Moto News Weekly Wrap

January 8, 2019

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What Went Down Last Weekend?

• 2019 MX Nationals calendar confirmed
• Yamaha Dominates Anaheim 1
• Fricke Leads Aussie Solo Championships after Three Rounds
• Woffinden Wins WA Speedway Solo Titles
• Zach Osborne Injured
• KTM Dominates German SuperEnduro Round
• HRC Confirms MX2 GP Line-Up
• Mewse and Vaessen for Hitachi KTM
• Stefan Everts Out of ICU

2019 MX Nationals calendar confirmed

The 2019 Pirelli MX Nationals (MXN) calendar has been confirmed by Williams Event Management, with a 10-round championship including double rounds in South Australia and Queensland.

• Round 1 Appin NSW – March 17th
• Round 2 Wonthaggi VIC – March 31st
• Round 3 Broadford VIC – April 14th
• Round 4 & 5 Murray Bridge SA – May 4th & 5th
• Round 6 Gympie QLD- June 23rd
• Round 7 Maitland NSW – July 14th
• Round 8 Moree NSW – July 28th
• Round 9 & 10 Coolum QLD – August 3rd & 4th

For all Class and Round information go to the MX Nationals Website at https://www.mxnationals.com.au/spectator-info/

Yamaha Dominates Anaheim 1

Yamaha riders Justin Barcia and Colt Nichols have won the 450SX and 250SX classes respectively when the opening round of the 2019 AMA Supercross Championship kicked off in an uncharacteristically wet Angel Stadium in Anaheim last Saturday night.

450 Class Report

It was always going to be a tough event with rain coming down as the gate dropped for the 20 lap main events and it was Dean Wilson who scored the holeshot from Malcolm Stewart, Jason Anderson, Barcia and Ken Roczen while Cooper Webb went down and caused a first corner pile-up which included Chad Reed.

Wilson led for 14 laps but all the while you could see Justin Barcia taking his time to find his rhythm and you can thank the many lapped riders for Wilson losing so much ground on laps 12, 13 and even 14 where Barcia made his way up the inside of Wilson for the lead.

Wilson lost some mojo over the next six laps to lose second place to Ken Roczen then third place to Eli Tomac but valiantly held on to finish ahead of a very hard charging Webb who put down the fastest lap time on the night.

Aaron Plessinger’s rookie season kicked off with a solid sixth place ahead of Stewart who had his customary small crash while Marvin Musquin, Reed and Cole Seely rounded out the top ten.

Reed and Anderson had main event of complete contrasts with Anderson losing ten positions to end the race in a disappointing 14th place while Chad passed ten riders to go from 19th to ninth by race end – only Webb passed more riders after going from 20th to fifth.

Justin Barcia

“Anaheim 1 was an awesome day. I had a lot of fun in practice, then going into the heat race it started to sprinkling a little. I didn’t get the best start but made some good passes and got into the lead and won my heat race which was awesome, and it felt really good to get that first one out of the way at the first race. The main event it was really pouring down. It was looking tricky watching the 250 start so I definitely got a little excited and nervous and all those feelings you get at the first race. I got off to a pretty decent start and worked my way up to third by a little over half the race. I played it smart and tried to make no mistakes. One of the guys went down in front of me and then I was able to charge harder and catch the leader, make the pass and ride a smooth race to the win. For me this is incredible, I haven’t won a 450 race in over six years so it’s a pretty awesome feeling. I couldn’t be much happier, I’m really excited to go to Phoenix. I just want to stay, smart, smooth, fast, consistent and focus on the championship plate.”

Ken Roczen on FB

“I couldn’t have asked for a better night. A heat race win and a 2nd in the main event at the first round. Conditions were tough! Anyway… stoked!”

Eli Tomac

“There were tricky track conditions due to the unusual amount of rain for Anaheim, but I managed to stay in good enough condition to keep jumping most of the lanes and pushing forward. I remained patient and controlled my pace throughout the Main Event, and although we’re always shooting for the top spot, I’m happy to kick off the season on the podium. The team and I are already looking forward to Glendale, let’s get this season rolling!”

Cooper Webb

“Anaheim I is in the books and overall it was a really good day. We started with free practice just getting the hang of the track and I was able to qualify seventh. In the heat race, I didn’t get off to the greatest of starts and I didn’t ride to my potential, so I had a bad gate pick in the Main Event. I had a pretty outside gate but I nailed the start and I was first in the first turn but unfortunately, I fell over. It was slicker than I thought but I was able to get up and really put my head down and charge really hard to come back to fifth. I guess I had the fastest lap of the race, so that was really cool and I’m feeling confident and good with that result, so I’m ready to go to Phoenix next weekend!”

Aaron Plessinger

“Anaheim 1 went pretty well. I got better and better every time I went out on the track. The heat race went awesome. I started out about fifth or sixth, got past some guys and finished third. I was pretty amped on that and I went into the main event pretty happy with myself. I got a great start and just maintained it. There were sometimes where I felt a little winded, but I couldn’t back down and pushed on to the finish and got sixth. I’d say Anaheim I, my first 450 race, was pretty good in my eyes. We’ll keep making improvements and head into Phoenix hot on the ball.”

Marvin Musquin

“The riding was not too bad but physically it was not an easy day as I didn’t have much time on the bike this off-season. But we knew it coming in, so the goal was to score some points and I ended up eighth in the Main Event. I had a great start and Cooper did too, but we almost got into each other and he went down. I avoided him but I lost a lot of ground. It would have been a little bit easier on me to get out front – I was right there in second place behind Cooper, it was pretty cool – but almost both of us crashing. My goal, once again, was to be consistent and score points and that’s what I did. Eighth is not too bad considering and now we can move on and get better from there.”

Chad Reed

“With the weather, it was an interesting weekend. I had the feeling that no matter what I was going through, it was going to drastically change by the night program. I tried to get the most out of the daytime practices and qualifying to have good data for the next round in Glendale. Once the weather came I just dealt with it. I didn’t get the best of starts in my heat race. The conditions were tough and challenging, so I had to go to the LCQ. In some ways, it rained quite a lot in the LCQ, so I had a feel for what the track was going to be like in the main event. The downside was that I was on the far outside gate for the main. I was dead last on the start and came up to ninth, which is respectable. I feel like I have the pace. There are just a few things I need to work on to allow me to feel more comfortable when I’m out of my comfort zone. I have to adapt to the pace, but fortunately that’s one of my strengths. Sometimes that pace comes naturally, and other times it’s forced. I need to be more comfortable in that area. That’s something I will work on this week.”

Jason Anderson (via social media)

“Man yesterday did not go well… kinda overwhelmed with everything going on and wasn’t myself at all. Looking forward to bringing it back around in the next rounds and really want to thank my crew for all the support no matter how I do. Sorry guys but still looking forward and ready to give 110% the rest of the season! Also shoutout to my good friend @deanwilson15 for absolutely crushing it!”

Joey Savatgy

“I’ve been working so hard this off-season and feel really comfortable on the bike, but the weather made quite the challenge for us. I had a tip over on the bike and some issues with my goggles in the rain, but I remained focused on finishing the race to my best ability. We have a long season ahead of us, I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike and continuing to grow and improve.”

2019 AMA Supercross Championship Points after A1

1. Justin Barcia – Yamaha 26
2. Ken Roczen – Honda 23
3. Eli Tomac – Kawasaki 21
4. Dean Wilson – Husqvarna 19
5. Cooper Webb – KTM 18
6. Aaron Plessinger – Yamaha 17
7. Malcolm Stewart – Honda 16
8. Marvin Musquin – KTM 15
9. Chad Reed – Suzuki 14
10. Cole Seely – Honda 13
11. Justin Brayton – Honda 12
12. Blake Baggett – KTM 11
13. Vince Friese – Honda 10
14. Jason Anderson – Husqvarna 9
15. Justin Hill – Suzuki 8
16. Joey Savatgy – Kawasaki 7
17. Carlen Gardner – Honda 6
18. Ben Lamay – Honda 5
19. Justin Bogle – KTM 4
20. Ryan Breece – Yamaha 3

250SX Report

The 15-lap main event started with pre-race favourite Adam Cianciarulo spewing through the first corner and having to dodge the outside barriers before re-joining the race in 15th place while out front it didn’t take long before Colt Nichols got around Shane McElrath who had RJ Hampshire and Dylan Ferrandis hot on his heels.

Nichols simply gapped the field every laps so all eyes were on the rest of the field and in particular the progress of Cianciarulo who blitzed his way to fourth on the back of an aggressive pass on Hampshire who apparently took exception and knocked Adam to the ground on the next corner but when it was all said and done Nichols took a very convincing win ahead of his French teammate Ferrandis while McElrath made it to the final podium spot ahead of Hampshire and Cianciarulo.

Colt Nichols

“It’s really an indescribable feeling to win at A1. The conditions were far from perfect but I was able to stay focused, ride my laps to take the win. That was the longest race of my life, it felt like. My mechanic gave me five to go, four to go, three to go… You’re kind of talking to yourself a little bit to get through it. I just tried to stay consistent. I really didn’t know how big of a lead I had and who was in second at the time, so just tried to keep the focus forward. I knew if I tried to relax a little too much I’d probably make a big mistake and crashed. So I just kind of tried to keep it moving and it ended up working out for me. The off-season was great this year. I was really, really pumped on how everything went. This is really what it was for. You can’t describe the feeling I had jumping that finish line in first. That’s why we all do this. For me to cross that off my list was a really, really big deal. That made all the suffering, all the pain of the past two years completely worth it.”

RJ Hampshire

“Glad to get back to racing, we had a really good offseason. Practice went well and then the rain came. The heat race was a little sloppy but I was able to get a good start and get out front. I won my first heat race in a while, which I was pretty pumped on. Main event came around and it was still raining pretty heavy. Got a decent start and was just kind of riding around in third for a few laps. I made a dumb mistake and went for the quad-quad in the rhythm before the whoops and came up way short and went down pretty hard. Then once I got up I was in fifth and had a couple more close calls throughout the race. Happy to get out of round 1 healthy and ready to go racing next weekend!”

Adam Cianciarulo

“I’m pretty disappointed I wasn’t able to contend for the win tonight, but with the conditions and going down, we’ll take what we can get. It makes me want to win that much more when we get to Phoenix. I want to win, but we also have to think long term. There are a lot of positives to take away from today’s race. The day started out great as we were able to secure the fastest qualifying time in practice, which gave us first gate pick to start the evening races. In my heat race, I got a little squirrelly off the start but I was able to save it and charge to the front and get my first heat race win of the year, which was awesome. The main event is a tough one to swallow because I know I should have been on the podium. It is unfortunate that I came together with another rider, however, I am happy I was able to remount and safely walk away from Anaheim 1 with some decent points. I am already looking forward to next weekend in Glendale.”

Garrett Marchbanks

“Being able to be a part of this team and lining up for my first supercross race has been a dream come true. With the conditions, I was focused on staying up and keeping it on two wheels. It’s nice to get a race under my belt, and we’ll see how it goes in dry conditions next weekend.”

Jimmy Decotis

“The first round of the year with the JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing crew was a blast. I was excited to debut the new Suzuki RM-Z250. I felt very comfortable all day. Unfortunately, I had a crash on the start of the heat race that put me in a tough spot for the main event. The conditions were tough due to the rain. Overall, I’ll take a seventh given the circumstances. We have lots of racing to come, and I’m excited to grab some more starts. I want to show the industry what the new RM-Z250 can do. Thanks to the whole team for supplying me with the best equipment. I’m looking forward to Glendale!”

Thomas Revenhorst qualified to the night program and after coming 12th in his heat race was unfortunately taken out by another rider from behind in the LCQ but nothing is surer than the young Aussie will have learned a lot over the weekend and will come out swinging next weekend at Glendale, Arizona.

2019 AMA Supercross 250 Western Championship Points after A1

1. Colt Nichols (Yamaha), 26
2. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha), 23
3. Shane McElrath (KTM), 21
4. RJ Hampshire (Honda), 19
5. Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki), 18
6. Garrett Marchbanks (Kawasaki), 17
7. Jimmy Decotis (Suzuki), 16
8. Jacob Hayes (Yamaha), 15
9. Chris Blose (Husqvarna), 14
10. Jess Pettis (KTM), 13

Fricke Leads Aussie Solo Championships after Three Rounds

Gillman Speedway, Olympic Park, Mildura and Undera Speedway have hosted the opening three rounds of the 2019 Australian Speedway Solo Championships and after 45 plus heats, six semi finals and three finals, Max Fricke holds a three point lead over Chris Holder who in turn has a four point break on Rohan Tungate with two rounds remaining.

Round 1

Former World Under 21 Champion, Fricke won the opening round at Gillman Speedway on the back of three heat wins and the final win for 17 points ahead of defending champion Tungate and former World Speedway Champion Holder who had some mechanical issues throughout the night.

Max Fricke

“The field this year was really tough so it’s nice to start this year off with a win. I dropped a couple of points along the way, but it was great to come away with the win, I’m very happy! There were some new faces this year which is fantastic to see. They’re all doing really well so I definitely need to watch my tail and try to keep them at bay! I’m feeling really good on the bike as we head into Mildura for Round 2. I haven’t ridden much since the end of last season back in September, so I had a couple of rides last week to shake off the cobwebs. Overall though, it’s just really nice to come away tonight with the win!”

Round 2

Clinching top position at Mildura was Chris Holder who scored a total of 18 points after winning four of his five heats, and taking out first place in the A Final ahead of Tungate and Fricke.

Holder reflected on his efforts in the past two rounds.

Chris Holder

“The competition in the past two rounds has definitely been tight so it was important tonight to get a good score and make up for Gillman. My memories of Undera aren’t entirely positive especially considering that I broke my wrist last time we were there, but I have won a round there previously! Undera is a small track and it’s tough racing, so starts are really important! But my starts today have been really good so I’m looking forward to it! I definitely am working to get myself into the Grand Prix, but coming back into racing you do a lot of miles. You want to win something but top three would also be good. But, I’m not looking too far ahead, instead I’d just like to enjoy myself and get back into racing! More than half of the riders out on the field are contenders for the Championship and any of them have the ability to upset the competition and take out a few vital wins. You can’t count anybody out so instead you just have to concentrate on getting into the finals!”

Round 3

On a tight and dusty Undera Speedway track Fricke stormed into a three-point lead in the championship after scoring 14 points in the heats before seeing off Chris Holder in the final on Monday night.

Holder scored 12 points during the heats and while 2018 Aussie Under-21 champion Jaimon Lidsey, Tungate and Nick Morris all scored 11 points, one ahead of Jack Holder.

Fricke went into the meeting tied on 30 points with Holder and Tungate, who had to battle his way into the A Final the hard way but disaster struck when he came to grief and crashed on turn three, denying him even a consolation point as he was excluded.

Despite a strong early challenge in the A final re-run, Holder couldn’t overhaul Fricke for the victory in his home state, as Max picked up his second win in three rounds.

Max Fricke

“It’s exciting to be a leader again! After the first round it was a little bit daunting, but I had a good run in Mildura so I’m just trying to remain consistent. I think that consistency is key right now because that will be what wins the Championship. Right now I’m just handling it race by race and getting as many points as I can. The Grand Prix qualifying spot is the main motivator for me but we’re also here in the Championship and I want to win! Hopefully I can keep up the momentum and secure a spot in the top three! It’s close right now between me, Chris and Rohan, but there’s a little bit of a gap so hopefully we can try and secure that gap and get the best possible position in the lead up to the final rounds. Albury is a much bigger track, so there are a lot of changes in comparison to Undera, Mildura and Gillman. It’s going to be a great round, and no doubt a lot of the younger riders in the competition will do quite well as well! I just need to keep making good starts and get as many points as I can in the lead up to Kurri Kurri.”

Albury hosts round four on Wednesday with the championship concluding in Tungate’s home town Kurri Kurri on Saturday and both will be shown live on NRGTV.

Undera Heat Scores

1. Max Fricke 14
2. Chris Holder 12
3. Jaimon Lidsey 11
4. Rohan Tungate 11
5. Nick Morris 11
6. Jack Holder 10
7. Justin Sedgmen 9
8. Brady Kurtz 9
9. Sam Masters 9
10. Jordan Stewart 6
11. Todd Kurtz 5
12. Zane Keleher 5
13. Ryan Douglas 3
14. Kye Thompson 2
15. Zach Cook 2
16. Ben Cook 1.

B Final

1. Tungate
2. J Holder
3. Morris

A Final

1. Fricke
2. C Holder
3. Lidsey
4. Tungate (f.exc).

Australian Championship Standings after Round 3

1. Max Fricke 48
2. Chris Holder 45
3. Rohan Tungate 41
4. Jack Holder 32
5. Sam Masters 29
6. Brady Kurtz 29
7. Jaimon Lidsey 28
8. Nick Morris 26
9. Jordan Stewart 23
10. Ryan Douglas 19

Woffinden Wins WA Speedway Solo Titles

2018 World Speedway Solo Champion Tai Woffinden has emulated his father Rob when he won the WA Speedway Solo Champion last week at the new Pinjar Park Motorcycle Speedway complex.

On a track that copped some criticism over the two nights of racing, Woffinden predictably dominated proceedings and easily won the final from Cameron Heeps, Kane Lawrence and Daniel Winchester.

Tai Woffinden

“Obviously I grew up here and my dad won the state title here so for me and him to both win is a very special achievement that not many people would be able to do. The track was really tricky for solo riders tonight. If it was a grand prix, it would have been off 100 per cent; they would have cancelled it. But I got the boys revved up as much I could and said ‘we’ve got to put on a show, there are people who have come to watch us’ and I think we did a good job.”

2019 WA Speedway Solo Championships Final

1. 1st: Tai Woffinden
2. 2nd: Cameron Heeps
3. 3rd: Kane Lawrence
4. 4th: Daniel Winchester

Zach Osborne Injured

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna announced before the opening round of the 2019 AMA Supercross Championship that Zach Osborne sustained a collarbone injury in a practice crash and will miss the next four to six weeks.

Zach Osborne

“I am extremely bummed at the timing of this injury. I feel that I have reached a level of riding that I never had in my career, on a bike that I’m so very comfortable with. I know that everything happens for a reason and I’ll be back as soon as possible!”

Osborne, a two-time 250SX East Region Champion, was scheduled to make his 450 debut with three other high-profile rookies in Joey Savatgy, Aaron Plessinger and Justin Hill who made their debuts at Angel Stadium with differing success.

KTM Dominates German SuperEnduro Round

After two wins and a second place over the three finals, Cody Webb has claimed victory at round two of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Germany to take the series lead ahead of his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Taddy Blazusiak who placed second overall to ensure a KTM 1-2 result.

Despite a mid-pack start in race one, KTM 350 EXC-F mounted Webb was quick to carve his way through the field and work his way up to the wheel tracks of leader Blazusiak. Making a break for the lead, he put his KTM out front and claimed a well-deserved win.

Making the best of the reversed start order in race two, Webb wasted no time in reaching the front. Building a comfortable advantage, he claimed a commanding 19-second victory. Aiming for a hat trick of race wins, the American’s hopes of a clean sweep unfortunately didn’t materialise in race three.

A couple of early mistakes left Webb playing catch up, finishing an eventual third. But with enough in hand thanks to his two earlier race wins, Webb topped the overall podium and with it becomes the new leader of the 2019 SuperEnduro series.

Cody Webb

“It feels awesome to come away with the victory here in Germany, as well as the points lead in the championship. I think this is my third win here in Riesa, so I seem to have a good feeling with this place. Overall, it’s been a good night. I got off to a good start with a win in the first race. My start wasn’t the best but I had some good lines and was able to close the gap to Taddy and then take the win. Race two is always a little tricky with the reversed start order but I managed to find a bit of space and find a way through. I had a few mistakes in the final race and just lost my momentum a little. But third was enough to take the top step of the overall podium. With round three in Madrid just a couple of weeks away it feels good to have the series lead.”

Following his winning performance at the opening round of the championship in Poland, Taddy Blazusiak entered Riesa aiming to keep that momentum rolling. Feeling confident in practice, he lined up for the opening race eager to put his KTM out front. However, following a crash from Alfredo Gomez, which resulted in a restart, he became unnerved by the incident and lost his rhythm and feeling with the track.

Nevertheless a 2-3 scorecard in the first two races kept him in the hunt for the overall podium entering race three. Feeling more settled, Blazusiak regrouped in style to secure an almost start-to-finish win, ultimately ending his night as runner-up to Webb.

Taddy Blazusiak

“It was a bit of tough night for me but we managed to turn things around for second overall. I felt great in practice and gelled very quickly with the track. However, when Alfredo Gomez crashed during the start of race one it unnerved me a little, I didn’t feel how I felt in practice. I was making mistakes in the restart and couldn’t shake them off. Race two was a similar story, too. I felt more myself in the final race and rode like I should have done all night there to win the moto. Unfortunately, we lost the series lead tonight but only by a few points. We’ve got round three in just a couple of weeks and I’m looking forward to making amends there. Finally, I’d just like to wish Alfredo a speedy recovery.”

The 2019 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continues with round three in Madrid, Spain on January 26.

Prestige Race 1

1. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, 6:46.552
2. Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 6:50.994 +4.442
3. Colton Haaker (USA), Husqvarna, 7:23.168 +36.616
4. Kevin Gallas (GER), Husqvarna, 7:05.780 +1 lap
5. Cristobal Guerrero (ESP), Yamaha, 7:10.590 +1 lap

Prestige Race 2

1. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, 6:50.910
2. Colton Haaker (USA), Husqvarna, 7:10.051 +19.141
3. Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 7:13.609 +22.699
4. Cristobal Guerrero (ESP), Yamaha, 6:51.752 +1 lap
5. Pol Tarres (ESP), Husqvarna, 7:13.480 +1 lap

Prestige Race 3

1. Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 7:35.335
2. Colton Haaker (USA), Husqvarna, 7:58.051 +22.716
3. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, 8:04.231 +28.896
4. Pol Tarres (ESP), Husqvarna, 8:22.017 +1 lap
5. Cristobal Guerrero (ESP), Yamaha, 7:39.342 +2 laps

Prestige Class — Overall

1. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, 57 points
2. Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 53 pts
3. Colton Haaker (USA), Husqvarna, 52 pts
4. Cristobal Guerrero (ESP), Yamaha, 35 pts
5. Pol Tarres (ESP), Husqvarna, 33 pts

Championship Standings (After round 2)

1. Cody Webb (USA), KTM, 109 points
2. Taddy Blazusiak (POL), KTM, 107 pts
3. Colton Haaker (USA), Husqvarna, 101 pts
4. Kevin Gallas (GER), Husqvarna, 58 pts
5. Pol Tarres (ESP), Husqvarna, 56 pts

HRC Confirms MX2 GP Line-Up

Honda’s assault on the MX2 category in the 2019 FIM Motocross World Championship will see Assomotor Redmoto Honda and Team Honda 114 Motorsports running two riders each on the factory backed Honda CRF250R.

Spearheading the charge for the Assomotor Redmoto Honda team is 2018 EMX250 champion Mathys Boisrame who lines up alongside Brent van Doninck who joins Honda for the 2019 season for the first time aboard the CRF250R.

Honda are providing a further two CRF250Rs for Team Honda 114 Motorsports, who for 2019 are fielding a new pair of riders in Mitch Evans and Zachary Pichon.

After a winter of testing, the teams will be ready for the first Grand Prix of 2019 which is scheduled to be held in Argentina on 1-3 March.

Mathys Boisrame – Assomotor Redmoto Honda Team

“It’s been my dream to ride in MX2, and after winning the EMX250 title in 2018 I’m really looking forward to the new challenge. I have a really good feeling with the team and the CRF250R so I’m very happy to stay with Honda next season, and I think we have a very good chance of being competitive from the start of the season.”

Brent van Doninck – Assomotor Redmoto Honda Team

 “I am really looking forward to riding for Honda in 2019 and joining the Assomotor Redmoto team. I felt really good on the CRF250R as soon as I tested it – it just feels really comfortable to ride and the engine is strong. I’m already riding a Honda a lot in the off-season, and I can’t wait to get to the gate next year.”

Mitchell Evans – Team Honda 114 Motorsports

“I am grateful for the opportunity that Honda 114 Motorsports has presented me. Racing in the FIM Motocross World Championship has been a goal of mine since I competed in the World Junior Championship in 2010. There is a lot for me to learn and I am looking forward to the challenges ahead. I am excited to be racing with the best in the world.”

Zachary Pichon – Team Honda 114 Motorsports

“I am really excited to join Team 114 Motorsports and enter my first full Grand Prix season with them. I am already working hard physically to be ready and I am looking forward to working with Livia and the team. I had a great feeling when I rode the CRF250R for the first time; the suspension is just perfect. The engine suits my riding style too. We will start testing the bike soon and are all fully focussed on 2019. Being part of an official team will help me to make a step forward, as this season we missed some experience in our family-run team and could not do all of the rounds. Next year will be different and my father will have more time to work with me as well! I want to thank Honda and Team 114 for offering me this great opportunity.”

Mewse and Vaessen for Hitachi KTM

Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee have announced their rider line-up for 2019 with current Maxxis ACU British MX2 Motocross Champion Conrad Mewse teaming up with Dutchman Bas Vaessen to compete in the MX2 category of the 2019 F.I.M. Motocross World Championship and Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship.

Roger Magee – Team Principal

“We were very happy to re-sign Conrad at Imola and then clinch his first British championship. We’ve been watching Bas for a couple of years and thought it was the right time to bring him into the KTM family. Bas has already adapted to the KTM really well and will be travelling to Redsand with Conrad and the rest of the team next week for pre-season testing with WP Suspension.”

Both riders will use the potent KTM 250 SX-F equipped with semi-factory engines. “Conrad and Bas have so much potential and we’re looking forward to seeing them push each other to the next level,” said Roger.

Graeme Irwin will compete in the MXGP category of the F.I.M. Motocross World Championship and Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship. Graeme endured a number of injuries in 2018 that cost him the chance to defend his 2017 British championship so will be looking for redemption aboard the KTM 450 SX-F.

“We know Graeme has the speed to win, we just need to avoid some of the bad luck that bit him. We’re confident that Graeme will be much stronger at home and in the MXGPs this year, once he has fully recovered from the injuries sustained at Imola,” said Roger.

Troy Lee helmets and apparel, Alpinestars boots and Oakley goggles will once again provide state-of-the-art clothing and equipment for Graeme, Conrad and Bas.

Hitachi Construction Machinery and Milwaukee Power Tools will be joint title sponsors for 2019 and beyond. The new-look Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee Team will make their debut at the Hawkstone Park International on 17February 2019.

Stefan Everts Out of ICU

More positive news regarding Stefan Everts’ battle with malaria has been released by his family. Below is the full update from the family:

“Again, good news from Stefan Everts. The ten-time world champion, who was hit by malaria at the beginning of December, has traded the intensive care at the University Hospital of Leuven yesterday for the rehabilitation. The legend will stay in that department for six weeks to continue working on his recovery.

“For Everts, this is another big step forward. At the beginning of December, malaria broke out with him after taking part in Congo in the middle of November. He fought for a while for his life and was kept artificially asleep for a while. Everts fought back and defeated his biggest competitor ever. A few weeks ago, testing has already shown that he has not sustained permanent damage to organs and brain.

“In the last few days, Everts has once again made major steps forward, after which the professors decided to move him to rehabilitation. There he will be working hard on his recovery over the next few weeks.”

Source: MCNews.com.au