Moto News | Hard Enduro | MX | X-Trial | EMX | WMX

Moto News Weekly Wrap
April 5, 2022

What’s New:

• KTM & Heath Motor Group team up for Finke 2022
• Courtney Duncan breaks collarbone in Portugal
• Record contingency for 50th Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
• Grassroots Hard Enduro series kicks off 2022 in Victoria
• Minus 400 to kick off 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship
• Repsol Honda double in Madrid for Bou and Marcelli
• Romain Febvre to undergo further surgery
• Elzinga wins as EMX250 back in action in Portugal
• Valk Dominates WMX Races in Portugal
• 2022 MXGP of Portugal Round Four Report
• 2022 Racing Calendars
  • 2022 FIM Motocross (MXGP) World Championship
  • 2022 Monster Energy AMA/ FIM World Supercross
  • 2022 FIM Hard Enduro
  • 2022 Australian Arenacross
  • 2022 ProMX (Australia)
  • 2022 Lucas Oil Pro MX
  • 2022 Victorian Junior MX State Titles
  • 2022 WA State Supercross
  • 2022 FIM Bajas World Cup
  • 2022 Silk Way Rally
  • 2022 FIM ISDE

KTM & Heath Motor Group team up for Finke 2022

KTM has joined forces with one of the largest automotive groups in the Northern Territory to form a new-look desert racing program that will debut in the 2022 Finke Desert Race. Heath Motor Group (HMG) will operate the HMG Motorsport Group team, with defending Finke Desert Race champion David Walsh and rising star Liam Walsh spearheading this year’s campaign.

David Walsh, 32, enters 2022 as a two-time Finke winner and eager to extend his winning streak. With last year’s race being shortened to one day, the Alice Springs legend is determined to again prove that he’s the master of high-speed desert racing, as well as undertaking his new team manager duties.

After cutting his teeth on the national motocross circuit, Liam Walsh, 21, has thrived after making the switch to desert racing. At his first Finke last year, the Darwin-based racer won the 450cc class and finished a remarkable 10th Outright on a KTM 450 SX-F.

The world-renowned Finke Desert Race will be held in the Northern Territory from 9-13 June, before the Hattah Desert Race takes place in July and the Don River Dash is contested during September.

David Walsh – HMG Motorsport Group KTM Team Manager/Rider

“Aaron Heath has been supporting me for a few years and helped me get to the Baja 1000 in 2019. This year the opportunity arose to establish this new team and I’m really looking forward to it and seeing what we can do. Having Liam on the team is exciting, as he’s a fast racer, and now that he’s got the backing of KTM, he’ll hopefully be able to show his true potential. This year will be my 15th attempt at Finke and I’m aiming to claim my third victory. I can’t wait to get stuck into testing!”

Liam Walsh

“It’s pretty incredible to get an opportunity like this. I’ve raced the Australian Motocross Championship with team support in the past, but it was never to this standard where everything is provided. It definitely increases the motivation levels and makes me want to give every race 110 percent, to repay the faith they’ve placed in me. At last year’s Finke I won the 450 class and finished 10th Outright, and for 2022 I want to achieve a top-five result in the 500cc class. Being David’s cousin, I’ve seen the success he’s had in desert racing and I’d love to replicate that success and keep it in the family.”

Courtney Duncan breaks collarbone in Portugal

New Zealand motocross rider Courtney Duncan knows what tough times feel like and unfortunately her start to the 2022 World Women’s Motocross Championship (WMX) has been a rough one. While riding in the free practice session at the second round’s MXGP of Portugal on Saturday, the three-time, consecutive world champion had a heavy fall from her Kawasaki KX250.

Courtney Duncan

“I had a big crash early on in practice and although I finished the session, I was in pain, so I had X-rays at the track. They showed a break to my collarbone. I lined up for the first race but due to FIM rules I was unable to ride and got withdrawn. At this stage we are unsure of the full extent of the injury, however I’ve already arrived in Belgium where I’m scheduled to meet with the surgeon tomorrow to decide what the next step is. It’s a tough pill to swallow and injuries never get easier. However, that’s sport, it doesn’t always go your way and shit happens. Tomorrow is another day and I’ll wake up, lace my shoes up and give it 100 percent, just like I always do.”

Record contingency for 50th Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship

MX Sports Pro Racing has announced that with seven competing manufacturers in American motocross – GASGAS, Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, and Yamaha – a record level of contingency for the 50th Anniversary of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship has been reached.

For the first time, the millions of dollars made available through contingency has reached double digits, as more than $13 million in funds will be available to competitors this summer when the 12-round season commences on Saturday, May 28, from Southern California’s Fox Raceway.

Grassroots Hard Enduro series kicks off 2022 in Victoria

With Tim Coleman

Conditions were wet over the weekend for the first round of the 2022 Hard Enduro series held in the picturesque property near Corryong in Victoria. Over 230 braved the tough conditions, which saw a demanding prologue course for Day 1 which determined the starting order for day two.

If a combination of slippery logs, tyres and ditches wasn’t enough to shake the cobwebs and arm pump off, riders then had to sprint through a natural terrain course made up of rocky hills which quickly turned into bottle necks, the aim then was to pick the smartest lines and to avoid human obstacles. The top three riders in Gold went to Beta rider Ruben Chadwick (QLD), Wade Ibrahim (KTM, VIC) and Chris Perry (Sherco, VIC).

Conditions worsened over night to make for some intense racing on day two and by 9am the first of the Gold riders set off followed by Silver then Bronze. The race was a gruelling four-hour affair with most riders only getting one lap in, with plenty of DNFs due to broken bikes and souls.

The first major hurdle for the Gold riders was a gnarly hill climb called ‘Fig Tree’. About 20 mins into the race all the riders were in a single file waiting for their turn as there was no other option but to wait it out. Skull dragging bikes up rock sections is all part of the ‘fun’ these riders put themselves through.

Some riders opted to team up and use tie downs and rope to help each other. The rain poured heavily and the riders knew they were in for a long day, the best option was to play it smart and ride smart and conserve energy.

It was not only Gold riders that had it hard, the Silver and Bronze courses certainly deteriorated quickly with plenty of bike loop outs and bike surfing going on. Riders had many mixed emotions but at the end of the day this is hard enduro, it was great to see the smiles at the end of the event and the stories each rider got to share.

Greg Peterson from Grassroots Enduro once again did an amazing job to run a successful event. Bring on round two in Queensland – the Ironstone Extreme which will be held over June 25 and 26.

2022 Grassroots Hard Enduro Results – Round 1

Gold

1. Chris Perry (sherco)
2. Anthony Solar (sherco)
3. Ruben Chadwick (Beta)

Silver

1. Josh Ibrahim
2. Jackson Goddard
3. Ian Derwent

Bronze

1. Jason Simpson
2. Matthew Mash
3. Michael Vanos

Ladies Silver

1. Ebony Nielson
2. Kelly Beck

Junior A

1. Kogan Lock
2. Justin Richards

Junior B

1. Reece Findlay
2. Riley Bloom
3. Coby Lieuwen

Minus 400 to kick off 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship

With the opening round of the 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship locked in our sights, there’s a wealth of talent ready to claim victory at the Minus 400, in Israel.

With a unique mid-week format, three days of racing await the world’s best Hard Enduro riders over terrain that is unlike anything they’ve raced before. Situated 400 metres below sea level – hence the name Minus 400 – the desert region of the Dead Sea offers a testing mix of dry and dusty terrain, combined with some big climbs, tricky descents, a wealth of natural Hard Enduro obstacles, plus even a little urban action.

Minus 400 Schedule

• Day 1 – Tuesday, April 5 – Leonardo Urban Race
  • A morning qualifier will see competitors battle it out on an 14-kilometre-long urban style course. The top-30 riders progress to the afternoon superenduro final.
• Day 2 – Wednesday, April 6 – Yochananof Desert Prologue
  • Mixing cross-country with extreme riding, competitors will compete on an 18-kilometre-long course for a three-hour race. The results will determine the starting order for the final day three.
• Day 3 – Thursday, April 7 – Minus 400 Main Event
  • The feature race of the Minus 400 is the Minus 400 Main Event. It will be a true test of Hard Enduro. The race takes place on a lengthy 75-kilometre-long course that increases with difficulty the deeper into the terrain you go. A real battle from start to finish, only the strongest will take victory.

Here’s a look at who’s gunning for glory in 2022…

As the defending FIM Hard Enduro World Champion, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt will naturally start off as title favourite. The Brit is on peak form right now having just defended his FIM SuperEnduro World Championship crown. Indoors nobody came close to matching Billy’s pace, and you can be sure he will want to keep things that way outdoors too. Although Minus 400 will be new to all, Billy has proven himself in the past to be a fast learner, winning the first ever running of the Abestone Hard Enduro in 2021. It will be tough to rule the champ out of a winning ride next week.

Billy Bolt

“I’m really looking forward to getting back to racing outdoors and defending my hard enduro world title. There are a few new races this year, starting with the Minus 400 in Israel, and I’m excited for the challenge. It’s not been long since the SuperEnduro season came to a close, obviously I had had an amazing season, but it would have been good to get a little more training in for the outdoors as the style of racing and the bike I use are quite different. I’m feeling good physically, and keen to get the season underway. The goal as ever is to get good, strong finishes at each race and stay consistent all year – hopefully when we reach Hixpania in October I should be in the fight for the championship. There’s still a long way to go though, so I’ll give it my all as always.”

South African Wade Young has had a relatively quiet winter grinding out the training at home in preparation for Israel. The Sherco rider is a fan of long and physically demanding style courses and with Thursday’s Minus 400 Main Event featuring a 75-kilometre-long course that increases with difficulty, that’s when we expect Young to make his mark on the race. A race winner in 2021 at Hero Challenge, along with finishing on the final championship podium alongside Bolt and Manuel Lettenbichler, Wade will be eager to get 2022 off to a strong start.

Spain’s Mario Roman has enjoyed a busy off-season, focusing solely on his Hard Enduro riding. With success in his national series, along with a win at the notoriously tough Ales Trem event in France, Roman is bustling for success in Israel. The dry, dusty, and slippery Dead Sea terrain should play into the hands of the Sherco rider.

Always a crowd favourite wherever he lines up, Vision Track Beta’s Jonny Walker will be a rider to watch for. Consistently strong during his 2021 campaign as a privateer with Beta Motorcycles, Walker looks to have built on that pace during the winter by finishing as runner-up to Bolt in SuperEnduro. With a silky-smooth riding style and now well-suited on his Italian two-stroke, Walker will be pushing every step of the way to end round one on the podium.

Alfredo Gomez makes an eagerly anticipated debut with his new privateer team AG Racing Team 89 in Israel. The Spaniard has switched his programme up during the off-season and similar to Walker is running his own setup. Riding GASGAS machinery, it will be exciting to see how he’s settled into this new role.

Injured during 2021 at Red Bull Romaniacs, Graham Jarvis makes a welcomed return to racing at Minus 400. Arguably the greatest Hard Enduro rider of all time, Graham – despite his age – is a serious contender to deliver a special result next week. Once again going up against much younger competition, Graham, as always, will use his experience and race savvy to do all that he can to start the 2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship on the box.

Austria’s Michael Walkner was a rider that went from strength-to-strength during 2021. Delivering numerous impressive rides, the relative newcomer to the elite of Hard Enduro found his feet and his confidence while racing against the best riders in the world. Highly talented, Walkner will be targeting a top-five result.

Michael Walkner

“It’s certainly been a hectic few days leading up to Israel. My brother and I had Covid but thankfully we tested negative in time to go. After arriving in Tel Aviv, setting up the bike, and doing a bit of testing, we headed out to the Dead Sea and the location of the race. The terrain here looks good, and with such a mixture of races, it looks like it’s going to be a real challenge. The heat here in Israel will add to that challenge too – we’re expecting up to 40 degrees in the daytime. Managing your fatigue and keeping hydrated will definitely be key here, especially on the long final day. It’s a shame Taddy isn’t here to join me for round one, but I’m fully motivated and proud to represent GASGAS as the season kicks off.”

Young Bulgarian Teodor Kabakchiev is a racer on the rise in Hard Enduro. 2021 saw many breakout performances from the Husqvarna rider. With another year’s experience under his belt, Kabakchiev will be aiming to work his way more consistently into the top-five during 2022.

Suff Sella will be one rider fired up for success in Israel. A home round for the 18-year-old, Suff will be eager to show what he can do on familiar terrain. A rider with good technical ability and willing to dig deep when the going gets tough, you can be sure he’ll be doing all he can to figure at the sharp end of the results.

Unfortunately, round one will see two well-known faces absent due to injury. Runner-up in 2021, KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler will sit this round out as he continues to recover from knee surgery, while GASGAS Factory Racing’s Taddy Blazusiak broke his wrist at the SuperEnduro finale last month.

The opening round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship takes place at Minus 400 in Israel from Tuesday April 5 to Thursday April 7. Don’t forget to watch all the action on our social media, plus Red Bull Motorsport.

2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Schedule

Repsol Honda double in Madrid for Bou and Marcelli

After a ten-year absence from the X-Trial World Championship calendar, Repsol Honda Trial Team once again returned to Madrid, where the third round of the season was held. Toni Bou claimed yet another X-Trial World Championship victory, making it three wins on the spin. The Catalan Repsol Honda Trial Team rider takes his tally of consecutive wins in the Spanish capital to six, five in the previous venue, the Palacio de Deportes, plus the one in the Madrid Arena.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Marcelli managed to find the right sensations and keep a grip on the nerves that he had felt on his debut last week in Chalon-sur-Saône, achieving a dream runner-up spot in his first indoor participation in Madrid.

On this occasion, the Repsol Honda Trial Team duo managed to successfully overcome the opening round – no easy feat – especially in section four where all the riders received the maximum penalty. Marcelli was penalised 13 marks, while Bou tied on 11 points with arch rival Adam Raga, although the Repsol Honda Trial Team rider ended up being the fastest in the first round.

In the second round, Toni Bou gave a fine display of technique and dominance, scoring just 7 marks, gaining direct access to the final as the best rider of the second round. Gabriel Marcelli, who suffered a fall in section 4, was fourth, with 14 penalty points, although he likewise managed to qualify for the final after finishing third in the overall standings.

In the final, Bou continued his reign in the Spanish capital, marking a difference in the trickiest technical sections while collecting just two penalty marks. In spite of a sore ankle from the fall in the second round, Marcelli showed his determination and potential to seal second spot in Madrid.

With the win at the Madrid Arena, Toni Bou continues to edge away from his rivals in the overall X-Trial World Championship standings, adding a further twenty points for the win plus the two bonus points. Bou currently holds 65 points.

Toni Bou – P1

“I always arrive in Barcelona with a lot of nerves, but obviously, with this result I will feel much calmer. To achieve my third consecutive win of the season here in Madrid, with Gabriel Marcelli second and in Repsol territory, is a grand victory and a dream night. Everything went very well. It’s true that in the first and second rounds we suffered a bit more, but in the final I felt very comfortable and I was able to make the difference in section two.”

Gabriel Marcelli’s second place in Madrid sees him jump to sixth place in the overall standings with a total of 16 points.

Gabriel Marcelli – P2

“I am very happy because we have repeated last year’s result in Barcelona. Today I managed to release all the pressure I had in France and I think that was the big difference, because I went into the second round with a totally different vision of the trial. The result is practically unbeatable. This podium is very positive to continue the season on the right foot. I felt very well supported by the crowd in Madrid.”

The next round of the X-Trial World Championship is set for next Sunday, 10 April at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. It will undoubtedly be a special event for the Repsol Honda Trial Team riders, given that last season Toni Bou won there, scooping his fifteenth indoor title and Gabriel Marcelli gave a magnificent performance that allowed him to climb onto the second step of the podium, similar to today’s result in Madrid.

Results X-TRIAL Madrid 2022

Rider Standings

Romain Febvre to undergo further surgery

Romain Febvre will not be able to return to racing during the upcoming rounds of the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship as the French rider requires further surgery to his broken right leg.

His recovery had been progressing well during recent weeks as Romain was able to undertake a full physical-training programme, however further exploration of some niggling issues have sent him back into surgery.

Romain Febvre

“I was able to go cycling, swimming and working at the gym twice-a-day but I still felt some pain in my leg and had several medical examinations to understand where the problem lay. Finally, I underwent minor surgery to remove some screws that were causing irritation and after this intervention in Luxemburg my surgeon made another scan and discovered that the bone was not healing perfectly. It’s frustrating of course but there is no other option than to have further surgery next week; they will open my leg, clean the bones and make a bone graft by taking some bone from my hip. I already told my surgeon that if it’s necessary to put some plate or whatever I want to do it to ensure an optimal recovery. Nobody can tell how long it will take to recover but for sure when they will open my leg they will be able to give me more details. My goal remains the same; to work hard and to return to racing as soon as possible. The team has been strongly behind me since the beginning and I can’t wait to join them at the race track.”

Elzinga wins as EMX250 back in action in Portugal

The second round of the EMX250 Championship has concluded in Agueda, Portugal. It was a fantatsic day for Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing’s Rick Elzinga who claimed maximum points and celebrated his first 1-1 of the 2022 season, as well as extending his championship lead over Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Cornelius Toendel.

In EMX250 race one, it was Meico Vettik with a great start ahead of Elzinga and Yago Martinez, as a few riders hit the gate. Martinez then crashed, as Elzinga closed in on Vettik for the lead and by the end of the lap took control of the race.

Elzinga then led Vettik, Camden Mc Lellan of TBS Conversion Racing Team, Lucas Coenen of Jumbo Husqvarna BT Racing and Eddie Wade of 9MM Energy Drink BUD Racing, though Wade came under fire from Mc Lellan and Marcel Stauffer as both riders went by on the Brit. He then lost more positions and went down to 10th. He eventually finished 16th.

Mc Lellan then put on a charge for Vettik and on lap eight the South African got by for second and later so did Coenen as Vettik eventually placed 10th.

Elzinga took the win ahead of Mc Lellan and Lucas Coenen. Stauffer finished fourth ahead of Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Cornelius Toendel.

In race two, it was Hakon Osterhagen of Fantic Factory Team Maddii who grabbed the holeshot from Sacha Coenen of Jumbo Husqvarna BT Racing, Vettik, Elzinga and Toendel as Coenen crashed hard with a couple of other riders.

There was an intense battle inside the top five as Andrea Bonacorsi of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing was caught out by Guillem Farres and Oriol Oliver of WZ Racing Team and lost two spots within a lap.

Sacha Coenen came into pitlane after that second turn crash, but went back out to finish the race 22nd, just outside of the points. Meanwhile his brother had a much stronger race.

Elzinga then took the lead on lap three, as Osterhagen worked hard to keep Farres behind him. Meanwhile Toendel was charging forward and by lap six was second ahead of Vettik, while Lucas Coenen made his way into sixth.

Bonacorsi then slipped back to 11th as Farres crashed out of fifth but managed to get going quickly and lost only four positions.

In the final stages of the race Lucas Coenen was able to make some good passes and as the chequered flag fell, it was Elzinga who took the victory, 4.776 seconds ahead of Toendel and Coenen who fought back to third.

A clean 1-1 result gave Elzinga his second back-to-back victory as Coenen celebrated his first podium of the season in second ahead of Toendel who was third.

Elzinga extends his championship lead to 93 points, as Toendel remains second with 77 while Oliver is third with 62 points. The next round of the EMX250 championship will take place in Maggiora, Italy on the 7th and 8th of May.

Rick Elzinga – P1

“The first race was just amazing. I controlled it and felt like it was a training session, was just doing my laps and was just really comfortable. In the second race, again comfortable, but had to push until the end because Cornelius was quite close, but I held a gap consistently so that he couldn’t get the pass. It’s amazing to get that 1-1, I can’t thank everyone behind me enough, the hard work is paying off and I just love it!”

EMX Results (Portugal) 2022

EMX Standings

Valk Dominates WMX Races in Portugal

The second round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship saw JK Yamaha Racing’s Lynn Valk dominate both races to secure her first overall victory of the season and take home the red plate.

Before the races even started, defending World Champion Courtney Duncan of Big Van World MTX Kawasaki Racing suffered a huge blow to her title hopes, after a crash in the free practice session left her with an injury and therefore deemed her unfit to take part in the races. This left the door open for Nancy Van De Ven of Ceres 71 Racing and Valk the chance to continue their fight at the top of the standings.

In the first WMX race, it was Sara Andersen with a flying start, as she closely led Larissa Papenmeier of Yamaha Racing 423, Van De Ven and Valk.

Front the get-go, Andersen pulled a nice gap to the ladies behind her, as Valk slipped past Van De Ven and Papenmeier to move into second. Though Van De Ven was not going to let the fellow Dutch rider get away with it, as she slipped back past her.

As Andersen continued her lead, the battle between Valk and Van De Ven intensified. The pair went at it for much of the race, but on lap eight is when we saw Valk finally find her way into the lead. Andersen dropped from first to third and then a lap later to fourth as Van De Ven and Papenmeier got by also.

Further down the field, Martine Hughes of Honda 114 Motorsports was making great progress after starting the race down in around the top 10. She made some nice passes on the likes of Amadine Verstappen of BUD Racing Kawasaki and Shana van der Vlist to finish the race in fifth.

In the closing stages of the race, it was a Yamaha 1-2-3 as Valk, Van de Ven and Papenmeier led the way. Papenmeier made several attempts on Van De Ven, but the Dutch rider was not backing down.

In the end, Valk secured her second race win of the season ahead of Van De Ven and Papenmeier.

In race two, it was Valk that time around who got a strong jump out of the gate, but by the second corner, Van De Ven got herself into the lead. Van der Vlist started well in third ahead of Hughes and Papenmeier. O’Hare was right there in sixth and was applying the pressure onto the ladies ahead.

It took Valk a lap to finally get by Van De Ven for good and that’s when she started to pull away. Though Van De Ven kept it close for the majority of the race, before losing ground on the leader in the closing stages of the heat.

Behind them, Andersen and O’Hare were having a great battle for fifth, as Hughes dropped back to ninth. She made some nice passes but with five laps to go dropped it once more and did not finish the race. Andersen also did not finish the race, as did Britt Jans-Beken.

In the end, Valk won the race by 4.199 seconds over Van De Ven with van der Vlist third.

In terms of the podium, a 1-1 result gave Valk her first overall victory of the 2022 season, as Van De Ven placed second on the box with two second place finishes ahead of Papenemeier who was third.

Valk now leads the WMX championship standings with 97 points, 6 ahead of Van De Ven and van der Vlist who is third with 68 points.

The next round of the WMX series will take place in Sardegna on the 14th – 15th of May.

Lynn Valk

“It was perfect. I took a good start for second and took it a little bit easy as it was easy to make mistakes on the track. I got the lead and could control the race so I’m very happy. It’s amazing, it was a good weekend, the riding was very good, but I couldn’t do it without the people behind me, my brother and dad from home, my mum here, my team, my mechanic. I will enjoy it now and will be back for the next race to do my best!”

WMX Results (Portugal) 2022

WMX Standings

2022 MXGP of Portugal Round Four Report

The 2022 MXGP of Portugal saw Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado emerge victorious, while in MX2 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle claimed a consecutive win, closing in on the MX2 lead.

Prado also closed in on MXGP leader Tim Gajser, however he was only able to narrow that gap by two-points with the round victory, with each rider taking a moto win, but Prado the more consistent adding a second place.

Brian Bogers also made heads turn with his impressive performance just two weeks after dislocating his shoulder and to top it off, celebrated his first MXGP podium and first trip to the box since 2017 with third overall.

For Aussie Mitch Evans, the 15th gate-pick really posed him problems as he wasn’t able to avoid the chaotic first turn in either race. In moto one, a couple of bikes came together in front of him and by the time he had negotiated the carnage, he was way down the field.

Then in race two, he had to pick himself off the ground after another bike hit him, re-joining the race right at the back of the class again. However, that didn’t discourage the Australian and he set about trying to make the best of a bad situation, passing eight guys in race one and an even more impressive 10 guys in race two, to finish 15-12 for 12th overall.

Mitch Evans – P12

“Today definitely didn’t go to plan as both races were pretty much ruined after the first turn. I wasn’t able to come through it cleanly and that meant I had a lot of work to do in the rest of the race, to even get to challenge with the top guys. In race one I was 23rd after one lap, and in race two I was 22nd so that tells the story of how my motos started. However, I didn’t give up in either race, keeping a good pace and trying to pass as many guys as possible. This resulted in 15-12 results for 12th overall, which aren’t where I want to be, but it still gives me a bit of satisfaction because of where I started. Hopefully next week in Trentino I can get better starts and show my speed nearer the front of the field, because that’s where I feel I belong.”

Jed Beaton of the F&H Kawasaki Racing Team had fond memories of the Agueda track where he recorded his maiden GP podium during his MX2 career and was holding a strong top-ten placing in the first moto until he came together with another rider and was pushed out of the points-scoring placings before recovering to finish eighteenth.

The second moto looked even more promising as he raced top-six through the early laps but, troubled by the shoulder he injured at Mantova last month, he lost momentum during the second half of the race to take the chequered flag thirteenth. The Australian is now twelfth in the championship standings.

Jed Beaton – P15

“I felt pretty good for the first ten to fifteen minutes of both races, but in the first moto I came together with someone and snapped off my clutch lever so I couldn’t do much after that. In the second moto I was good again for fifteen to twenty minutes but then I got a lot of arm pump in my left arm. That’s from the crash in Mantova; my shoulder doesn’t feel painful but it is still weak and I just don’t have the strength. I don’t want to be in this position but it is how it is; when I get it sorted I’ll be back where I ought to be.“

2022 MXGP of Portugal Highlights Video

MXGP Race 1

In the first MXGP heat, it was JM Honda Racing’s Henry Jacobi with the Fox Holeshot as he led Prado, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff, Bogers and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer as Team HRC’s Tim Gajser got squeezed in 8th.

Bogers was hot on Coldenhoff’s heels from the get-go and by the the end of the third lap was ahead of the Yamaha rider. He then set the fastest lap of the race, setting a strong pace as he began to close the gap to Prado in first.

Meanwhile Gajser was up in sixth but struggling to find an opportunity to get by Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass. It took the Slovenian a total of six laps to pass the Latvian, but once he did that, it was all guns blazing as he then passed Seewer on lap 13 and then got Coldenhoff on lap 14. He fought hard to get close to Bogers, but in the end, it was not enough.

Renaux was having a steady race down in seventh but dropped it on lap 14 to eventually come home in 11th behind SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery’s Alberto Forato, Beta SDM Corse’s Jeremy Van Horebeek and Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen who finished eighth.

Prado went on to win the first heat, as Bogers crossed the line just 1.021 seconds behind him, with Gajser third.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, it was Prado with the Fox Holeshot that time around, as Gajser got a much better start in second ahead of Jonass, Coldenhoff and Seewer. Prado was fast and was doing a good job to keep Gajser at bay, who was keen on not repeating his mistakes from race one.

Gajser then set two consecutive fast laps as he got onto the rear wheel of the Spaniard. As they crossed the line for lap six there was just 0.729 seconds separating them as Gajser was able to dive down the inside of Prado and take over first place.

The Slovenian then pulled away as Coldenhoff pushed Jonass for third. Seewer was right there in fifth with Bogers edging closer.

Beaton started the race in sixth before being caught by Vlaanderen. Behind him a train of Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez, Renaux and Forato started to form, as Renaux lost a spot to Forato and later crashed. Eventually he finished 11th.

On lap 13 Coldenhoff finally got by Jonass as Seewer dropped two positions to Bogers and Vlaanderen. Bogers then continued his charge forward and on lap 16 passed his teammate for fourth.

Not much changed in the final laps as Gajser won his fourth race of the season, with Prado second and Coldenhoff third.

A 1-2 result handed Prado his first overall win of the season, as Gajser finished second on the box ahead of Bogers who was third. After round four, Gajser continues to lead the MXGP Championship classification with 186 points, 21 ahead of Prado and Renaux who remains third.

Jorge Prado – P1

“It is great to get back on the top of the box! It is hard to do because everyone is riding very fast and it has been hard for me to ride like myself up until now. Everyone wants to win and it has been a long time since I last did it. I am very happy about going 1-2 for the overall. The second moto was really hard, but we got it.”

Tim Gajser – P2

“I had a really good day today, winning that second race and just really enjoying my riding on what was a difficult track. It wasn’t quite enough to take the overall but I am still very happy with how it went and how I was able to come out and perform in the second moto. The first gate-drop didn’t go so well and it took me a bit of time to get my rhythm and make the passes I needed, and finishing third, I knew it would be difficult to take the overall. Still, it was a good day, with a lot of fans cheering me on and it was nice to back in Agueda because I really enjoy riding here. Next up is Trentino, which I’ve heard will be a different layout so that should be interesting for everyone. A big thanks to the team for all their work so far this season and let’s keep this momentum going!”

Brian Bogers – P3

“It’s amazing. I mean, I am speechless but the way to here was so difficult, even from 2018 when I broke my foot, I was out for nine months and to get back here was really difficult. But we are back and I am feeling good, already the first races were actually good and it’s been going better and better. Now I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Glenn Coldenhoff – P4

“I was close to the podium today. I have been struggling with arm-pump this season, and in the first race today, I got it big time. I tried to ride a little more calmly in the second race, just did my thing, and I didn’t get arm-pump that time, which meant I had something left at the end and I almost got Jorge Prado for second, which would have put me on the podium. So, it’s a bitter-sweet finish, but still a lot of positives to take from here and I am feeling good.”

Pauls Jonass – P5

“There are a lot of things to be happy about on paper – I am not so happy with my riding at the moment though. It is tough to expect more, seeing as I have limited time on the bike! I got good points today with a seventh and a fifth, so we just need to keep putting in the time and carry on building. We are heading in a good direction!”

Jeremy Seewer – P6

“I feel pretty happy because coming into this weekend, we weren’t even sure if I would make it after the crash in Argentina. My body was not ready and I kind of felt that on Saturday. In the end it was good to bring home solid points, and I managed to survive and do this somehow. By the way I was riding, you could see that I just wanted to do my laps and bring home some good points. I can be more than happy with how today went.”

Maxime Renaux – P11

“It was a really tough weekend for me. I had a big crash in the Qualifying Race and hurt my leg a little bit, but honestly, that was no excuse, I could have done great today, but I just didn’t feel myself out there. I had a crash in each of the races, and this is not how I want to ride, so now I need to regroup for the next races.”

2022 MXGP of Portugal Results

2022 MXGP Standings

MX2 Race 1

In MX2 race one, Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Mikkel Haarup and Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini were out in front, but it was Haarup who got the Fox Holeshot. Though Guadagnini led very briefly before crashing in the second turn with a few other riders.

Haarup then led the way, as Vialle got by Andrea Adamo of SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery. Geerts was looking good just behind them until he crashed big and dropped to last.

Vialle then worked to close the gap to Haarup. Though the Dane was not going to back down easily and kept the battle going for four laps before the Frenchman was able to find his way into the lead.

Conrad Mewse then found his way into third the following lap, as Geerts fought his way up the order to 16th. Haakon Fredriksen of Honda 114 Motorsports’ also had a big crash and did not finished the race.

A rider to watch in the first heat was Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf who started in around eighth. He made some nice passes in the first few laps and continue his progress through the field before catching onto Stephen Rubini of Team Ship to Cycle Honda on lap 10 and then Adamo on lap 14 and eventually Mewse on lap 16.

Haarup put up a fight until the chequered flag, but it was Vialle who won, Haarup was second and de Wolf placed third. Geerts came back to ninth behind F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Kevin Horgmo.

MX2 Race 2

In race two, it was Horgmo with the Fox Holeshot as he led Hitachi KTM Fuelled by Milwaukee’s Isak Gifting, Haarup, Vialle, Geerts and Adamo. As Jeremy Sydow of Diga Procross KTM Racing Team crashed on the opening lap.

Vialle moved into second place by the end of the lap, as Geerts got by Gifting too. The Belgian then set the fastest lap of the race as Horgmo continued to lead.

The Norwegian led seven laps of the race, before Vialle was able to whittle away at his lead and move into first place. Gifting then crashed as Geerts moved into second. Horgmo was pushed to third but had a comfortable gap to Haarup and de Wolf who were behind him.

Geerts though was keen on redeeming himself after the crash in race one, and on lap nine his efforts paid off as he passed Vialle and started to pull away.

In the closing stages of the race Haarup went after Horgmo who saw his third place position at risk, though despite the Dane’s best efforts, Horgmo was able to hold firm.

Geerts ended up winning the race ahead of Vialle, Horgmo, Haarup and Guadagnini.

A 1-2 result gave Vialle the overall victory, while Haarup celebrated his second podium in a row as he took the second step of the box ahead of Geerts who was forced to settle for a third-place trophy.

Though Geerts continues to lead the championship after four rounds and is 16 points ahead of Vialle as Haarup occupies the third position in the championship classifications.

Tom Vialle – P1

“I had a difficult Saturday and I was far out for the start so I’m happy to win here. I had two ‘OK’ starts and the races were a bit of a mix. Jago was pretty fast and I didn’t have the best lines so I was keeping it easy and safe in second during the second moto. I didn’t push too hard. A second GP win is really good this early in the season and decent points for the championship. I didn’t expect this today.”

Mikkel Haarup – P2

“I started out a little stiff yesterday but we kept working and as everyone can see my race pace is really good and my DRT Kawasaki is really quick; we have those things dialled in. In the first races I put in some good early laps but it was a new situation for me to be leading; I made a few mistakes but I think I handled it pretty well and second is my best moto result so far. The second start was not quite so good as my holeshot device clicked out just as I left the gate but I made some good passes on the first lap amd caught up to the top guys. It was difficult to pass further in the top-five as everyone was running the same speed but we did a really good job as a team again this weekend and I’m getting addicted to the podium. But even more important is to keep improving and getting closer to the championship; that is the focus. I’ve had some good races at Arco where we race next and made some good passes there last time so it should be another good weekend.“

Jago Geerts – P3

“I’m really happy about my riding today, although I am not so happy about my mistake in the first heat, but these things can happen. I managed to do some damage control and finish ninth. In the second heat, I felt really good on the track and was happy with the way I rode. I just want to limit these mistakes more for the next rounds.”

Kay de Wolf – P4

“I didn’t really feel good at the start of the weekend, but I started having a better feeling today. I actually felt really good! I worked my way up well in the first moto; I was pretty happy with third. I did not have the right feeling in the second moto and struggled to get my rhythm, but I think that it was a good weekend. I am pretty happy about how it ended up going.”

Kevin Horgmo – P5

“Unfortunately I had two small crashes in the first race but my riding was solid and I had third-fastest lap time of the moto so I was confident I could have a good second race with a good start. And that’s what I did with the holeshot! My Kawasaki was perfect over the gate and through the first turn and I could lead a GP for the first time. Even when I dropped back to third I stayed right behind a world champion for the rest of the race so I could be happy with my speed. Now I’m looking forward to next weekend at Arco; I won EMX there last year so I have good memories of the track.“

Thibault Benistant – P7

“The weekend was difficult in the beginning. I felt quite tired and had to deal with arm-pump. But, over the weekend, it got better and better. I still had some arm-pump, so I had to focus on staying relaxed. I got two good starts today, although I was on the outside gate, so it was hard to stay at the front around the first turn, I just focused on finding my rhythm without pushing too hard. In both races my riding was not bad, and I think for a come-back ride, this was not too bad, so I will try to continue on this way and make a come-back step by step.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P8

“My riding was really good this weekend, but I just made too many mistakes. That cost me a podium and maybe even a win, so I am quite sad about that. I think that we have some positives to take from the weekend though, like the start in the first moto and my riding. We are just going to keep working! The championship is long and we need to be there fighting for the podium.”

Simon Langenfelder – P11

“I crashed in qualifying and hit my thumb, which hurt my gate pick for today. I tried to make some good starts and was good out of the gate. I just got pushed outside in both races though! I went forward in the first race, but had a small crash. I was consistent in the second race and riding okay. I was not like my normal self though. It was not the best weekend. We are going to build on this though!”

MX2 Results

MX2 Standings

2022 Racing schedule

2022 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, presented by MXstore

2022 FIM Motocross (MXGP) World Championship Calendar

2022 Monster Energy AMA/ FIM World Supercross Schedule

2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Provisional Schedule

2022 Australian Arenacross Calendar

Round	Location	Date
Round 1	Bacchus Marsh	Jan-29
Round 2	Swan Hill	Feb-12
Round 3	Albury/Wodonga	Feb-26
Round 4	Renmark	Mar-12

2022 ProMX Championship Calendar

Round	Location	Date
Round 1	Wonthaggi, VIC	Mar-27
Round 2	Mackay, QLD	Apr-10
Round 3	Wodonga, VIC	May-01
Round 4	Gillman, SA	May-29
Round 5	Maitland, NSW	Jun-26
Round 6	Coffs Harbour, NSW	Jul-24
Round 7	Queensland Moto Park	Aug-14
Round 8	Coolum, QLD	August 20-21

2022 Lucas Oil Pro MX Championship Calendar

Round	Event	Location	Date
Round 1	Fox Raceway National I	Pala, CA	May-28
Round 2	Hangtown Motocross Classic	Sacramento, CA	Jun-04
Round 3	Thunder Valley National	Lakewood, CO	Jun-11
Round 4	High Point National	MT Morris, PA	Jun-28
Round 5	Redbud National	Buchanan, MI	Jul-02
Round 6	Southwick National	Southwick, MA	Jul-09
Round 7	Spring Creek National	Millwille, MN	Jul-16
Round 8	Washougal National	Washougal, WA	Jul-23
Round 9	Unadilla National	New Berlin, NY	Aug-13
Round 10	Budds Creek National	Mechanicsville, MD	Aug-20
Round 11	Ironman National	Crawfordsville, IN	Aug-27
Round 12	Fox Raceway National II	Pala, CA	Sep-03

2022 Victorian Junior MX State Titles Calendar

Round	Location	Date
Round 1	Shipwreck	April 2-3
Round 2	Broadford	May 7-8
Round 3	Horsham	July 30-31
Round 4	Korumburra	September 3-4

2022 WA State Supercross Championship Calendar

Round	Event	Date	Location
–	SX Accreditation 1	Dec-04	Coolup
–	SX Accreditation 2	Jan-15	Coolup
Round 1	SX Championship	Feb-05	Coolup
Round 2	SX Championship	Feb-19	Coolup

 2022 FIM Bajas World Cup Calendar

Date	Event	Venue	Country
17-19 February	Jordan Baja	Aqaba	Jordan
24 -26 February	Qatar Intl. Baja	Doha	Qatar
06-08 May	Baja do Oeste Castelo	Branco	Portugal
22-23 July	Baja Aragon	Teruel	Spain
04-07 August	Hungarian Baja	Varpalota	Hungary
29-31 August	Atacama Baja 1	Iquique	Chile
01-02 September	Atacama Baja 2	Iquique	Chile
27-29 October	Baja Portalegre	Portalegre	Portugal
10-12 November	Saudi Baja * Tbc	Saudi	Arabia
01-03 December	Dubai Intl. Baja	Dubai United	Arab Emirate

2022 Silk Way Rally – July 6-16, 2022

2022 FIM ISDE – Le Puy en Velay, France
29 August-3 September, 2022