EMX125

LOKET (Czech Republic), 23 July 2014 – It has been a customary stop on the calendar of the FIM Motocross World Championship for the best part of the last ten years, with seven Grand Prix’ over that time period, the steep and choppy clay based terrain in Loket, Czech Republic, gets set to host round fourteen of the seventeen round MXGP series. 

While the initial excitement heading into this weekend was the extremely high likelihood of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s teen-age sensation Jeffrey Herlings wrapping up his third consecutive FIM Motocross MX2 World Championship, everything has been thrown into turmoil with news breaking on Monday 21^st of July that the Dutch talent had crashed play riding on a 85cc and broken his femur. KTM later announced that a pin had been surgically inserted into the youngsters left leg to secure the fracture and that the operation went smooth and was a success. Herlings tweeted the following day “It ain’t over until it is over. There is still a lot of hope and motivation, everything is still possible and it still looks positive”, just a glimpse of the attitude that has seen him go undefeated in every MX2 Grand Prix he has contested since late 2011.

Meanwhile, one champion will be crowned this weekend with it being the sixth and final round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, and it is more than likely to be either FontaMX Yamaha Racing’s Kiara Fontanesi or Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Meghan Rutledge who are separated by only four points.

For the red plate holder and defending champion Fontanesi, it will be a case of knuckling down and fighting hard, as she has gone on the record to say Loket is not one of her favorite tracks. Meanwhile the Australian Rutledge doesn’t care about what kind of track is thrown at her, she just wants to win and is clearly hungrier than ever.

Also heating up this weekend, the sixth round of the European Championships EMX125 is all set to take place with the series leader Red Bull KTM Racing’s Davy Pootjes, who leads Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Brian Hsu by seven, set to return after breaking his shoulder at the previous round back on June 22nd in Teutschenthal, Germany.

MXGP

It has not been the easiest season for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli, but with four rounds to go and four from four victories in the last four races, the goal is in sight, all he has to do is take home some solid points this weekend to be well on his merry way to wrapping up FIM Motocross World title number eight.

Currently second in MXGP’s championship standings, Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek trails the Italian by sixty-two points meaning his chances at winning the title are pretty slim. Van Horebeek has been taking this season round by round and still remains confident he can win a Grand Prix before the season is out. Given he is a fan of hard pack, slick surfaces with loads of elevation, and Cairoli is not, this weekend could be the weekend the young Belgian puts that Yamaha YZ450FM on top of the box.

The view is always best from the top, a sight Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s duo Kevin Strijbos and Clement Desalle are familiar with here in Loket. Strijbos has been victorious here on two occasions, once in 2005 and then again in 2007 while his teammate Desalle won here in 2009, 2011 and 2013. Both riders cannot be counted out this weekend, Strijbos in particular as he looks to promote himself from the third step of the podium which he has occupied six times already this season. Meanwhile, Desalle will be returning after sitting the last round out due to an injury from his first turn crash at MXGP of Sweden.

Another rider to return from injury this weekend, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin will be back on the gate after his seven round hiatus, alongside his teammate Steven Frossard who at MXGP of Finland finally uncorked his first bottle of champagne since 2011.

MXGP World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 577 points; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 515 p.; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 470 p.; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 424 p.; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 307 p.; 6. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 296 p.; 7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 269 p.; 8. David Philippaerts (ITA, YAM), 234 p.; 9. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), 218 p.; 10. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 205 p.

2013 MX1 Podium

1. Clement Desalle

2. Kevin Strijbos

3. Evgeny Bobryshev

2013 POLEMAN: Ken de Dycker

MX2

There is no doubt the MX2 class is going to be ridiculously intense over the next four rounds of MXGP. Just like at Brazil this year and Belgium and Great Britain last year, the guys will line up genuinely believing they can win.

One of the most interesting factors this weekend is the fact that not one rider on the start line has won a Grand Prix. With CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus out with a broken shoulder and Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Glenn Coldenhoff still on the mend after having his knee reconstructed, a milestone for who wants it bad enough is within reach for everyone else.

Looking at the points, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier trails Herlings by 145. There is 200 points up for grabs if he was to win every remaining moto this season, which is not going to be easy with the likes of fellow Frenchmen Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre and CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis also chomping at the bit for their first ever Grand Prix win.

The title is also within reach for Febvre and Ferrandis, who sit third and fourth in the championship respectively, if they were to dramatically up their game. Febvre trails Herlings by 178, while Ferrandis trails by 191, given their records of consistency the title is pretty unlikely for both, although it has to be said that it is do-able.

Moving on, Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser cannot win the title even if he won every race from here on out but he can move up in the championship as he trails Ferrandis, who is in fourth, by thirteen points. It would also be cool to see the seventeen year old take his first ever MX2 win, an experience which would look good in the confidence bank as he sets his sights on an eventual MX2 world title.

Also lining up with the possibility of taking home their first ever MX2 Grand Prix win, Standing Construct KTM’s Valentin Guillod has been showing flashes of brilliance throughout the season even though it has only come together for the Swiss in qualifying so far, while KTM Silver Action’s Jose Butrón and Yamaha Factory Racing’s Christophe Charlier need to be making the most of their final MX2 races as both will be forced up to MXGP next year.  

If the entire season is taken into consideration for those who will race this weekend, none of the results in the MX2 world championship are set in stone with not one rider being a lot more consistent than the other, and not to mention they’re contesting a sport in which ANYTHING can happen, a fact that was reiterated by Jeffrey Herlings on Monday morning.

MX2 World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 594 points; 2. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 449 p.; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 416 p.; 4. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 403 p.; 5. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 390 p.; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 389 p.; 7. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 314 p.; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 308 p.; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 289 p.; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 257 p.

2013 MX2 Podium

1. Jeffrey Herlings

2. Christophe Charlier

3. Aleksandr Tonkov

2013 POLEMAN: Jeffrey Herlings

All the photos of the MXGP of Czech Republic will be available here

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY: EMX150 Free/Timed Practice 08:00; EMX125 Group 1 Free/Timed Practice 08:35; EMX125 Group 2 Free/Timed Practice 09:10; WMX Free Practice 09:45; MX2 Free Practice 10:15; MXGP Free Practice 10:45; WMX Time Practice 11:15; EMX125 Last chance qualifying race 12:20; EMX150 Race 1 13:20; MX2 Time practice 14:00; MXGP Time practice 14:35; WMX Race 1 15:20; MX2 Qualifying race 16:10; MXGP Qualifying race 17:00; EMX125 Race 1 17:40.

SUNDAY: WMX Warm-up 08:20; EMX150 Warm-up 08:40; EMX125 Warm-up 09:00; MX2 Warm-up 09:15; MXGP Warm-up 09:40; WMX Race 2 10:30; EMX150 Race 2 11:15; EMX125 Race 2 12:00; MX2 Race 1 13:15; MXGP Race 1 14:15; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Czech Republic

The fourteenth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship will be held in Loket, Czech Republic on the 27^th July weekend and together with MXGP and MX2 classes, it will take place the fourth round of the EMX150, the sixth round of the EMX125, and the last round of the WMX Championships.

By clicking here you will be ale to download the complete Timetable of the event and the EMX125 entry list can be found here below:

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 6 July 2014 - The 20th FIM Europe Congress held at the Sheraton Hotel in Crakow was the occasion for the election of the new FIM Europe President. Two were the candidates for the leadership of the Continental Union that groups 47 Federations: Wolfgang Glas from Germany and Wolfgang Srb from Austria. With a large majority, it was Wolfgang Srb to be elected: 63 votes against 12. The Congress counted the largest number of Federations ever present, with 43 FMNs out of 47, for a total of 76 disposable votes and a quorum of 39 (34 federations had 2 votes, 8 federations disposed of 1 vote and one federation had no vote).  

During the Congress there was the election of 8 vice-presidents, too: Nina Birjukova, LaMSF-Latvia, Jean-Marc Desnues, FFM-France, Martin De Graaff, KNMV, The Netherlands, Juhani Halme, SML, Finland, Silvio Manicardi, FMI, Italy, Michal Sikora,PZM, Poland, Jan Stovicek ACCR, Czech Republic, Michel Turk, MUL, Luxembourg. Four judges and two auditors were also elected by acclamation.

Wolfgang Srb approached to the world of motorbikes in the early eighties as a Sporting Steward of the Austrian Federation. “One day Heinz Kinigadner (250cc Motocross World Champion 1984 + 1985) spoke in an interview about the fact that for the first time an Austrian was leading the Motocross World Championship, but the Federation did not send a Jury Member to the races to support him”, recalls Srb when asked about his first steps in motorsport. “To make a long story short: I was asked if I would be interested and I simply said yes. This is how it started.”

His main target is to strengthen the position of FIM Europe within the FIM family. “FIM Europe is not only the biggest Continental Union in terms of affiliated Federations, but also in terms of the biggest number of riders, licences, organisers and events,” Srb comments. “There is an urgent need for a bigger financial support from FIM for European projects. There are plenty of ideas in Europe and we simply want a fair share of the subventions, taking into account that we are the biggest and most active CONU. We need to give more help to developing Federations, who have financial problems. The financial crisis, that has hit the world as of 2008, is still not over.” 

Among his goal, the development and growth of the sport in all disciplines in close cooperation with FIM, Federations and promoters, especially for young riders. “A very good example is the European Motocross Championship, which is organised together with the Motocross World Championship at the same venue and on the same weekend,” says Srb. “We need more training camps for riders as well as national coaches and trainers. We need to find a solution for the European Road Racing Championship.  Another important field of activity is the motorcycle tourism,” Srb adds. “We must become more attractive for all these riders. We need to work in closer cooperation with FIM and other CONUs. In other words: FIM Europe needs to be more active and stronger, but at the same time the management has to work efficient and cost effective. We have to listen to the needs of our affiliated Federations and have to help and support them as much as we can.”

Wolfgang Srb as FIM Europe President will represent the 47 European Motorcycling Federations. “I'm not here to fulfil my personal things, I'm here to listen all the European Federations' needs and to bring their messages to the right people,” said Srb immediately after his election. 

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM Europe

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 30 June 2014 - The seventh and final round of the European Championship EMX125 and EMX250 will take place in Lommel, Belgium, on the weekend of 3rd of August. In order to make the final European Championship event the best of the year and based on the extremely high number of rider entry requests, only the top fifty riders in the championship will be eligible to race. For each excused rider within the top fifty additional riders (up to a maximum of 50) will be added based on the standings before Lommel.

This rule will allow the riders, who have already contested either the EMX125 or EMX250 championship and received enough championship points to place them inside the top fifty, a fair chance when making their final bid for their place in the 2014 European Championship EMX125 and EMX250 overall standings.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM Europe

TEUTSCHENTHAL (Germany), 21 June 2014 – While the first day of summer didn’t provide the hot, glorious, blue skied day most had dreamed of, all to do with weather was temporarily forgotten as round eleven of the FIM Motocross World Championship cracked off with a pair of thrilling qualifying heat races which saw Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Kevin Strijbos and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings take qualifying heat glory.

Also tearing up the track under the thick and gloomy cloud cover, round five of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship had their first race of the weekend which saw Fonta MX Yamaha Racing’s Chiara Fontanesi extend her points lead, winning over Bud Racing Kawasaki duo Meghan Rutledge and Marianna Balbi who is a SEL, Sport & Event Logistics, supported wild card entry.

Meanwhile Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Brian Hsu took back a full twenty-five points on championship points leader Red Bull KTM Racing’s Davy Pootjes who fell and was forced to retire with an injured shoulder. Meanwhile following Hsu home De Carli KTM’s Joakin Furbetta wrapped up second ahead of KTM Silver Action’s Michael Ivanov.

MXGP

The MXGP qualifying heat couldn’t have started any better for the German fans with their star Team HRC’s Max Nagl looking like he never left. Despite only just returning from injury where he had both hands operated on, the German snatched the holeshot from the reigning champ Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli, encouraging the crowd to fire up those famous German chainsaws.

Although the air was nippy, the racing was hot with the trio of Belgian’s not wasting anytime in moving forward. Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Kevin Strijbos was the first to make a move for the lead passing Cairoli out of turn one and scrubbing past Nagl to take over first. Before long the other two Belgians, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle and Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek had merged into second and third which forced the local legend back to fourth.

While Cairoli seemed content in fifth, Van Horebeek was serving up pancakes in third throwing a huge scrub over the jump made most famous for American Eli Tomac’s crash during last year’s edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, to pass his countryman Desalle for second.

Coming into the closing stages Nagl had found a way around Desalle who had appeared to have lost his rhythm. With three laps to go, both Van Horebeek and Cairoli decided to turn up the heat. Van Horebeek reeled in countryman Strijbos while Cairoli had his sights on Desalle for fourth. While both put in their best last minute effort, it all was too little to late which allowed Strijbos his third qualifying heat win of the season.

Van Horebeek dropped his head knowing he could have had it in the bag but a few sketchy moments on the last lap forced him to settle for second. Meanwhile Max Nagl took the title of most impressive performance, qualifying third on his return to MXGP. Desalle managed to hold on for fourth while Cairoli rode a conservative race for fifth.  

MXGP Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 24:54.706; 2. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, Yamaha), +0:02.165; 3. Maximilian Nagl (GER, Honda), +0:06.532; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:15.964; 5. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:18.336; 6. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:23.766; 7. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:28.892; 8. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), +0:38.691; 9. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:39.992; 10. Gregory Aranda (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:40.770.

MX2

With a chilly breeze swirling around the circuit of Teutschenthal, the gates dropped and the holeshot was snatched up by none other than the holeshot master himself KTM Silver Actions José Butrón. With Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings going second around turn one followed by Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser and CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis, the Spaniard Butrón immediately had his work cut out for him.

Digging deep, Butrón led the first three quarters of a lap before having the red plate holder Herlings launch past him over the triple while he, Butrón, opted to double up rather than clear all three.

With Herlings taking over the lead Gajser and Ferrandis knew they had no time to waste and soon pushed past last years number three to take over the second and third positions. With Gajser and Ferrandis going through, Butron was dropped back to fourth and was forced to deal with a load of pressure from BikeIT Yamaha Cosworth’s Max Anstie who finally got off to a decent start.

Before long Anstie had taken over fourth, but only lasted a brief moment, for on lap four the Brit was nowhere to be seen leaving fourth to the Red Bull KTM Factory bike of Jordi Tixier. Meanwhile Kemea Yamaha Racing’s Petar Petrov was putting in a remarkable ride, keeping Tixier in striking distance in fifth.

Coming into the closing stages of the race, the flying Dutchman had already checked out, leaving the feud of the moto to Gajser and Ferrandis. While Ferrandis threw everything he could at Gajser in effort to push past, the hearty Slovenian wouldn’t relent and managed to hold on for his best qualifying heat finish. Ferrandis was forced to settle for third with Tixier and Petrov rounding out the top five.

As for  CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy's Arnaud Tonus, bad luck has struck the super talented Swiss once again when a big nose-dive over the triple saw him crash and dislocate his shoulder in free practice this morning.

MX2 Qualifying Race top ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 24:47.554; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:19.575; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:21.716; 4. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), +0:32.092; 5. Petar Petrov (BUL, Yamaha), +0:37.473; 6. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), +0:37.854; 7. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), +0:46.284; 8. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, Husqvarna), +0:48.752; 9. Mel Pocock (GBR, KTM), +0:50.705; 10. Damon Graulus (BEL, KTM), +0:52.220.

Click here to obtain the complete results.

All the photos of the MXGP of Germany will be available here

MXGP will be available across the board in high definition, and is also globally available to view live and in HD on www.MXGP-TV.com. Click here for the complete list of countries and cooperating MXGP broadcasting networks, viewing times can be viewed by clicking on the logo of your chosen broadcasting network.

MXGP GERMANY – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1565

Type of ground: Hard Pack

Temperature: 18°

Weather conditions: cloudy

TIMETABLE

SUNDAY: WMX Warm-up 08:20; EMX150 Warm-up 08:40; EMX125 Warm-up 09:00; MX2 Warm-up 09:15; MXGP Warm-up 09:40; WMX Race 2 10:30; EMX150 Race 2 11:15; EMX125 Race 2 12:00; MX2 Race 1 13:15; MXGP Race 1 14:15; MX2 Race 2 16:10; MXGP Race 2 17:10.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

MXGP of Germany