The seventh round of the Motocross World Championship brought the world’s elite riders to the traditional hard-pack circuit in Teutschenthal, Germany. Osička MX Team was represented by Julius Mikula in the MX2 class and Václav Janout in the EMX250 European Championship. While Saturday featured sunny weather and summer-like temperatures, Sunday’s program was heavily affected by rain and challenging track conditions.
Mikula Opened the Weekend with a Point-Scoring Qualifying Race
In the MX2 class, riders took part in free practice and timed practice on Saturday before lining up for the qualifying race, where the top ten finishers earned points toward the Motocross World Championship standings.
Julius Mikula spent most of the race running just inside the top ten. Midway through the qualifying race, he moved into ninth place and maintained the position all the way to the finish. His performance earned him his first two championship points of the weekend.
Janout Qualified from a 54-Rider EMX250 Field
The EMX250 European Championship attracted a total of 54 riders to Teutschenthal. Qualification for the main races was determined by timed practice sessions divided into two groups.
Václav Janout set the 14th fastest time in his group, comfortably securing his place on the starting gate. Race 1 was held on Saturday afternoon. Following a difficult start and several battles for position, Janout crossed the finish line in 28th place.
“I’ve completed another EMX250 round, this time in Germany. I finished 14th in my qualifying group. In Race 1, I got a poor start and tried to work my way forward, but I couldn’t find any rhythm or good lines on the track. In the end, I finished 28th,” said Janout.
Rain and a Mechanical Issue Brought Janout’s Weekend to an Early End
The second EMX250 race awaited the riders on Sunday morning. Shortly before the start, heavy rain swept across the track, quickly turning the circuit into a muddy battlefield.
Janout’s race, however, ended prematurely. On the second lap, following contact with another rider, a technical issue with his bike forced him to retire and brought his weekend to an early conclusion.
“It started raining just before the start of Race 2, and on the second lap I had to retire due to a technical issue. Unfortunately, luck hasn’t been on my side in the last few races. Thanks to the team and my family for their support,” Janout added.
PHOTO: Daniele Barreca
Mikula Battled for Another Top-Ten Finish
Sunday afternoon belonged to the premier MXGP and MX2 classes. Riders faced a soaked circuit filled with deep ruts, putting both their riding skills and physical fitness to the test.
In Race 1, Julius Mikula spent most of the race among the top ten riders. Although two crashes slowed him in the challenging conditions, he still fought his way to a strong ninth-place finish.
He lined up for Race 2 determined to build on that result. For much of the race, he was locked in a battle with French rider Graue, who successfully resisted his attacks for several laps. Just as Mikula finally moved into ninth place, he crashed on the landing of one of the larger jumps. He was subsequently examined by the medical team, who fortunately ruled out any serious injury. However, the incident brought both his race and his weekend to an end.
“It wasn’t a bad weekend. I finished ninth in the qualifying race and repeated that result in Race 1. Unfortunately, I crashed in Race 2, was briefly unconscious and had to undergo medical examinations at the hospital. Thankfully, everything seems to be fine, so now we’ll see how the recovery goes. I’m disappointed with the way the weekend ended, but that’s part of our sport. Thanks to everyone for the support,” said Julius Mikula.
Overall, Julius Mikula finished 14th at the German Grand Prix. In the MX2 World Championship standings, he remains inside the top ten.
Martin Osička: Better Results Will Come Again
The mood within Osička MX Team after the weekend was mixed. Team owner Martin Osička reflected on the German Grand Prix:
“Of course, we arrived in Germany with higher ambitions. Julius showed good speed and proved he could compete with the front runners, but unfortunately his weekend was cut short by a crash in Race 2. Václav, meanwhile, was prevented from achieving a better result by a technical issue. That’s motocross. The positive news is that Julius escaped without any serious injury, and both riders still have many races ahead of them. The season is long, and I believe better results will come again.”
Photocredit – Daniele Barreca
