The ninth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship took place at the familiar Zelta Zirgs circuit in Kegums, Latvia. The track, known for its soft and sandy terrain, presented a slightly altered layout but remained as challenging as ever with its usual combination of soft, shallow sand and underlying clay base. The fast, bumpy, and unpredictable layout made it both physically and mentally demanding.
While the weekend was mostly sunny, a sudden deluge of rain at the end of MX2 Race One on Sunday afternoon added an extra challenge. Despite the mixed and manic weather, the standout performance was by VRT Yamaha Official EMX250’s Latvian star Karlis Reisulis, who came incredibly close to an overall victory, finishing just one point shy at his home round.
The MXGP of Latvia delivered mixed results, but the clear highlight was Karlis Reisulis’s performance at the sixth round of the EMX250 Championship. Karlis pushed hard and secured second overall at his home race, narrowly missing the overall win after Valerio Lata made a pass on the last lap. Despite this, Karlis had a fantastic weekend, demonstrating speed and strength at the front of the field.
Jarne Bervoets delivered an impressive performance in the EMX125 category, achieving his second-best result of the year. Being Belgian, he excels in the sand and managed to capitalize on this advantage. His focus and dedication throughout the weekend were evident and paid off.
In contrast, Dani Heitink and Mano Faure faced challenges. Mano, in particular, had a tough weekend, with both riders making too many mistakes that affected their results. However, these experiences are valuable learning opportunities as they adapt to the team, bike, and class. Notably, Dani showed resilience by recovering well in both races, earning valuable points. All three riders remain in the top 10 in the championship, which is encouraging with five rounds remaining.
Calvin Vlaanderen was fast all weekend, finishing fourth in the qualifying race, which was promising. However, crashes on Sunday affected his performance, resulting in a sixth-place finish. The highlight is his move into the top five in the overall standings. Our aim is to keep closing the gap to the front runners and reach the podium.
Andrea Bonacorsi put in a brave effort, especially considering his recent crash in Teutschenthal. Despite struggling with issues, he managed an impressive ninth in Race One but couldn’t finish the second race. The intensity of the MXGP calendar, with three consecutive races, adds to the challenge, and if you are not 100% fit, it is tough. Andrea will see a doctor this week, and we will decide whether he is fit to participate in Maggiora, Italy, this weekend.
In MX2, Rick Elzinga performed well despite a tough qualifying race that impacted his gate pick. He managed to finish sixth, collecting valuable points. We hope he can build on this momentum in Italy.
Next, we travel to Maggiora, Italy, for the 10th round of the championship, officially marking the halfway point. Maggiora, with its hard-pack, old-school style, and hilly terrain, offers a completely different challenge. We look forward to seeing how everyone performs, especially the VRT Yamaha Official EMX250 trio, who will be lining up in MX2 for the first time this year.
Photocredits – Fullspectrum Media
