Moto News Weekly for July 9, 2019

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What happened this week

• Red flagged mud fest at Hattah 2019
• Eli Tomac & Dylan Ferrandis top RedBud National
• Tim Gajser & Jorge Prado win MXGP of Indonesia
• Sam Sunderland wins Silk Way Rally Round 2
• Emil Sayfutdinov claims first SGP win for six years in Sweden
• 2019 Speedway of Nations Finals teams announced
• Rockhampton to host 2020 KTM AJMX
• Dean Wilson confirmed to join AUS-X Open Melbourne

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Red flagged mud fest at Hattah 2019

The 2019 Hattah Desert Race will go down in history as one of the most challenging, yet shortest races since it began. Heavy rain and hail pounded the event shortly after the scheduled eight-lap race commenced. The sheer volume of water restricted emergency vehicle access and the decision was made to cut the event short to four-laps.

KTM duo Daniel Milner and Lyndon Snodgrass delivered a spectacular 1-2 finish, despite the conditions, with Milner having qualified fastest following Saturday’s Prologue with a blistering 2m45.417s lap-time set in the Top 10 Shootout, while Snodgrass recorded the third-fastest lap overall.

Contested in difficult, muddy conditions after rain arrived on Sunday morning, Milner claimed his second-career Hattah victory and clinching the Over 450cc 4-Stroke class win in the process. Milner’s effort was even more remarkable since he has been recovering from a broken collarbone sustained six weeks prior to Hattah, as well as tendonitis, limiting his seat time in the lead-up to what is recognised as one of the most gruelling races in the sport.

Daniel Milner – P1

“It’s such a good feeling to win Hattah after breaking my collarbone six weeks ago and undergoing surgery before I then had tendon problems in the opposite arm once I was back on the bike. I’d only had four days on the bike and one day of testing, so to bring it home is an unbelievable feeling and the KTM 500 EXC-F is such a weapon to ride! Things went our way in the race and we didn’t miss a beat – the bike was very similar to how I rode it last year in terms of set-up. It really was a matter of making sure we could get through the race and it became a case of survival, so I was being as consistent as possible. The decision to cut the race short was the right one in those conditions and I’m really happy to get another outright win here, that’s for sure.”

Snodgrass also put forward a phenomenal ride on the KTM 450 EXC-F to not only claim an outright podium, but also comfortably score the 251cc-450cc 4-Stroke class win over eight minutes clear of his closest rival.

Lyndon Snodgrass – P2

“Today was a crazy one with all that rain coming down, making it a really tough mud race in the desert, so to finish second outright and first in class was definitely awesome. The Prologue was important and we did well in that, so today I tried to have the cleanest race possible all the way through to the end – it was a matter of survival in those conditions by the time we got to the last lap and especially towards the end. The KTM 450 EXC-F was faultless all weekend and we managed to get one position better than last year, so I’m rapt with that result.”

KTM riders filled four of the top five positions outright, including Lachlan Terry in fourth and Davey Motorsports KTM’s Mason Semmens in fifth. Semmens won the Under 19s division, while KTM-mounted Jess Moore was also victorious in the Ladies Tenacious Women of Hattah category.

Claiming second in his class and an very impressive third outright was Josh Green, who on board the WR450F contested the 251 to 450cc 4 stroke class and was in good form all weekend. Despite a heavy fall on lap two, Green soldiered on for a top result in his typical style.

Josh Green

“This race is always one of the toughest of the year in dry conditions so when you add a heap of rain, it just becomes even tougher,” Green begins. “My first lap was pretty good but then on lap two, with the track getting hammered by the rain, I went over the ‘bars as I tried to plough through a deep, boggy spot. I have done some damage to my wrist and I will need to get hat checked out this week as its really sore now but while I was still warm and had some grip strength, I kept on going. If it had gone the full distance, I’m not sure if the wrist would have held up but I was fortunate to get to the finish line with a good result. Thanks to the team again. They earned their money from this event.”

The Motul Pirelli Sherco duo of Andy Wilksch and Nathan Trigg also began the Hattah Desert Race weekend in good form. Trigg posting the sixth fastest qualifying time and Wilksch just missing out on the top ten in eleventh. When the main race began and the heavens opened up, both riders put their 500 SEF Factory models to task while mayhem spread through the field.

At the completion of the fourth lap, Wilksch had powered his way to sixth with Trigg close behind in seventh. It was a solid performance by both riders in incredibly wild conditions.

Andy Wilksch – P6

“Our weekend came together pretty good in the end. The race was short and sharp in comparison to what we prepared for and the 500 Factory definitely played a part in our success. The extra power made it easy and our bikes didn’t wear out. Reliability was key in those conditions. Our bikes are strong and reliable and with the track deteriorating so rapidly each lap, the power of the 500 let me make passes down the straights. The bikes just ate the conditions with ease. I’ve never been able to crack the top ten at Hattah before so to get sixth feels like a bonus.”

Nathan Trigg was relishing the challenge and despite suffering a crash while avoiding a lapped rider, Trigg thoroughly enjoyed the experience of a wet Hattah, and took seventh overall.

Nathan Trigg – P7

“I had a couple of stacks in the rain, but somehow I was having fun. It was actually the most fun I’ve had at Hattah. I was hoping to qualify a bit higher up the order for a better starting position, but I still got going okay. The bike was awesome and really strong. It was just unreal, and I had a ball riding it. I didn’t even know what position I was in towards the end, but I rode the best I could and was happy to get a good result.”

Jack Simpson was able to take third in the 450cc 4-stroke class, after qualifying seventh outright, while a scary crash in lap one cost him dearly as he lost precious time on the leaders.

Jack Simpson – P8

“I lost it on the first lap. I had one of the biggest crashes in my life, several riders commented on it after the race, one saying it was the biggest crash he had ever seen.  I am lucky to have gotten away with only bumps and bruises and I am fortunate that the bike was still rideable. The crash rattled me but once I got going I was riding on adrenalin.  The hardest part was racing in the conditions.  The track was flooded in some areas, people were creating new lines, and some parts of the track became 50 meters wide.  It ended up being a battle of survival.”

Michael Driscoll took the win in the up to 250cc 4 stroke class on his WR250F and regardless of the conditions, was well in control of his division after a common sense start saw him soon gain the lead and never let it go, in a strong performance for the 19 year old off road gun, with 13th in the outright result as well.

Michael Driscoll – P13

“I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry after all that. I was so looking forward to this race and I know how much work everyone on the team put in for it, so it was such a shame to have these conditions to race in. The bikes are destroyed and it was sketchy getting around out there as the rain, the mud, the bog holes as well as fallen or stranded riders meant it was like riding through a mine field. It was good to get the class win and tick off another goal for the season but I feel for the guys having to clean all this mess up and get our team bikes back into good condition again. Thank you to them and all our team sponsors for a huge effort that will still be going long after this weekend is over.”

Defending Hattah Desert Race champion Daniel Sanders and the Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team had a rough weekend, in contention for victory until encountering difficulties in the closing stages. Sanders had immediately established himself at the front of the field on race-day Sunday, which was greeted with torrential rain-soaked, muddy conditions.

It appeared Sanders was on his way to the win until the prevalent water caused a suspected problem with the electrics, forcing him to stop and rectify the issue with timely assistance from his Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team crew. He went on to claim 14th position outright despite losing 20 minutes and seventh in the Over 450cc 4-Stroke category.

Daniel Sanders – P14

“It’s very disappointing because the team and I put a lot of effort into this one event each year. Obviously the weather today played a part and we started strongly, but unfortunately, the issue meant we gave away the win because I felt as though the race was mine at that point. The track was full of puddles because of the rain falling and we were hitting them at high-speed, so that could have led to the problem. We ended up getting going again and I brought it home to the finish, but it wasn’t to be today.”

Penrite Honda Racing’s 250cc rider Mark Grove pushed as hard as he could in the challenging conditions to take second in his class.

Mark Grove – P19

“It was harder to see than explainable, racing the 250cc in these conditions was twice as tough as it be if it was dry, the bigger bikes were creating roost that would fill your goggles in, people were crashing and it was even hard to see fallen riders.  I understand why they cut it short.  It was the toughest Hattah I have ever done.” Grove commented.

Emma Milesevic, a Honda Genuine Ride Red rider also excelled on her way to second in the women’s class and 37th outright. This year marked the first time women had finished inside the top 40 outright and the team were very pleased with her commitment to the race.

Honda’s Junior Factory Rider Madi Healey, of team BCP Pro Circuit Honda took first place in the Junior girls class on the CRF250R, and convincingly so, winning by over 20 minutes. This was Healey’s hat trick event at Hattah, having won the last three years in a row.

The second of the Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team entries, Fraser Higlett, encountered difficulties of his own in qualifying and started from 38th, but quickly sliced his way to sixth in the opening laps before the treacherous conditions ultimately ended his day on lap three of the four run.

Fraser Higlett – DNF

“Today was a rough one for me in the end, but I did my best toward the start of the race and we were looking good for a number of laps. I charged through the field in the tough conditions all the way up to sixth, so that was positive and I was feeling good in the mud. To start out of 38th definitely made things harder than they could have been and I’m disappointed with how the race finished for me, but we will be back and I will see what I can do next year.”

2019 Hattah Desert Race Outright Top 20

1. Daniel MILNER 2:14:22.051
2. Lyndon SNODGRASS 2:17:43.210
3. Joshua GREEN 2:26:02.086
4. Lachlan TERRY 2:26:03.909
5. Mason SEMMENS 2:26:17.291
6. Andrew WILKSCH 2:27:16.808
7. Nathan TRIGG 2:28:35.600
8. Jack SIMPSON 2:31:21.448
9. Jeremy CARPENTIER 2:31:52.831
10. Alex BOLTON 2:31:55.139
11. Stefan GRANQUIST 2:32:52.585
12. Sam DAVIE 2:33:07.569
13. Michael DRISCOLL 2:33:40.942
14. Daniel SANDERS 2:34:34.965
15. William PRICE 2:35:27.517
16. Lee STEPHENS 2:35:27.958
17. Geoff BRAICO 2:37:40.882
18. Broc GRABHAM 2:38:30.951
19. Mark GROVE 2:38:40.017
20. Jesse LAWTON 2:39:37.173

Senior Race

1. Daniel MILNER 2:14:22.051
2. Lyndon SNODGRASS +3:21.159
3. Joshua GREEN +11:40.035

Up-to 250cc 4stroke

1. Michael DRISCOLL 2:33:40.942
2. Mark GROVE 2:38:40.017
3. Hunter SEMMENS 2:39:37.576

Up-to 250cc 2stroke

1. Danielle FOOT 3:00:07.677
2. Jacob EUSTACE 3:00:23.466
3. Nathan HOWE 2:14:53.708

251cc & over 2stroke

1. Sam HANDLEY 2:15:51.541
2. Michael COLLINS 2:42:29.845
3. Trent PUDDY 2:45:31.076

251-450cc 4Stroke

1. Lyndon SNODGRASS 2:17:43.210
2. Joshua GREEN 2:26:02.086
3. Jack SIMPSON 2:31:21.448

Ladies Tenacious Women of Hattah

1. Jessica MOORE 2:46:54.604
2. Emma MILESEVIC 2:49:28.301
3. Jessica GARDINER 3:06:28.552

Under 19s

1. Mason SEMMENS 2:26:17.291
2. William PRICE 2:35:27.517
3. Korey MCMAHON 2:41:00.258

Veterans 35-44yrs

1. Lee STEPHENS 2:35:27.958
2. David JONGEBLOED 2:53:43.870
3. Steven POWELL 2:14:47.039

Masters 45yrs & over

1. Kevin ARCHER 2:58:42.708
2. Peter TAYLOR 2:16:24.770
3. Lou STYLIANOU 2:18:12.841

Juniors – Small Wheel

1. Angus RIORDAN 1:56:50.679
2. Samuel PRETSCHERER +1:26.648
3. Blake HOLLIS +3:45.381

Juniors – Big Wheels

1. Angus RIORDAN 1:56:50.679
2. Samuel PRETSCHERER +1:26.648
3. Blake HOLLIS +3:45.381

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Eli Tomac & Dylan Ferrandis top RedBud National

The American motocross Independence Day tradition brought the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship to the seventh round of the 2019 season, with Michigan’s RedBud MX celebrating the 4th of July by kicking off the second half of the racing series with the RedBud National.

See the full report here:
Tomac & Ferrandis win 2019 RedBud MX National (link)

The storied track produced heated competition across both classes, with Eli Tomac and Dylan Ferrandis claiming victory. Aussie Hunter Lawrence also went 8-4 for fifth overall.

Tomac’s third win of the season further strengthened his hold on the championship lead in the 450 Class. One year after he endured a misfortune-plagued afternoon at RedBud, the reigning champ returned in search of redemption and successfully grabbed his second victory in three years at the track. He’s now more than 30-points clear of Marvin Musquin in the standings.

Eli Tomac

“Overall, it was a really good day for us, I had been feeling good all day. It has been a little bit rough the last couple of weeks, but the first moto was a really good way to start the day and get things turned back around. I think that I had some better lines in the first moto, but I was able to move up and get the job done in the second moto.”

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (1-2)
2. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna (2-4)
3. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (7-1)
4. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (3-5)
5. Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda (6-3)
6. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., KTM (4-6)
7. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (5-9)
8. Benny, Bloss, Oak Grove, MO., KTM (9-8)
9. Dean Wilson, United Kingdom, Husqvarna (12-7)
10. Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Suzuki (8-13)

450 Class Championship Standings

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 304
2. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM – 270
3. Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda – 264
4. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Husqvarna – 252
5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 238
6. Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna – 227
7. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha – 170
8.  Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM – 159
9. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., KTM – 150
10. Dean Ferris, Australia, Yamaha – 136

Ferrandis had been knocking on the door of his first win of the 250 Class season for several weeks, and he finally broke through with a dominant outing at RedBud.

The Frenchman put forth the first 1-1 outing of the season in the division, which resulted in the third victory of his career. It marked the fifth RedBud victory for Star Yamaha in the past six seasons, and the win also moved Ferrandis into second in the 250 Class standings.

Dylan Ferrandis

Finishing the day with two moto wins and the overall, honestly I couldn’t have expected a better weekend. My bike was really good, and I felt very comfortable on it today. We improved a lot on it with the team, and I want to thank them all for the hard work they put in every day for me to get the best bike possible. Getting ready for the outdoors is tough after a long Supercross season, so it took me time but finally we are where we want. Now we’re going take some rest before getting back to work and get ready for Millville in two weeks.”

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)

1. Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha (1-1)
2. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (5-2)
3. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (3-6)
4. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda (2-8)
5. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (8-4)
6. Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Yamaha (4-11)
7. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha (11-5)
8. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Husqvarna (10-7)
9. Brandon Hartranft, Brick, N.J., Yamaha (6-12)
10. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, KTM (9-10)

250 Class Championship Standings

1. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 307
2. Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha – 282
3. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 281
4. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Yamaha – 204
5. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Honda – 200
6. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda – 193
7. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Husqvarna – 173
8. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 167
9. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki – 165
10. Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., KTM – 129

The 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will take a weekend break before resuming on Saturday, July 20, from Spring Creek Raceway.

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Tim Gajser & Jorge Prado win MXGP of Indonesia

MXGP rolled into Palembang for the first of two back-to-back rounds in Indonesia, with Tim Gajser claiming the overall win despite tough competition from Romain Febvre, with consistency proving key, and Gajser now sitting on 488 points, with Antonio Cairoli in second place in the standings on 358 but continuing to recover from injury, prematurely ending his title fight.

See the full report here:
Gajser continues Honda streak in Indonesia | Prado wins MX2 (link)

Race 1 saw Tim Gajser take a clear win from Max Anstie and Jeremy Seewer, while Romain Febvre missed the podium in fourth.

Romain Febvre made his come-back in Race 2 with Tim Gajser taking runner up position, just 3.2-seconds back, with Glenn Coldenhoff taking the final podium position. Jeremy Seewer was just off the podium in fourth and currently sits third in the standings.

Tim Gajser

“I am really happy on how the GP went today, because after yesterday I knew it would bed hard to do two good races. The first race I could extend the lead and the second I had an amazing jump out of the gate and I was leading then I made a mistake and Roman and Jeremy passed me, but I managed to pass Jeremy but I didn’t even push for Roman as he was too far ahead. Eventually I felt really comfortable and I want to say a huge thanks to the team.”

Romain Febvre

“It has been too long since I won a race. I knew I had the speed since many GPs but I couldn’t make the start. I was frustrated. I had a good start in the second race, I was third, took the lead and made a gap and it was much easier than the first race. Now I am really looking for an overall win.”

Jeremy Seewer

“It was a tough race even if my starts were great. This is one of the toughest races of the year for me but I’m happy on how the GP went. Now I just want to relax a bit before the next week in Semarang but it’s good that I could take some breathe on the championship chase. My season didn’t start really well but now that I’m having consistent results I just wish to keep going.”

MXGP – GP Classification Top 10

1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 47 points
2. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 43
3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 38
4. Max Anstie (GBR, KTM), 37
5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 36
6. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 30
7. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 27
8. Brian Bogers (NED, HON), 22
9. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 22
10. Ivo Monticelli (ITA, KTM), 21
    …15. Lewis Stewart (AUS, KTM) 13
    …16. Adam Coles (AUS, Husqvarna) 11

MXGP – World Championship Classification Top 10

1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 488 points
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 358
3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 327
4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, YAM), 318
5. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, YAM), 304
6. Arminas Jasikonis (LTU, HUS), 271
7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, KTM), 256
8. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HUS), 246
9. Jeremy Van Horebeek (BEL, HON), 245
10. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 227

In MX2 Jorge Prado added another win to his tally, however it wasn’t a clean sweep, with Thomas Kjer Olsen taking the Race 2 win, leaving Prado with 47-points to extend his championship lead, while Tom Vialle was second overall thanks to going 2-2, with Kjer Olsen third overall thanks to a 6-1 result.

Race 1 went to Jorge Prado, with a clear win from Tom Vialle, while Maxime Renaux completed the podium. Aussie Jed Beaton came home in fifth.

In Race 2 Thomas Kjer Olsen took the win from Jorge Prado, with a consistent Tom Vialle third. Jed Beaton likewise remained consistent with another fifth place finish, claiming the same position and 32 championship points for the round.

Jorge Prado

“I was feeling good all weekend, the first race after the crash was quite difficult, but I could make it. I messed up the second race a bit, but I got to second and another GP victory. At the second race I had a good start, got into first, but my teammate was pushing and passed, and I got him at the end. The lap times were short and I struggled a bit. I am just happy with the win for the moment and I’m looking forward for next week.”

Tom Vialle

“I am really happy to have another fantastic weekend, it was very hot and the last five minutes of the second race were very hard, but I am very happy with this podium.”

Thomas Kjer Olsen

“The first race was a struggle and I didn’t feel like myself and I was just trying to keep with my team-mate Jed who was riding good. The second race I think everyone was tired, but I really wanted that win and I made it, keeping my energies until the very end.”

Jed Beaton

“It’s been another good GP for me. I felt like Germany was a really good step in the right direction, and that I was finally managing to put things behind me and deliver the pace I know I can. I kind of kept that momentum going here with two more strong results. It was a tough GP, we all knew the heat wasn’t going to be too much fun, but both races went well for me. I’m pleased things are moving in a good direction now, hopefully next weekend will be another positive weekend, too.”

MX2 – GP Classification Top 10

1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 47 points
2. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 42
3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 40
4. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 34
5. Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 32
6. Brent Van doninck (BEL, HON), 28
7. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, HON), 26
8. Henry Jacobi (GER, KAW), 24
9. Bas Vaessen (NED, KTM), 24
10. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 21

MX2 – World Championship Classification

1. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), 494 points
2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, HUS), 443
3. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 334
4. Tom Vialle (FRA, KTM), 326
5. Henry Jacobi (GER, KAW), 307
6. Ben Watson (GBR, YAM), 246
7. Mitchell Evans (AUS, HON), 228
8. Adam Sterry (GBR, KAW), 224
9. Bas Vaessen (NED, KTM), 209
10. Jed Beaton (AUS, HUS), 192

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Sunderland wins Silk Way Rally Round 2

Sam Sunderland has taken the win at Stage 2 of the Silk Way Rally in Russia, with 413.63 kilometres covered on similar mixed terrain to the opening stage. A 212km timed special offered an additional challenge, including fast hazardous stony tracks.

Sunderland had completed Stage 1 in fifth and had his work cut out for him, in moving towards the series lead, which is still retained by Kevin Benavides, with eight seconds separating the two.

Kevin Benavides was lumped with opening the track for Stage 2 following his Stage 1 win, which he did from start to finish over 212 kilometres of special stage, full of narrow potholed track studded with rocks.

Sam Sunderland

“I’m happy to get stage two finished safely. The day started on similar terrain to yesterday on the forest tracks with lots of trees, vegetation and water splashes. It was extremely important to take note of every single kilometre on your road book and the dangers listed there. It was really important to concentrate on your notes and take in which danger was which. It was hard to get a reference today as there was no refuel, so I wasn’t sure how my pace was all day. It’s always great to win a stage but it wasn’t our strategy for today so we’ll move on an see how the remaining eight days go for us.”

Kevin Benavides

“I opened the whole stage. We knew it would be hard and very technical with many stones and mud. The narrow tracks were difficult, but I enjoyed it in spite of it being very hard. I think I did it well and I was in a good position. It was technical, fast and with navigation over the final 50 kilometres. I nearly crashed into an animal but luckily he dodged out of my way! You have to be very attentive to everything. The rally is a game of chess, so let’s see how it turns out. I am happy with the result.”

Joan Barreda managed to make it through the tricky stage despite struggling to get the right feel and finished 2’40 adrift of the winner on the day and occupies fifth position in the general standings at a similar distance from the leader.

Joan Barreda

“I felt very good on the slopes today with lots of mud and some potholes with big rocks. I could not find the right feelings and I was looking forward to getting past this section. Then there was a faster part and I felt a lot better there. We finished the day without any problems; I am well placed at a minimum time behind the leader. Everything is going well. I hope that in Mongolia we will find more open stages and I can find places that suit my riding style better.”

Stage 1 runner-up Luciano Benavides was second away for Stage 2 and the young Argentinian chose to back off slightly to ensure a safe result in the special. Luciano crossed the line in seventh place, close to three minutes down on Sunderland, and now lies fourth in the overall standings.

Luciano Benavides

“Overall, it was a good day for me. I was able to keep to a solid pace and really enjoyed the first half of the stage. Towards the end I lost my focus a little, the tracks were really fast with some tricky sections and I lost a little time there. After such a challenging stage I’m happy to reach the finish and now look forward to what tomorrow brings.”

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Emil Sayfutdinov claims first SGP win for six years in Sweden

Russian racer Emil Sayfutdinov has celebrated his first FIM Speedway Grand Prix win for six years in Hallstavik, Sweden. Sayfutdinov had not celebrated an SGP success since topping the podium at the 2013 British SGP in Cardiff in a year which saw him mount a title charge, before his hopes were dashed by injury.

The Salavat-born star heads to the Speedway of Nations finals in Russian on July 20 and 21 as World Championship leader after winning the Norrbil Swedish SGP final ahead of Martin Vaculik, Maciej Janowski and first-time finalist Max Fricke.

After a three-year absence from the series, Sayfutdinov has been battling to get back on top of the SGP rostrum since 2017. But despite achieving that aim in Hallstavik, he’s not going to celebrate this success for long with six riders separated by five points at the top of the standings.

Emil Sayfutdinov

“It feels amazing. I have been working for that for a long time – six years. When I came back to the SGP series in 2017, it was hard for me. I had my goal and a plan, but it didn’t work. Today everything worked very well and my team is also working very well, so I say thank you to them. I’ll just keep going and looking forward. I scored some good points and now I am leader with Dudek and Madsen. I am really happy about that. But to be honest, I have now forgotten about today. I am just concentrating and I know we have a lot more rounds and heats to come. We need to keep scoring the points and it will be good.”

Slovak star Vaculik is firmly in the title hunt as he holds fifth place on 44 points – level with Bartosz Zmarzlik in fourth. While he was unable to take victory in Hallstavik, he was glad to pile up the points.

Third-placed Maciej Janowski – last year’s Hallstavik winner – was delighted to get back on to the SGP podium after a tough start to the season, hampered by the shoulder ligament injury which kept him out of the opening round in Warsaw.

Max Fricke took fourth in Sweden to claim 11-points, while Jason Doyle was 11th, with Doyle currently sitting eighth in the standings, and Fricke 12th.

SGP World Championship Standings

1. Emil Sayfutdinov 47
2. Patryk Dudek 47
3. Leon Madsen 47
4. Bartosz Zmarzlik 44
5. Martin Vaculik 44
6. Fredrik Lindgren 42
7. Niels-Kristian Iversen 32
8. Jason Doyle 30
9. Janusz Kolodziej 29
10. Artem Laguta 27
11. Matej Zagar 27
12. Max Fricke 27
13. Maciej Janowski 24
14. Robert Lambert 24
15. Antonio Lindback 23
16. Tai Woffinden 15
17. Bartosz Smektala 10
18. Oliver Berntzon 7
19. Vaclav Milik 4
20. Matic Ivacic 2

Norrbil Swedish SGP Scores

1. Emil Sayfutdinov 17
2. Martin Vaculik 16
3. Maciej Janowski 13
4. Max Fricke 11
5. Matej Zagar 10
6. Fredrik Lindgren 10
7. Bartosz Zmarzlik 8
8. Niels-Kristian Iversen 8
9. Leon Madsen 7
10. Oliver Berntzon 7
11. Jason Doyle 7
12. Patryk Dudek 7
13. Antonio Lindback 6
14. Artem Laguta 5
15. Janusz Kolodziej 3
16. Robert Lambert 3
17. Pontus Aspgren DNR
18. Kim Nilsson DNR

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2019 Speedway of Nations Finals teams announced

The FIM Speedway of Nations Finals teams have been confirmed as defending champions Russia name an unchanged team for their title defence in Togliatti on July 20 and 21. With this year’s hosts making history when they won the inaugural SON Finals in Wroclaw last June – Russia’s first senior speedway World Championship of any kind.

Individual World Championship leader Emil Sayfutdinov, Artem Laguta and joint FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship front-runner Gleb Chugunov will bid to win back-to-back titles in front of a passionate home crowd in the biggest shale meeting ever staged in Russia.

They face stiff competition from Poland, Sweden, Germany, Great Britain, Australia and Denmark, who all make the trip east in search of gold.

Poland welcome back Maciej Janowski, who was forced out of Race Off 1 in Landshut on May 4 after suffering shoulder ligament damage in a crash 24 hours before the German showdown. He takes Patryk Dudek’s place in the side, partnering world No.2 Bartosz Zmarzlik, with former World Under-21 champion Maksym Drabik named as their junior ahead of Bartosz Smektala.

Sweden name an unchanged team following their Race Off 1 triumph, with world No.3 Fredrik Lindgren partnering the in-form Peter Ljung and Filip Hjelmland named as their under-21.

Great Britain have been forced into a change since their Race Off 2 win in Manchester on May 11 after world champion and captain Tai Woffinden was sidelined with a fractured TH4 vertebra and a broken shoulder blade.

Former FIM Speedway Grand Prix regular Chris Harris steps in for Woffy, joining stand-in skipper Craig Cook and under-21 man Robert Lambert in a side bidding to build on the silver medal they clinched in Wroclaw.

Australia have drafted in Jason Doyle for the trip to Togliatti. He returns in place of Chris Holder after sitting out Race Off 2 due to injury. Hot on the heels of reaching his first ever SGP final in Hallstavik on Saturday, Max Fricke partners Doyle with national under-21 champion Jaimon Lidsey named as their junior.

Danish boss Hans Nielsen tracks the same three stars who battled their way through Race Off 2 as World Championship frontrunner Leon Madsen links up with seven-time national champion Niels-Kristian Iversen. Frederik Jakobsen is their under-21 rider.

Germany complete the Finals field with Erik Riss replacing Martin Smolinski in the side, with Kai Huckenbeck serving as captain. Lukas Fienhage is selected ahead of Michael Hartel as their under-21 man.

The seven sides will compete over 42 heats – 21 heats on Saturday and 21 on Sunday, with the top scorers progressing automatically into the Grand Final. The second and third-placed countries will then compete in the semi-final for the right to race the leaders for the world title.

Should the semi-final end as a 3-3, the team that scored the most points over 42 heats will progress to the Grand Final. And if the Grand Final ends all square, a run-off featuring one rider from each team will decide the world title.

2019 Speedway of Nations Final Team Line-Up

• RUSSIA: 1 Emil Sayfutdinov (captain), 2 Artem Laguta, 3 Gleb Chugunov (U21). Also in squad: Grigory Laguta, Roman Lakhbaum (U21). Team Manager: Igor Dmitriev.
• SWEDEN: 1 Fredrik Lindgren (captain), 2 Peter Ljung, 3 Filip Hjelmland (U21). Also in squad: Antonio Lindback, Alexander Woentin (U21). Team Manager: Morgan Andersson.
• POLAND: 1 Maciej Janowski (captain), 2 Bartosz Zmarzlik, 3 Maksym Drabik (U21). Also in squad: Patryk Dudek, Bartosz Smektala (U21). Team Manager: Marek Cieslak.
• GERMANY: 1 Erik Riss, 2 Kai Huckenbeck (captain), 3 Lukas Fienhage (U21). Also in squad: Martin Smolinski, Michael Hartel. Team Manager: Herbert Rudolph.
• GREAT BRITAIN: 1 Craig Cook (captain), 2 Chris Harris, 3 Robert Lambert (U21). Also in squad: Tai Woffinden, Dan Bewley (U21). Team Manager: Alun Rossiter.
• AUSTRALIA: 1 Jason Doyle (captain), 2 Max Fricke, 3 Jaimon Lidsey (U21). Also in squad: Chris Holder, Jordan Stewart (U21). Team Manager: Mark Lemon.
• DENMARK: 1 Leon Madsen, 2 Niels-Kristian Iversen (captain), 3 Frederik Jakobsen (U21). Also in squad: Michael Jepsen Jensen, Patrick Hansen. Team Manager: Hans Nielsen.

Speedway of Nations Final Day 1 Draw

• A: Germany
• B: Denmark
• C: Australia
• D: Poland
• E: Russia
• F: Sweden
• G: Great Britain

Speedway of Nations Final Day 2 Draw

• A: Germany
• B: Australia
• C: Sweden
• D: Poland
• E: Russia
• F: Great Britain
• G: Denmark

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Rockhampton to host 2020 KTM AJMX

With the 2019 running of the KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championship (AJMX) to be held in Gillman, South Australia, Motorcycling Australia have now also announced the 2020 location, with Rockhampton, Queensland locked in for July 6-11, 2020.

The KTM AJMX attracts competitors from all across Australia, as well as international hopefuls seeking to make their mark in Australia’s highly competitive MX scene.

Peter Dark – Rockhampton and District MX Club President

“It is a complete honour, and a reward for the effort our members have given to the sport for many years. The event will bring approximately 500 of Australia’s best junior racers from across every state in Australia, including a few international racers.”

Motorcycling Queensland General Manager Kim Rowcliffe said that the Rockhampton District Motocross Club was chosen to host the 2020 Australian Junior Motocross Championships due to its very strong credentials in delivering well run, well promoted, and successful motorcycle events.

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Dean Wilson confirmed to join AUS-X Open Melbourne

AUS-X Open promoters have confirmed Dean ‘Deano’ Wilson will be back for his third consecutive year to compete at this year’s Monster Energy AUS-X Open at Marvel Stadium on November 30. The Scottish Thunder will return Down Under after fan outcry to bring the world Number #6 back to Australia left event organisers in a spin.

The 27 year old raced to a career-best sixth overall during this year’s Monster Energy FIM World Supercross Championship as well as a third-place finish at the Houston round, but after an injury forced him out of the last two rounds, Wilson says he’ll be back for redemption in November and hopes to finish the year off with a bang.

Dean Wilson

“I’m super excited to be returning to the AUS-X Open again this year, my 2019 season was up and down, but I’ll be pushing hard for it in Melbourne, I’ll be definitely out there to get my redemption and come out on top. Obviously I’ve had some amazing results the past two years at AUS-X winning the Saturday night in 2017, and coming in second last year, I feel like I have what it takes third time around Down Under. Australia is such a sick place to visit and this time to be in Melbourne for the first time, I think it will make for the best year of AUS-X yet, the line-up is stacked and I can’t wait to take on the world’s best.”

Wilson will head to Melbourne for the first time ever, and go up against what is shaping up to be the best International Supercross line-up Australia has ever seen, consisting of two-time World Champion Chad Reed and 2018 World Champion Jason Anderson, world number 10 Justin Brayton, world number eight Joey Savatgy and many more local and international stars. Check out the video below to see Dean receiving his invitation.

Source: MCNews.com.au