The Norman KTM Factory Juniors Team enjoyed an outstanding weekend during the EMX125 round of the MXGP of Latvia in Kegums. Thanks to a victory by Moritz Ernecker and a third-place finish by Ricardo Bauer, both riders secured a spot on the overall podium.
Ernecker started the weekend strongly by setting the fastest time in Group A during qualifying practice. This earned the Austrian rider first gate pick for the races.
In the opening moto, Ernecker delivered a strong and consistent performance. The KTM rider held second place throughout the race and crossed the finish line just 0.7 seconds behind the winner. That victory went to his teammate Ricardo Bauer.
Bauer had been the fastest rider by a considerable margin in his practice group and carried that form into the first moto. He grabbed the holeshot and never relinquished the lead throughout the race, giving the team victory in the opening moto.
The roles were reversed in the second moto. Ernecker took the holeshot and then rode a flawless race. Leading from start to finish, he secured a convincing moto win and with it the overall victory for the weekend.
For Bauer, the second moto proved more challenging. After starting around tenth position, he worked his way up to eighth place. A small mistake, however, dropped him back to twelfth. In the closing stages of the race, he fought back to finish ninth, which was enough to secure third place overall.
With Ernecker taking the overall victory and Bauer finishing third, the Norman KTM Factory Juniors Team can once again look back on a highly successful weekend in Latvia. The team also strengthened its position in the championship standings, extending its advantage over the rider currently holding third place in the series.
The next round of the EMX125 Championship is scheduled for June 27 and 28 in Águeda, Portugal.
