MXGP #78 February 2020 by MXGP MAG

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MXGP MAG Chief Editor: Marionna Leiva Photos: Youthstream YOUTHSTREAM Media World Trade Center II Rte de Pré-Bois 29 1215 Geneva 15 Airport Switzerland

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L A I R O T I D E

David Luongo CEO of Youthstream

Dear MXGP Friends, We are less than a month away from the beginning of the season, the MXGP of Great Britain at the beautiful track of Matterley Basin. All the Youthstream staff and the teams are very excited to deliver the best services possible to you, with the collaboration of the local organizers, the FIM, the FIM Europe and the national Federations. The great news of the month is the announcement of the location for the MXGP of Spain, which is going to be near Madrid at Intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos. The complex will offer fantastic facilities to the public and the Spanish fans will be able to cheer for their favorite one, Jorge Prado, that should be fully recovered for the date of the Grand Prix on the 18/19th of April. The month of February is used by the teams and riders for the final testing, physical preparation and media events. We see through the past years that more and more teams are becoming more professional in the way they present themselves, their lineup of riders, partners and official images, something which is very positive for the sport.

ALL THE FACTORY RIDERS LOOK TO BE IN A GOOD SHAPE AND MOST IMPORTANT THAN EVERYTHING THEY ARE FIT TO BEGIN THE MXGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON. The first pre-season races have started in Italy and have shown the great preparation of the defending champion Tim Gajser. Mitch Evans’ speed was a good surprise and he could be one of the best rookies for the 2020 season. All the factory riders look to be in a good shape and most important than everything they are fit to begin the MXGP World Championship season. It will be also very interesting to follow Thomas Covington, who decided to come back to race MXGP after his great experience in USA. The American has had a great time in MX2 and will now compete in MXGP with Yamaha. The MX2 category confirms that it will be more open than ever with a strong French line up

and a lot of challengers for the title. The ticket shops of the majority of the Grand Prix’s are now open and you can enjoy some pre-sale discounts by buying your tickets in advance on www.mxgp.com or on the official website of each Grand Prix. Beside the excitement of the new season coming, we already have in mind the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in Ernée, France, in September which is going to be epic. We are witnessing the best pre-sales in the history and we are sure that it will blow our mind in a bigger way than in 2015. Finally, during the week we will open the single Grand Prix pass on MXGP-TV.com to allow each fan to watch live the full program of racing of their favorite Grand Prix. Besides, all of you have the possibility to get the season pass, which includes the whole MXGP/ MX2 World Championship, all the support classes and the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations and. See you all at Matterley Basin!

S T O H S L COO

Photo: Yamaha

S T O H S L COO

Photo: KTM/Archer

S T O H S L COO

Photo: Husqvarna/Swijgers

P U G H N ATC I C A C R

Photo: Honda/Swijgers

T C E P X E O T T A H W ! 0 2 0 2 IN 15

Photo: KTM/Acevedo

2019 was definitely one for the books as the racing was not short of intense battles and plenty of drama which kept everyone on the edge of their seats. But in the midst of all the drama we were treated to a front-row seat to some awesome race action and got to witness incredible achievements in both MX2 and MXGP.

WITH THE 2020 SEASON OF THE FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FAST APPROACHING, IT IS THE PERFECT TIME TO START THINKING OF WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THE YEAR AHEAD.

In MXGP the heat was on as the Red Bull KTM Factory rider, Antonio Cairoli chased his 10th world title, to match the record of Stefan Everts, while the likes of Tim Gajser, Jeffrey Herlings, Clément Desalle, Gautier Paulin and others, had their eyes set on standing in the way and getting their chance to challenge for the gold plate. Of course, as the season got going, we saw how serious Team HRC’s

Tim Gajser was about securing his second MXGP title (third overall). We witnessed the birth of the Cairoli v Gajser battle with both riders putting everything on the line, which in the end saw the 9-time World Champion, Tony Cairoli forced out of the championship chase due to injury. As the season progressed, Tim Gajser was often challenged for race wins but managed to hold it down and secured his third world championship (2015: MX2, MXGP:2016,2019), with a 202-point advantage over Jeremy Seewer. It was a fantastic season for the Slovenian who went on to bag 16 race wins, including 9 GP victories, 7 of which were back-to-back, a first for Honda in their history of MXGP competition.

Meanwhile in MX2, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado was

unmatched as he was crowned MX2 Motocross World Champion for the second time in a row. Of course, it wasn’t that easy, as at the start of the season Prado was forced to miss the British Grand Prix due to an injury while training. This opened a door for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen though, who with two race wins was able to take the red plate and lead the MX2 championship. He held on to it for a few rounds before the Spaniard moved back into the lead, where he would remain. In the end he secured the title at the MXGP of Sweden, finishing the season in China with a 213-point advantage. But now it’s time to look at the season ahead and what we can expect to see for the next 20 Grand Prix’s. This upcoming season will see a few changes to the MXGP Calendar with new venues on the horizon including the return of some old favourites like the legendary Maggiora Park! The season will kick-start at the fan favourite, Matterley Basin, in Great Britain, as the premier motocross

series begins in Europe for the first time since 2012. Next, MXGP will head to back to the sandy circuit of Valkenswaard for the MXGP of the Netherlands before we take things overseas to the beautiful Argentina for the MXGP of Patagonia Argentina! As the World Championship returns to Europe, we will visit some of the MXGP favourites including Trentino, St. Jean d’Angely (France), Teutschenthal (Germany), Orlyonok in Russia and Kegums in Latvia. Of course, the MXGP of Patagonia Argentina will not be the only international GP of the season, as we make the trip across the world to Indonesia, where fans will be treated to two MXGP events. Jakarta is a brand-new host for 2020 as it will kick-off the first of the two Indonesian rounds, before we return to Palembang for the second year in a row. As the series returns from Indonesia, MXGP will then head back to some old-school favourites, including Loket, the deep sand circuit of Lommel in Belgium and the hillside track of Uddevalla as the 17

championship makes a stop in Sweden.

expect to see challenging for race wins and podiums in 2020.

For 2020, MXGP will see the comeback of the highly anticipated MXGP of Spain, set to be hosted in intu Xanadu - Arroyomolinos as the world championship heads to Madrid for the very first time. Also returning to the MXGP calendar is Finland; the Finnish GP will take place at the brand-new KymiRing venue, as the organisers plan the ultimate weekend for motocross lovers.

As Clément Desalle and Romain Febvre make their return from injuries sustained in 2019, the new team-mates will also be looking to make their mark on the world stage. 2020 is a year for change for Febvre as he joins the Monster Energy Kawasaki squad alongside Desalle and prepares for a brand-new chapter of his motocross career as he mounts the #3 plate on his Monster Energy KX450-SR

As the championship wraps up, MXGP will visit Turkey and China for rounds 18 and 19, before the final stop of the 2020 season set to be held in Imola for the MXGP of Emilia Romagna. Then the entire MXGP paddock will move on to Ernée, France, for the most anticipated event of the year, the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nation. In terms of racing though, the 2020 MXGP season is set to be one of the most competitive seasons in the history of the Motocross World Championship, with a field of riders that are all considered strong contenders for the title as well as new faces emerging from MX2 and the European Championships, the challenge for the championship has never been so close. In MXGP, Team HRC’s Tim Gajser will head into the 2020 season with a lot of momentum and looking to defend his title. From what we have seen of him in the pre-season racing, we can expect to see Gajser pick up and continue with the same drive and energy that he carried throughout 2019. But it won’t be easy as there is the rest of the field to consider, with the likes of Monster Energy Yamaha MXGP rider, Gautier Paulin, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis, as well as the two Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing riders, Clément Desalle and Romain Febvre up for the challenge. With the return of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings, as well as the new talent that is coming through from the MX2 division, like the two-time world champion, Jorge Prado, there are plenty of riders who you can

Let’s not forget the Monster Energy Factory Yamaha MXGP riders, Arnaud Tonus and fellow team-mate, Jeremy Seewer, who finished second in the overall standings last season, despite not winning any races, showing that consistency can pay off a great deal when you’re racing for the championship. Another rider to watch out for in 2020 is Glenn Coldenhoff. The Dutch rider had a strong second half to the 2019 season, going on to win four races and adding two overall GP victories to his name (Sweden and Imola, Italy). He was also part of the winning team at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations as Team Netherlands made history, winning for the very first time. Going off the back of a fantastic end to the season, 2020 could be the year that we see Coldenhoff become a podium regular onboard the newcomer GasGas Factory machine. But there are new riders to consider, with many of the top MX2 pilots making the move up to the MXGP class, things are definitely going to get interesting. Jorge Prado is one to watch, following his impressive MXGP debut at the MXoN in Assen, where he finished 3-4 in the races, surprising many and giving us a taste of what can be expected in 2020. But of course, his recent injury is going to set him back a bit, though when he is back to 100% it wouldn’t be surprising to see the young Spaniard challenging within the top 5. Another rider that could impress this season includes Team HRC’s newest recruit Mitch Evans, who has already made a good debut on the all-new CRF450RW in the pre-season races.

Photo: Yamaha

Despite being just 21 years old, many believe that the Australian will be better suited to the bigger bike, so it will be interesting to see what he can achieve in his rookie season in the fierce MXGP class. Other riders making the move up from MX2 include Yamaha SM Action M.C Migliori’s Henry Jacobi, JD Gunnex KTM Racing’s Adam Sterry and Team Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen, who have all had successful MX2 careers and will be looking forward to the challenge in the new division. But with many riders moving up, including the two-time world champion, Jorge Prado, this leaves the door open for a brand-new MX2 World Champion. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory rider, Thomas Kjer Olsen, will head into the new season more determined than ever to claim his maiden world championship title. The Dane has been one of the main protagonists in MX2 for the last few years, finishing 2nd in 2019 and 3rd in 2018 and 2017, so there is no doubt that his goal for the upcoming season is nothing less than gold. There to challenge him though, we can expect to see the two Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 riders, Ben Watson and Jago Geerts. Last season we were given a taste of what these two are capable of, with both riders putting on impressive displays of determination, as they often challenged for podium positions. But they are not the only one’s as the Red Bull KTM Factory rider, Tom Vialle is another rider to consider for the championship. He had a remarkable rookie season among the top MX2 riders in 2019 and could often be found at the front of the field. His starts were great, but a lack of experience against the MX2 experts, stood in the way of him being able to maintain these top positions to the end of the race. Now with his rookie season behind him, important lessons learnt, we could see some big things from the young Frenchman.

Photo: Kawasaki/Archer

Filling the second spot under the Red Bull KTM Factory MX2 awning, is the Austrian, Rene Hofer. The young rider is looking impressive for 2020, following his three successful wildcard appearances in MX2. He also finished 21

fourth overall in the EMX250 standings and secured his first podium of the season in Russia where he finished third overall. Let’s not forget the F&H Kawasaki squad that includes Mathys Boisrame, who finished 9th last year as well as the EMX250 Champion, Roan Van de Moosdijk and Mikkel Haarup. Despite the small injury that Boisrame sustained while training, all three riders have had a good off-season training in Spain and are looking really strong for 2020. Kevin Horgmo is another rider who will make his season debut in MX2 with Marchetti Racing Team KTM. In 2019 Horgmo made his first GP appearance at the MXGP of Loket, Czech Republic, where he finished 9th overall. The 2020 MX2 World Championship will also welcome a new team; the Diga Procross GasGas Factory Juniors squad will make their debut at Matterley Basin, as Jeremy Sydow and Simon Langenfelder become the newest GasGas MX2 Factory riders. Livia Lancelott will also enter the MX2 Championship with her newest 114 Honda Motorsport recruits, Nathan Crawford and Bailey Malkiewicz. The two Australians will make their MXGP World Championship debut with the hope of following in the footsteps of the likes of, Hunter Lawrence and Mitch Evans. There are many contenders for both championships to consider and for the first time in a while, this upcoming MXGP season is truly unpredictable with the racing expected to be closer than ever before. With the first round of the 2020 campaign just around the corner, final preparations will be taking place for the first gate drop of the season at Matterley Basin in Great Britain. Don’t miss out on this unpredictable season of the FIM Motocross World Championship and enjoy the full season on MXGP-TV! Enjoy all the races of the 2020 campaign LIVE and OnDemand – Subscribe HERE!

Photo: Husqvarna/Swijgers

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R E S T L S R I N G MO

H T N RE MO E D I RF TH O

N A M G N I H E G L T N I T A H C E TH 33

His career highlight was winning the MXGP title in 2015 in his rookie season, but since then, Febvre has had to endure some tough lessons as well as some heavy impacts, the latest of which happened in Sweden towards the end of the 2019 season. Having been a Yamaha rider since 2015, Febvre though has decided to change bike, team and riding number for 2020 and as we get set for another year of MXGP, we decided to catch up with the former world champion to see how his recovery has been going.

WHEN ROMAIN FEBVRE BURST ONTO THE EMX SCENE BACK IN 2011, THE FRENCHMAN LIFTED THE 250CC TITLE AT HIS FIRST ATTEMPT, AND SINCE THEN HE HAS RARELY FEATURED OUTSIDE THE TOP SIX ON THE WORLD STAGE.

MXGP Mag: Let’s go back to the beginning of the 2019 season … you already missed the last 3 GP’s from 2018, so presumably you had a difficult winter training for 2019 season … is that correct? 35

Romain Febvre: Actually not really bad because I stopped early at the end of 2018 (after a crash in Turkey); I stopped for three months for my head because of a concussion and the doctor told me to stop for three months, but I could already start riding again in the end of November or something like this; it was actually a long pause but physically I was all good, I had no problems, nothing at all, I needed to stop to have no impact on my head, but my physical condition was okay so when I started riding again, physically I could do everything I wanted. So, from that side, it wasn’t so bad; actually, I had a pretty good wintertime. MXGP Mag: Pre-season races were okay but when you arrived in Argentina, you won the first Qualifying Race so you must have thought, ‘YES, Romain Febvre is back!’ Romain Febvre: Sure, the preseason went okay, but Argentina, I really love the track there, every year I hope to step on the podium but every year it’s not happening, but it’s like this; the Qualifying Race went pretty good, I had a good battle with Tim Gajser but then he fell in front of me so let’s say he let me win, he let me finish the moto pretty easily but it was still good to start the season like this. MXGP Mag: Race One you were 3rd, you looked comfortable, really strong and relaxed and in a way, riding with some maturity … maybe because you’ve realised that you can’t win the championship in the first round and your riding perhaps reflected this? Romain Febvre: Yeah, I felt that I was riding good, and I saw I was battling directly with Cairoli and Gajser there, I finished 3rd the first moto but I wasn’t so far from them but it was my place let’s say; maybe 2nd or 3rd but not winning because Cairoli was riding really strong, but 3rd for me was okay, so to start the season with a podium was good but then the crash happened in the second race and yeah, it was like this!

MXGP Mag: When you crashed, did you know immediately that something was broken? Romain Febvre: When I landed I actually felt like I twisted my ankle but when I tried to stand up I could not and I felt a lot of pain immediately so I knew it was something more, but in the medical centre at the track I had an x-ray and they saw nothing broken but when I went back to the hotel in the evening my foot was really big, and that’s when I knew for sure I had broken something. MXGP Mag: From looking at 3rd overall at the first round to then picking up a broken ankle, what was the level of disappointment and how did you deal with that? Romain Febvre: It was tough, but maybe with the maturity I wasn’t so stressed in my head, I knew the championship was gone because I didn’t know how much time I would miss but I said that if I could go back after a few races and go back to the level where I was at then, I could finish the season quite strong. I was disappointed about the championship for sure but maybe at the same time, a few years ago my head would have been down and maybe it would have been difficult to get on back on the bike to try to catch my rhythm and everything, so this time I was more positive, trying to find the positive things to have the motivation to come back. That’s how I was feeling. MXGP Mag: When you did come back, you were 8th overall in Portugal, took 3rd overall in France with a 2nd place in Race Two, was that a good moment for you or was it just another podium? Romain Febvre: No, it was good because already in Portugal, yeah, it was 8th overall but I did 9-6 so I was already happy with my 6th place, even on Saturday I was happy because my speed for one lap was really good, and I only had eight days of riding before which was not a lot, and I could sometimes still feel some pain in the corners, but I was already happy to ride in Portugal. And France, the whole GP is always 37

special; to finish 2nd in the second moto … I was really happy and I also led for maybe twenty minutes, so to come back like this after missing four GP’s … it’s never easy to come back during the season, so I was happy about everything and how I felt. MXGP Mag: There was another podium in Latvia and in Indonesia you were 2nd overall and got a win in the second race at Palembang, your first race win since Sweden 2017; how much of a relief was that? Romain Febvre: It’s always nice to win, that’s for sure … I knew I came close a few times to winning a GP; in Latvia all three of us had the same points so I knew it would come, it was just a matter of time, I just needed to be good at the good moment, not making any mistakes and it happened in Palembang. For sure I was happy, my riding was getting better and better every weekend; it wasn’t really a relief, but it was just good to win again and to do it again one time. I was looking every weekend to try to win as much as I could. MXGP Mag: Which you did in Loket, Czech Republic, where you went 1-1 … you seemed really happy that day. You sent a strong message to everyone that you were almost back to the ‘RF’ of 2015. Romain Febvre: Yeah, I have always been good in Loket but I was more focussed on Lommel because I knew in the sand I could ride pretty strong, so I was not focussed in Loket which was maybe better; I was feeling good there already on Saturday, I had the Qualifying Race win and everything on the Sunday – I won both moto’s – so it was good, because every time I didn’t start around 12th, but maybe around 4th or 5th and I passed the guys in front and was feeling really good about my riding. Everything clicked on the weekend and to win the GP with 1-1, there is no better way to win, so I was really happy about it, and going into Lommel like this I was expecting a lot there. MXGP Mag: Lommel is not an easy place to ride, it was a hot weekend and you managed to win the first race but you looked destroyed after 39

the first race – it was an expensive win, let’s say. Romain Febvre: I tried to give my all and already on the Saturday I used maybe a little bit too much energy because I had a small crash and came back to 2nd for a good gate pick, but for sure I used a bit more energy than I wanted and the same happened in the first race on Sunday. I passed Tim and around the middle of the moto I told myself I want to win, because Lommel is the toughest race of the year so I gave my all. I won the first moto but after, it was really tough and hot and especially in the second moto I didn’t have a good start like the first one, so I needed to pass the guys. I think Tim was in front with Glenn Coldenhoff, they pushed each other and Max Anstie was also there, so it was really difficult for me to go back on them for sure. I finished 2nd overall on the podium so I was still really happy about the weekend. MXGP Mag: You were making progress in the championship and after Italy you were 7th but then Sweden happened. You were 2nd in Race One and looking comfortable in Race Two, until four laps to go when you crashed. What do you remember about the crash? Romain Febvre: I remember everything! I remember I had a lapped rider on the inside of me, and he kind of took my line so I went a little bit more outside. There was a small jump going down the hill, I was not straight in the line on the take off and lost my balance. The back end of my bike went from left to right immediately and kicked me off the bike and when I landed, I never thought it was going to be a really big crash, I just told myself ‘oh shit, I’m crashing …!’ I just needed to get back up quickly because there wasn’t a big gap from me to the other riders, I knew I needed to get back on the bike soon … and then, when I landed I felt immediately the crack on my femur, and when I looked to my leg, I saw it was completely to the left and the other part was to the right so I said ‘yeah, I’ve broke my femur …’ so I tried to find the position where I had less pain and then waited for the medical crew.

MXGP Mag: And at that point, everything is finished! Not the way you wanted to finish the season for sure, but when you are sitting there on the side of the track, maybe with a million things going through your head … what was your biggest concern, your biggest fear at that moment? Romain Febvre: Honestly, I wasn’t thinking about the championship, or the MXoN … I was just in a lot of pain and I was only focussed on leaving the track to go to the hospital with good care and a good doctor because I knew I had to have the surgery. In my mind, nothing was about motocross. I knew I’d broken my femur, but I didn’t know if there was something else so at that moment I was only thinking about my health and how I needed to fix my leg in the best way. In the days after, then for sure, I thought about the race and why I crashed and what happened. For sure, I didn’t want to finish the season like this but anyway, it’s never good to crash and break something. I was also disappointed to finish my deal with Yamaha like this, we were hoping to finish the season quite strong with some good races at the Motocross of Nations, but it’s how it is! For the following two weeks after my surgery I had so much pain that I was not really concerned about motocross or racing or when I would be back on a bike or something like this. I was just trying to have less pain, thinking about how I would get back home and to find the best people possible for the recovery of my leg; I found a really good rehabilitation centre in Luxembourg and this was the main thing in my mind at that point. MXGP Mag: You’re sitting in rehab, you’ve signed with Kawasaki … not the way you wanted to start the new relationship, how was the team with you at that moment? Romain Febvre: They understood the situation of course, and none of us wanted to start like this but I never felt any pressure from anyone in the team, they were just looking more long term I think. I have a two-year contract with a third-year option and so they said if I need to take my time

this year then it’s okay, they just want me to be safe. MXGP Mag: It was three months, maybe just over, that you returned to the bike … which was pretty impressive, especially after a femur break. Romain Febvre: I was also quite surprised when I got the green light – even six weeks after the surgery the doctor told me it was going really good, that it could heal fast and be good to go, but I was still with some pain. Then after three months I had the second check and he told me I think you can start riding and see how it goes, and if you feel some pain then just do it slowly. I was really surprised so I thought okay, let’s see how I feel and in the beginning I had pain but I could ride, the jumps was not the problem, it was putting my leg in the corner, so I said ‘I can start riding just really easy to learn about how the bike reacts and to set up my position’ and small things like this, so we went to Sardinia beginning of December, we started riding a little bit, but at that time I couldn’t ride for days in a row because I had some pain, so we were really taking it easy, riding like 10 minutes then 15 minutes and it was like this until Christmas. Since Christmas I have felt better straight away but (early January) it’s still not 100% because it’s only been four months but already I have been on the bike more than thirty hours and I am happy with where I am today, but we hope it’s going to be even better for the beginning of the championship. MXGP Mag: Why did you decide to leave Yamaha? A fresh challenge or new motivation? Romain Febvre: There were a few things. Yamaha told me they wanted to stop with Rinaldi as a team and the plan was to go to Wilvo as the factory team for the MXGP structure; everything will still be supplied by Rinaldi but they won’t be there as a team. Me, I wasn’t for it and I told them I wasn‘t so positive about that change and they tried to find some solution of course but at the end I don’t know if it was the opinion of Michele to stop or the opinion of Yamaha to change the structure of the team, but then I said I don’t know,

maybe it’s time to change. So, I looked to see what possibilities I had, and the possibility with KRT came straight away and I just said yeah, I just need to try the bike to have the first opinion, and when I did I felt really good on it. It wasn’t easy to take that decision after five years with Yamaha, I had an awesome relationship with the team and everyone in Yamaha, like Eric De Seynes (YME President) and Paolo Pavesio; all the people were really kind to me. I also knew it might be possible that I will never have a better relationship with some other people (another brand or team), but I said I don’t care, I’ll take the risk because I like the Kawasaki and also with the change at Yamaha, maybe I will not like it so much. To move somewhere and not be happy I didn’t want to take the risk and maybe it’s the time to change. It’s been five years at Yamaha, five good and bad years let’s say, so I said I’m ready to change. It took me about a month, maybe a little bit more to make my decision but then I went for it and for me it’s the best plan. MXGP Mag: How is your relationship with KRT? François Lemariey is French, a lot of the team is French; does this make a big difference to you? Romain Febvre: I have been with Kawasaki during the winter and so far it’s going really well but we are still trying to learn about each other. I’ve never ridden Kawasaki before, never ridden with the Showa Suspension before or Dunlop tyres before, so I need to learn everything in person and how to work with; it’s a new challenge but I really like it. I already feel great with the people and with the bike, and we will start testing next week (from January 20th), also the Japanese people are coming over. It didn’t change so much that they are French because even at Rinaldi we all spoke in French. It’s more about being with new people and a new team; it’s always fresh. MXGP Mag: How does the Kawasaki feel compared to the Yamaha – is there much difference? Romain Febvre: Everything is different, the frame, the suspension; it’s not the same bike. I felt really good with the chassis because the bike is 43

really thin, so the manageability changed a lot. In my opinion the Kawasaki is easier to turn so it makes it easier for me to ride the bike and how the engine is, from the standard bike to the factory bike, the engine characteristic and power delivery fits more to my style, so yeah, I feel good with the new bike. MXGP Mag: New bike, team, tyres, suspension and new number … Romain Febvre: First of all, ‘461’ didn’t mean something to me, it was just that I had ‘61’ in the past when I was young and when I started again motocross I needed to choose one and all the numbers with 61 were taken but 461 wasn’t, so I chose that one. But the change came when I was in the hospital in Sweden after my crash, it just came 44

up like this because everything was gonna be new for 2020 so why don’t I change my number as well? I asked some people around me what they thought, to have their opinion, to have a single number – at that time I hadn’t chosen the ‘3’ yet – maybe 90% of the people said they thought it was a good idea, so I was surprised. But I felt it would be good to change also, so I was looking between ‘2’ and ‘9’ because you cannot have ‘1’. The ‘2’ was possible but I didn’t like so much; the ‘3’ I really like but for sure when I started thinking about the ‘3’ Eli Tomac is exactly the same, running the ‘3’ on the Kawasaki in the USA, so I thought ‘I don’t know’ because everyone will say Eli Tomac, blah, blah, blah … so then I said I don’t know what I’m gonna do. The ‘4’ I cannot because it’s Tonus, the ‘5’ was available and the ‘6’ is Paturel. The ‘7’ is Leok and the ‘8’ and ‘9’ was possible but the ‘9’ was the same as Adam Cianciarulo,

so at one point I said it’s gonna look like Cianciarulo or Tomac, so I chose the ‘3’ because I really like how it looks on the shirt and on the bike so I just went with that one, but again, it means nothing to me, I just wanted to change. MXGP Mag: Final question – what are your goals now for 2020? Romain Febvre: First, it’s to feel good with the leg, to be 100% with my leg at the beginning of the season, if not I will wait for that moment. I am really happy about the bike and that’s the main thing for me right now, it’s to feel good on the bike and after that I know the results will come. I will see if I’m 100% in England for the first one and then we will see from there, but it’s just to be consistent on the bike, to not make mistakes and ride like I know I can and if I can already do that in England then it will be great. Photos: Kawasaki/Ray Archer

E L R A U I T C A E E SP F

P I V P G X M D N N A E K E E M E O W C E E B R TH FO

A WEEKEND AT MXGP IS GUARANTEED TO BE ADRENALINE FUELLED WITH INTENSE RACE BATTLES AND AN INDESCRIBABLE ATMOSPHERE AS THE WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST TEAMS AND RIDERS COMPETE FOR THE SAME GOAL OF BEING RECOGNISED AS THE BEST IN THE WORLD.

The VIP GOLD SKYBOX pass makes this experience even more special and unique, offering fans the opportunity to get even closer to the action and enjoy the race weekend in style! With the VIP GOLD SKYBOX pass, not only will you be recognised as an important MXGP guest, but you will also have access to the most exclusive areas of the MXGP venue, including paddock access, which will allow you to get an even closer look inside the world of MXGP with all the riders, teams and leading brands in the industry all in one place. The paddock is also the place where you will be able to meet your heroes and take part in exclusive activities, including competitions to win awesome prizes and rider signings. As a MXGP VIP you will also have access to our VIP Gold Skybox Restaurant, where you will be able to enjoy amazing food and the finest range

of Italian wines thanks to our friends at 958 Santero Wines and to top it all off you can watch the races from a designated VIP area with the best views of the track! But of course, what is racing without the atmosphere, and you’ll get plenty of that with a front-row look of the pre-race rituals from our famous and VIP exclusive Skybox Terrace! Located just behind the startline, the Skybox Terrace is the most sought-after location giving guests a behind-thescenes look of what it’s like on the start grid before each race. But of course, the reason why it’s so popular is because it provides the best view of the start, as well as the podium ceremonies that take place in the middle of the terrace. 52

Lastly, if you’re joining us for the weekend, you can also purchase our VIP Camping pass, to park your camper/ motorhome in the livingarea or another privileged position nearby the paddock. Or if you’re staying in the local town, your VIP GOLD SKYBOX Pass also includes designated VIP parking! The VIP GOLD SKYBOX tickets are available for the European events of the FIM Motocross World Championship as well as the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations that will take place in Ernée, France, this year. You will not get this experience elsewhere, so join us for an unforgettable weekend at any selected FIM Motocross World Championship round (Europe Only) and do it in style with our VIP pass!

E L R A U I T C A E E SP F

WELCOME BACK MXGP OF FINLAND!

Last time that MXGP visited Finland was back in 2014, in Hyvinkää, with Antonio Cairoli and Jeffrey Herlings claiming double race victories in MXGP and MX2. Cairoli was joined on the MXGP podium by Steven Frossard and Kevin Strijbos, meanwhile in MX2 it was Herlings who was joined by Tim Gajser and Jordi Tixier.

THE 2020 FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP HEADS TO THE COUNTRY KNOWN AS THE HAPPIEST PLACE IN THE WORLD, AS THE BRAND-NEW CIRCUIT OF KYMIRING IS SET TO HOST A VERY SPECIAL EDITION OF THE MXGP OF FINLAND.

Finland has a very rich racing history and is not only home to the world’s most famous man, who is Santa Claus, but some of the wellknown names in the Motocross World were from the Scandinavian country, including Heikki Mikkola, the 4-time Motocross World Champion who was victorious in 1974, 1977 and 1978 in the 500cc class and in the 250cc class in 1976. Not only that, but other legendary names include Pekka Vehkonen, 125cc World Champion as well as former mx rider and European

Champion, turned team manager, Antti Pyrhönen of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Founded in 2013 by none other than the Finnish F1 superstar, Kimi Räikkönen, just a year later the team was the official Husqvarna factory MXGP team, to say that Finland has been playing a key role in the history of racing and motocross, in particular, would be an understatement. The return of the MXGP of Finland was presented at the 2019 MXGP of Latvia, with many fans eager to see the brand-new venue that will host the 2020 edition of the event. A delegation from Lahti events joined Youthstream COO Daniele Rizzi and the FIM/CMS Director Antonio Alia Portela to present the new comer MXGP of Finland to the international media. The announcement gained a great success also due to the fact the motocross track will be built at the same venue of the 2020 Finnish MotoGP. 55

Located in the eastern town of the Lahti Region, Iitti, and situated 140km from Helsinki, the new KymiRing Motor Circuit is predominantly a road racing circuit which has already successfully hosted its first event back in August of 2019, with the MotoGP testing taking place at the Finnish circuit. Over 8,000 spectators were in attendance for the occasion, giving fans a taste of the fantastic facilities of the venue. The first major event to take place will be the FIM MotoGP in July 2020, before the tarmac circuit will be transformed into an awesome motocross track which will host a very special edition of MXGP in August. The entirety of the highly impressive venue is set to be used for the MXGP of Finland, with the sand-based track being designed and built closely in co-operation with MXGP, ready to host the world’s fastest motocross riders in the world. The 2020 MXGP of Finland is set to be awesome, offering riders and fans a unique weekend to enjoy all the best of the MX spirit. International MX fans travelling to

Lahti will have the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable experience with the most characteristic elements of Finnish culture, including passion for motorsports and friendly locals, while in a safe environment, surrounded by beautiful scenery of lakes and forests. The weekend will be set-up as a ‘bonfire’ weekend, allowing fans from all over the world to unite and share the same values, of courage and passion, while making new friendships and enjoying the amazing atmosphere of the sport that they all love.

to beautiful Finland on August the 22nd and 23rd! Click HERE to get your tickets for the MXGP of Finland. Find out more about our VIP GOLD SKYBOX pass HERE. But before booking your trip to KymiRing be aware of some fun facts about Finland: • The average Finn consumes 12KG of coffee per year. • There are more saunas than cars in Finland.

The MXGP of Finland aims to offer fans the chance to get closer to the action, to their favourite riders, to the bikes and the industry and closer to one another, in order to bring all of those who speak the common language of MXGP, together, for one unforgettable weekend.

• In 2019 Finland was ranked the #1 happiest place on earth!

Tickets for the MXGP of Finland are now available for sale! To not to miss out on an unforgettable weekend of racing, be sure to tune into MXGP.com, ensure your ticket and travel together with the FIM Motocross World Championship

• In Finland they have ‘National Sleepy Head Day’, where the last person in a family to wake up is thrown into a lake or the sea by the rest of the family.

• There are 187,888 lakes in Finland • Heavy Metal is huge in Finland. • The Finnish Capital Helsinki has a Burger King restaurant with a Sauna

Photos: Messukeskus

L L A H

E M A F F O

MARNICQ “POULIDOR” BERVOETS MARNICQ BERVOETS IS ONE OF THE TOP BELGIAN MOTOCROSS RIDERS, BUT HE WAS UNFORTUNATE TO RACE AT THE SAME PERIOD OF SOME OTHER FAMOUS COUNTRYMEN SUCH AS STEFAN EVERTS AND JOEL SMETS. WINNER OF NINETEEN GP’S, MARNICQ WAS ON THE PODIUM OF THE MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND HE WON THREE TIMES THE MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS WITH TEAM BELGIUM. Born on 21st June 1969 in Diest, Marnicq was the son of a national rider but he did his first race only when he turned twelve in 1982. It didn’t take him too much time to enjoy podium celebrations, and in 1983 he won 33 of the 44 races he entered in the amateur class! When he was fourteen he moved to the official Belgian Federation and he immediately claimed the 125cc title, and after two more successful years in his native country he entered for the first time the Motocross World Championship in 1986. Supported by Yamaha Belgium, Marnicq struggled to get good results in the 125cc class but he improved every year; in 1987 he finished in the top five at the Dutch GP and a year later he was on the podium in the second heat at his home GP. The Belgian rider moved to the 250cc class in 1989 and he got his first ever GP podium one year later in Venezuela, and won his first Grand Prix during the opening round of the 1991 Motocross World Championship in Mill, the Netherlands. By the end of the season he was fifth in the standings and it showed that he wasn’t that successful with

the three races format. In fact, his second GP win was in 1993 at the Belgian GP in Lommel, twenty-six months after his first one! Joining the factory Suzuki team in 1994 he became more consistent, claimed nine podiums including his first heat win and got his best ever result with a fourth overall. Winner of the opening round of the 1995 series in Spain, he was the main rival of Stefan Everts that season, and the two Belgians won nine of the fifteen rounds; before flying to the penultimate round of the series in Japan they were close in the points but Stefan was stronger during the last two events and finally claimed his first 250cc title ahead of Marnicq. Both lined up alongside Joel Smets at the Motocross of Nations and the trio brought the Chamberlain trophy back home fifteen years after the last Belgian win! Following this excellent season, Marnicq was even stronger in 1996 and was leading the championship at mid-season after winning five GP’s in a row! However, Everts reacted and Marnicq lost a couple of points with two DNF’s to finally miss the title by nine points! It was the closest finish for him, and even 59

if he finished runner up for the third consecutive season in 1997, he only added one GP win to his score board. He won again the Motocross of Nations in 1997 and 1998 and Marnicq finally moved to the 500cc class at the new millennium as he joined the Yamaha Rinaldi team. After the battles he had had with Stefan Everts the previous years, he found Joel Smets on his way as he was ‘the man to beat’ in this class; despite being very consistent with twenty-three race podiums, including three GP wins, he finished once more runner up for the fourth time in his career! And in 2001 he finished third of championship behind Everts and Smets, but Marnicq won the last GP of his career in Switzerland. He would keep on riding at some 500cc/MXGP/MX1 events during three more seasons before retiring in 2005 at the age of 35. The likeable and friendly Belgian remains involved in racing, as he’s the manager of the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team who will enter the 2020 series with high expectations as his countryman Jago Geerts is one of the favourites for the World title. Text & Photos: P. Haudiquert

1986: 24th in the 125 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha) 1987: 13th in the 125 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha) 1988: 12th in the 125 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha) 1989: 9th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki) 1990: 6th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki) 1991:

5th in the 250 Motocross World Champion (Kawasaki). Winner of 1 GP

1992: 7th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha) 1993:

5th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki). Winner of 1 GP

1994: 4th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Suzuki) 1995: 2nd in the 250 Motocross World Champion (Suzuki). Winner of 4 GP

Winner at the MX of Nations with Team Belgium

1996:

2nd in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Suzuki). Winner of 5 GP

1997:

2nd in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Suzuki). Winner of 1 GP

Winner at the MX of Nations with Team Belgium

1998: 4th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Suzuki)

Winner at the MX of Nations with Team Belgium

1999:

5th in the 250 Motocross World Championship (Kawasaki). Winner of 3 GP

2000:

2nd in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha). Winner of 3 GP

2001:

3rd in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha). Winner of 1 GP

2002: 4th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha) 2003: 7th in the Motocross GP World Championship (Yamaha) 2004: 7th in the MX1 Motocross World Championship (Yamaha)

S K L A T K C O D PAD 2

1 4 3

Say hello to our MXGP Fair Play Award winner, Max Anstie! He received this award for helping Romain Febvre who was stuck under his bike at the MXGP of Germany, fair play!

2 First look at the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Racing MX2 squad, ready for battle in 2020! 3 Family first! Ivo Monticelli pictured with his family as he enjoys the off-season. 4 Alberto Forato doing his best modelling at the team photoshoot! 5 Team effort! Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team preparations going down as they enjoy a day of training.

6 Four social media personalities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Gautier Paulin joining in on the social media craze #dollypartonchallenge

7 Training days are made easier with a good companyâ&#x20AC;Ś Kiara Fontanesi and Skyler enjoy a sunny day at the track. 8 Livia Lancelot and her boys! Honda 114 Team ready to take on the 2020 MXGP season! 9 Need goggle service? Get in touch with Rene Hofer, who has been perfecting his goggle prepping skills during the off-season! 10 Squad goals! Team Maddii Racing Husqvarna ready for the season to begin at Matterley Basin! 11 Tom Vialle and Jeffrey Herlings sharing the secrets to the perfect start, while training in Spain. 12 Feeling hungry Jorge?

E L R A U I T C A E E SP F

DAVE STRIJBOS CAGIVA 1986 WMX125

WHEN DAVE STRIJBOS WON THE FIM 125CC MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1986 HE BECAME THE FIRST RIDER FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO BE CROWNED WORLD CHAMPION, AND AT EIGHTEEN YEARS, NINE MONTHS AND SIXTEEN DAYS, HE ALSO BECAME THE YOUNGEST EVER WORLD CHAMPION AS WELL, A RECORD WHICH WOULD REMAIN INTACT FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS.

would see him finish 6th overall in the final standings. The bike that took him there was a Cagiva WMX125 and it’s his title-winning machine that we will feature in this issue of MXGP Magazine. Davy’s rise to the top was pretty meteoric to say the least; his first GP was in 1984 at Vittorio Veneto, Italy, where his 6-4 netted him a very credible 5th overall. However, just one week later at Stevensbeek, The Netherlands, the Dutch teenager stole the show in front of his home fans to claim his first GP victory with a 2-1; and at sixteen years, five months and seven days, he also became the youngest GP winner in history at that time. His debut season

The following year the Venko Honda rider claimed 2nd overall in the final standings, losing the championship by just 9 points to Finland’s Pekka Vehkonen, but that does not tell the whole story. At a muddy Holzgerlingen in Germany, Strijbos led the championship by 13 points over Corrado Maddii, with Vehkonen 28 points off the pace, but a rueful error by Strijbos would prove expensive, as he recalls: ‘Yeah, that was my very bad story from that year because in ’85 it was not allowed to make practice with two bikes, so I made a mistake on Saturday because it was raining a lot and I couldn’t move anymore

with my first bike. So, I made a big mistake there to take the second bike; I was thinking, okay, nobody see it because there was so much mud, but there was one man who did see it – Jan Witteveen (Cagiva Team Manager) – and he made a protest to me and then the Jury decided that I needed to start on Sunday from the last position on the gate.’ Despite taking 2-5 in the races, Witteveen intervened again and eventually Strijbos would lose his (28) points altogether and lost the championship lead to Vehkonen in the process. Strijbos ended the season 2nd but with eight race wins and four GP victories, he had shown he was, on paper at least, the fastest rider in the class.

With the 1986 season on the horizon, Strijbos then announced he was leaving Honda for Cagiva, teaming up with the man who (probably) cost him the championship the year before, Jan Witteveen. It was purely business; Cagiva knew Strijbos was the fastest rider in the class and wanted him on the team, and Davy just wanted to win the title, but initially, it was not an easy decision for the young starlet to make: ‘First of all, I wanted to stay with Venko Honda because those people were good for me, and Jan de Groot of course was a very good tuner, and everything was well. But then Jan asked Honda for the support for ’86 and also for my contract … and with my good results and everything, Honda didn’t want to do anything in that way for ’86 and honestly, Cagiva gave me a good contract and I also believed in that bike. I wanted to stay with Honda but the contract is also important, plus also the management at Cagiva was very good, so that’s why I decided to go there. I also had a very, very good contract, much better than Honda and in the end, it was an easy decision.’ So, who was Jan Witteveen and how was that relationship? ‘Jan was the team manager at Cagiva at that time and I think he was there already for four, five, six years. For me it was quite easy to work with him because we both spoke Dutch and it was good to work with him because it was easy to explain what I wanted and he understood me in a good way; also I think that Cagiva was the first factory who understood, and Jan also, that when you want to change something on the bike, it was easier to make it quicker than the Japanese factory in my opinion, because we were very close to the factory and they could prepare new parts very fast.’ 66

As for the bike itself, first impressions left a lot to be desired and when Strijbos first tested the WMX125 at the end of the 1985 season in Italy, it wasn’t quite what he was hoping for: ‘My first impression was, and okay, I started with the standard bike, and so my Honda bike at that time was quite a bit better, much better, but then I tested later with the factory Cagiva from ’85 and it was quite a lot better, and then you start to work. I can say that my ‘85 Honda, the handling of the bike and the suspension was quite good and on a good high level, so for ’86 we needed to work hard to get the same with the Cagiva, but also I needed to change a little bit my riding style.’ With the team workshop in Varese, Italy, Strijbos remained up north in Holland with his practice mechanic but when it came to testing and racing, he was paired-up with an Italian by the name of Massimo Castelli whose previous riders at Cagiva included Alain Lejeune of Belgium in 1983 and Corrado Maddii in ’84 and ’85, so Strijbos was in good hands. According to Castelli, the Cagiva WMX125 was completely factory and was vastly different to the standard version: ‘The frame was a different material and was lighter compared to standard; the diameter of the tubes were also smaller and thinner. The steering angle was also different, so it was a completely different frame. The linkage was also completely different compared to standard. The swingarm was modified to accommodate the different linkage at the bracket where it fits the linkage, which was also different. ‘The engine was also factory, with a different cylinder and cylinder head with the bore

and stroke being 54x56mm. We used a Dell’Orto carburettor, mostly 36mm but sometimes we changed to 38mm - with the big carburettor you lose some rpm but you have a little bit more torque, so it depended on the condition of the track, so maybe in the sand for example we used the 38mm.’ ‘The exhaust was made inhouse by one guy inside the factory at Cagiva but the silencer was produced by a small company called SEM close to Varese. The ignition was Motoplat from Spain. The bike produced around 34-35bhp at that time.’ Possibly the most innovative change was to the cooling system, so where the standard bike was cooled by water passing through the engine, the factory bike utilised a system where the water was re-routed outside, without passing through the engine cases. The twin radiators were standard, made from aluminium. The wheels were made by Cagiva but unlike the standard bike, Davy and teammate Pekka Vhekonen’s bikes came equipped with Magnesium hubs. From the outside, both bikes looked identical, but Davy preferred WP suspension compared to Vehkonen who favoured Ohlins. As for power delivery, Davy’s bike was more bottom to mid whereas his teammate preferred mid to top end power due to their differing riding styles. When the 1986 season kicked off at Castelnau de Levis in France, all eyes were on the vice world champion from the year before, but the hillside circuit became a victim of the weather god’s and as a result, the opening GP was a real mud-bath and the title favourite failed to impress his new bosses: ‘It was muddy – I don’t think I had any bike problems but maybe just some problems to 69

Bore / Stroke: 54x56 – around 34/35 bhp ambition had finally been achieved: come up some hills there; I had a very bad weekend. No bike problems, just mud and I fell down many times, a destroyed weekend. Too much stress maybe … ‘ If Strijbos was stressed at the first GP then all nerves had left his system by the time the next GP came around just one week later, and on home soil at Mill, Davy went 1-1 for his first win of the season. By round four he was leading the championship, only to be pushed back to second by his teammate Vehkonen, albeit for one round. From round six though, Strijbos was never headed, and as he went into the final GP of the year in Brazil, he held a commanding 27-point lead over his nearest rival, John van den Berk. The title was wrapped up after Race One, with a solid 2nd place behind America’s Micky Dymond, and a childhood 70

‘It was a dream; when I was young, I looked up to riders like Eric Geboers and Georges Jobé. I was a kid of eight or nine who would visit some nice races near my home and yeah, I had a dream; I wanted to be world champion!’

Carburettor: Dell’Orto – 36mm / 38mm Ignition: Motoplat Piston: Mahle Exhaust pipe: Produced inhouse at Cagiva Radiators: Standard

After the double no-score in France at the opening round, Strijbos went on to take six race wins, ten second places and one third, and finished on the podium ten times, registering four wins, four seconds and two third places. He won the title by sixty-one points. It was also Cagiva’s second consecutive world title after Pekka Vehkonen’s success a year earlier, but Strijbos’ win for the Italian brand would be Cagiva’s last. Technical Info Engine: Different head, cylinder

Silencer: SEM Chassis: Factory Suspension: WP Factory Front fork: 41mm, USD Wheels: Cagiva, with Magnesium hubs Brakes: Brembo, 230mm aluminium disc on the front / hub rear brake Technical information and Photo credit: Massimo Castelli

S N R O O I T T I S E ED E U QO TH T ❝

Hi there, looking at coming to the MXGP at Matterley Basin circuit, can I purchase tickets on the day? And how much are they? Daryl

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Hi Daryl , yes tickets are available on the gate for £65. Or you can purchase them online today for only £58.50! Regards MXGP

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Hi, I’m interested in the Spanish GP, I’ll be flying over from the UK, so could you please tell me if possible is there an airport near and hotels please Jonathan

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Hi Jonathan , Hello Jonathan! You can find all the info about the MXGP of Spain here: https://www. mxgp.com/tracks/intuxanad%C3%BA-arroyomolinos . Here you can find all the info about the nearest airports as well as the link to the local tourist board where you will be able to find some hotels in the area. Regards MXGP

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am the Korean MX Champion and I would like to try race MXGP! Can you please let me know how to do entry for China? Jae

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Dear Jae , That’s great to hear. If you wish to race the MXGP of China please send an email to our Sport Office at sportoffice@ mxgp.com , they deal with all the entries for the races and will be able to help you. Best Regards MXGP

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Where will the MXGP be held this year in Indonesia? Cezar

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Hi Cezar he Indonesian MXGP’s are due to take place in Jakarta and Palembang – for more information about the venues you can find this on our website (https://www.mxgp.com/tracks). Thanks MXGP

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Hey, where can I find the complete 2020 race calendar? Nick

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Hi Nick You can find the 2020 MXGP Calendar on our website, www. mxgp.com! MXGP