MXGP #101 January 2022

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Chief Editor: Marionna Leiva Photos: MXGP INFRONT MOTO RACING MEDIA World Trade Center II Rte de Pré-Bois 29 1215 Geneva 15 Airport Switzerland MXGP Mag #101 January 2022 The articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the official position of Infront Moto Racing.

Then content of this publication is based on the best knowledge and information available at the time the articles were written.

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MXGP MAG

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L A I R O T I D E

David Luongo CEO of Infront Moto Racing

Dear MXGP Friends, First of all I would like to wish to all of you all the best for 2022 and a Happy new year!

In less than a month the season will start.

All the signs are showing that we may return to a normal life in the upcoming months.

The last decisions regarding the restrictions in place in UK, Spain, France and many other countries are going into the direction of a re-opening of the activities. The last two years have been really difficult for all of us, but the hope is around the corner that we will finally be able to offer a complete package to the fans and total access to the Grand Prix.

WE WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO OFFER A COMPLETE PACKAGE

and can be accessed through our website www.mxgp.com.

The preparation for the 2022 season and the first Grand Prix in Matterley Basin on the 19/20th of February are going very well. All the paddock will appreciate to start in one of the most appreciated tracks of the MXGP World Championship. Steve Dixon and his team are putting a lot of energy and passion to deliver the best event possible.

The schedule for the weekend will also return to a full two-day program, and it will be full of actions and races. The MXGP and MX2 will start as before the Covid-19 era on Saturday with the Free practice, Time practice and qualification race, keeping the Warm up and the two heats for Sunday. The support classes will be split between Saturday and Sunday as it was the case in the past.

This season will again be very exciting, with the comeback of the Grand Prix in Argentina, Ernée, Saint Jean d’Angely, Sweden, Finland, Indonesia and the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in the USA. Most of the ticketing are now open

I would like to thank FIM, FIM Europe, the organizers, all the MXGP partners, the teams and the riders for all the collaboration.

We cannot wait to be in the UK to start the engines!

S T O H S L COO

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THE 2021 SEASON WILL NO DOUBT BE REMEMBERED FOR MANY REASONS, OF COURSE THE MAIN ONE BEING THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION THAT WE HAVE WITNESSED ACROSS ALL THE CLASSES OF THE FIM WORLD AND EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS.

The EMX categories are vital to the FIM Motocross World Championship, as these support classes help to nurture young and up and coming talents into the FIM Motocross World Championship at a professional level. Even the youngest EMX65 riders right through to the EMX250, all have a chance to show their skills on world level tracks, with professional treatment and opportunities.

So, as we gear up for another epic season in 2022, let’s meet the crème-de-la-crème of the 2021 EMX Championships!

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2021 EMX250 Champion: Nicholas Lapucci Rider profile Name: Nicholas Lapucci Date of Birth: 16/12/1998 Nationality: Italian Place of Birth (City): Borgo San Lorenzo (Florence) Racing Number: 21 Team: Fantic Factory Racing Team Maddii Best Result: 2021 EMX250 Champion In 2021 we saw a brand-new name added to the list of EMX250 Champions as Italian Nicholas Lapucci was crowned as the 2021 winner!

Lapucci had a very strong season that saw him win a total of 12 races, climb the podium eight times, four of which were overall victories. The Italian claimed the red plate at round one in Matterley Basin and held onto it throughout the championship until he finally turned it gold at the final race in Mantova, but was challenged the entire season by the likes of Kevin Horgmo, Rick Elzinga, Andrea Bonacorsi, Haakon Fredriksen and others.

The Italian started riding at the age of three when his father bought him mini-cross and from then on riding was a part of his daily routine. His very first race took place in Santa Rita, a small village in Tuscany. He was competing in the 65cc category and went on to win both races.

Lapucci is no stranger to the FIM Motocross World Championship or to the EMX categories, as he has had the opportunity to

race across most of the classes.

In 2017, he made five EMX250 appearances, with his best result at the round of Lombardia where he placed fourth. Then in 2018 he competed in the entire series, with his best result in Russia where he finished 1st overall.

In 2019, he once again competed in the 250cc category where he finished 16th in the standings, as well as also making two wildcard appearances in MX2.

Then in 2020, the Italian linedup for a select MXGP races before finishing the season off with an impressive performance in the final two rounds of the EMX2t class where he dominated the races which set him up perfectly for the move back to the EMX250 class where his only goal was the title.

The Italian is also no stranger to winning titles as he clinched the MX1 Italian Championship in 2020, including his first Italian title in 2015 when he became the Under 21 motocross champion.

“Of course, winning the EMX250 Championship is my best result 21

by far, but other important moments in my career were the win I got in Orlyonok in 2018 in the EMX250 class and the MX1 win at the Italian Championship last season. Winning the Italian Championship means a lot for me and the Team Beddini because we built this success together,” explained Lapucci.

four podium appearances, two of which were overall wins.

Now fast forward quite a few years and Lapucci is looking to take the next step in his racing career as he will make the move up to MXGP for 2022 together with Fantic Factory Team Maddii!

The opening event of 2021 in Great Britain delivered some decent results for Lata, who finished 7th overall but was able to turn things around by the second round in Maggiora where he finished 2-2 in the races for second overall, and also moved from seventh to second in the championship. Then the series took a small break and the focus shifted onto the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, where the Italian finished second to Haakon Osterhagen.

“I still don’t believe it, it’s a mix of emotions. Before the start of the first race I was almost crying but after the finish jump everything was clear. For me this championship means everything, all the training all the years I had to pass through... I was able to win the championship with the support of my team, they were the right people at the good moment they taught me a lot of being a rider and focus more on the riding instead of something else” added Lapucci.

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Champion: Valerio Lata Rider profile Name: Valerio Lata Date of Birth: 6/07/2005 Nationality: Italian Place of Birth (City): Rome Racing Number: 3 Team: MRT Racing Team KTM Best Result: 2021 EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Champion 2019 85cc Junior Motocross World Champion In 2021, Valerio Lata was crowned the 2021 EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Champion after a hard-fought season that saw him claim three race wins, make

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The Italian initially saw his 2021 season take a very exciting turn by the third round of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championship as he took over the series lead from Haakon Osterhagen who was out injured.

But by the third round, his main title rival Osterhagen was out with an injury which gave the Italian the perfect opportunity to lead the group. Despite finishing seventh overall, he was able to get that series lead, and he held onto it until the final round in Città di Mantova.

While the battle was close between Lata and Bobby Bruce, the Brit was forced out of race one due to a broken chain which was enough for the Italian to secure the title during the first race of the final round – which he got to celebrate with his team and home fans in Italy!

This is a second major title for Lata, who was crowned 85cc Junior World Champion in 2019, along with a national title in Italy the same year.

His budding motocross career started at the age of three, initially as just some backyard fun but by age five, the Italian found himself racing almost every weekend and just two years later he claimed his first important result by winning the 50cc title in Italy. By the age of eight he took part in the 65cc Italian Championship where he finished 2nd overall.

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“I still remember how much I enjoyed it. After that first race then I always wanted to go racing and I was asking my dad every Sunday to take me to those races,” remembered Lata.

In the following years, Valerio took part in the national events in Italy before making his move to the world and European stage. In 2018, he became the 85cc Italian and European Champion with the national team before clinching his first world title in 2019 as he won the Junior Motocross World Championship in the 85cc category.

And now with the EMX125 Presented

by FMF title in his back pocket on what has been his second year in the 125cc category, we could see Lata making the move up to EMX250 as he continues his journey to the FIM Motocross World Championship.

“I feel amazing, and I still don’t believe it; at the beginning of the season, I wasn’t expecting this outcome especially because I had some physical problems due to a crash in the pre-season race. During the entire championship I had to think race by race and only after the second race in Trentino I started to think about the Championship. At the end this incredible result came with the help of my team and my family,” added Lata.

2021 EMX2t Presented by FMF Racing Champion: Maximilian Spies Rider profile Name: Maximilian Spies Date of Birth: 27/02/2004 Nationality: German Place of Birth (City): Lauchammer Racing Number: 7 Team: Fantic Factory Racing Team Maddii Best Result: 2021 EMX2T Presented

by FMF Racing Champion

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Maximilian Spies was crowned the 2021 EMX2t Presented by FMF Racing Champion after what can be described as a dominant season.

Spies went on to win five out of the possible six races and claimed two out of three overall victories too.

Born in Lauchammer, Germany, Spies began racing when he was just three and a half years old.

He got his first bike on his dad’s birthday and from then on, never stopped riding. His first time behind the gate was at a regional race in Germany where he raced a 50cc bike together with the 65cc. “I tried my best to not finish last and at the end I managed to be one of the fastest of the 50cc class. For me that result gave me the feeling to be a kind of champion and from that moment, I got better and better in racing,” recalled Spies.

The big step for Spies was taking part in the ADAC Championship in the 85cc class, where he managed to qualify 16th among some of the fastest European riders. Looking back at his growing career, the German says the highlight for him was signing with Fantic Factory Racing Team Maddii and making the step to become a professional rider.

At the time he was still studying and going to school but as he finished school, his focus shifted on becoming a professional rider and training like one, with the help of Marco and Corrado Maddii.

Initially, Spies entered the EMX2t Presented by FMF Racing category as a wildcard in Loket, but after seeing how strong he was among the other riders, he made the decision to carry on with the series that he went on to dominate.

However, the title did go down to the final round, but a 1-2 result was enough for Spies to secure the title for 2021.

“It’s amazing” said Spies, “this is my first title, but I want more than one.

I still didn’t realize how I feel, now all the MXGP paddock knows who Maximilian Spies is,” he added.

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Now the next step for Spies is to focus on the EMX250 class next season with the hope of being inside the top three by the end of the season and making the move up to the MX2 World Championship in the near future.

2021 EMX Open Champion: Davide De Bortoli Rider profile Name: Davide De Bortoli Date of Birth: 30/11/1993 Nationality: Italian Place of Birth (City): Castelfranco Veneto Racing Number: 43 Team: Kros Team Lunardi Racing Best Result: 2021 EMX Open Champion Italian Davide De Bortoli was crowned the second ever EMX Open Champion in 2021. The second year of the brand-new series saw De Bortoli battled with Frenchman Nicolas Dercourt until the last round of the series in Turkey where the Italian turned his red plate to gold!

De Bortoli had a consistent season, winning four races along with making six out of six possible podium appearances, which also included one overall victory. While it seemed like he was always stuck on the third step of the podium, following the results of the first four rounds, at round five in Turkey he was able to take his first ever 1-1 result and claim the top spot. He then followed that up with a second overall at the final round as the championship came to a close.

“In the beginning of the season I said we were ready for a good one, but for sure we weren’t expecting that result,” explained De Bortoli.

“The first races I was only focused on doing my best and stay away from any injury or mistake. During the last races of the season, I realised that I could go for the title, and putting

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all my effort in that, finally after some years, I got my title,” he added.

Best Result:

While it took De Bortoli some years to find his way to the top, after years of injuries and bad luck, he says that this title is one of the highlights of his career so far, along with a strong race at the 2015 Italian Championship in Faenza where he was able to come back from injury and win both of the races that day.

2019 EMX65 Champion

Like many other riders in the sport, De Bortoli first stepped on a bike at the age of four and by the age of six entered his first races at the Italian regional championship.

“I still remember it very well,” De Bortoli explained, “my first ever race was a local race in my city and was at the track where I used to go for training. Even if I knew the track very well, I was super stressed about the race, and it didn’t end well because I finished last. After that race I understood that motocross was my sport. I was playing football at that time, but I decided to give it up and put all my effort in motocross.”

Fast forward some years and with his first European title under his belt, the hope for De Bortoli is to return in 2022 and defend that EMX Open crown as well as hopefully make some wildcard appearances in the FIM Motocross World Champions and learn from the “big boys”!

EMX85 European Champion: Vitezslav Marek Rider Profile: Name: Vitezslav Marek Date of Birth: 18/4/2008

2021 EMX85 Champion

2019 65cc World Cup Winner The 2021 EMX85 European Championship finals in Riola Sardo, Sardinia, saw Vitezslav Marek secure his second European title to become the 2021 winner in the EMX85 category.

This is not the first major title that Marek has won, as he was also the EMX65 winner in 2019 as well as crowned Junior World Cup Winner in the same category.

Born in Pardubice, Czech Republic, Marek started riding when he was just four years old, taking part in his first race the same year. Recalling his first time behind the gate, Marek said “I was very nervous, but I won”.

Marek’s first taste of victory came in the 50cc class when he was crowned Czech Champion.

Then in 2017, Marek took part in his first EMX races, though was forced out mid-way through the championship due to injury.

2018 was a good year for him as he was sixth at the EMX finals in Loket followed by a race victory at the Junior Motocross World Championship in Australia.

But in 2019 was when Marek would have his best season to date. The young rider from Czech Republic impressed at the Junior Motocross World Championship in Pietramurata where he went 2-1 to secure the world cup. A couple of weeks later he followed that up with two race victories in the EMX65 category at the European finals that took place on his home soil in Loket. He then also secured the national title in Czech Republic.

Nationality: Czech Republic Place of Birth (City): Pardubice Racing Number: 479 Team: Cermen Racing Team

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we saw no junior races in 2020, but the popular events returned in 2021. First was the Junior Motocross World Championship in Megalopolis, Greece.

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Marek went on to win the opening race but got unlucky in race two and finished third. He was tied on points with Mattia Barbieri, who went on to claim the title that time around due to his race victory in the second heat.

A few weeks later it was time for the European Finals in Sardinia. Marek took a race victory and a second which gave him 47 points overall and it was enough to secure the EMX85 title.

“I did not expect it,” said Marek “because I like more hard pack tracks than sand, but I felt very good.”

After claiming the European title, Marek shifted his focus on the future as he entered several EMX125 races which gave him a taste of what to expected in 2022, as he will make the move to the 125cc class, where he will no doubt be looking to be fighting up in front and challenging for race wins and podiums.

Lucas Leok: EMX65 European Champion Rider profile: Name: Lucas Leok Date of Birth: 03.10.2011 Nationality: Estonian Place of Birth: Estonia Racing Number: 111 (Estonian Championship) 711 (European Championship) Team: Sõmerpalu Motoklubi Best Result: 2019 Estonian Champion 50cc 2020 Estonian Youth Cup Winner 65cc 2021 EMX65 European Champion 2021 Estonian Champion 65cc

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In 2021, Estonian Lucas Leok stormed to victory in the EMX65 finals that took place in the beautiful island of Sardinia at the deep sandy circuit of Riola Sardo. Leok won the opening race and finished second in race two, scoring the highest number of points over his rivals to become the 2021 65cc European Champion.

While Leok was only 9 at the time of securing the title, his passion for motocross began at very young age as by his fourth birthday he already had his first bike. His first race was in the 50cc mini category and while he may have not won the race, he did get “one big trophy” confirmed Leok.

While a promising racing career is still in the works, the young Estonian says that winning the European title as well as his national Estonian Championships in 2019 (50cc), 2020 (65cc) and 2021 (65cc) remain the highlights for him so far.

“It was a good moment for me and my parents. The feeling was perfect, and I enjoy what I can do and it is riding my motorbike as good as I can,” explained Leok.

In 2022, we can expect to see Lucas Leok line-up for more 65cc races, as he will take on the European as well as the Junior World Championship and more national races in his native Estonia.

“Most important thing for us is to enjoy the moment we are in and work hard. If I continue to work hard, good things will happen.

I want to do my best that I can,” added Leok.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE EMX CHAMPIONS FROM 2021 AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM AIM FOR MORE SUCCESS IN 2022!

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L A I C O S P G X M

@m._drawings12 Drawing in memory of Rene Hofer 🕊️

Advent Calendar | Day 16 | MXGP Race 2 | MXGP of Pietramurata 2021: Day 16 of 24 of the MXGP Advent Race Calendar! 🎄✨ Take a look at MXGP race two at the MXGP of Pietramurata.

Antonio Cairoli delivered some excitement for the Italian fans!

@ixsmx_ Merci @arnaudtonus The whole #isxfamily wishes you only the best for the future // #ixs #ixsmx #ixsfamily Photo 2/3 from @ixs_official

@dunlopmoto 1️⃣0️⃣ of 1️⃣5️⃣ Leaping high in @mxgp. #dunlop #dunlopmoto #justride @beegcreations What if we never did a design for the champ?… I guess we’ll never know. 👑🦁 @ jeffrey_herlings84 @mxgp Rene Hofer Tribute | MXGP: MXGP wishes to take a moment to remember some of the best memories with our beloved Rene Hofer, the always happy and smiling Austrian rider, with whom we were all lucky enough to share and witness these memories throughout the years.

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@fimwomen “Get up one more time than you fall” @livialancelot114 the 2 times Women’s Motocross World Champion from France 🇫🇷! Full story in #DreamBigBook2

@imwomen “You can make it happen if you have that determination, discipline and heart” - words from our #WMX Champion @ cduncan151! Check out the full story plus others in our #dreambigbook2

@patstottdesigns The 🇳🇱 dominance. Max Verstappen X Jeffrey Herlings, F1 X MXGP Edit ✍️

@abdullanoor94 I’m so honored to meet the fastest and toughest rider on the planet 🌎🏍 5x world champion @jeffrey_ herlings84

@Mxgpstore_official Don’t miss the @mxgp Official merchandisel! 👀 Pick your favourite item! 🛒The Original MXGP merchandise is waiting for you at the online store

Merry Christmas from MXGP 2021!: To celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, MXGP would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year by sharing our annual Christmas video for 2021. 🎄 Immerse yourself into the sounds of MXGP with a festive twist!

P G X M # D OF ORL W E H IN T

@mxvisuals365 What a season for the Swiss star @ jeremyseewer91 🇨🇭That Yamaha set up looked 🔥 all season! Loved the bike/ gear combos 🤟🏼 Always great to edit with the Swiss flag

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Photo: Yamaha Racing

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Y N O E T L T IE TIZ A R G 49

Before The Hype

ANTONIO CAIROLI IS WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED MOTOCROSS RIDERS IN THE WORLD, YOU ONLY NEED TO READ HIS RESUMÉ TO REALISE THAT, AND WHEN HE ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT IN SEPTEMBER 2021, IT WAS CLEAR WE WERE SAYING FAREWELL TO A LEGEND OF THE SPORT. WITH NO FEWER THAN NINE WORLD TITLES UNDER HIS BELT, WE TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE AND LOOK BACK AT THE PAST 18 YEARS THAT THE SICILIAN SPENT UNDER THE FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SPOTLIGHT.

Like most riders, their first foray into riding bikes is more about the joy and freedom it brings, and when you advance from the basics to competing at local level, the goal shifts to finishing races. From there it’s a case of improving step-by-step, and when you eventually claim that first race win and that first overall victory, the aim is then to win nationally. The same rules applied for Tony and when he outgrew what Sicily had to offer, it was time to shift to the Italian mainland.

In 2002/2003 Cairoli raced for Martin Honda and whilst he attended less than a handful of GPs as a 125cc Wildcard, his

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efforts were short lived. In 2002 he failed to qualify in Belgium (Genk) and failed to score points in Russia, before failing to qualify twice more in 2003 in Bulgaria (Sevlievo) and Germany (Teutschenthal), but despite his efforts, all of that was about to change.

The First Win By 2004, Tony had suddenly found himself under the watchful eye of Claudio De Carli after taking the difficult decision to move away from his native Sicily in order to improve his skills, and it wasn’t long before the move began to pay off. Now Yamaha mounted, his first top three race finish came in the sand of Valkenswaard, Holland, Round 4 - a venue that he would have even more success further down the line - and just two rounds later in the deeper sand of Lichtenvoorde, two 3rd places

cemented his first visit to the MX2 podium with 3rd overall behind Ben Townley and Tyla Rattray.

His first race victory came at GP12 in Loket, Czech Republic, and before the year was out, Cairoli experienced the view from the top step of the podium when he went 2-4 to claim the overall around the tricky circuit of Namur, at the GP of Wallonie.

When the chequered flag fell for the final time in South Africa, Cairoli had ended the season 3rd overall, and was now considered a very real prospect as a future world champion. The only question that needed answering was when?

The History Boy That question was answered the following year when in 2005, the tiny Sicilian, with his flamboyant riding style, rocked the motocross world by going from virtual unknown to MX2 World Champion. Suddenly, race

wins were plentiful (13), and GP victories were starting to build as he picked up a further six overall wins during this historic season where he became Italy’s youngest ever world champion.

He also proved how much of a fighter he is too; his battles with Andrew McFarlane and Alessio Chiodo during the midpoint of the season were legendary. With nineteen top three race finishes, and podium visits at nine of the seventeen rounds, there was just one low point which came in France at Saint Jean d’Angely (GP9) after an altercation with fellow Italian Davide Guarneri forced the officials to disqualify Cairoli from the event. After winning in Italy the week before, Cairoli had arrived in France as series leader, but by the time he left, had dropped to third overall and was then thirty-one points off the pace. If he was to win his first title, he had to dig deep and do it the hard way, and that’s exactly what he did. At the penultimate round at Lierop in The Netherlands, Tony’s 7-8 was enough to clinch what turned out to be the first of multiple world titles, the first for Yamaha 51

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in the MX2 class and the first title for the Japanese marque in almost a decade after Alessio Chiodi’s win in 1997 in the 125cc division.

After losing his crown to Christophe Pourcel in 2006 despite winning one race less than the previous year and three times as many races as the new world champion, Tony bounced back in emphatic style in 2007 in what was a near-perfect championship campaign. Reunited with the familiar ‘222’ after racing the previous two seasons with the ‘3’ and the ‘1’, Cairoli won the championship by 150 points as he romped to twenty-one race wins; it could have been more had he raced the British GP one week after his title win in Northern Ireland. In fact, Cairoli did race the GP in England, but as an MX1 wildcard where his 2-1 secured him the overall victory in the premier class at the very first attempt. In what was a fifteenround campaign in 2007, Cairoli stood on the podium fourteen times, with ten wins and three 2nd places in MX2, plus that overall win in MX1. Impressive stuff.

Sadly, there would be no repeat of that success the following year.

From the start of 2008, TC222 struggled to distance himself from the KTM duo of Tyla Rattray and Tommy Searle and as the three riders battled for supremacy, it was Rattray who held the upper hand as the series headed to South Africa for the tenth of fifteen rounds. For Rattray, it was the perfect homecoming, but for Cairoli, his season came to an abrupt end after collecting a knee injury which would rule him out for the remainder of the series. Not the way he wanted to end his MX2 career. Next stop, MX1.

Record Pace Now fully recovered from his knee injury, Antonio Cairoli lined up in the premier class (MX1) for his first full season on a 450cc and whilst he had already shown in 2007 that he could succeed in the main division, nothing in the motocross world championship 54

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is a given! Fifth and sixth overall at the opening two rounds left him seventh in the overall standings, but that all changed when he went 1-1 in Turkey at round three. Suddenly, Cairoli had not only announced himself as a contender, but he was also the new series leader and very much the rider to beat once more.

The switch had been flicked and from there, there was no stopping him. The only rider to offer any real threat was Max Nagl, and during the mid-part of the season, the German took (7) 50% of the race wins over a seven-round period, compared to Cairoli’s three. But the reality was, that by then, Cairoli was managing his championship perfectly and by the time we reached the penultimate GP in Lierop (the scene of his first title win, in MX2) the 222 cruised to a 5-4 which was enough to secure his third world title, his first in MX1. Three titles in five years, and all of this on a Yamaha, but all this was about to change.

Yamaha career MX2 54 Race Wins 24 Grand Prix Wins MX1 10 Race Wins 5 Grand Prix Wins The Next Chapter, The KTM Years With three world titles under his belt, Antonio Cairoli was then very much considered as one of the all-time greats of the sport, joining a short list of three-time world champions which included Alessio Chiodi, Gaston Rahier, André Malherbe, Dave Thorpe, Greg Albertyn, Paul Friedrichs and Guennady Moisseev. He had conquered MX2 with two titles and was then a world champion in the toughest class of all, and rather than rest on his laurels, the decision was made by his boss Claudio De Carli to move his whole racing operation from Yamaha to KTM. Not only that, but KTM, along with

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ten-time world champion Stefan Everts, had been busy since 2007 creating a radical new concept bike which would later be revealed as the new KTM 350 SX-F. After extensive tests during the offseason, it was decided that TC222 would pioneer the new bike in MX1 for the 2010 campaign, and as we know by now, it was the start of a relationship that continues to this day with the Austrian manufacturer.

By the end of that first term, Cairoli was then a back-to-back world champion and he did it by taking 15 race wins along the way, clinching his fourth title with two rounds to spare. He stood on the podium twelve times - eight of those as a winner, whilst four were celebrated from the second step, and all of this on the new 350cc. He had then joined an even more exclusive club of four-time world champions; Heikki Mikkola, Torsten Hallman and Harry Everts and it was clear to see he was not done yet.

When it came to wrapping up his fifth world title, consistency was the name of the game; his race win count for the season may have dipped to nine, but his overall top three race finishes (23) were a key factor. Six GP wins also contributed - two more than the next best of Clement Desalle who placed 3rd overall, and Steven Frossard (2nd) - but it was his overall podium count that was also a contributing factor; his twelve podiums from fifteen rounds was double that of Frossard (2nd overall) and four more than Desalle (3rd) and the title was clinched with a round to go at Gaildorf in Germany. The final round at Fermo, Italy, should have been a celebration of his title win in front of his army of adoring fans but sadly, his mother Paola passed away on the Friday of the GP due to illness; understandably, Tony elected not to race his home GP. As world championships go, Cairoli had then joined the Belgian quartet of five-time winners that consisted of Roger De Coster, Eric 64

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Geboers, Georges Jobe and Joel Smets.

Back To His Best On his way to world title number six, nobody else even came close to getting a look-in, and you could argue that this was his best year ever. With the series taking place over sixteen rounds, Cairoli’s race-win count ended at twentyone, equal to that of his MX2 winning year of 2007, with a total of fourteen podium appearances.

Despite that overall view, there was a period during the season where things were a little shaky, and after a double DNF at round nine in Sweden, Cairoli’s lead had been slashed to just three points as Desalle loomed large. Tony’s response was emphatic, and the 222 marched ruthlessly on, to claim the next seven overall wins - and thirteen from the last fourteen race wins. The end result was well worth the wait as TC claimed title number six at home in Italy at Faenza with a round still remaining and now stood proudly alongside Joel Robert as a six-time champ.

Two more world titles were added in successive years (2013/2014) in similar fashion with another thirtyfive race wins and twenty-nine additional podiums over the two years. 2013 was the standout season during that period, with thirteen of his fifteen podiums coming consecutively from the first round!

How do you even compete with that kind of consistency? World title number seven (2013) was clinched in England at Matterley Basin with title number eight being won in Brazil with a round to go.

However, 2014 was another year where Tony was forced to deal with personal loss, that time his father. After racing to 4th overall in Spain at Talavera with his father Benedetto watching on, Cairoli’s world was turned upside down when days later he learned that his father had suddenly passed away.

Ten days later in black riding gear, Cairoli lined up at Matterley Basin with only one thing on his mind, and when the chequered flag fell,

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his 1-2 finish was enough to clinch his 68th GP win; his father would have been proud.

That performance alone was testament to how strong Tony is mentally.

It’s worth noting at this point that Cairoli’s eighth title was also significant in that it marked SIX successive world championships for the Sicilian, an achievement met by just one other rider: Stefan Everts! Suddenly, what many thought was impossible was now looking very much on, as Antonio Cairoli set his sights on matching the sports’ G.O.A.T. record of ten world titles, but first, he had to secure title number nine.

Toughing It Out And that is easier said than done!

By then, Antonio Cairoli was entering his 30th year and whilst Stefan Everts may have raced until he was 34, the sport of MXGP was getting tougher; more races, more demanding circuits and the emergence of fresh, younger talent was also something that Cairoli needed to factor in. But it was injury that prevented the 222 from securing his ninth title win.

After four rounds, Cairoli was in contention and sat 3rd in points and just one adrift of the overall leader, but then his fortunes pulled a 180. A rare DNF and a 7th at Valkenswaard, Round 5, left him thirty points adrift, and despite swapping the 350cc for the all-new 450SX-F at the next round in Spain - where he claimed his 73rd career win - it was clear that Cairoli was in for a tough time for the first time since 2008. Win 74 came a week later in England but two rounds later, in Italy, the 222 picked up an elbow injury which would rule him out of the campaign three rounds later. Title number nine had to be put on ice … for now!

The following year, 2016, and still struggling with the aftereffects of his 2015 injury, Cairoli 74

landed on the podium on eight occasions, but he was outshone by the new kid on the block and MXGP rookie, Tim Gajser, whose consistency was very Cairoliesque, with thirteen podiums from the first thirteen rounds, and sixteen in total. Suddenly, that ninth title was looking further and further away.

As Cairoli’s focus shifted to 2017, there was a lot of paddock gossip suggesting that the great eighttime champ was ‘over the hill’ and that he would never win another title. How could he?

Age was no longer his friend, Gajser had just dethroned him emphatically and three-time MX2 champ Jeffrey Herlings was then racing in the MXGP class … surely it was impossible.

Consistency was going to be more important than ever, and it was TC222 who struck first with a win at the opening round.

In a season of ups and down’s, Cairoli’s consistency paid off and after a mid-season run of ten podiums from twelve rounds, that ninth title was finally within reach, and at the penultimate round at Assen, Holland, the dream finally became reality; Antonio Cairoli was now a ninetime world champion.

The Last Four Years …

2018, and Cairoli once again came up against a formidable opponent - this time in the form of his teammate, Jeffrey Herlings, and whilst TC222 managed to land on the podium on fourteen from twenty GP’s, Herlings was just too good, missing the podium just once when he missed Lombardia due to a broken collarbone. But that misfortune played into Cairoli’s hands perfectly as he notched up another milestone in his career; GP win number 85 was then in the books. With two GP wins and second overall, Cairoli still clearly had enough in the tank to equal Stefan Everts record of ten titles, but with each passing year, it was supposed to be getting more and more difficult.

2019, he showed once more he was back in the title hunt when

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he was victorious at the season opener in Patagonia, and he held the points lead for the first seven rounds. And then Russia happened! An injured shoulder forced him out of the title race once more, and a week later, he withdrew from the campaign. A tenth title had gone begging.

2020, Cairoli bounced back to finish 3rd overall, securing GP win number 90 in Latvia along the way but by then it was clear that the likes of Gajser, and Herlings when fully fit were there to stay and whilst there was speculation that TC might not continue beyond 2020, the Sicilian decided to give it one more try.

2021 will probably go down as one of the most memorable in history and for a while, Antonio Cairoli was very much a huge part of it and in with a shot at lifting that elusive tenth title. As Herlings played catch up after getting landed on in Holland and series leader Tim Gajser turned up in Sardinia with a broken collarbone, Cairoli was well placed to take over the championship lead as he sat third in the standings, one point behind Romain Febvre and twenty-nine adrift of Gajser.

However, after suffering a huge crash during Time Practice, it was clear Cairoli’s run at the championship was over, just days after officially announcing he would retire at the end of the season. That was his final chance, and then it was over.

Despite that though, he still managed to line up at the Monster Energy MXoN a week later and despite his injuries, finally got to stand on the top step of the podium alongside his teammates Alessandro Lupino and Mattia Gaudagnini as world champions. The one trophy - the Peter Chamberlain Trophy - that had eluded him in 18 years of professional racing was now in his hands and to do it a week after his biggest low-point, to do it on home soil … that’s what dreams are made of.

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When we look back at Tony’s glittering career, it’s astonishing to comprehend that in 18 years as a professional, the kid from Patti, Sicily, won at least one grand prix in each of those seasons, something unmatched by anybody else.

In fact, most riders don’t even get to compete for 18 years professionally, so that alone is just outstanding. As Antonio hung up his Airoh helmet after the final GP of the year at Mantova, Italy, he did so with nine world championships, 94 grand prix victories and a MXoN win.

The flamboyant riding style from his early days will be missed as much as his more measured approach from the later years and so too will his 82

Overall Career Statistics approachability. The world changed a great deal from when TC222 won his first title in 2005 and he changed with it, becoming a global superstar on and off the track. Grazie Tony for all that you did for the sport of motocross and congratulations on a truly outstanding career, and may the next chapter be just as successful off the track as you were on it.

• 9 World Championships • 3 Silver Medals - 2006, 2016, 2018 • 2 Bronze Medals - 2004, 2020 • 1 Motocross of Nations Win • 1 Motocross of Nations Bronze medal • 179 Podium Appearances: 94 x 1st - 52 x 2nd - 33 x 3rd)

KTM Career MX1/MXGP

• 182 Race Wins: 118 x 2nd 58 x 3rd

118 Race Wins

• 358 Top 3 Race Finishes

65 Grand Prix Wins

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

Photo: FMI

F O S R A E G Y N I 0 L 1 C 1 Y G C N R I O T T A O R B M E N L A E I C ITAL !

N E TH ERATIO FED

Photo: FMI

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THE 2021 SEASON SAW ITALY RACK UP AN IMPRESSIVE LIST OF TITLES AND OTHER SUCCESSES NOT ONLY IN MOTOCROSS BUT IN OTHER SPORTS TOO. COINCIDENTALLY THESE TRIUMPHS TOOK PLACE ON THE YEAR THAT THE ITALIAN MOTORCYCLING FEDERATION CELEBRATED THEIR 110TH YEAR – AND WHAT A WAY THAT WAS TO CELEBRATE THE LAST 110 YEARS OF THE FEDERATION!

And to join in on this celebration, MXGP Magazine wanted to take this chance to re-live some of these incredible moments.

The Italian Motorcycling Federation was founded in 1911, from an idea of Oreste Togni President and founder of the first MotoClub in Italy, the Moto Club d’Italia. Mr. Togni understood the importance of taking care of the riders and the motorcycle races at the beginning of the last century when this sport was rapidly growing. His idea was to have a Federation involved in the organisation of all the motorcycle races taking place in Italy and able to give to the Italian riders the support they needed, especially in competitions abroad. When it was founded, the Moto Club d’Italia was counting less than 500 riders.

Throughout the years the Federation has grown immensely and has become a main actor of motorsport in Italy and finally in 1942 the Olympics Commitment (CONI) recognised its role and changed the name into ‘Federazione Motociclcistica Italiana’ (FMI) in 1946 with its mission focused on supporting the young and up and coming talents as well as being involved in the organisation of races and general promotion of motorcycling sports.

The main result of the Italian Federation was without any doubt the victory at the 74th edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in Mantova, but before we dive deeper into the event and its significance, we first need to go back to the presentation of the ‘Maglia Azzurra’ (Team Italy’s shirt) that took place in Maggiora in July, a moment that is always special.

“Presenting the Maglia Azzurra here in Maggiora, that is one of the most iconic motocross tracks in Italy, is amazing for me and doing it with a Motocross

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legend like Antonio Cairoli is even more special,” said Roberto Rustichelli, Coordinator of the Italian Federation Motocross Commission. “All the best Italian riders will wear this t-shirt in the international team competitions this year and I’m sure they’ll give their best to honour it and represent it with a win”.

The atmosphere in Maggiora was something amazing and to all the fans inside and outside the Media Centre, Antonio Cairoli said: “I’ve worn the Maglia Azzurra many times and representing Italy for me is always something special; the Motocross of Nations is a trophy that all the riders want to win and is something special”.

After all the success of 2021 a delegation of the Italian Federation was invited for a special meeting with Italian Republic President Sergio Mattarella. “Being there, received by the President is something really important for us,” said Giovanni Copioli, FMI President “President Mattarella recognised all the work that the Federation is doing in order to promote the sport in Italy”.

The Italian Federation finally celebrated its 110th anniversary with a ceremony taking place in Riccione on the 11th of December; at the celebrations were more than 50 athletes who have been a big part of the federation success, winning many trophies in all the disciplines and of course Antonio Cairoli was also there, and he received a standing ovation from the public for his successful career.

“The Italian Federation is one of the oldest in the world and through the years has always been developing and increasing.

Since I became president, back in 2016, I’ve always wanted to create a better cooperation and coordination between our headquarters and the local motoclubs; this is really important to support and help

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all the riders part of the Federation from the future champions to the normal riders that ride their bike only for fun, because motocross is part of the Italian tradition and in the last years we saw an increase of riders practicing motocross,” added Mr. Copioli. “As federation we have been also lucky to have many good riders in the past years but having Antonio Cairoli as rider and representer has been something special. Still today Tony is an inspiration for many young Italian riders who dream to become World Champion, and at the FMI ceremony, we honoured his career with a special prize to thank him for everything he did for the Motocross in Italy”.

Italy has had many successful riders: one of the first was Michele Rinaldi, who won the 125cc in 1984, and from then on many others won titles, too. Alex Puzar got two titles in 250cc (1990) and in 125cc (1995); then representing Italy was Alessio Chiodi, who won the 125cc title in 1997, 1998 and 1999, while at the same time Andrea Bartolini was winning the 500cc class in 1999. Then after a few years without any big victories, Italy was back on top with the title of Cairoli in MX2 (2005 and 2007) and the title of Philippaerts in 2008 in the main class, MX1. From 2009 the world discovered one of the most successful riders of all the time, a real motocross legend, Antonio Cairoli that got 7 titles in the main class MX1/MXGP. During his final season, in 2021, at 35 years old, Cairoli was able to win GPs in one of the most competitive MXGP seasons in the history of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Italy has also been successful three times at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations: in 1999, 2002 and the latest in 2021 with Antonio Cairoli, Alessandro Lupino and Mattia Guadagnini.

“Winning the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations is a dream that became real; since I was a child, I always wanted to win the Nations representing Italy, but winning it

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in Mantova, in front of the Italian fans is something I’ll never forget and that I still don’t believe at all,” said Mattia Guadagnini, who in 2022 will line up for RedBull GasGas Factory Racing.

Mattia is one of the latest riders followed by the Italian Federation; he won the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship and the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing FIM Europe Motocross Championship in 2019; then in 2020 Mattia competed in the EMX250 FIM Europe Motocross Championship and took a solid 2nd position after fighting all season long with the Championship winner Thibault Benistant. After some wildcard appearances in 2020, in 2021 Mattia competed in his first season of the MX2 FIM Motocross World Championship and finished 4th in the standings on what was his rookie season after winning 2 GPs. “I still remember when I was young in the first races I did of the European Championship there was always somebody from the Federation that helped me giving tips and technical advice. I think that this is really important when you are young; having somebody with knowledge and experience in this sport helping you to take the correct decisions is necessary to grow up properly,” said Guadagnini.

In the history of the Italian Federation there is also FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship with Kiara Fontanesi. Kiara is a true motocross legend and has won 6 WMX Championship with 4 in row from 2012 to 2015 and again in 2017 and 2018; after becoming a mother to her daughter Skyler in 2019, Kiara lined-up again for the WMX races and finished 4th in 2020 and 3rd in 2021 after fighting all season with Courtney Duncan for the title. Those great results put Kiara among the title contenders in 2022, while at the same time, from some years, she started to support young Italian girls in Motocross; Kiara with all the experience gained in 92

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more than ten years of the World Championship is working a lot with many talented riders in order to help them in their motocross career.

“When I started riding motocross, I didn’t have such a big budget, but I still remember the great help I had from the Federation and all the people representing it,” said Alessandro Lupino, Beta SDM Corse MX Team rider for the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship.

“With the support and the tips of good people, a young rider can build a good career and dream to be World Champion as it was for me back in 2006. All the things I learned in those year have been very important for all of my career till now, and not only for tha,t but also in my life today as a man and dad”.

As we said at the beginning motocross has been, in 2021, the most successful discipline for the Italian Federation not only for the win in of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross Nation but also with much more: the EMX125 Presented

by FMF Racing and EMX250 European Championship won by Valerio Lata and Nicholas Lapucci both with Italian teams, as well as the victory of Davide De Bortoli in the EMX Open class.

Talking about young talent and their future we must mention the main project the Italian Federation has been developing in the last years: Talenti Azzurri with the support of Pata Snack. The project offers young Italian riders all the support they need at the beginning of their career and follow them in all the phases. The project gives riders many chances to improve and learn a lot about motocross: group training, technical lessons with and without the bike, 2-3 day camps and much more with the help of former riders, technical instructors, and experts to teach them where they need to grow and improve.

MXGP Mag: Mr. Copioli beside all the work the Italian Federation is doing, how important is the project supporting the future champions Talenti Azzurri?

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Mr. Copioli: “To be honest this is our main project; we are really satisfied of the work we did in the last five years, and personally I’m really proud of how Talenti Azzurri is developing with the help of our sponsor Pata Snack.

The results of the work are in front of the eyes of everybody without any doubt: the great MX2 rookie season for Mattia Guadagnini and the incredible wins of Valerio Lata and Nicholas Lapucci in the European Championships prove how our technical department is working nonstop with the young riders. The win also of the FIM Junior 85cc Motocross World Championship is another result of the work we are doing, not only in the present but also for a future generation of Italian champions of tomorrow and I see a great future for motocross in Italy”.

The result of all the work with the young riders gave to Team Italy also 7 editions of the Motocross of European Nations (2006, 2007, 2012, 2014 2015, 2018 and 2019); the win of Mattia Barbieri in the 85cc class and the win as team in the last FIM Junior World Championship 2021 that took place in Megalopolis. In the Junior World Championship Italy won already with Mattia Guadagnini and Valerio Lata in the 125cc and 85cc class in 2019, as well as a team and with Gianluca Facchetti back in 2017 also in 125cc.

Behind all those successes there is a precise and well-organised structure of the Italian Federation; all the riders across all the disciplines are followed by the Italian media in order to give the events the best coverage possible.

The federation also have their very own magazine, available online.

This also allows them to follow their riders, the races and all the projections of the federation.

As we said before, the Federation is really professional in that side and all the riders taking part in international races are followed by coaches and trainers who are always on hand to give them the best support: in the main races like 98

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the FIM Motocross of Nations, the FIM Motocross of European Nations and the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship there is always the Italian Federation hospitality “Casa Azzurra” where the most important briefing and conferences take place during these international events and is also a place where the riders can feel comfortable and get prepared for the races.

Talking about Italian riders, success and wins we couldn’t miss the chance to speak with one of the men that is working a lot behind the scenes of the Italian Federation and has become a reference for all the Italian riders that races in the European and in the World Motocross Championship from many years.

Thomas Traversini, former Motocross World Championship rider, is the FMI Motocross Technical Director and tester for KTM Group Research and Development Motocross department. At the end of 2005, when Thomas was forced to end his career as rider due to an injury, he started following the young riders in the Italian and European Championships, helping them to develop and become future champions. In addition, Thomas is also the Team Manager and Official Trainer of Team Italy at the FIM Motocross of Nations.

MXGP Mag: First of all, of course we start with the incredible result of the FIM Motocross of Nations 2021; after many years finally, Italy was able to get the trophy. Tell us more about it.

Thomas: “Many times we have been very close to win the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations but there was always some bad luck against us, in RedBud in 2018 we had a solid team for example and we were really close to the win, anyway I still remember very well all the Motocross of Nations I did as coach of Team Italy and all those incredible emotions that this position gave me. This year has been different, even if Antonio

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Cairoli was not 100% due to an injury, the team was strong in all the classes and at the end with this incredible atmosphere, on our home soil, we were able to get the trophy that we were waiting for 19 years”.

MXGP Mag: What has been the secret behind that win in the 2021 FIM Motocross of Nations?

Thomas: “All the riders competing in the FIM Motocross of Nations are giving their best because they represent their country, but many times the biggest problem behind is to create a team with a good atmosphere among the riders; I’ve been the coach many times and Team Italy had many really good riders, but I think the secret ingredient of this win, after of course the great results of Antonio, Alessandro and Mattia, has been the friendship among the three of them, they raced as a real Team in an individual sport as Motocross is. From my side having Mattia inside this team made me even more proud because we have been working together for many years and I’ve always tried to train him to be ready to be part of Team Italy one day (during the FIM Motocross of European Nations and the FIM Junior World Championships); that day came in 2021 and we took this win. As a rider I was not able to win the Motocross of Nations, but winning it as coach gave me an incredible feeling and I’m super proud of the guys”.

MXGP Mag: Tell us more about the future of Italian motocross from inside.

Thomas: “I’m very ambitious and even with the great results we got in 2021 I’m already looking at the future and preparing the 2022 season to reach even better results in all the classes. From my side I see many good Italian riders, of course Mattia Guadagnini, Valerio Lata, Nicholas Lapucci and Andrea Bonacorsi, but I’m also following many others in the 65cc and 85cc class that are showing a big talent. Having so many good riders winning is also helping 102

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Italian Motocross to grow up and improve year after year; the results of the Talenti Azzurri project are in front of everybody and our goal is to keep it in the next years and of course improve it. As Mr. Copioli said having a good connection between the Federation and all the moto clubs around Italy is fundamental in a way that we can support all the riders and we can give the best support to the riders that prove to have great quality for the future and follow them from the beginning,” Through the years the relationship between Infront Moto Racing and the Italian Federation has always been really good and constructive; the FIM Motocross World Championship has always included races in Italy, a country where motocross is one of the most popular motorsports.

In 2020 and 2021, due to the pandemic, Infront Moto Racing and the Italian Federation put in

an immense amount of effort and worked together in order to make races, even with the many restrictions Europe faced and with triple and double headers taking place in Italy, the Championship has been amazing and full of action.

In 2021, after an intense season, both champions in MX2 and MXGP were crowned at the Italian GPs with Maxime Renaux becoming Champion in Pietramurata and Jeffrey Herlings clinching the title at the last race in Mantova after one of the most intense seasons of the MXGP class of the last decades.

All those great results and incredible memories have been possible with the help of the Italian Federation that is always working in order to have more World Championship level tracks and are ready to enter the FIM Motocross World Championship.

Looking at 2022, three riders will line up in the MX2 class Mattia Guadagnini (Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing), Andrea Adamo (SM Action Racing Team Yuasa Battery) and Gianluca Facchetti (KTM Beddini Racing Team); Guadagnini will be for sure a real title contender while Adamo and Facchetti are ready to fight for good results. In the MXGP class will be Alberto Forato (SM Action Racing Team Yuasa Battery), Alessandro Lupino (Beta SDM Corse MX Team) and Nicholas Lapucci (Team Fantic Racing); Forato after a year of learning will be ready to go for good results after finding the correct speed last year, while Lupino is ready to develop the new Beta machine and take good results, while Lapucci needs to prove that he is ready to be solid rider in the main class.

Goals have been set and now we are ready for 2022!

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E M A F F O

GERRIT WOLSINK, THE FLYING DENTIST SEVERAL TIMES ON THE PODIUM OF THE 500CC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BUT ALSO AT THE MOTOCROSS AND TROPHY OF NATIONS WITH THE DUTCH TEAM, GERRIT WOLSINK WAS ONE ON THE MOST SUCCESFUL DUTCH RIDERS IN THE 70’S. BEING A WELL-KNOWN DENTIST IN THE WEEK, HE WAS ALSO A FAST RIDER DURING THE WEEKEND AND VERY NEARLY MISSED A WORLD TITLE IN 1976.

Born on 3rd March 1947 in Hengelo, not very far from a motocross track, Gerrit was always in a motorcycle environment as his father was a motorcycle dealer. So it was not a real surprise for his family to see him doing his first race when he was ten years old on a 50cc automatic that his father adapted to Offroad. First race and first success for the kid, who had to wait a little more to get a real motocross bike, a 500cc BSA Goldstar; it was just a training bike, as Gerrit was only twelve years old and couldn’t enter any race with that bike!

Gerrit was still a student when he started racing seriously, and as his first results were pretty good, he split his time between racing in summer time and his dental studies all year long. Moving very young into the 500cc class, he claimed a national title in 1968, and entered his first GP in the Netherlands the same

year.

Scoring points at his first attempt with a fifth position on the sandy track at Sint Anthonis, he realised one week later that he had to work hard when he was lapped by Roger De Coster during the Belgian GP! Gaining experience each year racing GP’s, he won his first World Championship event in 1973 and believe it or not… it was on a hard pack track at Tarare in France! Fifth in the series that year on a Maico, he had the opportunity to join Roger De Coster in the prestigious factory Suzuki team at the end of season and he got his best results on the yellow bikes. Fifth in 1973 on the German bike and then 4th and 3rd the following years on a Suzuki, Gerrit did his best ever season in 1976 as he battled for the world title until the last round with his teammate Roger De Coster; winner of four GP’s that season, Gerrit missed the title by six little points after twelve 107

rounds! He would never be again in a position to get that title, even if he won again four GP’s in 1979 to finish once more runner up behind Graham Noyce for his last season on a Suzuki. Back to Maico in 1980 he only entered a couple of GP’s, and later that season led the Dutch team at the Motocross of Nations in Farleigh Castle to a brilliant second position. It was the last “highlight’ in Gerrit career’s, who stopped racing at the end of 1982.

With eight 500cc national titles, three podiums at the Nations, two silver and two bronze medals in the 500cc class, Gerrit Wolsink remained as one of the greatest Dutch Motocross riders. He did all his career in Europe, winning fifteen GP’s, but he was also one of the Europeans who enjoyed racing in the US. Several times on the podium of the Trans AMA – a series organised in the 70’s at a period where the American riders had a lot to learn from the Europeans – the dentist was also incredibly fast at the US Grand Prix in Carlsbad, an event he won five times!

He was close to move full time to the US, but finally the American Federation didn’t accept anymore European riders at that period….

Text & Photos: Pascal Haudiquert

1977: 23rd in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Husqvarna)

500 Dutch Champion

1969: 17th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Husqvarna) 1970: 10th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Husqvarna)

500 Dutch Champion

1971: 12th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Husqvarna)

500 Dutch Champion

1972: 10th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Husqvarna)

3rd at the MX of Nations with team Netherlands

1973: 5th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Maico).

Winner of 1 GP

500 Dutch Champion

1974: 4th the 500 Motocross World Championship (Suzuki).

Winner of 1 GP

500 Dutch Champion

1975: 3rd in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Suzuki). Winner of 1 GP 1976: 2nd in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Suzuki). Winner of 4 GP’s

500 Dutch Champion

1977: 3rd in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Suzuki). Winner of 1 GP

500 Dutch Champion

1978: 5th in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Suzuki). Winner of 1 GP

500 Dutch Champion

1979: 2nd in the 500 Motocross World Championship (Suzuki). Winner of 4 GP’s

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3rd at the Trophy of Nations with team Netherlands

1980: (Maico)

14th in the 500 Motocross World Championship

2nd at the MX of Nations with team Netherlands

1981: (Honda)

10th in the 500 Motocross World Championship

1982: (Honda)

21st in the 500 Motocross World Championship

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Diga Procross have revealed their new colours and riders for 2021!

2 Antonio Cairoli received a special award which was presented by HSH Albert II Prince of Monaco at the FIM Awards 3 JM Honda have revealed their rider lineup for the upcoming season of MXGP 4 Courtney Duncan, along with many other world champions in motorcycling sport, traded their helmets and boots for a night of glamour at the FIM Awards 5 New colours! Meet the Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing squad 6 Italian Motorcycling Champions and legends were invited to the Palazzo Quirinale for a special meeting with President Sergio Mattarella

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7 Husqvarna factory riders Kay De Wolf and Roan Van de Moosdijk paid a visit to the Husqvarna HQ in Austria!

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8 Merry Christmas from the Van Horebeek’s!

9 Glenn Coldenhoff enjoying his offseason with some sight-seeing in Spain…

10 Tim Gajser and his girlfriend Spela enjoyed their time in Lapland with a special deer ride in the snow.

11 Even the fastest riders in the world need some time in the sun! Tom Vialle taking a small break at the end of 2021 to get ready for his title fight in 2022!

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

JOHN VAN DEN BERK YAMAHA 1988 YZ250M 114

WHEN JOHN VAN DEN BERK CLINCHED THE 1987 FIM 125CC MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, HIS SWIFT MOVE TO THE 250CC CLASS FOR THE 1988 SEASON WAS MET WITH SURPRISE AMONGST HIS PEERS. ARMED WITH FACTORY MACHINERY FROM YAMAHA, HIS ROOKIE SEASON WAS MEANT TO BE A LEARNING YEAR, BUT IT SOON BECAME CLEAR THAT BACKTO-BACK WORLD TITLES WAS A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY, AND IT’S VAN DEN BERK’S 1988 YAMAHA YZ250M/OW95 THAT WE WILL FEATURE IN THIS ISSUE OF MXGP MAGAZINE.

As soon as John van den Berk clinched the 125cc world championship on August 30th 1987, all of the Dutchman’s efforts shifted to 1988 and a surprise move into the 250cc class, but having won his first title on a modified-stock YZ125, tuned by renowned engine specialist Theo van Geffen, ‘JB’ now found himself as a fully supported factory rider which meant certain rules needed to be followed a lot more stringently.

The move to the 250cc class was orchestrated by van den Berk himself who commented ‘I always said when I win the 125cc championship, I’m gonna go directly (immediately) to 250cc, to the heavier class …’ but the first test in Japan was not as in depth as he would have liked:

‘Testing started when we received the parts at the end of the 1987 season. I did some testing in Japan but there were very few parts available, so the beginning of the ’88 season was when we started more testing with the cylinders and everything.’

As a continuation of his 125cc journey, John’s close team around him remained relatively unchanged, and whilst he may have lost Harry Nolte to another rider during the off season, he somehow still managed to retain the tuning services of Theo van Geffen, a decision which would turn out to be crucial: ‘We were still the same team and the same engine tuner, even if Theo was involved a little bit less than before, because the 250cc engine, Yamaha developed themselves complete from the beginning, but still, he was a

very important part of the team; I think the most important because I needed a good bike that I liked, and for me it was a major difference for a bike not fitting me because then I am 30% worse!

But, when I like the bike and it fits me then I’m really good, I can do extra things with it.’

When the season got underway in France, John’s two 3rd places earned him 2nd overall, a result which was followed up by 3rd overall the following weekend in Spain, a day which also saw him record his first race win in the 250cc class. At round three in Italy, van den Berk stormed both races to come away with his first overall victory of the campaign as well as the championship lead, and from there it seemed like he could do no wrong; from the first seven rounds (14 races), the new kid on the block had placed outside the top three just three times and stood on the podium on five occasions. Heading into round eight, the rookie held a 43-point lead, and it was 115

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becoming a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if’ he would be crowned world champion.

That year was the most relaxed year of my career because when I go to 250cc, it was a learning year for me, no pressure, no expectation and then after 7 GP’s I was 43 points in front, I think. Then I started thinking, okay, maybe I can be world champion. So, it was quite a relaxed year.’

And then, things started to gradually fall apart. Now, whether van den Berk or Yamaha considered the championship leader to be the ‘number 1’ rider in the team is irrelevant, but what is relevant though is that the Dutchman had a very capable teammate in the form of Great Britain’s Rob Herring, who on his day could be the fastest rider in the world, and it was something that van den Berk was all too aware of. And whilst both riders got along, it was clear that they were both riding two very different motorcycles, with JB on the Theo van Geffen tuned bike with Herring full factory-mounted, and as the season progressed, so too did the development of the factory effort with Herring at the ‘bars. It was astonishing that van den Berk even had the freedom to do his own thing, but with such a big lead in the championship, Yamaha flexed its muscles and suddenly, John found himself towing the corporate line and reluctantly reverted to the factory bike.

‘Normally it was like factory is factory and that’s it, which was not so easy, but then my father pushed hard that we can keep the same team so that we can do our own thing! So, there were some moments where the tuner made his own bike and I had the factory bike, and I remember Rob Herring using the full factory bike, and then he started winning races because he liked that bike. He loved the power, it was a little aggressive but Rob liked that kind of power and the engineers pushed me a lot to use the factory bike. I remember Rob won the GP in Belgium and a race in Slovenia, he did some really good races and so I said, I’m gonna test

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Photo:

decision to switch bikes for the final round was possibly the most crucial moment of the season:

that bike in the sand. I felt it had so much power; I said perfect!’

Then I used the factory bike, but I did three, four grand prix and for me it was going worse, worse, worse!

Whilst the bike seemed perfect in tests, the switch for the following four GP’s was anything but that, and over the following eight races there was just one top three race finish; suddenly his shot at the title was under serious threat with just one round to go. It was clear something had to be done: ‘In the races, the factory bike did not work out for me! No good results and everybody was guessing and thinking, and so before the last GP, we tested my 118

other bike from the beginning of the year. We went to a private track close to my home, and the tuner had the bike in his shop, it wasn’t even at the races, so we had two factory bikes at the races; my father said, ‘try this bike, only a few laps because I think this bike is much better for you!’ So, we went to that private track alone, I did one lap and that was it. So, we changed everything for the weekend to have that bike.’

At the final round in Sweden, and reunited with his original bike, van den Berk went 3-2 for 2nd overall and was crowned world champion for the second time. He also became only the third rider in history to win back-to-back titles in different classes after Heikki Mikkola (‘76/’77) and Eric Geboers, who accomplished the same feat just two weeks earlier, and according to the new champ, the

‘Like in 125cc, I needed a bike only I could ride! When I switched bikes, for me it was easy to win, but when I didn’t switch … I don’t know! I had still the points lead, but I was only just riding in about 10th position in my bad GP’s, so like that, you can lose a lot of points. But then the last GP was in the sand in Tibro, Sweden, I had my own bike back and at that moment I felt 100% comfortable again and the race was easy again.’

On his way to the 250cc world championship, John van den Berk scored 14 top three race finishes from 24 starts and recorded zero DNF’s. He also stood on the podium on seven occasions with two of those as a winner. He also helped Yamaha to its fourth Manufacturers Championship in the process.

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

Hey MXGP, where can I find the latest issue of the magazine?

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Hi, for this year, I would like to buy a season pass to watch all the races in live, where can I buy it?

Jean

Iris

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Hi Jean , you can buy our pass HERE: https://www. mxgp-tv.com/subscribe Best Regards MXGP

Dear Iris , you can check out the latest issue of MXGP Magazine HERE: https://issuu.com/mxgpmag Best Regards MXGP

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Where can I find out which driver is in which team after the winter break?

Oliver:

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Hi Oliver , you can find all the teams and riders on the www.mxgp. com in the riders section!

Regards MXGP

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where can I buy one ticket to go in MXGP of France in Ernée?

Jules

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Hello Jules:

you can buy your ticket for the French GP here https://my.weezevent. com/mxgp-de-france Thanks MXGP

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Where will the motocross of nations take place this year?

Daniele

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Hi Daniele this year the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations will take place in USA at Redbud! You can buy tickets for this event HERE: https:// redbud-mxon.motocrosstickets.com/en/22471motocross-of-nations/ Thanks MXGP

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