Max Thinks This Was His Best!

Max Anstie says winning Anaheim is the best win of his career after a brilliant ride saw the 32 year old British rider accomplish a childhood dream.

“Anaheim is special. You know, when I was just a kid, 7, 8, 9 years old, I remember coming to this race, watching this race, dreaming about this race, thinking that it was so far away that I don’t know if I’d ever, you know, I was just a kid, I was like, I don’t even know how to get here, how to even be here.And like I said on the podium, hopefully, you know, I can be some inspiration to these kids that are still trying to figure it out, but feel like, you know, I came from England, I’m a long way away from here and, and to be, to have made it here now.

“I’m 32 years old. People might go, oh, yeah, when you’re 16, 18, I’m, you know, it’d be great.I would love to have been in this position when I was 18, 19, 20 years old. But man, coming from the UK, making it all the way over here, it’s been something special. And I think for the kids that don’t have life all figured out, don’t really know how to get to this place, everyone’s on their own timeline, you can get there.

“I think so. (!best win of his career) I mean, obviously I come back to Matterley MXoN 2017. I was great at home, but this one, that was something special in a different way. Like, mate, I remember coming to America in 2020, after nine years of GPs, thinking, man, I want to get back to America. I was teammates with Adam….so over there, we’re just trying to make the night show, trying to make the main event! And then we’re like, and what, five years later, here, here I am on, on top of the box with the best team in the 250 class. Like it’s, it’s unreal the way that it’s, it’s all worked out. So I just think that the whole journey getting to this place is something special. So yeah, very, very thankful and grateful for it all.”

Tomac On His Win!

Eli Tomac took the scoop tyre off, still got a good start and controlled the race out front to hold off Ken Roczen and take a brilliant win to set up his title charge for 2026 on the KTM.

Eli looked superb on the bike from the moment his wheels hit the track on press day and he was thrilled with his win.

Tomac said: This one feels good! Leading from the get-go like that is tough, because you need to really maintain focus the whole time, but my motorcycle was the best it was all day in the Main Event after a slight adjustment from the Heat Race. We went in the right direction, and this is the perfect way to start a new season and with my new team in Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. After a big off-season with both myself and the team testing and developing all over the place, it means a lot to achieve this early success together.”

Dakar - Stage 7

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has won stage seven of the 2026 Dakar Rally – his second stage win of the event so far. Edgar Canet fought through the pack to claim second, while Daniel Sanders delivered another outstanding ride in the dunes, placing fourth and extending his rally lead.

Stage seven of the 2026 Dakar Rally marked the beginning of week two as riders left Riyadh and headed south toward Wadi Ad-Dawasir on a long and demanding 877-kilometer route, including 459 kilometers against the clock. Fast open valleys and high-speed tracks were followed by extended dune sections, where navigation and rhythm proved critical, before the stage tightened through narrower, more technical terrain later in the day.

Unstoppable on stage seven, Benavides came out swinging to lead the field from start to finish. As the sixth rider into the 459-kilometer special, the Argentine pushed hard straight away and by kilometer 100, he had opened up a lead of over one minute. Increasing that advantage all the way to the flag, and despite not earning any time bonus, Benavides secured a decisive stage win by four minutes and 57 seconds. Lying third in the provisional overall standings, Luciano now trails teammate Sanders by less than five minutes.

Luciano Benavides: “I’m really pleased to take my second stage win of the race today. I pushed all day and felt great out there. Starting the second week like this is really positive, I’m in good shape and highly motivated. I felt very comfortable on the bike today and my body feels good too. Today was super-fast but I just stayed focused and concentrated on my navigation. Overall, I think I did a really good job.”

Bouncing back in style from a tough end to week one, Canet demonstrated his exceptional pace and skill on today’s timed special. Following his 15th place start, the young Spaniard gradually increased his pace as he cut his way through the field, navigating the mixed terrain superbly on his way to a runner-up finish. Although his overall position in the race was affected by his issues on stage five, Canet will continue to push and learn as the rally continues in week two.

Edgar Canet: “Stage seven was really fast. I got lost right at the beginning, around kilometer 15, but after that, I was able to find my rhythm and get stuck in to chasing down the riders in front. I had a really good feeling with the bike and was able to take P2 on the stage, so I’m super-happy with how the day went. Luciano won today and Daniel was P4, so it was a great day for us. Now we have to open tomorrow and try to make as much time as we can.”

Sanders has once again shown his skill, speed, and composure on stage seven of the Dakar. Regrouping from an early error, the Australian got his head down, focused, and began to reel in the two riders ahead of him. Not only did Daniel catch his rivals, but he also opened up enough of a gap to claim the available bonus time from kilometer 375 onwards. The impeccable performance earned him fourth on the stage and saw him increase his advantage at the top of the standings to four minutes and 25 seconds.

Daniel Sanders: “I made one mistake at the start and lost two or three minutes, which was unfortunate. After that, it was hard to catch the guys in front because it was such a fast stage and difficult to make a difference. After the second refuel the leading riders on stage had slowed up to calculate the bonus, so I put the hammer down and pulled away to make sure they didn’t get any. I pushed as hard as I could to the finish. I feel good today, I rode well, and I’m just getting warmed up. The bike is working really well, my body feels strong, and I’m ready for a big day tomorrow.”

Monday’s stage eight, which includes the longest timed special of the event at 481 kilometers, also features a liaison of 236 kilometers as the riders complete a loop around Wadi Ad-Dawasir.

Tomac Tops Aanaheim 1

Eli Tomac is victorious in Anaheim, grabbing the first win of the season.

Jorge Prado grabbed the holeshot and the early lead. Eli Tomac quickly went to work and made a pass on Prado for the lead, and began to extend that lead in just one lap. Ken Roczen moved into third, and Jason Anderson sat back in fourth. Roczen was doing all he could early to make a pass on Prado and give chase after Eli before it was too late. Behind them, Cooper Webb was dealing with a bad start, and a tip-over fall from Chase Sexton put him back in the pack.

The top three put some distance between each other as well as the rest of the pack, as they all fell comfortably into place. Over time, Ken Roczen began to chip away at his lead, but he was not making up enough ground to actually make a difference. Jorge Prado remained safely in third as Anderson, Lawrence, and Webb all battled for the fourth position. Webb would attempt to make to move on Lawrence and go down in the process, leaving the battle to Anderson. In the end, Tomac would hang on for the win.

In the second heat, it was a four-way battle into the second turn with Ken Roczen coming out on top, followed by Chase Sexton. Sexton would make a move but make a mistake in the following rhythm, which allowed Roczen to get right back by. Hunter Lawrence was hanging right behind them in third, ready to make a move on any mistake. That mistake came a lap later as Sexton washed the front end out on the over-under bridge. This gave Roczen some breathing room, but he, too, would make a mistake jumping off the track. He would maintain his lead and keep progressing forward. Christian Craig made his way into third and was battling with Jason Andersone, which was the most entertaining moment of the race. Eventually, Anderson got the job done with a fairly aggressive move. As the race came to a close, Ken Roczen was able to hold on for the win.

Benny Out!

Our Aaron Hansel saw a crash from Benny Bloss during the press day riding session this afternoon. Hansel said Bloss went over the bars in a rhythm section and his bike chased him down and clipped him. Now, Beta has announced Bloss is out for the opener with a wrist injury. The Liqui Moly Beta Racing Team still has Mitchell Oldenburg racing 450SX tomorrow.

The following press release is from Beta:

Benny Bloss unfortunately sustained an injury to his wrist at the first round of the Supercross Series at Anaheim during the press practice session. He headed to a local hospital for further evaluation. He will be out for an undetermined amount of time.

VISIONARIES "UNDER THE SAME LIGHT"

Jetts out but...Jett Lawrence and Cooper Webb behind the scenes. Relaxed vibes and a reminder that even the fastest guys in the building know how to keep it fun. Same speed. Different personalities. All 100%.

A1...Let's Go Racing!

Stage 5 | Monster Energy Honda HRC

It proved to be a pivotal day at this year’s Dakar Rally, as the second part of the marathon stage delivered yet another reshuffle in the overall standings.

Slacker and Emig at AIMExpo

Stop and say hello to Jeff at the Expo and see all the new featuress of The Slacker suspension tool.

Motocross Looks Easy...Is It?

Motocross and the body: Performance at the limit of endurance

Motocross often looks easier than it is. Jumps appear clean, lines logical, everything seems controlled. Those merely standing on the sidelines see little of what's really going on. Only after spending more time there – as a rider, spectator, or someone familiar with the scene – do you realize how much of it is just a facade.

Because motocross doesn't begin with the first jump. It begins in the body. And that body is in a state of heightened intensity from the very start.

The moment everything starts up

As soon as the motorcycle starts rolling, the body switches gears. It happens automatically. Pulse quickens, breathing becomes rapid, tension builds throughout. Adrenaline takes over. Not because you're particularly brave, but because it's necessary. Without this state, high-level motocross wouldn't be possible.

Many underestimate this. Adrenaline feels good, sure. But it's not a gift. It's a tool for stressful situations – and motocross is almost entirely about that. Starting gates, jostling, changing terrain, ruts, other riders. There's never a moment when you can truly relax.

The pain is there – just later

Anyone who thinks drivers don't feel pain during a race is mistaken. They just don't feel it immediately. Endorphins mask a lot. Bruises, sprains, minor fractures are ignored. Not out of toughness, but because that's how the body regulates itself.

The rude awakening comes later. When everything shuts down and the body signals what really happened. Many injuries aren't recognized until hours later. Sometimes not until the next day. Anyone who's been around for a while knows these moments.

The heart is constantly working at its limit.

Motocross isn't a typical endurance sport, but it puts a brutal strain on the cardiovascular system. High heart rates over extended periods are normal. There are hardly any periods when the body truly recovers. If you're not physically prepared, you don't immediately lose speed; you lose precision. And precision is everything in motocross. Small mistakes quickly become big – and can have painful consequences.

The actual burden is not visible.

The hardest work doesn't happen during the big jumps, but in between. Landings, accelerating out of deep ruts, constant recovery. Every impact travels through legs, back, arms. Some of it is absorbed by the landing gear, the rest ends up in the body. The danger isn't the single hard moment, but the repetition. Lap after lap. Training session after training session. Many injuries develop gradually. You don't notice them immediately – but years later.

What's often forgotten: Motocross isn't about relaxed riding. It's about holding on. Holding on with your legs, stabilizing with your core, controlling with your arms. Your muscles often work without movement, under constant tension. Arm pump is the most well-known example of this. When blood flow to the muscle can't keep up, you lose feeling. So does strength. And then a race is quickly over – no matter how fast you actually were.

Injuries are part of the sport.

Motocross is prone to injuries. Anyone who's been in it for a while knows that. Collarbone, shoulder, knee, wrists – the list goes on. What's striking is that many injuries don't happen in races, but in training. That's where you're trying to get faster. Where you're pushing your limits. The body doesn't differentiate between training and racing. Wear and tear is wear and tear.

In the end, it's often the mind that decides.

The longer a run lasts, the more the mind decides. Lines change, the track becomes uneven, mistakes creep in. Mental fatigue doesn't manifest as exhaustion, but as inaccuracy. That's why many drivers today work specifically on their mental strength. Not to become more aggressive, but calmer and clearer.

Why we keep coming back

All of this sounds clinical. Physical limits, pain, wear and tear, injuries. And yet, every weekend, riders line up at the starting line. Not because they have to. But because they want to. Motocross demands everything: concentration, fitness, discipline, and the ability to endure hardship. There's no autopilot, no safe comfort zone. Every lap is new, every track different, every mistake palpable. That's precisely what makes this sport so brutal – and so honest.

And perhaps that's precisely why so many never truly let go, despite everything. Because there's hardly anything comparable. That feeling when everything comes together. When body, motorcycle, and road become one for a few minutes. When noise, fatigue, and doubt disappear, and all that remains is riding.

Objectively, motocross is one of the toughest sports in the world. Subjectively – for those who live it – it's simply the coolest.