MX1

MX2

VMX

EMX2

2011 MX1 title to Red Bull Teka KTM’s Tony Cairoli and KTM
Red Bull Teka KTM factory rider Tony Cairoli on Sunday sealed the 2011 MX1 World Championship title to retain the number one position in the sport for yet another year. It was the Italian rider’s fifth world title and another testament to his superb skill on all racing surfaces, his legendary fighting spirit and his wily race tactics that often see him go on the attack in the closing stages of a race.

Cairoli settled the matter of retaining the title after the first moto at Gaildorf, Germany in the GP of Europe with one moto and one GP still in hand. It is the second consecutive year that Cairoli has triumphed on the light and lively KTM 350 SX-F factory bike, developed with input from KTM’s factory team boss Stefan Everts and so successfully launched in 2010.

The Italian factory rider’s season was, however, not as straightforward as he would have liked. After a setback with injury in the opening round in Bulgaria he then set about showing his usual tactical brilliance and absolute determination to consistently score as many points as possible to put him in range of the title. Despite his knee injury in Bulgaria Tony still managed to pick up 25 championship points. In fact that proved to be the lowest scoring round of the competition. His unsettling injury problem may have kept him leaning on the side of caution in the first half of the season but he was still rarely off the podium. At the same time his GP victories in in Spain, Latvia, Lommel and Britain with a chance to take two more GPs at Gaildorf and the GP of Italy underlined that where Cairoli is concerned, it is never about a particular terrain. Tony was also on the second step of the podium six times, was once third and amassed nine moto victories and can still add to his honours in the final races.

Born in Patti, Sicily in 1985 and racing with the now iconic number plate of ‘222’ Tony has done for motocross in Italy what his close friend AND FELLOW ITALIAN Valentino Rossi has done for road racing.  The 2011 title is his third in succession and his second for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team, which he joined at the beginning of the 2010 season. Cairoli began his MX GP career in 2002 and won the MX2 title in 2005 and 2007. He set the bar a little higher taking the MX1 title in 2009 and reclaimed it in 2010. Tony was introduced to racing by his father at an early age and naturally has won a whole string of national and junior titles.

Cairoli’s second consecutive MX1 title for KTM underlines the commitment of Pit Beirer, KTM’s Head of Racing and factory team manager and Cairoli’s long-time manager Claudio de Carli to make an indelible impression on the MX1 class of international motocross, in line with what the factory team has achieved in the MX2 class.

Red Bull Teka KTM rider Ken Roczen wins MX2 World title in Gaildorf
Red Bull Teka KTM’s Ken Roczen on Sunday sealed the MX2 World championship title with one clear round in hand. The 17-year-old talent was in perfect form when he attacked the track at Gaildorf, Germany in the GP of Europe to take the title with one round in hand.

Urged on by thousands of loyal fans and the entire KTM factory team Roczen settled the issue after the second moto to pick up his first senior world championship title but was still shadowed by his team-mate and toughest competitor Jeffrey Herlings.

With the victory, Roczen, widely recognised as one of the hottest MX properties around and still only 17, became Germany’s first motocross champion in 40 years and his home crowd gave him a reception that he will long remember.

Roczen signed with the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Team in January 2011. Shortly after he grabbed plenty of attention riding AMA Supercross Lites in the West Coast series in the USA. Ken, on a fast learning curve in the highly competitive series even secured his first SX podium towards the end of the season. He even had a couple of impressive outings on the KTM 350 SX-F in the open class. A favourite throughout the world championship season, Roczen started strongly, then overcame a mid season lapse to settle down to a string of unassailable victories in the second half that allowed him to put his stamp firmly on the title. The only other rider to challenge him, especially on sand tracks, was his KTM team-mate Jeffrey Herlings and the two set about making the season a two-way competition.

The young German’s stats for the 2011 MX2 GP racing season are very impressive. In the 13 rounds so far he has taken seven GP victories and was on the podium in second place three times. Riding the KTM 250 SX-F he has only missed being on the box twice so far this season. Up to his title win he had 19 race victories, five seconds and one third place.

Ken, who turned 17 in April 2011, was born in 1994 in Mattstedt / Thüringen in Germany has amassed an impressive range of titles after receiving his first ever 50 ccm bike for Christmas in 1996. He began is racing career the following year and was on the international talent radar screen at a very early age.  In 2012 Ken will ride for Red Bull KTM in the USA and even through the AMA SX season does not start until January 5 in Anaheim, he is already being tipped as one of the hottest riders for next season.

Roczen’s victory, which follows that of KTM rider Marvin Musquin in 2010 is testament to the commitment and planning of the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory team headed by Pit Beirer, KTM’s Head of Racing and factory team manager and MX legend Stefan Everts to establish the KTM brand at the very forefront of international motocross.

KTM RACING

Cairoli takes GP of Europe in Gaildorf and pockets 5th world title
It was a good day at the office for Red Bull Teak KTM factory rider Tony Cairoli on Sunday when he coasted home to second place in the second moto of the GP of Europe to secure the second last MX1 GP of the season. The Italian rider was already running on adrenaline after having settled the MX1 world title after the first moto at the German hard pack circuit.

It was Cairoli’s 43rd career GP victory and his fifth world title, the second in MX1 since joining the KTM factory team at the beginning of the 2010 season and the second riding the KTM 350 SX-F, which was only released last year.  While Tony may have enjoyed settling the title issue in the final round in front of his home crowds next weekend in Fermo, it was also good to have the matter already settled.  After a tough day on the hard pack track where ruts knee high developed during the course of the weekend, Tony said he planned to take a week off riding and go to Fermo to enjoy some fun riding for his fans.

While the title was all wrapped up for Tony, team-mate Max Nagl is still battling it out for a chance at one of the minor podium places in the final reckoning. Max had an unlucky weekend, which stated when after putting in a good qualifying performance on Saturday, he had a flat tire two laps from the finish and was forced to start from the extreme side of the starting gates.  He still managed to scramble back in contention in the opening moto to finish in a solid fourth and was looking good for another string finish in the second. Then he crashed, came off the bike after being struck in the stomach with the handlebars and went through the green netting fence. He got back into the race and managed to finish in tenth place to salvage seventh overall but there is not a tight race to see who will land in places 2-3 on the final podium. Clement Desalle is out through injury but Steven Frossard and Evgeny Bobryshev are also contenders when it is all decided in Fermo.

On Sunday in Gaildorf, KTM added the MX1 Manufacturers’ title to that of the MX2, which was settled at the end of the last round in Matterley Basin.

Tony Cairoli: “It has been an amazing season and in the beginning it was really tough with my knee injury. After that I was always chasing the victories and now one round before the end we made it. I did like the layout of the track here in Gaildorf and  there’s lots of nice jumps but the hard pack is very difficult.”

Max Nagl: “ I was a bit unlucky with the tire problem on Saturday and this meant I had to start from the outside and that’s now easy here at Gaildorf. I still got two good starts but I got hemmed in in the early part of race two and then I had a couple of crashes. The second one was quite big but I was thinking about the championship so I got back into the race and managed to finish tenth. Now I would like to have two good races in Fermo because I have a chance to finish third.”

Roczen wins MX2 World Title; second in GP of Europe
Red Bull Teka KTM riders Ken Roczen and Jeffrey Herlings delivered two of the most exciting motos of the season at the GP of Europe in Gaildorf Germany on Sunday to finished 2-3 in the GP, enough points margin for the teenage factory riders to secure enough points to settle the top two places in the 2011 championship with one round still to go.

Roczen’s victory gave Germany their first MX world champion in more than 40 years but his 16-year-old team-mate Herlings, the only other rider with a mathematical change of the title did everything in his power, especially in the second moto, to take the title fight to the final round in Italy.

Right from the gate drop of the first moto it was clear that Herlings was ready to meet the challenge. Riding on the deeply gnarled and rutted hard pack track the two KTM riders took command of the lead but within minutes, Roczen lost the front end and went down allowing Herlings to take the lead and raise the adrenaline levels of both riders and team members. A handful of laps later it was Herlings who took a tumble and while he quickly scrambled back into the action, Roczen had the advantage and went on to win the race.

In a last do-or die effort to extend his title chances Herlings made a charge out of the start gates in the second moto and led for most of the race. The moto quickly evolved into a three-way battle between the two KTM riders and Tommy Searle of Britain who were no more than a second apart with Herlings, Searle and Roczen running at 1-2-3. It was only when Searle made as successful move on Herlings that it changed the points ratio and guaranteed the title went to the 17-year-old German.

Searle won the GP, Roczen finished second and Herlings third but with the world tile going to the brilliant young German rider the results of the GP took second place to celebrations of the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Team who were already on a high after Tony Cairoli won the MX1 title after the first MX1 moto.

Roczen and Herlings have been the dominant riders in the MX2 season while their team-mate Jeremy van Horebeek has been plagued with injury. Now Roczen, only 17, goes to the US to race for Red Bull KTM in the 2012 Supercross and Motocross seasons while his younger team-mate Herlings will remain in Europe to race the World Championship season.  Before all that, the three orange riders will be on the track and fighting for a glorious season’s finish at Fermo, Italy next weekend.

To add even more glory to Austrian manufacturers’ list of honours this weekend, young KTM rider Romain Fevre of France also won the 2011 title for EMX. KTM also settled the Manufacturer’s titles in MX1 and EMX after having won the MX2 Manufacturer’s title at the end of the last round in Matterley Basin UK.

Ken Roczen: “its unbelievable for me. It’s my biggest moment ever. I went over the line and I could barely stand. I was crying and seriously this is the best feeling I ever had. I’m really happy with how things are going and with all the team so a big thanks to everyone.”

Jeffrey Herlings: “Hopefully next year will be my year. I think I didn’t do such a bad season but I still had some mistakes and that’s what cost me the championship but at the end of it all I’m really pumped. I'm definitely second in the championships, I already won four GPS and I’ve been on the podium 10 or 11 times.”

KAWASAKI RACING

MX2 - Tommy Searle wins the European GP
Tommy Searle of Kawasaki Team CLS raced to an emphatic victory in the penultimate round of the FIM World MX2 Motocross Championship to ensure third place in the series.

The English rider was in superb form as he recorded the fastest lap in both Saturday's qualifier and both of Sunday's points-scoring races of the European GP at Gaildorf in southern Germany. Sadly his starts let him down as he had to chase through the pack, but his dominance was clear in the second race as he dropped his lap times by almost two seconds to pull back the leaders at will for a clear-cut victory over the two riders who were involved in a final showdown for the world title itself. Earlier in the day he had fought his way from outside the top ten to cross the line in second place after passing all of his major rivals bar Ken Roczen and he was catching the German when time ran out. After one of his best starts of the year Searle was able to pass the champion elect and his rival Jeffrey Herlings at will to secure the overall victory and ensure third place in the series.

Team-mate Max Anstie had to charge from even further back after earning a relatively poor gate when he crashed during Saturday qualification, but the teenager persevered to finish tenth before a much better start in race two enabled him to move quickly into the top five where he engaged in a long duel with the Swiss Arnaud Tonus, his rival for the fifth placed ranking in the series. Anstie was rewarded for his tenacity with fifth place in the GP.

The European GP also hosted the final round of the European MX2 championship in which French youngster Dylan Ferrandis of Kawasaki Bud Racing raced to his third double win of the season. Despite missing several rounds of the series through injuries his efforts brought him second place in the championship, just three points away from the title.

Tommy Searle: “I think the second race was one of the best of the year for the fans; when the three fastest guys go away in front of the race and can race each other, we really put on a show ! I'm satisfied with this weekend as I showed a lot of people what I can do in this class. After the first practice I thought it was the worst track I had ridden all year but then I surprised myself by my speed and the track developed really well. When I was behind Ken or Jeffrey I wasn't even pushing so hard; I still had plenty in reserve. To get this GP win is a big moment for me and for the team as we’ve been the fastest all weekend. In the second race I had a great start and showed what I am capable of; it's important for me to get better starts and that’s something we’ll have to work on this winter.”

Max Anstie: “In the first race I had a great jump out of the gate but I just didn't get good drive on the start straight and I had to come from a long way back; it was tough to move from 20th to 10th as there were not so many lines to pass. In the second race the start went better; my bike reacted perfectly and I could battle for a fifth position. This track here in Germany was very special, but I enjoyed it; I think that overall it was very good and now I’m looking forward to next weekend in Italy.”

Dylan Ferrandis: “I did my best today, as always, and I’m happy to end the European series with a double win. Unfortunately I missed five races due to injuries, and it was impossible to be champion in that situation. The first race in the morning was pretty tough, but then in the second one the track was better; I had fun and now I’m looking forward to Fermo as next weekend I will have the opportunity to race the final MX2 GP of the season.”

MX1 - Podium for Xavier Boog at the European GP
Xavier Boog recorded his first ever MX1 GP podium in the penultimate round of the FIM World MX1 Motocross Championship at Gaildorf in Germany to advance to seventh in the series.

The French member of the Kawasaki Racing Team had hurt his back at the British GP a fortnight ago and had not been able to train properly since then so he was far from confident when he arrived in Germany for the European GP. However Boog, who spent several seasons riding full-time in Germany earlier in his career, received a great boost when he holeshot the first moto and went on to miss victory by just three-tenths of a second after putting on a charge in the final laps to close onto the rear wheel of the Russian Bobryshev. There was the promise of another top three placing as he started the second race in third position, but the physical efforts of that late charge in race one on the top of being unable to train for two weeks eventually took their toll. He had to surrender a couple of places to finish seventh, but this was sufficient to ensure an overall podium finish, his first of the season, and the points scored enable him to advance to seventh place in the championship standings.

After his podium finish two weeks ago in England Christophe Pourcel of Kawasaki Team CLS had high hopes of victory in the European GP and indeed he did score a runaway win by more than 40 seconds in race two, but a single error in the first race had left him with no chance of an overall top finish. The Frenchman, who had started last after selecting a false neutral, was already up to sixth place within two laps when he landed badly off a jump and crashed hard; the bike had unfortunately been too badly damaged by the impact for him to continue.

Gregory Aranda of Kawasaki Bud Racing had his best GP of the season to record eighth and ninth places despite the discomfort of painful biceps after he had been hit by a stone the previous day.

Team-mate Davide Guarneri was another to continue his recent good form as he moved forward in race one to finish seventh. His hope of an even better result in race two were ended at the second corner when another rider failed to brake and slammed into him, causing the Italian to pull out of the race with an injured wrist after just three laps.

Jonathan Barragan of the Kawasaki Racing Team unfortunately wasted excellent starts in both races through a series of crashes. He was able to battle back through the pack to twelfth place in race one, but a collision as he battled for sixth position in race two left the Spaniard with a damaged radiator so he was forced to retire. However he still has an excellent chance of advancing to eighth place in the series at next weekend's final round in Italy.

Xavier Boog: “I finally got this MX1 podium which the team has been expecting all season ! For sure it took me long to get it, but now I hope that I can be there regularly. I was not feeling so confident when I came here as I have not been able to train since my crash in England; I tried to ride the bike earlier this week but I had a lot of pain in my back. In the first moto I fought hard to come back at Bobryshev as I knew I could do it, and I missed the win by only three-tenths of a second. I got great starts all weekend and that helped me to race at the front. I even took the holeshot in race one but Bobryshev surprised me when he passed me straight away; I used a lot of energy in the last few laps of the first race to catch him, and that made the second moto more difficult. But my seventh position was good enough to ensure I was on the podium. I hope that this result will help my confidence; today I felt good on the bike and it showed in my result.”

Christophe Pourcel: “I'm not quite sure what happened at the start of the first race; I should have been in second gear, but somehow I found neutral. That meant that I started a long way back but after two great laps I was already back to sixth, I was riding easy but I made a small mistake on a jump and crashed; the bike was damaged and I had to return to the pits. I got the holeshot in the second race; the track was pretty nice to ride and I soon found good lines. In the middle of the race Cairoli was able to reduce the gap, but I found new lines and extended my lead from ten to forty seconds. It’s a shame that I made that mistake in the first race because I wanted so much to win this GP. I spent the last couple of weeks in Belgium but now I will go to the south of France to practice on hardpack; I want to do well in Fermo !”

Gregory Aranda: “It’s the first time this season that I finished both races in the top ten. It was a good weekend for me, even if this track is not among my favourites. I was in the top three during the Saturday practice sessions, but in the qualifying heat I got a stone on my arm when I was in fourth behind Xavier (Boog). It was painful today at the beginning of the races, and tonight I have some difficulty to move my wrist, but I had a good rhythm in both races and was able to finish twice in the top nine. I hope to do something similar next weekend in Fermo.”

Davide Guarneri: “My first race was good with a seventh position, just behind Gonçalves; it confirmed my results of the last three races. I started better in the second race and I was just behind Strijbos when Nagl surprised me. I think he was pushing for his home race because as we came to the corner after the pit lane he didn’t turn and hit me pretty hard. He damaged my gearbox and I hurt my wrist in this incident; I hope it will be OK for next week in Italy and also for the Nations in two weeks. That’s a great race and I’m proud to be member of the national team again this year.”

Jonathan Barragan: “I had good starts this weekend, but I crashed too many times ! In the first race I was able to come back to twelfth, but in the second race I was fighting with Simpson for sixth position when we collided. The radiator was damaged and I had to retire, but the positive point is that my lap times were similar to the top five so I hope to end the season well in Italy next weekend.”

HONDA RACING
Weather: Warm, high cloud, changeable
Temperature: 27 degrees C
Attendance: 22,000

BOBRYSHEV BACK WITH A BANG

A difficult and hardpack terrain at Gaildorf in Germany was the ‘playing surface’ for the penultimate round of the 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship and under cloudy skies and in front of a busy 22,000 attendance Antonio Cairoli claimed his sixth victory of the current campaign and also confirmed his third consecutive MX1 title. Honda World Motocross were buoyed by the surprise return of Evgeny Bobryshev and the Russian came extremely close to gaining his second triumph on German soil, but had to settle for the runner-up slot for his sixth podium of the season.

In the first Grand Prix to visit the venue north east of Stuttgart since 2005 a reversed and heavily altered layout awaited the riders with a number of sharp, closed turns and off-cambered corners. The compact course was rutty, slippery and difficult for overtaking.

Bobryshev made an unexpected re-entry to the paddock after extensive medical examinations in the preceding two weeks gave the Russian the all-clear to finish his season, having missed only one Grand Prix due to a neck injury sustained in a round of the Belgian Championship. Taking to the track with a neck brace as a safety precaution ‘Bobby’ was immediately on the pace and grabbed third in qualification. He started brilliantly on the CRF450R and led the first moto from the gate to the winner’s circle, weathering some late pressure from Xavier Boog to clinch his third chequered flag of the year and first since his double success at the Grand Prix of Germany in July. In the second race he battled with newly-crowned number one Cairoli for second place behind the disappearing Christophe Pourcel, but ultimately had to lower his pace in the remaining ten minutes after running off the track and swallowing green fencing in his rear wheel. Deprived of his rear brake and also feeling fatigued, Bobryshev guided his factory bike to the finish in eighth.

Team-mate Rui Gonçalves is struggling with his fitness after pushing to the limits in terms of his preparation and racing in recent weeks, but was able to confirm fourth overall to place two CRF450Rs in the top five. The Portuguese had an eventful day, even with two bright starts that were essential on a track like this. In the first race he snapped a radiator shroud that caused problems for the left turns and in the second moto a small electrical glitch caused the former MX2 championship runner-up to stall his race bike on three occasions. Despite the adversity Gonçalves posted results of sixth and fourth.

LS Honda’s Shaun Simpson was the lone representative for the Belgian crew with Ken De Dycker still sidelined with a neck injury. The weekend began in decent fashion for the Scot with the holeshot and a good ride to fourth place in Saturday’s Qualification Heat. A physically tough first race delivered eleventh position, but a better run to seventh in the next sprint equalled his second best classification of the entire campaign.

With a maximum of fifty points remaining in the 2011 championship Bobryshev is fifth and can still reach fourth if he can beat Max Nagl by fourteen points In Italy. Gonçalves is sixth and just twenty-one behind his fellow Honda racer. De Dycker is tenth despite his absence and Simpson is fourteenth.

The fifteenth and final round of the series will take place next weekend on the steep hillside circuit of Fermo for the Grand Prix of Italy.

Evgeny Bobryshev (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 1st/8th Championship position: 5th
“On Friday before Matterley Basin I had a scan in England and was told I couldn’t ride for six weeks. I went for a second opinion in Belgium, having accepted that the season was over, and the doctor said that the bones were OK and I should be able to race. I asked her if she was sure that it was OK, what with all the jumping and she said ‘no problem’. I took a few precautions this weekend, but it went fine. It was a difficult race and I gave all I had in the first moto and then was making mistakes in the second because I didn’t have the strength. I went off the track and didn’t have any rear brake after I hit the fence. I was missing energy after that and just wanted to finish the race where I could. It is a strange season with many riders injured, but I am lucky I am here and I want to complete the championship in the best way possible now.”

Rui Gonçalves (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 4th/6th Championship position: 6th
“It was a funny day and a bit frustrating for the little problems we had. I was catching Bobby in the second moto until the bike bogged and I stalled, had to find neutral and kick it and because of that I lost three places. I was catching up, but it happened another two or three times. I caught the radiator shroud in a rut in the first moto and it folded right back; it was hard to turn! Anyway, this is better than two weeks ago in England and now I will just go day by day and look to finish the season as well as I can.”

Shaun Simpson (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: 11th/7th Championship position: 14th
“It has been an alright weekend; one of the better ones let’s say. My speed was really good on Saturday and I showed I can run up front if I get the start and that is the key point of the MX1 class. It is possible to come through, but at the moment I don’t have the speed or the power to do that. I tried to get a couple of good starts today, but in the first I had a bit too much wheelspin out of the gate. I rode as tight as hell. Tanel was behind me for so long and I tensed up, had arm-pump and generally it was a ‘shocking’ ride. I had a better start in the second moto – I think I was fourth or fifth – and just charged up. No-one really left me and seventh is not really to be sniffed at; I was quite happy. It was really hot and humid today. We’ve got one more to go so I will get my head down next weekend and try to make it the best of the year.”

Roger Harvey, Honda Motor Europe Off-road Racing Manager:
“It was a major bonus to have Bobby back under the awning and although it wasn’t a decision made lightly he felt secure in himself and what the doctor said to be able to race and he did fantastically well. It was just a shame about the fencing in the second moto otherwise we would be talking about our second win of the year. Solid ride from Rui who is not at optimum fitness but still did a job today and also Shaun looked very sprightly so it was a positive Grand Prix all round.”

HONDA WORLD MOTOCROSS TEAM
Bobryshev comes 'off the couch' with a win in Gaildorf

Evgeny Bobryshev has come straight from the couch to take a moto win in Gaildorf, on his way to second overall. Team-mate Rui Gonçalves also impressed with a solid fourth position in the overall classification.

Unable to train for the last three weeks due to a neck injury received in the run up to the British GP, Bobryshev only received the all clear on Thursday this week. Nonetheless, he bounced straight back into world championship competition with a superb riding display in the first moto, taking the win ahead of a pressing Xavier Boog.

The Russian would make his moves early on, coming through off the start to take first position by the end of lap one. From here he would build a commanding lead ahead of the chasing pack. As the moto neared its conclusion, his lack of conditioning would begin to show and a chasing Boog would close in. However, Bobryshev would hold strong to take the moto win, ahead of the Frenchman and Cairoli. Gonçalves would cross the line not too far behind in sixth.

The second moto, and both Bobryshev and Gonçalves were making moves early on as they established themselves in second and fourth positions respectively. Bobryshev’s exploits in the first running had clearly taken their toll and he found it hard to kick on from here. Whilst Gonçalves continued to duel within the top-five, Bobryshev slipped back to eight, a brief encounter with the green fence not helping matters.

It would finish with Pourcel taking the win ahead of Cairoli, Boissiere and Honda man Gonçalves. Bobryshev would do enough with his eight place finish to make it another visit to the podium, his sixth time this year.

Antonio Cairoli would go 3-2 on the day to take the overall GP victory. This GP victory would earn him the 2011 MX1 World Championship title. Honda congratulates Antonio on his season performance.

Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross
“First moto just felt do good, it all came together so good. I did begin to get tired towards the end but had enough to keep pushing for the win. The second one just came around a bit quick. My lack of training just meant my recovery wasn’t so fast. Also, the green fence got caught in my rear wheel and I lost the brake, which didn’t help at all. But I am happy to back on the podium so soon. I just want to say congratulations to Toni (Cairoli) on taking the championship.”

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross
“Feels good to be back on it after the problems I had in the UK. The second moto I felt I rode real good. I did have a few problems, nothing major but it stopped my progress a bit. I am looking forward to continuing this form in Italy and for a strong end to the season. I just want to say a big a big congrats to Antonio as well.”

YAMAHA RACING

Boissiere steps up at tough European GP
Monster Energy Yamahas Anthony Boissiere picked an ideal moment to shine and record not only his best moto finish in the MX1-GP class with third position but also his highest overall classification in the premier class with sixth place across the hardpack, slippery and difficult Gaildorf terrain in Germany for the Grand Prix of Europe. Team-mate Steven Frossard was given an all-clear from the hospital after a heavy crash from third position in the first moto required a check-up. The Frenchman, who is still second in the MX1-GP standings, unfortunately missed out on points for the first time in what has been an impressive debut season with the factory team and in the MX1-GP category.

An audience of 22,000 surrounded the shallow gully that housed the tight and tricky layout where overtaking was a tough ask and the hard, chiselled ruts were punishing for man and machine. Frossard was setting a comfortable pace on the YZ450FM and looking to close on Xavier Boog in second position before losing control on the drop down to the finish line and needed some brief medical attention due to a heavy blow to the torso. The winner of the Swedish and French Grands Prix was transported to hospital as a precaution and after one overnight stay will start to prepare for the season finale.

Anthony Boissiere, who had previously taken a best moto result of seventh at the Grand Prix of USA in May, fired his warning of intent and demonstrated a good flow with the track to place tenth in the first affair. A better start and lively opening half of the race pushed him into contention for the top five and when Evgeny Bobryshev began to tire and Rui Gonçalves had some technical problems the former MX2 moto winner was into the top three for the first time with the YZ450F.

Carlos Campano completed the second of three events substituting the injured David Philippaerts and struggled to get a good feeling around the Gaildorf inclines. The Spaniard crashed in the first race and made the line in thirteenth and then a fight with Greg Aranda for a slot inside the top ten was lost in the second sprint. He took eleventh for twelfth overall.

Despite his bad luck Frossard has a 33 point gap over Max Nagl who is fourth in the MX1-GP standings (Clement Desalle is third but currently injured) and there are just 50 points left to win. David Philippaerts sits eighth, Boissiere fifteenth and Campano eighteenth as the team will swiftly pack up and head back to their base near Parma before driving across to the Adriatic coast and the Fermo circuit for their home Grand Prix next weekend. The scenic hillside location will close the FIM Motocross World Championship for the second year in succession.

Anthony Boissiere, 6th position:
I’m really happy with my first top three result in MX1. I was a bit tired before the second race but my riding got better and better and I felt near 100% as the moto went on. I was able to pass where I wanted and could be aggressive on the bike. It was a really good race. The track was difficult like every weekend but my work paid off today. This has come a bit late in the season but better late than never. We go to Fermo now which is a good track for me.

Carlos Campano, 12th position:
I didn’t really get on with the track from the beginning of the weekend. I was making mistakes and not making good time. In the first moto I passed Schiffer and tried to get involved in the fight with Barragan and Guarneri but crashed while pushing too hard. I worked my way back past the slower riders to make fifteenth. In the second race I had a bad start and went hard in the first lap to arrive to thirteenth. I was together with Aranda but he was just a bit quicker than me. Then Nagl crashed near the end and I did what I could to get tenth but couldn’t make it by the end.

Tonus ties for podium result in Germany
The Grand Prix of Europe at the German circuit of Gaildorf saw Bike it Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamahas Arnaud Tonus just miss out on his first podium finish with the YZ250F as the Swiss tied on points for third position overall but was classified fourth due to the second moto ranking. The stylish 2011 MX2 British Champion scored third and fourth positions but was edged off the box by Jeffrey Herlings.

The first visit by the FIM Motocross World Championship to Gaildorf since 2005 meant a radically altered layout awaited the paddock upon entry to the venue, but the hard terrain, off-cambered turns and same twisty trajectory was still in place. The different demands of the track provided another example of the diverse nature of the series and 22,000 spectators came to see the reworked Gaildorf.

Tonus was able to revel in the conditions and his part in a very entertaining battle between four riders for second position in the first moto was key in establishing the building block for equalling his best overall result this season. In fact his third place was the first time he had breached the top three in a moto. Sadly a slightly worse start in the second outing meant that the trio of Tommy Searle, Herlings and Ken Roczen had broken free and Tonus faced a lonely ride to fourth once he had passed brand-mate Gautier Paulin.

Monster Energy Yamahas Paulin earned his first holeshot of the season in Saturdays Qualification Heat and eased his way through the hard bumps to take a solid third position and an optimum pick of positions in the gate for Sunday. The Frenchman confessed to feeling uncomfortable on the surface and lacked the cutting-edge speed to be in firm contention for the podium. He was fourth and sixth (suffering a second moto crash) to finish fifth overall.

Christophe Charlier crashed in the first moto after a collision with Jose Butron and could not restart in good enough time to rejoin the fray. Another meeting with the dirt in the second race saw him briefly dazed but then determined to rescue something from the weekend, which he managed with twelfth. Team-mate Harri Kullas was unable to compete due to a hand injury that means he will also miss the last remaining event of the calendar.

In the world championship standings Paulin has confirmed fourth position in the 2011 series. Tonus holds a 22 point gap over Max Anstie for fifth spot. Zach Osborne is seventh and Harri Kullas is eighth while Charlier is eleventh.

The fifteenth and last round of the FIM Motocross World Championship will take place next weekend at another hardpack and compact layout, Fermo, for the Grand Prix of Italy.

Arnaud Tonus, 4th position:
It was pretty close for the podium but I’m very happy because I had a good weekend. Each time I rode I had some fun and those better starts helped me. I did my best in the first moto and had a good battle with Paulin and Searle. I could finally get a moto podium and it was a great feeling. In the second my start was not as good but I had a fast rhythm. I got near to the podium but overall Im pleased with the GP and the bike was working really well. We made some small adjustments but we have a strong motorcycle at the moment anyway. It was difficult to find consistency on the track because in some sections there was grip and it others it was really slick, but I enjoyed it. We have a chance to seal fifth now and we have been strong at the end of the season. I have learned to try and be a bit more relaxed before the start of a race and this has worked.

Gautier Paulin, 5th position:
I really don’t like this track. It is slippery and was over-watered on the hardpack. I was not feeling good and every jump was sketchy; there were ruts on the take-offs and the 250s always seem to come up short. I was not feeling good but had decent starts and the races were not too bad. My crash was a surprise. I went into the rut and within a second I was on the ground. There is not much more to say. I want to forget this weekend and think ahead to Fermo.

Christophe Charlier, 15th position:
It was a bad weekend and I just couldn’t get a rhythm going on this track. I crashed and landed on my head in the second moto and felt a bit dizzy for a while but afterwards I was able to push and it was OK to reach 12th in the circumstances. For sure Ill be hoping for better at Fermo.

TEAM SUZUKI
STRIJBOS SCORES FIFTH AT GAILDORF MX1

It was 'fives' all round for Kevin Strijbos as he guided the factory RM-Z450 to fifth place overall with a brace of fifth positions at a warm but cloudy Gaildorf circuit in southern Germany for the Grand Prix of Europe and the 14th -and the penultimate - round of the FIM Motocross World Championship today.

Some 22,000 fans surrounded the shallow dips and tight turns of the layout that was not generous with valid overtaking opportunities and was also a difficult test of traction and concentration for the riders thanks to the tough and bumpy dirt.

Strijbos started well in the first moto and slotted into fourth position that soon became third spot when Steven Frossard crashed out. The Belgian, feeling no ill effects from his tweaked left knee, was caught by local favourite Max Nagl and World Champion-elect Tony Cairoli in the final five laps but was a comfortable distance ahead of Rui Gonçalves. In the second outing, Strijbos came around the first lap just inside the top 10, but set about his task with determination and rose to sixth before demoting Xavier Boog and again reaching fifth.

New Zealander Cody Cooper rode to 26th position on his debut outing in the MX1 class and on the RM-Z450. The Australian Motocross National series campaigner is missing track and race time but was able to digest the speed and demands of Grand Prix racing and hopes to be more on the pace come the season-closer.

The absent Clement Desalle is third in the MX1 standings. Strijbos is 12th. Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 will head south to Italy and the Fermo circuit for the final round of the 2011 series next week before moving back up and to France for the Motocross of Nations.

Kevin Strijbos:
"It was good today. In the first race I had a good start and at one point I was third. The race was 'kinda over at that point because there was a huge gap to Boog and I was just on my own. I had been focussing on Frossard but with him gone I lost some of the speed in the corners and went a bit too slow; for that Nagl and Tony caught me and I felt tired by the end. At the second start I ramped the gate but passed a load of riders in the first corners. I knew it would be a long race but I focussed on my rhythm and it went well. I couldn't ride last week with my knee but it didn't bother me too much here."

Cody Cooper:
"It was an awesome experience in terms of being with the team and riding the bike but I guess I'm not that fit! It was good to come over and race. I wasn't sure about it in the beginning because I'd been on holiday since the end of the Aussie nationals and we run three twenty minute motos there so the format is different. I didn't want to let the team down and just tried to have fun. I felt a bit better in the second moto as I had crashed in the first. It was real hardpack here and these guys are fast for sure."

LS HONDA RACING
Solid top ten for Simpson in Gaildorf

MX1 rookie Shaun Simpson secured two strong points scores today to equal his best points haul of the season with 10th place overall at the GP of Europe. The penultimate round of the MX1 World Championship took place at the hardpack traditional ‘Auf der Wacht’ GP track in Gaildorf, Germany. With one GP to go Shaun is currently 14th in provisional standings, De Dycker is tenth despite his absence in racing due to neck injury.

LS Honda Racing’s sole representative started his second German GP weekend of the season with a bang. Fifth places in both the free practice and pre-qualifying sessions were certainly a good omen. Another great holeshot in Saturday’s qualifying race was all Shaun needed! The CRF450R mounted Brit remained in the lead for nearly four laps before Christophe Pourcel passed him. To his credit Shaun was not to give up on this one even not when Tony Cairoli came knocking at the door. Finally Simpson couldn’t hold back Cairoli and had to surrender one more position to the hard-charging Evgeny Bobryshev to come home fourth thus equalling his best ever MX1 qualification effort in France.

Simpson was squeezed off in the start of the opening moto and circulated in seventh early on. A physically tough first race demanded its toll on the 23-year-old from Gauldry. Shaun had his sight set on 8th position halfway through the race but lost two positions by the end.

The 22,000 strong crowd witnessed a much better start inside the top five by Simpson in the second moto. Braveheart put together a determined ride and kept in touch with the leading pack finishing less than 14 seconds behind 4th placed Gonçalves. Seventh is not exactly something to be sniffed at in the extremely competitive series that is the FIM MX1 World Championship. And just like he had done on Saturday it was a repeat for his best rides of the season.

Shaun Simpson: “It has been an all right weekend; one of the better ones let’s say. My speed was really good on Saturday and I showed I can run up front if I get the start because that is the key point of the MX1 class! It is possible to come through, but at the moment I don’t have the speed or the power to do that yet. In the first moto start I had a bit too much wheelspin out of the gate. I rode as tight as hell. Tanel Leok was behind me for so long and I tensed up, had arm-pump and generally it was a ‘shocking’ ride. I had a better start in the second moto – I think I was fourth or fifth – and just charged up. No-one really left me and seventh is okay; I was quite happy with that. It was really hot and humid today.”

YAMAHA VAN BEERS RACING TEAM
Petar Petrov twelfth in Grand Prix of Europe

Petar Petrov of the Yamaha van Beers Racing Team finished twelfth overall at the penultimate round of the World Championship Series in Gaildorf, Germany. Petar qualified himself in 20th position on Saturday. In the first moto on Sunday he started the race in about 17th position. In the first part of the race he had several hard battles and couldn’t make up positions. In the second part of the moto he managed to pass several riders and worked himself up to 13th position. With this position he scored eight World Championship points.

In the second moto he took a better start and came out of the first corner in 14th position. Petar was riding a consistent race and worked himself up to 13th position in the middle of the race. In the rest of the moto he managed to held on to this position and finished the race in 13th position.

With these results he finished twelfth overall. With still one race to go he sits in 16th position in the World Championship standings.

Herjan Brakke scored World Championship points as well. Brakke qualified himself in 23rd position on Saturday. In the first moto he started the race inside of the points. In the beginning of the race he worked himself up to 19th position. Unfortunately he collided with another rider and this damaged his radiator. Because of this he had to retire from the race.

In the second moto he took a poor start and started the race around 25th position. In the beginning it was difficult for Herjan to make up positions but in the second part of the race he worked himself up to 21st position. In the closing stages of the race he gave everything he had and managed to pass two more riders to finish the moto in 19th position.

With these results he finished in 23rd position overall. After fourteen rounds he sits in 28th position in the World Championship Standings. Next weekend the series will continue at Fermo in Italy.

BEURSFOON SUZUKI TEAM
Broken collarbone for Mike Kras at German Grand Prix

The end of the World Championship season approaches for the Beursfoon Suzuki team that entered round 14 in Gaildorf with its rider Mike Kras in the MX2 class. Once again there were two points scored in the wet opening heat for Mike Kras who came back to 18th position after his early crash that took him to 26th position. A DNF in the second heat after Mike crashed in the first lap being in 15th position. The result of this crash is a collarbone broken in three places. Mike will have a surgery in Germany tomorrow which will point out for how many weeks he will be out.

Saturday:
Due to a 23rd pre-qualification time, Mike did not have the best starting position. His good reaction and strong Suzuki saved his start of this qualify heat in Gaildorf bringing him into 15th position. The pace could not be picked up so they forced him to drop back to a 19th position to finish his qualifying heat.

Sunday:
Heat 1:
As Mike completely missed his start on the watered out track in Germany, he got surprised going wide into a left-hand corner and crashed. In 26th position he tried to pick up a good pace without taking too much risks. Lap by lap Mike found his way passing some riders towards a top -20 position. Having a good ride stepped up his confidence level resulting in even better lap times. Two extra points for Mike Kras and the Beursfoon Suzuki team in this first heat of the German GP when he finished in 18th position.

Heat 2:
A DNF in the second heat after Mike went down hard in the first lap being in 15th position. The result of this crash is a collarbone broken in three places. Mike will have a surgery in Germany tomorrow which will point out for how many weeks he will be out.

GAUTIER PAULIN
Tough outing for Paulin at German GP

The penultimate round of the FIM Motocross World championship series has been a tough outing for Monster Energy Yamaha’s Gautier Paulin. A return to the famous Gaildorf circuit saw a massive crowd attendance with great weather conditions.

Paulin looked comfortable in his qualification race with a perfect hole-shot and a solid 3rd place.  He backed up the first moto with another good start but battled to run the pace of the front-runners as he narrowly missed out on a podium finish.

A crash in moto two confirmed that there would be no rostrum finish for the likeable Frenchman as he remounted and finished in a lonely 6th place for 5th overall on the day.

“I guess everyone has one of those days where the feeling is not there. I did not feel comfortable on the track and felt that if I pushed any harder I would be riding over my capabilities. I’m sure Fermo will be much better. It is the team’s home GP and my last GP with them so I want to make this a good one” vowed Paulin.

HUSQVARNA
STRONG MX RESULTS FOR HUSQVARNA TC250

After a difficult and demanding season for the Husqvarna Motocross World Championship riders, there were some encouraging signs for the future at last weekend's MXGP in Gaildorf, Germany, where all the great work done in publicly developing the Husqvarna TC250 is beginning to bear fruit.

With a machine that is becoming more competitive with every race meeting, there is finally a feeling that the Husqvarna riders are getting to the point where they can compete on equal terms with their rivals, and this was very much in evidence at last weekend's GP, where right from the very first practice on Saturday, there was a feeling that things were starting to gel for the team.

Alessandro Lupino finished the MX2 qualifying race in an encouraging sixth place. Team-mate Michael Leib – responsible for the race debut of the Husqvarna engine that will power the 2012 production bike – finished this same qualifier in a respectable ninth place, showing the potential of this forthcoming model.

Saturday's promising performances continued during Sunday's races. Lupino was the most successful rider, finishing in ninth place overall after an 11th in race one and eighth in race two. The talented Italian got away well at the gate in race 1 but a slide on the first lap put him all the way back in last place, forcing him to battle his way though the pack, eventually climbing up to 11th, which he managed to hold until the chequered flag.

During the second heat, 'Lupo' was circulating as high as seventh but all the energy he had used up battling back from dead last to 11th in the first leg left him with little in reserve for the race two battle. However, he still managed to finish in eighth place, clocking up his best result of season so far.

Team-mate Michael Leib had a day of mixed fortunes. Scoring a fantastic seventh place in the first leg, he was forced to retire from the second race after a few laps due to a recurrence of the physical condition that has blighted his 2011 championship campaign and often left him depleted and unable to train properly. However, despite his withdrawal from race two, his strong result in the first leg meant that he still finished in 13th place overall – still a positive showing for the whole team.

Next weekend will see the MXGP circus travel to Fermo for the start of the Grand Prix of Italy, which is the final round in this year's world championship season. With renewed optimism and increasing confidence, the Husqvarna team is hoping to further improve the good results achieved in Gaildorf.

TANEL LEOK
LEOK BATTLES THROUGH GERMAN GP

A cracked tailbone ranks rather low on the enjoyment scale. Even if all you have to do is park your derriere in a plush sofa, it is no fun thing, let alone when you are sitting astride a bouncing, bucking monster of a motorcycle, traversing a motocross track at GP – level speed. Just ask Tanel Leok. The Estonian was involved in a spectacular crash at the British GP that, on the viewing of it, had all the impact force of an irresistible force hitting an immovable object. True to his nature, he got up, but the area where his ancestral appendage would have been if we were still tail-bearing creatures, was rather tender.

Fortunately for Tanel, there was a week's respite before he had to charge at the horizon again, but the day rolled along soon enough. The scene for the penultimate GP of the year was Gaildorf in Germany, as picturesque a setting as you are likely to encounter at a motocross event. Picturesque and neat German houses are dotted on the far hills, overlooking a hilly and perfectly-sculpted traditional style motocross track bordered by the greenest of green.

The venue is of course not unknown to Tanel. Way back in 2000, he collected a massive trophy right here when he was crowned the 85cc junior World Champion, and for many years thereafter, he plied his trade here. After a lull in world championship activities, the GP circus returned, and Gaildorf once again played host to a motocross world championship event.

Despite his discomfort, Tanel was here with a job to do, and not given to complaining, he got going with his version of 9 to 5. It was clear during Saturday's proceedings that he was not entirely comfortable, and he finished the qualifying race in a relatively modest (for him) fifteenth place. The trademark speed had not deserted him, however, tender tail or not, and on Sunday morning he posted the third fastest time during warm up.

With the sun blazing down and thousands of fans air-horning their appreciation of the action, Tanel got going just outside the top 10 in race 1. He was grimacing through the discomfort, but still made steady headway across the track, He broke into the top 10 on the second lap, and pulling every reserve of endurance from his armoury, he gritted it out to the end to finish ninth, for another decent world championship points haul.

Tanel was not averse to some more suffering in aid of the cause in the second race, but that decision was taken out of his hands fairly quickly. An early get-together with another bike left his TM with a damaged radiator, and for a while it looked like he had taken up steam-powered motocross. With no prospect of finishing the race before the bikes motor turned into a one-piece affair, he retired from the race.

The second race DNF kept Tanel down to 16th in the overall standings for the day. Though he did not lose any world championship positions, Belgian Kevin Strijbos has drawn close, whilst Tanel himself is homing in on tenth position in the championship standings. The GP circus will descend on Fermo in Italy next weekend for the grand finale.

ALEKSANDR TONKOV
TONKOV SECOND IN FINAL EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT

It is not often that a motocross rider speaks with a hint of disgruntlement about an international event in which he finished second, yet Aleksandr Tonkov did just that when reflecting upon the final round of the EMX2 European Championship series at Gaildorf, Germany. With the results cat out of the bag already, let us backtrack and see how the Russian rider's weekend unfolded and how he arrived at his state of less than perfect contentment.

Regular readers will know by now that Aleksandr's season went pear-shaped in a bad way when he injured his writs in the early sessions of the third round in Spain. At thd him to miss two rounds, and even upon his return at the Latvian round he was not in such fine fettle. This meant that all hopes of title honours went marching out the door like a Red Army brigade, and all that he could do, was salvage the best possible round-to-round results to bolster his achievements.

Having spent a season in German employ, Aleksandr is of course no stranger to the German scene, and he arrived at Gaildorf full of hopes for a good result. He came within a smidgen of topping the timing sheets in the qualifying practice, finally trailing Romain Febvre by less than a second. His qualifying race delivered some difficulties, when the footpeg of his Yamaha snagged in one of Gaildorf's ruts in the most freakish of manners, but he recovered well to finish third in the qualifying event.

A less than ideal start in race left the Russian with a fair workload. His progress was clearly visible as his bright green clothing made him easy to follow. BY the sixth lap he had moved up to fourth position, and though he kept Dutch rider Donny Bastemeijer in sight, he could not close the gap enough to launch an attack for a podium finish. A much better start in race two left him with a far more solid platform to work off. He held his second position all race long, and with Dylan Ferrandis being in sublime form up front, Aleksandr had n option but to place his second position safe.

His inability to challenge for the lead in the second race was what left the teenager with a scowl wholly at odds with his good finish. This is the heart of a champion, though he was second, he wanted to be first, and the manner in which he was second did not please him at all much. Nevertheless, for the world at large an overall second place finish at a European Championship event is no bad thing at all, and he duly accepted the accolades of the crowd as he sprayed the bubble from the podium.

Although he missed two full rounds of the series and was all but fully out of action for another, Aleksandr finished sixth overall in the championship standings. When checking out the points standings, an interesting statistic emerged – he scored by far the highest average of points per round that he participated in, and extrapolating that over the series a clear picture emerges that he would have been an overwhelming favourite for championship honours but for the untimely injury.

The youngster is in full negotiations for the 2012 season, and hopes to clinch a good world – or American championship berth for next season.

SHANNON TERREBLANCHE
TERREBLANCHE ADDS TO EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP TALLY

Shannon Terreblanche's resolve of bouncing back from setbacks has been tested on numerous occasions during his career, and in the current season he has again experienced his share of pure rotten luck. Undeterred, he always puts his South African-style steely reserve on the table and carries on. With the 2011 Motocross of Nations looming ever larger, Shanter took the opportunity for some race preparation in the form of the final European Championship event at Gaildorf, Germany.

The track and its surrounds are picturesque as can be, but scarce a rider could be found who did not complain a bit about track conditions. The traditional style track is hard as the come, producing the traditional blue groove known in the earlier years as the bikes put rubber down on the concrete-hard dirt. This makes for slippery conditions, and the whole plot was not helped along at all by a fair sprinkling of dust during Saturday's qualifying sessions.

If that were his only problems, Shannon would still do his duty without a murmur, but life rolled another stone of challenge in his way during Saturday's qualifying race. A fellow competitor thought that the Van Haut Honda looked like a handy landing place, and the ensuing crash left Shanter without the luxury of a front brake which, everyone that knows the track will testify, is rather a handy thing to have around Gaildorf. Consequently, Shannon was unable to ride to a good enough position to ensure direct qualification to Sunday's final. This meant that he had to endure the stress of the last chance qualifier, but fortunately his experience shone through and he posted the third fastest time, getting him into the final.

Having come to the final through the last chance qualifying session, Shannon got a start place that was a good binocular view away from the good starting spots. This meant that he would always struggle to get into the races with any kind of authority, and so it prove to be. IN both races he had to fight his way back from the hindquarters of the metaphorical racing dog, and had to exert every energy to ride to twelfth and thirteenth in the races respectively.

Having just participated in two rounds of the European Championship series, Shannon only finished 23rd in the final series standings, but his focus on this weekend was to generates some race rhythm. He has been selected to represent South Africa in the 2011 Motocross of Nations, and will join team-mates Tyla Rattray and Gareth Swanepoel in St Jean D'Angely, France, in two weeks' time to fly the flag of the Rainbow Nation.

QUALIFYING

HONDA WORLD MOTOCROSS TEAM
Bobryshev returns in style with third in Gaildorf qualifying

Evgeny Bobryshev has come back to world championship competition with a bang, taking third in Saturday’s qualifying race at the GP of Europe in Gaildorf, Germany.

The powerful Russian had been out of action for over three weeks with an injury to his C7 vertebra and was a doubt to compete at all this weekend. However, having been given the all clear earlier in the week, it was never a doubt that he would give 100% once back on the bike.

Moving through from seventh off the start, to third by the end of the 20 minutes + 2 lap moto, Bobryshev proved that his spell on the sidelines had done nothing to diminish his talent. Team-mate Gonçalves also impressed with a sixth place finish on the technical, natural and rather ‘old-school’ Gaildorf track.

LS Honda Racing rider, Shaun Simpson was also one to watch, grabbing the holeshot and leading for much of the first half of the moto before being shuffled back to fourth position as they crossed the line. Nonetheless he would help make it three Hondas in the top six.

Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross
“Feels so good to be back racing, I can’t find words to describe it! I was pretty tired at the end of that one but have to be happy with the result. There was no pain at all while I was riding, as I was so focused on the race. Tomorrow’s longer motos will be more difficult but I feel ready to race..”

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross
“The track is… how do I say… quite interesting. It reminds me a lot of a French Championship race, very natural. I am happy with the result and did not really suffer with any of the problems that I did at the British GP. But we will see how things develop for tomorrow. I am looking forward to it.”

TEAM SUZUKI
STRIJBOS QUALIFIES 8TH AT GAILDORF MX1

Kevin Strijbos took his Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 RM-Z450 to eighth position in the MX1 qualification heat at a sweltering Gaildorf circuit in Germany for the Grand Prix of Europe and the penultimate round of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

The first GP event to visit Gaildorf since 2005 was a great example of the diversity of the circuits found in the series as the remodelled layout offered a tight, winding and hardpack soil that became dusty and rutty in places. The track was tough and fast and split opinion among the riding fraternity.

Strijbos experimented with a different rear Pirelli in his search for optimum grip and despite a mediocre launch in the 20 minute and 2 lap qualification heat - run at the hottest part of the day - was able to pass riders and classify eighth for a decent gate-pick for tomorrow.

Cody Cooper - standing in for Clement Desalle at Gaildorf and also next week at Fermo in Italy - took his time to feel his way into the speed and intricacies of grand prix racing. Enjoying the responsiveness and handling of the works race bike, the New Zealander rode a cautious sprint to 22nd place.

Rain showers are predicted for race-day.

Kevin Strijbos:
"It is pretty different here. Many riders don't like it but I think it is good that we come somewhere like this. At the beginning it was difficult to get used to it but it was fine for the races. The day overall was OK. I had a bad start for the heat. Simpson was on the inside of me and just 'went.' I hesitated and missed it completely. I thought my knee would bother me more but it was fine with just some strapping. I think our bike is working better than some others out there and we changed the rear tyre just to find a bit more traction. I'm happy with how things are and it could be fun tomorrow if it rains."

Cody Cooper:
"It was pretty average. I struggled all day really. I haven't ridden much since the end of the Australian Nationals and found it tough going in the heat. We didn't change the bike too much; I moved the bars forward from Clement's setting and a couple of suspension clicks here and there. I'm just grateful to have this ride and I love the bike."