Cody Webb Wins 2018 Malaga SuperEnduro

The SuperEnduro battle in Malaga raged with crashes, all-action riding and another win for Cody Webb in the 2018 Championship.

With racing just about as exciting as SuperEnduro gets, things were “a little crazy out there” said eventual overall winner Cody Webb.

Webb took the overall win in Malaga but not before some close and at times aggressive racing in the tight Malaga arena: "I finished the final race with a hole in my radiator, my bars were completely bent and I had half a grip missing on the throttle side, but I still managed to do enough to get the overall win. It was a crazy night, that's for sure, but I never gave up, and it feels great to have won.”

 

Photo Credit: Andrea Bellus

Race One

Billy Bolt initially led from Mani Lettenbichler with a trio of KTMs chasing down the lead.

After Bolt made a mistake Webb, Walker and Blazusiak took turns to swap the lead with some aggressive overtakes. It was a case of where to look next as the 11 lap race unfolded with everyone taking turns to crash and lead.

At the finish it was Walker who took the win to get some valuable points, with Webb and Blazusiak third.

Race Two

The second Prestige race of the night looked set to unfold with a bit less drama until Blazusiak got a bit whiskey and actually ended up under the stands – luckily with no serious injuries.

The race got a little cleaner after Taddy’s departure by not much as again Cody and Walker traded places, this time with Colton Haaker very much in the mix.

Cody eventally ran out the winner from Haaker a close-run second. A mistake late on from Walker allowed Bolt through to take third.

 

Photo Credit: Robert Lynn

Race Three

Taddy made amends in race three with a win after a monster crash at turn one involving half the field. When the dust had settled it was Webb and Haaker were the ones left tangled and dead last. Walker had fared little better.

Blazusiak benefitted and ran out the race winner but not without some pressure from the Husky boys Bolt and Alfredo Gomez. Gomez eventally worked his way forwards, largely by keeping things clean and not crashing, to take a popular second in front of the Spanish crowd. Billy Bolt was third.

 

Photo Credit: Robert Lynn

Championship standings

The SuperEnduro World Championship is definitely swinging towards Cody Webb at the half way stage.

Webb has 155 points from Blazusiak on 131 points in second.

Billy Bolt is closing in after another podium overall place in his rookie year – he now has 124 points. Colton Haaker sits on 114 points with Jonny Walker and Alfredo Gomez tied on 105.

Roczen News

Ken Roczen - Bad News

Posted on February 17, 2018

HRC rider Ken Roczen had bad news yesterday when he went to get his injured hand repaired. He will be out for possibly two months. HRC released a statement on his operation and recovery time.

"On Friday, Ken Roczen underwent successful surgery at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, CO, to repair injuries sustained during his crash in San Diego. Unfortunately, the damage was more extensive than originally diagnosed. During surgery, Dr. Viola cleaned up a chip at the base of the thumb and hook of hamate, repaired the fractured second metacarpal with a plate and screws, and also repaired torn ligaments. The initial prognosis is six to eight weeks, but Roczen will be reevaluated throughout his recovery. He will still attend multiple races and dealer appearances throughout the remainder of the season. Everyone at Honda wishes you a speedy recovery and can't wait to have you back out there."

Matthes on Millsaps!

A Matthes Report: Davi Millsaps

Insight from Davi Millsaps

Feb 15th, 2018 · 7 min read

Just as we talked about here last week, Monster Energy Knich Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps was forced to announce his retirement from the sport having never raced for the team after suffering a bad pre-season crash. Millsaps had a great career, was eighth all time in 450SX starts, won 450SX main events, a 250SX title and had a ton of podiums. We had Davi on the PulpMX Show this past Monday to talk about his great career and why he had to retire.

MX Vice: A pre-season crash riding for the Monster Yamaha team that maybe you undersold to me a little bit and some other people but it sounds pretty serious, huh? Like you told me Saturday night, doctors are not going to clear you. Unfortunately, Davi, the choice was not yours really, huh?

Davi Millsaps: I don’t know when you had talked to me after my crash. If I undersold it, it was due to the fact of me not knowing. In all fairness I guess, A-Ray [Alex Ray] had brought me coffee in the hospital. I don’t remember him bringing me coffee. People were calling me the same day that I had crashed and texting me and I was telling them I am on my way to the track. I was going riding and whatnot.

I didn’t think I was in the hospital, but when I went back and met with the neurologist for my check-up, or whatever you want to call it, he basically sat down with me and he said that there is no way for me to continue to do what I’m doing and risk any kind of impact again to that aspect. Just how much bleeding I had around my brain. I had a significant bleed in the middle of my brain. My vision is still messed up. There is still a lot of symptoms I have that go along with the post-concussion syndrome or whatever you want to call it. It’s the first time that I have ever had anything like this. I hit my head really, really, really hard. Really hard.

A pre-season concussion has forced Davi Millsaps into retirement (Monster Energy Media/Octopi)

Even a lot of people that I know that are obviously really good friends of mine have seen a lot of concussions in their days and they are like, we have never seen a concussion affect someone like it affected you. So, in all reality, for how much damage I did at the time, I should not be where I am at right now. That was a big reason why the doctors couldn’t release me. They just couldn't put the liability on themselves. Go race again, then if I just fall over and hit my head and then I’m never the same.

Ideally it’s not the way anybody wants to go out, being told you cannot race dirt bikes anymore. On the other hand, maybe you got a bit lucky even. I’d rather go out by the doctors telling me that I can’t go back versus not knowing anything.

How did you crash? Did anybody tell you what happened? Obviously you do not remember it, I’m sure.

No, I don’t remember. From what I understand, there are obviously different stories all the way around, but it was basically just a jump on, jump across and then jump off. Table top over single. Somehow I smashed my head into the table-top single. I don’t remember. I know I was in my twenty-lap moto and that basically I had one turn left and I would have had seventeen. I had three laps to go. It sucked too, because I just had got done testing and my bike was the best that it had been. It was pretty fantastic and I was looking forward to continuing that streak. Can’t do anything about it now. It is what it is.

Millsaps greeted the fans during opening ceremonies in San Diego (Monster Energy Media/Octopi)

You had a lot of great accomplishments in your career. Like you said, unfortunately it had to end on this note. Yes, it did not end perfectly, but, man, ninety-nine out of one hundred riders would take your career in a heartbeat, so that is something to think about.

I appreciate that, especially coming from you. Getting nice comments from Ezra (Lusk), Jimmy Button, [Jeremy] McGrath and [Ricky] Carmichael. Even Carmichael texted me telling me that I need to be pumped for everything I have done. No, I wasn’t the greatest of all time. No, I didn’t win a 450F championship. The way I look at it is I was one of the biggest names in the sport all fourteen years of my professional career. To me that is an accomplishment in its own. Having fans that stuck behind me even from amateurs and even my family.

My wife and two kids and being able to have the kids at the races and stuff like that at the end of my career. I think the hardest part for me is just the fact of saying goodbye. People telling me all over Instagram all week and to my face and everything that I’ve been an inspiration, I’m their hero and they are sad to see me go. That to me is probably one of the hardest.

When I told Dane that I wasn’t going to race anymore and he literally just instantly started bawling. Instantly. That was tough. He was like, “I love watching you race, Dad," is what he told me. That got tough. But I think for me it would have been tougher hitting my head again and not knowing him.

What are some of the highlights for you when you look back? Obviously, you got the 250SX East title and 450SX wins.

Everyone keeps asking me that. What are the highlights? It’s a tough question. I look back at all my wins and I’m just like, it’s not just my wins. It’s the battles that I had, even for second or third or coming up through the pack. Yes, I had great outdoor moments too in my life, believe it or not. At Thunder Valley when I passed James [Stewart] – that was a big thing for me. I beat him, and he was unbeatable back then. Things like that. Winning the East/West Shootout on a bike that I should not have been winning on. Obviously, winning a championship and celebrating it and having Carlos ride with me a whole lap on my bike, stuff like that. Then Anaheim 1 obviously and my first 450F win at Atlanta, being in my home state.

Millsaps has another opening-ceremonies appearance scheduled for Atlanta (Monster Energy Media/Octopi)

What are some regrets you have or what is something you would do differently? Looking back on things, what do you wish you would have done?

I wish I could have done a lot more, for sure, in the sport. That is a tough question. I wish there were times where I actually got it together, stuck it out and put more effort into everything in a certain era to where if I would have kept going in that route I think things would have been a lot different. But, then again, everything is what it is. I can’t, “I need to go back and change this." No. It’s just, yeah, I wish I would have won something and wish I would have done more, but I’m twenty-nine years old and I had a twenty-seven year basically racing career in dirt bikes. I had a fourteen-year professional career.

I won races. I have got a lot of podiums. I got a lot of heat race wins. I had one hundred and fifty-one starts. My goal was two hundred, but obviously that got ripped from me as well. I had the second-longest supercross streak in history. There are only a few of us that have ever won on the one hundredth start in supercross that we all did, but I was the only one to win on my one hundredth consecutive, which is kind of cool. I’ve been the runner-up two times in a row on two different brands, I’m the only one to do that. Those are not really like championships, but it’s something cool for me.

But, as far as what I wish I would have done and stuff like that, I wish I would have raced a lot more outdoors. I do like them. I wish I would have went to Canada for outdoors a lot more. That is the truth. I actually did have a lot of fun up there. Not even for winning, just the atmosphere was cool.

It is one of those things where maybe I wish I would have hired Ezra a lot sooner or even back when I had that falling out with my mom and all that stuff. Ricky stepped in and was helping and I kind of went a different direction. That to me, maybe I should have stuck in his direction. There ae so many ifs and buts, but I had fun. I had fun in my fourteen years. I’m looking forward to the next chapter, whatever that may be.

Interview: Steve Matthes | Lead Image: Monster Energy Media/Octopi

Justin Barcia interview

2018 Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series Highlights

Ryan Sipes takes the overall win at round one of the 2018 KENDA Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series opener presented by PRI Powersports Insurance. Defending champion Steward Baylor was 2nd with Josh Strang taking 3rd in the gnarly sandy conditions at Moccasin Creek Off-Road Park in Blackshear, GA.

Mike Reefman looking to reclaim World Vet Title

 

Victorian vet race Mike Reefman is set to return to the Dubya World Veterans Championship at Glen Helen Raceway in California USA on 3rd and 4th of November.

The Peter Stevens Motorcycles backed rider is on a mission to reclaim the 45+ expert veterans title which he won in 2015 and 2016, he didn’t compete in 2017. Reefman a former top-level racer in Australia won the Victorian 45+ veterans in 2017 and currently has the #1v plate in Victoria and wants the #1v plate back at the World Veterans championship in 2018.

“I am training every chance I get at the moment," Reefman said, "My first goal is to compete and hopefully retain the Victorian veterans title and then in November compete and try to win the Dubya World Veterans again. It is an expensive race to organise and a long way from home.

"I have a load of great supporters, but always on the lookout for more. Currently, Peter Stevens Motorcycle have supplied me a 2018 Yamaha YZ450 which is a fantastic bike, their support has been invaluable.

"I will be heading over in late October to get acclimatised and hopefully have some more success," Reefman concluded.  The 2 day Dubya World Veterans Championship attracts many of the Worlds best former pros, who compete in 8 classes, with the likes of Mike Brown, Doug Dubach (The winningest World Vet Ever), Kurt Nicol, Former top Motocross and Supercross star Ryan Hughes and even our own Brett Metcalfe.

Yamaha Factory Racing Team Launch with Romain Febvre & Jeremy Van Horebeek

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s duo of Romain Febvre & Jeremy Van Horebeek are all set to take on a new season of top-notch MXGP racing.
They’re fast. They’re furious. And they’re armed with Yamaha’s fiercest motocross racing machine, the #YZ450FM. Watch them tearing it up in this clip. #YamahaRacing #RevsYourHeart

Sometimes You Don't Need A Motor!

Anderson and Musquin open up on Oakland Contact

Duo speak out on that topical incident together from round five.

Newfound rivals Jason Anderson and Marvin Musquin have finally spoken out on the contact that left the latter on the ground in Oakland at round five of the 2018 Monster Energy AMA Supercross series.

Runaway title-leader Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) made an aggressive move on the Red Bull KTM contender as he picked his way through the pack to victory, but declined to comment following the press conference last weekend.

After making it back-to-back wins in San Diego on Saturday night, this time ahead of Musquin, both gave their take on the matter when questioned post-race. It’s been reported in the US media that a rift had developed between them in the off-season, despite both training under Aldon Baker and forming part of the KTM Group, and Anderson confirmed it on the weekend.

“I think we’re just competitive and it comes out on the track,” Anderson commented. “Sometimes we get a little too far ahead of ourselves and in Oakland, you know, honestly my bad… I was trying to go forward and obviously it’s not good between us [laughs], but at the same time I want to be battling with Marv. I don’t want to take him down, but I just get ahead of myself [in the] heat of the moment. It’s hard to put into words.”

Musquin voiced his frustration over the coming together that resulted in him eventually crossing the finish-line in fourth, but with his championship hopes already hindered by the shoulder injury sustained in Houston, it didn’t have a direct impact on his title chances at this point. He’s currently eighth in the standings following six rounds, 45 behind Anderson.

“I was in a good position in Oakland and obviously I didn’t expect and I didn’t hear at all Jason,” said Musquin. “So, I was going off the turn and I couldn’t do anything. For sure, when you’re in a good position in the main like that, running third, and you go down, it’s a bummer. My thoughts… we’re both racing.

“I feel like at the end of the whoops tonight I could have sent Jason over the berm [laughs], but I didn’t. I mean, it’s not really my style, but one day if I have to, I will. Definitely, the situation is not the same, but we’re fighting for the championship. That’s the way it is – it’s not a big deal.”

Following that, Anderson quickly added: “Basically, he owes me one [laughs].”

Marvin Speaks

Marvin Musquin interview

Posted on February 12, 2018 By MXlarge.com

Heading into 2018, many journalists—myself included—picked Red Bull / KTM’s Marvin Musquin as the odds on favourite to win the 2018 Monster Energy Supercross 450SX Championship. Marvin had a virtually perfect offseason, winning every race he entered. With his teammate and friend Ryan Dungey retiring, Marvin looked poised for a run at the vacated Supercross Championship.

After winning round 1, everything was going as planned, but a heat race crash at round 2 in Houston changed everything. Marvin separated his shoulder in the crash at Houston, and while the title hopes were all but gone, Marvin continued to race through the pain and is just now beginning to get that confidence back that he had heading into season. While the #25 is now 43 points behind Jason Anderson and a long shot for the title, after a second place finish in San Diego over the weekend, we will not be surprised if the wins start coming soon.

After his podium finish at Petco Park, Chris Cooksey got a chance to ask Marvin about the injury he sustained, his relationship with training partner Jason Anderson and his much criticized whoop speed.

MXlarge: Marv, how was your night overall? It seemed like about halfway through the main event you really found a groove.

Musquin: Yeah, maybe I was getting a little bit better throughout the main. Riding was maybe getting better. I was finding new lines and I was able to get pretty consistent in the whoops, which was not the case for the other guys. For example, [Justin] Barcia, I think he got me at the end of the whoops, but then he was making big mistakes. I was able to stay light in the whoops and pretty clean. I was surprised I was able to catch [Cole] Seely and [Jason] Anderson a little bit. I feel like I was in a good position for the main off the start. Barcia got me and that made me a little bit mad because I was in a good position and I was like, “no.” He got me and, not slow me down, but I had to pass him again. That’s what I did and it was a good thing for the end.

MXLarge: Obviously, everybody is still talking about the incident with you and Jason Anderson last week. Did you see Jason out there and did it create a little extra motivation for you? There’s no better revenge served than to beat him. Was that in the back of your mind tonight?

Musquin: Yeah, for sure, but at the end of the day, I really focused on myself—especially because I’m still not 100%. The shoulder is not 100%, so I just want to get better and get back to full confidence. Then I will be able to fight against him. Last weekend, to be honest, I was going through the turn and didn’t see him coming, so I hit his bike.

MXLarge: I’m very familiar with shoulder injuries. I saw the way you landed in the crash at Houston and that looked very much to me like a shoulder separation or a shoulder dislocation. It looked like it was out and you were trying to get it in.

Musquin: Yeah, a couple years ago at Glen Helen my shoulder popped out, but I moved my arm and it went back in so that was okay. This time it was out on the back. I could feel it and was trying to move it to put it back in, but nothing happened. When I got off the track, the Alpinestars medical guy put it back in. That was good, but after that, the memory or the reaction from the muscle was nothing. I tried to get on the bike, and I’m like, “I don’t want to go out there off the big triple,” and what about the landing. It’s scary and mentally it’s very difficult. Right now the muscle—like right on the back—is very sore, but on the bike it feels pretty good so I’m happy. On the bike, it’s pretty tough.

MXlarge: Did you have an MRI? Was the labrum okay?

Musquin: I did. The labrum had a minor tear and impact on the bowl of the shoulder [the cup your upper arm sits in].

MXlarge: Yeah, those are usually injuries you can ride through. It’s just a matter of if you can tolerate the pain. Was the labrum not bad enough to where they worried about it tearing more or another separation?

Musquin: A normal person would have stayed three weeks in a sling. That’s what the doctor told me, but we know athletes like us want to keep riding. I actually did therapy the whole week and started doing band exercises. The Friday after I actually felt pretty good on the bike and decided to race Anaheim 2 the next day. That’s why your confidence goes down.

MXlarge: Some of your critics like to point out your struggles through the whoops or your whoops speeds, and they talk about how you immediately resort to jumping through them instead of skimming them. In tonight’s heat race you lost four or five spots through the whoops, but you were better in the main. Is it because when they are fresh early in the night, guys have more confidence through them, but as they break down and get more technical, you get better in them?

Musquin: No, they just go really fast entering and my entering speed in the whoops is a little slow. It’s hard to build up speed into it, but in the main, I just wanted to be consistent. The bike was better too.

MXlarge: The bike was better? What did you guys do to it before the main?

Musquin: Just the positioning of the bike, it was a little easier for me to ride it.

MXlarge: When you say positioning, are you talking about handle bars, suspension—what do you mean?

Musquin: Suspension, just height and stuff like that.