Today saw the first leg of the marathon stage at the 2019 Dakar en route from Arequipa to Moquegua, where the 124 remaining motorcycle riders had an early start to cover the opening 85-kilometre link section before the first part of the 205-kilometre special. The day was soured by biting cold and humidity in both the city and the mountainous regions. The special consisted of soft dunes with many areas of dusty Fesh-Fesh leading into faster, hard-packed river beds. Riders had to take care to preserve their tyres on the faster sections while not losing too much time to their rivals. A short liaison then brought the riders to the temporary bivouac situated near Moquegua. As the marathon stage rules state, riders receive no outside assistance overnight. All maintenance must be carried out by themselves or fellow competitors.
Nonetheless, Honda’s Ricky Brabec set off like a bat out of hell, marking the best time in the process. After a neutralisation of 54 kilometres, the second part of the special, over 146 kilometres, proved even better for the American, who cruised home with a six-minute advantage over the nearest finisher, dethroning the previous overall leader Pablo Quintanilla with a walloping twenty minute gap. In doing so, Brabec triumphs for the second time in a stage after the victory in 2017 on the La Paz-Uyuni stage. The American takes the head of the overall rankings for the first time in the world’s toughest rally.
Ricky Brabec – Stage P1 – Overall P1
“Wow! I needed it. I needed a victory like that! Today I wanted to push because as we had studied yesterday, winning today would be able to help me in tomorrow’s stage. We will have the mass motocross-style start, just like on the motocross starting grids. I’m really very happy to have won the stage with a good margin of time which has helped place me at the top of leader board.”
Ricky Brabec
Following his challenging stage three, Matthias Walkner was the 15th rider to enter the day’s timed special. Immediately pushing hard and making the most of his experience to catch and pass riders ahead of him, the 2018 Dakar Champion maintained his strong pace throughout the day on the fast, treacherous route. A heavy landing from one drop-off caused Walkner to hurt his ankle slightly but the Austrian rider was able to continue to complete the stage and finish as runner-up.
Matthias Walkner – Stage P2 – Overall P7
“The day was good for me – the bike is running well and I didn’t crash at all today. I did land quite hard from one jump and thought I might have injured my ankle but it seems to be ok. It’s great here in the bivouac, we are all here together as one team and that feels good. I managed to get some time back in the overall today, so I’ll aim to do the same tomorrow.”
Matthias Walkner
Despite a small crash in the latter half of the special, Toby Price put in a great ride to finish as third fastest, less than a minute down on the hard-charging Walkner. Still nursing his injured wrist, the Australian is looking forward to tomorrow’s slightly shorter stage five.
Toby Price – Stage P3 – Overall P3
“That was tough today. It was a long stage and a lot of it was made up of rocky tracks and rivers, they are the worst for my wrist. I did have one get-off along the way but luckily not too bad. I’m not comfortable but it is the way it is and I have to work around it. The goal for the rest of the rally is to keep on doing what I’ve been doing and get the best result possible.”
Toby Price
Fifth away at the start of the stage, Sam Sunderland maintained a strong pace throughout the day, despite losing touch with many of the riders ahead of him and navigating his own way through the fast 405-kilometre stage. The British rider ultimately placed fourth and now also lies fourth in the provisional overall standings.
Sam Sunderland – Stage P4 – Overall P4
“The day started off on some wide-open plains, which was nice. But then they had us go through some really technical stuff, which turned out to be really tricky. I dropped the bike at one point in a ravine and had some trouble getting it to point in the right direction again, but apart from that everything was good. I had to focus to keep my pace at the end there, but I’m happy with my result and looking forward to tomorrow.”
Sam Sunderland
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla is holding on to a strong runner-up position in the event’s provisional overall standings. Four days into the 2019 Dakar and the event in Peru has already proven to be a big challenge for all competitors. Thursday’s stage four was a fast-paced one that featured many tricky navigational challenges.
Racing without the pressure of the opening stages, Yamaha’s Adrien Van Beveren remained fast and consistent from start to finish. Posting the fifth quickest time for the day, the WR450F Rally powered rider is now fifth overall and less than nine-minutes behind the provisional overall leader.
Adrien Van Beveren – Stage P5 – Overall P5
“Everything is going well for me so far and I’m feeling good on the bike. The terrain was not so much to my liking today but I managed to enjoy the stage. The pressure I felt in the opening stages is now gone and I can just focus on my goals for every stage. I’m happy I’ve reached that point and from now on I can just do my own race. Today we rode over some dry river beds and there was a lot of fesh-fesh. The pace was high and I was able to ride well. We’ve made some good work this year with my bike setup and it gives me great confidence in this kind of terrain. I want to continue pushing for some good results in the stages to come.”
Adrien Van Beveren
Monster Energy Honda Team’s Paulo Gonçalves continues to improve in the 2019 edition of the Dakar after a spleen operation just a month ago. The Portuguese rider finished with the sixth fastest time of the day and lies in eighth in the general standings.
Paulo Goncalves – Stage P6 – Overall P8
“Yeah, I’m quite happy. We have done four stages and 40% of the 2019 Dakar and I have made to the marathon stage well, in good health and in a good position. Today I pressed hard until the refuelling through the river area which had plenty of stones. I was very careful. I’m happy because every day I feel better and closer to full fitness. Now let’s try to fight the remaining days of the race.”
Paulo Goncalves
Kevin Benavides occupied ninth place at the finish, one spot behind team-mate Nacho Cornejo, with the Argentine now in sixth place overall.
Kevin Benavides – Stage P9 – Overall P6
“It was an important stage really. We went through a lot of terrain types, hard track, stony areas and even some fesh-fesh. It was fine, but I dropped a bit of time trying to find a waypoint and it didn’t go quite as I had planned. It was difficult to catch other riders because they raised a lot of dust and I preferred to take care of the bike and be able to push later.”
Kevin Benavides
Pablo Quintanilla battled through the day’s tough navigation to post the 14th best time on the special stage but is currently second in the provisional overall standings, two-minutes and 19-seconds behind new provisional overall leader, Ricky Brabec.
Pablo Quintanilla – Stage P14 – Overall P2
“It was a really hard stage today. The first part had some tricky navigation in the fesh-fesh. In the last waypoint before the refuelling I made a mistake but was able to get back on the tracks quickly. Then after the neutralisation point the tracks were really hard. There was a long dry river bed with many stones and it was hard to make some time. I knew from the beginning of the stage that it was possible to get caught by other riders and when it happened I just tried to ride with them. Overall, I’m happy to have finished the first part of the marathon stage without any problems. After some rest tonight, I’m hoping to be back stronger for the second part of the marathon stage tomorrow.”
Pablo Quintanilla
After winning Wednesday’s stage three, Xavier de Soultrait had the demanding task of opening the stage for all following competitors and earned a 15th place result on stage four. Xavier is now ninth and the second Yamaha powered rider inside the top 10 in the provisional overall standings.
Xavier de Soultrait – Stage P15 – Overall P9
“It was a challenging day for me. Today I led the way for most of the special, opening the tracks with a small group of riders. At one point the others got lost and I was left alone opening the tracks in the dunes. I’m really confident with my navigation and I was happy not to make any big mistakes. When you’re leading the way in these conditions, it’s impossible not to make errors and I made a few of them today, which cost me some time. This is always part of the Dakar, we take it and move on. I have a very good starting position for tomorrow and that gives me extra motivation to push. Tomorrow we will be starting in rows of 10 riders every five minutes. I will be in the second row so I am hoping I can catch the leading group and ride with them. The goal now is to reach the Rest Day on Saturday with a good position in the overall.”
Xavier de Soultrait
Experienced Dakar racer Laia Sanz knows the importance of caring for your bike on the first half of the marathon stage. Putting in another solid ride, Laia once again finished the day inside the top-20 as 19th fastest.
Laia Sanz – Stage P20 – Overall P19
“It was a long day today but I am happy with how it went. It’s important to arrive here at the bivouac with the bike in one piece on the marathon stage and I managed to finish without any problems. The day was quite hard with lots of dust at first and then later on the river bed was really tough. I’m hoping for another good day tomorrow.”
Laia Sanz
Queensland’s Rodney Faggotter was forced to retire with technical problems earlier in the rally.
Competitors spend the night at Moquegua camp where they can rest and prepare the second leg of the marathon stage. The riders will, however, be left to their own devices as no outside mechanical assistance is permitted. Instead any technical help will have to wait until the close of tomorrow’s stage back at the Arequipa bivouac. The fifth stage will add a total of 776 kilometres to the 1109 disputed so far and will include 345 kilometres against the clock.
2019 Dakar Rally Provisional Results Stage Four
BRABEC Ricky USA Honda 03:40’30
WALKNER Matthias AUT KTM +06’19
PRICE Toby AUS KTM +07’07
SUNDERLAND Sam GBR KTM +11’35
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Yamaha +13’29
GONCALVES Paulo POR Honda +13’36
SVITKO Stefan SLO KTM +14’10
CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Honda 14’33
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Honda +15’20
SANTOLINO Lorenzo SPA Sherco +17’02
2019 Dakar Rally Outright Standings after Stage Four
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team 12:33’00
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Rockstar Husqvarna Factory Racing +02’19
PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Team +04’22
SUNDERLAND Sam GBR Red Bull KTM Rally Team +05’45
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Yamaha Official Rally Team +08’56
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Monster Energy Honda Team +09’01
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Team +09’31
GONCALVES Paulo POR Monster Energy Honda Team +20’45
DE SOULTRAIT Xavier FRA Yamaha Official Rally Team +22’00
Xavier de Soultrait managed to make full use of his navigational skills during today’s stage three of the Dakar. One of the first riders to find his way out of a tricky section in the first part of the stage, Xavier secured an emphatic stage win to move up to sixth in the event’s provisional overall standings.
Xavier de Soultrait
Stage three also saw the retirement of stage one winner Joan Barreda, the Honda man out of the rally. The Spaniard came across a low visibility foggy and rocky area whilst opening the track, lost control of the bike which went into a slide down a ravine which it proved impossible to escape from. Barreda’s Dakar had ended at kilometre 143.
Joan Barreda – Out
“Sadly the Dakar ended for me today. It had been going very well, opening the track and pushing the riders ahead. When I reached the mountains I found a lot of fog that limited my visibility. Following the directions of the roadbook and the GPS I reached a cliff, when I tried to return I saw that Walkner had also arrived, they saw me and stopped and were able to turn around, but from below it was impossible for me to climb back up. I tried to go down further and look for a route out along the ravine but it was impossible.”
Joan Barreda out of Dakar 2019
San Juan de Marcona > Arequipa 798 km
The agenda of the day saw riders set out from the bivouac at San Juan de Marcona to start the first special of the day five kilometres later. The timed section concluded some 264 kilometres later followed by a short two-kilometre liaison section which brought the riders to a second 65-kilometre special. Before arriving back at the camp in Arequipa, it was back in the saddle for a 461-kilometre jaunt to take the mileage to a whopping 800 kilometres. Yamaha’s Xavier de Soultrait fared best on the biggest day so far of Dakar 2019.
Xavier de Soultrait – Stage P1 – Overall P6
“It feels great to get this stage win in the bag. We had some challenging navigation today and I’m glad I made no mistake. For me this was the first proper rally stage of this race. My plan going into this stage was to push and everything worked to my favour. I had a steady pace from start to finish and this helped me secure the win. I want to keep that same momentum throughout this first week of the race and then try to push harder whenever I get the chance to do so. Everything is going well for me so far, the bike is working great and I’ve had no crashes or mistakes.”
Xavier de Soultrait
It was Husqvarna’s Pablo Quintanilla, with a close runner-up result on the day’s timed special stage, that is now the rally’s provisional overall leader with three out of the 10 stages contested in Peru.
Putting his experience to good use, Pablo Quintanilla enjoyed a mistake free stage to cross the line with the second fastest time of the day. In a total time of more than four hours, Pablo was just 15 seconds slower than the stage winner. The Chilean rider now holds a very handy 11-minute lead at the top of the rally’s overall standings.
Pablo Quintanilla – Stage P2 – Overall P1
“The real Dakar has just started and I’m happy with where I’m at right now. Today we had a difficult stage. There was a lot of fog and in some parts you couldn’t see far ahead. If you tried to push, you ended up missing the right tracks. I took my time there and rode really carefully. At one crucial point in the mountains I made the right decision and gained some time to my rivals. Navigation today was really tricky. I’m having fun on my bike at the moment and I want to keep that same momentum going for the stages to come.”
Pablo Quintanilla
It was double congratulations for Kevin Benavides who was wished happy returns as he headed out from the San Juan de Marcona bivouac on his birthday this morning and again after an excellent stage performance by Argentinean rider when he arrived back. Monster Energy Honda Team’s Benavides had been in the running for the stage victory, but had to settle for third place on the day, 2’37 behind the stage winner. Benavides thus moved up the general rankings to find himself rubbing shoulders with rally’s top guns.
Kevin Benavides – Stage P3 – Overall P2
“Today was a very long day. I took advantage of having a good starting position to attack. I felt comfortable with the bike, I made some navigational mistakes but in the end it was a good day. I’m happy to climb some positions in the general and I’m gaining confidence every stage. It is not bad to move up to the second position of the general on my birthday.”
Kevin Benavides
Adrien Van Beveren managed to climb three spots in the provisional standings. Currently sitting 13 minutes behind the provisional overall leader and in fourth position, Adrien is looking ahead to the coming stages in the dunes of South America.
Adrien Van Beveren – Stage P4 – Overall P4
“I’m really satisfied with my performance today. The stage was hard and there was a lot of fog in the first part of it. At one point, we got stuck in the fog with a few other riders, but I managed to find my way out of there pretty fast. Going into the second part of the stage in the dunes I was planning to push more to make some time, but a small issue with my clutch didn’t let me ride the way I would have wanted to. The Dakar is a huge adventure and I’m glad I found my way out of this small issue and managed to post a decent time on the stage. All members of our team are giving their best and now our eyes are set on the marathon stage that starts tomorrow.”
Adrien Van Beveren
The sixth rider to enter the timed special, Sam Sunderland had a solid start to the day, riding consistently and navigating well. After clearing the fog-covered mountain section the Brit was able to push on a little harder to complete the day in fifth – one place up from his start position.
Sam Sunderland – Stage P5 – Overall P3
“It was a really tricky stage, there was a lot of fog on the top of one of the mountains and that made riding and navigation tough. The only thing you could do was ease down on your pace a little and take a lot of care. At one point visibility was down to just a few metres. The road book had a lot of long notes that weren’t as clear as they could have been and I think a few people struggled with that. As the day went on the riders grouped up and that is always a bit unpredictable because you don’t know what the other guys are going to do. This is the Dakar though, we know it’s difficult and we know we’ll have stages like this. It’s still early days so we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
Sam Sunderland
Again opting to prioritise bringing his KTM 450 Rally home safely, rather than pushing and risking a mistake, Toby Price placed ninth at the end of the stage. Continuing to ride at a good and consistent pace, the Australian now sits fifth overall in the provisional overall standings, just three minutes down on Sunderland.
Toby Price – Stage P9 – Overall P5
“I think it was more about survival than racing today. It was a really tough stage but I got through it and I’m feeling good and that’s what matters. I got lost early on and that cost me some time to the front runners. Then at about the 130-kilometre mark there was a lot of fog in the mountains. The road book didn’t have too many details and there were a few cliffs you could have dropped off. Luckily, I missed them. I’m still trying to hang on and get to the end of each stage but overall things are good.”
Toby Price
It proved to be a tough physical test for Paulo Gonçalves who held a swift pace to place a fine sixth on the day.
Paulo Goncalves – Stage P6 – Overall P9
“Today was quite long stage, quite similar to yesterday’s with lots of sand and many dunes. I have felt very comfortable and with a lot more confidence. I was able to push with a good pace, but it was a pity about an error just before the refueling that made me lose more than 10 minutes, but the important thing is that I was able to finish. I have good feelings, tomorrow the marathon starts and I want to do well.”
Paulo Goncalves
Ricky Brabec suffered the setback of being forced to open the track which led to a twelfth place finish.
Ricky Brabec – Stage P13 – Overall P7
“The stage was tough. There was a lot of sand dunes and a lot of navigation. I ended up opening a lot of the stage. There was a lot of fog there. Joan went down a ravine or the wrong side of the mountain or something. I really had to go slow there. At kilometre 178 there was a really difficult waypoint which was not where it was shown in the roadbook. I spent fifteen minutes looking around for the way point and rode around for 30 kilometres. It was a bad day. We’ll have to make it up. But for me, in my mind, it’s going to be tough.”
Ricky Brabec
Opening a stage is always tricky and Stage Two winner Matthias Walkner had that honour on stage three, entering the timed special at just after 6am on Wednesday morning. Riding well for the first part of the route, a crash ended up costing the Austrian some time. Despite navigation proving to be the toughest yet in this year’s event, Walkner regained his composure to place 15th on the day and now lies eighth overall.
Matthias Walkner – Stage P15 – Overall P8
“Things were pretty hard for me today. I opened the stage but only for the first 60 kilometres or so because I had a crash going over one of the drops. After that I couldn’t find my rhythm so well again. It was really foggy and normally you would have to stop in those conditions. All you could do is drop your speed and take things really carefully. I picked up the pace later on in the stage but lost some time on the leaders. It’s only day three though and we have many kilometres left to race.”
Matthias Walkner
Rodney Faggotter suffered a technical issue after the last waypoint and the experienced Aussie could not finish the stage.
Stage four of the 2019 Dakar Rally marks the first half of the marathon stage. Riders will leave Arequipa and head for the temporary bivouac in Moquegua where they will receive no outside assistance from their teams. The 511-kilometre stage includes a gruelling 405-kilometre timed special – the longest of the rally.
2019 Dakar Rally Provisional Results Stage Three
DE SOULTRAIT Xavier 18 FRA Yamaha 04:07’42
QUINTANILLA Pablo 6 CHI Husqvarna +00’15
BENAVIDES Kevin 47 ARG Honda +02’37
VAN BEVEREN Adrien 4 FRA Yamaha +06’42
SUNDERLAND Sam 14 GBR KTM +08’26
GONCALVES Paulo 2 POR Honda +09’31
SVITKO Stefan 11 SLO KTM +10’50
MENA Oriol 7 SPA Hero +11’15
PRICE Toby 3 AUS KTM +14’16
METGE Michael 16 FRA Sherco +14’45
SANTOLINO Lorenzo SPA Sherco+14’59
SHORT Andrew 29 USA Husqvarna +15’10
BRABEC Ricky 15 USA Honda +20’01
2019 Dakar Rally Outright Standings after Stage Three
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Rockstar Factory Husqvarna 08:34’28
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Monster Energy Honda +11’23
SUNDERLAND Sam GBR Red Bull KTM Factory +12’12
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Yamaha Official Rally +13’29
PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Factory +15’17
DE SOULTRAIT Xavier FRA Yamaha Official Rally +16’52
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda +18’02
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Factory +21’14
GONCALVES Paulo POR Monster Energy Honda +25’11
SHORT Andrew USA Rockstar Husqvarna Factory +29’15
Stage two of the 2019 Dakar Rally challenged all motorcycle competitors with an extremely fast, and rough, timed special of 342 kilometres. Leaving Pisco and heading south along the coast towards San Juan de Marcona the unusual stage saw the cars opening the route, leaving the bikes to deal with the many tracks ahead of them in the sand. The added traffic not only caused the terrain to cut up badly, but also made navigation even more of a challenge.
Matthias Walkner
Following his solid ride on the short, opening day’s stage, Matthias Walkner was the seventh rider to enter today’s timed special. Feeling comfortable on his KTM 450 Rally, the reigning Dakar Champion opted to push right from the beginning.
Dakar 2019 Stage Two Video
For the majority of the stage Walkner chased down Honda’s Ricky Brabec ahead of him, only to head the American rider in the last 40-kilometres and ultimately claim the stage win by a narrow 22-seconds.
Matthias Walkner – Stage P1 – Overall P2
“That was a long and really, really fast stage. It was hard to judge the pace of the riders in front, so early on I decided to push and give my best. It was enough to set the fastest time, which is great but I’m not too keen on stages like that – two or three in a year is enough for me. Crossing the tracks left by the cars on such a tricky stage can be quite daunting sometimes and I’m glad to reach the finish safely.”
Matthias Walkner
Ricky Brabec – Stage P2 – Overall P3
“The second stage was awesome. More or less like what I’m used to at home. Lot’s of fast track, lots of rocks, fesh fesh and some dunes. I had a fun day, and rode most of the day with Quintanilla. It was great so we’ll see what happens tomorrow. Third overall is not that good. We’ve got to be in front. So we are going to try tomorrow.”
Ricky Brabec
Joan Barreda, who opened the special alone, posted third, 1m41s seconds behind stage winner Walkner. The 35-year-old Spaniard still leads the Rally overall with a 1m31s buffer over Walkner after the KTM rider promoted himself from P7 right through to P2 after a sensational day in the dunes for the Austrian.
Joan Barreda – Stage P3 – Overall P1
“Days like today are really important. When you start out in first position, winning is very difficult. Open the track without making any mistakes throughout the day is really complicated, but these are the days that you really make progress on. At first I doubted as to whether to follow the tracks or not, but in the part on the beach I saw that they were catching me up and following the tracks I was able to push hard with good pace. In the end it turned out to be a perfect stage, with a very good starting position for tomorrow.”
Joan Barreda
Despite a small mistake that caused him to get stuck early on in the stage, Toby Price went on to post the fourth fastest time of the day, three minutes behind stage winner Walkner. Although still riding in pain due to his injured wrist, Price now sits fifth overall in the provisional overall standings and is determined to maintain his strong pace as the rally progresses.
Toby Price – Stage P4 – Overall P5
“Day two was long, 342 kilometres on my wrist was really tough. It didn’t help that I got stuck in a dune around the 50-kilometre mark and had to pull the bike out and turn around. That hurt my wrist a little more but I managed to live with it for the rest of the stage, even though it was really bumpy after the cars had been through. All in all, I’m pretty happy with my time and looking forward to tomorrow.”
Toby Price
Making good use of his vast rally racing experience, Pablo Quintanilla put in a steady but importantly mistake-free performance on Tuesday’s stage two of the Dakar. Pushing hard to gain some time in the opening part of the special, the Chilean rally star eventually finished less than four-minutes behind the day’s winner Matthias Walkner. Currently fourth in the provisional overall standings, Pablo sits in a very good place ahead of the remainder of the rally.
Pablo Quintanilla – Stage P5 – Overall P4
“Stage two was a long and tough one but I had a good feeling on my bike. The pace was quite high from the beginning and we were riding a lot across the beach. I pushed hard in the first part of the special stage. After the refueling the conditions changed a lot. We were following the cars and there were lots of different tracks everywhere, so I decided to keep it steady and avoid taking any risks. I kept a good pace until the end and managed to get a good overall time for the day. The gap to the leaders is still controllable so I am looking ahead to tomorrow’s stage.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Now sitting sixth, one place behind Price in the overall standings, Sam Sunderland rode another calculated stage, minimising any risks on the heavily worn terrain. Although not quite finding his rhythm on the long timed special, the Brit is still confident that his pace is good and is feeling fit and motivated for the rest of the event.
Sam Sunderland – Stage P6 – Overall P6
“It was a pretty tricky stage covering the car lines. You are always cross-checking the road book to make sure you’re not making any mistakes. I didn’t find my rhythm as well as I would have liked, I know my pace wasn’t too bad but I didn’t feel so strong out there. As the speeds were so high today, I decided to ease off a little after the refuel to conserve my tyre. It may be that I didn’t have to, but this early in the rally I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
Sam Sunderland
Adrien Van Beveren posted the seventh best time in Tuesday’s timed special and is the top ranked Yamaha rider. Currently seventh in the provisional overall rankings, the WR450F Rally powered racer is looking ahead to the coming stages of the rally.
Adrien Van Beveren – Stage P7 – Overall P7
“Today we were treated with a fast and difficult stage. There was a lot of fesh-fesh and some parts with loads of stones. It’s quite hard to feel comfortable racing in this terrain but I did my best to stay close to the leaders. There were also lots of tracks from the cars and it was easy to make navigational mistakes. In the dunes I felt good on my bike and managed to gain some time, but overall I had to be patient and try not to make costly mistakes. There’s still a long way to go in this Dakar and I’m now are set on tomorrow’s stage three.”
Adrien Van Beveren
Queensland Yamaha dealer Rodney Faggotter put in another steady performance on stage two. The 42-year-old collected a 29th place result and is now 27th in the provisional overall standings.
Rodney Faggotter – Stage P29 – Overall P27
“We’re just two days into this Dakar and we’ve already entered the most demanding stages. The stage today was fast and long. For me, the goal is to remain consistent and bring my Yamaha back at the bivouac safely. It’s all going according to plan so far and I’m looking forward to the dune stages to come.”
Rodney Faggotter
Stage three of the 2019 Dakar Rally leaves the bivouac at San Juan de Marcona and again heads south along the coast of the South Pacific towards the city of Arequipa. The 798-kilometre stage includes another long timed special of 331 kilometres.
2019 Dakar Rally Provisional Results Stage Two
WALKNER Matthias AUT KTM 03:21’57
BRABEC Ricky USA Honda +00’22
BARREDA Joan SPA Honda +01’41
PRICE Toby AUS KTM +03’06
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Husqvarna +03’24
SUNDERLAND Sam GBR KTM +06’03
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Yamaha +09’03
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Honda +09’59
SHORT Andrew USA Husqvarna +12’25
CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Honda +13’43
GONCALVES Paulo POR Honda +14’12 29. FAGGOTTER Rodney AUS Yamaha +33’13
Matthias Walkner
2019 Dakar Rally Outright Standings after Stage Two
BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team 04:23’14
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +01’31
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +01’33
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Rockstar Husqvarna Factory Racing +03’17
PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +04’33
SUNDERLAND Sam GBR Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +07’18
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Yamaha Official Rally Team +10’19
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Monster Energy Honda Team +12’18
CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +17’24
SHORT Andrew USA Rockstar Husqvarna Factory Racing +17’37
GONCALVES Paulo POR Monster Energy Honda Team +19’12 27. FAGGOTTER Rodney AUS Yamaha +42’59
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Brook and Koppe win North Brisbane Cup
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Brook and Koppe Win North Brisbane Cup
MotoGP racer Jack Miller added some extra prestige into the annual North Brisbane Cup last Saturday afternoon and evening but it was the talented pairing of Damien Koppe and Jarrod Brook who took the overall win after winning both feature races.
Damien Koppe and Jarrod Brook who took the overall win
Some of our best speedway, dirt track, road race and enduro riders were on hand but the real pace setters were Damien Koppe, Jarred Brook, Max Whale, Jake Allen, Kayden Downing and Jack Miller – in fact, Miller has lost none of his dirt track speed after going down in turn one of the Pro Open teams event, before remounting and carving back to third place in time for the changeover to fellow Townsville terror Kayden Downing.
Despite the relatively tight confines of Mick Doohan Raceway – for a long track slider designed for a mile track – speedway pro Josh Grajczonek proved himself competitive throughout the event.
North Brisbane Cup Results
Damien Koppe, Jarrod Brook 9:21.380
Max Whale, Jake Allen 1.791
Jack Miller, Kayden Downing 13.700
Harrison Maxwell, Nick Hallas 25.592
Bailey Spencer, Ben Montgomery 26.068
Briony Hendrickson, Andy McLeisch 1 lap
Lachlan Stanford, Fraser Higlett 1 lap
Jay Southwell, Max Losch 2 laps
Daniel Perdikis, Trevor Velt 2 laps
1Ryan Douglas, Joshua Grajczonek 3 laps
Brooke Goulding, Blake Goulding 11 laps
Jack Miller made an appearance at the North Brisbane Cup
Damien Koppe, Jarrod Brook 9:22.703
Max Whale, Jake Allen 6.763
Bailey Spencer, Ben Montgomery 1 lap
Harrison Maxwell, Nick Hallas 1 lap
Lachlan Stanford, Fraser Higlett 1 lap
Benjamin Mclaughlin, Adam Bevan 1 lap
Andrew McLiesh, Grace Hudson 1 lap
Jay Southwell, Max Losch 2 laps
Brooke Goulding, Blake Goulding 2 laps
Daniel Perdikis, Trevor Velt 2 laps DNF Jack Miller, Kayden Downing Lap 19
FIM SuperEnduro World Championship Round 1 – Krakow, Poland
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Taddy Blazusiak has won the opening round of the 2019 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship held in Krakow, Poland while Cody Webb and Colton Haaker rounded out the podium
Krakow SuperEnduro 2019 Round 1 – Image by Future7Media
On a dry and fast track at the Tauron Arena in Krakow, Blazusiak delighted his home fans by taking the overall win at round one of the championship. It wasn’t plain sailing for the six-time champion however as an early fall in the third and final heat left him playing catch-up to the riders ahead.
With his KTM 350 EXC-F blasting off the line, Blazusiak secured the holeshot in heat one. The Polish rider was never challenged for the remainder of the race and after riding eight smooth and consistent laps crossed the line 15 seconds ahead of teammate Webb. Putting in a similar performance in the reverse-grid heat two, Taddy fought his way through the pack early on to win by over five seconds from the second-placed finisher Haaker.
Aiming to take the hat-trick, Taddy fell early in the third heat and was placed dead-last at the beginning of the opening lap. Charging hard, he got his head down and proceeded to pick off the riders ahead of him, ultimately battling his way through to fourth at the line – enough to claim the overall event win and with it the championship lead heading into round two in Germany.
“The whole event has been amazing. Race one went perfectly, I was able to get out in front and set my own pace to take the win. Race two was pretty much the same, I had quite a lot of pressure from the guys behind and made a couple of mistakes, but I was able to put in some fast lap times and break the challenge. In the last moto, I got a pretty good start but I got tangled up with some other riders over the first jumps and went down. I picked myself and the bike up and saw I was in last place so I took a couple of seconds to make sure everything was ok and set off again. I was pushing hard and able to overtake the guys in front quite well. I did make a mistake in one rut and washed the front again, luckily I didn’t lose too much time and was happy enough to take fourth. Championship-wise, I’m a little disappointed to lose a few points but I think we’ll all have challenging races over the season. To be leading going into round two feels great.”
The 2019 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continues with round two in Riesa, Germany on January 5, 2019.
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French Beach Race Series – Round 4 – Ronde des Sables
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Nathan Watson has secured his second consecutive victory in the Championnat de France des Sables. Putting in a strong performance throughout the two-hour 30-minute beach race, Watson initially crossed the finish line in second, but was later awarded the overall win.
Yentel Martens – 2018 French Beach Races Round 4 Hossegor – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
After his confidence-boosting victory at last weekend’s round three, Nathan Watson headed to round four with hopes of making it two wins in a row and after starting strongly, he battled with teammate Camille Chapeliere for the lead during the first half of the race before taking control.
Camille Chapeliere – 2018 French Beach Races Round 4 Hossegor – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
However, despite pulling a sizeable advantage, Watson was unable to maintain his lead as the race conditions changed. With organisers cutting the event short due to an incoming tide, the Brit slipped back to second place at just the wrong moment in the race. Unable to regroup in time, Watson shadowed provisional winner Milko Potisek across the finish line for what he thought was a runner-up result. Later confirmed as the winner, Watson claimed his second consecutive beach race win.
Nathan Watson
“I’m disappointed to have physically just missed out on that race win but naturally pleased to be awarded the overall win. The race to the chequered flag itself was close and I was right behind him crossing the finish line. I had a good race and was leading with about a one-minute advantage. Then suddenly he came past me and I was shocked because I didn’t realise he was catching me so quick. I must have been riding too relaxed in traffic. He passed me on the last lap and I tried to regroup, but it was too late. With two tough rounds back-to-back and my victory at Red Bull Knock Out, I’ll take a bit of time to recover over the Christmas break and then work hard to prepare for the next round.”
Nathan Watson – 2018 French Beach Races Round 4 Hossegor – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
Claiming the holeshot on his KTM 450 SX-F, Watson’s teammate Camille Chapeliere put in a series of blisteringly fast laps to hold firm at the front of the results and maintain the race lead during the first hour of racing. With lapped traffic hampering his vision, the Frenchman was forced to pit earlier than scheduled for a fresh pair of goggles. Despite his strong pace during the latter half of the race, Chapeliere was unable to catch the leaders and had to settle for third overall, but was later awarded second.
Camille Chapeliere
“After last weekend’s disappointment I was determined to return strong here. I worked a lot to be ready and I wanted to show my speed on the track. My first hour was good. I took the holeshot and lead for quite a while. I had a little issue with my goggles and was unable to hold that position as I needed to pit early for a fresh set. But overall it’s been a good race and now I will continue to work and be ready for the next round as we build towards Enduropale le Touquet.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Yentel Martens delivered a strong ride at round four of the French Beach Race series in Ronde des Sables, Hossegor-Capbreton to claim a confidence-boosting fourth-place result.
Yentel Martens – 2018 French Beach Races Round 4 Hossegor – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
Yentel Martens
“Today was a positive step forward for me. After some bad luck last weekend and then picking up a small foot injury I was nervous about how things would go. Unfortunately, my start wasn’t the best and I was outside the top 20, so had a bit of work to do there. But my speed was good and I was able to make up the positions quite quickly. I caught up to Jeffrey Dewulf near the end but crashed and lost some time to him that I wasn’t able to recover. However, I’m happy with the progress. I know my speed is good enough to win now and as a team we are all working hard to make it happen.”
The Championnat de France des Sables continues with round five in Grayan on January 13, 2019.
Yentel Martens – 2018 French Beach Races Round 4 Hossegor – Image by Pascal Haudiquert
Results – French Beach Race Series, Round 4
Nathan Watson, KTM, 25 laps 2:23:11.880
Camille Chapeliere, KTM, 2:26:59.150 +3:47.270
Jeffrey Dewulf, KTM, 2:28:59.550 +5:47.670
Yentel Martens, Husqvarna, 2:23:59.550 +1 lap
Daymond Martens, Honda, 2:24:01.590 +1 lap
Championship Standings (After Round 4)
Jeffrey Dewulf, KTM, 500 points
Milko Potisek, Yamaha, 500 pts
Nathan Watson, KTM, 435 pts
Maxime Sot, Yamaha, 397 pts
Yentel Martens, Husqvarna, 390 pts
Wade Young Wins Roof of Africa
Wade Young has topped off an incredible 2018 hard enduro racing season by winning the infamous Motul Roof of Africa in a total time of 14-hours and 47-minutes, a clear 23-minutes ahead of the second placed rider, Travis Teasdale.
It has been widely reported that the 2018 version of the Roof of Africa was one if the toughest with legendary racer and former Roof winner Alfie Cox reporting, “It was tough. It was not a walk in the park and people had to dig deep. Some blokes were on the bike for ten to eleven hours a day. But that is what the Roof of Africa is all about.”
Wade Young wins the 2018 Roof Of Africa – Image by www.trompievanderberg.co.za / www.zcmc.co.za
While the mountains of Lesotho proved unforgiving, Wade Young made short work of the competition with a 40-minute lead after a strenuous 8-hours and 28-minutes on the bike after the first day of racing. Young played it safe on day-two, relinquishing some of his lead but ensuring his fourth Roof of Africa title.
The Sherco Factory rider claimed a number of high-profile hard enduro events in 2018 with victory in the Sea to Sky, Romaniacs, Megawatt and Australia’s own Wildwood Rock Extreme.
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Faggotter Ready for Dakar 2019
Yamalube Yamaha Rally team riders Adrien Van Beveren, Xavier de Soultrait and Aussie Rodney Faggotter will be aboard the newest edition of the WR450F Rally works machine as they take on the 41st Dakar which will be for the first time contested exclusively in Peru.
Rod Faggotter
Playing a crucial role for the Yamalube Yamaha Rally team during the last two Dakar Rallies, Rodney Faggotter remains with the squad going into the 2019 edition of the event after an extremely consistent run that saw him finish 16th overall and the highest placed Yamaha rider at the 2018 Dakar Rally.
Rodney Faggotter
“I’m looking forward to the 2019 Dakar. I’ve been racing some Bajas and training hard back home in Australia these last few months. I feel strong physically and also mentally. In the beginning of December, we’ve spent a full week testing and training with the team in Morocco and that was a good morale booster for me. We have a great spirit within the team and I want to be there for my teammates if they need me. I want to have a good clean run and do my own race. This Dakar might seem shorter, but we all know it’s still going to be a long and demanding race. If it all goes well, I’m confident I can improve my overall result from last year and fight for a spot inside the top-10.”
Rodney Faggotter – Dakar 2018
Race Schedule – Dakar Rally 2019
Stage 1 | Jan 7 | Lima to Pisco | SS: 84km | Total: 331km
Stage 2 | Jan 8 | Pisco to San Juan de Marcona | SS: 342km | Total: 554km
Stage 3 | Jan 9 | San Juan de Marcona to Arequipa | SS: 331km | Total: 779km
Stage 4 | Jan 10 | Arequipa to Moquegua | SS: 352km | Total: 511km
Stage 5 | Jan 11 | Moquegua to Arequipa | SS: 345km | Total: 776km
Rest Day | Jan 12 | Arequipa
Stage 6 | Jan 13 | Arequipa to San Juan de Marcona | SS: 317km | Total: 839km
Stage 7 | Jan 14 | San Juan de Marcona, return| SS: 323km | Total: 387km
Stage 8 | Jan 15 | San Juan de Marcona to Pisco | SS: 361km | Total: 576km
Stage 9 | Jan 16 | Pisco to Pisco | SS: 313km | Total: 410km
Stage 10 | Jan 17 | Pisco to Lima | SS: 112km | Total: 358km
2019 WESS Calendar Announced
The World Enduro Super Series will be an eight-round championship for the 2019 season with two additional Classic Enduro events scheduled for the coming season, combined with established Hard Enduro favourites, plus the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country.
2018 Gotland Grand National – WESS Round 7
The Extreme XL Lagares will once again open the season in Portugal, on May 10-12 before moving to France and the Classic Enduro at the Trèfle Lozérien AMV, then the Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble, Red Bull Romaniacs, Hawkstone Park Cross-Country in the United Kingdom, the Solsona Enduro in Spain et and finally GetzenRodeo in Germany on November 2-3.
Winfried Kerschhaggl – WESS Series Manager
“Further broadening the mix of events in the championship, while sharpening the focus on true Enduro competitions has been our goal. Traditional Enduro is always close to our hearts, fuelling our passion for racing, and for that reason it has led to the addition of two Classic Enduro events being added to the calendar. Combined with some of our much-loved events from 2018, plus the welcomed addition of the GetzenRodeo, we are very much looking forward to the start of the new series and the battle to find the 2019 Ultimate Enduro Champion.”
WESS 2018 – Round 8 Red Bull Knock Out – Image by Future7Media
World Enduro Super Series – 2019 Schedule
Round 1: Extreme XL Lagares (Portugal) May 10-12
Round 2: Trèfle Lozérien AMV (France) May 17-19
Round 3: Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble (Austria) May 30-June 2
Round 4: Classic Enduro (Italy) TBA
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs (Romania) July 30-August 4
Round 6: Hawkstone Park Cross Country (United Kingdom) September 21-22
Round 7: Solsona Enduro (Spain) October 5-6
Round 8: GetzenRodeo (Germany) November 2-3
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2019 AFT Calendar Announced
American Flat Track has finalized its 2019 schedule and prepares to launch ticket sales in time for the holidays.
The 2019 running of the New York Short Track at Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, NY has been moved back one week to July 13, 2019. Race fans can plan on an entire weekend of excitement, as AFT Events will once again throw a pre-race kickoff party with food, live music, entertainment and rider meet & greet session.
American Flat Track 2019 calendar announced
AFT’s season finale returns to the Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment at the famed MetLife Sports Complex in East Rutherford, NJ for a second running of the Meadowlands Mile. The race is set for September 28, 2019 – one week earlier than its 2018 date. This venue provided showstopping race action in 2018 and has already become one of the most highly-anticipated events of the upcoming season.
Cameron Gray, COO of AFT Events
“Now that we have finalized our 2019 schedule, we can hit the ground running. We’ve got new venues, freshly-built and redesigned racetracks and are planning some major improvements to overall fan experience for the coming season. AFT fans can look forward to the most exciting season of American Flat Track to date.”
AFT returns in 2019
American Flat Track will kick off its 2019 season with its bar-banging Daytona TT in appropriate fashion – during the wild Bike Week festivities in Daytona Beach. The 2019 Daytona TT happens Thursday, March 14 once again under the lights of the iconic Daytona International Speedway. Tickets will be available soon at https://www.americanflattrack.com.
2019 American Flat Track Schedule
March 14: Daytona TT – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
March 23: Atlanta Short Track – Dixie Speedway, Woodstock, GA
April 20: Texas Half-Mile – Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX
April 27: Wild Horse TT – Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, Chandler, AZ
May 11: Perris Half-Mile – Perris Auto Speedway, Perris, CA
May 18: Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
May 26: Springfield Mile I – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
(AFT Singles Springfield TT same weekend)
June 1: Red Mile – Red Mile, Lexington, KY
June 15: Laconia Short Track – New Hampshire Motor Sp., Loudon, New Hampshire
June 29: Lima Half-Mile – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH
July 13: New York Short Track – Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, NY
August 4: Buffalo Chip TT – Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, SD
August 6: Black Hills Half-Mile – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, SD
August 17: Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL
September 1: Springfield Mile II – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL
(AFT Singles Springfield Short Track same weekend)
September 7: Williams Grove Half-Mile – Williams Grove Sp., Mechanicsburg, PA
September 21: Minnesota Mile – Canterbury Park, Shakopee, MN
September 28: Meadowlands Mile – Meadowlands R & E, East Rutherford, NJ
2019 GNCC Calendar Announced
Racer Productions, producer of the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series, is pleased to announce the 2019 series schedule.
New for the 2019 season will be the expanded Micro (50cc) Racing program, while the eMTB racing will take place at eight rounds including an eMTB only race held on July 27 at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.
2019 GNCC calendar announced – Image by Ken Hill
Jeff Russell – GNCC Trail Boss
“We’re excited to get the 2019 season rolling. With a great schedule of events on some of the best off-road courses the country has to offer, the upcoming season is shaping up to be one of the best yet. We have several facilities to consider for the fall TBA event. A lot of factors go into finding a venue to host a GNCC event and we hope to have an announcement on that round as soon as possible.”
The 2019 schedule welcomes back many of its most seasoned venues, including Camp Coker Bullet in Society Hill, South Carolina; X-Factor in Peru, Indiana; The John Penton in Millfield, Ohio; Tomahawk in Alpine, New York; West Virginia’s popular Snowshoe GNCC in Snowshoe, West Virginia; and the Ironman GNCC in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
The Queensland Motocross subcommittee is pleased to announce details of a freshly revamped 2019 Sunshine State Motocross Series, with four exciting venue additions from last year’s Airoh series.
2019 Sunshine State Motocross Series calendar announced
Since its inception as a B & C Grade series more than 25 years ago, the ‘Sunny States’ have made a consistent contribution to the development of Queensland’s racing stocks, and established a tradition as a proving ground for up-and-coming riders.
Averaging around 330 riders per round, the series contributes significantly to the ‘dirt bike economy’ that fuels small towns in South-East Queensland, while offering competitors the best prizemoney of any comparable series.
Next year’s incarnation will see a mix of trusted and true venues and exciting new locations, with the respected Suncoast Junior Motorcycle Club both raising and lowering the curtain on the series, boasting two rounds at its iconic Coolum track.
2019 Sunshine State Motocross Series calendar announced
In between though, riders will take a thrill ride of fresh racing challenges to grow their skills, re-visiting old favourites like a recently-updated Roma, Mundubbera, Kilcoy and Goondiwindi.
New series coordinator Rachelle Houterman is anything but a new face on the scene, and in taking over the reins from Jason Watson, will look to maintain what’s great about the series, but improve what she can.
She’ll again assume the role of Race Secretary for the series and will steer the ship overall with help from the Motocross Subcommittee, as well as the promoting clubs and series officials.
Rachelle Houterman – Race Secretary
“It’ll be a busy year for me and my helpers, but we have a lot of experience with all aspects of the series and we’re looking to continue to grow Queensland’s premier motocross series as well as trying to increase the payback to the clubs and open up more contingencies for juniors. Some riders may not have previously experienced a few of these tracks, but are sure to be in for a great time at venues that older riders still speak very highly of. Roma has had some exciting new changes as well, so there’ll be lots of opportunity for riders to learn new tracks and gain new skills. Kilcoy has also been missing from the series lately, but the Kilcoy Motorcycle Club has gained a huge following in recent years, so we’re happy to return this track to the calendar.”
The Motocross Subcommittee wishes to thank Jason Watson for all of his hard work over the past two years and wishes him all the best for his new endeavours. Jason remains a valued member of the MX Subcommittee.
2019 Sunshine State Motocross Series calendar announced
The series sponsor is expected to be announced very soon, and a host of sponsorship opportunities now exist with the Sunshine State MX Series. Please contact Rachelle direct on 0409 174 273 or email [email protected].
2019 Sunshine State Series Venues and Dates
Coolum 16/17 February
Roma 23/24 March
Mundubbera 6/7 April
Kilcoy 11/12 May
Goondiwindi 1/ 2 June
Coolum 15/16 June
Further information, Rachelle Houterman, Series Coordinator. Ph: 3281 2255 E: [email protected]
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2019 Australian Speedway Senior Solo draw announced
The 2019 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship kicks off bright and early on January 3rd 2019 at Gillman Speedway, South Australia, and the seeded and qualifying line-up is locked and loaded!
For the first time in three years, the Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship will run a Qualifier the day before Round 1, where 16 selected riders will battle it out for the remaining eight spots in the Championship.
2019 Australian Speedway Senior Solo draw announced
Gillman Speedway will play host to the first round of the Championship, setting the bar higher than the South Australian Summer temperature! Round 1 will commence with the Qualifier on Wednesday night, January 2nd, where each rider will vie for their spot in the available eight places remaining on Thursday night.
With no brakes, gears or fear, Thursday 3rd January is anticipated to be an absolute scorcher, as tensions continue to run high after a tough Qualifier the day prior. Speedway Commission Chair, Ivan Golding, reflected on the draw of seeded and qualifying riders for the 2019 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship.
Ivan Golding – Speedway Commission Chair
“This has been one of the strongest qualifiers we have experienced in quite some time! Yesterday’s draw was extremely tough, making our job even harder than in previous years. The depth of nominations received for the 2019 Championship are some of the best we have received, which has made the draw super tough. The quality of riders to pick from was very impressive, and we are no doubt locked in for a thrilling 2019 Championship!”
The field includes eight seeded riders, including the 2018 reigning Champion, Rohan Tungate, alongside the likes of Max Fricke, Chris Holder, Jack Holder and Jaimon Lidsey.
The full list of seeded riders in the 2019 Australian Senior Solo Speedway Championship are as follows:
The 16 riders selected for the Qualifier on January 2nd are as follows
At the close of Round 1, riders will move North to Mildura, Victoria for Round 2 on 5th January, followed by Round 3 on 7th January at Undera, Victoria. The penultimate round will be held on 9th January at Albury Wodonga, Victoria, with a close to the Championship at Kurri-Kurri, New South Wales on 12th January.
Tanti joins Crawford at Serco
Serco Yamaha will again be a force to be reckoned with next season after enlisting Nathan Crawford and Aaron Tanti to steer their YZ250F’s in the 2019 MX Nationals and Australian Supercross Championships.
Nathan Crawford
“I hate being off the bike and not riding and its driving me crazy but my motivation is as good as it’s ever been and I’m excited to be locked in with Serco and the opportunity to race the YZ250F again. I haven’t even ridden the 2019 bike, but it looks and sounds amazing and I know Serco Yamaha will give me the best bike in the class. I’m able to bare weight on my leg and start physio this week with a view to start riding again by late January. That still leaves me enough time to get myself bike fit and ready to go for the MX Nationals and I’m already looking forward to racing again.”
Nathan Crawford
Aaron Tanti
“Up until last year, I was juggling work with racing but for 2018 I was able to get myself in a position where I could ride and train full time and it instantly showed improvement in my results. The reward of the hard work and sacrifice came when Gavin approached me about racing for Serco in 2019. Now to have the support and structure of the Serco Yamaha team behind me and entering the new year feeling fit and refreshed, I am confident 2019 will be my best season yet as I feel there is still a lot of room for improvement in my riding and racing.
Aaron Tanti joins Crawford at Serco in 2019
“I spent a day on the bike earlier this week and I’m impressed with everything about it. We just ran through some basic things like bar bends to get me comfortable, stiffened up the fork a little and I was good to go. The Yamaha YZ250F feels awesome and that is just the production bike, I can’t wait to ride the full- blown race bike Serco will build for me. I’m proud to have achieved this ride with Serco Yamaha but I know the real work is about to come. But I will give it my all and aim to win as many races and championships as I can.”
Aaron Tanti
Round one of the MX Nationals takes place at Appin, west of Sydney on March 17.
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WBR Yamaha sign Purvis and Kukas for MXD
WBR Yamaha team will be out to match their 2018 success that saw them claim the top two spots in the MXD class at the MX Nationals, with Max Purvis and Jack Kukas lining up for 2019.
Max Purvis
“I have done two seasons in Australia now and I feel comfortable racing here now as I know the riders and how the events work. But, it’s also the first time I have had major support over here and its cool to be a part of the WBR Yamaha. I had to race against them in 2018 and I know how well prepared and organised they were so it’s exciting to now be on the same side as them. I won plenty of rounds last year, but I just wasn’t consistent enough in the rounds that I didn’t win so that’s an area I need to address this year. Championships are won on your bad days, so I need to find a way grind out a good result when things aren’t going my way and be consistent across all 10 rounds. I love racing in Australia and the MX Nationals is a great series. Doing the NZ Nationals, the MX Nationals and the Australian Supercross Championship will be a huge year for me, but I can’t wait to get started.”
Maximus Purvis with WBR Yamaha in 2019
Jack Kukas
“It’s awesome to be back here in Australia and on the WBR Yamaha team for the 2019 season. I have been a Yamaha rider all my life to so get the opportunity to ride for the official Yamaha MXD team is a bit of a dream come true. I have already spent a week down with the team in Echuca just getting settled on the bike and meeting everyone. Travis and Nathan are awesome to deal with and are so helpful in getting me comfortable on and off the bike. I can’t thank them enough for giving me this chance and I hope to repay them with some good results. The 2019 YZ250F is such a good bike and we have a great group of sponsors on board for next year so I’m going to give it my all and try and get another championship for Yamaha and the WBR team.”
Jack Kukas to 2019 WBR Yamaha team
The first time both riders will be on track together will be the opening round of the MX Nationals at Appin, west of Sydney, on March 17.
Argentina to kick-off 2019 MXGP season
Youthstream has revealed that the first round of the 2019 MXGP and MX2 FIM Motocross World Championship season will take place at the Patagonia-Argentina circuit of Neuquen on Sunday the 10th of March with bikes racing for the first time of the new season in Qualifying on Saturday.
MXGP 2019 kicks off in Argentina
MXGP’s return to Patagonia Argentina’s beautiful Neuquen circuit is exciting for the riders, fans, and industry members as amazing GPs have taken place at the venue since first hosting the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2015. Serving as the second round of 2017 and then the opening round of 2018 the previous years have resulted in stunning racing amongst the hillsides lined by thousands of South American motocross fans.
David Luongo – Vice President of Youthstream
“It is great news to be back in Argentina for the opening Grand Prix of the season. The circuit of Neuquen is for most of the riders, the most beautiful track of the championship and its location in the middle of Patagonia is breathtaking. We really want to thank David Eli from Mas Eventos along with the local and national authorities making this Grand Prix possible, we are sure that it will be a great success and will bring a lot of attention and exposure Argentina.”
Stefan Everts in hospital
Ten times World Champion Stefan Everts was hospitalized last week and remains at the University Hospital of Leuven in Belgium in an induced coma.
Stefan Everts
Everts participated in a charity event three weeks ago in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo to raise funds for the construction of schools in the area and contracted malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite.
During his legendary career, Everts won the record numbers of 101 Motocross Grands Prix and ten FIM world titles. After his career, he worked at KTM and then ran the Suzuki World MXGP team before Suzuki suspended its support for the FIM Motocross World Championships last year.
The moto world holds its combined breath waiting for Stefan to pull through and our hearts go out to the family.
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Rodney Faggotter is all set to compete in the 2019 Dakar Rally in January again with the Yamalube Yamaha Rally Team, alongside teammates Adrien Van Beveren, Xavier de Soultrait, Franco Caimi (TBC) and Alexandre Kowalski.
Rodney Faggotter
The riders are all-set to take on the 2019 Dakar aboard the newest edition of the WR450F Rally works machine for this 41st edition of the event.
Working hard during the last few months to be ready for the biggest event in the annual rally racing calendar, the Yamalube Yamaha Rally team members are all looking forward to the 2019 Dakar. Remaining under the guidance of team director Alexandre Kowalski, team manager José Leloir and sport manager Jordi Arcarons, all riders are looking to make the most of their experience as they battle against the world’s elite rally racers in what is expected to be an anything but easy event.
Playing a crucial role for the Yamalube Yamaha Rally team during the last two Dakar Rallies, Rodney Faggotter remains with the squad going into the 2019 edition of the event.
Rodney Faggotter
Enjoying an extremely consistent run that saw him finish 16th overall at the 2018 Dakar Rally, the Aussie will look to improve on this result in January 2019.
Rodney Faggotter
“I’m looking forward to the 2019 Dakar. I’ve been racing some Bajas and training hard back home in Australia these last few months. I feel strong physically and also mentally. In the beginning of December we’ve spent a full week testing and training with the team in Morocco and that was a good morale booster for me. We have a great spirit within the team and I want to be there for my teammates if they need me. I want to have a good clean run and do my own race. This Dakar might seem shorter, but we all know it’s still going to be a long and demanding race. If it all goes well, I’m confident I can improve my overall result from last year and fight for a spot inside the top-10.”
Rod Faggotter
Leading the team’s efforts for yet another year is Adrien Van Beveren, eager to impress by fighting for the overall victory and at the top of his game following months of hard work, the French rider is ready for the dunes of Peru.
Adrien Van Beveren
Putting in many thousands of racing and training kilometres aboard his WR450F Rally machine in 2018, Xavier de Soultrait is also set to enter the fifth Dakar Rally of his career this coming January and is working hard to further improve his navigational skills.
With the team 100% ready to have Franco Caimi enter the 2019 Dakar Rally, his participation will be decided just before the start of the race. Doing everything possible to return to full fitness following his injury during the Morocco Rally, the rider from Argentina is expecting to undergo his last medical checks just a few days before the start of the event.
Franco Caimi
Further strengthening Yamaha’s presence at the 2019 Dakar will be Camelia Liparoti. Teaming up with Rosa Romero Font as her co-driver, the two highly-experienced racers will compete in Yamaha’s YXZ1000R side-by-side machine at the coming edition of the event in Peru.
Dakar Rally 2019
Taking place in the southern part of Peru, the 2019 Dakar Rally features a total of 10 demanding stages. The race kicks off on January 7 in Lima, with competitors returning to the Peruvian city for the big finish on January 17 and after an exhaustive 5,000km in the dunes of the South American country.
Adrian Van Beveren
Dakar Rally 2019 Schedule
Stage 1 | Jan 7 | Lima to Pisco | SS: 84km | Total: 331km
Stage 2 | Jan 8 | Pisco to San Juan de Marcona | SS: 342km | Total: 554km
Stage 3 | Jan 9 | San Juan de Marcona to Arequipa | SS: 331km | Total: 779km
Stage 4 | Jan 10 | Arequipa to Moquegua | SS: 352km | Total: 511km
Stage 5 | Jan 11 | Moquegua to Arequipa | SS: 345km | Total: 776km
Rest Day | Jan 12 | Arequipa
Stage 6 | Jan 13 | Arequipa to San Juan de Marcona | SS: 317km | Total: 839km
Stage 7 | Jan 14 | San Juan de Marcona (return) | SS: 323km | Total: 387km
Stage 8 | Jan 15 | San Juan de Marcona to Pisco | SS: 361km | Total: 576km
Stage 9 | Jan 16 | Pisco to Pisco | SS: 313km | Total: 410km
Stage 10 | Jan 17 | Pisco to Lima | SS: 112km | Total: 358km
KTM set for 2019 Dakar Rally with epic rider line-up
Having just claimed the FIM Cross-Country Rally World Title, Toby Price has his sights firmly set on the Dakar Rally 2019, with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team, alongside Walkner, Sunderland, and Benavides.
Toby Price FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion
Price endured a challenging start to his 2018 season with some bad fortune and mixed results hampering his championship hopes, however a charge in the latter half of the year took the Australian to victory at the final round in Morocco and with it he secured his first ever world championship.
Toby Price FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion
The 2016 Dakar champion aims to carry that form into Peru and the fast-approaching 2019 event, which starts January 6 in Lima.
The 2019 Dakar Rally will cover 10 full days of racing with one marathon stage and one rest day before the riders return to Lima for the finish on January 17. The total distance covered by the motorcycles will be 5,541 kilometres – 2,889 kilometres of which will be timed special stages.
Toby Price FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion
With the route consisting of 70 percent sand dunes, the event will be like no other. The organisers have billed the 41st edition as one of ‘unequalled intensity’ where navigation, endurance and perhaps more importantly than ever, ultimate speed will be key to a strong result.
Toby Price
“2018 has been an incredible year for me. Finishing the Dakar on the podium in third after only just coming back from injury was great. The world championship didn’t start quite like I would have hoped, but I was able to keep my head together, stay consistent and the results finally came. Everything clicked in Morocco at that final round and I’m hoping for something similar in Peru. It’s going to be a bit of a strange Dakar, the route looks like about 70 percent is in the dunes and it’s going to be a real challenge, certainly no time to relax. In the past there have been days where you can pace yourself and still get a good result by concentrating on navigation and riding smooth – on this one I think it’s going to be flat-out from the very beginning.”
Toby Price – Image by Sebas Romero
Matthias Walkner was crowned 2018 Dakar Rally Champion and will be looking to defend his title. Despite a tricky start to this year’s world championship campaign, Walkner soon found his rhythm onboard his KTM 450 Rally. Strong finishes at the final few rounds of the season, including runner-up results at the Desafio Inka and Rallye du Maroc, showed that the Austrian rider is on form and ready to take on the Dakar once more.
Matthias Walkner
“I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike in Peru and racing to defend my title. There is a little bit of added pressure for me but my plan is exactly the same as always – stay safe and do my best at the event. It’s difficult to know how things will be with the race held in just one country and with so much of it in the sand. Strategy will be very important as your start position for the day can make a huge difference to the results. I believe it will be very close with a lot of guys fighting for the win, but if everything goes to plan and I can keep to a consistent pace, I would hope for at least another podium finish.”
Matthias Walkner won the 2018 Dakar Rally
Forced to retire from the 2018 Dakar due to injury, Sam Sunderland was soon back on a bike and fighting for the win at the first round of the world championship in Abu Dhabi. As the season moved on to Chile, Sam was again battling for victory when a further injury caused him to miss the next few races. Regrouping for the final round in Morocco the Brit’s pace was impressive in the sand with Sam taking a stage win. Pleased with his speed on the bike, Sunderland has also been working on his overall fitness for what looks to be one of the most intense Dakar Rallies to date.
Sam Sunderland
“As we get closer to Dakar now, I’m feeling really good. I’m happy with how I am riding and confident in my navigation. I know this year in Peru it’s going to be very physically demanding, so I have been working very hard on my training to be in the best shape when the race starts in January. It’s definitely good for me that we have 10 days in the dunes. I love riding that sort of terrain and seem to have good pace there. Whether it will fall in my favour I don’t know. Anything can happen in rallies as we know and you can’t predict a race like Dakar. This year I did have a six-minute lead after Peru so that is encouraging, but the plan is the usual – take each day as it comes.”
Sam Sunderland led the way as Dakar 2018 got underway but was forced to retire due to injury
Riding the full Red Bull liveried KTM 450 Rally for the first time at Dakar 2019, Luciano Benavides is hoping to make up for his early departure from the 2018 event with a strong result in Peru.
Luciano Benavides
“It’s an honour to ride with the Red Bull colours on the bike. It carries a lot of responsibility and some added pressure, especially as I am riding with three Dakar champions. But I will try my best to turn that into motivation to do well. My first goal is simply to finish, as I had to drop out this year. My second goal is to finish inside the top-10. I know that will be tough and I think with the shorter rally in 2019 it will be even tougher, but I know I have the pace to do so. My crash this year came from a lack of focus, so I need to change that for January. I have spent a lot of time working on my navigation and strategy so hopefully it will all pay off.”
Luciano Benavides – Image by Sebas Romero
Joining the four-rider Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team in Peru will be Laia Sanz and Mario Patrao. Sanz will be returning to competition proper following her recent fight with the Epstein Barr virus. Patrao will be racing his first Dakar for the factory team and hopes to be able to support the rest of the squad by riding a solid, consistent Dakar in what looks to be a shorter, but no-less brutal race.
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What Went Down Last Weekend?
Brayton Wins King of Geneva
Bowers is King of Chemnitz
Watson wins in France
Price Ready for Challenging Dakar 19
Yamaha Signs Green, Driscoll and Style for 2019
Three More Yamaha Riders Set for 2019 MXGP
Kirk Gibbs Signs for CDR Yamaha for 2019
2019 Mountain Man Motocross News
Metcalfe Heads Honda Campaign in 2019
King of MX 2019 Dates Announced
Weston Peick Update – Good News
Brayton Wins King of Geneva
Three-time Australian Supercross Champion Justin Brayton capped off a stellar ‘off-season’ by winning the King of Geneva last weekend with a win and a second place over the two nights of racing in front of a quality field and a huge crowd.
Justin Brayton – King of Geneva 2018
Brayton was forced to come from outside the top five to pass Christian Craig for second place during Friday nights final and was looking like he was going to have to settle for second behind Zach Osborne when on the very last lap Osborne hit the rear tyre of a lapped rider only to crash leaving Brayton alone for the win ahead of Craig, Osborne, Vince Friese, Jordi Tixier, Cole Seely and Justin Barcia.
Barcia scored the holeshot in Saturday night’s final ahead of Craig and Brayton but it didn’t take long before Brayton got around Craig and started putting pressure on Barcia but after 20 gruelling laps Barcia got the win ahead of Brayton, Craig, Friese, Tixier, Valentin Teillet and Cole Seely.
Brayton earned a well-deserved King of Geneva over Craig and Barcia. “I don’t what happened to my starts but I knew what I had to do to win the King of Geneva, this is awesome to win my fifth King of Geneva supercross, that’s crazy, who would have thought when you see the list of names who have won this before but I am happy to be part of it and happy to have the record solo (for most wins), I’m stoked.”
SX Final Night One
Justin Brayton
Christian Craig
Zach Osborne
Vince Friese
Jordi Tixier
Cole Seely
Justin Barcia
Cedric Soubeyras
Gregory Aranda
Malcolm Stewart
Valentin Teillet
Fabien Izoird
Nicolas Aubin
Gaetan Le Hir
Xavier Boog
SX Final Night Two
Justin Barcia
Justin Brayton
Christian Craig
Vince Friese
Jordi Tixier
Valentin Teillet
Cole Seely
Gregory Aranda
Fabien Izoird
Khousith Vongsana
Xavier Boog
Nicolas Dercourt
Gaetan Le Hir
Kevin Ballanger
Joen Cros
Nicolas Aubin
Cedric Soubeyras
Zach Osborne
King of Geneva
Justin Brayton (20-17)
Christian Craig (17-15)
Justin Barcia (9-20)
Vince Friese (13-13)
Jordi Tixier (11-11)
Cole Seely (10-9)
Valentin Teillet (5-10)
Gregory Aranda (7-8)
Zach Osborne (15-0)
Fabien Izoird (4-7)
Cameron McAdoo won the Prince of Geneva from Adrien Escoffier and Julien Roussaly.
Prince of Geneva
Cameron McAdoo 17-20
Adrien Escoffier 20-17
Julien Roussaly 13-15
Bowers is King of Chemnitz
American Tyler Bowers was in Germany last weekend and was rewarded by claiming the King of Chemnitz honours after winning Friday night’s final ahead of Cole Martinez before backing that up with another win on Saturday night this time ahead of Charles Lefrancois.
Friday SX1 Final
Tyler Bowers
Cole Martinez
Charles Lefrancois
Dominique Thury
Justin Starling
Saturday – SX1 Final
Tyler Bowers
Charles Lefrancois
Dominique Thury
Cole Martinez
Justin Starling
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Watson wins in France
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Nathan Watson has secured a dominant victory at round three of the Championnat de France des Sables Beach Race Series in St. Léger de Balson after charging his way to a commanding two-minute win.
Championnat de France des Sables Beach Race Series in St. Léger de Balson
Offering a change from the traditional seaside beach race, round three of the Championnat de France des Sables made its way inland to the vast, deep sandy forest region of St. Léger de Balson for the third stop of the championship. Wet and changeable weather for the two-hour-30-minute race ensured conditions would be anything but predictable for the 300 riders competing.
After missing round two due to his World Enduro Super Series commitments, Nathan Watson returned to competitive action in the championship highly motivated following his recent victory at the Red Bull Knock Out beach race in The Netherlands.
Starting strongly, Watson rounded the opening lap inside the top five. However, with conditions proving wet and muddy, he knew it would be a race of attrition for many. Taking his time to settle into things, he steadily worked his way into the lead during the first 45 minutes.
Opting to pit early for a fresh pair of goggles and gloves saw him drop back to second place behind new race leader Milko Potisek. Feeling strong and comfortable in the deteriorating conditions, Nathan quickly worked his way back in front. Continuing his unrelenting pace, the KTM 450 SX-F rider ended the race with a two-minute-20-second margin of victory.
Nathan Watson
“I’m delighted and a little bit surprised with how well my race has gone. I felt in control the whole way through and despite some horrendously tough conditions I was able to manage the pace of the race to my advantage. With a lot of rain I knew conditions would be tricky. My start was ok and I was fourth after lap one. A few riders made some mistakes and then suddenly I was in the lead. However, I needed to pit early for fresh goggles and gloves and that dropped me back into second behind Milko. When I got going again I managed to pull him back in quite quickly and once ahead I continued that strong pace until the chequered flag. It feels great to get this win, especially off the back of my Red Bull Knock Out victory and I’m looking forward to keeping that momentum rolling into round four next weekend.”
Nathan Watson
The Championnat de France des Sables continues with round four on December 9, 2018.
Results – French Beach Race Series, Round 3
Nathan Watson, KTM, 17 laps 2:39:26.670
Milko Potisek, Yamaha, 2:41:47.330
Jeffrey Dewulf, KTM, 2:45:24.490;
Petar Petrov, KTM, 16 laps 2:40:52.881
Maxime Sot, Yamaha, 2:41:22.540
Championship Standings (After round 3)
Milko Potisek, Yamaha, 410pts
Jeffrey Dewulf, KTM, 375pts
Petar Petrov , KTM, 308pts
Maxime Sot, Yamaha, 292pts
Nathan Watson, KTM, 285pts
Price Ready for Challenging Dakar 19
Former Dakar Champion Toby Price is now in the final stages of preparations ahead of the 2019 Dakar Rally. One final test in Abu Dhabi is now all that stands between the current FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion and the 10-day event being held exclusively in Peru beginning on January 6th 2019.
Toby Price
“It’s going to be a bit of a strange Dakar, the route looks like about 70 percent is in the dunes and it’s going to be a real challenge, certainly no time to relax. In the past there have been days where you can pace yourself and still get a good result by concentrating on navigation and riding smooth – on this one I think it’s going to be flat-out from the very beginning.”
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Josh Strang Signs with Kawasaki
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. has announced that Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green will field two XC1 class riders in the 2019 GNCC and Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series with former GNCC XC1 Champion and current Full Gas Sprint Enduro Champion Josh Strang being the first to sign for the team.
Josh Strang
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to ride the all-new KX450. It’s exciting to join a team like Kawasaki, who believe in the potential of my riding and my results. I rode Kawasaki’s in Australia for many years before moving to the U.S. to race, so it’s really gone full circle for me. I can’t wait to get back on a brand that helped start my career and continues to provide support, which is a big part of succeeding.”
Josh Strang
In addition to the Team Babbitt’s Online racing effort, Kawasaki Team Green will have a lot to offer off-road racers, including a $1.7 million racer rewards program with $427,700 dedicated to the GNCC series.
The Team Green trackside support crew, featuring technical assistance and parts sales for customers will attend seven rounds of the 2019 GNCC series as well as other off-road race events across the country. For GNCC events where the Team Green trackside support crew is not present, the Team Babbitt’s Online semi will have a supply of OEM parts to assist KX customers in need.
To further support our customer, racers can visit their Kawasaki Team Green dealer to earn up to a $1,500 rebate for the purchase of a new 2019 KX model. Kawasaki Team Green dealers have until February 15, 2019 to submit Racer Support applications.
Team Green Manager Ryan Holliday
“We have been working hard to put these programs together and re-establish our presence in the off-road segment. Having the opportunity to continue our successful relationship with Team Babbitt’s Online and be involved with the GNCC series was an easy decision for us. The combination of having a great new KX450 model, experienced riders and the knowledge of our team staff gives us the potential for success right away.”
Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green along with the Team Green trackside support crew will take on the treacherous terrain of the Big Buck GNCC season opener in Union, South Carolina on February 24, 2019.
Yamaha Signs Green, Driscoll and Style for 2019
Josh Green, Luke Styke and Michael Driscoll will remain with the Yamaha Active8 Yamalube team for the 2019 Australian Off-Road Championships as well as other major events around Australia.
After winning the Under 19 division for two years running, Michael Driscoll will now make the big step up to the E1 class for 2019.
Michael Driscoll
“I feel like I have a good foundation to enter the professional classes now and confident I can mix it up with the best in the class right from the get go. Having watched closely how someone like Josh prepares himself and seeing the professionalism he approaches his racing enables me to learn that being successful is more than just hanging off the throttle. Being back with AJ (Roberts) and the team is great and we have a really good thing going. The bikes are awesome and we have an awesome group of people around us so hopefully Luke, Josh and myself can all push each other to have an even better season that last.”
Michael Driscoll
Motocross convert, Luke Styke, proved a revelation in 2018 as he dominated proceedings in the E1 category taking the win in the AORC as well as the A4DE and landing well inside the top five Outright at the majority of the events.
Luke Styke
“Off road was completely new to me this time last year and almost every event I went to I had to learn not just about the bike, the rules or the riding, but also the formats and the fitness required to succeed at the highest level, so it was a lot to take in all at once but I was happy with how the year turned out. But for 2019, I now have that experience, so my time and focus can be on fine tuning my program to get the most from myself and being better again. Last year the goal was to win my class, in 2019, the next step is outright and although Daniel Milner is riding exceptionally well and one of the best riders in the world, there is no point racing if we don’t have him as the bench mark and try and beat him. It will take a lot of work and preparation but the team and I’m already hard at work and looking to make the next step in our performance.”
Luke Styke
Entering into his eighth season with the Yamaha Active8 Yamalube Team, Josh Green is back and determined to lead the way for the team in 2019.
Josh Green
“I still want to win as much as I did in my first season with AJ and the team. Having Styke and Driscoll in the team benefits me as much as I assist them in that I can use their energy and youthful exuberance to keep me going. Yamaha have been great to work with over the years and I’m 100% a Yamaha guy. I’m proud to represent not only this team but also Yamaha and still believe I’m more than capable of mixing it with anyone in Australian Off Road.”
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Three More Yamaha Riders Set for 2019 MXGP
JWR Yamaha Racing has confirmed a three-rider team for the 2019 MXGP season with six-time Grand Prix winner, Kevin Strijbos leading the team which will also feature Vsevolod Brylyakov and Anton Gole.
Kevin Strijbos
“I’m really happy to join the JWR Yamaha Racing team. It is a young dynamic team and I will try to help them with my experience if needed. I’m also looking forward to riding the Yamaha 450F, as I have heard a lot of positive things about the bike. I cannot wait to ride it! It seems the circle will close; I started my first MXGP season on a Yamaha 125 in 2001 and it looks like I will also close it on a Yamaha. Of course, I will do my best next year to get the best results possible.”
Kevin Strijbos to JWR Yamaha Racing in 2019
Vsevolod Brylyakov
“Finally! I am pumped to announce my new deal with JWR Yamaha Racing for the 2019 MXGP season! It is going to be my first year in the MXGP class and to be honest I do feel very excited. After the past two difficult years, with two big injuries, it is not going to be easy to go and race with the strongest and fastest guys in the world, but I am not scared of work and I believe in myself. I am happy to say that I have people who are giving me the same feeling and that is giving me some extra motivation and the will to succeed. Now it is time make some plans, pack my bags and start my trip back to Europe! My knee feels better and stronger day by day. I cannot wait to go and ride this YZ450F!”
Anton Gole
“I am so happy to finally announce my deal with JWR Yamaha Racing. I have known Johan for a couple of years now and I think he is a very driven guy with big dreams and high goals, so I am really excited to join his team. I’m also going to step up to the MXGP class for next year, so to have Vsevolod Brylyakov and Kevin Strijbos as teammates will be awesome. I hope to learn a lot from them. It is going to be a tough challenge to ride in the big-boy class, but I feel really good on the YZ450F and I am really looking forward to it.”
Kirk Gibbs Signs for CDR Yamaha for 2019
The CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team unveiled Kirk Gibbs as one of their new rider signings for the 2019 season at the bLU cRU King of the Valley event at Oakdale, NSW, on the weekend.
Kirk Gibbs – Image by Scottya
Gibbs has been drafted to the powerful CDR Yamaha team for the 2019 motocross season and his first assignment was to spin some laps at the Oakdale event and was alongside team boss Craig Dack as the club hosted its final event of the year and raised money for injured riders Daniel McCoy and Tyler Darby.
With Dean Ferris deciding to look overseas and Dylan Long’s contract not renewed, Craig Dack has been on the lookout for two new riders to spearhead the teams’ 2019 campaign and he is pleased to reveal the signature of Kirk Gibbs for next season and is excited about what he brings to the team.
Craig Dack
“Kirk comes to us as an experienced racer with the qualities we look for in a professional rider. He is hard-working, dedicated and determined in character as well and talented and focused on racing. We believe surrounding him with the CDR Yamaha staff and on Yamaha machinery, we can elevate Kirk even further and look forward to a strong season from him.”
CDR Yamaha’s Craig Dack
Gibbs has been a championship contender in the MX Nationals since the 2013 season and highlighted with his championship win in 2015.
Kirk Gibbs
“I think every rider in the pits look at CDR Yamaha as the best in the business as their on-track success and off -track knowledge is unmatched in Australia. So now to be a part of that environment and have such an experienced team to lean on for advice is a big confidence booster and one that I think can push my results even higher. I have only had some initial set up testing on the Yamaha YZ450F and already I feel I have a bike that I can ride well and suited to my style of riding. The power is smooth yet strong and the chassis feels really stable, so I feel we are well-placed already and really look forward to working closely with Craig and his team in 2019.”
Kirk Gibbs – Image by Scottya
The first assignment for Gibbs on his new Yamaha YZ450F is to tackle the New Zealand Motocross Championships beginning at the end of January before embarking on his MX nationals campaign starting on March 17.
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2019 Mountain Man Motocross News
Since celebrating the 40th anniversary back in 2016, Toowoomba’s Mountain Man of Motocross has once again cemented itself as one of the most prestigious meetings on the calendar with Kade Mosig, Kirk Gibbs and Dean Ferris all being crowned ‘Mountain Man’ over the last three years.
2019 sees the event run over two days later in February (23/24) after the Toowoomba Motocross Club worked hard to minimize any clashes with both modern and vintage mx events while preparing an all new Echo Valley track which will host modern, vintage, post classic, veteran, female and sidecar racing once again.
Echo Valley was a round of the MX Nationals for many years and was voted as the best round of the 2017 series and the Toowoomba Motocross Club prepares the track as good as it ever has for Mountain Man so this is as good an opportunity you will have to kick your 2019 season off on a positive note – stay tuned for the supp regs.
Metcalfe Heads Honda Campaign in 2019
After a solid 2018 season which saw the veteran score second overall in the Australian Supercross Championship, Honda Australia has confirmed they will continue its partnership with Brett Metcalfe into 2019 motocross and supercross seasons.
Brett Metcalfe
“This year has been rewarding for many reasons, winning a round of supercross was important for me and the team. I am building a trusting home at Penrite Honda, my family is settling in at home in Mannum and I am back in the motherland after 18 years oversees. The bonus was finishing 2nd in the Australian Supercross Championship with a new team and on a new bike. We proved this year we could be competitive in Motocross. We were in the top three several times in races and we scored some podium finishes. As a team we were lacking consistency but we worked on that in the second half of Motocross season and in Supercross we turned a lot of things around which will better prepare us for next year.”
Brett Metcalfe – Image by TBG
The Penrite Honda team are pleased to have Metcalfe locked in for another year, feeling he is a great fit for their program and hope that he remains with them for the remainder of his career and beyond.
Yarrive Konsky – Penrite Honda Racing Team Director
“Brett and I have formed a trusting an open friendship and this certainly makes it easy to work together. It is astonishing to think he accomplished everything he did when you really know what he has gone through this year, moving his life back to Australia and spending a lot of time apart from his wife. He has such a resilience, something only great athletes have. He has a home at Honda and we believe in his talents, he is a proven asset on and off the track. We want to do this properly and our focus is on Brett. We may have a second rider to do selected rounds of Motocross but this is yet to be decided,”
Said Penrite Honda Racing Team director Yarrive Konsky who is equally excited about the documentary on Brett Metcalfe he has been working on. The documentary titled “Born to Race” is a compelling story.
Brett Metcalfe claims victory at the Australian Supercross Round 4
At this stage, the team has signed Metcalfe to be their sole Motocross rider and are yet to decide if they will sign a second rider.
Metcalfe left Australia in 2000 to take on the world, he returned full time this year to begin all over again. He and his family have faced real battles and stayed together through love, acceptance and forgiveness. The documentary will be released before the end of the year and shows the making of one of Australia’s true Moto Champions.
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King of MX 2019 Dates Announced
Motorcycling NSW has confirmed the dates and venues for the 2019 King of MX NSW State Motocross Championship where racers need to enter one of the 6 qualifier events (see schedule below) where the top 6 or 7 finishers in each class earn their Golden Ticket to the final.
Dave Cooke – MNSW CEO
“We really wanted to rebuild the NSW State Motocross Championship into a prestigious event, and I think most will agree that the 2018 King of MX was exactly that. We’re proud of the number of riders that raced at the final in Port Macquarie, as well as the enormous prize purse that we were able to distribute to riders on behalf of our event partners. 2019 is looking to be another strong step forward and we’re excited to announce the dates today and look forward to seeing who enters the chase for the golden ticket.”
Once a rider has qualified, they can still ride the other qualifier events but they can’t win another Golden Ticket, so that gives even more riders a chance to qualify. At the final, State Title Champions will be decided over three motos for each class, and some will also earn a spot in the King, Queen, Prince or Princess of MX feature races.
More information will be announced in the coming weeks, including when entries open and supplementary regulations.
King of MX 2019 Dates
Qualifier 1 February 16-17 Sydney Region (Appin)
Qualifier 2 March 2-3 Northern Region (Moree)
Qualifier 3 March 23-24 Central West (Condobolin)
Qualifier 4 April 6-7 Riverina (Leeton)
Qualifier 5 April 20-21 Southern Region (Canberra)
Qualifier 6 May 18-19 Hunter Region (Maitland)
FINAL June Long Weekend 8-9-10 Goulburn
Weston Peick Up-Date – Good News
The first images of Weston Peick after his crash in France were released this week via his instagram page with this update on his progress:
Weston Peick
“Well this has been one hell of an injury I can’t explain how much suffering has gone on over the last two weeks. I had well over 10 fractures throughout my face requiring three surgeries. But it’s finally turning for the better I’m walking around slowly and getting my body moving again, I’ll be flying back home to the states Tuesday. Huge shout out to Road To Recovery and everyone that has made donations to help this long positive journey to get back on my bike. I can’t thank my family and friends enough for their prayers and positive thoughts. Big thanks to all the people here in France that have made my stay easier and more suitable for my family.”
Weston PeickSmarty’s Weekly Moto News Wrap proudly brought to you by Dunlop Geomax
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