Ryan Dungey looks back on his career and talks A1

JT on San Diego SX

Who’s Hot

Chase Sexton quieted the noise around him and executed all night long. He looked comfortable, fast, and confident. He got good starts, too. Job well done at round one.

Ken Roczen shows up at races like A1. Almost always has. He doesn’t seem to feel the pressure that others do and uses that to bring his best stuff.

Jason Anderson needs wins and podiums to get a new contract and that’s exactly the form he showed on Saturday.

Eli Tomac was fifth at the checkers but woulda coulda shoulda been in the fight for the win. He’s back and it’s awesome to see.

Jo Shimoda started fast and rode flawlessly. For everyone wondering if he could ever get a series going before halfway (including me), he answered.

JuJu Beaumer proved that he will be a guy in the 250 class moving forward. Potential is one thing but acting on it is the next step.

I was very impressed with Cole Davies in his first pro race. He looked the part in every way. If this is the starting point, watch out.

Ducati announced their new team dynamic and plan. Their debut model is a work of art aesthetically.

The opener marked the best finish of JuJu's young career.Align Media

Who’s Not

Jett and Hunter Lawrence didn’t look like they were enjoying themselves on Saturday. The rumor was that they have been fighting the 2025 chassis on SX and that played out in painful ways under the Anaheim lights. They need to sort that out and quickly.

Levi Kitchen was unable to race with the flu and will now switch to the East Region. I am very much not on board with the “avoiding Deegan” theme that I have seen floated. Going east is no picnic versus that west lineup.

Dylan Ferrandis got Breece’d in the LCQ and missed the first main event of the season. Racing unfamiliar riders can be tough but I will always, always remain steadfast that passing on the outside in the LCQ is a fool’s game. Think Cade Clason and Justin Starling at Glendale, also.

Bold Predictions

Jett and Hunter arrive to San Diego on 2024 HRC models with the number “2025” spray painted on the shrouds.

Dylan Ferrandis rides with Vince Friese all week as a sort of LCQ Boot Camp.

KTM delivers 300 new bikes to Chase Sexton’s house in lieu of his A1 bonus.

Flat earthers are enraged that Ty Masterpool’s SX title chances are now dashed.

The Secret Honda Two-Stroke changed the world

Dakar 2025 Stage 10

Michael Docherty Triumphs in the Empty Quarter, Danile Sanders Extends Overall Lead

On a stage where many top contenders tactically eased off to secure favourable starting positions for tomorrow’s longer dunes stage, South African rider Michael Docherty stole the show with a commanding performance. Navigating 117 kilometres of sand with precision, Docherty claimed his maiden Dakar stage victory, finishing 1′20″ ahead of Rui Gonçalves and 2′21″ ahead of Tobias Ebster.

Meanwhile, title contenders focused on conserving energy for the second stage in the Empty Quarter, expected to be even more decisive. Daniel Sanders maintained his grip on the overall lead, holding a 16′31″ advantage over Tosha Schareina and 22′24″ over Adrien Van Beveren.

The 115-kilometre special stage, though relatively short, was preceded by a gruelling 520-kilometre liaison that tested the endurance of all riders. The dunes proved both a challenge and an opportunity, as the best navigators and riders rose to the occasion. For Docherty, who lives near the Empty Quarter and is a master of its terrain, the stage was a perfect match for his skills.

“I’ve been waiting for the dunes for all Dakar,” Docherty shared. “Even though it was a short one, it was nice to get back to it. I had one crash, which hurt my shoulder a little bit more, but I just pushed through and was just trying to make my best time today.”

Docherty’s victory marks only the second time a Rally 2 rider has won a Dakar stage since the category’s inception in 2022. His triumph also ends South Africa’s 22-year drought in Dakar motorbike stage wins, the last being Alfie Cox in 2003. Remarkably, Docherty is racing with number 22, adding a layer of serendipity to his historic win.

Anderson details contact that led to front wheel damage

Share

Section: Competition Post: Alex Gobert

Finishes third at A1 following clash with Jett Lawrence out of the gates.

Anaheim 1 podium finisher Jason Anderson has detailed the contact with Jett Lawrence out of the gates that left him to manage front wheel damage throughout the 450SX main event. In the end, he was able to make a statement with a P3 result.

Anderson is on a contract year with Monster Energy Kawasaki and is motivated to continue challenging toward the front of the pack, quickly establishing himself as one of the form riders of 2025.

The pair – Anderson and defending premier class title-holder Lawrence – came together upon the start of the final at A1, which ultimately resulted in snapped spokes in the front wheel of Anderson’s KX450SR and left Lawrence caught up on the tuff blocks to commence the new season.

“When I came out of the gate I kind of got squirrely and tangled bars and ripped some spokes out,” recalled the 2018 champion. “I don’t know, it was nothing crazy, but whenever you see them hitting your fork in the air it kind of makes you nervous.

“Like, you don’t want your front wheel to blow out when you’re riding. Then I started making mistakes left and right because I was just thinking about my front wheel.

“Luckily, I was able to get into a groove and when I got passed by Kenny [Roczen] I just tried to latch onto him and bring it in. I had a little bit of pressure from Cooper [Webb] at the end, but I’m just thankful my front wheel held together, because I could’ve been on the ground pretty hard because of that.”

Anderson completed the first series of turns in fifth and then almost immediately shuffled his way to second behind teammate Jorge Prado, before taking the lead on the opening lap. He was tracked down by eventual winner Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM) and Roczen, but withstood late pressure from Webb to hold onto third on the podium.

Dakar Highlights Stage 9

Cooper Webb ...Up for the Fight!

The Anaheim 1 opener looked typical for Cooper Webb. The two-time Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion is one of the best of his generation, and yet has never delivered a win at round one. He was his usual solid self on Saturday, coming through the pack to net fourth, and nipping at the heels of Jason Anderson to try to steal a podium. Webb wasn't spectacular at any point, but he was good.

There's more to this story, though, as our Steve Matthes is reporting that Webb had a crash late in the off-season and had to take some time off from riding. Thus, Anaheim's performance was a bit more of a mystery than realized, even though you wouldn't know it by watching him ride.

Webb continued to make progress throughout the day, qualifying eighth and finishing fourth in his heat race. In ninth after the start of the main event, the North Carolina rider once again showed grit and determination, fighting his way to fourth before the halfway mark. Webb kept pushing throughout the race and had the final podium position within sight. Although he finished just shy of the podium in fourth, he scored valuable points at the first round of the 17-round 450SX title fight.

“Anaheim 1 is always a crazy race," said Webb in a Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing statement. "It was an up-and-down day and an up-and-down off-season, but I’m happy. That was a good race. Obviously, being in the top five is important, but I wanted to be on the podium and felt like I was riding good enough to be up front. We need to get our starts a little bit better and be in the mix for next week. It was definitely a good starting point. We’re right in the fight, which is great.”

Billy Bolt Triumphs at Valleys Xtreme Enduro 2025

Experience the adrenaline and skill on display at the 2025 Valleys Xtreme Enduro held at Walters Arena in the Welsh Valleys. Watch as Billy Bolt secures a commanding victory, showcasing his unparalleled talent in extreme enduro racing. Following closely, Paul Bolton delivers an impressive performance on his Beta 300, earning a well-deserved second place. Rounding out the podium, Radford Chugg leverages his extensive trials riding background to navigate the challenging course and clinch third place. The Valleys Xtreme Enduro is renowned for its grueling terrain and fierce competition, attracting top riders from around the globe. This year's event was no exception, with participants tackling treacherous obstacles and pushing their limits in pursuit of victory.

Highlights Stage 8

Dakar Bikes Stage 8

2025 Dakar Rally Results Stage 8

Luciano Benavides (KTM) took the Stage 8 win, his first triumph of the Dakar this year after his Stage 5 win was awarded to Van Beveren when time was awarded back. The Argentinian took P1 after being awarded back time after he helped Chelan Pablo Quintanilla (Honda), who crashed out of the race at kilometer 133 and damaged his shoulder.

Benavides headed home Quintanilla’s teammate Adrien Van Beveren, who also came to Quintanilla’s aid, the Frenchman banking another stage podium as the race heads into the final three days of racing this week.

Benavides finally got his stage win at the eighth time of asking.

“It’s never easy to see a fellow rider crash, so Adrien [Van Beveren] and I stopped to help Pablo [Quintanilla] and we stayed with him for about 30 minutes,” said Benavides. “After we restarted, it was difficult because the crash is always playing on your mind, but you have to just keep going. Despite having to ride in the dust from many riders and make several overtakes, I pushed really hard, and it paid off with my first stage win of the race, which is amazing!”

Tosha Schareina (Honda) produced another podium in third, the young Spaniard proving to be the most consistent podium finisher in the 2025 Dakar Rally as he consolidates second overall.

For Daniel Sanders (KTM), it was a damage limitation day as the Australian led out after winning Stage 7, dropping a little over four minutes to Schareina in the overall standings with his ride to seventh on the day.

“That might have been the toughest stage yet, especially the first 100 kilometers, which were really technical and hard to navigate, so I lost a fair bit of time there,” Sanders said. “After the refuel it was really fast and I was opening with Edgar [Canet], which was cool. I made a few little mistakes here and there, but I have a decent starting position for tomorrow so I’m happy.”

Fourth on Stage 8 was Ricky Brabec (Honda) from his teammate, compatriot Skyler Howes, with South Africa’s Michael Docherty (KTM) in sixth. Rounding out the stage’s top 10 was Sanders, Rally 2 winner and class leader Edgar Canet (KTM), Nacho Cornejo (Hero) and Rui Goncalves (Sherco).

Jacob Argubright (Honda) had a better ride today, no mechanical issues meaning the American took 20^th on the stage to move up to 23^rd overall.