2021 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Round 16 Salt Lake City 1 | Rice-Eccles Stadium
Report by Trevor Hedge – Images by Jeff Kardas
450
The 16th and penultimate round of the 2021 Monster Energy Supercross Championship was staged inside Salt Lake City’s Rice-Eccles Stadium overnight. Cooper Webb started the event with a 16-point buffer over Ken Roczen. Eli Tomac was a further 24-points behind Roczen and largely out of the championship chase. Thus it was coming down a two-man battle between Webb and Roczen, the German had held the upper hand over the first half of the season before Webb struck back with wins at round 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 and last week at round 15 to move into a commanding position as we head towards next weekend’s finale.
Tomac had topped qualifying ahead of Webb while Roczen had set only the seventh quickest time. Webb won his heat race while Tomac won Heat Two with Roczen third.
450 Main
Ken Roczen chose the inside line heading into turn one when the gates dropped and scored the hole-shot while Justin Barcia started the Main on the deck after the GasGas man went down early on. Musquin was second and Savatgy third for the majority of the opening lap before Savatgy went down which let Anderson through to third and championship leader Cooper Webb up to fourth just ahead of Malcolm Stewart, Chase Sexton, Eil Tomac and Dylan Ferrandis.
Roczen looked set for the win after pulling two-seconds out of the field over the first couple of minutes of the Main which grew to as much as four minutes before the ten-minute mark. As the second half of the 20-minute Main started though the gap was back down to under two-seconds as Cooper Webb took third place from Jason Anderson and was six-seconds behind Roczen.
Musquin continues to close on Roczen and with eight-minutes remaining the German succumbed to the pressure and folded the front. Roczen got back on his bike quickly but not before he had watched Cooper Webb, Malcolm Stewart and Chase Sexton fly by him. Another hugely costly mistake by the 26-year-old and one that sees his championship chances go out the window…
Marvin Musquin then went on to pull away to a three-second lead over Webb but Webb put his head down and with four-minutes remaining he was all over the back of his team-mate.
Webb chased down Musquin
It looked almost certain that Webb would blow past Musquin to victory but the Frenchman knuckled down and managed to keep Webb at bay to take his first victory of the season.
But the Frenchman held on to take victory
That was also only the fourth podium on Musquin’s score-card this year in what has been a season where the Frenchman has really failed to fire quite as hard as most had expected. It was also more than two year’s since his last victory as the 31-year-old battled ongoing knee problems.
He might have come second tonight but 25-year-old Cooper Webb looks almost certain to capture his second 450 Supercross crown as supercross returns to Rice-Eccles Stadium again next weekend, May 1, for the grand finale. The KTM rider has a 22-point buffer over Ken Roczen and with more wins under his belt, Webb only needs to score four-points from a 19th place finish in order to lift the crown next weekend, even if Roczen takes the win.
It was somewhat of a breakthrough round for Malcolm Stewart as he scored his first 450 podium ahead of Dylan Ferrandis and Chase Sexton while Ken Roczen was left ruing what might have been after finishing sixth.
450 Video Highlights
450 Quotes
Marvin Musquin – P1
“I can’t believe it right now – I’m standing on the top of the podium. I have had some struggles this season but my goal is to come back and keep getting better. There are so many good riders, so the start is super important and I was just trying to be consistent, those whoops were really tough. I’m so proud, I gave it my all tonight.”
Cooper Webb – P2
“I didn’t get a great start tonight, which hindered me a little bit. Those whoops were super tricky, I finally found a good line and made a charge there at the end. I thought I was in a good position and Marvin picked it up a lot there at the end. Getting points is key but you want to win when you’re that close. We’ll come around next Saturday and see what we can do!”
Malcolm Stewart – P3
“It was a great day! I felt good and rode well all day and just let the race come to me. I didn’t have the best start in the Main Event, but we made it work the first couple of laps. Then Coop (Cooper Webb), (Jason) Anderson, and I had a pretty gnarly battle. I was really strong in the whoops tonight, and even the corner after the mechanics’ area, and kept gaining ground. I’m just so stoked to finally get on the box. It’s been hanging over my head for a long time, and we finally got it. We finally did it! It’s a dream come true. It’s one of those moments I’ll never forget. Everybody says that after your first one, it comes easy, so this is one of many. I’m looking to have some more fun next weekend and go out here for a repeat.”
450 Podium
Dylan Ferrandis – P4
“It was a tough day. We made some changes this week to improve the bike, and it didn’t really work in the first practice, so we had to keep working on more changes, which made it hard to get comfortable. In the heat, we went the wrong way, but we made another big change and the bike was really awesome in the main. I had a good start, then Anderson pushed me off the track, and I lost a couple of positions. It took me a few laps to learn the bike and to feel comfortable on it because it was a new setting that I had never tried before. Then when I felt comfortable, I pushed and gave everything that I had. I made some good passes on some strong riders and I came back to fourth. It’s a good result overall, and we look to come back next weekend and do better at the finale.”
Chase Sexton – P5
“Round one here in Salt Lake City started off rough. I had a big crash in qualifying, which could’ve ended my night; it was pretty gnarly. After the crash I was really sore and my heel, left shoulder and right hip were pretty banged up. We did some work and we got myself to where I was able to race. I had a pretty good heat race, coming from from a ways back. I didn’t get a good start in the main event, but like the heat race, I just tried to fight my way up. I feel like I was riding pretty good, but kind of lost it with about five minutes to go and got passed by [Dylan] Ferrandis. It was a good top-five after what could’ve been no race at all. It’s something to build off of and we have another race to go, so we’ll just try and get better.”
Ken Roczen – P6
“What a bummer, once again. I got the holeshot in the main and gapped the field, but just found myself on the ground after tucking the front before the whoops. I dropped back to sixth, and that’s where we finished as well. There’s not much that I can say about it, to be honest; it’s unfortunate. I’m finding myself on the ground lately in general, which normally is not my style. I’m just trying to put my team and myself on the top step and it just hasn’t been working out, so I’m looking forward to next weekend.”
Aaron Plessinger – P8
“The day started out a little slow, I wasn’t really gelling with the bike in practice. That was kind of how it went all day long; I was just struggling with the bike setup and trying to get going. I had a good heat race going but about ripped my shroud off and then couldn’t really turn right that well and finished fourth. In the main, I didn’t get a good start and was battling mid-pack. I made my way up to the back of Dylan, but I just couldn’t get around him. Then I made a few bonehead mistakes and finished eighth. The track was tough tonight. There was a bunch of crashes. Eli (Tomac) passed me and then jumped right into some hay bales right. A bunch of people went down tonight, so I’m glad to stay up, stay healthy and be back for next Saturday. We’re going to go back to California this week and try to get the bike a little bit better and finish out the season strong.”
Aaron Plessinger
Eli Tomac – P10
“Man, I was feeling so good on the bike all day long and I’ve been looking forward to coming back to Salt Lake City. I always enjoy riding here and felt confident heading into the main, especially after qualifying fastest and winning my heat race. Unfortunately, I made a few mistakes and ran out of time. I’m looking forward to coming back next weekend to finish out the season strong.”
Justin Barcia – P14
“I felt really good in practice and in the heat but unfortunately, I ended up going down and tearing my radiator. Thankfully the team got it repaired quickly and got me ready for the LCQ. The Main Event was difficult to say the least. I got pushed out off the start, somehow cross-jumped into the bails and ended up going down and the bike hit me in the back. I charged up to 11th and was still moving forward and then I ended up endo’ing and bending my bike up pretty good. It’s definitely super disappointing on my end but I’m going to regroup and do the best I can do next week to finish the season out strong.”
2020 WA Junior Speedway Solo & Sidecar champs crowned
2020 Victorian Senior & Junior Solo Speedway Championships
GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing hosting 13-rider line-up in 2021
2021 Australian Off-Road Championship Updates
2021 ProMX Championship expands classes
Laia Sanz set for GasGas Dakar 2021 campaign
US ISDE Club Team Qualifier events announced
2021 AMA Supercross calendar update
2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies calendar
Adrien Van Beveren wins Hail Baja II
Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Official Team’s Adrien Van Beveren has topped the second Hail Baja, his final competitive outing ahead of the 2021 Dakar Rally. With participation proving to be highly productive for the Frenchman, the event’s challenging terrain and technical navigation provided one last chance for Van Beveren to finalise the set-up of his Yamaha WR450F Rally ahead of the Dakar Rally in January 2021.
Adrien Van Beveren – Hail Baja 2
With a race format similar to the opening Hail Baja, the second edition of the event again comprised of two stages, with a slightly shorter overall distance of 491km. Opening the stage on day one, Van Beveren quickly put his navigational skills to work. With the stage set entirely in the demanding sand dunes surrounding the town of Baqaa, he accurately navigated his way through each checkpoint, going on to complete the stage to finish a healthy 31-minutes ahead of the second placed finisher.
Stage two provided Adrien with much different desert conditions. Faced with the rockiest stage of the Hail Rally, it was a welcome challenge for the Frenchman to navigate through slow, technical sections aboard the Yamaha WR450F Rally. Remaining composed throughout and following another untroubled ride, Van Beveren reached the finish line unscathed to successfully complete his final race ahead of the Dakar Rally in January.
Adrien Van Beveren – Hail Baja 2
Now, with just over two weeks to go until the start of the 2021 Dakar Rally, Adrien will enjoy a short period of recovery before gearing up again to take on the challenge that lies ahead.
Adrien Van Beveren
“It’s been a really great trip to these two races in Hail. It was a big effort to get here, so I’m thankful to the team that we were able to make it happen. My feeling on the bike is really good and I felt great in the desert. The second stage had very high speeds and I was completely comfortable, so this gives me a lot of confidence ahead of Dakar. I will now take some rest for a week before getting ready for the big race in January.”
Adrien Van Beveren – Hail Baja 2
Overall 2020 Hail Baja Results (Provisional)
Pos
Rider
Man.
Time
Gap
1
Adrien Van Beveren
Yamaha
5:19:20
2
Mishal Alghuneim
KTM
6:12:25
+0:53:05
3
Anas Al Ruhayany
KTM
6:12:35
+0:53:15
4
Konrad Dabrowski
KTM
6:29:00
+1:09:40
5
Abdulmajeed Abdulaziz Aakhulaifi
Yamaha
6:29:07
+1:09:47
6
Riyadh Saud Alshammari
Yamaha
6:31:01
+1:11:41
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WA Junior Speedway Solo & Sidecar champs crowned
By Graeme Sinden, Images by Jon Gall and Graham Veasey
The Speedway Motorcycle Club of WA hosted the Junior 125cc Solo and Junior 250cc Sidecar Championships at its Pinjar Park Motorcycle Speedway facility in Neerabup, WA on Saturday, at the small 142m ‘WOFFY’ track which was established as a Junior Racing circuit by Rob Woffinden and a number of like minded volunteers around 10 or 11 years ago.
In a dominant performance, young WA rider Mitch McDiarmid was crowned the new 125cc Junior WA Solo Champion, after storming to victory with a maximum 18-point score.
Junior 125cc Solo champion Mitch McDiarmid
While he was relatively untroubled in his five heat races, Linkin Metcalf made McDiarmid work for the Championship decider by pushing him to the limit in what turned out to be the best race of the night.
Metcalf appeared to have plenty of speed and dared to take the high line for almost the entire four-lap journey and had his nose in front on several occasions as they went handlebar to handlebar with neither rider giving an inch, But it was Diarmid who got the job job done to record a very popular Championship win.
Junior 125cc Solo champion Mitch McDiarmid topped the podium ahead of Phoenix Elliot and Axle McCarthy
Unlucky story of the night, (one of two, actually) was that of current Australian 125cc solo Champion Luke Killeen, who after winning two heats succumbed to engine problems on his bike and was not able to secure another ride to continue in the title race.
The other unlucky story of the night was that of Adam Fewster and his accomplished passenger Thomas Grigson. The pair rode superbly all night long winning each of their five heat races only to have their outfit fail early on in the championship decider in the 250cc Junior sidecar Championship.
Jake Harvey and his passenger Nathan Gajec were cock-a-hoop as they swept into the lead and raced to a fine sidecar Championship win adding to the one they secured last year. Jake Harvey is an extremely competitive junior sidecar rider and will move up to senior competition next season.
Jake Harvey and passenger Nathan Gajec topped the Junior 250cc Sidecar class, Mitchell McDiarmid/Phoenix Elliot were runner-up and Adam Fewster/Thomas Grigson claimed bronze
There were many other highlights on the evening and it was a great pleasure watching all the young competitors giving it their all in the sport they love.
The Executive committee of the Speedway Motorcycle Club provided a brand new race tyre for the Junior ‘Rider of the Night’ for the Championship night.
Grant Woodhams had no hesitation in awarding The “Junior Rider Of the Night” prize to Mitch McDiarmid for his outstanding 18-point maximum on his way to winning the solo Championship.
WA Junior 125cc Solo Sidecar Title
Mitchell McDiarmid
Phoenix Elliot
Axle McCarthy
WA Junior 250cc Sidecar Title
Jake Harvey/Nathan Gajek
Mitchell McDiarmid/Phoenix Elliot
Adam Fewster/Thomas Grigson
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2020 Victorian Senior & Junior Solo Speedway Championships
The Mildura Motorcycle Club held the 2020 Victorian Senior and Junior Solo Speedway championships at the Olympic Park Speedway in Mildura over the weekend, with Justin Sedgmen crowned 2020 Victorian Solo champion ahead of Jordan Steward and Jacob Hook.
Justin Sedgmen – P1
“Victorian Champion! Stoked to get the win! Finally a Victorian Title win at Olympic Park. Thanks to everyone that came out, the Mildura Motorcycle Club and all my valued sponsors.”
Jacob Hook – P3
“On the weekend we made the trip to Mildura for the Vic title. Shout out to the Mildura Motorcycle Club for putting on a great event the track was mint and racing fast all night! I had a good meeting except for one hiccup. Second, first, DNF, first, first finishing the heats on 11 points, winning the B Final to progress through to the A Main. I am super happy with the results finishing on the podium in third place securing a work permit. Thanks to everyone that supports me.”
In the Victorian Junior 250cc class it was James Pearson taking the title from Jackson Milner and Mick Cogdell, while the Junior 125cc class saw Beau Bailey take the crown ahead of Harry Saddler and Noah Grabham.
The next event on the calendar is the Phil Crump Solo International on Saturday January 2 (2021) at Olympic Park Speedway Mildura.
Victorian Senior 500cc Championship
Justin Sedgmen
Jordan Stewart
Jacob Hook
Cooper Riordan
Victorian Junior 125cc Championship
Beau Bailey
Harry Saddler
Noah Grabham
Ashley Jansen-Batchelor
Victorian Junior 250cc Championship
James Pearson
Jacko Milner
Mick Cogdell
Broc White
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GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing backing 13-rider line-up in 2021
Entering its 20th year since inception, and 15th year as a national development program, GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing shows no signs of slowing down with a massive 13 rider line up spreading all the way from the 65ccc division, to the newly formed MX3 class at the Pro MX.
Jake Rumens
Continuing with a hands-on, state by state support program that allows riders and families to work with team managers, many of whom are ex-professional racers and coaches, Yamaha Junior Racing has proven to be a pathway to success with a long list of riders progressing through the program and onto a career in racing.
Each rider is asked to contest the local series in their region, their state motocross championships as well the pinnacle of junior racing, the week-long Australian Junior Motocross Championships held in the last week of September each year.
Having 13 riders on the track requires a significant investment from not just Yamaha Motor Australia and its products like Yamalube, GYTR, YMF and YMI, but also from Ficeda Accessories who also are 100 per cent behind the team with the help of first class companies like SCOTT, Just1, Dunlop and DID.
2021 promises to be another exciting year for the team with a full calendar back in place in all states and a dozen overly enthusiastic and energetic dirt bike racers desperate to be back on the race track and doing what they love. The 2021 rider roster is as follows.
Jobe Dunne
Western Australia
Deegan Fort: 65cc / 85cc small wheel
Jake Rumens: 85cc big wheel/ 125cc
Manager: Peter Strickland
South Australia
Ryder Woodrow: 65cc/ 85cc small wheel
Wil Carpenter: 85cc / 125cc
Manager: Shane Metcalfe
Tasmania
Jay Jennings: 65cc / 85cc small wheel
Angus Pearce: 125cc/ 250cc
Manager: Brody Jennings
Victoria
Jobe Dunne: 65cc/ 85cc small wheel
Pat Martinn: 125cc/ 250cc
Manager: Cameron Taylor
NSW
Kayd Kingsford: 85cc big wheel /125cc
Ryder Kingsford: 125cc / 250cc
Manager: Darren Thompson
Queensland
Jake Cannon: 85cc big wheel / 125cc
Kobe Drew: 125cc/ 250cc
Jackson Camilleri: 250cc MX3
2021 Australian Off-Road Championship Updates
The Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) Management Team has announced a new initiative – Club AORC – for the 2021 Championship. Club AORC is aimed at new and upcoming riders to give them a taste of the national Championship competition while also rewarding them under the Club AORC points system.
2021 AORC calendar
The AORC team also announced that Australia’s largest online motorcycle gear and accessories retailer, MXstore, will continue their strong support as ‘Presented By’ sponsor of the 2021 AORC. MXstore were key to the success of this year’s Championship, by not only supporting the Championship, but also providing significant prizes for riders at all the rounds. The continued partnership shows the growth for both the Championship and company as an ongoing relationship.
Club AORC riders will receive bonus points for participating in seven rounds or more of the 12 round AORC in 2021. If a rider starts seven rounds or more, a 50-point bonus will be given towards the rider’s Club AORC points results in their relevant Championship class.
Any rider within 10 per cent of the class winner at any sprint or enduro round or within 10 per cent of the class winners fastest lap for a cross country round will not be eligible for Club AORC.
Josh Green – AORC 2020
Motorcycling Australia Off-Road Events Manager, Matthew Falvo, said this was an exciting new initiative to further grow the AORC after record rider numbers in AORC this year.
Matthew Falvo
“We are always looking at new and innovative ways to provide off-road riders with an opportunity to race against the world’s best riders in the Australian Off-Road Championship. This new initiative is a great way for riders new to off-road national competition racers to test their limits in our growing Championship and still be rewarded for their efforts. Club AORC is about providing riders with a progression into full-blown national competition against the world’s best riders in the AORC. The AORC is the breeding ground of the world’s best off-road riders and we want to ensure that we can provide new avenues for weekend enthusiasts and part-time racers to make the transition to one of the world’s best off-road Championships.”
More Information is still to follow including regulations and further exciting incentives for Club AORC.
AORC Junior Coaching
Another new initiative from the AORC paddock was the announcement of the Exclusive AORC Junior Coaching days, which will be run by many of the world’s best enduro riders in 2021. The junior coaching days will be held in February and conducted by Australia’s very own world and ISDE Champions Daniel Sanders, Daniel Milner, Fraser Higlett, Josh Green, Michael Driscoll and Jessica Gardner in Victoria, NSW, and Queensland.
AORC have held these coaching days earlier this year and were swamped with interest and registrations, and expect nothing less for 2021, encouraging young riders aged 9-15-years-old to be book early and avoid missing out.
In NSW on February 6, 2021 from 9 am-3 pm, at Stroud, Josh Green, Michael Driscoll and multiple AORC Women’s Champion Jessica Gardner, thanks to OffRoad Advantage and JG Institute, will impart their skills and knowledge to juniors, which will also include an exclusive junior girls coaching session with Jessica Gardner. Click here to enter NOW.
NSW AORC Junior Coaching day
Current World and 2020 AORC Champions Daniel Sanders and Emma Milesevic will hold a one-day training camp at Three Bridges in the Yarra Valley, Victoria, on February 20, 2021 between 9 am-3 pm. Riders will get exclusive tips and tricks from the world’s best and will include an exclusive junior girls coaching clinic, with Emma Milesevic. Click here to enter NOW.
Lang Lang, Victoria, AORC Junior Coaching day
Fraser Higlett, Harry Teed, Zoe Bocarri and Ebony Nielson will also hold a junior coaching day on February 20, 2021 between 9 am and 3 pm at Crows Nest, Queensland in conjunction with QLD JEDS Coaching to help build the repertoire of riders’ skills and knowledge. Entries open soon.
Crows Nest, Queensland, AORC Junior Coaching day
Victorian juniors on February 21, 2021, between 9 am and 3 pm will get the opportunity to learn at Lang Lang, Victoria when, thanks to DM31 OffRoad Development, 2020 AORC E2 class Champion Daniel Milner and Mason Semmens will hold a coaching day teaching young riders all the necessary skills to become AORC Champions. Click here to enter NOW.
Three Bridges, Victoria, AORC Junior Coaching day
For additional information and pricing head to the AORC website at https://www.aorc.org.au/junior-dev/. Profits from the training camps go towards funding the 2021 Australian ISDE Teams. Australia has punched well above its weight in previous ISDE events and brought home a swag of first places and podium finishes. 2021 promises to be another highly competitive year for the Australian contingent.
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2021 ProMX Championship expands classes
ProMX has announced new support classes for the inaugural 2021 Championship season, which will support the elite MX1, MX2 and MX3 classes of the ProMX Championship. Expanding on the permanent championship classes will see the introduction of the MXW (MX Womens), VETS ( Veterans), 125cc Cup and Classic Motocross Evolution Cup classes.
2021 ProMX
The addition of these class favourites will ensure for fans that the 2021 ProMX Championship is jam packed with handlebar-to-handlebar action. The additional ProMX classes will feature alongside MX1, MX2 and MX3 at select rounds further strengthening the Championship.
MXW will provide an opportunity for elite female riders to showcase their talents both to the Australian and international audiences, as well as provide valuable exposure to hopeful MXGP candidates who are looking for an international future. Veteran racing is also thriving and the opportunity to showcase riders’ skill and talents in 2021.
Support classes provide a valuable access point to national racing, and the 125cc Cup is a rider and fan favourite event that will see two stroke racers have the opportunity to race at national level events and tracks. The addition of the Classic Motocross Evolution Cup, aims to also give an access point to the classic motocross riders who wish to enjoy competitive racing at a national level to entertain both the crowds and industry with the classic bikes of yesteryear.
MXW
Open to riders sixteen years of age and over competing in an open class structure on 125cc machines and up, the MXW class has seen many great champions emerge over recent years and go on to international success with the likes of Meghan Rutledge, Maddy Brown and Jess Moore all enjoying long standing careers in the MXW class. The next generation of women competing in MXW will take the track with PROMX in 2021.
VETS
The vet classes will feature two age group categories being 30-39 and 40+. With many retired pro riders and national champions racing alongside their fellow VET class competitors, the VET classes provide a great outlet for the industry and riders to embrace a potent mix of competition and camaraderie.
125 Cup
A rider and fan favourite, the 125 cup will see the sound of two strokes singing around select rounds of ProMX in 2021. Open to riders 16 years of age and over competing on 125cc two stroke machines, this class provides highly competitive on track action.
Classic Motocross Evolution Cup
This classic motocross class is open to applicable bikes as per the MoMs of the evolution class to give classic motocross enthusiasts the opportunity to compete for a national championship.
See the full season calendar with class breakdown for each outing below.
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Laia Sanz set for GasGas Dakar 2021 campaign
Laia Sanz and GASGAS Factory Racing have completed their pre-Dakar testing and are now counting down the days to the start of their epic New Year adventure. Laia will take to the start of her 11th Dakar in a little over two weeks’ time on board the GASGAS RC 450F, covering 12-stages and 7,646 km, including 4,767 km of timed specials.
Laia Sanz – GASGAS Factory Racing
For Laia recent months have been especially challenging due to contracting Lyme Disease during the summer, making her final Dakar preparations more complicated than normal. However, with support from her team, friends, and sponsors, Laia believes she is now ready to take on the world’s toughest cross-country rally.
Laia Sanz – GASGAS Factory Racing
The 43rd edition of the race will see an increased emphasis placed on rider navigation and competitor’s abilities to tackle slower-speed, technical terrain, which is great news for Laia. Reducing the event’s average speeds, with her ability to both navigate well while under pressure and complete long stages with the minimum of mistakes, Laia is upbeat about this year’s route.
The event will start and finish at the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah. Like all competitors, Laia will face a short qualifying prologue on Saturday, January 2, before starting the rally proper and 12 long and demanding stages covering a total of 7,646 km. With a rest day in Ha’il midway through the race, Laia will then work her way back to Jeddah on January 15, having raced 4,767 km of timed special stages against the clock.
Laia Sanz – GASGAS Factory Racing
With bikes and vehicles already on their way to Jeddah for the start of the race, GASGAS Factory Racing announced a couple of changes in the team’s sponsor structure. Laia will wear KENNY race clothing for her assault on the 2021 Dakar and receive added support from long-time sponsor KH7.
Laia Sanz
“It’s been a really tough year for me, so to be able to look forward to racing the 2021 Dakar means so much. I injured my hand on the second stage of this year’s Dakar, back in January, and although I carried on and completed the event the injury turned out to be worse than we thought. It took a while at the beginning of the year to recover from that. I was really looking forward to start training on my GASGAS trial and enduro bikes, and maybe fitting in some events. Unfortunately, when I was finally able to get out on my bikes again, I started to feel ill. Eventually I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease, which made me feel very unwell. Thankfully, with the right treatment I have been able to start riding again. I know I’m not 100% and we’ll have to see just how I feel when the rally starts in January. It helps that we have some experience now of the terrain we will face, and the way things work with the move to the Middle East. The event in January should also be a little more technical and with tougher navigation, so I’m looking forward to that. I don’t want to put any pressure on myself, and another finish would be incredible, but my main goal is to go there and just enjoy the race.”
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U.S. ISDE Club Team Qualifier events announced
Two AMA-sanctioned International Six Days Enduro Qualifier Series will be used to determine which amateur off-road racers will represent the United States at the 2021 FIM International Six Days Enduro in Italy.
The 2021 AMA East Region ISDE Qualifier Series and the 2021 AMA West Region ISDE Qualifier Series each consist of three rounds, beginning in March and ending in May. The 95th edition of the ISDE is scheduled for Aug. 30 – Sept. 4 in Lombardy-Piedmont, Italy.
ISDE competitor Ty Tremaine – Photo by Mary Rinell
The U.S. ISDE team won the World Trophy and Women’s World Trophy championships at the 2019 ISDE, as well as the Club Cup title. The American Junior World Trophy team placed second in its class. The 2020 ISDE was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Erek Kudla – AMA Off-Road Racing Manager
“With the World, Women’s and Club Trophies still held by the U.S. ISDE Team, and after missing a year of racing, our riders are very excited to return to represent the country in international competition. The qualifying process has been very successful in getting our fastest riders from either coast onto our Club teams, and we are looking forward to another great year at the world championship event.”
In the 2021 qualifiers, riders receive an overall score for each day of competition and will be ranked by their four highest scores at the end of each series. Selected riders will be organized into seven three-member U.S. Club teams, which include the overall top seven riders from each of the two qualifier series, as well as the top 40-plus rider from each qualifier series. Five riders are selected by the AMA ISDE Advisory Committee, which also selects the U.S. ISDE Trophy teams. The seven American Club teams compete alongside the three U.S. ISDE World Trophy teams at the event.
AMA West ISDE Qualifier Series
March 20-21: Red Mountain, Calif., Desert MC and Prospectors MC, AMA District 37 Sprint Enduro
April 17-18: Campwood, Ariz., Arizona Trail Riders, AMA AMRA
May 22-23: Craig, Colo., Enduro Colorado, AMA RMEC
AMA East ISDE Qualifier Series
May 1-2: Battle Creek Mich., BCMC, AMA Michigan Sprint Enduro
May 7-8: Plantersville, Ala., Southern Enduro Riders Association
May 29-30: Glen Daniel, W. Va., AMA Full Gas Sprint Enduro
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2021 AMA Supercross calendar update
A new updated schedule has been announced this week for the 2021 Monster Energy FIM/ AMA Supercross Championship that will see a total of 17 rounds from January 16 to May 1.
Due to the uncertainty of the ongoing Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, the original calendar now features several back-to-back rounds and Saturday and Tuesday races included.
The updates, announced by promoters Feld Entertainment, include three consecutive rounds in Georgia at Atlanta Motor Speedway and an added round at Salt Lake City in Utah. The original rounds in Arizona rounds have been cancelled and replaced with Orlando in Florida.
2021 AMA Supercross Calendar
Round 1
Houston, Texas
East
NRG Stadium
Sat, January 16
Round 2
Houston, Texas
East
NRG Stadium
Tues, January 19
Round 3
Houston, Texas
East
NRG Stadium
Sat, January 23
Round 4
Indianapolis, Indiana
East
Lucas Oil Stadium
Sat, January 30
Round 5
Indianapolis, Indiana
East
Lucas Oil Stadium
Tues, February 2
Round 6
Indianapolis, Indiana
East
Lucas Oil Stadium
Sat, February 6
Round 7
Orlando, Florida
East
Camping World Stadium
Sat, February 13
Round 8
Orlando, Florida
West
Camping World Stadium
Sat, February 20
Round 9
Daytona Beach, Florida
West
Daytona Int. Speedway
Sat, March 6
Round 10
Arlington, Texas
West
AT&T Stadium
Sat, March 13
Round 11
Arlington, Texas
West
AT&T Stadium
Tues, March 16
Round 12
Arlington, Texas
West
AT&T Stadium
Sat, March 20
Round 13
Atlanta, Georgia
West
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sat, April 10
Round 14
Atlanta, Georgia
West
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Tues, April 13
Round 15
Atlanta, Georgia
West
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sat, April 17
Round 16
Salt Lake City, Utah
East
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Sat, April 24
Round 17
Salt Lake City, Utah
W/E
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Sat, May 1
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies calendar announced
The FIM, the Portuguese Motorcycling Federation (FMP), the Automotorsport Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan (AMFK), the Motorcycle Federation of Russia (MFR), Brazilian Motorcycle Confederation (CBM), the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Motocyclisme (FRMM) and the Emirates Motorsports Organization (EMSO) and local organisers have revealed the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and World Cups provisional calendar.
Date
Event
Cat 1 RallyGP
Cat 2 Rally 2
Cat 3
Grp1 Moto-Rally
Grp1 Moto-Rally
Grp2 Moto Enduro
Grp3 Quad
Adventure Trophy Grp1+3
SSV
April 9-13
BP Ultimate Portugal Rally (POR)
X
X
X
X
X
X
June 7-13
Rally Kazakhstan (KAZ)
X
X
X
X
X
July 1-11
Silkway Rally (RUS)
X
X
X
X
X
August 13-22
Rally do Sertoes (BRA)
X
X
X
X
X
October 8-13
Rallye du Maroc (MAR)
X
X
X
X
X
X
November 6-12
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (UAE)
X
X
X
X
X
X
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
2021 Racing schedule
2021 Provisional MXGP Calendar
Rnd
Grand Prix
Date
1
MXGP of Oman, Muscat
Fri 2 Apr – Sat 3 Apr
2
MXGP of Italy, TBA
Sat 24 Apr – Sun 25 Apr
3
MXGP of Portugal, Agueda
Sat 8 May – Sun 9 May
4
MXGP of The Netherlands, Oss
Sat 22 May – Sun 23 May
5
MXGP of Germany, Teutschenthal
Sat 29 May – Sun 30 May
6
MXGP of Russia, Orlyonok
Sat 12 Jun – Sun 13 Jun
7
MXGP of Latvia, Kegums
Sat 19 Jun – Sun 20 Jun
8
MXGP of Jakarta (INA), Jakarta
Sat 3 Jul – Sun 4 Jul
9
MXGP of Indonesia, Semarang
Sat 10 Jul – Sun 11 Jul
10
MXGP of Czech Replublic, Loket
Sat 24 Jul – Sun 25 Jul
11
MXGP of Belgium, Lommel
Sat 31 Jul – Sun 1 Aug
12
MXGP of Sweden, Uddevalla
Sat 7 Aug – Sun 8 Aug
13
MXGP of Finland, Iitti-KimiRing
Sat 21 Aug – Sun 22 Aug
14
MXGP of Igora Drive (RUS), Igora Drive
Sat 28 Aug – Sun 29 Aug
15
MXGP of Turkey, Afyonkarahisar
Sat 11 Sep – Sun 12 Sep
16
MXGP of China, TBA
Sat 18 Sep – Sun 19 Sep
17
MXGP of France, St Jean d’Angely
Sat 9 Oct – Sun 10 Oct
18
MXGP of Spain, intu Xanadu-Arroyomolinos
Sat 16 Oct – Sun 17 Oct
19
TBA
Sat 30 Oct – Sun 31 Oct
20
MXGP of Patagonia Argentina, Neuquen
Sat 13 Nov – Sun 14 Nov
2021 Yamaha AORC presented by MXStore calendar
Round
Location
Date
Rounds 1 & 2
Nowra, NSW
March 27-28
Rounds 3 & 4
TBA, VIC
April 17-18
Rounds 5 & 6
Kyogle, NSW
July 17-18
Rounds 7 & 8
TBA, QLD
August 6-7
Rounds 9 & 10
Kingston SE, SA
September 18-19
Rounds 11 & 12
Omeo, VIC
October 16-17
2021 Australian Pro MX calendar
Rnd
Date
Location
1
Apr-11
Wonthaggi, Victoria Classes: MX1, MX2, MX3, 125 CUP
2
May-02
Canberra, ACT Classes: MX1, MX2, MX3
3
May-30
Gilman, South Australia Classes: MX1, MX2, MX3, 125 CUP
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