NEXT LEVEL O FFROAD ENJOYMENT
•
Mar 8-9: Trials Training Days
Mar 14-16: Downhill Southeast Mtn Bike Race
June 23-26: Family Camp
June 27-29: AMA/NextGen Mototrials Youth & Women's Regional Championship
June 30 - July 3: Invitational Teen Camp
Aug 8-10: 15th Annual Red Bull Kenda
Tennessee Knock Out Extreme Enduro
Oct 18-19: 33rd Annual 58K Fall Trial (STRA)
Dec 6: Xmas Toy Trial - Fun Gate Trial
July 26-27 September 13-14
November 1-2
www.ryanyoungtrialsschools.com
* All dates are subject to change Ryan Young Trials Schools at TTC: January 25-26 February 22-23 April 12-13 May 3-4
CONTRIBUTORS
Brian
Matt
Calafia Concepts
Jenny Keller Photography Pole Position Communications
facebook.com/ onthepegs
On the Pegs is
Kayla Bolton
Mack Faint
Pere Flores
Shan Moore
Art Pepin
@onthepegsmagazine www.on-the-pegs.com
To get involved or send content, email stephanie@onthepegsmagazine.com
OLD-SCHOOL ENDURO VIBES AT THE 2025 WHITE ROCK ENDURO
The Adventure Moto GasGas EX350F, Liam, and I made the trek back into the Ozark Mountains for another White Rock Enduro. This year's event was their 50th running, and the club put together a worthy experience for the adventurous riders who showed up.
WORDS & PHOTOS
When I raced the White Rock Enduro in 2024, it was my first time coming to the event. I heard so many awesome stories of how this race shaped different riders due to how the event changed overnight due to storms or blizzards. The event in 2024 was one of the driest White Rock’s, but the event in 2025 received plenty of rain in the weeks previous,
BRIAN PIERCE
changing the trail from what I had previously experienced.
If you’ve been following the journey of me and Ginger, the GasGas 350, you know I’ve got the bike pretty well set up for the places I have been riding. The places I haven’t been riding in though are EXACTLY what we were going to ride in North
West Arkansas. There’s also something to be said to the fact that I am now on a four stroke, and though I am getting more comfortable on the thumper from the two stroke, the EX350F is not the normal weapon of choice for slick, technical single track.
The race starts in camp at a bridge that crosses Mill Creek; It’s a neat way to start an event. We transferred 8 miles to the start of Test One. The transfer was mainly a two track fireroad and it was SLICK, giving us a precursor as to what the day would hold. As we climbed higher though, it did dry out, showcasing some primo dirt. No matter how tightly I crossed my fingers, that primo dirt didn’t peak its head very often on the day
Test One was the same from 2024, a fast uphill fireroad that weaved between different trails until we reached the necessary turn off to enter the thunder-dome. The 350 LOVED those opened fire roads, it gave it a chance to EAT! Once we started weaving our way uphill, through the
raw, rocky singletrack, we knew the race had actually started.
The truth of the matter in any race is that it doesn’t matter how well one part goes, the entirety of the section and day, is what you’re scored against. As we were working our way up the last climb out of Narnia, I was feeling it. I lost a bit of momentum, my rear wheel kicked out, and the attempt to loft my front wheel over a slippery rock outcropping left me struggling with a heavy four stroke up in the dreaded uphill direction. As I said in the video, “Yup, I overrode that section”.
There are many other moments from the day we could discuss here, but that’s what the video is for.
Keep Endurance in Enduro
The length of the White Rock Enduro, being 82 miles for the A riders, is what makes my heart happy. The Razorback Riders know what it means to Keep Endurance in Enduro.
We A riders had 8 tests to contend with on the day, and one of those was an A Only section. The mileage from the test sections added up to roughly 45 miles of racing. What a lot of riders forget though is the transfers are still part of the race. The mileage, trail time, and obstacles add to the attrition on the day. Just because we’re not in a test section doesn’t mean we’re not putting wear and tear on the bike, body, and mind.
With the growth of the sprint enduro format in the United States, I believe we’re losing a bit of the endurance from enduros. I do think the spring enduro format has its purpose, as it’s a part of the format leveraged at the International Six Day Enduros. But even there, racers have to ride between the tests, sometimes traveling over an hour between test sections. If we only ever test outright speed, allowing
riders to ride back to their pits, are we truly testing their endurance enough for an Enduro?
I would like to see the White Rock Enduro become a true 100 mile enduro. I know I’m asking a lot of everyone involved, but the terrain and technicality of the Ozark Mountains are prime real estate for earning a 100 mile enduro finisher patch/pin. As well, a 100 mile enduro forces more riders to focus on nutrition.
Enduro Nutrition
You can’t talk about endurance without bringing up hydration and nutrition. An endurance event is an eating competition as much as it is about the specific discipline. Admittedly, I didn’t document my exact calories on the day like I did from the Sumter Enduro, but here’s an idea.
In my 2L USWE bladder, I had two liters of water, two scoops of UCAN energy powder (180 calories, 42 grams of carbs) and two LMNT lime packets (2000mg sodium, 400mg potassium, 1200mg magnesium). I ate around one UCAN Energy Gel every hour, which was 80 calories and 20g of carbs. I also supplement
my electrolytes with SaltStick chews before each test. I do this as because I have found I don’t drink as consistently as I would like from the bladder due to differing down times between test sections.
Thanks to my Utility Can Caddy, I was able to have everything I needed at the gas stops to refill and supplement. This allowed me to eat a ½ cup of rice each time through; I like the aspect of real food sprinkled in to keep the stomach settled from all the liquid carbs. I also refilled my bladder with 1L of water, a UCAN Scoop, and an LMNT
packet I had prepared to pour. Lastly, I have UCAN’s Hydrate & Aminos mixed into a 6 ounce shot. The amino acids help with muscle fatigue on the day and recovery afterwards.
I have an article and video about enduro nutrition if you’re interested to dig in more.
The Evolving Bike Setup
All of the time I spent working with Brian Storrie has certainly paid off. Ginger only has 21 hours on her, including
White Rock, but I feel very comfortable on the bike. I do wish I had had time to go back to Barnwell now that we’ve evolved the setup and cockpit, because I would have been able to dial in the suspension better for the slick, rocky terrain.
As I mentioned in the video, Andy from my row noticed my bike bouncing all over the place in Test 4. We removed two “clicks” of high speed compression from the shock to try to get the bike to settle. This helped, but it got me thinking the bike still didn’t feel settled in Test 5. I then removed two clicks of compression from the forks and the shock (low speed). This really helped the bike settle down and feel more
stable in the rocks. I wish I had done this earlier, but that’s where experience comes into play.
The gearing choice of 14/50 was primo at White Rock. As we talked about in the gearing video, the 50T rear sprocket allows the bike's suspension to be free, while allowing me to shift less. When you go to a smaller front sprocket on the current Austrian bikes, it has a tendency to bind up the rear suspension.
In the tight technical parts of the race, I put the EX350 in second gear and chugged
along. I could rev it out as the trail opened up, but second gear with the gearing we have was the perfect spot to keep me from needing to over shift. As the trail opened up, third gear was where I would go. Fourth and Fifth were used, but mainly for the fire roads and grass track.
I noticed a tad bit of rub on the top, outside, of my grips. This stuck out in my mind due to the conversation with Jörli from Astra. He mentioned this is a sign of a rider's handlebars having too much sweep. I’m going to roll them back a tad
more to reduce the sweep and see how she feels. I’ll do this as a testing setup, making one change at a time of course.
What’s Next
The Cajun Classic National Enduro was up next on the schedule, but as you know by now it was canceled, last minute Sunday morning, by the Forest Service, due to the amount of rain received. I am signed up for Round 5 of the US Sprint Enduro Series in Dilliner, PA. It is an ISDE Qualifier, and yes, I have submitted a Letter of Intent with the AMA. I don’t know if there’s a Senior Team this year or not, but the time is now to try to qualify.
The National Enduro Series picks back up in Georgia for the Cherokee National Enduro May 25th. Once registration opens, I am going to register again for row 41. Another East Coast Enduro I have never been to. I am looking forward to watching some Cherokee videos, riding new trails, and making new friends.
Click or scan to watch Brian's YouTube video
The ultimate off-road machine.
a new era of off-road has begun. featuring revolutionary fuel injection technology, the 2025 te 300 is primed to take you to places you have never gone before.
TrialGP 2025 USA Approaching Quickly!
MIKE SERPE FUTURE7MEDIA WORDS PHOTOS
Here’s an update on what’s new and different about this year's biggest event in extreme technical motorcycle competition.
As we get closer to July 11-13, more updates are coming in from FIM in Europe as well as from the hosts of this year’s championship, non-profits Neta and RiTC. From the FIM 2025 Rule Book, there are big changes to the format of TrialGP events, especially in regard to each day’s schedule and timing.
Previously, competitors were typically given a certain amount of laps on the section loop to complete within an allotted period of time and it was up to them to manage the split of that time per loop. Now, there is a forced split.
On the first loop, riders will have a maximum of 120 minutes to complete all 12 of the competition sections. After this there will be a 30-minute break where riders can return to their pits and repair their bikes or strategize
for the following loop.
The second loop has a reduced time of 90 minutes for the repeat of the 12 sections. Both loops will include a very exciting and up-close-andpersonal spectator experience at the final section which is a hybrid natural and man-made area within the paddock.
After the second loop has been completed, there will be a new feature called a “Power Section” where the top riders from each class will ride a modified version of section 12 (located in the paddock with a large spectator area) against time. This Power Section will have scoring with the purpose of affecting championship points, but will not affect the outcome of the particular day. The individual day's outcome for podium awards will be based on the performance of each main loop, titled “Race 1” and “Race 2.” A bit confusing this term of “race,” but that’s what they use.
Each day will have an awards ceremony for both the FIM
and US-Specific Wagner Cup. This year, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wagner Cup; it all began in 1975 at this same location in Exeter, Rhode Island. The site is about 400+ acres of glacially-carved cliffs, ridges, and valleys, offering the most extremely technical terrain in Eastern North America.
The FIM TrialGP series is best experienced in person! Check out trialgpusa.com for more information and links to pre-order passes, lessons, experiences, merchandise and more.
Other events in the series are available via live feeds from FIM-TV. The Rhode Island event will also be broadcast live and later it will be archived on the FIM YouTube channel. Check out the complete TrialGP schedule for 2025 at trialgp.com Note that this is a different website than the one specifically for the USA event. For tickets visit the USA event website.
www.trialgpusa.com
LEBLOND WINS GRINDING STONE HARD ENDURO
WORDS
PHOTOS
MATT MUSGROVE
CALAFIA CONCEPTS & JENNY KELLER PHOTOGRAPHY
Ryder LeBlond won the 2025 Grinding Stone Hard Enduro this weekend, during a nailbiter finish in the knockout-style race in Page, Arizona. This was also the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing athlete’s first ever US Hard Enduro Premier Championship win, after many podium finishes over the past several years. LeBlond winning Round 3 of the Bullet Proof Designs US Hard Enduro Series, Presented by IRC Tire was the third different winner in the first three rounds this 2025 season.
The Grinding Stone Hard Enduro, hosted by the
Rockstars Motorcycle Club, has become one of the most iconic hard enduro courses in the world the past five years. Taking place across the highway from Horseshoe Bend and Lake Powell, the beautiful natural landscape is the backdrop to some of the most consequential courses of the season. The steep sandstone mesas feature many high risk, yet high reward lines, but the knockout format allows for this level of difficulty to increase over three different races for both the Amateur and Pro classes. There was some extra anticipation this year as two-time Grinding Stone winner, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan
Hart, was not racing due to a recent collarbone surgery. This left the door open to either a potential new USHE Premier Championship winner, or a new manufacturer to win a US Hard Enduro with two-time winner Cody Webb racing on his Rocky Mountain Yamaha.
On Saturday, Race 1 consisted of all of the racers riding a 12 mile course suited for B-class difficulty, for two laps in a five hour time limit with multiple checkpoints. FactoryONE Sherco’s Will Riordan held a fast pace and ended up winning the first race, which not only helped with row position for the next race, but the Rockstars Motorcycle Club added a $1000 cash purse to each qualifier race. Many amateurs got their fix in Race 1 with many racing until the 5 hour mark. Jim Flynn, Grinding Stone Race Director, has spent hundreds of hours creating these courses, overcoming the many challenges of marking a course on sandstone and helping eliminate any bottlenecks to keep the racers moving. After Race 1, the city of Page closed off Elm Street in their downtown center for a giant enduro cross course that Flynn and the Rockstars MC constructed over the past few months. Over a thousand spectators surrounded the complex street course, which
featured double-elimination bracket racing from the top-32 finishers of Race 1. Side by side battles entertained the crowd throughout the afternoon, as racers were fighting for a $2000 purse and major bragging rights. In the finals, it consisted of FactoryONE Sherco teammates Cooper Abbott and 17 year old Braxton Hintze,
but it was Abbott who edged out the rookie to claim victory in Downtown Page. This was the second year of the Street Shootout, and has quickly become one of the highlights of the weekend for racers and fans alike.
On Sunday morning, the top-150 finishers from Race 1 started Race 2, which consisted of the same course
with added difficult sections. If any Amateurs didn’t feel like they raced enough on Saturday, Race 2 made sure to fill that void and pushed their limits at the same time. Will Riordan was again the winner of this qualifier, gaining a lot of momentum going into Race 3. Race 3 was the final race on Sunday afternoon, where the top-25 racers from Race 2 moved on to race on a 3.5
course with the maximum difficulty. Race 3 has gained recognition as one of the most intense and technical courses in North America, with infamous sections such as Stairway to Heaven, JX8, High Dive, and Double Bogey, challenging the racers in ways that no other race challenges them with. Huge crowds gathered at these sections, cheering on the top-25 and watching them conquer, or not conquer, some nearlyimpossible sections.
A few hundred feet from the mass start on top of a small mesa, Will Riordan went down and lost some vital positions for the beginning of the race. Ryder LeBlond pushed ahead to the lead, with Cody Webb and IRC Beta’s James Flynn close behind. Riordan had to push through the field and eventually worked his way to fourth place on lap two, but with such a short course and 22 minute lap times, racers were piling up in certain sections, adding to the already-difficult obstacles on this course. Riordan made a charge and moved his way to second place with his sights on LeBlond, and Webb and Flynn were sitting a bit behind them in third and fourth.
LeBlond held a strong lead until his second to last lap, where he had trouble getting up Stairway to Heaven clean, losing two minutes to Riordan, and things started to get heated as the final hill approached. The top-4 ended up passing
everyone in the field, which earned them the right to climb the final hill, Truth or Dare, in front of hundreds of spectators below. LeBlond climbed the hill, and made just enough time to claim victory at the 2025 Grinding Stone Hard Enduro.
Riordan made up some serious time, and was only 45 seconds behind LeBlond to finish in second. Webb finished 10 minutes behind for a third place and his first podium on the Rocky Mountain Yamaha YZ250X. James Flynn finished in fourth, his best USHE Premier race finish yet. Braxton Hintze rounded out the top-5.
Louise Forsley won the Pro Women’s class, finishing in 62nd place overall. Katie
Hall-Leah and Addy Albrecht rounded off the Pro Women’s podium. Niko Piazza was the overall top Amateur racer of the weekend, with Coran Calvert and Declan McCahill rounding off the A podium. LeBlond’s win was his first US Hard Enduro Premier Championship victory, after several years of dozens of podium finishes. Jim Flynn and the Rockstar Motorcycle Club put on another successful Grinding Stone Hard Enduro, as the racers pushed the limits of what’s possible in this terrain while increasing the fanfare around the event.
PRO
1. Ryder Leblond (HSQ)
2. Will Riordan (SHR)
3. Cody Webb (YAM) 4. James Flynn (BET)
5. Braxton Hintze (SHR)
6. Braden Petrie (BET)
7. Kamakana WaiwaioleKahalepuna (KTM)
8. Kawelo Huddy (KTM)
9. Quinn Wentzel (RJU)
10. Ryder Guest (KTM)
EVENT RESULTS
A1. Niko Piazza (HSQ) 2.
Calvert (SHR) 3. Declan McCahill (KTM) 4.
Rivera (YAM) 5. Jack Williford (BET) 6. Devin Stephenson (SHR) 7. Tanner Marks (KTM)
8. Brandon Byrd (GG)
9. Brandon West (KTM)
10. Phillip Kirk (KTM)
PRO WOMEN
1. Louise Forsley (SHR)
2. Katie Hall-Leah (TM)
3. Addy Albrecht (HSQ)
4. Pebs Madolora (HSQ)
5. Hallie Marks (SHR)
Coran
Boogie
GP OF PORTUGAL
WORDS PHOTOS
ENDURO GP POLE POSITION COMMUNICATIONS
After a rain-soaked AKRAPOVIC Super Test on Friday night, which saw a surprise victory from SuperEnduro star Dominik Olszowy (RIEJU), the Portuguese weather improved for the first full day of racing on Saturday in Fafe. Characterised by impressive landscapes marked with huge boulders, the GP of Portugal is always a fan-favourite.
Making his intentions clear from the off, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia came out swinging on the opening POLISPORT Extreme Test to win by over two seconds. Close behind him
was Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe, with GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona a further five seconds down.
The first ACERBIS Cross Test of the day saw Holcombe top the timesheets and take an early overall lead, with Verona hot on his heels just half a second behind. TM
MOTO Boano Factory Enduro Team’s Zach Pichon came into contention, finishing third on the test and entering the podium battle.
Victorious on the GMOTO Enduro Test, Garcia closed the
overall gap to Holcombe to just one second after the first lap of three.
Much like lap one, Garcia topped the POLISPORT Extreme Test second time
around to reclaim the overall lead. Pichon had a blistering ride to finish second, edging out Verona by a mere two hundredths of a second. Settled into a rhythm and clearly playing to his strengths,
reigning Enduro2 champion Verona then claimed two consecutive test wins to round out the second lap with an overall lead of seven seconds.
With two laps completed, just two seconds separated Holcombe and Garcia in second and third respectively. Pichon sat a further ten seconds behind. After a series of strong results, Sherco Factory Team’s Antoine Magain found himself in a close battle for fourth with teammate Hamish Macdonald.
Lap three belonged to Pichon, with the young Frenchman clocking the fastest time on two of the three tests. Holcombe closed out the day’s racing with a victory on the final GMOTO Enduro Test, but it was not enough for the Brit to secure the overall win.
Despite still recovering from a recent injury and surgery, Garcia proved that once
again he is the one to beat in EnduroGP, claiming his first victory of the 2025 season by nearly five seconds, across what was an incredibly close day of racing.
Thanks to consistent top-three results and his last-lap test wins, Pichon was awarded second place overall on day one, overtaking Holcombe for the honour. The Brit was forced to settle for the final spot on the podium, just three seconds down on Pichon.
Despite clocking two test wins, Verona missed out on a podium finish by over 10 seconds. The GASGAS rider had a comfortable lead over fifth placed Hamish Macdonald, however, who finished the day just under a minute slower than Garcia.
Macdonald’s Sherco teammate Antoine Magain placed sixth, followed by Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro
Team’s Samuele Bernardini in seventh and Fantic Factory Racing Team’s Albin Norrbin in eighth. Triumph Factory Racing Enduro Team’s pairing of Mikael Persson and Jamie McCanney finished ninth and tenth respectively.
The Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship saw Francesca Nocera (Honda) race clear to victory, ending day one with five test wins and a lead of over one minute. The Italian held off RIEJU Factory Racing’s Rachel Gutish and Nieve Holmes (Sherco), who both claimed two test wins but finished second and third respectively.
Francesca Nocera (Honda): “So that’s the first day done and I’m super happy to be back on the top of the podium! After a tough 2024 season, it feels amazing to win now. It was a great day and I pushed hard the whole time, even though the tests were
quite tough in the changing weather.”
Day one in Portugal marked the first full day of racing for the newly-formed Expotrade FIM Junior Women’s Enduro World Cup. Elizabeth Tett (TM MOTO), Lorna Lafont (Sherco), and Matilda Ahlstrom (Husqvarna) all claimed three test wins each, but it was Tett who ultimately came out on top. Elizabeth finished the day with a twominute lead over Lafont, with Ahlstrom a further three minutes behind in third.
In the Enduro3 class, it was a Sherco Factory Racing one-two-three, as 2024 championship runner-up Hamish Macdonald topped the timesheets ahead of teammates Antoine Magain and Julien Roussaly. Reigning Enduro3 champion Brad Freeman narrowly missed a podium finish by half a second.
Alongside his overall victory came the Enduro1 class win for Josep Garcia (KTM), with a huge advantage of over one minute. Samuele Bernardini (Honda) took the second spot on the podium, with Triumph Factory Racing Enduro Team’s Mikael Persson rounding out the top three, an impressive feat in the British manufacturer’s debut EnduroGP race.
Josep Garcia (KTM): “It doesn’t feel real! One month ago I was in hospital having surgery on my collarbone, so I didn’t get on the bike until five days ago. My expectations weren’t this high so I’m very pleased, and I know I can do even better as I still made a lot of mistakes today. I’m looking forward to tomorrow as I’m feeling better on the bike with every hour I ride. I’m really happy!”
The Enduro2 category proved to be the most competitive on
day one, with just 13 seconds separating the top three. Zach Pichon (TM MOTO) claimed the win ahead of Steve Holcombe (Honda), as Andrea Verona (GASGAS) finished third.
Fired up after his third-place finish on Saturday, Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe came out all guns blazing on lap one. Setting the fastest time in the first POLISPORT Extreme Test, over five seconds faster than day one winner Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia, Holcombe then went on to comfortably top the following two tests.
After lap one, the Brit enjoyed a 20-second lead over TM MOTO Boano Factory Enduro Team’s Zach Pichon, with Garcia hot on his heels. GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona was lying in fourth, a further four seconds behind.
Determined to close the gap to rival Holcombe, Garcia won his first and only test of the day on lap two and began to close the gap. However, Zach Pichon found his rhythm after a series of top-three results and went fastest on the ACERBIS Cross Test, narrowly edging out Holcombe for the win.
Heading into the second GMOTO Enduro Test of the day, Holcombe had built up an impressive lead of 30 seconds over Pichon, who had overtaken Garcia to lie in second place. However, Holcombe suffered a knee injury after an unfortunate crash on the test, forcing him to retire and promoting Pichon into the overall lead.
Lap two saw Beta Factory Enduro Team’s Nathan Watson rise up the leaderboard after a series of strong results, with the Brit lying in fourth ahead of the final lap. Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Samuele Bernardini was close behind, putting the pressure on in the fight for fourth.
The final POLISPORT
Extreme Test of the day on lap three saw a new winner emerge in Sherco Factory Team’s Hamish Macdonald, with teammate Antoine Magain just over a second behind. In a last-ditch effort to overtake Pichon for the lead, Andrea Verona blitzed the final two tests of the day to win both, but it was not enough to dethrone the Frenchman.
Zach Pichon secured his firstever overall EnduroGP victory in Fafe, just a day after earning his maiden senior podium, edging out Verona by two seconds in a thrilling finish. Claiming his second overall podium of the weekend, Josep Garcia followed the pair home in third. After an exciting opening round, Pichon leads the EnduroGP standings by just two points over Garcia, with Andrea Verona in third.
Nathan Watson steered his Beta to a hard-fought fourth-place finish on day two, proving that he has what it takes to be in the mix at
the sharp end of the pack. Samuele Bernardini took fifth, a further five seconds back. Hamish Macdonald was just four seconds behind for sixth, with Triumph Factory Racing Enduro Team’s Mikael Persson only four hundredths of a second behind the Sherco rider in seventh.
The Expotrade FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship saw Francesca Nocera (HRC Honda) back up her day one victory with a win on day two. Narrowly beating RIEJU Factory Racing’s Rachel Gutish to the top spot by two seconds proved just how tight today’s racing was. The American Gutish had a strong start to the day, but it wasn’t enough to fend off Nocera as she topped every test on lap two. Nieve Holmes steered her Sherco to another podium
result, with two test wins on day two also marking an impressive weekend for the Brit.
In the Expotrade FIM Junior Women’s Enduro World Cup, Elizabeth Tett (TM MOTO) emerged victorious again with a margin of 40 seconds over second placed Lorna Lafont (Sherco). Sweden’s Matilda Ahlstrom (Husqvarna) finished third.
Despite being forced to settle for third overall, Josep Garcia (KTM) still proved his speed in the Enduro1 category, taking the win over runner-up Samuele Bernardini (Honda). Marking a successful debut weekend for Triumph Factory Racing Enduro Team, Mikael Persson completed the podium for the second time in Portugal.
Thanks to his overall victory, the Enduro2 win was also secured for Zach Pichon (TM MOTO). The French rider beat the reigning Enduro2 champion Andrea Verona (GASGAS) by two seconds, with Nathan Watson (Beta) completing the top three.
Mirroring their podium lockout on Saturday, Sherco Factory Team took over the Enduro3 category again on day two with Hamish Macdonald securing a second consecutive victory. Antoine Magain was close behind in second, just four seconds down on the Kiwi, with Julien Roussaly rounding out the podium in third.
Zach Pichon (TM MOTO): “That was a tough day! I stayed focused all day and put in some good times, which
clearly paid off. We’ve worked really hard this winter training and getting the bike set up perfectly, and as soon as I got on the bike this weekend I felt the difference. I was surprised to win, but I know that my speed and fitness are up there with the top guys now which is exciting. This win has been a few years in the making, since I stepped up from Junior, so I’m really happy and feeling confident.”
Josep Garcia (KTM): “Today was really tough day for me, I pushed a bit too hard yesterday and used up a lot of my energy. I’m not 100% yet, and I did suffer a bit with my shoulder today. I fought until the end and overall I’m proud of my results this weekend considering I’m coming back from injury. Now, it’s time to put the work in to get back to full fitness and I can’t wait for my home GP in Spain!”
OVERALL
1. Zachary Pichon (TM) 2. Josep Garcia (KTM) 3. Andrea Verona (GG) 4. Hamish MacDonald (SHR) 5. Samuele Bernardini (HON) 6. Antoine Magain (SHR) 7. Nathan Watson (BET) 8. Mikael Persson (TRI) 9. Steve Holcombe (HON) 10. Albin Norrbin (FAN)
OVERALL - WOMEN PRO
1. Francesca Nocera (HON) 2. Rachel Gutish (RJU) 3. Nieve Holmes (SHR) 4. Rosie Rowett (RJU) 5. Marine Lemoine (KTM) 6. Vilde Marie Holt (KTM) 7. Joana Goncalves (HSQ) 8. Justine Martel (BET) 9. Elizabeth Tett (TM) 10. Maria San Miguel (RJU)
USA DEALERS
Dirt Riders West
Lewisport USA
Balance Trials Supply
Trial Store USA
Aloha Trials
Hawaii Rides
Tom's Toys
ROK Trials Team
TRS Kentucky
Jack's Cycles
Mossy Rock Trials
Competition Wheels
HVC cycle
Moto Works USA
Miller Ranch Trials
Gran Prix Cycle
Trials Training Cntr.
MOTOTRIALSPORT
Thumbs Up Trials
Everett Powersports
Mike Carlton
Adrian & Mandy Lewis
Bill Haskell
Alex Niederer
Clayton Oshita
Sam Bird
Tom Littlefield
Rick Agans
Sam Fastle
Stuart Preston
Dan Larson
James McKenzie
Brad Obidowski
Carl Madsen
Aaron & Andy Miller
Gary & Robyn Byers
Larry or Allison
Tom Batchelor
Steve Davis
Jeremy Turner
(602) 370-7546
(209) 785-6878
(720) 207-7715
(941) 404-0757
(808) 822-2706
(808) 621-6686
(815) 636-6446
(217) 246-3305
(505) 920-2266
(207) 337-1274
(406) 930-0227
(704) 906-3238
(402) 817-4795
(505) 210-4248
(607) 765-8362
(541) 926-3139
(251) 209-4694
(972) 754-9686
(801) 376-2447
(425) 347-4545
AZ, Phoenix
CA, Copperopolis
CO, Arvada
FL, Bradenton
HI, Kapaa
HI, Wahiawa
IL, Roscoe
IL, South Roxana
KY, Louisville
ME, South Berwick
MT, Big Timber
NC, Concord
NE, Lincoln
NM, Albuquerque
NY, Corning
OR, Albany
TN, Sequatchie
TX, Midlothian
UT, Provo
WA, Everett
CASALES TAKES OPENING NATC MOTOTRIALS ROUNDS
AWORDS & PHOTOS
pril saw the opening rounds of the 2025 AMA/ NATC National Mototrials Championship Series, presented by Trial Store USA.
As the first weekend of April approached, severe weather threatened to drop several inches of rain during competition at Red River Motorcycle Trails in Muenster, TX. Thankfully, as the date approached, the abnormal seasonal weather decided to move on, leaving competitors to suffer through only cold temperatures and minimal rain.
Trials wasn’t immune to the silly season, but while there weren’t many changes to riders’ factory support, there were several adjustments to class competition. The Pro class saw the addition of Trials Superstore’s Murphy Aaron and Montesa Honda’s Jorge Casales, who is one of the top 10 riders in the FIM Trial World Championship. Expert class saw the newly retired Pro, Alex Niederer, as well as the return of Mika Lonsdale;
STEPH VETTERLY
Beta USA’s Sherman Smith III and FactoryONE Sherco's Max Glueck moved up from the Junior Expert class, and Keith Wineland, who had competed in the Pro class from 2003-2014 as well as the Trial des Nations, returned to competition on the Electric Motion FACTOR-e.
Despite the threat of severe weather had decreased, enough rain had fallen leading up to the opening day of competition to cause an hour start delay while the opening sections drained. The north-Texas soil and rocks were unforgiving in the less-than-desirable conditions, and most every rider dropped points right out of the gate. Sections were expansive and not only tested riders’ skills at the rocky obstacles, but also their ability to manage their 90-second time limit. By the end of the first loop, Casales had a sixpoint lead over FactoryONE Sherco’s Pat Smage. Conditions slowly worked to clear as the day went on, but positions held consistent after
the first loop. Casales ended the day on a completely clean loop, with Smage being the only other rider to complete a single-digit loop on the day. Coming in third on the day was FactoryONE Sherco’s Will Myers, the podium
position also marking his return to competition after a season-ending injury at the Donner round in 2024. Trials Superstore GasGas USA’s Josh Roper and FactoryONE Scorpa’s Alex Myers rounded out the top 5.
“Today was harder than I expected,” said Casales. “The sections were hard, which I like. Today was special because the rain made the event very different. The sections were very muddy and very slippery. I tried to take each section slow and enjoy the competition. The people here are amazing. The sections were laid out very different than my style and how I ride in Spain, but I liked it because I’m still learning. The skill level here is really nice – the riders are giving their all and fighting for each section. I think the year will be amazing and competition will be close in every event.”
“It was a little weird at the beginning,” started Will Myers. “We were out warming up like any other mud trial we’ve ever ridden, and they told us about the hour rain delay. That’s the first time I’ve had that
FACTORYONE SHERCO'S PAT SMAGE
experience. I found my flow in the first loop and was riding really well. In my second loop, I was hitting all my marks, surprising myself most of the time at how well I was riding. I would’ve matched the score from my second loop, but section six was either a clean or five for us – we had a big step we had to hit, it was an awkward set-up and the timing was really difficult – I was short about one inch, but what are you going to do? I picked my head up and kept riding. I was struggling a lot today with cramping on the right side of my body all the way from my hand to my shoulder. I’m not sure if it had anything to do with the arm that I broke there last July. The sections were big, and I was pushing time in a lot of sections, but I never timed out.”
“Today started out very shaky,” said Murphy Aaron of his first-ever ride in the Pro class. “The first section kind of got to me and I started out with a five, which wasn’t good. I slowly got better and better. First lap, I made a lot of mistakes, but second and third laps started out better, and my last lap was really good. The terrain was different – I’ve never ridden anything like it; it was so muddy and super slick. I think that’s why my scores got better – things dried up as the day went on.”
Weather continued to improve, and by Sunday, both the sections and the conditions showed a marked difficulty adjustment. After having time to adjust to the terrain, Casales made an outstanding showing by finishing the day without dropping a single point; Smage kept a hold on second place with 10 points, with Roper finding his footing and finishing in third place with only 18 points. The Myers brothers would find themselves rounding out the top 5, with Alex finishing with 24 points, while Will dropped only 38. Murphy Aaron improved on his seventh-place finish on Saturday to move up to sixth on Sunday, coming within 12 points of a podium position.
“Today’s sections were definitely easier than yesterday,” said Smage. “There were a couple sections that took me a while to figure out. I feel like I didn’t take enough time to look at some of the sections, and there were a couple tricky sections. I would’ve liked to have looked at them a little more early on, but it felt like we had to keep moving. I tried to stay with the group that I was with and tried to keep too many people from getting ahead of me and wasting too much time. I probably played that game a bit too much, but still rode pretty well.”
In the Expert class, Trial Store USA's Alex Niederer was on vacation. After retiring from the Pro class in 2024, Niederer was far from done competing. Moving down to the Expert class, he easily took the win both days, earning no more than 7 points in any of his loops.
On Saturday, Trial Store USA's Andreas Niederer was able to secure second place with 78 points to his brother's 16. Teammate Mika Lonsdale looked to be on the path to a podium finish, but a mechanical issue with his
minder bike left him without a minder for his final loop.
On Sunday, Alex once again was a force of his own, finishing the day with only 13 points. With a better handle on the terrain and a fully-mended minder bike, Mika Lonsdale quickly rose to second place after only dropping 17 points
on the first loop, and was able to secure the second step with 37 points and 13 cleans on the day. Electric Motion made themselves known as Keith Wineland took the final step both days, with 83 points on Saturday and 47 points on Sunday.
The following weekend hosted the second set of rounds of the season in Anza, California, at Motoventures. The terrain and climate could not have been more different – beautiful cloudless skies allowed endless sun on the sandy sections, complete with massive rocks with plenty of grip.
While the sections appeared to be more forgiving, allowing riders to draw from a different type of riding technique, they claimed a few victims before the day was up. The third section of the first loop claimed the first injury of the day.
“[The event] was the best ever for about the first 30 seconds of the day,” started Beta USA’s Cole Cullins. “I didn’t make it up a rock, jumped off backwards; Ty caught the bike and I landed with my ankle crooked and snapped it. I got three sections into the weekend and broke my ankle.”
While Cole said he plans to be back on a bike by the Nebraska round in May, he wants to make sure he has
enough practice time in before returning to competition.
The second victim of the day was Trials Store USA’s Mika Lonsdale. Starting out his second loop, Lonsdale made a drive up the massive face of the feature rock in section
one and got off line. His landing resulted in a dislocated shoulder, leading to an unfortunate early finish to the weekend.
In addition to being the second set of rounds of the 2025 season, the event also
served as the 53rd El Trial de Espana through the Pro-class shootout. Once Casales took an unfortunate five in the first section, he found his flow and was able to clean the rest of the day. Coming in only a few points behind, Smage pulled up to the shootout in the lead with only three points, with Roper sitting in third with 21 points.
The shootout consisted of four sections ridden twice each, directing riders in a narrow path over a series of massive rocks, sending riders launching themselves through the air to hit the 10’ splatters in a remarkable showing of skill. Both Casales and Roper had fantastic rides, cleaning all eight rides. Partway through the second section, Smage failed to clear an obstacle, taking five points and dropping to second place. Roper was able to keep a solid hold on third place as Alex Myers and Will Myers rounded out the top five.
“I’m very happy," started Casales. "I want to say congratulations to Pat because he was really strong today. I made one mistake in section one – there’s one line that’s really close to the tape; I
BETA USA'S COLE CULLINS, MINDER TY CULLINS
preferred another line and ended up making a mistake. The rest of the event, I was pushing every section. Pat was really strong, getting a clean in every section, and only taking three points. I’m happy that the riders in the USA have such great skill. In the shootout sections, Pat took a five. In my mind, I kept telling myself not to fail, just stay clean. Josh Roper was also very strong in the shootout sections and I want to say congratulations to him as well. In the end, I had the win, and I’m very happy. I want to dedicate this victory to Martin Belair because he has given me this opportunity, and I know that this is a very special race for him because his dad created [the El Trial] and I want to give him this victory.”
Sunday’s competition was a battle between Casales and Smage. After starting with a slight point advantage after the first loop (5 points to Smage’s 8), both riders tied on the second loop, forcing each other to bring out their very best for the final loop. Casales would drop max points in the final section of the day, and the riders would be tied with 12 points on the day. Tie-break rules resulted in Casales taking the top step, having cleaned 32 sections to Smage’s 29 clean sections. Alex Myers would take the final step on the podium with 42 points and 19 cleans, with Josh Roper and Will Myers rounding out the top five.
“This weekend went better than I was expecting it to,” said Alex Myers. “Coming to California, I’ve only ever seen videos of this venue. I know there are huge rocks here, and a lot of my competitors have ridden these rocks before, especially the shootout, so I went in with the mindset of just ride and don’t worry about anyone else. First loop on Saturday went really poorly; sections were a little harder than I expected. I improved on the second loop and carried that into the shootout; I’m pretty satisfied with my rides in the shootout sections. Usually
I eat crap at least once, but this year, I managed to avoid that – I had one five, which was a bummer, but I went back and cleaned it the next ride. Overall, I was satisfied with Saturday. Going into Sunday, I tried to stay loose and stay positive. I just took it section by section; I didn’t rush and didn’t care about anything else. I turned in some pretty solid results and happy to take home third. Some of my competitors ride here a lot, so to be among them is pretty
special.”
“Today was an up-and-down first lap,” explained Roper. “I really honestly didn’t even know who was operating the motorcycle on the first lap. It was so bad; I was just making a lot of silly mistakes and just rushed too many things. Second and third laps finally came around and I was able to pull together some nicer rides and some smarter lines. Overall, Alex just rode absolutely phenomenal all day,
and it was hard to compete with him; props to him! I’m planning to go back home, put in the hours and ride some more and try to get ready for Nebraska.”
Once again, Alex Niederer dominated the Expert class, putting 51 points between himself and second place on Saturday. Keith Wineland would take a solid stand in second place, with Beta USA's Sherman Smith III would round out the podium
with the help of minder Jay Gregorowicz.
With his brother out of commission, Ty Cullins moved from minder to rider on Sunday, moving into second place with extremely consistent loop scores to finish 4 points ahead of Wineland. Niederer saw the top step, finishing the day with only 12 points and 28 clean rides.
The series continues May 31st as competition moves to Weeping Water, Nebraska.
EVENT RESULTS - TEXAS
SATURDAY
PRO
1. Jorge Casales (MON) - 13
2. Pat Smage (SHR) - 28
3. Will Myers (SHR) - 45
4. Josh Roper (GG) - 48
5. Alex Myers (SCO) - 67
6. Bryan Roper (GG) - 97
7. Murphy Aaron (GG) - 99
8. Cole Cullins (BET) - 140
EXPERT
1. Alex Niederer (BET) - 16
2. Andreas Niederer (BET) - 78
3. Keith Wineland (EM) - 83
4. Sherman Smith III (BET) - 90
5. Max Glueck (SHR) - 93
6. Mika Lonsdale (TRS) - 99
7. Dan O'Neill (BET) - 120
SUNDAY
PRO
1. Jorge Casales (MON) - 0
2. Pat Smage (SHR) - 10
3. Josh Roper (GG) - 18
4. Alex Myers (SCO) - 24
5. Will Myers (SHR) - 38
6. Murphy Aaron (GG) - 51
7. Bryan Roper (GG) - 80
8. Cole Cullins (BET) - 109
EXPERT
1. Alex Niederer (BET) - 13
2. Mika Lonsdale (TRS) - 37
3. Keith Wineland (EM) - 47
4. Max Glueck (SHR) - 60
5. Andreas Niederer (BET) - 65
6. Sherman Smith III (BET) - 83
7. Dan O'Neill (BET) - 85
EVENT RESULTS - CALIFORNIA
SATURDAY
PRO
1. Jorge Casales (MON) - 5
2. Pat Smage (SHR) - 8
3. Josh Roper (GG) - 21
4. Alex Myers (SCO) - 43
5. Will Myers (SHR) - 63
6. Bryan Roper (GG) - 102
7. Murphy Aaron (GG) - 109
8. Cole Cullins (BET) - DNF
EXPERT
1. Alex Niederer (BET) - 13
2. Keith Wineland (EM) - 64
3. Sherman Smith III (BET) - 87
4. Tracon Kirk (MON) - 103
5. Max Glueck (SHR) - 104
6. Dan O'Neill (BET) - 147
7. Olivier Clamagirand (MON) - DNF
8. Mika Lonsdale (TRS) - DNF
SUNDAY
PRO
1. Jorge Casales (MON) - 12
2. Pat Smage (SHR) - 12
3. Alex Myers (SCO) - 42
4. Josh Roper (GG) - 52
5. Will Myers (SHR) - 69
6. Murphy Aaron (GG) - 84
7. Bryan Roper (GG) - 134
EXPERT
1. Alex Niederer (BET) - 12
2. Ty Cullins (GG) - 41
3. Keith Wineland (EM) - 45
4. Sherman Smith III (BET) - 60
5. Tracon Kirk (MON) - 65
6. Max Glueck (SHR) - 89
Gear: helmets, jerseys, pants & protectors
Parts: Jitsie, OEM plus various aftermarket parts
Bikes: Beta, Electric Motion, Vertigo & TRS
BAYLOR EARNS FIRST-EVER TALLADEGA OVERALL WIN
On Sunday, March 9, the Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, continued its third round of racing at Talladega, but with much different weather conditions than the previous day. Mother Nature would let loose on Sunday morning as the rain and storm cells moved through the area creating slick, muddy conditions for racers to face throughout the day.
As the afternoon racers lined up, the XC1 Open Pro would be the first ones off the starting line and AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper would make his way to the holeshot line first earning the $250 Landers KTM XC1 Holeshot Award. However, it would be Rocky Mountain Red Bear Team Green Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor physically out front early on in the race.
While Baylor was physically out front, the XC2 250 Pro competitors were turning up the speed behind him and on adjusted time leading the top three overall spots of the day
as they came through timing and scoring on lap one. That made Baylor push himself even more to try and place that time adjustment gap between himself and the top XC2 racers.
"Man, it was not easy! Obviously going down in the first turn, not ideal. I got back going and said I’ll use this like the XC2 guys do, use these guys as markers to see where the holes are. I chose a few bad lines, but I didn’t want to waste much time and I knew I wanted to be at the front. I pushed with everything I could and got to the lead. Then I had to do a whole lap without goggles," said Baylor. "It’s tough when you don’t have a goggle deal! We’re buying them at MotoTees. Thanks to those guys, they keep us hooked up every week. That lap without goggles, it was tough. Finally got around to the pits, got goggles, got gloves, sprayed the seat off, and not a mile later I trashed my goggles, trashed my gloves, trashed my seat. I was sliding around all over. I knew I gave up a lot of time to Grant there, and I knew it was going
to be really tough to catch him. So, in my head, I played a video back to myself. And that video was [teammate] Nick DeFeo when he rode away from me in South Carolina. The kid was just riding! I just started riding."
Baylor continued, "Finally I got to Grant, and I knew I had three miles to put a minute on him. It took me a minute 10 just to even get to him. I knew to build up a minute gap would be next to impossible, and it was! Luck of the draw he went down on a mud hole, and then I knew his gloves and his goggles would be ruined. I did everything I could, I annilihated the final part of the course. I mean, I was feet off, wide open, and I knew I could do that. I needed to just go back to trail riding. Think like Nick Defeo and just try to trail ride. It worked. Shoutout to my hole team. Ryan Sipes [Team Manager] said to me “If you don’t win I’m getting a tattoo.” Yeah, you hear that right. That’s how much faith he had. I probably put 40 hours on the bike in the last two weeks trying to figure out
what the hell is going on and I think we figured it out."
Baylor would make his way around on the last lap, coming through to take the overall win with over a two minute gap between himself and FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Grant Davis. Davis, who would lead majority of the race with time adjustments and then physically, would have some misfortune on the last lap of the race but would be able to salvage a second overall finish on the day. Davis would also earn his second-straight XC2 250 Pro class win in Alabama.
"I got off to the holeshot, I was leading and I got into a pretty good flow," said Davis. "I caught up to the back of the XC1 pack and I was picking them off, then I got to Stu and Ricky and I thought “these are the only two guys left ahead of me.” I got around Stu, he made a mistake, then I rode with Ricky for awhile then I got around him. I got a pit board that said I was two minutes up. Then my bike started running bad. Then at the four-mile marker last lap my bike shut off on me for like a minute
KAYLA BOLTON MACK FAINT WORDS PHOTOS
and a half. I looked back and Stu was right there. I kept going and he got around me, and I latched onto him. Then my bike quit again. But hey, I’m happy, I got first in my class and second overall and extended my points lead, and I’m right there for the overall championship now."
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig Delong would get off to a great start, and as he maintained a consistent race he would come through to finish third overall on the day, and second in the XC1 Open Pro class.
Delong said, "That was nasty man. Good start and for sure that was key. That’s the momentum I needed for sure. I struggled at the first few races, and you can see that in the results. I’m just happy to put myself in the battle and put myself in the lead group."
Another racer putting in a good, consistent race was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski. As Witkowski came through tenth on the opening lap, he would push his head down and continue to work his way through the slick conditions, clicking off the passes for the
next couple of laps. Witkowski worked his way up to third in the XC1 Open Pro class as the checkered flag flew, and fourth overall on the day.
Witkowski said, "I crashed in the first turn and just played it smart all day. Picked guys off where we can and found myself in a good flow. Last couple of laps me and Craig hooked up and went back and forth, but unfortunately last lap
I buried it. But to go down in the first corner, I’ll take it."
Coming through to take fifth and sixth overall were XC2 250 Pro competitors, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes and FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Angus Riordan. Both Barnes and Riordan would round out the top three XC2 class finishers on the day at Talladega as well.
Finishing fourth in class and seventh overall was FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Benjamin Kelley. Kelley had his work cut out for him as he started mid-pack on lap one, working his way up from there. 250 A competitor, FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Chase Landers would cross the line eighth overall and first in his class, also earning him the Top Amateur honor at round three.
The AmPro Yamaha duo of Liam Draper and Kailub Russell would round out the top 10 overall finishers of the day, while also being credited with fifth and sixth in the XC1 Open Pro class. The defending National Champion, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Jonathan Girroir would have a rough day as he had some bad luck on the last lap and would come through seventh in class and 11th overall on the day.
The $150 Landers KTM XC2 Holeshot Award was awarded to Rocky Mountain Red Bear Team Green Kawasaki’s Nick DeFeo to start the day.
In the XC3 125 Pro-Am class the $100 Lojak Cycle Sales XC3 Holeshot Award went to FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Tyler Scheels. But it would be TCO Off-Road KTM Canada’s Philippe Chaine coming out on top in the XC3
class while Jayson Crawford and Isaiah Brown battled their way through the conditions to finish second and third in the class.
The Talladega Top Amateur honors went to Chase Landers as he crossed the line eighth overall and first in the 250 A class. Cooper Jones would finish 14th overall and second in 250 A, making the second Top Amateur on the podium, followed by Olin Daniels who finished 17th overall and first
in the 4-Stroke A Lites class at round three.
The rain would continue to fall, and as the storm cell moved out of the area all clear was given to have the morning bike racers lineup. As row one, the WXC class, took off it was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Korie Steede grabbing herself the $100 Landers KTM WXC Holeshot Award to start her trek through the now slick and muddy terrain. It wouldn’t be long
XC1
1. Steward Baylor Jr (KAW)
2. Craig DeLong (HSQ)
3. Michael Witkowski (HON)
4. Ben Kelley (KTM)
5. Liam Draper (YAM)
6. Kailub Russell (YAM)
7. Jonathan Girroir (KTM)
8. Lyndon Snodgrass (HSQ)
9. Josh Strang (BET)
10. Ricky Russell (TRI)
until Rocky Mountain Red Bear Team Green Kawasaki’s Rachael Archer made her way into the lead position as they came through timing and scoring on the opening lap.
As the leaders made their way through the racecourse, the call was made to throw the checkered flag as they came around to complete their second lap of the race as conditions continued to deteriorate. Archer would earn the overall race win, as well
EVENT RESULTS
XC2
1. Grant Davis (KTM)
2. Cody Barnes (HON)
3. Angus Riordan (KTM)
4. Jason Tino (GG)
5. Hunter Bush (KAW)
6. Jonathan Johnson (HON)
7. Kenneth Held (HON)
8. Nicholas Defeo (KAW)
9. Brody Johnson (HON)
10. Jesse Ansley (KAW)
as her second WXC class win of the season. After grabbing the holeshot, Steede would hold the second place position for both laps as she came through to see the checkered flag waving. Back in third, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Tayla Jones would come through to round out the top three WXC class finishers and overall race finishers on the day.
WXC
1. Rachael Archer (KAW)
2. Korie Steede (HSQ)
3. Tayla Jones (HON)
4. Brandy Richards (KTM)
5. Rachel Gutish (RJU)
6. Shelby Turner (GG)
7. Ava Silvestri (GG)
8. Addison Elliott (KAW)
9. Emma Hasbell (BET)
10. Danielle McDonald (YAM)
BEN KELLEY BACK ON TOP AT ROUND FOUR
KAYLA BOLTON MACK FAINT WORDS PHOTOS
Day two of the FMF Camp Coker Bullet GNCC, round four of the 2025 Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, saw similar conditions to day one as sunshine peaked through the clouds and warm temperatures filled the air.
As the afternoon race got underway, it would be the Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig Delong grabbing himself the $250 Landers KTM XC1 Holeshot Award to start the day, likewise from the second row it was Bells Electric/ Beaver Creek Cycle/FXR’s Toby Cleveland earning the $150 Landers KTM XC2 Holeshot Award.
Throughout the rest of the race, both XC1 Open Pro and XC2 250 Pro competitors would battle for their spot at the top, and within the top 10 overall. It was a tough, competitive race atmosphere in Society Hil, South Carolina and multiple riders swapped positions during the three-hour race period.
Coming out on top, fending off the competition and stepping up to the challenge was FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley. After getting a good start to the day, Kelley would find himself running third on the opening lap. Kelley would continue to push himself and once in the physical lead on lap three he would look to put himself even farther ahead to help his chances on earning the overall win. As the checkered flag flew after six rough laps, Kelley’s hard work paid off as he earned the overall win.
AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper
held the early lead coming through first on the opening lap, but he would be unable to hold off Kelley a couple of laps later. Draper would find himself in second, but he still had to push himself as XC2 National Champion, FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Grant Davis was physically up to third overall and coming for a better overall finishing position. Draper would be able to come through to finish second overall on the day.
Davis, who continued to try and chase down the XC1 competitors, would find himself leading majority of the race on adjusted time. However, after the top two turned up the pace on the last lap and Davis suffered a few crashes on the last lap, he would come through to grab third overall on the day and his third-straight XC2 250 Pro class win of the season.
Rocky Mountain Red Bear
Team Green Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor had his work cut out for him as he started back in the ninth place position on lap one. Baylor though can never be counted out as he started clicking off the positions and found himself third in XC1 and fourth overall by the fourth lap of the race. He continued to push himself but would ultimately cross the line rounding out the top three XC1 finishers, and fourth overall on the day.
Coming through to earn second in the XC2 250 Pro class was FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Angus Riordan after a hard fought battle throughout the day. Riordan would find himself following closely to Davis at the beginning of the race, but he would soon feel the pressure from Phoenix Racing
Honda’s Cody Barnes. Riordan would be able to hold off Barnes and come through fifth overall on the day. Barnes would also put in a great race as he came through to earn third in the XC2 class and sixth overall on the day after battling through the rough terrain.
Phoenix Racing Honda’s Mike Witkowski put in the work at round four as he battled inside the top five in XC1 throughout the day. Witkowski would cross the finish line taking fourth in the XC1 class and seventh overall on the day.
After starting his day up in second place, AmPro Yamaha’s Kailub Russell fall back to seventh at the halfway point of the race. Russell would continue to push himself making his way up to fifth in XC1 and eighth overall on the day.
Rocky Mountain Red Bear
Team Green Kawasaki’s Josh Toth would find himself running inside the top 10 trough the majority of the race. Toth would come through to earn fourth in the XC2
class and ninth overall on the day. Rounding out the top 10 overall was Flatrock Motorclub GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jason Tino as he came through fifth in the XC2 class and tenth overall on the day in South Carolina.
When the XC3 125 ProAm class took off it was Marionville Powersports/ Hinson/Fly Racing’s James Jenkins grabbing the early lead and earning himself the $100 Lojak Cycle Sales XC3 Holeshot Award. J. Jenkins would continue to maintain the lead from the start of the race until the checkered flag flew, earning him his third win of the season.
Returning from an injury earlier in the season was Marionville Powersports/ XC Gear/Moose Racing’s Huck Jenkins who would try to push himself to battle with his brother for the top spot, but H. Jenkins would maintain the second place position for the duration of the race. Beta Off-Road/Estes Motorsports/Wossner Pistons’ Raley Messer would also have a consistent race as he came through third on the opening lap and held that spot until the completion of the race.
Top Amateur honors went to Joseph Cunningham who finished 15th overall on the day, while also earning the 250 A class win. Lane Whitmer was second on the top amateur podium with a 16th overall finishing position and a second
place in the 250 A class. Rounding out the Top Amateur podium was Hunter Smith who finished 17th overall on the day and third in the 250 A class.
As the morning race got underway and the WXC class took off, it was AmPro Yamaha’s Danielle McDonald jumping out to grab her first $100 Landers KTM WXC Holeshot Award. However, she would have a freight train of women behind her eager to take over the lead position. As they emerged from the woods, FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers’ Brandy Richards would lead the way, as she
EVENT RESULTS
XC1
1. Ben Kelley (KTM)
2. Liam Draper (YAM)
3. Steward Baylor Jr (KAW)
4. Michael Witkowski (HON)
5. Kailub Russell (YAM)
6. Josh Strang (BET)
7. Evan Smith (YAM)
8. Craig DeLong (HSQ)
9. Ricky Russell (TRI)
10. Lyndon Snodgrass (HSQ)
XC2
1. Grant Davis (KTM)
2. Angus Riordan (KTM)
3. Cody Barnes (HON)
4. Josh Toth (KAW)
5. Jason Tino (GG)
6. Brody Johnson (HON)
7. Nicholas Defeo (KAW)
8. Dakoda Devore (HSQ)
9. Michael Delosa (YAM)
10. Zachary Davidson (HSQ)
would on lap two as well. Unfortunately, while out on the third lap of the race, Richards would sustain injuries in a fall that ruled her out for the rest of the race. The team will have additional information on her condition available in due time.
Rocky Mountain Red Bear Team Green Kawasaki’s Rachael Archer would take over the lead on lap three as the white flag flew, but Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede had her mind made up that she was pushing to get this win in South Carolina. Steede would make the pass
on Archer after battling back and forth throughout the entire race.
Steede would come through the finish to earn her first win of the 2025 season with a seven second gap over Archer who came through to earn second on the day. After earning the holeshot award, McDonald continued to push herself inside the top five and on the last lap of the race she would find the drive to get herself into the final podium position. This is McDonald’s first-ever WXC podium finish as she earned third overall on the day and in the WXC class.
WXC
1.
3.
4. Shelby Turner (GG)
5. Carly Lee (KTM)
6. Addison Harris (KTM)
7. Ellie Winland (YAM)
8. Ashlee Gage (KAW)
9. Addison Elliott (KAW)
10. Tayla Jones (HON)
Korie Steede (HSQ)
2. Rachael Archer (KAW)
Danielle McDonald (YAM)
BOU CROWNED CHAMPION
ROUND 6 - AUSTRIA
Toni Bou (Repsol Honda Trial Team) claimed his fifth consecutive victory of the season at a Weiner Neustadt event which he dominated from the start, but a struggle in the penultimate Section of the final opened things up for a close finish.
The World Champion, who had topped Q1 and Superpole, entered the fifth Section seven marks ahead of Jaime Busto (GasGas) and eight ahead of Gabriel Marcelli (Repsol Honda Trial Team), but while his rivals went clean through the Section Bou went down for a five, leaving the trio separated by three marks ahead of the final Section. Bou and Busto each dropped one mark in the finale, while Marcelli went down for five, dropping him from the fight for second place which went to Busto. Bou took his 90th career victory but will have to wait a week to mathematically secure his 19th X-Trial World Championship title.
Matteo Grattarola (Beta) who had been the best in Q2, was ruled out of a podium place after failing the first four sections. Bou finished on 13 marks compared to 15 for Busto, 20 for Marcelli and a maximum 30 for the Italian.
Jack Peace (Sherco) narrowly missed out on the Final, finishing an impressive fourth in Q1 and second in Q2. Behind him were Alex Canales (Montesa), a disappointed Benoit Bincaz (Sherco), and Marco Mempör (TRRS), the local rider competing in his second home World Championship event.
Toni Bou (1st): “I took my fifth consecutive victory in a Final that was practically a given from the fourth section onwards, but the mistake I made in the fifth, perhaps due to overconfidence, made the final outcome uncertain. The truth is that we did a very good job again, and that's the most important thing. The 19th title will have to wait a few days, but the important thing is to keep racking up the wins."
Jaime Busto (2nd): "It was a final in which I defended my chances of winning until the very last section, and the truth is that I felt good from Q1 onwards. I was close to achieving my second consecutive victory here, but this was a very positive event for me."
Gabriel Marcelli (3rd): "I'm happy with third place, which perhaps leaves me with a better taste in my mouth than others I've achieved so far. I even had a chance to fight for
the win and I rode consistently from the start, but I also made some mistakes that I shouldn't make in the final."
ROUND 7 - FRANCE
Jaime Busto (GasGas) claimed his second victory of the season in a Grand Final that turned on its head in the last two Sections of the night. After four Sections Toni Bou (Repsol Honda Trial Team) was seven marks ahead of nearest rival Busto and
looked on course for his sixth consecutive win. Instead, Bou failed to close out the X-Trial at the first attempt, falling in Section Five. Busto then set up a decider with a clean in Section Six, while a nervous Bou conceded the remainder of his advantage with his third failure, leaving Busto the winner by a single mark.
Gabriel Marcelli (Repsol Honda Trial Team) took third, also with three failures but with no cleans to his name, some nine marks back from Busto. Arnau Farré (Sherco) impressed on his first appearance since 2018 as he secured his best result to date with fifth in Q1 and making it via the Last Chance Qualifier to the Final.
Benoit Bincaz (Sherco) missed out at Farré’s expense after a costly dab in Section Three in Q2. Jack Peace (Sherco), Sondre Haga (GasGas) and Hugo Dufrese (Beta) each failed a section in their second runs.
Toni Bou’s progression to the Final, meanwhile, meant he had already claimed the two
points he needed to secure his nineteenth X-Trial World Championship. World number one for the first time in 2007, Bou has taken every available crown since then, surpassing Albert Cabestany and Tommi Ahvala’s single title, Marc Colomer’s three, Adam Raga’s four and Dougie Lampkin’s five titles. Now the oldest rider in the field - he turns 39 later this year – Bou has nonetheless shown no signs of relenting on his rivals.
Jaime Busto (1st): “I am very pleased with this second win of the season I managed to claim in the last Section. Really I felt very good on the bike, I rode well and consistently throughout, despite a mistake in Section One of the Final, keeping open the possibility of victory to the end.”
Toni Bou (2nd): “I might have only needed two points today to be World Champion, but I fought for the win right to the end. Of course I would have liked to win the title with a victory, but perhaps I lost a bit of concentration in the last two sections and I took
unnecessary risks. This has been another dream season and I am very proud, pleased and satisfied with my job and the team’s hardwork. We started well in Madrid but without winning and then in January and February I started to string together some victories. And we have done another good job tonight.”
Gabriel Marcelli (3rd): “I think I rode well but not quite perfectly even though I felt good on the bike. Even though second place in the Championship is now beyond me, remaining on the podium is a good result.”
OVERALL - RD 6
1. Toni Bou (MON) 2. Jaime Busto (GG) 3. Gabriel Marcelli (MON) 4. Matteo Grattarola (BET) 5. Jack Peace (SHR)
Alex Canales (MON) 7. Benoît Bincaz (EM) 8. Marco Mempör (TRS)
OVERALL - RD 7
1. Jaime Busto (GG)
Toni Bou (MON) 3. Gabriel Marcelli (MON)
Arnau Farrè (SHR)
Benoît Bincaz (EM)
Jack Peace (SHR)
Sondre Haga (GG)
Hugo Dufrese (BET)
GIRROIR TAKES OLDE MILL SPRINT
SHAN MOORE ART PEPIN WORDS PHOTOS
The Olde Mill Sprint
Enduro in Charlotte Hall, Maryland, kicked off the second half of the 2025 US Sprint Enduro Series with thrilling intensity. This race was a golden opportunity for contenders to make a renewed push towards their respective championships. True to its reputation, the Olde Mill Sprint was one of the most exciting and fiercely contested races of the year.
On Saturday, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Grant Davis took an early lead with a three-second win in the cross test over Am Pro Yamaha’s Liam Draper, with FMF KTM Factory Rider Johnny Girroir trailing by
LEFT: Johnny Girroir (1)
another five seconds. However, Davis lost 10 seconds to Draper and five to Girroir in the first enduro test.
Davis regained the overall lead by winning test three, while Girroir came in second and Draper third. The three top riders battled fiercely in one of the tightest races of the season. With two tests remaining, Davis seemed to have the upper hand, but Girroir won the final two tests and edged out Davis by 1.1 seconds for Saturday’s win, despite Davis winning three tests compared to Girroir’s two. Draper, who had one test win, was third for the day, nine seconds behind Davis, while Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes
ROUND 4
came in 15 seconds behind Draper for fourth. Rockstar Energy Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong was fifth.
Davis jumped out to the early lead again on Sunday with a win in test one, followed by Girroir and Draper. However, the Pro 2 rider faltered again in the enduro test, finishing eighth and dropping down the order, although he rebounded to win test three.
Unlike Saturday, once Girroir got into the overall lead he never relinquished and slowly pulled away for Sunday’s win and the overall victory for the weekend. In the end, Girroir won four tests while Davis won two.
“I started off slow, I don't know what I was doing out there,” said Girroir. “Everyone's riding good and everybody has a chance now. I started off bad Saturday and kind of just gathered myself all day and had a couple of good tests at the end and then today I had some good tests, even though I had a couple of crashes. I crashed last enduro test but other than that it was a pretty good weekend and yeah everybody's ripping so it's gonna be a good last few rounds.”
Davis continues to be a thorn in the side of the Pro 1 riders
and finished second overall and first in the Pro 2 division.
“I tried to give Johnny a run for it but the guy just always pulls it out,” said Davis. “But I'm happy with my weekend and how I was riding. I'm just happy with how I rode this weekend.”
Having won round two of the series, Draper was somewhat disappointed in third overall in Maryland.
“I was just making bad line choices,” said Draper. “On Sunday, the main line was so chewed up that I was trying to get out of the main line
and I guess that wasn't the best option. I think staying in the main line was the way to go. I had some close calls in the enduro test and just wasn't willing to really send it in there. I really enjoyed the cross test but the woods were pretty hammered.”
Barnes was pleased to finish second Pro rider and third overall on Sunday, showing improvement over Saturday’s fourth place finish. Although he struggled in the enduro test both days, Barnes finished the weekend with fourth overall.
“I figured out the enduro test a little better on Sunday, and
I had some better times,” said Barnes. “I fell in that first enduro test on Saturday and that set me back. I just didn't ride well all weekend in the cross test. I was struggling so much so that's where I was losing a lot of time to Johnny, Grant and Liam. On Sunday, I made some bike changes. They changed the shock spring, and I think that helped a lot because overall I just rode a little bit better and minimized the mistakes.”
Husqvarna-mounted Jason Tino had one of his better finishes of the year, taking a sixth on Saturday and a fifth on Sunday for fifth overall for
Jason Tino (226), Korie Steede (444), Liam Draper (198), Grant Davis (22), JoJo Cunningham (501)
the weekend. Tino was also second in the Pro 2 division.
DeLong rounded out the Pro 1 division with a fourth in class and sixth overall.
Phoenix Racing Honda’s JoJo Cunningham topped the Pro-Am division with a seventh overall after finishing ninth on Saturday and sixth on Sunday for seventh overall. Meanwhile, Husqvarna riders Gavin Simon and Toby
OVERALL - PRO 1
1. Johnny Girroir (KTM)
2. Liam Draper (YAM)
3. Cody Barnes (HON)
4. Craig DeLong (HSQ)
Cleveland were eighth and ninth overall, respectively.
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Cooper Jones rounded out the top 10.
Phoenix Honda Racing’s Tayla Jones eked out a win by five
seconds over Rockstar Energy Factory Racing’s Korie Steede in the Pro Women’s division.
Rieju USA’s Rachel Gutish was third overall, four minutes ahead of fourth-place finisher Ellie Winland (Yam).
OVERALL - PRO 2
1. Grant Davis (KTM)
2. Jason Tino (GG)
3. Gavin Simon (HSQ)
4. Toby Cleveland (HSQ)
5. Cooper Jones (KTM)
6. Collier Martinez (KAW)
7. Dominick Morse (HSQ)
OVERALL - PRO WOMEN
1. Tayla Jones (HON)
2. Korie Steede (HSQ)
3. Rachel Gutish (RJU)
4. Ellie Winland (YAM)
