Strijbos grabs seventh overall at tough Mexico

HM Plant KTM UK’s Kevin Strijbos came through a difficult and demanding Grand Prix of Mexico at Guadalajara with a decent seventh position overall and holds the same ranking in the standings of the ultra-competitive premier MX1 class.

25,000 spectators flocked to the first ever Mexican round of the FIM Motocross World Championship. The high altitude (over 5000ft) and temperatures (30 degree ......

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HM Plant KTM UK’s Kevin Strijbos came through a difficult and demanding Grand Prix of Mexico at Guadalajara with a decent seventh position overall and holds the same ranking in the standings of the ultra-competitive premier MX1 class.

25,000 spectators flocked to the first ever Mexican round of the FIM Motocross World Championship. The high altitude (over 5000ft) and temperatures (30 degrees) created tough conditions and the tricky racing surface was hard to judge and even verged on being perilous. On Saturday the 20 Grand Prix regulars in the series who had made the trip to South America decided to abstain from the qualification heat race on the grounds that the vast volume of dust presented visibility problems. After watering and preparation on Saturday evening the dust issue was mostly resolved but the loose and sandy dirt was rough and bumpy with varying levels of grip. The wild-card native entrants were also vastly off the pace and caused a great deal of track ‘traffic’.

In this theatre of adversity Strijbos found his way to an excellent fifth position in the first moto to equal his best finish yet on the 350SX-F. A slightly worse getaway and less confidence on the churning Mexican soil meant a regression to tenth place in the second race but the British Championship leader continues to be consistent.

HM Plant KTM UK have cleaned and crated the bike, spares and equipment for travel south through the continent and Beto Carrero for the Grand Prix of Brazil next weekend.

Kevin Strijbos: “It was a little difficult this weekend for me. The first race was ok. I made a good start and I rode in sixth position for most of the moto but Pourcel made a mistake somewhere and finally I finished fifth. I really felt ok; I didn't have arm pump, so I was happy with this result. In the second race, I felt strange, not tired but it was too hot and I tried to push and I couldn't. My start wasn't too good like the first one and I tried to find my lines and do my best. Finally I was tenth and I am not happy with that but the positive thing is that I was fifth in the first race and I hope that I make a better job next week in Brazil.”

Roger Magee, Team Principal: “Yet another good weekend for HM Plant KTM UK as Kevin Strijbos again proved that he is one of the main contenders in the 2012 MX1 World Championship with another two top-ten finishes in the inaugural Mexican GP and is now 7th overall in the standings. He’s really proved to be competitive on his 350SX-F machine especially in the first moto despite his lowly qualification position due to the ‘problems’ encountered yesterday. We now look forward to next weekend's GP in Brazil where Kevin can hopefully even improve on his consistent results."

Bad luck dogged the Kawasaki MX1 riders in Mexico

Bad luck prevented Kawasaki riders in the FIM World MX1 Motocross Championship from securing a third consecutive GP victory in the Mexican round of the series at Guadalajara.

On the crest of a wave after his success in Italy a fortnight earlier Christophe Pourcel of Team CP377 Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit was involved in a heated three-way battle for the win in the opening moto until ......

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Bad luck prevented Kawasaki riders in the FIM World MX1 Motocross Championship from securing a third consecutive GP victory in the Mexican round of the series at Guadalajara.

On the crest of a wave after his success in Italy a fortnight earlier Christophe Pourcel of Team CP377 Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit was involved in a heated three-way battle for the win in the opening moto until track fencing which had been pulled across the track by a backmarker became entangle in his machine and caused him to make a lengthy pit stop. Determined to bounce back in race two he led for more than half the race before settling for fourth place as track conditions deteriorated.

Sebastien Pourcel never felt comfortable on the track and was restricted to eight points on the day.

Christophe Pourcel: “The goal was to get another podium here, and I would have got it if I had not got green fencing wrapped around my bike in the first race. My Kawasaki gave me a great start in both races, and I was third in the first race until I had the problem with the fencing; I changed my line to try to avoid it, but it was lying across almost the entire track. I took the holeshot in the second race and was fighting for the win for most of the race but the track was becoming too dangerous and I didn’t want to take any risks.”

Sébastien Pourcel: “I never felt comfortable on this track, and didn’t want to risk another injury. I got a good start in the first race, but after ten minutes I felt tired and rode to score safe points. In the second race I got blisters on my hands and my goal was then just to finish the race.”

Another podium for Tommy Searle

Tommy Searle scored yet another podium finish for Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit at the Mexican round of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship at Guadalajara.

The Englishman finished second in each moto after two thrilling rides through the field following misfortune in the early stages of both tough 40 minute motos around the hillside track at an altitude of nearly 170 ......

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Tommy Searle scored yet another podium finish for Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit at the Mexican round of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship at Guadalajara.

The Englishman finished second in each moto after two thrilling rides through the field following misfortune in the early stages of both tough 40 minute motos around the hillside track at an altitude of nearly 1700 meters with temperatures soaring into the 90s. Lapped riders got in his way as he prepared his assault on the leaders in the opening race and an early fall in the second encounter forced him to charge back through the pack. Tommy is now just one point shy of second place in the standings after four GPs of the 16 round series

His teammate Joel Roelants was racing for the first time since suffering a severe crash during the Italian GP, and the Belgian showed great character to end the day fourth despite suffering occasional lapses of concentration. The Belgian 's resiliance has seen him strengthen his fourth place in the championship.

Tommy Searle: “I got a good jump out of the gate in the first race, but one of the riders inside me slid out at the first turn and I had to brake. I soon had the leaders in my sights, but there were so many slow local riders this week that we were already lapping them after 10 minutes. Some of them were all over the track and they cost me a lot of time. The second race was my mistake as I crashed on the first lap when I was second. I have the speed to win, but Jeffrey is too good for me to catch him again if things happen like they did today but I still got second in both races. I know my physical condition is good, so I never stopped pushing because I knew other riders would not be able to maintain their speed."

Joel Roelants: “I’m really happy to finish fourth in the second race, and, if I hadn’t crash in the first moto, I would also have been fourth. I was not riding t my full potential this weekend after my crash in Italy two weeks ago. I knew that it would be tough here as I had to stay in a darkened room for five days after the crash, and still today during the races I had to keep telling myself ‘concentrate, concentrate’. Normally I wouldn’t be happy with fourth, but that was the maximum in the circumstances.”

Eric Bougelet had a Wrong start… in the first Spanish Championship race weekend!

So we could summarize the introduction of Eric Bougelet in the 2012 Spanish supermoto championship but it would reflect by no means the reality. The very technical karting track of Villena, in the province of Alicante, welcomed this opening of championship 2012.

This race, for Eric, also meant a change of tires manufacturer, the " KMS RACING " rider signing during the previous week a partne ......

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So we could summarize the introduction of Eric Bougelet in the 2012 Spanish supermoto championship but it would reflect by no means the reality. The very technical karting track of Villena, in the province of Alicante, welcomed this opening of championship 2012.

This race, for Eric, also meant a change of tires manufacturer, the " KMS RACING " rider signing during the previous week a partnership agreement with the Italian company GOLDENTYRE.

Eric : « I have very good relations with Goldentyre, and this year due to the new rules in Spanish championship we have to choose between Michelin and Goldentyre…. I m very motivated with the challenge they proposed me. It s an
additional motivation because the five bests on the paper are in Michelin. We are going to work hard to fight in front of but the first tests are positive.»
During the timed session, the KTM rider took an encouraging fifth place, discovering his new tires.

Author of a superb start in the first race , Eric finished the first lap behind the leader. Lap after lap, the KTM rider began to lose the contact, was joined by the group of prosecutors and was going to fail at the end of the
race. Le The pilot of the Alfas del Pi ending this first race on a beautiful fourth place. Eric : « I took an excellent start, as often, but this time I wasn´t able to follow the rhythm of the leader more than few laps. We still have a big work to do on the suspensions to adapt our bike at our new Goldentyre. We will try to change what we can for the second heat. But i´m really happy with this first result because we know that we can fight
at the front. »

Once again, Eric took an incredible start in the second race of the day.the “KMSN Racing” rider, quickly isolated himself in the third position. Author of an impeccable race, he was racing to take the first general
podium of the season. It was without counting on the stupidity of his prosecutor who literally collided our rider in the first corner of the last lap …

Eric : « I am really very angry because not only his suicidal operation
deprives me of podium but in more I pay the price physically.And I don´t talk about my bike state. I think few riders leave the brain in the pitlane….it was a very dangerous attempt !!!! I hope that the federation will take,as betrothed, measures against this kind of person even if it will not give me back my third place … »

The next round of the Spanish supermoto championship will take place in Catalonia, to Lleida on June 17th, where Eric will be more motived as never to offer the first podium to the Swiss team KMS RACING and to Goldentyre.

Christophe Pourcel wins the Italian GP

Christophe Pourcel gave Team CP377 Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit victory in only their third GP when he won the Italian round of the FIM World MX1 Motocross Championship at Fermo.

After finishing 1-2 at the previous weekend's Bulgarian GP, Pourcel and fellow Kawasaki rider Gautier Paulin of the Kawasaki Racing Team again showed dominant form in Italy. They were both more than two seco ......

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Christophe Pourcel gave Team CP377 Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit victory in only their third GP when he won the Italian round of the FIM World MX1 Motocross Championship at Fermo.

After finishing 1-2 at the previous weekend's Bulgarian GP, Pourcel and fellow Kawasaki rider Gautier Paulin of the Kawasaki Racing Team again showed dominant form in Italy. They were both more than two seconds per lap faster than the opposition during the timed Pre-Qualifying session the previous day and followed this up with a runaway 1-2 win in the Qualification race before quickly moving to the front of the pack in the opening GP moto. Again their vivid duel took them clear of the pack with Pourcel emerging the winner by less than a second after they had passed and repassed each other in the closing stages of the race. Unfortunately Paulin slithered to the ground at the first corner of race two and had to be content with sixth place at the finish despite a storming ride through from last position, but Pourcel was again prominent and, despite the handicap of blood streaming down his face after he was hit on the nose by a rock, he crossed the line in the wheeltracks of the moto winner to clinch the overall GP victory. This was not only the first victory for the CP377 team, but also the first personal win in the world championships for Pourcel since 2007, his most recent full season of GP racing; that win, also in Italy at the Faenza facility, was in the MX2 category so today's win was his first overall success in MX1.

Pourcel's elder brother Sebastien also maintained his renewed show of speed as he made it three Kawasakis in the first five in the Qualification race, but he too took a rock on the nose on race day and sadly had to withdraw from both races. Paulin's KRT teammate Xavier Boog's gating skills deserted him for the weekend, but he had an impressive charge from 13th to nearly snatch fourth place at the chequered flag in race one before a fall restricted his scoring potential in race two.

Strijbos grabs more points at Bulgarian Grand Prix

Kevin Strijbos took his HM Plant KTM UK 350SX-F to twelfth position overall across the fast, hard-pack terrain of the Sevlievo circuit for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria and continues to hold a slot in the mid-top ten of the MX1 class of the FIM Motocross World Championship after two of sixteen rounds.

15,000 spectators came to the excellent venue in the centre of Bulgaria and some two hours ea ......

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Kevin Strijbos took his HM Plant KTM UK 350SX-F to twelfth position overall across the fast, hard-pack terrain of the Sevlievo circuit for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria and continues to hold a slot in the mid-top ten of the MX1 class of the FIM Motocross World Championship after two of sixteen rounds.

15,000 spectators came to the excellent venue in the centre of Bulgaria and some two hours east of the capital Sofia. Occasional showers on Saturday in practice and qualification made the Sevlievo muddy slightly rougher and slicker but warm sunshine dried the terrain and increased the speed on Sunday.

The team experienced contrasting fortunes throughout the weekend. Kevin Strijbos lamented a lowly qualification position in 17th but Elliott Banks-Browne captured a personal best finish of 5th in the MX2 sprint on Saturday. In the European 125cc two-stroke category (the series opening with the first of seven rounds that will run concurrent with the Grands Prix) James Dunn was unlucky to be involved in a collision in the first moto but gained a superb podium result on Sunday morning for the second race.

With the elite of both MX1 and MX2 classes running similar lap-times extra emphasis was placed on the starts and this aspect of the day cost Strijbos distance and positions. The Belgian rode to twelfth and tenth for his overall ranking. Despite a low-key event, Stribos is still just eight points away from the top five of the MX1 points table.

In MX2 ‘EBB’ was tussling with Jake Nicholls for a slot in the top ten during the first moto until the Brit was forced to retire with a dislodged fuel pipe. His poor luck continued in the second race when he crashed, losing control on one of the steep downhill sections and needed a scan to provide the ‘all-clear’ on a painful elbow. Sean Mitchell struggled with the course and failed to pick up any points.

HM Plant KTM UK now head across to the east coast of Italy and another hard-pack circuit, Fermo, for the Grand Prix of Italy next weekend.

Kevin Strijbos:

“It was a difficult weekend, the track was really hard and really fast and you couldn't make so much difference on the others. I didn't have a good qualifying race, only seventeenth, and for this reason I didn'thave a good gate for the races. Today both starts were bad and in the beginning of the race I had to be careful not to crash but after four laps all was better and then I started to push more and more until the end. In the first moto Ifinished twelfth and in the second one tenth. I think that the riding was okbut I made two bad starts.”

Sean Rowen Mitchell:

“The weekend was difficult for me with the rain and everything else. The track was really hard to ride, but I’ll just keep pushing and keep working and hopefully in Italy it will all turn around. The first moto was not so bad I was running twenty-second for bit and I got a little bit of arm pump and fell back to twenty-ninth. It´s not so good but we have to look at the positive side and just keep working and hopefully I’ll get there.”

Elliott Banks-Browne:

“The weekend was not so good, I had some bad luck. Saturday was ok, I was fifth in the qualifying race but in the first race on Sunday I was riding eighth until I had a problem with the bike and the race was over. In the second one I got a very good start and I took the holeshot but on the first lap I crashed in the top of the track and I had to come back to the pits and that’s all. Next weekend is Fermo and I hope I’ll do better.”

José Butron on the move @ FIM MX2 Bulgaria GP

Sunday 22nd April 2012

Beautiful weather today in Sevlievo for the second GP of the season.
Only one Diga Racing rider at the start for the MX2 race, the Spaniard José
Butron.

Priit Rätsep could not participate due to the injury sustained Saturday in the
qualifying race. In contrast to yesterday's announcement we can confirm that
Priit didn't break his foot but he has suf ......

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Sunday 22nd April 2012

Beautiful weather today in Sevlievo for the second GP of the season.
Only one Diga Racing rider at the start for the MX2 race, the Spaniard José
Butron.

Priit Rätsep could not participate due to the injury sustained Saturday in the
qualifying race. In contrast to yesterday's announcement we can confirm that
Priit didn't break his foot but he has suffered a fracture of the phalanges in
three toes. Tomorrow Priit will have a surgery to straighten up one of the toes

Warm-up
In the warp-up session this morning, José Butron achieved the 9th chrono.

First race

José was 6th in the start. In the first curve there was some pushing and pulling and he came out in 11th position. José was riding the good rhythm but a crash with Tonkov forced him to continue the race almost in last position. In the same lap José managed to come back to position 26. But this was not enough for the Diga rider and he continued fighting in a catch up race. Finally he ended the race in 13th position after an intense battle with Nikolaj Larsen, behind Petrov and Tonkov.

Second race
In the first lap José was 9th in front of Leib and behind Ferrandis. In lap 2 he won one place. José was riding a solid race and about halfway the moto he
was in 6th position. It looked as if this would be his end result but two laps
before the end Lupino passed him. At he finish his strong performance brought
him a 7the place behind Lupino.

In the final result for the Bulgarian GP José achieved a very nice 11th place.
Tommy Searle won the GP in the MX2 in front of Jeffrey Herlings and Joël
Roelants.

Searle and Roelants win for Kawasaki

Tommy Searle won the second round of the FIM MX2 Motocross Championship at Sevlievo in Bulgaria for Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit with Joel Roelants also scoring a moto victory.

The Kawasaki teammates sprinted to the front in the opening moto around the hillside track, moving clear of the opposition at two seconds a lap until leader Searle suddenly lost the use of the fro ......

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Tommy Searle won the second round of the FIM MX2 Motocross Championship at Sevlievo in Bulgaria for Team Floride Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit with Joel Roelants also scoring a moto victory.

The Kawasaki teammates sprinted to the front in the opening moto around the hillside track, moving clear of the opposition at two seconds a lap until leader Searle suddenly lost the use of the front brake and had to slacken his pace. Roelants took over for a clearcut victory with only one rival also able to take advantage of Searle's misfortune.

A determined Searle made no mistakes in race two, leading throughout to clinch the overall victory on the day and move to within seven points of the series lead, whilst Roelants overcame a hectic first lap to clinch third place on the podium.

Tommy Searle: “My Kawasaki is even faster than last year and I had no problem to take the holeshot in both motos. That always make the races easier and I was unlucky not to have a double win this weekend. We're still not sure how it happened but I lost the front brake in the first race; I had to change my lines and it was difficult on a track with so many steep downhills but I only lost two places and I knew that a win in race two would give me the overall GP victory.”

Joel Roelants: “I never got a good result at this track before, but the team and the bike are so good. I quickly got into second place behind Tommy in the first race so I could see his lines and we built a big lead over the rest of the field. We have a really good relationship and help each other in training; when he had a problem I was able to take over for the moto win and back it up with another result in race two to end the day on the podium.”

Source: Kawasaki Racing Team

Brian Bogers fifth at fifth Dutch Open MX2 in Emmen

On a cloudy track in Emmen, Dutch rider Brian Bogers of Stabilo Pro Grip Racing team managed to be fifth overall in the well crowded MX2 races.

In the first race he became 3rd and in the second moto he finished 5th.

He takes 11th position overal after 5 race days! ......

On a cloudy track in Emmen, Dutch rider Brian Bogers of Stabilo Pro Grip Racing team managed to be fifth overall in the well crowded MX2 races.

In the first race he became 3rd and in the second moto he finished 5th.

He takes 11th position overal after 5 race days!

Herjan Brakke wins 5th Dutch OpenMX1 in Emmercompascuum

JK Gebben Racing Yamaha Team rider Herjan Brakke has won the 5th MX1 race of the Dutch Open Series in Emmercompascuum. He was one size too large for the other competitors.

The ProX Racing Parts and JE Piston sponsored rider won both races of the race day.

Click here to watch the video. Source www.motocrossplanet.nl ......

JK Gebben Racing Yamaha Team rider Herjan Brakke has won the 5th MX1 race of the Dutch Open Series in Emmercompascuum. He was one size too large for the other competitors.

The ProX Racing Parts and JE Piston sponsored rider won both races of the race day.

Click here to watch the video. Source www.motocrossplanet.nl