Roczen and Herlings - Expectations

 

There was no doubt about it, when Ken Roczen and Jeffrey Herlings came into the professional ranks around 10 years ago, they were going to dominate the sport, and it didn’t matter where they raced, be it in America or Europe, these two 15 year olds were on the way to becoming the two best European racers ever.

Until now, both Roczen and Herlings have had massive success. The German a World MX2 champion ship and two AMA 450 motocross championships. The Dutchman, three World MX2 championships and a World MXGP championship.

Roczen’s achievements in America rank him as one of the best non-America races to run the AMA championships, right up there with names like Chad Reed (two SX and one MX title), Grant Langston (two MX titles) and J. M. Bayle (two MX titles and one SX title), a list of riders very much among the all-time greats.

How can we forget the way Herlings dominated the best American based riders at Ironman in 2017, winning both races and one of those from the very back of the pack after an early fall. No GP rider had done this since maybe DeCoster in the 1970s. 

Both have MXoN team victories to their name, and both are still capable of winning another two or three championships each, but damn, the sport is cruel.

Roczen’s body has been so damaged from that one big crash in January of 2017, when he dislocated his wrist, dislocated his elbow and also compounded his radius and underwent 11 surgeries between January and July of 2017 to repair compound fractures to his radius and ulna, scaphoid fractures, torn ligaments and a dislocated elbow. Since he can’t seem to put together a full season without having some issues and his results are very up and down. He went from dominating the Outdoors to hardly winning a race, let alone an overall.

This whole coronavirus 2020 hasn’t helped and no doubt his body is open to picking up any virus going around. His aim to be AMA supercross champion is still something he is capable of, but when he decided to take off the summer and rest for the 2021 AMA supercross season, you had the feeling this is the start of the end for the rider who arrived on the scene in Europe and made everyone (but Herlings) look average.

His two AMA motocross championships were perfection and it seemed he would dominate in America for years to come, yet now four years after his second outdoor title, he hasn’t added to his tally. Hardly a main event win in supercross and totally dominated by Eli Tomac in motocross.

Yes, motocross is a cruel sport, a sport that spits out the most talented riders and ends careers quickly. While Herlings has proven to be unbeatable when fit, his injuries will probably be the thing many people remember in 20 years, despite his staggering GP win ratio and his four World titles.

On many occasions “The Bullet” has been the man, losing titles through injury when he was clearly the best rider. It happened when he lost to Jordi Tixier in 2014, Tim Gajser in 2015, Antonio Cairoli in 2017 and now again while leading the World and heading for a seemingly easy fifth World title, it happened again. That is four World title he really should have won, but of course, should have, could have, would have means nothing when the points are added up at the end of the season.

When Herlings injured his ankle in 2019 he thought about retirement, having worked hard to come back, and then win a race (with the ankle broken) in Latvia, another six months on the couch seemed like a bad idea. He had already damaged his ankle so badly that still to this day he has less mobility and suffers from pain in the ankle. 

The talk of retirement is something many have expected, having been through so many injuries and financially more than stable, it seemed pointless to risk more damage to his health, but for somebody as competitive as Herlings, the idea of no racing, not doing what he loves just didn’t sit well. 

There was that 101 GP victories to chase, another World title or two and pass the greats like Roger De Coster, Joel Robert, Eric Geboers, Georges Jobe and Joel Smets. The risk was worth it, and despite his injury riddled career, it was just in ankle that gave him trouble.

This last crash was a bad one, maybe the worse as far as what could have happened. Having sat and watched the footage of his crash and then the aftermath, I felt this might finally be the end, my gut feeling was he will retire. Watching the Dutchman laying on the ground, not being able to move his lower body and then seeing him on the stretcher, seemingly screaming from under his helmet was something I can’t watch again, once was more than enough.

As reports came in that he had lost feeling in his limbs is frightening and I know, if it was me, I would tuck my helmet away and start spending some of those dollars he has earnt through blood, pain and hard work. But I am not Jeffrey Herlings, my work ethic is somewhat lazy, and my attitude to pain is of a little boy who often got picked up by his mum after falling, getting a kiss on the minor damage and getting a big cuddle, yes, I can handle pain about as much as ice can handle a hot day.

If Herlings retired today, he retires with four World titles, 90 GP wins and a Motocross of Nations victory. A legend, and one of the most successful riders in the sports history. He could look back in 20 years and smile about his achievements and be more than satisfied as he maybe drops his kids to school, heads back home to his large house in Holland and enjoys the spoils of his success with his partner. But we all know though, Jeffrey Herlings isn’t easily satisfied and deep inside, he will remember those lost opportunities, those seasons when he was clearly the fastest man in the World, and still came home with zero, just pain and discomfort from his injuries. He might regret not getting those extra 11 GP wins to become the winningest GP rider of all time.

For me, I hope if he does come back, I hope he can remain fit, healthy and get another title or two, win another dozen or so GP wins a couple more MXoN team victories, and then retire satisfied, knowing the sport was also kind to him, and gave him as much as it took.

Now, as we sit in this very strange 2020 season, and those two 15 years olds are both 25 years old, both with a nice list of championships to their names, and plenty of dollars to spend in the future, they also both sit on the couch, either mentally done for 2020 or recovering from injuries, we can just think back to 2009 and 2010 for the moment, when they arrived and quickly won GPs and World titles and gave us something to look forward to in the future.

A decade is a short career, but for these two brilliant young men, injuries and bad luck have really cruelled their expectations, or maybe more so, our expectations. If I could make a wish in this mental season of Covid19, I would wish both these guys could come back in 2021, race injury free and win titles, main events, GPs or whatever comes their way, because they both deserve that.

Ray Archer image

Zmarzlik claims first Prague win to snatch FIM SGP World Championship lead

 

Bartosz Zmarzlik

World champion Bartosz Zmarzlik was elated to break his Prague jinx after storming top of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Championship with victory in Visit Czech Republic SGP round five on Friday.

 Zmarzlik arrived at Marketa Stadium having reached just one semi-final in four appearances at the Czech capital track.

 But after battling to a strong 11 points in the heats, he won a semi-final showdown with Tai Woffinden after Jason Doyle and Leon Madsen were both excluded for moving at the start.

 He then topped the podium after beating three-time Prague winner Woffinden, Slovak star Martin Vaculik and Russian racer Emil Sayfutdinov in the final.

 Zmarzlik’s victory and 20 championship points saw him overhaul Fredrik Lindgren for top spot in the SGP standings on 79, with the Swedish ace in hot pursuit on 78 after scoring 12 points for finishing fifth in the meeting.

 Victory in Prague was a huge moment for Zmarzlik after missing out on the Czech SGP semi-finals on his last three appearances at Marketa Stadium.

“I am very happy. This is the first time in my career I have won in Prague. For me, that is very nice because the previous rounds here have been a big problem. The most I have scored recently is eight points, which is not such a good result," Zmarzlik said.

“What a special meeting today! The first two races were not so bad, but after that the setup changed and my bike wasn’t working so well. But after the last heat, it was better and I am very happy. I would like to say a big thank you to the Polish fans and everyone. This is for you,” he added.

 Zmarzlik lines up in Aztorin SGP round six on Saturday night – the record-breaking 25th SGP event to be staged in Prague.

 So the Pole insists there will be little time to celebrate his eighth SGP win. “Today I have won and I am very happy of course. But now this is history and I am looking at what will happen tomorrow.”

Nine of the last 16 Prague winners have gone on to be crowned world champion in the same season.

 Zmarzlik would love to keep that run going and is pleased to top the World Championship standings once again.

 But the grounded 26-year-old isn’t getting ahead of himself. “I am happy, but we will see what happens. There’s a lot of work in front of me. Now I must go to bed. Tomorrow is a new day,” Zmarzlik concluded

 

VISIT CZECH REPUBLIC SGP ROUND FIVE POINTS:

 1 Bartosz Zmarzlik 20 Points

 2 Tai Woffinden 18 Points

 3 Martin Vaculik 16 Points

 4 Tai Woffinden 14 Points

 5 Fredrik Lindgren 12 Points

2021 Honda CRF450 - Dirt Bike Magazine

Antonio Cairoli vs Tim Gajser insane battle MXGP of Lombardia-Italy Mantova 2016

Honda Gariboldi's Tim Gajser goes bar-to-bar with the eight time FIM Motocross World Champ Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Antonio Cairoli on home turf at Mantova, Italy.

Gajser vs Cairoli - The Battle of Mantova

We thought he was done then, yes, I am talking about Antonio Cairoli. The young brigade had arrived, led by MX2 World champion Tim Gajser it seemed as though the eight time World champion was finished. Gajser had won his debut in MXGP at round one with a 1-1 performance in Qatar and a round later the defending MXGP champion Roman Febvre did the same, going 1-1 at the Grand Prix of Thailand.

Febvre and Gajser would split moto wins at the third round and then Gajser would win three Grand Prix's on the trot, going 3-1-2-1-4-1 in Mexico, Argentina and Latvia. Cairoli would fight back with a GP win in Germany, going 1-1, but Gajser answered back with another two in Spain and Great Britain with Febvre winning France with 2-1, while Gajser went 1-2. The writing was on the wall, the former King of MXGP was struggling.

When the series arrived in Mantova Gajser and Febvre seemed to have complete control over the Italian legend, but we all know now not to write Cairoli off, and the battle that commenced in the Italian sand was as epic as anything we have seen (well, maybe not as great as the Gajser vs Cairoli battle in Trentino).

Below watch the legend battle the rookie, as they set the Mantova circuit alive and gave Paul Malin enough action to talk forever. 

Cairoli didn't end up beating Gajser in the 2016 title race, but it is history that he came back in 2017 and won his ninth championship and now, as we are set to return to the sand of Mantova, the 35 year old holds the red plate once again nd has his 91st GP victory in the pocket. He also has momentum on his side and confidence. What can we expect in 2020 as we enter round nine of the MXGP championship?

Ray Archer image

MIC Says Off Road And Dual Sport Motorcycle Sales Are Soaring

There’s good news in some segments of the US moto industry.  According to the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), off-road and dual-sport motos are flying off the shelf.  That’s welcome news for motorcycling in the USA overall.

The MIC says that off-highway motorcycle sales jumped 50.3 percent in the first half of the year compared to 2019.  There is also good news in the dual-sport motorcycle category with sales rising a very substantial 20.9 percent versus 2019’s sales for the same period.

The off-highway motorcycle category includes dirt bikes, trail bikes, competition motorcycles, and other motorized two-wheelers that cannot be used on public roads.  Dual-purpose motorcycles are classified by the MIC as street-legal machines that are also designed to be used on off-road trails.

MIC President and CEO Erik Pritchard

Erik Pritchard, President, and CEO of the MIC believes that the sales increase can be attributed in part by the COVID pandemic.

 “Riding dirt and trail bikes has always been one of the best ways to spend time with family and friends.  Now, with the pandemic, it has amplified what’s positive about getting out on motorcycles.  You can get out of the house, have fun with your loved ones, and still maintain social distancing.”

But the story is not completely rosy for the US’s moto sales.  “On-highway” motorcycle’s sales dipped 9.6 percent.  Slightly offsetting that loss are scooter sales which saw their sales climb 4 percent compared to last year.

“There are many benefits to motorcycles and scooters. In normal times, studies have shown that they help alleviate congestion.  During this pandemic, being on a motorcycle means being able to avoid crowds and lessening the chance of spreading and picking up germs.  And many riders say it adds fun to a normally mundane commute. Our Commuter Distancing social media posts are a reminder of these benefits.”

Helping people wanting to commute on powered two-wheelers is the MIC’s FindYourRide.org website.  It provides information on how to get rider training and where they can find an appropriate bike.

Pritchard once again chimes in saying:

“It’s just a first step, and many in the powersports industry are waiting to help riders-to-be explore their options.  Sales from the first half of the year indicate growing interest in powersports products and we’re excited to help them on their journey.”

It’s great to see moto sales on the rise for many of its moto categories.   Let’s hope that on-highway bike sales are on the increase soon.  And, congrats to the MIC for providing the resources to help new riders into the moto community.

Rippin Thru Idaho Corn Feild

2020 Idaho NGPC: Robby Bell Sings the 2021 KX250 in the Vet AA Class. This looks like lots of fun on a great day in Idaho.

Woodstock of Vintage Motocross

Hundreds turn out for AHRMA Vintage Motocross at Diamond Don Event Center

• By Bridget Ortigo bortigo@marshallnewsmessenger.com

 JEFFERSON — More than 600 people from across the nation turned up to Jefferson’s Diamond Don Event Center this week for the 18th annual AHRMA International Vintage Motocross races.

The dirt was flying and the engines were revving as racers ran through the course throughout the day on Saturday.

“We’ve had families that have been here in Jefferson since Labor Day weekend for this event,” co-owner of the Diamond Don Event Center Francene Rainey said on Saturday. “They come every year for the races but they love Jefferson and it’s a great place to vacation so a lot of them came early and have been here since Labor Day weekend.”

Founder of the annual races “Diamond” Don Rainey also climbed on his bike Saturday to join the races with fellow national champion racers, such as Motorcycle Hall of Famers and legends Barry Higgins, Steve Wise, Brad Lackey, Trampas Parker, Trey Jorski, Guy Cooper and Gary Semics.

“The racers have all been telling me how excited and grateful they are that we went ahead with the races this year,” Diamond Don Rainey said Saturday. “The vintage motocross is a series and most of those races take place throughout the year on the east coast. Out of 16 races, 10 of those were canceled so the racers are just so excited to be here and racing.”

The event kicked off on Thursday with a charity Golf Skills Challenge benefiting the Jefferson Railway and Wetlands Foundation that helps fund local youth activities and programs.

“We raised about $1,000 for the foundation through the golf tournament and we raised about $2,000 from the raffle ticket sales of the motorcycle,” Francene Rainey said.

With more than 600 racers camped out in the bayou city, the annual AHRMA Vintage Motocross event serves as one of Jefferson’s largest events of the year, Rainey said.

“This is the Woodstock of vintage motocross,” Rainey said previously.

“This is a family friendly event, and many of the wives and children come for this event each year because they love visiting Jefferson,” Rainey said. “We even have some women competitors racing this year.”

Next up, Diamond Don and Francene, who own several businesses in Jefferson, are set to put on the second annual Antique Tractor Show and Trump Tractor Parade next Saturday at 10 a.m. in downtown Jefferson.

Following the tractor show, the couple, who own the Historic Jefferson Railway, will host the Halloween Express Train which is a family friendly Halloween train that will run each Saturday in October in both the day and night.

Beginning the day after Thanksgiving, the Historic Jefferson Railway will host the Christmas Express Train through the Christmas holiday, with both day and night time runs.

King of the Castle - Cairoli

You know, maybe we will never really work out just how good Antonio Cairoli is, because every time we think we have seen the best of the Italian, he shows us something else. After picking up his 91^st Grand Prix victory last weekend, and taking hold of that MXGP red plate, the Sicilian once again proved how close he is to being the greatest Grand Prix rider of all time.

It isn't surprising that he continued to remind us of his greatness as it was back at the Valkenswaard circuit in Holland in 2004 that he made us all take notice, sit up and wonder who this kid was, in his rookie season, when he burst out of the gate at the eurocircuit and battled the best in the World.

Statistically wise he still has some work to do, and I won’t be putting the KTM rider ahead of Stefan Everts until he passes the Belgian greats stats. We have forgotten far more about how good Everts was and the records he holds in the sport, to hand Antonio the number one of all-time tag for now would be wrong, but damn, there isn’t much in it between these two.

Cairoli, who in his first full season in the Grand Prix’s finished with a podium and battled the 2004 MX2 World champion Ben Townley. He won his first  of 91 Grand Prix’s and not surprisingly, the riders he raced on that day are now all retired, yes, every single rider from the 2004 Grand Prix of Wallonie, set at the famous Namur circuit put their boots away and many of them years ago.

It is a similar story from his first World championship year in 2005, of the top 30 riders from 2005, only Cairoli survives, with 31^st placed Shaun Simpson and 40^th places Tommy Searle still racing. Of course, many great champions ride through different era’s, and as their success continues, their rivals fall to the wayside. A good example of that is Clement Desalle and Gautier Paulin, two of Cairoli’s biggest rivals in his career and both now languishing in 9^th and 10^th place in the MXGP points standings and being trampled by the youth of today. Between Cairoli and his former rivals are a group of young men all looking to make their own piece of history as “old man” Cairoli calmly walks to the top step of the 2020 championship, acting like this is a sport that is kind to the elderly, it isn't, but in Cairoli's case, it sure has been kind to him.

Let us not forget after two rounds of this year’s championship it looked like just two men would rule the ever powerful MXGP class, four-time World champion Jeffrey Herlings and three-time World champion Tim Gajser. The level was higher than ever and carrying injuries it looked all but over for the Sicilian. 

While Cairoli picked up a GP victory in Latvia a month ago, he was pretty much handed it to by Herlings late race mistake, but still, NOT making mistakes is what wins championships and Cairoli as I have so often said is the smartest Grand Prix rider I have ever seen, and once again, he playing the smart game to possibly another championship.

Now, at the grand old age of 35, nearly twice as old as MX2 red plate owner Tom Vialle, the Sicilian rules the World, at a time when the MXGP class is levels above anything else, and the European based riders are dominating like they did in the 1970s, we are led by one of the all-time greats, and as I mentioned at the very beginning of this article, we might not have even seen his greatest moment.

For the real story, just take a look at the statistics for Antonio Cairoli. He has averaged around 40 points a GP in 250 Grand Prix appearances, that is just staggering. His GP win percentage is around 35% through both his MXGP and MX2 races.

His worst season performances are 10^th in 2019 when he went out injured and for each championship since he raced his first GP in 2004, he has gone 3-1-2-1-6-1-1-1-1-1-1-7-2-1-2-10-1. Of course, also in 2008 when he finished 6^th, he went out of the series injured, and same story with his seventh place in 2015. Outside of being injured, he hasn’t finished outside the top three, or since 2005, his championship winning season outside the top two.

King Cairoli - GP Statistics

MXGP

GP wins 67 (37.0%)

Race wins 178 (33.9%)

Podiums 127 (70.2%)

Points 7,255pts

Average points per GP 40pts

Total Grand Prix 181

GPs Years 2007 - 2020

MX2

GP wins 24 (34.8%)

Race wins 91 (44.6%)

Podiums 42 (60.9%)

Points 2,588pts

Average points per GP38pts

Total Grand Prix 69 GPs

Herlings To Sit Out!

KTM confirms Herlings to sit out next four MXGP rounds

World championship red plate-holder to undergo further scans.

MXGP World Championship leader Jeffrey Herlings will miss the next four rounds after an injury scare in Faenza on Wednesday, due to undergo further scans to determine the extent of any injuries.

Red Bull KTM has confirmed that Herlings, 25, will sit out the Emilia Romagna, Lombardia, Mantova and European rounds of the 2020 season after suffering a large impact to his neck and shoulders in free practice.

“While it was a scary crash, we have to be thankful that Jeffrey was not badly hurt,” explained Dirk Gruebel, Red Bull KTM team manager and technical co-ordinator. “The first scans are positive when you consider the injuries he could have picked up. He is a really tough guy and has been through this process before.

“It is frustrating because of the good work he’d done in the championship standings but it is the negative part of the sport we have to accept. Hopefully the scan in a few weeks will show his recovery is going in the right direction. All the team will miss him until he’s back on the bike and doing what he does best.”

Herlings held a 60-point advantage in the 2020 MXGP World Championship standings entering Faenza, which was reduced to 22 points after sitting out the motos. He is scheduled to have another MRI on 29 September prior to any potential return.