Moto Wrap | Dirt Track | Dakar prep | Tough One | Roof of Africa

Moto News Weekly Wrap
November 30, 2021

What’s New:

• Billy Bolt wins last ever Tough One event
• Wade Young wins 2021 Roof of Africa for Sherco
• Daniel Milner joins Fantic D’Arpa Racing Team for 2022
• Factory Honda signs Wilson Todd for 2022
• Ryder and Rogers with WBR Yamaha for 2022
• Romain Febvre injury update
• Kevin Horgmo joins F&H Kawasaki Racing Team
• Maxime Renaux signs with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP
• Toby Price to headline KTM’s Dakar efforts in 2022
• 2022 Dakar route revealed
• Wonthaggi set for Dec 11-12 MX Open
• 2022 Australian Dirt Track and Track Championships dates
• GNCC Series set for 13-round 2022 season
• 2022 Progressive American Flat Track calendar
• Musquin wins Paris Supercross Invitational
• 2022 Racing Calendars

Billy Bolt wins last ever Tough One event

The Tough One Extreme Enduro first ran in 2005 and was run the final time over the weekend, with Billy Bolt taking a historic win as a result.

Held in the Nantmawr Quarry on the Welsh/English border, the location is renowned for brutal climbs in both directions, slick logs and a relentless pace.

Bolt took the win on his TE 300 two-stroke from David Knight, who’s won the event six-times, with Mitchell Brightmore taking third place in the Pro class.

Billy Bolt – P1

“Had a rough week last week hence my lack instagramming but it ended off on a good note with a win at the Tough One yesterday. Very nice to add my name to the winners list for such an iconic race. Back to Spain today to get to work ready for super enduro this weekend let’s go!”

2021 Tough One Results – Top 5

Wade Young wins 2021 Roof of Africa for Sherco

Wade Young has taken the 2021 Roof of Africa win for Sherco Factory Racing, ahead of TT Racing riders Travis Teasdale and Matthew Green in the gold class.

Wade Young – P1

“Long cold days in the mountains but super happy to get the win the Motul Roof of Africa 2021. #TeamSherco Great way to end the season! Thanks to the race organizers for another outstanding event. See you next year!”

Travis Teasdale – P2

“Roof of Africa is done and dusted. I had a great race winning the time trial and day three was my highlight. The course was extremely wet and really hard to navigate your way through the mountains. I am happy to end my season on the podium and looking forward to the next season already.”

Matthew Green – P3

“Third at the Roof of Africa. What a feeling. Super happy to get another Gold Roof under the belt and bring home some silverware while at it. Huge thanks to everyone directly and indirectly involved with my racing. Days like today are just unforgettable! Riding in the most insane mountains during a thunderstorm with some of yours best mates is something not many will experience. Went out today with the intention to just have fun and I can definitely say I achieved that! Racing the Roof at the highest level definitely puts you through a lot of emotions and I think that was quite evident today when I crossed the finish line. Today marks the end of the 2021 racing season and it is impossible to thank everyone for everything they have done for me but just know I really do appreciate each and everyone who helps. The biggest thanks has to go to my incredible parents. If you know me well you know how much they do for me. It’s been a wild ride. And I’m walking away with the biggest smile on my face. Thank you!”

2021 Roof of Africa Results

Daniel Milner joins Fantic D’Arpa Racing Team for 2022

Australia’s Daniel Milner has revealed that he’s joined the Fantic D’Arpa Racing Team for 2022, to compete the EnduroGP and Italian Enduro championship, pursuing a long standing personal goal.

Daniel Milner

“Excited to be racing for Fantic Racing on the Fantic D’Arpa Racing Team for 2022 in the EnduroGP and Italian Enduro. This has been a goal of mine for years, so getting this opportunity to help grow this brand and team was a no brainer. Also, getting Scott Lillis along side me will make it way easier to push to chase our dream and goals. Bring on 2022.”

Factory Honda signs Wilson Todd for 2022

Three-time Australian Champion Wilson Todd has signed with Factory Honda for 2022, after hitting the MX2 age limit in Europe, having spent the last two years racing in the highly competitive MX2 World Championship.

Wilson Todd

“I enjoyed my time in Europe and I was proud of the results we achieved against the factory team. I finished as high as fourth in a race, and we had a top five overall finish and several top tens. There is an age limit in the MX2 class and I turn 24 before next year’s championship starts which makes me ineligible. I was faced with some hard decisions and in the end the best decision for me was to come home and race. My focus is to win the MX2 and SX2 Australian Championship, but I hope to do a race or two overseas through Yarrive’s contacts and team internationally.”

Todd has proven to be one of the best Australian riders. In the past seven years he has won three championships and finished runner-up twice. He has also proven himself on the world stage. Tony Hinton, Honda Australia’s General Manager of Sales welcomed Wilson Todd to Honda’s Factory Team.

Tony Hinton

“Wilson Todd completes an impressive line-up for Honda. Wilson is a welcomed surprise as he was achieving great results overseas in the World MX2 Championship and we were unsure if he was going to return. He proved competitive against the world best this season and we are fortunate to have him racing our new 2022 CRF250R in next year’s Australian Motocross and Supercross Championship.”

2022 marks Wilson’s first year with Honda and the Queenslander is looking forward to racing with the championship winning team. Wilson still hopes to compete overseas and will patiently wait to see if there are any opportunities to do some racing in America next year in between the Australian Motocross Championship.

Ryder and Rogers with WBR Yamaha for 2022

The WBR Yamaha Bulk Nutrients Team will head into 2022 with two young prospects to contest the Pro MX and Australian Supercross Championships in the MX2 division. In keeping with their role of developing the up coming riders within the Yamaha ranks, Levi Rogers and Ryder Kingsford will spearhead the team in 2022 and both have been a part of Yamaha’s emerging talent for several years.

Rogers moves across from the Yamalube Yamaha team and looks forward to the new surrounds and environment to continue progressing in his career. Rogers has proven to be fast, as fast as anyone on his day, with plenty of rides in his rookie MX2 season in 2021 showing he is capable of mixing it with the biggest names in the MX2 class.

Working with the Whitten family at WBR Yamaha, Rogers will be looking to cash in on his undoubted speed and turn that into results both at a state and national level. At just 18 years of age, Rogers has time on his side and is out to make his second year in the MX2 category memorable for all the right reasons.

Levi Rogers

“2021 was my first year in MX2 and while there was speed and some good results, there was some mistakes which I need to reduce to be a contender at each and every round. I’m thankful Yamaha were keen to keep me on board and that Travis and Nathan from WBR Yamaha offered me a great opportunity for the new season. “We already have a few plans in place and I’m looking forward to getting stuck into a new year with the team. Their bikes have been proven to be good, we have a great group of sponsors on board and hopefully we can get a full season completed. I’m excited for 2022 already.”

Joining Rogers will be young Yamaha sensational Ryder Kingsford. Like Rogers, Kingsford has been a long-term product of the Yamaha Junior Racing program and after a strong 2022 season where he finished in second place in the inaugural MX3 championship, he makes the move to not only the WBR Yamaha team, but also steps up to the MX2 division.

Kingsford is equally skilled at motocross and supercross, having both style of tracks at his disposal in his own back yard in Goulburn. He has already won multiple Australia junior championships in motocross and supercross and is eager to make the big leap into the professional ranks.

Ryder Kingsford

“I know stepping into the MX2 class is a big decision to make but Yamaha and WBR were happy for me to take it and I thank them for showing the faith in me when I could have stayed another year in MX3. Getting the support of the team at WBR Yamaha is awesome and we have already had a successful couple of days testing and I feel right at home on the bike and with the team. We plan on doing as many events as possible before the start of the Pro MX Championship in March so I’m well prepared for what’s to come.”

Dylan Long has also been an ambassador for the WBR Yamaha dealership since his retirement from full time racing a few years ago, but the racing bug has bitten again and Long will compete in a range of activities for WBR Yamaha included selected rounds of the Pro MX and Australian Supercross Championship.

Romain Febvre injury update

Romain Febvre underwent successful surgery on his right leg that he broke at the Paris Supercross last weekend; the factory Kawasaki rider will rest for a few weeks before starting preparation for the 2022 season.

Together with several other leading MXGP riders and seasoned Supercross specialists, Romain Febvre entered his last race of 2021 on Saturday; it was a unique and additional opportunity to race in a one-off Supercross event inside his home country of France after recently celebrating his second place in the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship.

Feeling comfortable on the track laid out in the Paris la Defense Arena, Romain posted the third fastest lap time during the Superpole to confirm his fastest time from Friday practice. Fifth in the first of the three races Romain made a great start in the second sprint race, pushing his fastest lap time and was a challenging for second position behind Marvin Musquin when he crashed spectacularly on the finish jump!

After being transferred to the hospital Ambroise Pare at Boulogne Billancourt where he had further examinations, Romain underwent surgery and was treated for a double fracture of the tibia and fibula of the right leg. Following successful surgery Romain remains positive for his full recovery.

Romain Febvre

“Not the way I wanted to finish the season for sure! I was happy with my riding, didn’t took any risks, and I felt more and more comfortable with the track when I had this crash. In my career I already recover from injuries, I know what that means and for sure I will be back stronger.”

Kevin Horgmo joins F&H Kawasaki Racing Team

The F&H Kawasaki Racing Team has secured its first new signing for the 2022 FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship as Norwegian Kevin Horgmo, this year’s EMX250 series runner-up, moves up to the GPs.

For the fifth year in succession Team F&H will be officially representing Kawasaki in the MX2 World championship next season and the exciting Norwegian talent joins the Dutch squad with high expectations from both team and rider.

One of most talented riders from Scandinavia, Kevin was at the sharp end of a tense battle for the FIM Europe EMX250 title this summer, eventually ending the series as runner-up with two overall victories, three moto wins and six podiums.

The MX2 World Championship will not be an entirely new experience for Kevin as he already raced a few GPs this season, with a twelfth position as best result in Czech Republic. After battling for race wins, podiums and the title he now moves to the GPs more experienced and mature. Kevin has already started working with Marc De Reuver, who will again be the coach to the F&H riders next season.

Kevin Horgmo

“I’m really excited to join F&H Kawasaki Racing Team; the KX250 is a completely new bike for me but already after the first test I feel so comfortable on it. To be a member of a team like this is what I feel I’ve been missing in the past; the team has everything I need to succeed so now it’s up to me to perform! It will also be good to work with Marc as a trainer; for sure I will learn a lot from him!”

Maxime Renaux signs with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP

Yamaha welcome reigning FIM MX2 Motocross World Champion Maxime Renaux to the premier MXGP class in 2022, the 21-year-old Frenchman joins the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team, where he will campaign a YZ450FM in the FIM Motocross World Championship for the next two years.

Renaux has been with Yamaha for more than a decade and has worked his way up the Yamaha Racing pyramid, ever since he was a young star-on-the-rise on a YZ85. In 2015, the young talent celebrated three EMX125 wins aboard a GYTR kitted YZ125 and eventually won his first World Title with an impressive victory at the Junior 125cc World Championship in El Molar, Spain, in that same year.

After the 2016 and 2017 seasons were marred by injury, the determined Frenchman entered the lower capacity premier class, MX2, as a wild card in 2018 and instantly showed great potential.

At the age of 18, Renaux completed his first full-term in MX2 in 2019 where he managed to steer his YZ250F to a maiden podium finish on his way to seventh overall in the final classification. The following year, in 2020, the Yamaha ace quickly established himself as a title threat. He eventually finished third in the MX2 World Championship after celebrating his first-ever Grand Prix race and overall win at the MXGP of Italy in Faenza.

After many notable performances throughout his first two years in MX2, Renaux was drafted into the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team and substantially improved his riding and racecraft. In his debut season as a ‘Factory’ Yamaha rider, the ‘959’ took his YZ250FM to 24 top-three finishes, 10 race wins, 14 podium finishes and five Grand Prix wins on his way to title glory in the 2021 FIM MX2 World Championship.

After the Paris Supercross at the end of November, the French star will step up to the premier class, where he will join seasoned MXGP riders Jeremy Seewer and Glenn Coldenhoff under the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP awning.

Maxime Renaux

“I’m really excited for the new challenge and the next chapter, to move to MXGP. I know it’s going to be an all-new challenge, and it is the most important part of my career because once you reach MXGP you are at the top, there is no class to move forward. I feel ready for it, and I am really looking forward to making this experience a good one, and a long one. I have tested the bike, and I feel already really good and really comfortable. I’ve been riding a 450 in the past, so it’s not a new bike for me, but it is the first time on a Factory YZ450FM, and I already feel super ready for it, so now we will spend the winter testing and developing the bike to suit me as best it can, so that we are ready for next season. I’m looking forward to everything.”

Toby Price to headline KTM’s Dakar efforts in 2022

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Matthias Walkner, Toby Price, and Kevin Benavides are fired up and focused on success as they enter the final phase of preparations ahead of next January’s Dakar Rally. The three-man team of former Dakar Rally winners will be joined by newly retired MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci, who will make his Dakar debut at the 2022 event.

With just over one month to go before the highly anticipated start of the 2022 Dakar Rally, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing are currently completing their final period of testing before packing their bags and heading to the start of the famous race, early in January 2022.

Matthias, Toby, and Kevin will all compete on the latest version of the KTM 450 RALLY – a bike developed in close cooperation between KTM Technologies, KTM’s R&D department, KISKA, and KTM Motorsports over the last two years.

Toby Price showed impressive pace at the 2021 Dakar Rally, but was frustratingly forced to retire following a crash on stage nine, which caused a year of disruption for the Aussie. Following three separate surgeries, Price has largely stayed away from competition, spending time on his bike at home in Australia during the second half of the season, before joining the team later in the year to test and develop the new KTM 450 RALLY.

Contesting the Rallye du Maroc in October, he put in five solid days of racing, also taking the time to further improve the set-up of the new machine through the Moroccan dunes in preparation for the Dakar. Happy with his own performance, and that of the bike, Toby will be looking to make amends for his 2021 Dakar disappointment and claim his third title at the 2022 event.

Toby Price

“I’m really looking forward to Dakar 2022. This year’s race didn’t go too well for me, crashing out on stage nine. I was sitting in a good place, so it was tough to have to retire. The plan for the next one is similar to those I’ve had in the past to be honest – make it safely to the rest day in a solid position, stay in contention, and try to let the days come to me. On the days that we need to push, we’ll really go for it. It’s easy to make a plan, but the rally is always changing day-by-day, you have to be able to adapt. I’m feeling really good now, and the work on the new bike is definitely going in the right direction. All being well we should be in the mix, and I can’t wait to go racing again with the Red Bull KTM team!”

Joining the team in Saudi Arabia, former MotoGP star Danilo Petrucci will be riding for KTM Factory Racing and making his competitive rally debut at the Dakar. Swapping his KTM RC16 for a KTM 450 RALLY, the likeable Italian will take on the world’s toughest rally hoping to complete the event at his first attempt.

Danilo has already had time to test his Tech3 KTM Factory Racing rally bike alongside the team and has undergone intense road book training, under the watchful eye of KTM’s Rally Sport Manager Jordi Viladoms, in order to be ready to face the incredibly challenging navigation required for rally racing.

2022 Dakar route revealed

Following years of discussion to finalise unified regulations, the Dakar will be part of the FIA and FIM World Rally Championships for cross-country rallying in 2022. In line with these reforms, A.S.O. has been designated as the promoter of this competition, consisting of five legs in the 2022 season.

The show will get on the road in Jeddah, the port city that welcomed Dakar entrants to Saudi Arabia in 2020 and is set to host the Formula One World Championship on its Corniche Circuit in a week’s time. The prologue will kick off 2022 with a trek to Ha’il, located at the crossroads of the historical trade routes of Saudi Arabia. A 19 km mini-special will spice up the long transfer.

True Dakar veterans and numerous rookies have heeded the call of the sands to make up the largest field in almost a decade, totalling 430 vehicles in the race and another 148 in the Dakar Classic.

Man and machine alike will have their endurance put to the test over a total distance of more than 8,000 km, in a journey that will take them to the capital in Riyadh before returning to the shores of the Red Sea. The stopwatch will be running for about 4,300 km of specials.

Here’s a look at the stages and route:

2022 Dakar Route and Stages Schedule

Wonthaggi set for Dec 11-12 MX Open

Some of Australia’s top motocross stars will line up one last time in 2021 when they feature at the Wonthaggi MX Open over the weekend of December 11-12.

Motocross legend and championship winning team owner Craig Dack believes riders will be racing for more than prize money at this race, they will be racing for pride.

The CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Racing team owner has entered three riders for the race in Wonthaggi on the 11-12 December.

Craig Dack

“The pandemic disrupted our championship, and we haven’t raced a lot over the past two years because of it. This race is more about pride than prizemoney. The riders will be racing hard against each other and I am expecting some intense battles.”

The Factory Yamaha team has entered current Australian Champion Luke Clout, Aaron Tanti and Hayden Mellross.

For decades there has been a fierce rivalry between Yamaha and Honda and the AMX MX OPEN provides the two manufacturers another chance to go head-to-head in the MX1 class. Director of Honda Racing Australia Yarrive Konsky enjoys the rivalry.

Yarrive Konsky

“Off the track we get on well but once the gate drops there are no friendships, we want to beat Yamaha and their riders as well as Kawasaki and their riders and everyone else who is racing.”

Factory Honda is fielding a three rider MX1 team. Three-time Australian Champion Dean Ferris will be coming down from NSW, Brett Metcalfe will be travelling from South Australia and current Australian MX2 champion Kyle Webster will make his debut with the team in the MX1 class. The team has also entered Emma Milesevic in the Women’s class.

Factory Kawasaki will be competing in this year’s AMX MX OPEN, and they hope to compete for the top step of the podium in the MX2 class with Japanese Champion Haruki Yokoyama. Haruki left Japan to take on Australia’s best this year and is looking forward to racing in Wonthaggi.

Haruki Yokoyama

“Everyone has been very welcoming, and I am enjoying my time in Australia. It’s good to be racing again and I looking forward to the race in Wonthaggi.”

This will be the first-time fans will see Dean Ferris aboard the Honda take on current Australian Champion Luke Clout on the Yamaha and it will be the last race of the season before preparations for 2022 begin in earnest.

Over 200 entries are expected and trade displays will be present.

Spectators are urged to book tickets online. Go to www.mxopen.com.au for more details. Tickets will be available at the gate but to avoid queues you are encouraged to pre-purchase online. Adult tickets are $25, while children are $15.

2022 Australian Dirt Track and Track Championships dates

The National Championships Calendar of events across the disciplines of both Track and Dirt Track for Senior and Junior Championships, as well as the Classic and Post Classic have now been released for 2022.

• Australian Senior Dirt Track Championship will be hosted by North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club at Mick Doohan Raceway, QLD, April 30 to May 1.
• Australian Junior Dirt Track Championship will be hosted by North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club at Mick Doohan Raceway taking place in QLD on July 2-3.
• Australian Junior Track Championship hosted by Tamworth Motorcycle club will be held in Tamworth, NSW on August 20-21.
• Australian Senior Track Championship is set for in Gunnedah, NSW Hosted by Gunnedah Motorcycle Club on September 24-25.
• Australian Classic and Post Classic Dirt Track Championship hosted by Temora Motorcycle Club will roll into Temora, NSW on October 2-3.

Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series set for 13-round 2022 season

After a record-breaking year, the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series has announced the series schedule for the upcoming 2022 season.

The 2022 schedule welcomes back many of its most seasoned venues, including Big Buck in Union, South Carolina; The General in Washington, Georgia; The John Penton in Millfield, Ohio; West Virginia’s popular Snowshoe GNCC in Snowshoe, West Virginia; and the Ironman finale in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

The GNCC Series is set to kick off on February 19 and 20 with the Big Buck GNCC in Union, South Carolina. From there the series will head south for the 8th Annual Wild Boar GNCC in Palatka, Florida, which is also held in conjunction with the 2022 Daytona Beach “Bike Week” festivities on March 5 and 6. Then the next weekend, March 12 and 13, the series continues in Washington, Georgia for a back-to-back round with The General GNCC at Aonia Pass MX.

Round four of the season will be held on March 26 and 27, however the location is yet to be determined. We are actively looking to make a decision as soon as possible, and share the exciting news with the GNCC racing nation when we have a confirmation.

The series will then move over to Society Hill, South Carolina for the Camp Coker Bullet GNCC on April 9 and 10. Then after a three-week hiatus the series will pick up in Crawfordsville, Indiana at Ironman Raceway for the Hoosier GNCC on May 7 and 8.

On May 21 and 22 The 34th Annual John Penton returns to the series schedule as one of the oldest consecutive-running GNCC events on the circuit, held in Millfield, Ohio. The Mason-Dixon will follow, holding round 8 in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania on the weekend of June 4 and 5. The series will head to Snowshoe Mountain on June 25 and 26 for the 15th running of the Snowshoe GNCC, dubbed as America’s Toughest Race for his rough terrain and challenging obstacles.

After summer break, the series will return to Summit Bechtel Reserve for the 10th round of racing on September 10-11. Located in the heart of southern West Virginia, The Mountaineer GNCC continues to be a popular addition to the circuit. The event will continue its Salute to First Responders throughout the weekend as the event takes place over the anniversary of September 11th. Round 11 will take place back in Millfield, Ohio for the Burr Oak GNCC on September 24 and 25, with the penultimate round returning to the Buckwheat 100 in Newburg, West Virginia on the 8th and 9th of October.

Then the 2022 Season Finale will take place at the iconic Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana for the Ironman GNCC on October 22 and 23. The Ironman GNCC event has been a fan and rider favourite for years, breaking the record last year for total entries with 2,704 riders.

Two rain date have been set for the 2022 season for the weekends of July 9-10, and then in the fall on November 5 and 6, with locations to be announced at a later date, if needed.

2022 Grand National Cross Country calendar

2022 Progressive American Flat Track calendar

American Flat Track (AFT) has announced an 18-round schedule for the 2022 season, adding new venues in new markets as well as a return to the major motorcycle rallies.

Ideally balanced in its March-October dates, coast-to-coast locations, and blend of eight Half-Miles, five Miles, two TTs, and three Short Tracks, the ‘22 slate is set to establish Progressive AFT as a highlight attraction at some of the world’s biggest motorcycling events.

The season will kick off with an epic Daytona Bike Week doubleheader on Thursday, March 10 and Friday, March 11 with the Volusia Half-Mile I & II to properly set the stage for the year ahead. That trend continues with Progressive AFT rounds reinstated as key components of the massively popular Laconia Motorcycle Week and Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Finally, the 2022 Grand National Championship battle will come full circle with a return visit to Daytona Beach during Biketoberfest for the Volusia Half-Mile III season finale. In addition, several other events will have a similarly celebratory feel with high-profile showdowns on holiday weekends including Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

The annual legendary Midwest events, the Springfield Mile doubleheader, Peoria TT and Lima Half-Mile, all return on the same weekends while four events will move to new weekends in 2022. After a rain-out in 2021, the Texas Half-Mile moves to a new date in March to be a part of IndyCar weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The New York Short Track and Port Royal Half-Mile will both move to new weekends in July, and Cal Expo will play host to the Sacramento Mile in August.

A number of fan and rider favorite venues are back following temporary absences. The Red Mile, Laconia Short Track and Black Hills Half-Mile last took place in 2019 and are set to make their triumphant return to the calendar in 2022.

The Castle Rock TT, meanwhile, is back following a lengthier pause. The ‘22 edition will mark the 28th inclusion of the adrenaline-fueled race on the Progressive AFT schedule and a return to the Pacific Northwest for the first time since 2014. The event is sure to be one of the most unique events on the tour thanks to a collaboration with Thor Drake, renowned for his ability to curate motorcycle art, racing and culture and deliver highly entertaining events such as The One Moto Show and The Wild One.

There will also be two new additions to the slate: I-70 Half-Mile in Odessa, Missouri, and the Cedar Lake Short Track in New Richmond, Wisconsin. The stop in Odessa is Progressive American Flat Track’s first in Missouri since 2005 while the race in New Richmond will be the series’ first in Wisconsin since 2003.

2022 American Flat Track (AFT) calendar

Musquin wins Paris Supercross Invitational

The Paris Supercross returned for 2021 and with a simplified track layout to entice some of the leading figures in MXGP as well as a selection of entries from the USA and the AMA Supercross series.

Among the travellers from the United States was Marvin Musquin: the Frenchman was a race winner at Paris-Lille in 2016 and laid his hands on the ‘King’ crown once more in the first edition of the meeting in the modern La Defense Arena in 2017.

The soon-to-be 32-year-old is one of KTM’s longest-serving racers, having joined the factory squad during 2009. In the 2021 edition of Europe’s most popular annual SX event, Musquin set his speed from the outset and aced the Superpole.

He controlled the first two sprints and faced some opposition from Justin Brayton in the third but took his KTM 450 SX-F to a 1-1-1 streak to earn the plaudits ahead of Cedric Soubeyras wjhile Brayton rounded out the podium.

Marvin Musquin – King of Paris 2021

“King of Paris 2021; that was obviously the goal and I came here well prepared as we are getting closer to the new supercross season in January. This event is always a good training for me although it was different this year as the track had no whoops. It was fun anyway and the soil was choppy: it was still challenging. I wanted to get holeshots, be at the front and keep pushing to the end. I’m happy. It was a one-day format this time but I enjoyed it and went 1-2 with my buddy Cedric Soubeyras: two Frenchies! That was pretty amazing.”

Aussie legend Chad Reed acquitted himself extraordinarily well for a 39-year-old semi retired racer. Chad rode a KTM to fifth overall on the back of 6-5-7 results.

In the 250 ranks American Kyle Peters scooped the pool ahead of new MX2 World Champion Maxime Renaux and Calvin Fonvieille.

King of Paris 2021 Results

Prince of Paris 2021 Results

2022 Racing schedule

2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Provisional Schedule

Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop