Glen Helen's $10,000 Pro Motocross Warm-Up Race

Glen Helen held their first annual "Stop Watch National" race on Thursday, May 16th, just over a week before the 2024 Pro Motocross series kicks off at Pala. The race had a $10,000 Pro Purse, paid out to the top 10. It drew in a healthy crowd of spectators and a long list of AMA Pro riders, getting ready for the big show next weekend. Broc Tickle, Juilen Beaumer, Dante Olivera, Mateo Olivera, Ryder DiFrancesco, Pierce Brown, Marshal Weltin, Robbie Wageman, Jerry Robin, Josh Mosiman, Derek Kelley, CJ Bernard, Cole Martinez, Parker Ross and more showed up to race. MXA test rider Josh Mosiman is preparing to race the Pala, Hangtown and RedBud Nationals, plus one Canadian National this summer and today was a great warm-up.

Free Spirit

49er Enduro

TrialGP Of Japan Kicks Off 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship

Toni Bou at 2023 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship in Motegi, Japan Photo: Future7Media

The pre-season preparations are done, the riders and their machines are good to go and the wait is almost over as the countdown continues to the opening round of the 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship – the TrialGP of Japan – at the Mobility Resort Motegi on 17-19 May.

The feeling of anticipation for the first round of any championship is always heightened and there is a strong sense of excitement surrounding this year’s opening salvo in TrialGP. Who has put in the hard work in the off-season? Who has the strongest will to win? Who will draw first blood? Who – and this is the question on almost everyone’s lips – can step it up and take the fight to Toni Bou?

The premier TrialGP and TrialGP Women competitors will be in action alongside Trial2 at the iconic Mobility Resort Motegi that is situated less than one-hundred-and-fifty kilometres north of Tokyo. Apart from a three-year absence due to the pandemic, the impressive facility has staged a round of the series ever since the very first TrialGP of Japan in 2000 and it is always an eagerly-awaited fixture on the calendar with its steep wooded climbs and imposing granite rocks providing a suitably tough test for the best Trial riders in the world.

The bad news for competitors in the elite TrialGP class is that defending champion Bou, who has remained unbeaten over a full season ever since he claimed his first crown in 2007, has started the year in incredible form and is currently unbeaten following the first four rounds of the 2024 FIM X-Trial World Championship.

Stopping Bou from taking his eighteenth consecutive title is a seemingly impossible task, but the thirty-seven-year-old superstar Spaniard was pushed extremely hard in the early stages of the 2023 series by his compatriot Jaime Busto who has finished runner-up in the championship for the last two years. Busto would dearly like to go one better this season, but as well as setting his sights on Bou the twenty-six-year-old must also make sure he stays ahead of the chasing pack led by Spain’s Gabriel Marcelli.

A career-best third last season in just his fourth year in the class, Marcelli is currently leading Busto in the X-Trial indoor series and is hoping that his forceful style of riding will see him add to his total of eight podiums, carry him to a first victory at this level and allow him to consistently challenge the top two for the title.

Veteran Italian Matteo Grattarola was fourth last year and is a contender for podiums and it would be foolish to dismiss two-time champion Adam Raga. Having turned forty-two last month, Raga is very much the elder statesman of TrialGP, but with his high-profile off-season move to a new manufacturer could come fresh motivation to succeed.

Outside of last year’s top five finishers, Britain’s Toby Martyn is possibly the most likely to spring a surprise. Only tenth in 2023 after missing four rounds through injury, the twenty-four-year-old already has already scored an X-Trial podium this year and is aiming to carry this form into TrialGP.

With nine TrialGP Women titles in the last ten years, Britain’s Emma Bristow must surely start favourite to retain her title. Last year she suffered just two defeats, but both of these came on the first weekend of the series and her long-time Spanish rival Berta Abellan – who won both opening days in 2023 – knows another strong start is essential if she’s to claim her first crown.

Italy’s Andrea Sofia Rabino was third last season and beat Bristow into third on the opening day of round one, but she knows consistency is key and that she cannot afford to ride at anything other than her best if she is to climb higher up the ladder.

Naomi Monnier has finished fourth for the last two seasons, but the French rider has proved herself to be a podium contender and she too will be aiming to advance up the rankings, as will Britain’s Alice Minta who scored two third-placed finishes on her way to fifth in 2023.

Trial2 was extremely unpredictable in 2023 with six different winners before Britain’s Billy Green took the title at the final round and the series’ biggest class – no fewer than thirty-four riders will be in action in Japan – is shaping up to be equally as exciting with Green returning to defend his title.

While Spain’s Pablo Suarez – who was second last year – and French rider Hugo Dufrese who ended 2023 in sixth have both opted to move up to TrialGP, former champion Sondre Haga from Norway and the British pairing of Jack Peace and Jack Dance all know what it takes to win at this level and are genuine title contenders.

In total there will be a record five electric bikes in action in Trial2 with Haga debuting the new GASGAS, France’s Gael Chatagno riding for Electric Motion and home heroes Kenichi Kuroyama, Seiya Ujikawa and Fumitaka Nozaki mounted on Yamahas.

Manuel Lettenbichler Takes Victory At FIM HEWC Season Opener

Manuel Lettenbichler got his 2024 FIM Hard Enduro Championship (HEWC) campaign off to a winning start, dominating proceedings at the Valleys Hard Enduro in the UK. Following

The opening round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship saw Manuel Lettenbichler take a commanding win at the Valleys Hard Enduro.

Teodor Kabakchiev and Mario Roman completed the podium in second and third.

The FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Championship supported by KLIM saw Mitch Brightmore start his title defence off with a victory in Wales.

Round one of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship saw riders take to the start line on Sunday for the feature Race. After two exciting days of racing on Friday and Saturday, Sunday’s three-lap Hard Enduro would decide the outcome of the season opener at Valleys Hard Enduro.

As the defending champion and winner of Friday and Saturday’s racing, Manuel Lettenbichler was the red-hot favourite for victory on Sunday. And he didn’t disappoint. Fast off the line, the KTM rider quickly worked his way into the race lead and was never headed.

Teodor Kabakchiev finished 3 minutes back in second place.

Despite the hot and dusty conditions, Lettenbichler found his rhythm and opened up a strong lead. A mid-race charge by Teodor Kabakchiev saw that gap reduce slightly. But as they began the third and final lap, Manuel upped his pace even further and took a very commanding three-minute margin of victory.

“It wasn’t easy out there,” Lettenbichler said. “The pace was so fast and the intensity was high. It was difficult to find a rhythm but being able to build a gap helped. However, on the final lap, Teodor began to close in and I had to pick it up again. It’s great to take the win at round one and get the championship started in such a strong way. I’m really happy and now looking forward to the next round at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in two weeks.”

Behind Manuel, the battle for the remainder of the podium positions was ever-changing. Initially, it was Jonny Walker who held second place on lap one. But the Kabakchiev and Mario Roman closed in and overhauled the Brit.

Kabakchiev looked strong on the technical climbs and wasn’t suffering in the heat. The Bulgarian did appear to have Lettenbichler in his sights on lap two but couldn’t bridge the gap he needed. Distancing himself from Roman, he crossed the finish line as the runner-up.

Once up into third, Roman wasn’t able to keep the pace of his teammate. Managing a comfortable gap over Walker in fourth, the Spaniard did enough to take third and claim his first podium result of the season.

After a solid start, Walker just missed out on a potential podium result with fourth, while Will Hoare completed the top five. Wade Young was sixth.

In the FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Championship supported by KLIM, it was defending champion Mitch Brightmore who took the win. The young Brit was kept honest by his younger brother Ashton, who followed him home for eighth.

After an incredible start to the 2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, round two takes place at Austria’s Red Bull Erzbergrodeo on May 30-June 2.

Chase Sexton on Salt Lake City

Chase Sexton ticked some massive boxes at the final round of the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross series, Salt Lake City, as he completed the trifecta in the 450SX class. Here, he discusses that and how his starts have improved so drastically in recent weeks.

MXGP of Galicia 2024

Anderson vs Hunter

Jason Anderson is unapologetically honest with a splash of humour and reality as he gives his view on the latest altercation with a Lawrence brother, following he and Hunter Lawrence getting into it in Salt Lake City!

Anderson made a hard pass on Hunter that left the Aussie in the deck before an annoyed Hunter went for some payback when he was being lapped and Anderson found himself in another heated discussion after the race!

Anderson said on Instagram: “Was trying to go 2 for 2 on helmet grabs last night. But on the real people / fans of our sport be hating so hard on my character based off of the 20 minute dirtbike race. Could give you more insight to my life and more interviews to persuade you I’m a good person but f**k that,, that ain’t me.

“On the track I try my hardest and i don’t take sh*t from nobody so if the sport needs a villain then f**k it I’ll play that character. But for me I leave the race with close ones crush some beers get a little fried to celebrate a healthy season and the successes we had! For the supporters you know who you are no tag needed.”

Is Jett the Future?

Just 20 years old,Jett Lawrence is only the third rider to secure the premier-class Supercross crown in his rookie season. He also earned the AMA 450SX Rookie of the Year award. Lawrence kicked off the year with a win at Anaheim 1, becoming the first rider to win in his premier-class debut. He added victories in Detroit, Daytona, Birmingham, Indianapolis, Nashville, Philadelphia and Denver. (By comparison, the next-winningest rider scored four victories.) Lawrence collected additional podium finishes in Glendale and Seattle. Over the course of the season, he was the top qualifier at nine rounds, and he earned eight heat-race wins. (He and his brother/teammate Hunter Lawrence swept the 450SX heat-race wins in Seattle and Nashville, becoming the only sibling pairing ever to do so, and in Denver they notched a historic 1-2 finish in the main event.) At eight of the 14 non-Triple Crown rounds, Jett turned in the fastest main-event lap time. Congrats on an incredible season, Jett!

Hampshire's Future

Gradual transition into premier class the ideal scenario next season.

Image: Align Media.

The intention is for newly-crowned 250SX West champion RJ Hampshire to defend his title in 2025 as part of a unique plan that would see him gradually transition into the premier class next season. That’s the scenario that he hinted at after clinching in Salt Lake City on Saturday night.

Hampshire signed a contract extension with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing mid-last year to remain in the 250 class through 2024-2025, but is in the prime of his career at 28 years of age and following almost a decade in the lower tier.

Winning the title after defeating Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) in the 250SX East/West Showdown – the duo entering the Monster Energy Supercross finals tied on points – came as a significant result for Hampshire, which could instead prompt a promotion into Husqvarna’s premier class program as soon as next year. The value in defending with the number one plate in 250SX West is an opportunity the brand likely won’t want to pass on, however, that case could result in Hampshire entering an FC 450 on the east coast before going full-time outdoors.

“Now’s a good time to talk about an extension…” Hampshire commented after finishing P2 in the Utah main event. “What I want, I think will happen, my plan is I want to spend all off-season on a 450, train like I’m going racing on a 450, defend next year west coast on a 250, race the opposite coast on a 450, and then make my debut full-time outdoors next year.”

The 2022 Pro Motocross season almost saw Hampshire fill in on the 450 before a late decision saw him remain in the 250MX class on that occasion, while a one-off ride at the Daytona Supercross in 2023 saw him win his heat race and finish eighth in the main event. His achievements in 250SX include finishing runner-up to Jett Lawrence in both 2022 (east) and 2023 (west) prior to executing for the title this year.

Hampshire’s title is Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s first in Supercross since Jason Anderson won the 2018 450SX championship and Zach Osborne claimed back-to-back 250SX East championships in 2017-2018. Osborne also went on to earn the 2020 450MX national championship, which was the team’s most recent professional MX/SX title in the United States prior to Hampshire’s success.

“Everybody has their own story, and I was determined to write my own and to have a championship and be part of that,” he reflected. “It’s truly special. I’ve had so many ups, so many downs, and still have people that just believe in me. I’ve always worked hard my entire life just to be in this position and to have the team.

“My group is small, but they’re the best guys that I could ask for, and that just goes to show that it definitely plays a big role in my results and how I am each weekend. Just how the vibes are around the team, and like I said, I would not change my group. Just a massive thanks to everyone that has been involved and been part of this story.”

Malcolm Stewart is in the first of a two-year contract to remain at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna through 2025, while this year marks Christian Craig’s final term of his 2023-2024 deal that’s largely been affected by injury. It’s unclear if he will be provided a career lifeline of sorts into next season.