last month’s opening round in Japan.

The writing was on the wall very early on and Bou’s total of eleven marks lost plus a time penalty on the opening lap put him sixteen clear of Jaime Busto in second and 18 ahead of third-placed Miquel Gelabert at the halfway stage. Podium contenders Matteo Grattarola and Gabriel Marcelli were also in touch with the leading trio, but it was close all the way down the order with just thirteen marks the difference between second and tenth following the first lap.

Bou put victory beyond doubt when he parted with a further eleven marks on his second lap, but the remaining podium positions were only decided in the closing stages of the Trial after a close and competitive concluding lap that saw riders’ fortunes fluctuate from section to section.

Marcelli, who recorded 2-3 finishes at the Taisei Rotec TrialGP of Japan, started the final lap in the Pyrenean principality playing catch-up and he quickly began to reel in his rivals, parting with just two single marks until he collected a maximum on section six where a massive rock step stopped everyone apart from Toby Martyn on lap one and Gelabert on lap two.

Following a disappointing opening round when fuel problems caused him to struggle, Busto looked back on form and he held onto second before a run of three maximums in the final four sections allowed Marcelli to draw level with him and then snatch second on a tie-break with both riders a massive 35 marks adrift of Bou’s winning total of 23.

Gelabert ended the day in fourth on sixty after winning a tie-break with veteran Italian Grattarola, but despite flashes of brilliance throughout the Trial, two-time champion Adam Raga ended the day in sixth on sixty-nine.

Boasting a very healthy entry of forty-one riders, the Trial2 class is always incredibly competitive and this trend continued today with a four-way tie for first place that eventually saw Farré emerge on top from the British pairing of defending champion Billy Green and series leader Jack Peace with Spain’s Alex Canales missing out on the podium after all four recorded a total of 12 marks lost.

Time penalties came into play for all four riders, but ultimately it was the scores in the sections that decided the podium with Farré dropping a total of seven on observation compared with Green who lost nine, Peace ten and Canales eleven.

Getting the defence of his Trial3 title off to a dominant start, sixteen-year-old Hemingway took control from the beginning and his total of two marks lost – comprising a single dab on each lap – saw him run out winner by 10 marks ahead of French teenager Romeo Piquet with series newcomer Euan Sim from Britain parting with 20 for third on a very impressive debut.

Day Two

Toni Bou extended his win-streak in the TrialGP class to four victories from four starts with a dominant display on day two of the TrialGP of Andorra, as Alex Canales (Sherco) became this year’s fourth winner in Trial2 and George Hemingway made it two in a row in Trial3.

Early rain made conditions treacherous on the opening lap, but as the sections started to dry out Bou shifted up a gear and demonstrated exactly why he has won the title for an astonishing 17 consecutive seasons as he staged a Trial masterclass on the virtually sheer mountain slopes studded with towering rocks.

Although a number of sections were modified to take into account the rain that began to fall just as the TrialGP competitors set off from Sant Julià de Lòria in the morning, Bou’s first lap total of 18 – six more than his opening lap score on Saturday – was a clear indication that the going was still tough.

When wet the rocks in the Pyrenean principality become notoriously slippery, a problem that is amplified when mud is dragged onto them. However, Bou took the challenging conditions in his stride and incurred just one maximum on his first lap on the severe rocky climbs of section eleven to open up a clear twelve-mark lead over Jaime Busto at the halfway stage.

Best of the rest was French rider Benoit Bincaz on forty, but competition for the final podium position was close with just seven marks separating third from seventh with Spanish stars Gabriel Marcelli, Adam Raga and Miquel Gelabert all in contention along with Italy’s Matteo Grattarola.

With the sections rapidly drying, conditions eased in the afternoon – although Bou’s faultless second lap was nothing short of remarkable and the thirty-seven-year-old Spaniard, who now calls Andorra home, punched the air with delight as he rolled out of the final section of the day with an impressive twenty-mark winning margin.

Toni Bou – P1

“It has been a very positive weekend for us. We arrived in Andorra with a lot of confidence and everything went very well. We always work to achieve these good results, but it is rare that you manage to do it. I am very happy with the points and above all with everything about my performance this weekend. After these four very important races for us, at Honda’s ‘home’ round and now at my second home, we are going to Italy with a very good feeling. We will try to continue in the same way. It will be tough but we have maximum confidence and we will try to achieve the best possible result.”

Jaime Busto – P2

“I’m really happy to be back on the podium again! There were some really tough sections, so I didn’t have the best feeling on the bike, but I’m really motivated for the rest of the season. Day two was incredible! I started off really strong, even though I made a few mistakes on the first lap, but my second lap was great. I’m so happy to have finished second!”

Just like day one, Marcelli was again forced into a game of catch-up following his high-scoring opening lap and the twenty-four-year-old once again did not disappoint as he dropped his score to eight at his second attempt. However, the gap to Busto was too great to close and when his compatriot also posted a second lap total of eight Marcelli had to settle for third, matching his finishes at last month’s opening round in Japan.

Gabriel Marcelli – P3

“Today went quite well, even though on the first lap I didn’t feel completely comfortable. The ground was quite wet and I was skidding a lot, in conditions that are not my strong suit. But luckily on the second lap the sun came out and the zones dried out a bit. We gave it everything and we achieved a third position which is very important for the championship. I hope to continue like this during the season and I want to thank the team.”

Adding twelve more marks to his total on lap two, veteran Raga ended the day two positions higher than on Saturday in fourth with Grattarola climbing to fifth as Bincaz slipped to eighth.

The close and competitive Trial2 class saw the fourth different winner from the four scoring days staged so far with Spain’s Canales claiming a career-first victory at this level after recording the two best laps of the event. Parting with just eight on his opening lap including a single time penalty, the nineteen-year-old from Barcelona then dropped his score to five on lap two which saw him emerge as a clear winner by a healthy margin of 11 marks.

Following his below-par results in Japan, defending champion Billy Green from Britain continued to drag himself back into contention with another second-placed finish, just one mark ahead of 22-year-old Spaniard Gerard Trueba who was a career-best third in front of day one winner Arnau Farré.

Championship pace-setter at the start of the day, Britain’s Jack Peace could not match his third-placed finish on Saturday and he slipped to seventh, a result that allowed Canales to take over as the new class leader.

Consistency is key when it comes to winning titles and reigning Trial3 champion George Hemingway (Beta) from Britain matched his success with his two laps of 10 marks bringing him home 21 clear of his compatriot and series newcomer Euan Sim with French rider Romeo Piquet – who was second on day one – a further mark adrift.

The action from the 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship continues next weekend (14-16 June) with the TrialGP of Italy at Valsassina where TrialGP, Trial2 and Trial3 competitors will continue their campaigns.

2024 TrialGP Standings after Andorra

EMX125 Report – 2024 MXGP of Latvia

The opening EMX125 race saw the Swede Sandro Sols make a fast start but Francesco Mancini quickly took command, with local Markuss Ozolins third, Salvador Perez and Cole McCullough close behind.

Perez passed the Latvian in the opening lap but Ozolins came back for more to take third back with McCullough eying their battle. Noel Zanocz made a poor start but quickly made his back up to sixth by lap 3.

Sols showed a tremendous speed but could not maintain pace in front of Perez, who rode past for second on lap 4 to chase race leader Mancini who was five-seconds clear. Meanwhile Zanocz passed Brunet for sixth and rushed past McCullough for fifth a few corners later.

A lap later and on a mission to prove that he was there to keep his red plate, Zanocz easily passed Ozolins and Sols to move into thirrd with Ozolins following in his wake.

On lap 5, Perez had reduced the gap with Mancini to a mere two-seconds and looked faster than the Italian. In a good move up the inside Perez took the lead from Mancini who seemed to have lost his usual form as his pace dramatically dropped.

Zanocz took advantage and moved past Mancini for second but Perez was looking strong. Perez’s pace was unmatched and constant as he kept the lead until the end with a comfortable 14 seconds gap on Zanocz in second. Mancini finished at an excellent third to give him a chance of another podium

Meanwhile the battle for the sixth place saw Jarne Bervoets nearly crash when trying to pass Áron Katona, managing to recover somehow. Ozolins finished strong in fourth in front of Katona and Bervoets respectively. Following a bad start, young Dutch hopeful Gyan Doensen incredibly fought back to 10th from 26th place. The big Finn Kasimir Hindersson displayed a strong performance to finish seventh.

Race 2 saw Ernecker leading the race from local rider Tomass Saicans, Mancini and Doensen. Race one winner Perez went down in the opening lap and crashed out of sixth.

Red plate holder Zancoz had another poor start in 14th but the Hungarian raced up to fifth during the opening lap.

Ernecker pulled away on lap 3, showing great control while Mancini and Doensen battled for third. Doensen didn’t wait long to make a decisive move on the Italian to take third. Mancini wasn’t backing down, mainly as he was topping the podium at that time but teammate Zanocz pushed hard and passed for fourth on lap six.

Meanwhile, Ozolins made a costly mistake for his podium chances nearly crashing and losing several positions in the process to 11th. Perez had meanwhile made his way back up to 14th by lap 9 showing great pace.

Then Saicans made an unfortunate mistake and crashed out of second. Perez consolidated his third overall with a 12th place finish.

Despite a strong second race finishing second, Doensen had to settle for fourth overall. Still at the front, Ernecker remained spotless the whole race to bring his first race win of the season home for seventh overall.

Thanks to his impressive consistency, Zanocz took to the top step of the podium in front of Mancini.

The fight for the Championship between Zanocz, Doensen and Mancini continues.

Noel Zanocz

“It was a good weekend as I took the pole position. I went from 10th to 2nd in the first race which was good because I felt I could be much faster. In the second race I don’t how it happen but I started at the back but then I work myself up to 3rd pretty fast and then 2nd but I know can even better so we will work for Maggiora but I think it was a really good weekend!”

EMX125 Overall – Top 10 Classification

EMX125 Championship – Top 10 Classification

EMX250 Report – 2024 MXGP of Latvia

Race one was kicked off by Ivano Van Erp who burst off the starting line to take the lead, closely followed by teammate and local Karlis Reisulis. Behind Cas Valk and Elias Escandell eyed a move to attack the leaders, while red plate holder Mathis Valin found himself in sixth, trailing Joe Brookes but ahead of main championship rival, Valerio Lata.

US rider Gavin Towers had his race cut short as he went down on the opening lap and had to withdraw from the race.

By Lap 2, Valk quickly demonstrated the speed that earned him pole and overtook Reisulis after the Latvian crashed early on. The battle for the lead intensified at the end of the first lap, with Valk executing a perfect move on the finish line jump to edge past Van Erp after a brief game of cat and mouse.

Valin and Lata overtook Brookes, moving up to fifth and sixth respectively. Brookes finishing the race in an encouraging seventh. On lap 5 Valin continued his aggressive push, swiftly passing Escandell for fourth, while Lata took a little longer and made the decisive move on Escandell on lap 8. Escandell had to settle for a solid sixth in the end.

Meanwhile, the fight for second became a fierce contest between Yamaha VRT teammates Reisulis and Van Erp. Despite the crash, Reisulis came back strong to get behind Van Erp. As the home favourite, Reisulis, made a great move to jump on the inside into second with the crowd cheering for him.

Reisulis harnessed that energy to fight for the lead, narrowing the gap to just 1.4 seconds behind Valk by lap 7, but had to settle for second in the end with Valk bringing it home to win, Van Erp third.

The fight for fourth kept going between Lata and Valin, and it was the Italian’s determination that made the difference. Lata forced Valin wide as he cut inside in a corner on lap 11. Lata pulled away to finish fourth while Valin settled for fifth.

In the second race, Escandell took the holeshot in front of Valin, Lata and Van Erp. Home rider Reisulis fifth after the first few corners. Valin pushed Escandell, while Reisulis made a great move to cut a corner and pass Lata for third and made another impressive charge to pass both Valin and Escandell to top take charge in front of Valin.

On lap 3 Escandell was battling with Lata for third, completely misjudged a jump and crashed. This allowed Valk to get onto the back wheel of Lata. The Dutchman finally passing the Italian with a good outside inside line for third.

The pace was frantic as riders pushed hard to get to the front and Valk passed Valin for second on lap 4. Reisulis showed an impressive control as he clocked the fastest lap and pulled six-seconds clear of Valk.

On lap 6, Valin made a costly mistake, crashing out of third to pick himself up in fifth while teammate Benjamin Garib showed up in seventh.

Valk meticulously reduced the gap to race leader Reisulis to 4.4 seconds by lap 7, eroding the Latvian’s advantage. Feeling the heat, Reisulis stayed focused on the task to win his home round.

It was a nail-biting finale for the home fans as Lata invited himself to the battle. Reisulis had to hold on at the lead to clinch the overall but Valk’s incessant pressure made it hard to maintain the lead.

With three laps to go, a huge battle encompassed the top three riders. With Lata hot on Valk’s wheels, Reisulis was allowed to pull a little bit away. Lata and Valk engaged in a battle of give and take, but Lata was the man of the moment, passing the Gabriel SS24 rider and rushing toward the race leader with only two laps to go.

In a spectacular finish, Reisulis maybe thought he could go the whole way but with several corners to go Lata struck, taking the lead to win the race.

It was a heartbreaking finale for Reisulis who nearly won on home soil, but in the end settled for second and second overall which gave Valk a stunning overall win with his 1-3 result.

A 5-5 and fifth overall left Valin with the red plate but only 13-points ahead of Valk.

Cas Valk

“In the second race, I was catching Karlis but couldn’t get by and then Valerio get to us and I had nowhere to go with Karlis (Reisulis) just in front. We made little mistakes so Lata passed us. It was maybe not the best ride for me but I’m so happy to take the overall win here and I’m looking forward for the next round in the deep sand of Lommel. Big thanks to my team for making this possible!“

EMX250 Overall – Top 10 Classification

EMX250 Championship – Top 10 Classification

2024 MXGP of Latvia – Kegums Round Nine Wrap

See the full report and results here:
Herlings wins in Latvia as Gajser moves into MXGP points lead

The MXGP of Latvia was held over the weekend, with brutal battles at Zelta Zirgs Motocenter near Kegums, with the sandy circuit providing plenty of challenges after what had been initially dry conditions, turned challenging after the circuit was hit by a deluge during the opening MX2 race, leaving the track sodden for the MXGP contest.

Five-time World Champion Jeffrey Herlings to break the drought since his last Grand Prix victory for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, which was at this very same circuit last year. A stirring win in race one’s soggy conditions and a charging third in race two gave “The Bullet” his 104th Grand Prix win, extending his record total and collecting his 197th individual race win in the process.

That saw, for the fifth straight Grand Prix, the red plate in MXGP changes hands after the results from Latvia, as Jorge Prado’s second race win for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing couldn’t prevent Team HRC’s Tim Gajser from moving four points ahead after solid second places in both of the very different MXGP races.

Just before his senior team-mate added to his record tally, the one rider on the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team that had yet to even reach a podium, 17-year-old Belgian Sacha Coenen in MX2, took his first top three finish in race one, but also his first race win and the overall Grand Prix honours in a brilliant display of controlled riding.

With his twin brother Lucas Coenen taking second overall, it was the first time in 27 years that a pair of brothers had finished first and second in a Motocross Grand Prix, dating back to Kiwis Darryl and Shayne King at the French 500cc Grand Prix in 1997.

MXGP Race One

RAM Qualifying Race winner Tim Gajser took to the starting line first as the rain poured down. With the amount of water on the circuit, the start would be more vital than ever. The Fox Holeshot Award was fiercely contested. Prado had just taken it for the tenth time this season, but Herlings had started with him and was on the case immediately.

Making an aggressive pass around the corner after the finish line, he wrestled the early lead from the defending Champion. Gajser had been beaten into third by Glenn Coldenhoff, but the Slovenian didn’t wait around, and knowing that Prado has only had issues this year in wet weather, he fired back into third and instantly attacked the Spaniard to take second.

Brian Bogers moved past team-mate Coldenhoff into third by the end of the first full lap, and actually started to pressure Prado. It paid off, as on lap three, the GASGAS man again had problems in the rain and slid to the floor on the face of a jump. He dropped to eighth behind Calvin Vlaanderen.

Coldenhoff got back past Bogers for good on lap five for third, and the two Fantic men stayed there until the chequered flag. Despite a few mistakes by Herlings, Gajser couldn’t get near The Bullet, who took his third race win of the season and hacked a few points off of his deficit to the leaders.

With a lap 11 fall for Cornelius Toendel, Prado managed to get into seventh ahead of the Norwegian, nearly gaining a further position when Vlaanderen fell with two laps to go. However, as Kevin Horgmo held on to a season-best fifth, the Champ had to console himself with 14 points, meaning that Gajser took the Championship lead into race two.

MXGP Race One Results

MXGP Race Two

The holeshot once more went the way of the #1 plate holder, but Herlings was right with him, until Gajser dived up the inside of the Dutchman into the second corner. Desperate to prevent Prado from escaping at the front, the Slovenian gave chase, and Herlings was unable to match the pace of the leading two in the first ten minutes.

The Factory Fantics packed out the top five, especially as Vlaanderen dropped the bike in a tight left-hand corner and eventually came home in seventh.

He will have to console himself with climbing to fifth in the Championship ahead of Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jeremy Seewer and the unfortunately absent Pauls Jonass.

Seewer was to take sixth in race two after a crash-affected fourteenth in race one. Coldenhoff held on to fourth, and Bogers fifth.

The gaps between the leading three riders got tantalisingly close on occasions, but Herlings got the closest to making a move as he caught Gajser with four laps to go, but the Slovenian turned the screw. Ultimately, Prado held on to win by 1.6 seconds from Gajser, with Herlings just another 1.7 seconds further back.

MXGP Race Two Results

MXGP Overall

Herlings took the round overall by a single point from Gajser, 45-44, with Jorge Prado third on 39-points, just clear of Coldenhoff. Bogers rounded out the top five, followed by Vlaanderen, Horgmo, Guillod, Toendel, and Jeewer.

Gajser now leads the standings by four points on 454, Prado second on 450. It’s a long drop to Herlings in third on 386, with Febvre (327) and Vlaanderen (299) completing the current top five after Latvia.

Seewer, Coldenhoff, Jonass, Horgmo and Guillod round out the top-10 in the standings.

Jeffrey Herlings – P1

“I’m definitely super happy. Yesterday I drove to my hotel and I thought.. what am I doing, I need to do more! But today I came back to show that I can still do it you know. So, already a podium was good but to get the win is really really amazing! I did two good starts too, with the first race where I was the fastest, second race I couldn’t get the pace to overtake them (Prado and Gajser) but I kept them within my sight and in the end close them down but couldn’t pass as they were very fast too. I’m very happy with the win and looking forward to the next one.”

Tim Gajser – P2

“I’m very happy and it’s nice to have the red plate back! Also with both races, the speed was there but maybe my starts were not the best. I would definitely wish to start like yesterday in Quali race with a FOX Holeshot because it wasn’t easy after that. Second race I was a bit in between, pushing for Jorge and got some pressure from Jeffrey. I was searching for the lines but couldn’t open the door for Jeffrey so it was a good race in the end and very happy. Huge thank you to all the team because they work very hard and everybody around me. I’m already looking forward to the next one!”

Jorge Prado – P3

“It was a pity about the first moto; yesterday, I was feeling super good on the bike, but I just couldn’t make the pass on Tim in the qualifying race. Today in the first moto, I got a good start, but he [Tim Gajser] passed me on the first lap. I was actually feeling really good with my rhythm, but then I went aquaplaning into the face of a jump with all the standing water on the track. So that resulted in P7 in the first moto, which wasn’t the best. But then, with drier conditions in the second moto, I got the holeshot and led until the end! I’m happy with my performance and form in the second moto for sure, and hopefully we can get the red plate back as soon as possible!”

Glenn Coldenhoff – P4

“Went 3-4 for 4th overall in Latvia today. Consistent and solid all weekend. Pity to miss the podium, but we just keep working for more.”

Calvin Vlaanderen – P6

“I’m happy with my riding and my speed but I’m not too happy with results. But that’s racing. I crashed twice in Race One and once in Race Two early on, so it was a challenging day to say the least. But I’m in one piece and fast so I’ll keep at it. I’m just pushing too hard early in the races as I see the guys up front creeping away and I’m rushing passes. I’m up to fifth in the championship now, but we have a lot of races to go. Obviously, it’s nice but my focus for now is to get back on the podium. I’ll be looking to fully recover ahead of next weekend in Italy, where I’ll be giving it my best shot again.”

Jeremy Seewer – P10

“We really needed that second moto. After Germany we took a big gamble on settings and it didn’t work out as we had hoped yesterday; we learnt from that and adjusted the settings for today but then it rained like hell just before our first race. The track changed completely and it’s always difficult to push hard at the speed we are racing if you don’t have confidence. I’m really happy to bring it back in race two. In fact if I could have started fourth I think I could have been there to the finish; the first-three are in a race of their own at the moment but I had the speed of anybody else. Next weekend is Maggiora and it’s a super-fun track to ride and race with good memories; I took my second-ever podium there in MX2 back in 2015 and won the GP there last year. And it’s close to home so the Swiss fans will be there to cheer me on.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P11

“Overall, I’m quite happy. Saturday was great, and I managed to find a really good rhythm in the sand. I’ve put a lot of effort into training, and I think this is paying off. I got a good start during the qualifying race, and then was riding in third for almost all the moto. I just couldn’t quite hold that pace until the end, so some riders passed me, and I finished fifth. Then on Sunday, I didn’t have the best start in the first moto, and I crashed on the second lap, so I was far back. I tried to fight back, but it wasn’t easy. I think I dropped to 20th or more, but then I got to 13th. Then in the second moto, the start was better, and I made up a few positions in the first lap. I could not quite find as good a rhythm as before, but I finished ninth.”

MXGP Round Overall

MXGP Championship Points – Top 20

MX2 Race One

Sacha Coenen rocketed into the lead of race one ahead of De Wolf while Lucas Coenen and Simon Laengenfelder gave chase.

It took six laps of De Wolf trying to break Sacha Coenen’s advantage before something gave way, and that something was De Wolf’s patience as he lunged for a line that Sacha was already heading towards, sending the Dutchman briefly off the circuit in a wild ride that he somehow survived to bring back on track.

Temporarily back to third, De Wolf took just a lap to recover enough to pass Lucas for second, then within two more corners he was alongside Sacha and into the lead. Lucas followed through almost instantly, and that was finally the order we expected.

De Wolf simply had too much pace for the Belgian, and took the race win, his first on a Sunday since back in round four, by 2.8 seconds at the flag. Sacha kept his solid third position, his best to date in MX2, 15 seconds clear of Laengenfelder in fourth, with Sacha’s team-mate Liam Everts in fifth and Oriol Oliver with his own career best in sixth.

MX2 Race One Results

MX2 Race Two

De Wolf tucking up the inside to claim his second Fox Holeshot Award of the year in race two, with Sacha Coenen right behind, followed by Lucas.

Just coming to the end of the first full lap, De Wolf lost control and hit the ground, gifting the lead to Sacha, and then dropped it again after only a few more corners. Halfway around the second lap, it was Lucas’ turn to hit the deck.

Suddenly, Quentin Prugnieres was second, with Laengenfelder third and Everts in fourth. Then Everts also hit the ground, from which he would recover to finish in fourth.

Lucas recovered to third by lap five, then Prugnieres crashed out of fourth on lap eight, ultimately finishing in twelfth. Rick Elzinga brought the lone Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 bike up into a solid fifth from a start outside of the top ten.

De Wolf, meanwhile, suffered a further crash and could only claim ninth at the flag, Mikkel Haarup taking his Monster Energy Triumph Racing machine to finish sixth ahead of Oliver.

Lucas crashed again, but kept hold of third behind Laengenfelder, the German’s best result since before his Portuguese injury.

All eyes were on Sacha Coenen, however, who finally held it all together to bring home a dream first Grand Prix victory, despite a real moment over the final jump before the finish line, on the final lap.

MX2 Race Two Results

MX2 Overall

It was Sacha Coenen who took the overall on 45-points, ahead of brother Lucas on 42, with Laengenfelder rounding out the round podium on 40-points. De Wolf and Everts completed the top five, Elzinga, Haarup, Oliver, Adamo and Walvoort, the top-10.

Kay de Wolf still holds an extensive lead in the standings on 443-points, Lucas closest on 388, and Laegenfelder third on 381-points. Everts (341) and Adamo (327) are fourth and fifth, Haarup on the Triumph currently sixth, followed by Ezinger as top Yamaha, then Sasha.C, Benistant and Prugnieres.

Sacha Coenen – P1

“I was feeling good out there and after the first race I wasmt the happiest but I had good speed and felt good on the track. I knew I could do it. The second race Kay (de Wolf) crashed and I took the lead and managed to bring it home. I was so happy on the finish line to get this first win. It’s such a nice feeling!”

Lucas Coenen – P2

“I’m super pumped for my brother to get the win. All those hard moments he went through, it’s great to see him up there. Of course, as a competitor, I want to do better though. I took some big hits (crashes) in the second moto, so I think it could have gone better from my perspective. I struggled the whole weekend, let’s say, so I think we need to build on this and look ahead to fighting again in Italy.”

Simon Laengenfelder – P3

“I’m definitely pleased with the overall result. My performance in the first moto wasn’t where I wanted it to be, but after making some setup changes, I felt much better in the second moto. Unfortunately, I made a small mistake in the last few laps while pushing as hard as I could. Congratulations to Sacha on the win. I’m already looking forward to the next race!”

Kay de Wolf – P4

“I had a mixed weekend, but I think there are still lots of positives to take from it. I had a really good Saturday, and the first moto on Sunday was super positive with a win. But in the second moto, I just made too many mistakes. I had two stupid crashes and should not have made them. I threw away a possible GP win and finished fourth overall instead. So, I’m quite upset about that, but I’ll work on it and will come back stronger in Italy. We are making progress every weekend, so this is the most important thing!”

Liam Everts – P5

“Hard weekend and one of my most difficult races yet. Sunday was a little bit more positive than Saturday. We need to keep on working and keep on pushing to be back at the top.”

Rick Elzinga – P6

“Overall, it’s been a decent weekend and my speed was there for the top five. I didn’t have a great start in Race One. My jump was good but I got pushed outside, so I was around 12th early in the race. I made some good passes and moved into seventh, but then when I was riding by myself, I lost my rhythm a little bit. For the second race, I started around 12th again and made passes quickly. I fought hard to the end, held off Mikkel Haarup and caught up to third and fourth. It was close but not enough. I showed my fitness though and my speed, so I’m happy about how that race ended.”

Andrea Adamo – P9

“Yesterday was good and I was happy with P4 but it felt like everything went badly today! In the first moto I had a little issue that meant I was down outside the top twenty and came back to 13th, and in the second I crashed in the second corner and had to come back from last again. The speed was good but the results were not. We need to wake up a bit, not make these silly mistakes and get back to the front and some consistency. Looking forward to Maggiora. Unfortunately, I made a small mistake in the last few laps while pushing as hard as I could. Congratulations to Sacha on the win. I’m already looking forward to the next race!”

Ferruccio Zanchi – P13

“My speed was good and I made a lot of passes on a track that wasn’t easy to pass on, but a few small moments cost me a top 10 overall. One was my fault, early in the first moto but the other two were frustrating and I hope I can learn from them and avoid that kind of thing in the future. Still, my fitness was good and I pushed until the end in both races so overall I am pleased with my progress and I’m really looking forward to a home GP in Maggiora next weekend.”

Jack Chambers – P15

“It was a super tough weekend as one mistake in each race cost me. I got pushed into the trackside banners in the first race; it took me about thirty seconds to get unstuck and I came from last back to seventeenth. I had a good flow in the beginning of race two and stayed with the front pack for a while, but I just tucked the front wheel up the face of a wall jump. It was a stupid mistake on my part but I came back to sixteenth to finish it off. I need to turn some things around and have a couple of positive weekends.”

Bobby Bruce – P21

“It was a really tough day; yesterday we didn’t even know if I would be able to race! My shoulder was already sore this morning so the plan was just to survive and put some points on the board; I got eighteenth in race one and the second moto was going really good. I raced top-ten for seven laps and was still P13 when my hand came off the bars and I had another big crash. It was so painful all day, but I’m proud of my efforts and speed in such difficult circumstances; hopefully, we’ll be healthy next weekend and be able to show what we are capable of.”

MX2 Round Overall – Top 15

MX2 Championship Standings

2024 Desafío Ruta 40 Wrap

With KTM pulling out of most Rally competitions around the world, Honda is cleaning up.  Just 15 seconds separated the 2024 Dakar winner Ricky Brabec and Tosha Schareina after 18 hours of rallying through Argentina in what was a mammoth battle to the finish aboard their Honda CRF450 Rally machines.

Brabec took Honda’s 10th win at the Argentine Desafio Ruta 40 Rally as Honda took a 1-2-3 clean sweep of the podium, the first manufacturer to do so in World Rally-Raid Championship history as the Monster Energy Honda Team won every stage of the rally.

Ruben Faria – Monster Energy Honda Team

“It has been an amazing rally for the Monster Energy Honda Team with our riders taking the top four spots and sixth overall, which is something that’s not happened in rally for a long time. I’m really happy with the whole team, they did a really good job and it was a great performance by the riders on the Honda CRF450 Rally, which performed superbly throughout the week to bring us this fantastic result at the end. I’d like to thank all the team for the amazing job that they’ve done, all the people in Japan that work on the bike and the riders too.”

The culmination of the rally today was hotly contested between the American and the Spaniard with Brabec starting the stage 1’27” ahead in the overall standings this morning, with Tosha the first to get into the action on the 218 km stage; as the defending champion the Spaniard was going to put in a valiant effort to reclaim the spoils. He instantly clawed back time over the early parts of the stage cutting Brabec’s lead to just 22 seconds at one point leaving the final 100km run to the finish to be the focus of the entire rally as the finish came across the horizon at Cordoba.

Schareina sped across the finish line to take his second consecutive stage win of the week, adding to his prologue win, but it wasn’t quite enough to hold off Brabec, who, with a 1’12” gap, kept hold of the overall lead and took victory. After only contending the jewel in the crown for Rally Raid Dakar Rally so far this year, it means Brabec has taken two victories out of two starts in 2024.

Adrien Van Beveren completed the fourth Honda podium lockout of a Desafio Ruta 40 stage in 2024 after a consistently high performance all week. The Frenchman took a stage win and third place on the final podium.

Skyler Howes had an outside chance for a podium finish, but although he put in a flawless ride, he finished the day in sixth, which put him fourth overall, making it his highest-ever finish for Honda.

Pablo Quintanilla had some struggles during the week with the differing terrain and difficult navigation, but he had a positive final day to cross the line in fifth as he rounded out the five Monster Energy Honda Team riders to be in the top six of the overall standings.

After five long days and 3,200 kilometres of riding, Daniel Sanders finished the rally in ninth place overall. From Chucky’s impressive fourth-place stage result to Sam Sunderland’s unfortunate early departure, it’s certainly been a journey for the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing team this week.

Daniel Sanders

“So that’s day five over and we’re done. It’s not an ideal result of course, but I’m happy to have got to the finish and we have certainly learned a lot. I’ve put in a lot of work the last two months training at home, so I feel like I came here fully prepared. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite get the most out of this week, but we will continue to work hard and I’m looking forward to going racing again!”

Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager

“It’s been a difficult week for us, but we are happy that Daniel made it safely to the finish line and secured a pretty solid result after everything. However, we’re now turning our focus completely to the Rallye du Maroc and Dakar. We will continue to work hard as a team and get back to where we know we need to be.”

In the World Rally-Raid Championship standings, Ricky Brabec has propelled himself up to second, just nine points behind the leader Ross Branch, with Adrien Van Beveren a further seven points back. Meanwhile, in the manufacturer standings, Honda is back on top as the championship battle hots up heading into the Rallye du Maroc in October.

Desafío Ruta 40 2024

1. BRABEC Ricky 9 USA Monster Energy Honda Team Honda 18:08:37
2. SCHAREINA Tosha 68 SPA Monster Energy Honda Team Honda + 00:15
3. VAN BEVEREN Adrien 42 FRA Monster Energy Honda Team Honda + 05:33
4. HOWES Skyler 10 USA Monster Energy Honda Team Honda + 12:58
5. EVAN BRANCH Ross 16 BWA Hero Motorsports Team Rally Hero + 14:57
6. QUINTANILLA Pablo 7 CHI Monster Energy Honda Team Honda + 23:55
   9. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 18:58:08

FIM World Rally-Raid Championship

1. Ross Branch (Hero MotoSports): 72 points
2. Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda): 63 points (-9)
3. Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda): 56 points (-16)

2024 Pro MX Thunder Valley National Round Three Wrap

For the full report and results see:
Jett wins Thunder Valley as Hunter takes championship lead

The Pro Motocross Championship travelled to the Rocky Mountains for Round 3 of the 2024 season, with an early test in the mile-high altitude of Thunder Valley Motocross Park, which sits mere minutes from downtown Denver.

The landmark 20th running of the Toyota Thunder Valley National saw a variety of weather conditions, from abundant sunshine to rain and wind gusts, which resulted in another captivating afternoon of action.

One week after a big crash ended his undefeated 450 Class record, Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence outdueled his brother Hunter to capture a bounce-back win and re-establish himself in the early season title fight.

In the 250 Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan continued his winning ways and emerged triumphant once again to open the summer with three straight victories.

450 Round

With identical moto finishes, the Lawrence brothers finished tied atop the overall classification, but Jett’s second moto triumph (2-1) was the difference maker as it gave him the tiebreaker over Hunter (1-2). It resulted in the second 1-2 finish for the pair through the first three rounds of the season and signified Jett’s 13th career win. Thanks to his incredible starts in each moto, Cooper captured his first career podium result in the premier class in third (3-3).

With his third straight podium finish to open his 450 Class career, Hunter Lawrence moved atop the 450 Class standings, highlighted by his distinction as the lone rider in the division to finish inside the top five in every moto. His lead sits at six points over Sexton, who finished fifth overall (6-5), while Jett Lawrence climbed from sixth to third by virtue of his win, 16 points behind Hunter.

Jett Lawrence – P1

“The second moto was much harder than the first for me; my legs were shot late in the moto. When I was in third, I had to make a decision whether I was going to push past the top two or just settle. I knew we had to make up some points, so I put my head down and kept charging. I’m happy to get out of here with a win and a chunk of points. Let’s head east!”

Hunter Lawrence – P2

“It was definitely a great day, but I almost wish I left here with the overall instead of the red plate, as weird as that sounds. We made some big changes on the bike this week, and today it showed. It’s always a good feeling when you do some testing that pays off. The 450s are beasts to hold on to compared to 250s, especially off the start, so setup plays a huge key in being competitive.”

Justin Cooper – P3

“It was an awesome day. I got both holeshots and led for 25 minutes. I tried my best, but they [the Lawrences] were riding too good. I gave it everything I had, and I’m really happy with today’s performance.”

Justin Barcia – P4

“Thunder Valley was a pretty good day! I qualified decent in the top 10, which I wasn’t thrilled about, but it was okay. I got off to two good starts, charged really hard all day, and the bike was really good. We made a change after the second practice, and it was really consistent, so I was able to adapt to different lines today and felt comfortable. We came away with a solid fourth, so it’s good. We want more, so we’re going to keep pushing, and we’ll get there soon!”

Chase Sexton – P5

“It was nice to have the red plate today, and I felt like we had speed on our side, but it just didn’t come together in the motos. Considering the results, we’re still right there in the championship, so look forward to rebounding at High Point next weekend.”

Aaron Plessinger – P6

“Thunder Valley was kind of a struggle in practice, and then I felt better in the first moto. I got a really good start but fell back and wasn’t really gelling that much until I started clicking off some good laps around halfway and through to the end, so I ended up fifth. In the second moto, I royally messed up the start, so that cost me, and I paid for it. I came from around 20th place, which in conditions like that being hard and slick, it’s tough to come through the pack. I’ve just gotta put myself in better positions early on, and we’ll move on to High Point.”

Jason Anderson – P7

“It was a decent weekend, all things considered. I started the day qualifying fourth, which was good for us. In Moto 1, I found myself just outside of the Top 5 at the start, but quickly made it up to second. I ran there for a bit, and then late in the race, my rear end slipped out, and I clipped the medical light and went down, so we finished 10th. Moto 2 was better for me. The start wasn’t the best, but I made it up to fourth and rode there all race. A huge thanks to everyone at Monster Energy Kawasaki for the support this weekend and for keeping my KX450SR feeling dialled. Let’s head east.”

450 Round Results

450 Championship Points

250 Round

Deegan’s 1-2 effort easily secured his third straight overall win and extended his points lead. Hymas’ moto win capped off a career-best performance in the runner-up spot (4-1) for his first ever podium, while Vialle rounded out the top three (2-4).

With his win streak, Deegan enjoys a 23-point lead over Vialle and Hymas, who both moved up the championship standings and now sit tied for second.

Haiden Deegan – P1

“I got a good start [in Moto 2], but Chance [Hymas] was ripping. I had to look at the big picture. We had the overall, and now we have three [wins] in a row. The hard work is paying off.”

Chance Hymas – P2

“I’m speechless right now. I went over the finish line and just broke down. There was a point in time where I didn’t think this was possible. I’m just grateful to be here. It feels great to do this for the team. They’ve seen me at my lowest, and they’ve seen the work I’ve been putting in. We figured some stuff out with the bike and with my diet lately, and that’s been a huge key. I feel like I’m back to where I was last year, before I got hurt.”

Tom Vialle – P3

“Overall, the speed was good. Just too many mistakes today. Sometimes, that’s racing. The track was really good today, and I’m looking forward to next weekend.”

Jo Shimoda – P4

“This weekend was another improvement. This felt like the first time I was riding my style. We did a lot of bike work over the past month, and it’s starting to come together. Today was a big confidence boost, to know I can run the pace. We just have to figure out our starts. And congrats Chance!”

Levi Kitchen – P5

“It was a decent weekend overall, but I am looking for more. The day started out with an average qualifying session, but quickly turned around in the first moto. I was able to make a late charge and finish third. Just before Moto 2, a thunderstorm rolled through and made the track so technical. I was able to make my way back up to a podium spot, but a mistake made me go down and that was that. We have my KX250 feeling great and I cannot wait to turn this around on the East Coast next weekend at High Point.”

250 Round Results

250 Championship Points

2024 Racing schedule

2024 FIM EnduroGP Calendar

2024 MXGP Calendar (Provisional)

2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championships Provisional Calendar

2024 Monster Energy Supercross & Pro Motocross calendars

2024 FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship calendar