Moto News Weekly Wrap
February 6, 2018 – By Darren Smart
Proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
Latest News
- 2018 Mountain Man Set to Sizzle
- See the Much Awaited Yamaha YZ65 This Weekend
- Airoh title sponsor for Sunshine State MX 2018
- Team Rider Applications Open for 2018 FIM World Junior Motocross
- Bogers Injury Up-Date
- Husqvarna and Motorex Ink Deal in Australia
- Baylor Takes Round One of National Enduro
- Dmitry Koltakov Draws First Blood in Ice Speedway Championship
Race Reports
- AMA Supercross Championships – Round 5 – Oakland
- FIM X-Trial World Championship – Round 5 – Barcelona
- New Zealand Motocross Championships – Round 1 – Taranaki
- Internazionali D’Italia Motocross – Round 1 – Riola Sardo
- 2018 Bassella Race 1 – Spain
2018 Mountain Man Set to Sizzle
The first major national motocross event for the 2018 motocross season will be the iconic Mountain Man Motocross at Toowoomba’s undulating Echo Valley Motocross facility over the weekend of the 10th and 11th of March.
The Mountain Man Motocross started way back in the 1970s and has been won by some of the superstars of our sport including Gary Flood, Peter Boyle, Pelle Granquist, Stephan Gall, Anthony Gunter, Jeff Leisk, Dave Armstrong, Craig Dack, Glenn Bell and Troy Carroll so to add your name among these riders is as prestigious as it gets in the Australian motocross scene.
The Mountain Man class itself is basically an all-powers event which was won by Kade Mosig and Kirk Gibbs respectively over the last two years but this year Dean Ferris is using the event to kick off his 2018 season and he will be the favourite to add his name to the illustrious list of past winners while pocketing the $2000.00 winner cheque.
Impressively, the Toowoomba Motocross Club has secured serious prizemoney for every class including the always exciting 125cc Golden Tyres Cup, the Women’s class, the two Vet classes, the three Post Classic classes, the two Junior classes and the Sidecars so there is something for everyone whether you are a rider or a spectator.
Go to www.nominate.com.au to get your entry in or go to the Mountain Man Facebook page for more information.
See the Much Awaited Yamaha YZ65 This Weekend
Yamaha Australia have confirmed that they will take the covers off an all new Yamaha YZ65 at three location around the country next Sunday the 11th of February.
Events will be held in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland at the below locations.
- NSW – 10:00am Macarthur Motocross Complex, Brian Rd, Appin
- VIC – 10:00am – Park4MX, 434 Mahoneys Rd, Campbellfield
- QLD – 9:00am – Queensland Moto Park, 3010 Beaudesert-Boonah Rd, Coulson
Airoh title sponsor for Sunshine State MX 2018
Motorcycling Queensland, in conjunction with the Queensland Motocross Subcommittee recently announced the return of Airoh Helmets as title sponsor for the 2018 Sunshine State Motocross Series (SSMX).
With 72 World Titles under its belt, Airoh Helmets has a well-established track record and Chris Lynis, Media Manager of Airoh Helmets’ Australian distributor Moto National, is again looking forward to showcasing the product through Queensland’s biggest motocross series.
Chris Lynis – Moto National, Australian Airoh Distributor
“We are extremely excited to be a part of the biggest motocross series in Queensland, again looking forward to working with the team to host the Airoh MX Series Sunshine State in 2018.”
A long-standing fixture on the Queensland MX calendar, the SSMX series has been an important building block in the careers of many young riders, including those the calibre of world-ranked international competitors Hunter and Jett Lawrence, and Jett Alsop.
And it’s not just the rising stars on show with spectators, the sport’s biggest names are champing at the bit to test the race fitness, including the likes of two-time MX Nationals Champion Dean Ferris, who will race every round.
Jason Watson – Series Coordinator
“It’s great to welcome Airoh and all our exciting contingency sponsors on board. It’s that time of the year and the excitement is building from all directions. The Airoh series has one of the biggest followings in the state, if not the country – we had 464 bikes at Round One last year and we may crack the 500 mark this time around. “For juniors, the series is a great stepping stone from the SEQ series to state and national level competition, while for the seniors, it’s a great chance to push for upgrading.”
Race discounts apply to MQ licence holders buying Airoh helmets until the end of the SSMX series, so ask at your local stockist.
Brand new contingencies are also available from generous series sponsors Pirelli and Five gloves, the latter being available at each race.
Registration for the 2017 series can be done via the www.mqld.org.au calendar, or by going directly to www.nominate.com.au.
2018 Airoh MX Series Sunshine State Calendar
- Round 1: 17/18 February, Hervey Bay
- Round 2: 3/4 March, Coolum
- Round 3: 24/25 March, Chinchilla
- Round 4: 21/22 April, Warwick
- Round 5: 12/13 May, Toowoomba
- Round 6: 2/3 June, Tivoli
Team Rider Applications Open for 2018 FIM World Junior Motocross
Motorcycling Australia (MA) is calling for expressions of interest for Australian Team riders for the FIM World Junior Motocross (WJMX) which is heading down under to Horsham, Australia. It’s now time to select which rider’s will represent the green and gold on the world stage! The highly anticipated WJMX will take place on the 26th of August.
The WJMX is without a shadow of a doubt the world’s most prestigious Junior Motocross event. It’s going to be an incredible sight to witness, delivering a show for spectators and competitors alike.
The MA Team Selection Policy will be applied for the selection of the 2018 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship Australian Team. The MA Motocross Commission will recommend Squad places to Motorcycling Australia (MA) and the ROC Committee for final approval.
The final Australian Team will ultimately be selected from the Australian Squad with consideration given to results events including the 2017 Australian Junior Motocross Championships, 2018 State Championships, 2018 Squad training and coaching programs, and other significant 2018 open events within Australia or Internationally where riders of a National level with similar abilities are competing against each other.
Participation in each and every one of the above listed events is not mandatory for selection however results and progress at these will be considered towards the final rider Australian Team selection process.
Australia will have 21 riders flying the flag at the biggest Junior Motocross event to hit our shores. The 21 riders will be split between the following three classes, seven to be selected in each;
WJMX Classes
- -65cc: Age Restrictions-minimum 10 years of age and maximum 12 years of age.
- -85cc: Age Restrictions-minimum 12 years of age and maximum 14 years of age.
- -125cc: Age Restrictions- minimum 13 years of age and maximum 17 years of age.
Australian riders may have the chance to secure a wildcard entry. If there are less than 50 entries received from other federations, there will be opportunities for wildcards for Australian riders at the WJMX.
Matthew Falvo
Motorcycling Australia
PO Box 134
South Melbourne, VIC 3220
Email: [email protected]
Further information can be found on the application forms at www.ma.org.au/forms
Bogers Injury Up-Date
Team HRC’s Brian Bogers is on the way to full recovery following the foot injury he suffered in Italy last November. The physical condition of the 21-year-old Dutch rider was evaluated yesterday at the AZ St.-Elisabeth hospital in Herentals, Belgium, by foot/ankle specialist Anne van Riet.
Despite being cleared to resume training, Dr van Riet has suggested a further six weeks’ rest before Brian can perform any activity requiring pressure on the foot. Bogers’ condition will therefore be re-evaluated at the end of March, after which a more accurate time frame for his MXGP debut will be announced.
Brian Bogers
“Obviously, every racer would love recovery times to be as short as possible, but I fully understand the need for the foot to be fully healed and strong before making my MXGP debut. On the bright side, it looks like the healing process is going really well and even the doctor was surprised as to how well my foot has progressed in such a short time. Motocross is a tough sport which requires perfect physical condition, and that’s our goal for now. It was nice to get together with the team last week and I can’t wait to join them and get back to racing. Meanwhile, though, I will train as much as I can and prepare in order to be ready for the season ahead.”
Husqvarna and Motorex Ink Deal in Australia
Husqvarna Motorcycles Australia have announced a new partnership with Motorex Australia that will see all 2018 models delivered with products from the Switzerland-based lubricants brand.
In an extension of the global strategic partnership announced in January, Motorex will become the exclusive first-fill supplier of Husqvarna Motorcycles, while also supporting the Husqvarna Factory Racing off-road and desert racing programs locally.
The Husqvarna Motorcycles and Motorex brands are synonymous with success and now each new model in Husqvarna’s production line will exclusively be delivered utilising products from the high-quality Swiss lubricants company. Motorex has won 110 world championships in motocross, supercross, enduro, rally and additional displaces, race-proven and manufactured to the highest of standards.
A full range of Motorex lubricants, care and maintenance products will be available throughout Husqvarna Motorcycles Australian dealerships for 2018, as Husqvarna Motorcycles Australia establishes a familiar partnership with national Motorex distributor, A1 Accessory Imports. In addition, Husqvarna Motorcycles recommends the usage of Motorex products from the comprehensive Motorex Motoline for servicing purposes.
Jeff Leisk – General Manager, Husqvarna Motorcycles Australia
“Our organisation has enjoyed a long and very successful partnership with Motorex lubricants. We are thrilled to extend this partnership to our Husqvarna Motorcycles, where our customers will experience the best lubricants available to protect their valuable assets and at the same time increase performance.”
Jason Rogers – Managing director, A1 Accessory Imports (Motorex Australia)
“This step reaffirms Motorex’s relationship that we have had with KTM, now extending to Husqvarna Motorcycles. Considering our longstanding partnership, it is a pretty seamless transition for us working together and being first-fill for Husqvarna Motorcycles will only help to continue building the Motorex brand in the Australian market. It’s a strategic global partnership, so we are pleased to come to this agreement here in Australia as well. Part of the arrangement will see Motorex become the official partner of Husqvarna Motorcycles race teams and we are excited for the year ahead.”
Baylor Takes Round One of National Enduro
The opening round of the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series was held in Sumter last weekend and it was Stewart Baylor who took the hard fought win ahead of the fast finishing duo of Josh Toth and Ben Kelly while Trever Bollinger and Cory Butrick rounded out the top five.
In good news for us Aussies, AMA Female Athlete of the Year MacKenzie Tricker won the Women’s Elite division.
Round 1 Results — Sumter, SC
- Steward Baylor
- Josh Toth
- Ben Kelley
- Trevor Bollinger
- Cory Buttrick
Dmitry Koltakov Draws First Blood in Ice Speedway Championship
Dmitry Koltakov consolidated his position at the top of the LUKOIL FIM Ice Speedway Gladiators Word Championship’s leader board after winning the opening two rounds in Astana last weekend with fellow Russian Sergey Karachintsev being the only rider able to match his pace while Daniil Ivanov took third place in front of 4500 spectators.
Championship Standings after Round 2
- Dimitry Koltakov (Russia) 40
- Sergey Karachintsev (Russia) 36
- Daniil Ivanov (Russia) 30
- Martin Haarahiltunen (Sweden) 29
- Dimitri Khomitsevich (Russia) 26
- Harald Simon (Austria) 17
- Andrey Shishegov (Russia) 17 – Wild Card
- Ove Ledström (Sweden) 16
- Jimmy Olsen (Sweden) 11
- Charly Ebner (Austria) 10
Smarty’s Race Reports
AMA Supercross Championships – Round 5 – Oakland
On a night that 450 main event winner Jason Anderson called ‘insane’ and the 250 main event winner Aaron Plessinger basically passed out at race end, the fifth round of the AMA Supercross Championship hit Oakland where riders dealt with a massively deteriorating track, offering the capacity crowd a night of jaw dropping action.
450 Report
Cole Seely was hot all day and he grabbed the holeshot ahead of Blake Baggett, Ken Roczen, Weston Peick, Marvin Musquin, Anderson and Eli Tomac while Justin Barcia was back in 11th place.
Tomac’s championship hit yet another hurdle when Barcia nudged the Kawasaki rider out of the way and onto the ground and it wasn’t long when Seely also hit the deck thanks to a sketchy rutted jump allowing Roczen to take the race lead.
The bar banging didn’t stop there, Anderson put a pass on Musquin for third place that left the Frenchman on the ground before Anderson moved into second place after passing Baggett and the Husqvarna rider set his sights on race leader Roczen.
With the track severely rutted and lapped riders all over the place, Anderson moved onto Roczen’s rear wheel and the two riders battled back and forth right to the final lap where Roczen held Anderson till he miss-timed a jump section allowing Anderson to re-take the lead and a narrow victory from Roczen with Bagget in third ahead of Musquin, Barcia and Seely.
Cooper Webb, Broc Tickle, Justin Brayton and Josh Grant rounded out the top ten while Eli Tomac rallied back to 13th, one position ahead of LCQ winner Chad Reed.
Anderson now holds a 15 point lead from Ken Roczen with Barcia just two point back in third.
Jason Anderson
“I really had to bring it around (after my crash in practice) for the main and it was crazy, we (Kenny and I) were making mistakes, it was so hard to hit your marks, the lappers played a factor because you were having to twitch lines and you don’t know how deep or soft the holes are, it was insane but to win feels great.”
Ken Roczen
“I grabbed a good start and tucked right in thee behind Cole (Seely), Cole was going really good until he made a mistake in front of me so then I was leading and I tried not to get too amp’d up or push too hard because I knew the track was going to get worse and if you rush it is easy to clip something or over-jump into the ruts but the last couple of laps were really something, Jason passed me and we had a good battle, I am bumped to give it away after working so hard on a difficult track but we are healthy and in the championship hunt.”
Blake Baggett
“Basically it came down to the start and track position right away is critical these days, the racing is tight and everyone is getting so close that if you aren’t near the front early or not in the top five or six you can’t make it happen so I got off to a good start and was able to hang the wheel with the front pack and get into a groove.”
Jason Anderson, Husqvarna
Ken Roczen, Honda
Blake Baggett, KTM
450SX Class Results
- Jason Anderson, Husqvarna
- Ken Roczen, Honda
- Blake Baggett, KTM
- Marvin Musquin, KTM
- Justin Barcia, Yamaha
- Cole Seely, Honda
- Cooper Webb, Yamaha
- Broc Tickle, KTM
- Justin Brayton, Honda
- Joshua Grant, Kawasaki
14. Chad Reed, Husqvarna
450SX Class Championship Standings
- Jason Anderson, Husqvarna (115)
- Ken Roczen, Honda (100)
- Justin Barcia, Yamaha (98)
- Cole Seely, Honda (87)
- Justin Brayton, Honda (82)
- Weston Peick, Suzuki (82)
- Blake Baggett, KTM (78)
- Marvin Musquin, KTM (73)
- Joshua Grant, Kawasaki (71)
- Cooper Webb, Yamaha (68)
14. Chad Reed, Husqvarna (37)
250 Report
In his first ride back from injury Alex Martin grabbed the holeshot and held the lead for the opening laps before Christian Craig took the lead but it wasn’t long before championship leader Plessinger worked his way into second place after easily passing Justin Hill, Joey Savatgy and Martin along the way.
With Plessinger closing in fast Craig cross rutted on a jump face and launched off the track allowing Plessinger to move into the lead as the duelling Savatgy and Hill slotted into second and third.
As they battled for second place Hill and Savatgy held each other up allowing Plessinger to cross the line without any stress and to take his second straight round win ahead of Savatgy and Hill while Craig came back to finish fourth ahead of Martin and Chase Sexton.
Championship contenders Adam Cianciarulo and Shane McElrath both suffered incidents during the opening lap of the race that left them to finish in 7th and 15th respectively while Hayden Mellross finished a more than credible 10th in tough conditions.
Plessinger, who went into Oakland ‘under the weather’, collapsed after the race and didn’t make it to the press conference be he now holds an eight point lead over Savatgy while McElrath sits in third, some 19 points down on Plessinger.
Joey Savatgy
“I rode tight for the first part of the race then Justin (Hill) got by me so I started following his lines for a few laps then we started going back and forth but it was exciting and clean, the was nothing that crossed and line, what you would call respectable racing so in the end it was fun and great to end up on the box.”
Justin Hill
“I was able to get into a bit of a groove on this track tonight, I got to use my noggin and sink my teeth into the track so it was a nice change of pace track wise and the bike was working really good so I had a good feeling all of the way around the track.”
Western Regional 250SX Class Results
- Aaron Plessinger, Yamaha
- Joey Savatgy, Kawasaki
- Justin Hill, Suzuki
- Christian Craig, Honda
- Alex Martin, KTM
- Chase Sexton, Honda
- Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki
- Kyle Chisholm, Yamaha
- Mitchell Harrison, Husqvarna
- Hayden Mellross, Yamaha
Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
- Aaron Plessinger, Yamaha (118)
- Joey Savatgy, Kawasaki (110)
- Shane McElrath, KTM (99)
- Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki (93)
- Christian Craig, Honda (89)
- Chase Sexton, Honda (86)
- Justin Hill, Suzuki (79)
- Kyle Chisholm, Yamaha (68)
- Mitchell Oldenburg, Yamaha (58)
- Mitchell Harrison, Husqvarna (58)
- Hayden Mellross, Yamaha (56)
FIM X-Trial World Championship – Round 5 – Barcelona
The legendary Palau Sant Jordi arena hosted the fifth round of the FIM X-Trial World Championship last weekend and it was Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou who once again outclassed the opposition to earn maximum points.
In the qualifying phase, Bou collected just a single error in one of the sectors then in the following semi-final phase, where only the top rider from each group of three would make the cut, Bou showed few signs of difficulty as he cruised into the next round.
In the final head-to-head, with the crowd firmly behind him every inch of the way, Toni Bou proved once again to be the most in-form rider to wrap up his fifth consecutive victory with a six-point advantage over his arch-rival Adam Raga on the day, extending his advantage in the overall X-Trial World Championship standings to thirty-one points.
The sixth round of the FIM X-Trial World Championship will be held at Seville’s Palacio de Deportes in Spain on Thursday, March 8.
Toni Bou
“I’m super happy with this result. The event in Barcelona is always a very special date; a very nervy one whether the championship is going well or not. I want to congratulate Adam [Raga], because he rode a very complete trial, where he was very competitive on the final laps. We battled it out right until the end, where I had to make sure of victory, in spite of the difficulty of doing so with the new regulations. The race went perfectly for me, because we also had to put on a show for the spectators. I am very happy with this start of the championship with a full set of victories and a win at home. You can’t ask for more than that.”
Results X-Trial Barcelona 2018
- BOU Toni
- RAGA Adam
- FAJARDO Jeroni
- BINCAZ Benoit
- BUSTO Jaime
Provisional Standings after Round 5
- BOU Toni – 100
- RAGA Adam – 69
- BINCAZ Benoit – 43
- FAJARDO Jeroni – 33
- BERT Miquel – 33
New Zealand Motocross Championships – Round 1 – Taranaki
Kayne Lamont and Hamish Harwood have dominated the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively at the first round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships held in Taranaki last Sunday with both riders earning maximum points with three race wins.
Lamont was forced to pass defending champion Cody Cooper in all three races to end the day with a 15 point lead going into the second round ahead of Cooper and Aussie hard charger Kirk Gibbs.
Kayne Lamont
“In both races one and two I passed Cooper quite early on and, in the third race, I actually had the lead at the start, until Cooper went past me in turn two. I stayed behind him for a while, hoping that I might wear him down and I could see that his suspension was bucking him. He was making mistakes and I thought he’d either tip over in a corner or crash. He crashed. I could see that Gibbs was behind me after that, but I just played it safe and maintained the gap. I backed it off quite a bit near the end.”
After finishing a credible sixth in the MX1 class on a KTM300cc two-stroke, Harwood simply ripped the MX2 class to pieces with three wins to take the overall and a 15 point lead over New Zealand’s National Cross-Country Champion Brad Groombridge while Queenslander Jay Wilson managed third on the day despite having to come through the pack thanks to poor starts.
Interestingly, former Australian and New Zealand Motocross Champion and no doubt the oldest rider in the field Daryl Hurley showed up to contest the MX2 class and finished a remarkable fifth overall.
In the 125cc class local gun Maximus Purvis and Aussie Mason Semmens went toe-to-toe all weekend with Purvis ending the weekend with three more points than Semmens and in the Womans class Taylar Rampton did likewise to Letitia Alabaster with Mel Patterson coming home in third.
The series now heads to the undulating circuit in Rotorua for round two on February 25 with round three set for the picturesque Hawke’s Bay on March 11 before the final round at the challenging Taupo circuit on March 24.
MX1 Overall – Overall
- Kayne Lamont – 75 Points
- Cody Cooper – 60 Points
- Kirk Gibbs – 60 Points
- John Phillips – 52 Points
- Rhys Carter – 49 Points
- Hamish Harwood – 44 Points
- Brad Groombridge – 39 Points
- Campbell King – 38 Points
- Cohen Chase – 37 Points
- Jared Guthrie – 35 Points
MX2 Overall – Overall
- Hamish Harwood – 75 Points
- Brad Groombridge – 60 Points
- Jay Wilson – 55 Points
- Hayden Smith – 53 Points
- Daryl Hurley – 46 Points
- Micah McGoldrick – 43 Points
- Trent Collins – 42 Points
- Logan Blackburn – 39 Points
- Cooper Pozniak – 38 Points
- Mason Wilkie – 38 Points
125cc 2 Stroke – Overall
- Maximus Purvis – 72 Points
- Mason Semmens – 69 Points
- Seton Head – 52 Points
- Joshua Bourke-Palmer – 48 Points
- Jacob Beal – 45 Points
Womens Class – Overall
- Taylar Rampton – 70 Points
- Letitia Alabaster – 67 Points
- Mel Patterson – 58 Points
- Roma Edwards – 58 Points
- Samantha Kelly – 50 Points
Internazionali D’Italia Motocross – Round 1 – Riola Sardo
Tony Cairoli and Hunter Lawrence have won the MX1 and MX2 races respectively at round one of three in the 2018 Internazionali D’Italia Motocross at Riola Sardo in Sardinia – Cairoli also won the MX1/MX2 combined Supercampione race.
On the bump and rut infested sandy layout Cairoli won the opening MX1 moto convincingly from Max Anstie, Jeremy Van Horebeek, Gautier Paulin and Romain Febvre while Jeffrey Herlings collided with several riders entering the first corner of the MX1 sprint and crashed heavily; fortunately the Dutchman was unhurt aside from some bruising to his back.
Tony Cairoli
“The first race of the season is always difficult simply because it’s the first one! But we had a good weekend. We are still testing some parts for the GP season and the Italian Championship is always a good time for this. We’re looking forward to the next few races.”
Jeffrey Herlings
“The crash wasn’t too bad but getting run over wasn’t much fun! I was lucky that it wasn’t too bad but the bike was pretty damaged so that meant it wasn’t possible to continue. A shame we couldn’t race; at least this is an upgrade from this time last year when we came away with a broken hand! Aside from today I’m feeling good with the bike and we’ll go again next week.”
In the MX2 class Lawrence made his way to lead after a top five start and despite attention mid moto from the current World MX2 Champion Pauls Jonass, Hunter was able to pull away for a convincing win ahead of Jonass, Calvin Vlaanderen, Alvin Ostlund and Michele Cervellin.
Hunter Lawrence
“We didn’t come here with any expecations and it started of pretty good, This is just preperation for the Grand Prixs. For the world championship we are not here to get 8th, we are going for the title. It isn’t always the fastest guy who wins as we have seen in the past.”
Pauls Jonass took his KTM250 SX-F to a 2-6 scorecard: the second ‘Supercampione’ moto involving competition against the larger 450cc motorcycles. The Latvian rode positively on the #1 machine to recover from a first moto tumble.
Pauls Jonass
“I’m happy to get the first race behind me. I’m happier than I was this time last year as I struggled a bit more then and my riding was not too bad. I made a stupid little mistake in the first race and had to come back from tenth up to second. I then rode calmly and decided not to take any risks. We still have some time to improve before the season.”
Cairoli had to contend with a fast stating Max Anstie in the Supercampione moto but the Italian would not be denied as he stormed to another win ahead of Anstie and Febvre.
Cairoli will enter the second round of the series at Noto next weekend while Glenn Coldenhoff, Jeffrey Herlings and Pauls Jonass will tackle the black sand of Hawkstone Park for the 2018 edition of the well-established annual International meeting in the UK.
MX1
- Antonio Cairoli (KTM)
- Max Anstie (Husqvarna)
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (Yamaha)
- Gautier Paulin (Husqvarna)
- Romain Febvre (Yamaha)
- DNF Jeffrey Herlings (KTM)
MX2
- Hunter Lawrence (Honda)
- Pauls Jonass (KTM)
- Calvin Vlaanderen (Honda)
- Alvin Ostlund (Yamaha)
- Michele Cervellin (Honda)
Supercampione
- Antonio Cairoli (KTM)
- Max Anstie (Husqvarna)
- Romain Febvre (Yamaha)
- Jeremy Van Horebeek (Yamaha)
- Gautier Paulin (Husqvarna)
2018 Bassella Race 1 – Spain
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Taddy Blazusiak has won the Xtreme category of the 2018 Bassella Race 1 held in Spain, northwest of Barcelona while Taddy’s team-mate Jonny Walker rode to an excellent second place at the two-day event.
The Bassella Race 1 is one of Spain’s biggest enduros and traditionally kicks off the outdoor season for many competitors. Held over two days, the event is made up of several categories including extreme, enduro as well as youth and classic races. Popular with fans and competitors alike, over 1,500 riders entered the races with thousands of spectators attending the event.
Taddy Blazusiak got his outdoor season off to the perfect start. Returning to competition for 2018, primarily to contest the new World Enduro Super Series, Taddy’s performance at Bassella was almost flawless.
On the Saturday of the event, the extreme race was split up into two parts. Blazusiak finished runner-up in the first race before going one better in the second race of the day. On Sunday, Blazusiak rode the perfect race. Keeping his cool, despite being pressured by Jonny Walker and Alfredo Gomez, he crossed the line just 12 seconds ahead of team-mate Walker.
Taddy Blazusiak
“I’m so pumped to get the win here at Bassella. The event is awesome and the fans here are incredible too. On Saturday things went really well, I just took my time to get into a good rhythm and my pace improved as the day went on. On Sunday, things turned a little muddy after the rain overnight. It made riding a lot trickier but I loved every minute of it. I had a great battle with Jonny and Alfredo for the whole race but managed to stay in front at the line. It feels amazing to be racing outdoors again and to take the win makes it even sweeter.”
Jonny Walker
“That was a great race for me. As my first outdoor race of 2018, I couldn’t have asked for more. I rode really well all weekend and to finish second is a real bonus. I rode the event to get more outdoor miles under my belt, but the whole weekend was really good fun. The Spanish fans were great and it’s nice to get such good support from everyone. My confidence is really high now for the next indoor in Malaga, in just under two-weeks’ time.”
Alfredo Gomez
“It was a good weekend for me and it felt nice to be back racing outdoors. I had a great day one and then for Sunday’s main event my goal was to battle for the victory. I took the holeshot and put my head down pushing hard to make some ground to the rest of the field. Soon after I made a small mistake missing a corner and when I got back into the race there were already five other riders in front of me. After that, I passed a few riders in the extreme section of the track to put myself into the provisional lead again. In the last few kilometers we had a great battle with Taddy and Jonny all the way down to the finish line. I might have crossed the finish in third, but I am really happy with my speed. My new TE300i felt great in these tough conditions and for me this was a great way to kick off the season.”
Results – Bassella Race 1 Xtreme 2018, Spain
Day One
- Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 47 points
- Alfredo Gomez (ESP), Husqvarna, 45 pts
- Jonny Walker (GBR), KTM, 40 pts
- Wade Young (RSA), Sherco, 38 pts
- Josep Garcia (ESP), KTM, 30 pts
Day Two
- Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 2:12:02.254
- Jonny Walker (GBR), KTM, 2:12:14.775 +12.521
- Alfredo Gomez (ESP), Husqvarna, 2:12:25.045 +22.791
- Wade Young (RSA), Sherco, 2:12:42.212 +39.958
- Josep Garcia (ESP), KTM, 2:14:50.645 +2:48.391
