MXGP

One of Great Britain’s hottest young motocross talents Nathan Watson will act as a replacement rider for Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing at round 11 of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Germany this weekend. Following on from the team’s loss of both Tyla Rattray and Todd Waters due to injury, Husqvarna Motorcycles were keen to offer Watson the opportunity to compete in the MXGP class in Teutschental on a FC 450. 

The young 20-year-old Watson, who competes for Danetc Husqvarna UK, has currently achieved point-scoring rides at round eight of the MXGP in Great Britain and is already a race winner in this year’s British Motocross Championship.

Nathan Watson: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to race for Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing this weekend and one I hope to make the most of. I only got confirmation of the ride on Wednesday morning so everything is a little last minute but I want to do my best. Gaining more experience in the MXGP class and working with a factory backed team is brilliant and I’ll will give it 100 per cent to do my best in Teutschental.”

Antti Pyrhönen (Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager): “It’s unfortunate to have lost both Tyla and Todd to injuries this season but by looking at the positives it allows us to offer Nathan the chance to compete in Germany. Obviously it comes at short notice so we don’t have any expectations for him at this race. We just want him to enjoy the experience and get an understanding of what it is like to race for a factory team at the highest level in motocross.” 

Photo: Husqvarna Motorcycles

TEUTSCHENTHAL (Germany), 18 June 2014 - The small municipality of Teutschenthal, home to around 15,000 people, was put on the map last year after hosting what was arguably the most spectacular Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in the history of our sport. The track known to the locals as ‘Talkessel’ offers a gnarly hard packed surface with loads of elevation and a wide variety of jumps and obstacles for riders to get creative on, which in the past has seen an abundance of different Grand Prix winners, a whopping thirty-eight to be exact.

This weekend the spectator friendly circuit of Teutschenthal will set the stage for MXGP of Germany, round eleven of the FIM Motocross World Championship which will mark a timely return for Germany’s number one contender this year HRC Team’s Max Nagl.

Also taking to the traditional yet modernized circuit this weekend, rounds five of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, where the reigning champ Team MX Fonta Racing Yamaha’s Chiara Fontanesi leads Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Australian Meghan Rutledge by a minuscule four points, and the European Championships EMX125 where Red Bull KTM Racing’s Davy Pootjes has a healthy fifty-seven point advantage over last rounds winner Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Brian Hsu.

Round three of the Honda European Championship EMX150 will also take place with young Fin Jere Haavisto carrying the red plate.

MXGP

Coming fresh off of his inspirational victory at his home Grand Prix last weekend, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli has the chance to break a record this weekend at MXGP of Germany. If the Italian star manages to bag another win, he will make history as Teutschenthal’s most successful rider. At the moment the twenty-eight-year-old has won three FIM Motocross World Championship rounds at this circuit and currently shares the spot at the top of the charts with three other legends, Stefan Everts, Joel Smets and Mikael Pichon, who also have won three Grand Prix’ here.

How dangerous will the Belgians be this weekend? After winning the 2013 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations at this very circuit, the Belgians Jeremy Van Horebeek, Clement Desalle and Ken De Dycker will rock up this weekend with some of their sweetest memories. Although the team won the coveted Chamberlain Trophy, that particular weekend didn’t end so well for Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle, as he was forced to celebrate with a broken shoulder which later required surgery. As for his Rockstar Energy Suzuki World teammate Kevin Strijbos, who was Team Belgium’s reserve rider, this weekend is the weekend to prove had he of been on the main team, they still would have been just as successful.

As for Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Van Horebeek, the good feeling the track brings could carry him to his highly anticipated first ever MXGP win, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ken de Dycker could also use the confidence of his last moto at MXoN as well as his 2010 FIM Motocross World Championship victory at the iconic circuit to his advantage as he continues his come back from a severe injury he received over six months ago.

No stranger to success around the choppy German circuit, last weekend’s fifth place receiver DP19 Racing Yamaha’s David Philippaerts also won a round of the FIM Motocross World Championship way back in 2007.

Meanwhile the German fans can get excited for the return of their hero Team HRC’s Max Nagl, who will be back on the grid after breaking both hands which were operated on back in early may. To celebrate, Nagl, thanks to his sponsor FOX Europe, is giving away a full set of his limited edition FOX race gear in a competition running on MXGP’s facebook page which can be accessed by clicking here.

German KTM Sarholz rider Dennis Ullrich has been on the verge of cracking the top ten at the last two rounds of MXGP with two eleventh place overalls. With the support of the locals, his family and friends, his home Grand Prix this weekend could deliver his best result yet.

MXGP World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 443 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 405 p.; 3. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, YAM), 402 p.; 4. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 314 p.; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, KAW), 217 p.; 6. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 211 p.; 7. Gautier Paulin (FRA, KAW), 205 p.; 8. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 184 p.; 9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, HON), 166 p.; 10. Davide Guarneri (ITA, TM), 163 p.

2012 MXGP Podium

1. Antonio Cairoli     

2. Ken Roczen          

3. Clement Desalle

2012 MXGP POLEMAN: Antonio Cairoli

MX2

It’s crunch time for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings as he looks to join the winners’ circle at Teutschenthal for the first time in his career.

After landing on the third step of the box here back in 2012, CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus will be hoping to inch closer to ‘The Bullet’ Herlings, and hopefully stand a little higher this weekend.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier has been gradually improving from race to race which has already paid dividends as he took over third overall in the championship standings last weekend in Maggiora. Although things are moving in the right direction, there’s no room for error for the Frenchmen with two of his fellow countrymen, Romain Febvre and Dylan Ferrandis hot on his heels.

Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Romain Febvre is eager for a top three finish at the end of the season. It is the last year in MX2 for the Frenchman, and with this year being his last chance for a top three in the MX2 world championship, you can bet your boots he’ll be fighting to the finish.

Meanwhile the third Frenchman to slot into the top five, CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Dylan Ferrandis has got the goods for a podium finish, with the only question mark resting on the young style-master’s consistency.

As for the youngest competitor in MX2, Honda Gariboldi’s Tim Gajser is Honda’s hottest signing for 2015. The seventeen-year-old Slovenian has already proven his talent with his first podium finish at Matterley Basin last month and has already labeled himself as one to watch in the very near future.

MX2 World Championship Classification Top Ten: 1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 444 points; 2. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, KAW), 389 p.; 3. Jordi Tixier (FRA, KTM), 331 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, HUS), 327 p.; 5. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 314 p.; 6. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 269 p.; 7. Aleksandr Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 240 p.; 8. Valentin Guillod (SUI, KTM), 223 p.; 9. Jose Butron (ESP, KTM), 213 p.; 10. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, SUZ), 192 p.

2012 MX2 Podium

1. Tommy Searle      

2. Zachary Osborne

3. Arnaud Tonus

2012 MXGP POLEMAN: Tommy Searle

All the photos of the MXGP of the MXGP of Germany 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 Germany

The eleventh round of the FIM Motocross World Championship will be held in Theutschenthal, Germany on the 22^nd June weekend and together with MXGP and MX2 classes, it will take place the third round of the EMX150 and the fifth round of EMX125 and 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:

EMX125 Entry List

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 16 June 2014 - Last weekend, the weekend of June 15, MXGP of Italy wrapped up round ten of the FIM Motocross World Championship at the iconic circuit of Maggiora in extraordinary style. Highly distinguished television broadcaster Mediaset screened MXGP of Italy LIVE on two of Italy’s most prominent television channels, Italia1 and Italia2, garnering an audience of over 1.058.000 with an outstanding 6.53% share percentage.

From the drop of the gate on Sunday in MX2 race one right through to the final waving of the checkered flag in MXGP race two, where Italy’s very own sportsman of the year and seven-time FIM Motocross World Champion Antonio Cairoli took home turf glory, the popular Italian television channels Italia1 and Italia2 engaged a solid audience of 1,059,000 viewers. With these extremely impressive ratings the audience of MXGP, especially in Italy, has reached an all time high.

MXGP is very proud of this achievement and to have received an audience bigger than any other top motorsport series just goes to show how compelling the racing of MXGP is. 

A whopping 35,000 spectators stood trackside in Maggiora on the weekend in support of all their favorite MXGP riders with each and every fan adding character to the already electric atmosphere which was only intensified by the breath-taking performance of the Italian legend Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli and fellow Italian stars DP19 Racing Yamaha’s David Philippaerts and TM Ricci Racing’s Davide Guarneri who all finished inside the top eight in the premier MXGP class.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

Mediaset

Last Saturday Honda MXGP pilot Joël Roelants made a serious crash at the Italian Grand Prix of Maggiora. During the second lap of the timed qualifying, he did not land far enough on one of the big jumps and consequently suffered from a severe blow in the back. Joël remained limp on the track and was immediately transported to the hospital in Turin, where doctors established that two of his backbones (T8 and T9) were broken as a result of the crash. They operated without delay. During this five-hour surgery, eight bolts were inserted to stabilise Joël’s back. 

However, Joël’s legs were numb after the crash, and remained numb after the surgery. The doctors say that the coming three weeks are crucial for his further recovery. Whether or not the numbness will disappear, is difficult to assess at this stage. 

Joël remains the fighter he has always been. “I know what is going on. My decision has already been made: I will keep fighting,” he uttered after waking up for the first time. On Thursday, Joël will be transported to a hospital in homeland Belgium for further examination. Also Joël’s regular doctor Toon Claes is attending him. 

In the meantime, fans have gathered on various social media websites to support their favourite pilot. On Twitter, the hashtag #supportJR can be used to show your support. On Facebook, over 4,500 fans have already joined the group “Like als steun voor Joel Roelants” (in dutch). The family and the team would already like to express their gratitude towards the medical staff, fans and mx colleagues for all the support. 

Joël Roelants is a 25 year old Honda MXGP rider living in Grobbendonk (Belgium). The 2014 season should have been the year of his comeback in the MXGP class. Together with his father, Joël started his own J-Race Racing Team at the beginning of the season. 

Official J-Race website: www.j-race.com

Official J-Race Facebook page: www.facebook.com/JRaceOfficial

Official J-Race Twitter account: @JRaceOfficial

Copyright: Photo: J-race racing Team

After expressing a ton of interest in the racing, lifestyle and set up of the FIM Motocross World Championship during a brief visit to the FIM Motocross World Championship Grand Prix of Belgium back in 2012, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s motocross phenomenon Ryan Villopoto has announced he will venture back across the Atlantic to be present at MXGP of Germany which is set to take place on the iconic circuit of Teutschenthal on the weekend of June 22.

It’s a little bit of déjà vu for the American motocross legend, who like in 2012, is carrying a knee injury which has required full reconstructive surgery sidelining him for the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship which he was initially signed on to do.

Good news for the European Ryan Villopoto fans! While he cannot ride nor race, the American is making the most of his downtime travelling back to Europe to participate once again in media events and activities for his major sponsors Monster Energy, Thor and Parts Unlimited/Europe at MXGP of Germany. More importantly for fans attending the event in Teutschenthal, ‘RV’ will also be signing autographs at the Monster rig and Parts stands from 10.30-11.00 on Sunday.

To check out a video of Ryan’s last visit, click here. If you are a ‘RV2’ fan, keep your eyes peeled for media opportunities and your chance to meet and greet this motocross sensation next weekend at MXGP of Germany!

One of the world’s leading companies in sport and event logistics, and the official carrier partner of the FIM Motocross World Championship, SEL, is once again proving their commitment to sporting events and the participating athletes by assisting one of the world’s best female riders, Brazilian Mariana Balbi, to make the journey over from her home in Brazil to race WMX at MXGP of Germany which is set to take place on the renowned circuit of Teutschenthal on the weekend of June 22.

SEL’s passion for sport is second to none, the company whose name ‘SEL’ stands for Sport & Events Logistics backs all sports from football right through to motorsport and cares for both male and female divisions with their support for the first ever female to score a FIM Motocross World Championship point against the men, a prime example.

Mariana Balbi was the first ever woman to qualify for a FIM Motocross World Championship event and claim FIM Motocross World Championship points against the big boys. Back in 2009, the brave Brazilian beauty rode her Honda CRF450 to a remarkable 24^th and 20^th place finish for 24^th overall at her home Grand Prix of Brazil, writing her name in the history books as the first ever woman to score MXGP (then named MX1) points.

Almost five years on, Balbi, who now rides Kawasaki in Brazil, has received support from SEL, Sport & Event Logistics, to travel to the circuit most famous for the 2013 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, to line up and test her skills against the best female motocross riders in the world. “We have a long lasting relationship with Mr. Pier Carlo Bottero, CEO of SEL, and after meeting him at MXGP of Brazil in Beto Carrero we went to dinner and I explained to him I have always wanted to race in Europe, but I have never had the opportunity to race here. Mr. Bottero offered to help me get here and race, so he spoke to Bud Racing Kawasaki and they agreed to help me with a bike. Thanks to SEL and Bud Racing I can be here to race the WMX for the first time and hopefully bring home a top five result,” an excited Balbi said.

Balbi and her brother Antonio Balbi, who is also a pro motocross rider and will be Mariana’s mechanic in Germany, landed in Malpensa, Italy, a couple of days ago right in time to watch MXGP of Italy, which is taking place this weekend at the iconic Maggiora motocross park. “Wow this is amazing, it’s like a dream for me!” Balbi said, “we will watch this GP here in Maggiora and then we will go to France to ride the bike somewhere close to Biarritz before heading to MXGP of Germany, I’m really looking forward to it.” 

HRC riders Evgeny Bobryshev and Tim Gajser were on hand to unveil Honda’s new 2015 motocrossers to the MXGP media yesterday ahead of Sunday’s FIM Motocross World Championship Grand Prix at Italy’s historic Maggiora track.


The 2015 machines represent further evolution for two key models in Honda’s CRF line-up, which ranges from the youngster-friendly CRF50F through to the CRF450 RALLY, which has this week been competing in the fourth round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship in Sardinia.


Both the new CRF450R and CRF250R will be on public display at Maggiora tomorrow, and subsequent MXGP rounds in Germany and Sweden.


Evgeny Bobryshev, MXGP No.777

“The new 450 looks great and I’m looking forward to getting my hands on it later in the summer. The new selectable power maps are going to help a lot of riders, and I’m really happy to see developments like the HRC-spec cylinder head going from our factory bike to the standard one.”


Tim Gajser, MX2 No.243

“It’s awesome to be with Honda as a 17 year old in my first full year in MX2, and to be involved in unveiling the new bikes. The 250 has loads of adjustability now with the new air forks and selectable power mode, plus some more stopping power with the bigger front disc and it will be fun to try it out soon.”

Copyright: Photo: Honda World Motocross