2021 MXGP of Lombardia – Round 17

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The MXGP of Lombardia marks the penultimate round of the 2021 season, with Jeffrey Herlings taking the MXGP win from Romain Febvre, with both riders claiming a win and a second place a-piece, for 47-points each.

In MXGP, that means it’s looking like the final round of the series will be a two-man race with Febvre and Herlings separated by just three points, while a penalty in race one has leftTim Gajser 12 points behind Herlings.

In MX2 we also saw two riders tied on 47-points, with Jago Geerts the round winner, and Maxime Renaux having to settle for runner-up. Australia’s Jed Beaton meanwhile finished fourth, with Wilson Todd 13th after a disappointing second race.

The battle for the silver medal is heating up between Tom Vialle and Geerts, with seven points between them as we head into the races on Wednesday.

MXGP of Lombardia 2021 Highlights

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MXGP Race 1

In MXGP race one, it was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer who grabbed the Fox Holeshot. Febvre got off to a good start too as he was ahead of Herlings, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff. Meanwhile Gajser got pushed wide and off the track.

Febvre wasted no time as he took the lead from Seewer, with Herlings looking to make a pass on the Swiss too. Herlings was briefly into second before making a mistake and crashing, which also took down Seewer with him. With the two bikes tangled, Herlings took some time before he got going again.

Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez was having a great start to his MXGP wildcard race, as he was running nicely in fourth.

Febvre then set the fastest lap of the race as he led Cairoli by 3.764 seconds, as Gajser got himself into third, while Herlings was all over Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Brian Bogers for ninth.

Herlings was on another level for the next few laps as he picked off riders before catching up to his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Jorge Prado. Prado didn’t make things easy for Herlings, as the young Spaniard shut down every attempt the Bullet was making.

Eventually Herlings was able to get past Prado and Coldenhoff soon after, as Gajser also got around Cairoli for second position.

Herlings was still down in sixth though, but Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Mathys Boisrame was the next rider to get passed by the Dutchman. He then went after Fernandez, who was not baking down.

The battle between Fernandez and Herlings was intense, as it took Herlings four laps to pass the Spanish rider.

With six minutes on the clock, Gajser started to have Febvre in his sights as Herlings set the fastest lap of the race while looking to get around Cairoli. Cairoli was not backing down to the title hopeful, who had to spend a few laps behind the Italian, but with two laps to go, Herlings was able to get by Cairoli and later Gajser.

Febvre went on to win the race with Herlings second and Gajser third. But Gajser received a 5-place penalty which dropped him down to eighth, so Cairoli moved up to third. Fernandez finished the race in fourth place.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, we saw Prado take the Fox Holeshot from Febvre, Herlings and MRT Racing Team KTM’s Alessandro Lupino. Gajser was around 10th, as Herlings wasted no time to get past Febvre and Prado for the lead.

Cairoli started the race in fifth just behind Lupino, with Gajser down in seventh.

Febvre then started to apply the pressure onto Prado for second, but it would take him a couple of laps to get around the Spaniard, as Gajser caught onto Cairoli and Lupino.

After getting good drive and passing Prado, Febvre was within 3.390 seconds of Herlings with plenty of time left on the clock. And while he kept things close for the first half of the race, as the heat went on, it seemed like Febvre was happy to settle for second and take those championship points without any risk.

Seewer then passed Bogers and Lupino for sixth, while Cairoli caught onto the rear wheel of Prado, as he set his sights on going after third position in the race. As the battle between Cairoli and Prado got tense, Gajser was able to make the most of this and close in on the KTM duo.

Prado was not making it easy for Cairoli who launched several attacks on the Spaniard. Eventually Cairoli made mistake which allowed Gajser through. But he was not backing down for the Slovenian.

Gajser had to work hard to get by Prado, but two laps later, the Honda rider found himself up in third. At that point Herlings was 6.728 seconds ahead of Febvre.

And as Cairoli searched for a way past Prado, Seewer joined the pair, as the battle for fourth raged on. Finally on lap 14, Cairoli was able to get by Prado and move up a spot. Seewer did the same four laps from the end as Prado dropped to sixth.

Herlings went on to win the race ahead of Febvre and Gajser. And with a 2-1 result, Herlings secured his eighth GP victory of the 2021 season, with Febvre finishing on the second step ahead of Cairoli who was third on the podium. Gajser was fourth overall.

With one round to go, Febvre leads the MXGP Championship standings by three points over Herlings, while Gajser is now 12 points behind.

Jeffrey Herlings – P1

“What happened in the first race was so dumb. I put myself in a good position right from the start. I was behind Romain. I did exactly the same crash in the warmup. I just hit my left foot into the side and just got kicked off. I knew I had to work hard. I was almost dead last and worked my way to second. Second race, I had a decent start. I was straight into third and managed to pass Jorge and Romain. Then I was able to make a little gap. Then I was checking where Tony could be. I was actually not trying to run away too far. Then I saw that there was too big of a gap between Romain and Tony. Then I pulled away for the second half of the race. Every point counts right now, so it’s -3. It’s going to be an all-out war on Wednesday. There’s a lot on the line. Different riders, different countries and different manufacturers all going towards the same goal which is the world title. It doesn’t matter who wins it. I think we both deserve it anyway. Even Tim. So, it will be a good one on Wednesday.”

Romain Febvre – P2

“The second race, I started second then Jeffrey passed me and Prado. I maybe didn’t take many risks to pass Prado to avoid falling. So, I lost some time to catch Jeffrey and it was too late at that point. I had some fast laps to close the gap a little bit, but he still had about 3-4 seconds. At one point I just settled for second and thought “I won’t risk everything”. I’m in a good position right now and there’s still one more round to go. Wednesday will be interesting.”

Antonio Cairoli – P3

“For sure I am really happy about the result. I am really enjoying the track and it’s always nice to do it in front of this crowd. First race, I had a good start, then I was a little bit stiff on the first lap and I lost some positions. Then I was riding really fast in the second half of the race. I was really enjoying the track at that point. I finished the race third, ahead of Tim’s penalty. It was a good result for the overall. Second race, the start was not so good. Finally, I had a good rhythm and was able to push a little bit. Then I arrived behind Jorge for 6-7 laps and the guys in front were able to build a gap. Tim also passed me as I was struggling to find some lines to try to pass Jorge. Then I lost the rhythm a little bit. In the end I had some room in front of me which allowed me to have some good laps. I came closer to Tim, but it was too late. Overall, I am happy because of the podium of course, but I will try to do better on Wednesday and be on the podium again. It would be amazing for me and all the fans.”

Tim Gajser – P4

“I am very disappointed with how today turned out. In race one, I got hit by another rider and that caused me to go out of the track and because of the way the track is designed, the safest place to get back on is where I went. I believed I was just outside the top five when I went out, and tried to re-join in the similar position, so as not to gain an advantage, but when I finished the race in third, I was told that I had a five-position penalty. It is not nice to have to try and come back from that when the championship points are so tight but I tried my best to regroup for race two and in the end, I came through to third again. There is still one round left so I won’t give up, as anything can happen, and I would like to thank all the team and the fans who came to support me this weekend.”

Jeremy Seewer – P5

“Results-wise, this was not the day I expected or wanted, but speed and confidence-wise, it was really good. Mantova is a tough track. It’s definitely not my favourite, but still, I have the speed for the podium. Today I didn’t manage to put the motos together, but looking at the positives, I took the holeshot in race one, but Jeffrey (Herlings) crashed, and I hit him and this turned my race upside down. I had to fight through the pack. In the second moto, I completely messed up my start. I entered the first corner buried in the pack and came back to the front really strong. In terms of my riding, it was one of my best rides this year, especially on this kind of track. I am happy with it. Only the result on paper doesn’t reflect my speed, but now we work to be back fighting upfront at the final round on Wednesday.”

2021 MXGP of Lombardia Results

2021 MXGP Standings – Round 17 (Top 20)

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MX2 Race 1

In the MX2 race one, it was Vialle with the Fox Holeshot but his teammate Rene Hofer of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing was quick into the lead. Renaux started well as he passed Vialle for second and then quickly found his way around Hofer to lead the race by the end of the first lap.

Geerts then passed Vialle, as Vialle came under pressure from Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf who passed him for fourth, he was however able to take back that position.

Hofer then set the fastest lap of the race as he was keen on staying close to Renaux, but then came under fire from Geerts. The Belgian made several attempts to pass the Austrian, but Hofer was quick to respond. Hofer then fell and eventually fought his way back to sixth.

Renaux then opened up the gap as he led by 5.480 seconds over Geerts, while Vialle was still trying to fend off de Wolf as well was his teammate Jed Beaton who was also on a charge. The Frenchman was urged on by the Husqvarna riders as he had Geerts in his sights in the later stages of the race.

Unfortunately, he could not get close enough, as Geerts also tried to go after Renaux in the final laps, but Renaux was able to maintain that position and win his first race since becoming MX2 World Champion last weekend.

MX2 Race 2

In the second MX2 heat, it was Vialle once again with the Fox Holeshot as he led Hofer, Geerts, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini and Beaton. Renaux started in around 10th position.

Geerts then tried to get around Hofer for second, but the pair made contact in the wave section, which resulted in a big crash for Hofer.

Beaton then got onto the rear wheel of Guadagnini for third, as Renaux moved in on the pair after making some good passes on the opening laps. The Frenchman got around the Australian by the second lap and then set his sights on Guadagnini.

Further down the field, de Wolf was having an intense battle with Simon Längenfelder of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing. The Dutchman then took the outside line which gave him good drive to get past the German for sixth place.

Guadagnini then had Renaux all over his rear wheel, with the Frenchman going around the outside of the Italian to steal third. Renaux was on a charge as it did not take long for him to catch up with Geerts.

Meanwhile Hofer was trying to recover from his crash at the beginning of the race as he got going in 14th place.

The gap between Vialle and Geerts started to come down as just 0.938 seconds separated them, with some excitement behind them as Renaux went off track and de Wolf crashed.

On lap seven we saw a change for the lead as Vialle and Geerts traded positions a few times, before the Belgian was able to make the pass stick. Renaux was keen on going with him as he dove down the inside of Vialle for second.

Renaux then pushed hard to try and get by Geerts, with the battle carrying on until the chequered flag fell for the end of the race. Despite his best efforts, Renaux was forced to settle for second as Geerts went on to win the race. Beaton was also able to get by Vialle in the final laps to get himself into third, while Vialle crossed the line fourth.

A 2-1 result gave Geerts the overall victory over Renaux who also finished on 47 points, with Vialle occupying the third step of the podium.

While the MX2 title was decided at the MXGP of Garda, the fight for second in the standings is still on between Vialle and Geerts, as there is just seven points between them as we head into the final round on Wednesday with the MXGP of ‎Città di Mantova.

Jago Geerts – P1

“I am really happy to win a GP again. The last few races my speed was really good, but I just couldn’t make it happen to win a race. Today was a really good day for me, 2-1. So yeah, I am really happy, and I am looking forward to Wednesday. Hopefully I will be able to end the season on a high note. It will be quite exciting and we will battle until the last lap for sure. My goal is just to ride like today. I’ll try to win the GP and get the second place in the championship.”

Maxime Renaux – P2

“It was a nice day. First race after my world title, so it’s really nice. I really enjoyed that. This morning, I was actually not so good in time practice. I was feeling a little bit stiff. But we made some changes on the bike and I felt really good during those two races. First race was perfect. I could take the lead on the first lap and win. Second race, I had a really bad start. I had to really push to come back to second. Then I felt I could have pushed a little bit more, but I was satisfied with second. I’d also like to have a blue bike on the second step of the podium for this championship. So, it was just nice and I am really happy with my riding today.”

Tom Vialle – P3

“I struggled quite a lot today, especially in the second race. I had a great start but couldn’t find my flow on the track. I felt pretty good in the morning. First race wasn’t too bad. I was third behind Jago. I struggled a bit with the bike, so on Wednesday we’re going to make some changes on the bike. For sure it will be better. I am really looking forward to Wednesday. I am second in the championship now. It’s true I came back from pretty far. I think that I was 13th or 14th at some point in the championship. So, it’s pretty nice to be second. There’s still one race to go. It will be a good battle with Jago, that’s for sure.”

Jed Beaton – P4

“A pretty good day today. I had good starts but still had to make a few passes to catch the leaders. I had a good charge going in race one and felt great on the bike in the second half of the race, but it wasn’t enough to do better than fifth. Race two was a lot better early on but the two guys up front made such a big gap that it just wasn’t possible to catch them despite having a solid pace.”

Isak Gifting – P6

“The first one at Mantova is done and it’s been a really good day for me. My starts weren’t the best, but I was able to make a lot of passes early in each race, push forward, and stay out of trouble. It’s been a difficult season so to have a good result today is a really positive thing for me and I’m definitely aiming to do the same, or better, on Wednesday.”

Bike It MTX Kawasaki’s Wilson Todd earnt eleventh gate-pick during Qualifying and made a good start in race one to hold an early eighth. Temporarily pushed back to tenth the Australian responded strongly during the second half of the moto to regain eighth at the finish and significantly gain three points in his chase for a top-ten series ranking.

His fortune changed at the start of race two as he was involved in chaotic scenes at the tight second corner; rejoining the race at the back of the pack he continued to push all moto to claim seventeenth at the finish. He retains eleventh in the points standings and will endeavour to close down an eleven-point deficit to tenth in the final round on Wednesday.

2021 MXGP of – MX2 Results

2021 MX2 Standings – Round 17 (Top 20)

Source: MCNews.com.au

2021 MXGP of Garda – Round 16

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The 2021 MXGP of Garda saw Yamaha claim the top step on both MXGP and MX2 podiums, with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Maxime Renaux clinching his maiden MX2 FIM Motocross World Championship title. Jeremy Seewer celebrated a career second Grand Prix win after two strong races in MXGP and the overall.

For Renaux it will be a hard day to forget as he bounced back for the final race of the triple-header here in Pietramurata, to finish second in race one, while he went on to win the second race and claim that gold plate in style! The Yamaha riders’ season has been an impressive one that has seen him claim 12 podiums which includes five Grand Prix victories and eight race wins.

The Frenchman has led a total of 103 laps and has held the red plate since the fourth round of the season in Oss at the MXGP of the Netherlands.

Meanwhile Seewer was not going to let another podium slip away after missing out on the opportunity during the last two GPs. The Swiss went 1-2 in the races to confirm his spot on the top of the box. But after today’s races we saw another shake up in the MXGP title chase, as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings succumbed to the pressure in race two and had two big crashes which lost him vital positions and points.

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser went on to win race two, as Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre rode two consistent races to bag himself the red plate. It is the first time since 2014, when Gautier Paulin won the opening round in Qatar, that we see the red plate on a Kawasaki machine.

Top Australian meanwhile was Bike It MTX Kawasaki’s Wilson Todd who has moved to within three points of a top-ten ranking in the MX2 class with two hard-charging rides to fifth overall.

The Aussie set himself up for a sparkling day after a solid seventh-fastest time in Qualifying by twice gating inside the top ten and in both motos he showed his talent with smart decisive moves to make passes stick around the switchback raceway in the shadow of the Italian Dolomites. Tenth, then ninth, through the first half of moto one he showed his strength and determination throughout the second half of the race to eventually finish seventh, and maintained that speed in race two.

Eighth after the first few turns he moved forward to sixth within ten minutes and continued to push forward to clinch fourth, his best result of the campaign, on the penultimate lap. The thirty-two points haul also earnt fifth overall on the day and he heads to the final two rounds of the championship just three points shy of a top-ten world ranking at the end of the season.

Wilson Todd – P5

“I felt good. I was inside the top ten all day; Qualifying and both motos. I was coming forward, making passes to get into those positions. It’s an improvement; the more I race anywhere the more comfortable I feel. Two more to go, and I’m feeling confident.“

Jed Beaton enjoyed a promising first race at the MXGP of Garda with a strong fifth-place finish. Frustratingly, he had a coming together with another rider in the tight and treacherous second turn after the start of moto two, which resulted in a race-long charge towards the front. With two further crashes adding to the challenge, Beaton secured 14th in the moto for ninth overall. Jed now sits just 10 points adrift of fourth in the MX2 World Championship.

Jed Beaton – P9

“Today wasn’t quite how I wanted to finish this triple header. My first race was pretty solid though, I felt good and made passes all moto to place fifth, which was a good start to the day. Then in race two, it all went wrong really. My jump off the gate wasn’t good and then in turn two I got caught up in someone’s bike and I was dead last. I then crashed twice coming through the pack so that one was tough. I’m now looking forward to Mantova for the final two rounds. I’ve done well there in the past and I really want to end the season with positive results.”

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MXGP Race 1

In the opening MXGP race of the day, it was Seewer who took the Fox Holeshot as he led his teammate Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Glenn Coldenhoff, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado, MRT Racing Team’s Alessandro Lupino and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli. Meanwhile Gajser, Herlings and Febvre started in sixth, seventh and eighth.

Prado then quickly made a move on Coldenhoff, as Gajser looked to do the same. The Slovenian was not successful in his attempts which allowed Febvre and Herlings to close in.

Gajser and Febvre then went at it for third, with the pair switching positions a few times before Febvre was able to block pass Gajser to move into third. And while the Honda and Kawasaki riders battled each other, Herlings continued to lurk in the background as he searched for an opportunity to get by both.

Seewer stretched out his lead to 3.946 seconds as he was improving upon his lap time almost every lap around. The Swiss was looking in control, up until a slight error put him on the ground. Luckily, he was up quickly and could maintain his position in the lead.

Febvre was eventually able to get past Coldenhoff for third as he set his sights on Prado who was ahead in second position.

Seewer then set another fastest lap time of the race as he stayed ahead of Prado by 4.110 seconds, as Gajser closed in on Coldenhoff again. Herlings kept things close too as both him and Gajser got past the Yamaha rider in the same corner.

Herlings then passed Gajser, as Febvre also took second from Prado. While Febvre safely had hold of his position, Herlings did not as Gajser was looking to fight back immediately. The pair made contact on several occasions, but Herlings was able to assert his position as Cairoli also joined the battle.

Cairoli got ahead of Gajser but not for long as the Slovenian fought back. Cairoli then kept a close distance to Gajser until the end of the race as they both made their way through backmarkers.

Herlings then managed to get by Prado, but the Spaniard didn’t go down without a fight. Gajser was next to catch-up to the KTM rider and after a few tries got past him too as Cairoli did the same to move up to fifth.

With three laps to go, it looked like Febvre was slowly closing in on the leader, but then on the last lap he went down hard which cost him a load of time, but he did however hold on to his position.

In the end Seewer went on to claim his first race win of the season, as Febvre finished second ahead of Herlings in third. Gajser brought it home in fourth ahead of Cairoli who was fifth.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, it was Prado with the second Fox Holeshot, which was his 15th of the season! He led the way ahead of Cairoli and Gajser. Herlings started in sixth while Febvre was down in 13th.

Gajser then got around Cairoli for second and not long after made a move on Prado to get into the lead. Meanwhile Herlings was also making moves as he got himself into second.

He then had his teammate, Prado, to deal with who didn’t make things easy but eventually the Dutchman was able to get around the Spaniard and shift his focus onto getting Gajser. Just behind then, Febvre got around Cairoli for fourth and immediately went after Prado, who again was not backing down.

Gajser then led the way by just 1.214 seconds as Herlings remained close. It was looking like Herlings was setting up to make a pass but then the Bullet made a mistake and went flying over the bars. He got going again just behind Coldenhoff in seventh.

While that was going on, Seewer managed to get Cairoli for fifth and then followed that up by getting Febvre too. The Frenchman was not going to let the Swiss have the position easy and immediately fought back. The pair then caught onto Prado too, with the trio exchanging positions several times before Seewer was able to get ahead.

Febvre then had Cairoli on his case who passed him for fourth. The Kawasaki rider was again quick to respond and managed to maintain his spot. This then urged him onto Prado, as he took third from the KTM rider.

Herlings was also making progress as he got by Coldenhoff and then Prado, as the Spaniard came under more fire from Cairoli and the drop down to sixth. It then looked like Cairoli was going after Herlings and that’s when the Bullet crashed again!

Seewer also went down for a brief moment but was able to get going quickly to stay ahead of Febvre. Febvre did close in at one point, but Seewer was showing great pace and it was no match for Febvre who settled for third.

Herlings got going outside the top 10 and then made some passes on the likes of Mathys Boisrame of Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team, Benoit Paturel of Honda SR Motoblouz as well as Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Ben Watson, Glenn Coldenhoff and Prado in the next few laps. He eventually came home in fourth place.

Gajser went on to win the race 5.961 seconds ahead of Seewer with Febvre third.

A 1-2 result gave Seewer the overall, while Gajser was second and Febvre third overall. With Febvre added 42 points compared to Herlings’ 38, to his title chase, which means that he now leads the MXGP standings by one point over Gajser, with Herlings a further two points behind.

Once again, the top three are within three points of each other as we head into the final two rounds in Mantova.

Jeremy Seewer – P1

“This MXGP win, I did it myself and I deserved it. I was up front, and no one beat me. It feels amazing, especially where I came from this year. A couple of weeks ago I was far off, and I was struggling with my health and mentally. I started to feel good a few weeks ago. I am really happy to sit here now with a first overall. I was very unlucky in my last two races; I just missed the podium both times. But it was worth the wait for this win.”

Tim Gajser – P2

“It was a good day. We definitely need to work on the first races. I have been struggling with those the last couple of weeks. Anyway, the second one was good. I was feeling good and the start was way better. I made quick passes in the beginning. Then suddenly there was a 10 second gap for me and I was able to control the race from that point on. But anyway, the championship is intense. It’s unbelievable to think that there are just two GPs left and we are all within three points. I will do my best. I am really happy with today. We still have two GPs to go, so game on!”

Romain Febvre – P3

“It feels good. We still have two rounds to go to keep the red plate and turn it to gold. I can smell the taste of the championship. I am really happy about my weekend. We worked on the start which worked well in the first race. The second one was not good. In the first one, I made a lot of passes and made my way to second place. I tried to catch Jeremy but he was obviously riding really good. Nothing to say. I tried. I saw that I was catching up to him in the last two laps but unfortunately, I made quite a big mistake and crashed. Luckily, I had a big gap which allowed me to recover and finish second after all. The second race, my start was really bad, but I managed to have a good first lap and pass eight riders. I was still able to finish the race in third place. Jeremy made a mistake, and I closed the gap. I was thinking “should I go for the GP victory, or should I settle for the red plate?”. I felt like I did both. Maybe I was thinking a little bit too much and I could not match Jeremy’s pace. I settled for third and took the red plate. I am really happy.”

Jeffrey Herling – P4

“Where can I start?! The day actually began quite good but then went downhill from there! My start was alright in the first moto but I could not get in my rhythm for the first three laps and at one point I was 4th but lost a lot of time passing Jorge. Basically, Romain and Jeremy had then gone. 3rd place was still OK. In the second moto I really wanted to attack and go for the win. I was into 2nd on the second lap and I thought ‘this is going to be my moto’. I went over the finish line jump and wanted to chase Tim because I felt I had the speed but the bike went left-right and I was shot-off. It was my mistake but the bike was then a bit bent and I needed some laps to get used to it. The rhythm was coming back and I was close to Romain but my hand came off the bar over that same jump and I was shot to the moon. That was a big hit with a big crash. The bike was even more bent! I knew then I would need something special today. I was 10th and I needed to keep pushing because every point counts. To go home only 3 points down, I know it is still in my own hands. I didn’t make it easy for myself and the last two GPs here have been tough but it is all still possible. Thanks to Tony. Only the greatest and the biggest champions would do that. To me he not only showed his loyalty to KTM but helped me a lot because those are two very important points. Only a real team player would do that. Jorge as well, I had to pass him three times in that second moto. It was a real team effort and I cannot thank them enough.”

Tony Cairoli – P5

“Pretty good today. In the first moto I had a good start but made a few mistakes on the first laps and dropped from 5th to 7th. I passed back to 5th but it was difficult to make those moves: sadly I couldn’t make the same excellent start that I had on Wednesday. The guys in front were too far by the time I could get through. I felt a podium was possible, even if a top-five is always good. In the last moto I had the pace to go a bit faster but I did not want to get in the middle of the fight for the championship. Jeffrey made a crash in front of me and again there was a big gap. I had settled for 4th when I saw Jeffrey was coming on the last two laps. For me 4th or 5th was not that important because I knew I wouldn’t have been on the podium so I gave [away] my position. I hope a few points more will help him and KTM for the championship. That’s KTM’s goal for this year.”

Jorge Prado – P6

“I’m happy with 6th. The last two races here have not been very good with my back and it’s been hard to get two consistent motos. It’s been a tough few weeks with both the injuries to my arm and then my back. I’ve missed training and haven’t ridden much. I can feel it. Physically I’m still not 100%. It’s only been one-week-and-a-half since I had the fracture, even if it is slowly getting better. Today was less painful than the other races. I had a good second moto start and I enjoyed the riding. We do this sport because we love it and it’s nice to enjoy your racing. It was a pity to have arm-pump in the first moto. I got a bit tight. 6th was the best I could do in the second moto. Overall, I’m happy.”

Glenn Coldenhoff – P7

“It started well; I got the sixth time in Timed Practice, which is really good. I got a good start in the first moto, right being my teammate Jeremy (Seewer), and then I got stuck behind (Jorge) Prado and lost my rhythm. Then I dropped back and didn’t feel too comfortable. I felt better in the second moto but got stuck behind Prado again. I know I need to be more aggressive to make a pass but to be aggressive, you also need to be at the right place at the right time. Again, a disappointing result, but I will keep fighting.”

Ben Watson – P8

“I had a really good day. I’ve enjoyed today a lot; even qualifying was good, which is a big positive point after struggling all year. I felt really good with how I was riding and just had a lot of fun. Even in the second race, I was battling with the fast guys for the whole moto, and felt comfortable in the mix like that is my position. In the end, I finished seventh, which I am happy with.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen – P11

“I’m a little disappointed with today after how well things went on Wednesday. It all came down to my starts not being the best – this class is so stacked that it’s difficult to be in the top 10 when you don’t start up front. I was actually in 10th briefly in race one until I collided with another rider and that pushed me back to 12th. One positive I can take from today is that I felt really good on the bike, really comfortable and I could push to the end of both races. It’s taken a while but I feel really confident now and if I can improve my starts, then I can be back inside the top-10 overall and battling with the top guys.”

2021 MXGP of Garda Results

2021 MXGP Standings – Round 16

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MX2 Race 1

In the first MX2 race, it was again, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle with the Fox Holeshot but his teammate Rene Hofer was quick to act as he dived into the lead. Vialle dropped to third as Bastian Boegh Damm of WZ Racing Team went into second place.

Renaux started the race in around eighth position, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini was 24th.

Then we saw a big moment between Boegh Damm and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts as the pair came together on the downhill and had a huge crash. This allowed Renaux into third and then into second.

Hofer then led Renaux, Vialle, Andrea Adamo of SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery, as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton got onto the rear wheel of Simon Längenfelder of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing for sixth and eventually managed to pass him.

Guadagnini was also making passes as he got himself into 13th, but the Italian would later crash and pull out of the race.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Thibault Benistant and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf were next to catch onto the rear wheel of Längenfelder, with the German not able to keep the pair behind him as he dropped two more positions.

Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez was on a charge as he got by Adamo for fourth and then set his sights on Vialle for third.

Hofer was still the race leader as he set the fastest lap time of the race to extend his lead to 5.977 seconds ahead of Renaux. The Austrian pretty much rode a race of his own as he was unchallenged for the entire heat.

Beaton then caught onto Adamo for fifth. He managed to go around the outside of the Italian, but the GasGas rider was quick to fight back. But Beaton managed to stay ahead.

Further ahead, Fernandez was on a mission as he got onto the back of Vialle and went after third place. He was almost a second faster than the Frenchman on that lap and was able to get himself into third.

Benistant was next to catch-up to Adamo. He squeezed past the Italian who responded in the next corner, but Benistant got him back to assert his position in sixth.

In the end, Hofer was victorious as he crossed the finish line 4.966 seconds ahead of Renaux and Fernandez.

MX2 Race 2

In race two, it was Vialle again who got ahead in the start and claimed his 19th Fox Holeshot of the season. Renaux was second ahead of Benistant and Isak Gifting of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing, who got a great start in fourth. Geerts was there also in fifth.

Geerts then came under fire from de Wolf for fifth. The Belgian could not hold on as he made a mistake and went down. He did not re-join the race due to a technical problem and that was his title fight over.

Renaux then set the fastest lap of the race as he got within 1.094 seconds of Vialle. He waited a couple of laps before launching an attack, but by lap five was the new race leader.

Gifting then came under immense pressure from de Wolf and Fernandez. Both the Husqvarna and the Honda rider were able to get around him to move up into fourth and fifth. Not long after Wilson Todd of Bike it MTX Kawasaki did the same. F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Mikkel Haarup, who had the second fastest lap time in time practice, caught and passed Längenfelder for eighth and then had Gifting in his sights too.

Meanwhile, the race one winner, Hofer, didn’t have the best start to the race as he ended up going down. He did however make a decent recovery to get back to eighth by the end of the heat.

Längenfelder then crashed out of eighth, as Benistant lost a few positions too. One of the riders to pass Benistant was Haarup, who also got past de Wolf by the end of the race, as the Husqvarna rider dropped to sixth.

Renaux went on to win the race 3.105 seconds ahead of Vialle who crossed the line in second position, while Fernandez finished third.

A 2-1 result gave Renaux the overall victory as he also claimed the gold plate to become this year’s MX2 World Champion, meanwhile Vialle was second on the podium and added some solid championship points as he moved into second position. Fernandez was the last rider to mount the podium, keeping a 100% podium record here in Pietramurata this season.

Maxime Renaux – P1

“It means a lot to me. We made it; we are the 2021 MX2 World Champions. That’s a great achievement. As you said, we had to work a lot for that. The past years and past rounds were really tough for me. Lots of ups and downs, and bad starts. But we were able to have a good race today. I am also so happy to get my first world title with a race and GP win. It means a lot to me because it’s grabbing the title with a win feels a bit better. It was an amazing day for me, one that I will never forget for sure.”

Tom Vialle – P2

“It actually was not really a bad day for me. After the crash on Wednesday, I hurt my ankle a lot. So, I was not sure if I could ride today. Riding in the morning was not so bad, but I could feel the pain after every jump. First race was pretty tough. I had a decent start, but I couldn’t follow the leader also due to arm pump. I just tried to finish it off. I finished in 4th place. It wasn’t too bad. I was feeling better in the second one. I just tried to ride the best I could. I am happy today with the podium.”

Ruben Fernandez – P3

“It feels good to get three podiums out of three. I feel like I’ve been really solid which is normally not one of my strongest points. I could stay calm during the races and not make mistakes. I had to come from the back and work my way to the front most of the times. I am happy with that, because this is something I want to bring with me into next season. I want to be mistake-free let’s say and try to keep it cool on the track.”

Rene Hofer – P4

“Still a pretty good day I’d say with my second MX2 moto win. I’m pretty overwhelmed by all the things that are going on right now. Two wins from six motos here. Unfortunately, I missed the podium because of a crash in the second moto but my riding was good to come back to 8th. I’m doing well and we’re also performing good in the championship: we are only three points behind 5th, and 4th place is also not far. We’ll give it all in the last two GPs to try and improve my standing.”

Kay de Wolf – P7

“Overall, it’s been a good day for me. Race one was pretty crazy, I was in a battle for the whole moto. It was just wide open with a few other riders, it was a fun race and finishing eighth was pretty decent. I had a much better start in race two and moved into third and felt really comfortable up front. Unfortunately, in the wave section I almost had a huge crash and that really pushed up my heart rate. It took a couple of laps to regain my focus but for the rest of the race I couldn’t find a good line through the waves, which cost me some time and I ended up sixth. Two rounds to go and I’m excited for Mantova. I’ve had a pretty good week here in Trentino so I’m looking to going there and being in some more battles.”

Mikkel Haarup – P8

“I felt good already from the word go out there today. We tried a few things in Free Practice and it paid off; I did three very quick times within the same second for P2 in Qualifying, and I was even P1 for a time, so I knew already that my pace was really good. I had a decent start in race one but another rider crashed into me and put me outside the top twenty before I came back to fourteenth. My riding was really positive and in the first few laps of race two I just stayed out of trouble after a decent start. Towards the end I was picking off guys to finish fifth. I had the speed today and hopefully we can improve even further next weekend in Mantova.”

Simon Langenfelder – P11

“Well, I guess I was consistent today! 11th in qualifying then 11th in both races. I had a great start in race one but I just didn’t quite have the speed to stay up front, which was a little frustrating. I was feeling much better in race two but then I tipped over while in eighth, which is easily done on this track. Not my best day, not the worst, but solid points and now it’s onto Mantova next weekend.”

2021 MXGP of Garda – MX2 Results

2021 MX2 Standings – Round 16 (Top 20)

Source: MCNews.com.au

2021 MXGP of Pietramurata – Round 15

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Red Bull KTM Factory Racing had another great round at the mid-week MXGP of Pietramurata, with Antonio Cairoli and Rene Hofer celebrating the round wins in their respective classes.

In the MX2 class, Australian Jed Beaton frustratingly suffered a crash that was outside of his control early in moto one contributed to a disappointing 16th-place finish. Regrouping for race two, and following another great start, Beaton charged hard to place third in the moto, crossing the finish line just seven seconds behind the eventual race winner, Rene Hofer. He now sits fifth overall in the standings.

Jed Beaton – P7

“Another tough one today and it was just down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was coming through the pack with Mattia Guadagnini and he slid out in a corner just a little bit, which clipped my front tyre and then a few of us went down in a heap. All my focus was then on moto two and I made it happen with a third-place finish, which made up for race one. But overall, today should have been better.”

Fellow Australian Wilson Todd on the Bike It MTX Kawasaki returned to the top ten, having recovered from the after-effects of food-poisoning on Sunday, he posted seventh-fastest time in Qualifying.

An eleventh-placed start provided the impetus to push forward throughout the first thirty-five minute race to snatch sixth place five laps from the finish, defending the position admirably against the series leader through the final stages. He immediately went on the charge from a fifteenth-placed start in race two to break into the top ten after four laps and hold down ninth until a slip two laps from the end cost him two positions. Eighth overall on the day, he remains eleventh in the series standings, just fifteen points away from a top-ten world ranking with three GPs remaining.

Wilson Todd – P8

“I’m all good today; better than Sunday. The track’s hard to ride but I had a good Qualifying and first race. I was looking at another good result in the second race but I tipped over with a lap to go and lost two places.“

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MXGP Race 1

In MXGP race one, it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado who grabbed the Fox Holeshot from Team HRC’s Tim Gajser. Gajser was quick to get into the lead as Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre put on a charge to get around the Spaniard too.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings was unlucky out of the gate as he went down in the first turn. As the Bullet picked himself up to get going, he soon realised that there was a problem with his KTM machine, which meant he could not carry on with the race. This was a huge moment for the championship.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer had a good start too as he was sitting in fourth behind Febvre but had Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli breathing down his neck.

Gajser continued to lead as Febvre brought the gap down to 1.876 seconds after setting the best lap of the race. The Frenchman closed right in on the Slovenian as Gajser’s lead was brought down to less than a second, but Gajser was able to respond, going green in sector one and purple in sectors three and four, which then gave him the fastest lap of the race.

Honda SR Motoblouz rider Benoit Paturel started the race well inside the top 10 but was forced to DNF after what looked like a bike problem.

Meanwhile, Cairoli was able to get close enough to Seewer to get around the Swiss and move into fourth, with his focus then shifting onto his younger teammate Prado. It took a few laps for Cairoli to line-up the perfect pass on the Spaniard but eventually on lap eight he was able to take third.

Back with the leaders though, it looked like Gajser had picked up the pace after being spooked by Febvre, but this quickly changed as Febvre responded with another fast lap. The Kawasaki rider got onto the rear wheel the Slovenian once again but made a mistake and lost a load of time as a result. But the time Gajser crossed the line he was 5.929 seconds ahead.

Seewer then managed to close the gap to Prado as the pair began their combat for fourth. This battle went on for the majority of the race, with Seewer launching several failed attempts on the Spaniard. But with three laps from the end, the Swiss was finally able to get the job done and move into fourth place.

While Seewer had a good race in fourth, his teammates Ben Watson and Glenn Coldenhoff were also riding well in sixth and seventh. That’s where the pair eventually finished the heat.

In the last final few laps of the race, we saw an intense fight between Gajser and Febvre, with the Frenchman taking a load of time out of the Slovenian as he once again caught onto his rear wheel. The pair had a couple of close moments, as Febvre moved briefly into the lead and was passed back by Gajser.

But with just a couple of laps to go, the Frenchman was able to make a pass stick as he got by Gajser and secured the race win. Cairoli was third ahead of Seewer and Prado.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, it was Cairoli with a huge Fox Holeshot as he led Seewer, Prado, Paturel and Coldenhoff. Meanwhile Herlings, Gajser and Febvre were buried in the mid-pack. Herlings and Gajser were quick to move up the order though, as they managed to get by Paturel.

Cairoli continued to control the race with Seewer and Coldenhoff behind him. Prado then came under pressure from Herlings who was keen on getting by the Spaniard, but Prado was not backing down without a fight. Eventually the Bullet was able to make a pass stick as Gajser looked to do the same.

By lap three Gajser was ahead of Prado and started to close back in on Herlings, as Febvre got by Paturel for seventh place.

Seewer then set the fastest lap of the race as he maintained a manageable 1.680 second gap to Cairoli. But further behind them saw Herlings made a mistake and crash, which allowed Gajser to go through. Febvre was able to make the most of this too, as he caught onto the rear wheel of Herlings.

The battle between Herlings and Febvre went on for 15 laps, with some close moments but Herlings was not backing down and Febvre could not find an opportunity as they finished the race fourth and fifth which still gave Herlings the advantage for the championship.

Back in the lead though, Cairoli was impressive. Lap after lap, the 9-time world champion bettered his time and set several fastest laps of the race as he pulled away from Seewer and Coldenhoff.

In the final few laps, Coldenhoff came under pressure from Gajser who was eager to get around the Dutchman for vital championship points. After a few tries he was able to get it done. But Herlings and Febvre followed in his footsteps, as Coldenhoff dropped down to sixth.

Gajser then had a chance to go after Seewer but ran out of time as Cairoli won the race and the Swiss held onto second.

Cairoli’s 3-1 result gave him the overall, with Gajser second on the box with Febvre third. While Herlings failed to make it inside the top three, he does carry the red plate into the next round this Sunday as just one point separates him and Febvre, while Gajser is just another two points behind the Frenchman.

Antonio Cairoli – P1

“It was a struggle since the crash in Sardegna. I was very scared when it happened and for sure it got the best of me during the next GPs. Also, my ribs were really causing me pain until Spain. In Spain I was already feeling better. Of course, coming here I was really looking to bounce back after that bad stretch. Then I really got sick on Saturday night. Nevertheless, I tried to have a good start on Sunday, but I was in the middle pack and I got taken out on the first lap. Damage was done. Then in the second race, I tried to avoid Van Horebeek by changing lines, but somebody took my front off. I had some problems again with my clutch lever. It looked like something was pulling me to the ground that day and I was not happy about it of course. Today I felt a little bit better since this morning. However, I have had really good races on that track in the past and I really wanted to be on the podium. I did everything I could, especially in the first race. I had a good start. I was third. Then I made a mistake and dropped to sixth, then back to third. I was very happy with my riding. In the second race, I got the holeshot then I mostly controlled the race. I was getting a little tired, but with my experience I could save some energy at some parts of the track, and I could manage to keep Jeremy at the back. So, I was very happy about that. I hope from now on I could feel better and be on the podium every weekend because that’s what I try to do every time I ride. Let’s hope for the same results.”

Tim Gajser – P2

“It was a good and consistent day. I had a good start in the first race. I was leading the race quite comfortably then I got a little arm pump. Romain passed me in the last lap, and I finished second. I was a little disappointed about that. I didn’t have the best start in the second race. Jeffrey made a mistake then I was also able to pass Glenn. I finished third. Consistent points. It’s getting really tight in the championship, but we still have three GPs, so I will give my best and try to not to put too much pressure on myself and just try to enjoy as much as possible.”

Romain Febvre – P3

“It’s just as if the championship started again. The top three are three points apart, so it’s pretty cool. I will try my best to be first at the end. I was feeling really good today, better than last Sunday. I made some mistakes in the middle of the first race, but then I caught up with Tim. We had a nice battle during the last five laps. It was very challenging, so it was cool to win it. Second race, I didn’t have a good start which is really crucial to have over here. I made my way through the pack and came back behind Jeffrey. I passed him once then he passed me again. At the end, I could not do much more than that given the circumstances. I am a little bit disappointed because it’s been a while since I have had two really solid race. I will try to do so on Sunday.”

Jeremy Seewer – P4

“I feel really good. This was an amazing moto to finish second in the last race, but Tony (Cairoli) was just on a mission. I tried to follow him, but he had slightly more, not a lot. He didn’t get away too much. I feel happy about today. It was consistent and good. To have a 4-2 score and no podium is quite odd, but it shows how competitive the class is, and whether I am on the box or not, I was close and I took good points for the championship and that is all that matters. I’m happy with everything, so now I will take some rest and try to be back for another chance at being on the box at ‘Arco 3’.”

Glenn Coldenhoff – P5

“Today didn’t start too well. I felt good on the track, but my lap time was 16th, which didn’t matter too much here. The gate pick was still okay. I didn’t get the best start in the first race. I was pretty far behind, which is really difficult on a track like this. I also didn’t feel very comfortable. The second moto was definitely better, I started in the top-five and moved immediately into third position, but halfway, I started to ride tight and made some huge mistakes, which allowed the guys to pass me. Overall, it was a consistent day and solid, but we want more.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen – P6

“Today was just awesome. From the moment I headed out onto the track in qualifying I felt great on the bike and that really showed in my performances. It’s a hard track to pass on but I came through in both motos from outside the top-10 and I was able to battle to the end, which is something I’ve really worked on improving recently. It’s been a great day and if I can improve my starts I’m excited to see if I can battle with the guys a bit further up the field.”

Ben Watson – P7

“Overall, I am happy about today. I am finally starting to feel normal. I know my ankle is still not 100%, but I was able to ride how I wanted to ride today without that playing on my mind. It was good. I even felt good in qualifying today. I would say that today, my first race was one of the best I have had all season. The second one was also not so bad with another solid top-10, so we just look forward to being back again on Sunday.”

Brian Bogers – P8

“It was a hard day for me because on Monday I caught a cold, which really didn’t help me today! I still did my best though like always and in the first moto my riding wasn’t bad, but I had to come from the back and finished 11th. In the second moto it was the same story as I had to battle through the pack and finished eighth for eighth overall. If I can improve my starts and combine them with my speed then we can definitely improve.”

Jeffrey Herlings – P11

“It’s pretty devastating. The front wheel washed out and I wanted to pick up my bike right away. Actually, I didn’t even notice that someone rode over my bike. A lot of things broke like my handlebar and so forth. It was a done deal. It hurts, especially when you worked so hard to get those points and be where you are. Then in a blink of an eye it’s done. Then you just watch from the sidelines. That being said, in that second race, I just couldn’t get in my rhythm. I mean it’s been a bad day, what else to say. We went from +24 to +1. But yeah, it’s going to be an interesting next three races, so we will see how things turn out.”

Jorge Prado – P13

“I’m happy that I was just a little bit better and I felt a small improvement with my back. Two days is too short to heal when you need a couple of weeks. I had a very good start in the first moto and could finish 5th, which was a decent race. I didn’t get a start in the second moto and still managed 3rd after the second corner with a very nice line around the outside. The guys were faster than me and it was difficult to go fast when the bike was moving a lot. It was hard to control it because of the pain. Jonass touched my back wheel halfway through and we both went down. It was a pity. I was last and decided to stop because I couldn’t do better. I now have four days and I think I will feel even better on Sunday.”

Pauls Jonass – P14

“Well, that was a tough day at the office! The second turn here is super tight and unfortunately I crashed there in race one, then crashed again a few corners later. I was way, way behind but came through to score a few points. Race two wasn’t much better because of another crash and I managed to salvage 10th which isn’t where I should be. On the positive side, my speed is good so if I can just stay upright and start up front then I know I can battle for the top spots.”

2021 MXGP of Pietramurata Results

2021 MXGP Standings – Round 14

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MX2 Race 1

In MX2, race one saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle grab the first Fox Holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts, Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing’s Simon Längenfelder and Ruben Fernandez of Honda 114 Motorsports.

Team Honda Racing Assomotor’s Stephen Rubini came together with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Thibault Benistant in the first corner, with the Frenchman being stretcher off the track. He did not line-up for race two.

Championship leader Maxime Renaux of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing and local hero Mattia Guadagnini from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing didn’t get off to the best start, as the pair crossed the line in 18th and 19th.

Fernandez was quick to get by Längenfelder for third, while Renaux made some very good passes in the opening lap to get himself into 12th.

There was a moment for Guadagnini who went down together with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton, with a couple of more riders also getting caught up in the chaos, including SM Action Racing Team YUSA Battery’s Andrea Adamo who up until then was having a solid ride.

But it was Vialle who led Geerts by 1.653 seconds, as Geerts was looking to whittle down that lead and go for the win. The Belgian went on to set the fastest lap of the race which allowed him to cut the gap down ever so slightly, but Vialle was able to keep it clam in first place.

Further down the field, Renaux was fighting back as he got by Längenfelder for ninth and focused his attention onto Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf, who was just ahead. The two made contact as Renaux searched for a way through, which resulted in Renaux going down.

Hitachi KTM Fuelled by Milwaukee rider Conrad Mewse was having a great opening race as he was closing in on Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rene Hofer for fourth. Unfortunately, his race was cut short after a bike issue forced him out of the heat.

De Wolf then crashed and once he got going had Renaux, Gianluca Facchetti and Längenfelder forming a train behind him. Renaux was able to get by to claim eighth place as Facchetti dropped a couple of spots to 13th and was coming under fire from Guadagnini.

Meanwhile Geerts kept things close to Vialle throughout the opening heat, maintaining a steady gap under two second. On the last lap just 1.341 seconds separated the pair and unfortunately, Geerts was unable to find a way through as Vialle went on to win the race. Fernandez finished third ahead of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing’s Isak Gifting.

MX2 Race 2

In race two, the Fox Holeshot went to Vialle as Renaux was just behind him. Hofer and Guadagnini followed the pair. Looking to waste no time, Renaux quickly made a pass on his fellow countryman to take over the lead on the opening lap. Not long after though the pair had a moment which saw Vialle down and Renaux off the track and tangled up in a fence.

Hofer inherited the lead with Guadagnini second and Längenfelder third. Vialle able to get going in fourth while Renaux was down in 10th.

Having a tough start to the race was Geerts who was in around 17th place in the first few laps, as well as Mewse who had been doing and making his way up from last.

Vialle was then looking to fight back but made a mistake and went down hard and that was the end of his race as he limped back to pitlane.

Hofer led Guadagnini with a 3.211 second advantage as he set the fastest lap of the race. Beaton then went to better that, while riding around in fourth ahead of Adamo who was riding solid in fifth. The Italian then came under fire from both Renaux and Fernandez as he dropped a few spots.

After passing Adamo, Renaux then caught onto Beaton and Längenfelder, who were fighting for third. Renaux had the perfect opportunity to get by both, but could not find the perfect moment as Beaton was able to make a pass to take the spot.

Meanwhile at the top end of the field, Hofer was riding a steady race as he was 7.649 seconds ahead of Guadagnini with 15 minutes plus 2 laps on the clock.

Renaux then struggled to get by Längenfelder, as Fernandez joined the party, putting a charge on the Yamaha rider. The pair were then side-by-side as the Frenchman was able to keep the Spaniard behind him and focus his attention onto Längenfelder ahead. Eventually he was able to get around the German for fourth. Geerts was also making passes as he got by Adamo for seventh.

In the end, Hofer went on to win the race ahead of Guadagnini and Beaton. The win in race tow put Hofer on the top step of the podium as he became the first Austrian Grand Prix winner since 1987 (or 2013 in MX3). Second overall was Geerts while Fernandez made it two podiums on the bounce with third overall.

Despite failing to make it on the box, Renaux continues to lead the MX2 World Championship standings by 87 points with three Grand Prix’s remaining. His closest rival is Geerts with Vialle still third, despite a DNF in race two.

Rene Hofer – P1

“For sure it’s a day I will never forget. It was just so nice. When I crossed the finish line, I was celebrating with Mattia. It was a really nice feeling, especially in front of the fans. I really hope the Austrian fans at home enjoyed it. As you said, it’s been a while since an Austrian has won a Grand Prix. I am really speechless right now. Actually, I didn’t have the best flow in the first race, but the second one was much better. Obviously, I was a bit lucky that I wasn’t involved in the crash with Maxime and Tom, but anyway, I felt great out there. I was a bit nervous with 10 minutes to go. I made a lot of mistakes but was still able to bring it home somehow. It’s a really good feeling for sure. It was quite a big injury I had last year so the winter was really tough for me. But we really put in the work. It got better after the summer break. We used the summer break to train a lot and put in the work. Since Turkey, I feel more confident after each GP and for sure my confidence will grow with a day like today. I’m just going to try to do my best for the last three GPs. But for sure this season is already nice with my first GP win.”

Jago Geerts – P2

“I am pretty happy with second overall today. First race, I had a good start and was second behind Tom during the whole race. I couldn’t make the pass, but I was feeling good on the track. My riding was good. Second race, I messed up my start. I think I was outside of top 20 after the first lap. But I felt good, the riding was good. I came back to 6th place, and it was enough for second overall. I am pretty happy with that.”

Ruben Fernandez – P3

“It’s been a good day. Started off with pole position in practice. This was my second one this year and ever. First race went well. I had a good start for once and was able to finish in third position. But then in the second one, I struggled at the start again and I think I was 19th once I crossed the finish line in the first lap. I had to work a lot to gain as many points as possible. At the end, I could make the podium happen. It’s a shame because I felt like I could have been fighting for more, but I messed up the second one especially with the start. I am still happy with the overall result. It’s now two podiums in a row. The last one before Trentino was in the second round, so it’s been a long way to get here. It’s nice to be able to keep the ball rolling and hopefully I could fight for more in the next one.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P4

“I was feeling much better today than I was on Sunday. Unfortunately, I had a bad start in the first moto and also had a small crash that meant I was almost last. My riding was not so bad to come back to 11th and the lap-times were good. My start was better in the second moto and when two riders crashed in front of me that meant I was 2nd. I had to get used to riding at the front again! I tried to stay focused and find good lines. 4th overall; but the most important thing was finding the speed and the feeling again. Hopefully on Sunday we can go for the podium again and the win.”

Maxime Renaux – P5

“Actually the day started like last Sunday. I had a bad start and almost crashed in the first corner. Then I came back pretty good. I think I was around 7th after 10 minutes, so it was a good comeback. I felt like I could come back even more but got took out by another rider. I had a big crash and had to fight again and come back. Eventually I came back to 7th place, I think. Then in the second race, I was able to make it happen at the start, so I was really happy. Second on the start was really good. I could then push on the first lap to get the lead. That was just the ideal race, just like how things were planned. Then an incident happened. I have nothing to say about that. Like I said, it was a racing incident. I went out and into the fence. I tried to take it out as quickly as possible. It was just a mess. Then a cable came into my rear wheel so I was really worried during the whole race because I was so afraid that the cable would go into my wheel. I couldn’t control it, but thankfully I was able to make it until the end of that race. I finished fourth. It was much better. A good result too for the championship standings because my two rivals where behind me. Overall, it was not so bad, but I was a little bit disappointed for not being able to get a race win. But, it is what it is.”

Simon Langenfelder – P6

“Today was way better for me. I had really good starts and it was nice to be battling up front. I did get shuffled back a little early on in each race, but what’s really important at this track is to stay upright. You can lose so much time if you crash on the first lap. I had a great battle with Jago Geerts in race two and it feels great to be in a battle up front. Overall, I’m really happy to be back inside the top 10 and I can’t wait for Sunday.”

Mikkel Haarup – P10

“Today was an improvement on Sunday and eighth in Qualifying was OK for the gate. Both motos I couldn’t get my starts sorted and had to come from around twentieth; I was riding great both motos, working hard all-the-way from start to finish. It wasn’t a bad result but I know I can do better. It is what is is; we keep working and I stay positive for the last three GPs.“

Kay de Wolf – P11

“Not my best day today and certainly a learning one. My starts were not the best in either race which didn’t help and crashing in both motos made for a difficult day. I had a good second moto going but then I crashed out of ninth and ended up 12th for 11th overall. It’s now onto the next one here on Sunday and the goal is to put together two good rides and leave this track with a strong result.”

Thibault Benistant – P12

“Today was really difficult for me. I didn’t have a good feeling on the track and was only 13th in Timed Practice. In the first moto, I was stuck in the first corner with another rider, and then I had really bad arm-pump because we are trying new things on the bike and I was not feeling too good with this. In the second race, I tried to find my rhythm, but it was not really easy for me this week.”

2021 MXGP of Pietramurata MX2 Results

2021 MX2 Standings – Round 14

Source: MCNews.com.au

2021 MXGP of Trentino – Round 14

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Red Bull KTM Factory Racing dominated the MXGP of Trentino, Jeffrey Herlings topping the MXGP, while Tom Vialle won the MX2, with both riders going 1-1 for the win.

Once again, both classes delivered on some intense battles and very close racing, especially in MXGP as the top four battled within just a few seconds of one another in both heats. This was a treat for the huge crowd of fans that lined the hard-pack circuit and who were keen to cheer on their favourites.

Continuing to display incredible consistency Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton placed fourth overall at the MXGP of Trentino, just two points adrift of the overall podium, his fourth consecutive top five overall result.

Jed Beaton came agonisingly close to securing another top-three overall finish. A great start in moto one saw the FC 250 racer up front in eighth and focused on moving up the leaderboard during the opening laps. Frustratingly, a small crash on lap three proved costly with Beaton relegated down to 12th place. Putting in a spirited charge to the finish, he claimed a hard-earned seventh.

With a much-improved start in race two, Jed was quickly into third and set about chasing after the leaders. Running with the top-two well into the second half of the moto, a couple of small mistakes on the slick riding surface saw him lose sight of the leaders, opting for a safe, yet well-deserved, third-place finish. Ending another GP with a solid points haul, Beaton now moves to within 14 points of the top four in the MX2 World Championship.

Jed Beaton – P4

“Overall, it’s been a good day and it ended with a strong result, but it definitely should have been better. If it wasn’t for a small crash in race one, I’m pretty sure I would have gotten on the overall podium, but I made a small mistake and it cost me big time. In race two I got another great start and I was putting together a strong race for the first half. I then made a few mistakes and lost the tow from the leaders, so I settled down, rode better lines, and secured third for fourth overall. I’m looking forward to Wednesday and my aim is to put together two solid races and get back on the box.”

For fellow Australian Wilson Todd, he raced to P17 in Race 1, but was 33rd in Race 2, a disappointing result after being close to the top 10 in the previous few rounds.

Riders will do it all again on Wednesday as the FIM Motocross World championship will continue with the MXGP of Pietramurata for round 15 of the series.

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MXGP Race 1

In MXGP race one, it was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer who grabbed the Fox Holeshot from his teammate Ben Watson, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings. Meanwhile Tim Gajser from Team HRC started around sixth position.

Watson then crashed which allowed Herlings through as Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre followed the Dutchman. Gajser then got around Prado as well for fourth and was the fastest rider out on track in one of the first few laps.

Febvre then looked for a way to launch an attack onto Herlings as the pair pushed on and urged on the leader, Seewer, who set his best lap of the race. Herlings kept it close to Seewer as Febvre and Gajser were also searching for an opportunity to pass.

The racing within the top four was extremely close, as the gap was just 2.573 between Herlings in first place and Gajser who was down in fourth.

Further down the field Prado, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff were having a good fight for fifth.

Herlings then close in on Seewer, who had Febvre closing in on him, who had Gajser chasing him down too… In the end Herlings made a nice move on the Swiss on lap 11 to take over the lead.

Prado then crashed but only lost three positions, finishing the race in 8th ahead of Mathys Boisrame who made his debut with Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team in the MXGP class.

In the end Herlings won ahead of Seewer and Febvre, with Gajser fourth after struggling to pass the Frenchman ahead of him. Coldenhoff had a good first heat to end in fifth place ahead of Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass.

MXGP Race 2

In the second heat, the Fox Holeshot went to JM Honda Racing’s Henry Jacobi as a couple of riders got tangled up in the first corner, this included Olsen and Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Brian Bogers.

Herlings and Gajser started the race 12th and 13th, while Jacobi led Febvre, Coldenhoff and Honda SR Motoblouz rider Benoit Paturel. The German’s time in the lead did not last long as Febvre was in the driving seat by the end of the first lap. Coldenhoff went through as well.

Gajser then managed to make up some good positions as he got by Watson for fifth as Herlings followed through. The Slovenian then got around Paturel and set his sights on Jacobi who made it a little bit harder to pass, but by lap four he was ahead of the JM Honda rider. Herlings did the same not too long after.

Seewer had to fight through the field in the second race as he got around his teammate Watson for seventh. The Swiss made a couple of more passes and finished the race fifth, but it was not enough for a podium.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli had more bad luck in race two, as he also DNF’d the second race after struggling from his crash in race one.

Prado also struggled with Bogers and Jonass ahead of him. The two GasGas riders managed to come back to 12th and 13th, while Prado finished in 17th.

Febvre then started to come under pressure from Coldenhoff who brought the gap down to 1.920. Gajser also caught onto the pair and was looking for the perfect moment to pass. As the battle for the lead went on, it looked like Febvre struggled with arm pump as he started to make mistakes.

Herlings then joined the three-way battle for first as he took third from Gajser. Coldenhoff also made a pass as he moved into the lead on lap 12. The Dutchman led for five laps before being caught by his fellow countryman Herlings.

Gajser and Febvre then fought for third as the factory Honda rider was eventually able to secure the position after the pair made contact in one of the corners.

In the end Herlings was the race winner as Coldenhoff was able to fend off Gajser in third, while Febvre and Seewer rounded out the top five.

With two race wins, Herlings added a fifth GP victory in Trentino to become the most successful rider at this venue, with Coldenhoff and Gajser tied on points in second and third places. In fact, Coldenhoff, Gajser, Febvre and Seewer all finished with 38 points, while Herlings was on 50.

Herlings now leads the MXGP standings 24 points over Febvre, while Gajser is just three points behind.

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Jeffrey Herlings – P1

“It wasn’t an easy one. In the first race Jeremy was leading, riding smooth and at a good pace so it was tough to pass him. But at one point I knew I had to go because the boys behind me started pushing, so I had to pass him. The second race, I was caught up a bit in the start. Tim and I were somewhere around 10th or 12th and we both fought our way back to the front. He was one place ahead of me. At one point we caught up to the leader and I managed to pass him. Then I had to defend and pass Romain. It was a tough run, but I am happy to have won. I feel like I am in a very good shape right now, but I should never underestimate the competition from Tim, Romain or Glen today. It can be anyone’s race. So, I will keep charging till the end. We are only 17 days away and a lot of things may happen during the last four races.”

Glenn Coldenhoff – P2

“I have been struggling all year long except in Maggiora, so it’s good to be back on the podium. It’s been a very long and hard road. It’s good to be back here and I also feel like I belong here. I had a good feeling straight away this morning. I finished fifth in the first race. The second one was quite intense to say the least. In the beginning I was behind Febvre. I got so much pressure from behind, so I really had to do something. I managed to pass Romain and lead a few laps. I can tell you it was a great feeling. Definitely looking forward to having more battles like that. Jeffrey as we know is really strong lately. He passed me and I don’t think it’s a shame. It’s good that we have two more rounds here. I started this stretch on a positive note and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Tim Gajser – P3

“I did not have the best start in both races, so I had to fight my way back. Then I came to the top four and we were all riding at a similar pace so it wasn’t easy to make a pass. Overall, the speed was there. I think we have to work on the starts, to get better starts and to be in front and to battle for the win. Really looking forward to Wednesday. The gap in the championship is already quite big. But we know that anything can happen until the end. So definitely we will push hard until the end and try to win some races and GPs if I can and finish the season strong.”

Romain Febvre – P4

“Of course I am disappointed to miss the podium as we are four riders with the same number of points for second! The first race was pretty good; my start was not that good but I made some passes during the first lap and my rhythm was good but it was difficult to pass during the rest of the race. Second race I got a great start and took the lead on the first lap; I had good lap times until mid-race, then I started to make little mistakes and I didn’t really know which better lines I could take; Glenn, Jeffrey and Tim passed me and of course I’m disappointed, but that’s how it is and we’ll try to do better on Wednesday.“

Jeremy Seewer – P5

“Today was one of my best days so far this season. The bike seems to work well on this track, which is really positive. I feel good, I feel sharp and I am enjoying riding my bike. I am having a lot of fun; I am quick. I managed to get pole position, which is usually not my strong point. It was cool to get the holeshot and lead in the first moto for a while, and I was close to winning. Going into the second race I felt good, but was I got squeezed off the start and was very lucky not to go down. I clipped Jorge (Prado)’s back wheel and had to go straight. To recover to P.5 was great because I started last. It’s a shame I am not on the podium. We are with four riders on the same points, so let’s look at the positives, good points, and I’m looking forward to going racing here again in a couple of days.”

Mathys Boisrame – P6

“It was a good day for my first experience in the MXGP class! I posted the tenth fastest time in the morning but the first start was not easy and in the fourth corner I crashed with Cairoli! I was twenty-fifth and came back through to ninth which was not bad. The second start was similar but once more I came back to ninth. I am tired but satisfied with my riding and over the moon with a sixth overall at my first MXGP race.”

Pauls Jonass – P7

“After making some good progress in recent weeks I was a little disappointed with my riding today. Having said that, race one was ok and I moved into sixth with two laps to go so that was a good result despite not feeling my best. Then in race two I had a pretty big crash all on my own on the first lap so I was way down the field. It’s not an easy track to make passes on but I managed to salvage 12th so that wasn’t too bad. I need to work on a few things before Wednesday and my aim is to be back up front again.”

Ben Watson – P10

“I had good starts today and that is a positive point. It always helps. Around here, it’s really difficult to pass. I am still not feeling 100%. My ankle is not perfect, and in general, I’ve not had a lot of time on the bike since I’ve injured it, so I am a bit behind. I felt pretty good out on the track, I just had a couple of crashes in the first race, but in the second one, I was consistent with consistent laps. Overall, not a bad day.”

Jorge Prado – P13

“I gave everything I had. 100%. Even with a broken bone I was fighting for top five in the first moto. It was a pity about the crash with five minutes to go but I still managed to finish. I suffered a lot. I missed the start completely in the second moto and wasn’t happy about 17th but I cannot really fight in my situation at the moment. Hopefully it will be less painful on Wednesday. Starts count for so much here and I also want to make less mistakes like I did in the second moto.”

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2021 MXGP of Trentino Results

2021 MXGP Standings – Round 14

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MX2 Race 1

In MX2 race one, it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle with the Fox Holeshot as he led Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Thibault Benistant into the first corner.

Benistant then slipped to third as Isak Gifting of Diga Procross GasGas Factory Racing got around the Frenchman. Meanwhile further down the field, the championship leader Maxime Renaux from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing struggled out of the gate as he started the race down in 18th position.

Vialle continued to lead Gifting, Benistant and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jago Geerts as Renaux climbed his way into 13th in the first few laps. The red plate holder then caught onto Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rene Hofer and after passing him, shifted his focus on getting around Andrea Adamo of SM Action Racing Team YUSA Battery.

As Renaux struggled to pass Adamo, Beaton also joined the battle for eighth as he raced behind Hofer. It took Renaux four laps to pass the Italian, but he was eventually able to get it done on lap six.

Geerts then got by Benistant as he moved into third, while Tom Guyon of Team VHR KTM was having a great ride in 12th. He eventually finished the race in 13th position on what was a wildcard appearance in the MX2 category.

Benistant then crashed and struggled for the remainder of the race as it turns out he had an electrical problem with his bike. Meanwhile his teammate Geerts was applying pressure onto Gifting for second as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf and Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez fought for fourth place. Fernandez ended up winning that fight.

Vialle then stretched his lead to 12.051 seconds as Gifting worked hard to keep Geerts behind him but as the race progressed, he succumbed to the pressure and let the Yamaha rider through on the last lap.

Vialle went on to win the race ahead of Geerts and Gifting, while Renaux managed to come back to sixth as local hero Mattia Guadagnini of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing struggled the entire race and could only manage 18th.

MX2 Race 2

In race two, it was again Vialle with the Fox Holeshot as Renaux went down in the first corner. The KTM rider led his teammate Hofer, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton, Geerts and Mike Gwerder of WZ Racing Team.

Fernandez then got by Gwerder, as Gifting started down in 11th position. He only managed to get back to ninth by the end of the race.

Renaux had a big battle on his hands as he started in last but was able to make some nice passes in the first few laps.

At the front of the field though, Hofer crashed out of second which allowed Geerts to move into second. Beaton was right there too as he clocked the best lap of the race as he was closing in on the two leaders.

Guadagnini has a much better second race as he got by Guyon for seventh, while Renaux passed Honda Racing Assomotor Team’s Stephen Rubini. Gifting and Gwerder were next in his sights.

Benistant then crashed out of ninth position as he looked a little hurt while getting up. He continued the race to finish in 17th.

Geerts then started to close down the gap to Vialle and began to apply the pressure onto the leader. With two laps to go Geerts was within striking distance but could not find an opportunity for a pass and was forced to settle for second as Vialle went on to win the race. Beaton was third ahead of Fernandez and Hofer.

With two race victories, Vialle went on to win the MXGP of Trentino as Geerts got himself back on the box for second overall, while Fernandez celebrated his first GP podium in 12 races to finish third overall.

Renaux was eighth overall this weekend but continues to lead the championship by 92 points over Geerts and Vialle who moves to third in the standings and is just four points behind the Belgian.

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Tom Vialle – P1

“It was a tough one. In the second race, Jago started third I think, and I had actually Rene behind me. I know he crashed because I saw him crash. Then Jago was second after 4 or 5 laps and I knew it was going to be a tough one. I tried to stay focused. I think I did a good race overall, not so many mistakes. It was a great weekend and started off really good right from the morning. I felt good on the track and also had two great starts, so everything was fine today. We all know it’s a nice area here. The track is also pretty cool. We still have two more races here, so I will try to have good starts, fight for the top position in the championship and try to close the gap as much as possible. That’s what I did today, and I will try to continue this way.”

Jago Geerts – P2

“I am really happy with the day. I felt really good in time practice. I had two solid races with two second places. The riding was really good, but we still need to improve the start a little bit. I think I started off fourth both times, but a really good start is needed on the track to seal the win. I just had a difficult period. Everything went well again since the second race in Spain, where I finished second. That gave me a real confidence boost. Then now two more second places so I am really happy with that.”

Ruben Fernandez – P3

“I did not feel really good at the beginning in practice. The track was slippery, and I did not find a good rhythm. But I had better start in both races where I was in the top 10. The first race was a bit worse. I then made my way into fourth during both heats. I am happy with the riding; it’s been calm and solid I would say. 4-4 for third overall, I’ll take it. I am happy to be back on the podium after the second round of the season. I had an injury in between, with no riding for three weeks. I came back in France and from there I have been improving and getting back on my feet, which I am really happy with.”

Isak Gifting – P5

“It’s been a really positive day for me after not qualifying so well this morning. I had a great start in race one and it was awesome to be riding in clean air and up front with the top guys. I was in second for the whole moto and a little mistake on the last lap dropped me to third, but overall I was super-happy with that one. I didn’t get the best of starts in race two but I made it happen, making a lot of passes and ended up ninth for fifth overall. I’ll take a couple of days to rest now and I’m excited to be racing here again in a few days’ time.”

Kay de Wolf – P6

“After my big crash and breaking my nose last weekend I’m really happy with my results today. I really didn’t expect to bounce back like this and I made the best of it to finish sixth overall. I had great starts in both races and stayed out of trouble all day. My riding was solid today and I enjoyed myself out there, so I’m excited for Wednesday.”

Rene Hofer – P7

“The day began really well with 3rd place in qualifying but I had a top twelve start in the first moto and around this track you lose quite some time when you’re not at the front. I rode a solid race in P8. I was 2nd after Tom in the second race and could follow his pace for four laps and unfortunately, I made a small crash. I fell back to P5 and finished there. Riding-wise the day was pretty good and I had the speed for the podium. I’m looking forward to another two races here. I like the track, it’s not perfect but I like being here and will search for the podium again.”

Maxime Renaux – P8

“It was a tough day for me as you said. Actually, I felt really great in the morning. I had a really good lap time and finished second. Everything was on point and under control but then I really struggled in those two races. First start I was out of the top 20. I think I was 24th and fought as hard as I could. In the second race, I crashed in the first turn. I tried a different technique on the start, cutting a little bit more inside but I just lost the front in the first corner and touched the guys from the outside. Anyways, I just tried to fight my way back to the top and get as many points as I could because that’s all I could do. I finished eighth that race. Eighth overall as well, with 6-8. For sure, it was not the result we were waiting for, but I couldn’t make anything better today with my conditions and the way I started my races. It’s a strange feeling, but we’ll try to move on to better things and come back stronger on Wednesday with two good starts hopefully.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P12

“Probably the worst race of the year! It started with a big crash in Timed Practice and then I wasn’t feeling so great. I had a terrible start in the first moto and was trying to make some passes when I went down again. I lost the rhythm and just tried to get some points. Of course, 18th is not what I want. The second moto start was better and the whole race generally, even if I lost a few too many positions on the second corner for my liking. 7th was just OK and we’ll get better for the next GP.”

2021 MXGP of Trentino MX2 Results

2021 MX2 Standings – Round 14

Source: MCNews.com.au

2021 MXGP of Trentino – Courtney Duncan crowned WMX Champion

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Courtney Duncan has won her third consecutive FIM Motocross World Championship in Trentino, clinching the title in the first race of the day, and ending the season 31-points clear of runner up Nancy Van De Ven.

Despite hitting the dirt last weekend, fracturing her finger and left with a nasty cut, nothing could stop Duncan in her final charge to victory, riding calculatingly for a championship winning third in the opening race. As carnage unfolded around her and her main competitor Italian Kiara Fontanesi went down after a collision with another rider, the Kiwi superstar rode through the finish flags with enough points to claim her third WMX winner’s gold plate.

Courtney Duncan

“It comes down to how much it means to you, and how much is on the line and how much you want to win it. I was definitely feeling a little anxious but as soon as I got to the line, the helmet went on and I felt pretty controlled out there. I was able to finish third which was good enough to win the championship in the first one, which was pretty crazy. I wasn’t expecting that. This year’s been really tough. We’ve had ups and downs. Along the way it hasn’t been a smooth run. I’ve made the best out of every situation and got as much points as possible. I got to share the victory with my team and Kawasaki and a couple of friends I have over here. It’s been awesome how there’s not so much Covid over here, so we had the whole team and fans watching this weekend. I wish I could say I was going home to New Zealand soon now that the season’s over but it’s difficult to travel at the moment so I might be a Brit for a few more months.”

Duncan now surpasses fellow New Zealand world champion Katherine Oberlin-Brown (nee Prumm) as the country’s most successful female motocross rider. Prumm won the FIM Women’s Motocross World Cup, which was the forerunner to the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, in 2006 and 2007.

The following year injury hampered Prumm’s title tilt, before a crash in training ended her motocross career in 2009. The only blip on her radar is that Duncan has been unable to secure an MIQ spot to return to New Zealand now that her European race season is finished.

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WMX Race 1

In race one, it was Larissa Papenmeier who grabbed the holeshot. Fontanesi and Duncan were a little further behind on the opening lap. Bad luck struck Fontanesi not long after as she went down hard after getting caught up with another rider.

Papenmeier then led Amandine Verstappen, Nancy Van De Ven, Duncan and Lynn Valk. Van De Ven wasted no time to get into second place, as Fontanesi picked herself up in 32nd after her crash.

Duncan then caught onto the back wheel of Verstappen and passed her for third position on lap four. Meanwhile Van De Ven tried several times to get within striking distance of Papenmeier but could not make it happen as Papenmeier secured her first race victory of the season. Van De Ven finished third, while Duncan crossed the line third as the 2021 WMX Champion.

Fontanesi managed to get back to 15th place, but it was not enough to take the title fight to the final race.

WMX Race 2

In race two, it was once again Papenmeier with the holeshot as she led Duncan and Fontanesi. Valk started well once again as she was in fourth place, while Van De Ven was ninth on the opening lap.

Moments later we saw a repeat of what happened in race one, as Fontanesi went down once again and was right at the back of the field.

Papenmeier then led Duncan, Valk, Sara Andersen, Van De Ven, Talia O’Hare and Verstappen. But by the second lap we saw a change for the lead as Duncan was able to get around the German.

Van De Ven was also setting herself up to launch an attack on Andersen, as Fontanesi got by Giorgia Montini for 10th.

Duncan then stretched the lead to 4.391 seconds over Papenmeier who continued ahead of Valk and Van De Ven who finally managed to get by Andersen.

Duncan had full control of the race until the chequered flag, to add race win number five of the season as Papenmeier crossed the line second ahead of Van De Ven who was able to get by Valk.

With a race win and a second, Papenmeier won the final round of the series, with Duncan second on the podium, while Van De Ven was third.

In terms of the championship, Duncan secured her third consecutive world title as Nancy Van De Ven finished the 2021 season with the silver medal ahead of Fontanesi who had to settle for bronze.

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Nancy Van De Ven – Championship P2

“I put some pressure on myself because of course everyone who’s here wants to win a world title. But when you come close a few times, you want it even more and more because you almost taste it. I came here with a lot of points from second in the championship so It was pretty unexpected that I take the second place. It was unexpected but also a really nice way to end this difficult season. Today my riding felt really good. In the first race I was feeling so confident, but I just could not make a pass in the beginning of the race to lead, and I finished in second position. I had some good battles. In the second race I had a good start going into the first turn. But after I got a little close, had to give away a few positions and had to come a little bit from behind. Then I managed to come back to third position and third on the podium. This was a pretty nice way to end the season as well.”

Kiara Fontanesi – Championship P3

“I am happy about what I could give because I think it’s the best season I’ve had so far. Not in terms of results, but I have been really competitive on the bike. I felt really great, and I think the setup that I have is the best that I have ever had. So, I am really happy about that and about the speed and everything. For sure, I wanted to win but I had to deal with such bad luck this season and I think the bad luck won. It’s something that’s not up to me, so I cannot do anything about it. I just could be happy and proud of the races I could do, I hope not to have this bad luck next season.”

Larissa Papenmeier – Round P1

“For sure. It was good to end the season like that. I was struggling a bit the whole season. I had some body problems. It was difficult for me for sure but really nice to end the season with a win. Also, well deserved to Courtney for the title, she deserved it and I am really happy for her.”

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2021 MXGP of Trentino WMX Results

2021 WMX Final Standings

Source: MCNews.com.au

MXGP 2021
MXGP of France, Lacapelle Marival – Round 12

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Lacapelle Marival held Round 12 of the MXGP Championship over the weekend, as riders duked it out in France for top honours, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing topping both classes. Jeffrey Herlings took the narrowest of wins from Romain Febvre, with the two tied on points, while Tom Vialle swept the two MX2 races, although Renaux retains a healthy lead.

Top Australian was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton in securing a strong fourth place overall result in the MX2 class. Starting race one in the best way possible, Beaton rounded the first turn up front and quickly moved into fourth place during the opening lap. With his sights set on the podium, the Australian then worked his way around Jago Geerts on lap five before enjoying a largely untroubled moto to secure a deserved third-place finish.

In race two, Beaton didn’t quite secure the start needed for a repeat podium finish. Able to make several passes through the early laps and move into sixth, he went on to finish right behind the battle for the top-five, placing sixth in the moto for fourth overall.

Jed Beaton – P4

“I guess overall It was a good day but on this track you really needed two good starts. I got a great one in race one and brought it home for third so that was pretty decent, and I was happy with my riding. I didn’t quite execute the same start in race two but I was able to make a few passes early on and ended up sixth. Not too bad but with a better start I know I could have been much closer to the front. It’s a little frustrating but now it’s onto Spain next weekend.”

Bike It MTX Kawasaki’s Wilson Todd once more showed top ten pace and was poised for his best-ever result until an incident in race two robbed him of his just rewards. He wasn’t able to capitalise completely on his seventh place in Qualifying as he lost traction momentarily leaving the start in race one but used the benefit of an inside gate to emerge top ten from turn one and advance two further positions before the end of the moto.

A fifth-placed start in race two augured well and he kept the leaders in sight until he was pushed into the trackside fence. Rejoining the race twenty-second he was quickly back to sixteenth but, faced with a deficit of eight seconds to the next rider, that was also his position at the finish. He was eleventh overall in the GP, just missing another top-ten GP finish on the tie-break.

Wilson Todd – P11

“Something happened at the start of race one but I had the inside at turn one and came out round about tenth. I settled in through the opening laps and then I closed down Roan and got round him. I went after Renaux too but I got held up and he was gone. I got a good start the second race but I ended up on my head. I’m looking to finish top ten every moto when I can and move into the top five. It all depends on getting out of the gate and how I’m gelling with the track.“

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MXGP of France Highlights

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MXGP Race 1

In the opening MXGP race, it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings who was fastest out of the gate and went on to claim the Fox Holeshot. Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jeremy Seewer was second ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre and Glenn Coldenhoff of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing.

Team HRC’s Tim Gajser struggled in the start and started the race in around 10th position.

While Herlings led, Febvre was quick to get around Seewer, as he set his sights on the Bullet. Meanwhile a little further behind there was Jeremy Van Horebeek of SDM Corse Racing Team who was having a great ride in fifth place, ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli.

Gajser was pushing his way up the field as he found himself in eighth place behind Arnaud Tonus of Hostettler Yamaha Racing. The Slovenian then made a small mistake which cost him two positions, which meant he had to start all over again.

Meanwhile, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado was keen to salvage some important championship points as he fought inside the top 20. It was clear that the Spaniard was struggling after the crash in Germany as he only managed to come back to 16th.

Herlings continued to lead, but it was clear that Febvre was not going to let him have the win. The Frenchman set the fastest lap of the race as he worked away at the gap and before he knew it, he was on the rear wheel of the factory KTM rider.

On lap eight we saw Febvre take over the lead, as Herlings dropped to second. Meanwhile Seewer was still third followed by Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass.

Gajser then managed to pass Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen to move into eighth and then worked hard to get around Tonus too. Also making moves was Cairoli who finally found an opportunity to get past Van Horebeek, as Gajser also caught onto the Beta rider.

Unfortunately, Van Horebeek did not finish the race as he crashed while under pressure from Gajser.

In the final few laps, we saw Herlings step it up, as he caught onto the back wheel of Febvre, and it was game on for the win! Febvre did a great job to manage under immense pressure from the Dutchman and his efforts paid off as he was victorious in the first race. Herlings was second as Seewer held on to third.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, it was Cairoli who took the Fox Holeshot from Herlings, Febvre, Gajser and Seewer.

Cairoli’s time in the lead did not last long as the Italian made a mistake which allowed both Herlings and Febvre through. Herlings then controlled the race by 2.835 seconds but that gap came down quite quickly as Febvre was on a charge.

Gajser then caught onto the back of Cairoli. The Slovenian needed to make the pass, not only for the championship points, but also for a spot on the podium.

Herlings then has a small bobble which played into the hands of Febvre who wasted no time to get out in front. The Frenchman was the new race leader on lap eight and immediately stretched out his lead to 3.614 seconds.

Gajser continued to search for a way past Cairoli, as Herlings was looking to make up for lost ground. And he did just that. As Herlings closed in, Febvre started to make little errors which proved to be costly in the end as Herlings was able to pass the Frenchman on lap 16.

The factory Kawasaki rider tried to respond but it was not enough, as Herlings took the win with Febvre second and Gajser third. And that’s exactly how the riders finished on the podium, with Herlings taking a 95th career Grand Prix victory.

Herlings is now back in the driving seat of the MXGP championship standings as he leads the way with 460 points, while Febvre moves to second and is just six points behind, while Gajser drops to third on 450 points.

Jeffrey Herlings – P1

“Actually today was pretty good. I raced here three years ago so I definitely knew Romain was going to be good today and that I had to step up my game. This morning you could see that nobody could really match my speed. We were two seconds ahead of the 3rd. Going into the race I knew I had to bring my A game. Actually, the set up I had for race one was pretty difficult. I was struggling a bit and got arm pump. Then I just could not hold Romain and he made a pass. I had to let him go and try to close him at the end of the race but it was too late and I could not put a good fight anymore. He won fair and square. Second race, I had a good start again. He beat me on the first turn, then I managed to pass him on the second or third turn. I was trying to pull away, but it was tough with his speed. I think I had a 2 or 3 second gap, then I had an issue. I’m lucky I did not lose much time and kept the 3 second gap. I managed to win this race and win the overall and looking forward to next weekend.”

Romain Febvre – P2

“I was happy to win the first race, especially because I haven’t won a race in a long time so I am happy with that. Our speed with Jeffrey was really fast which made the second race really challenging because we were again 1 and 2 after a few turns, I knew it was going to be challenging until the end. Like he said, he made a mistake in the turn which allowed me to go around him and pass him. I tried to make a few fast laps to make a gap. At the end, I wasn’t that fast in a few sectors, then he caught me. Obviously, I was disappointed because I almost won at home, but anyway it’s good to be on the podium. It’s great to see a lot of fans out there. They deserved the win but I could not make it happen. We are really close in the championship which means every weekend you can take the red plate, which for me is fine. Hopefully we keep it like this until the end and we have to find something in the pocket in the few last rounds.”

Tim Gajser – P3

“It was a bit of a frustrating day here, despite ending up on the podium. I knew coming in that starts would be crucial because the track is so tight and narrow in a lot of places, and unfortunately I wasn’t able to get out of the gate well enough in either moto. In the first race I was around 10th place early on and it was just really difficult to make any passes, it was hard to find a good rhythm, but eventually I worked my way through to sixth, which was all I could manage. In race two, my start was a bit better but I couldn’t latch onto the top two and battle with them and so once I got into third, I was too far behind to catch them. Still, there are a lot races to come and I will now focus on next weekend when we head to Spain.”

Jeremy Seewer – P4

“I was quite close to a podium. I had two really good starts, but I had Jeffrey (Herlings) come somehow into my line and then into a scary straight. I ended up losing some spots to the freight train behind me. So, that was a bit unlucky. Overall, P.3 in moto one was a massive comeback, two good starts and a good timed practice. To sum it up, it was one of my best GPs of the whole year. I am starting to enjoy it again. I had a lot of fun riding my bike today. I am on my way up. I still have energy, and I feel like I am becoming more fresh. There are still plenty of GPs left and I just want to keep moving up and hopefully be back on the podium soon.”

Tony Cairoli – P5

“It seemed better today compared to last week in Germany but I’m still struggling a lot. It’s four weeks now since I’ve been able to ride during the week. I didn’t do much before Sardinia because I knew it would be a heavy GP but then I crashed and haven’t trained since. I cannot do much cardio either because the ribs hurt. It’s hard to keep my condition like it was before. Today I was 5th in the first moto and could push until the end but in the second I started to suffer. It was good to get the holeshot in the second and be 3rd. I was riding a bit conservative but Gajser was chasing me a lot and I started to get cramps in my side and back. I was hard to hang-on anymore. It was a shame to be 4th because another few laps would have given me the podium. I have to accept that things are not easy for me at the moment in this condition and with the training. I can only hope that this week I can do a bit more than I could recently and regain some more speed with the bike.”

Pauls Jonass – P6

“On paper today was a good day overall, although a fourth and a fifth for sixth is a little bit difficult to accept! I felt pretty strong on the bike in both races and the set up that we have on my MC 450F is working really well, it’s just that I’m missing that last little bit of speed early on in the races. Today was an improvement in that respect from last week, though, so it was actually a pretty decent day with decent points, and we still have a lot of racing to go in the championship.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen – P7

“I’m really happy with my results today and I’m also a little bit relieved as well. It’s been a little bit up and down this season but today showed that I can do it. I’ve been making steps forward in recent weeks and it all came together today. I qualified well, which gave me a good gate pick, and that meant I could start up front and overall it was just a great day all round.”

Glenn Coldenhoff – P8

“I felt pretty good this morning. The times were really close in Timed Practice and I was eighth, which was still good for the start position. In the first race, I got a really good start, but there was a bit a of chaos in front of me with riders changing lines, and then I hit a kicker as well and went down while in fifth position. On a track like this, it’s very difficult to come through the pack, especially with the times so close to each other. In the second race, I wasn’t really feeling it. I stayed way too long behind the riders in front of me. I found some better lines in the end, but only finished eighth. 13-8 are disappointing results. We will work towards Spain.”

Jorge Prado – P14

“Coming here this weekend I didn’t know if I could even ride the bike but I had the mentality to try. I’m in the fight for the championship and to get some points is something. After these two motos the cut looks OK and it’s not worse. It was a rough day because I didn’t feel there was much strength in the arm. I didn’t get a good lap in Timed Practice, so I didn’t get a good gate and then actually touched the gate for both starts with my front wheel! I did what I could, and I began to feel better in the second moto. We got some valuable points and now we’ll get ready for the home GP because I want to bounce back as soon as possible.”

Source: MCNews.com.au

MXGP 2021
MXGP of Germany, Teutschenthal – Round 11

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The MXGP kicked back into action for the first time following the Motocross Of Nations, with the MXGP of Germany marking round 11 on the calendar, as racers took to the track at Teutschenthal. Team HRC’s Tim Gajser took back the series lead in MXGP as he made his return to the top step of the podium following a shoulder injury.

In MX2 Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Maxime Renaux finished the weekend with an overall victory to extend his title lead, as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle was handed a two-place penalty in race two.

For the Aussies, top performer was Jed Beaton who raced to a hard-earned fifth overall in Germany. Capitalising on a strong start in race one, the Australian ran up front with the leading riders and moved into fourth position with five laps to go. With the top three just out of reach, Beaton brought his FC 250 home in a well-deserved fourth place.

Lining up for race two with a strong chance of an overall podium result, Jed once again enjoyed a great start. Completing the opening lap in fifth place, the 23-year-old advanced to fourth on lap four where he would remain until the closing stages of the moto. Losing just one spot to Rene Hofer, Beaton secured fifth in the moto for fifth-overall.

Jed Beaton – P5 MX2

“It wasn’t a bad weekend overall. My starts have been really good recently, which has really helped. Starting up front makes things a lot easier as you can stay out of trouble for the most part and ride your own race. It was a difficult track today. Some parts were really fast and a little sketchy and then in other parts the ruts were really deep. Everyone seemed to be on a similar pace so my good starts really made a difference today and I was able to put two solid races together.”

Bike It MTX Kawasaki’s Wilson Todd had a day of mixed fortunes. The Australian was running twelfth early in race one until he bent the gearshift pedal in a deep rut and was forced to pit for repairs. He showed admirably what he was capable of in race two as he converted another twelfth-placed start into seventh at the finish, for P14 overall.

Wilson Todd

“I had a tough first moto. My start was OK but there were a lot of deep ruts and the gearshift got pushed up; I was stuck in second gear so I had to pit to fix it. The second race was not too bad; I sat back for a while but then I worked forward for seventh with good speed.”

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MXGP Race 1

In MXGP, the action was unbelievable, and it only confirmed how strong and unpredictable the MXGP class is this season, with the top five championship contenders having close battles in both races.

In race one, it was a Red Bull KTM Factory Racing top three out of the gate as Jorge Prado took the Fox Holeshot from Jeffrey Herlings, Antonio Cairoli and Gajser. Standing Construct GasGas Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers also started well with the pair sixth and seventh.

Herlings then took away the lead from Prado, as Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre got himself into third behind the pair and started to look for a way to pass Prado for second.

Gajser then caught onto the back of Cairoli as he searched for a way around the Italian, eventually making a pass stick a couple of laps later. Though while this was going on, we saw Prado make a move on Herlings to take over first position.

The Spaniard then stretched over Herlings, as Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff pushed Jonass for sixth. His teammate Jeremy Seewer was also looking to make a move on Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen to move into the top 10.

Febvre then edged closer to Herlings as he searched for an opportunity to make a pass, but after several attempts could not get the job done and was caught out by a hard-charging Gajser who took away third. The Slovenian then went after Herlings who was urged onto the back of Prado and that’s when we saw the intense battle for the win.

There was virtually nothing in it as Prado and Herlings crossed the line, with Prado securing the race win but colliding with his teammate mid-air, which took both down. Herlings was able to walk away from the incident, while Prado had to take a trip to the hospital to receive stitches under his armpit. He did not line-up for race two.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, it was Febvre who clinched the second Fox Holeshot with Seewer, Jonass, Coldenhoff and Gajser just behind. Though a couple of corners later and after some very smart moves, Gajser was up in second.

Herlings started the second race further down the order, though was quick to get Jonass for fourth. Meanwhile Cairoli was even further down as he battled his way up from 14th. The Italian eventually finished the race in 10th.

Febvre continued to lead Gajser, Coldenhoff and Herlings, as the Bullet pushed hard to get around his fellow countryman. It took Herlings seven laps to pass Coldenhoff and after that it seemed like he was happy to settle for solid points than to push forward to get Gajser and Febvre.

Eventually Gajser caught onto the rear wheel of Febvre’s factory Kawasaki, and it took several attempts and block passes for the Slovenian to secure the lead on lap 12. He then got his head down to finish the race 12 seconds ahead of Febvre, with Herlings crossing the line third.

With a 3-1 result, Gajser made his comeback to the top step of the podium, with Herlings second and Febvre securing his fifth podium of the season. And in terms of the MXGP World Championship, the standings could not be any closer, as Gajser has take the red plate back and leads Herlings by just two points, while Febvre is third a further six points behind.

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Tim Gajser – P1

“I am so happy with how things went today, to come here just three weeks after surgery and get the moto win, the overall and the red plate is more than I could have hoped for coming into this weekend. A big thank you to the whole team who worked hard to get me feeling as close to 100% as possible and have supported me throughout, I couldn’t do it without them. In both races I got good starts and that put me in a position to challenge for victory. I had good lines and although I felt I was fast enough to finish further forward in race one, third was still a good result. In race two, I had another good battle, but this time I could make the pass for the lead and win the race and it was just amazing to cross the line in first. I knew I was feeling better after two weeks of recovery since Sardinia so now, I will try to keep this momentum as we go to a new track in France next weekend. Also, a big thank you to all the fans at the track today and who have messaged me online, it really helps a lot to get that kind of support and it was great to hear so many fans whilst racing today.”

Jeffrey Herlings – P2

“What can I say? As good as it starts as bad as it ends. I’m lucky to still be racing today. I made some mistakes in the first 15 mins of the first moto but was then able to catch Jorge. We know he is not the easiest rider to pass; he defends his line and there is nothing wrong with that but jumping? My knee had a big impact and it’s 100% OK, but the trauma of the bang meant it was really sore in that second moto. This is not my favorite track so when I got up to 3rd place I did not even try to close the gap and accepted second overall. We’ll work on the knee now and I’ll look forward to France and hope to fight with the boys again.”

Romain Febvre – P3

“My speed was good today and I got good starts both motos. In the first I was behind Prado and I was faster but it was really tough to pass; then I was behind Jeffrey (Herlings) and at the same time I saw Tim (Gajser) was coming back because I was stuck. Then I made a mistake in a turn; I tried to pass him again at the end but it was not quite enough. I knew with a good start I had a chance to win the GP, and I took the holeshot in race two, but Tim was better today; I did everything I could to hold him but he had some better lines in sectors three and four and I couldn’t figure out exactly where he would be able to pass. They were good points for the championship today but still I want more and next weekend we go to France for my home GP. “

Pauls Jonass – P4

“Overall, it was a good day with decent starts and decent results. The only thing I’m lacking is a little intensity on the opening laps. My speed is good so if I can just stay a little closer to the leaders early in the races then I think I can improve my results a little. Together with the Standing Construct GASGAS team we’ve found a really good setting with the bike and with a lot of hardpack races coming up on the calendar, I’m feeling really confident for the weeks ahead.”

Jeremy Seewer – P5

“It’s definitely going forward, which is positive. It’s going well physically. I feel good and I was able to make some improvements today. I know I am not in the top five where I know I should be in Timed Practice, but it’s going forward. I hope in a few GP’s I will be more upfront and battling for the podium.”

Glenn Coldenhoff – P6

“In the end, it was a positive day. We did some testing last week and we have made some improvements which I am very happy about. In practice, I still struggled a little bit, but I think we still found a good setup. I had two good starts, which is a really positive point. In the second race, I showed good intensity and felt really good with the bike. It’s a shame about the last 10 minutes of the race, somebody crashed in front of me and Pauls Jonass passed me and then Jeremy (Seewer) on the last lap, which was not the best, but I am okay with it. We made good progress and it’s our first solid result which I am happy about and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Tony Cairoli – P7

“I knew it would be tough here because I couldn’t ride in the week due to my painful ribs. I took some medication and rode at the Nations – although the first moto crash and someone hitting my ribs again didn’t help – and I survived the weekend and we won. It was something I was missing in my career and I wanted to do it but I didn’t think too much about the reaction and the consequences and I was feeling really bad here. I was struggling with my health and I knew it would be a tough day from Timed Practice. After fifteen minutes I couldn’t really hold onto the bike that much anymore. A 5th in the first moto was OK and I was very happy with that result but the second moto was so tough and I knew it would be before I went to the gate. I just tried to make my way to the end. 10th is not what we want but I couldn’t do any more. Let’s try to recover this week and try to do what we can in France.”

Ben Watson – P11

“A pretty positive day. I didn’t feel like I was ‘wow,’ but I was solid and consistent and definitely making progress. I know I need to change ASAP when it comes to qualifying because where I need to start, I am too far out on the gate, making it difficult to get a good start. I kind of finished where I gated, it was a little bit ‘follow the leader’ in both races, but still a solid result and I am pleased with that.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen – P12

“After last weekend I was feeling really good and despite the results not showing it, there are a lot of positives from today. In the second moto I felt strong and I was attacking the track. I was in ninth and setting up a pass for eighth before I crashed. Crashing obviously isn’t positive but I felt like I was going to move further forwards in the race and it’s a shame that I went down. I feel like everything is going in the right direction and with so many races coming up, I think we can enjoy a good end to the season.”

Source: MCNews.com.au