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Dutch Masters

Race Report: Axel

A round-up of all the action from Axel.

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The re-badged Open Dutch Motocross Championship, now the Dutch Masters of Motocross, got underway in perfect sunny conditions in Axel, Zeeland this past weekend. In MX1 victory went to the on-form Evgeny Bobryshev. The Honda factory rider was joined on the podium by Scandinavian duo Filip Bengtsson and Harri Kullas. Admittedly this is not exactly the trio everyone was expecting to see on the podium, despite the fact that they are crafty in the sand. Jeffrey Herlings was once again in a league of his own in MX2, simply crushing the competition.

As a sampler before the first sand GP of the season, Axel provided the jetset of world motocross with the perfect preparation for Valkenswaard. The opening round of the Belgian championship will take place in nearby Moerbeke, only ten minutes from Axel, but is handicapped by its layout being a once-a-year event on a temporary track in a field. The perfect recipe for the most unpredictable of soils. So, what did we take away from Axel?

MX2

The Bullet will be chasing his fiftieth GP win in Valkenswaard and at this point it seems very foolish indeed to bet against him. We can only imagine what it must feel like to be Jeffrey Herlings in a field like this, but being ‘on fire’ on your favourite MX game must come pretty close! Herlings ran away to cross the line with a one minute advantage at his first attempt. Race two saw him lapping up to fifth place with a one minute and forty-six second advantage over Tonkov and one minute fifty-six over Max Anstie, who finished fourth. To put that just-under-two minutes gap into perspective – that’s the time it takes the average reader to reach this sentence from the start of our race report!

Aleksandr Tonkov rode his own pace, netting two solid second places on his way to second overall. Factory Suzuki’s Jeremy Seewer needed some time to get into his groove after the two hard pack events that started the GP season. With some crucial training sessions before Valkenswaard, Seewer should be ready to go.

His Dutch teammate Bas Vaessen was unsurprisingly pretty fast as well. True to form Vaessen was impatient at times, but in the rougher second race he showed what he’s capable of with an impressive fifth place. Benoit Paturel didn’t have the best of days, but still managed fourth overall with a fifth and a sixth. Petar Petrov (factory Kawasaki) and Brent van Doninck  both confirmed their pace in the sand, although their overall results suffered from technical gremlins.

Axel not only served as a yardstick for the GP crowd. Reigning European MX2 champion Nick Kouwenberg decided last minute to focus his efforts on practice and testing. It shows the pressure ‘Kouwy’ is feeling to catch up after an injury-marred AMA Supercross adventure earlier this year. Judging what the EMX250 kids, even when they’re not traditional sand specialists, dished up in Axel the level will again be mighty this season.

Aussie teenage sensation Hunter Lawrence (seventh overall) made his mark and so did Kemea Yamaha’s Maxime Renaux. The young Frenchie only made his transition to the 250F this winter, but sure enough the writing’s on the wall. Renaux could be a contender for the EMX250 title.

MX1

Nursing a rib injury and suffering discomfort in training, Glenn Coldenhoff decided to sit out Axel. Coldenhoff will have two valuable weeks before his home GP to regroup. While factory riders and a happy few privateers made it to Qatar and Thailand a buch of other fast guys will be joining them in two weeks time. Filip Bengtsson showed that there’s still plenty of quality outside of the full-time ranks.

Fast as ever in the sand, the likeable Swede was consistent and pretty comfortable on his Castrol Suzuki. With two holeshots his starts were on point as well. Harri Kullas (Sarholz-KTM) rode smart and calculated well beyond what you might have expected, given his fairly limited 450 experience. Italian hardman David Phillipaerts, not in action overseas, took it easy cruising to sixth overall.

Just for one moment Bengtsson seemed to be able to challenge Bobryshev when the latter had made a mistake in the second moto. It must have been the only time Bobby put a wheel wrong, because the former Dutch MX1 champ not only regained composure he seemingly rode on rails all day long. The big Russian has finished on the podium once in Valkenswaard, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see him at least on the box again.

On his day Ben Townley has been as fast as anyone in Valkenswaard, spiced up with massive whips for kicks. BT’s first moto didn’t hint at that kind of dominance, but it was a good performance. In stark contrast was a frustrating DNF in moto two. Teammate Kevin Strijbos would rather forget about his Dutch expedition altogether. The Belgian veteran struggled with bike setup in the first moto and pulled out in the second sprint.

Husqvarna’s Christophe Charlier is no stranger to the Axel circuit. The Corsican put in a decent run;  8-4 for fourth overall while coping with the effects of his pre-season leg injuries. A remarkably large contingent of two-strokes lined up, which highlighted both their renaissance in general and the upcoming start of the EMX300 series in Valkenswaard. Comeback was the word of the day for Lewis Gregory. Lewis put his head down and rode two strong motos to claim fifteenth overall.

Whilst the organizing RES Axel club and newly appointed promoter Arno Van Den Brink could take joy in the strong turnout, the domestic level in MX1 was unfortunately quite weak. Crowd favourite Marc de Reuver crashed at the start of the opening moto. He got off to a mediocre start in the second race, but his march to the front was cut short by too many errors. Only reigning champion Williams Saris (the European Justin Barcia as of this season, thanks to his 51/Yamaha combo!), Mike Gijsbertsen and Rick Satink made the top ten.

Words: Tom Jacobs | Image: Loic Lassence

Dutch Masters

Louis Vosters and Fantic team up in 2024 for Fantic Factory Racing MXGP

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The brand new Fantic Factory Racing team in MXGP will be spearheaded by Louis Vosters whose team have had multiple race wins in MXGP during the past eight years. An exciting collaboration that will have all eyes on the team throughout the 2024 MXGP World Championship.

The team will have two exceptional riders with the experienced Glenn Coldenhoff signing a two-year contract and the new rookie of the class Roan Van de Moosdijk who has signed a one-year deal, with an option for another year. An all-Dutch contingent with the team owner and riders all being from the Netherlands, who will be looking to make their mark in 2024. The team and riders are currently testing bikes and further news on their progress and pre-season events will be announced soon.

Louis Vosters – Fantic Factory Racing MXGP Team Owner

After eight great years at Yamaha, I am really happy to start this new chapter with Fantic. The motivation, support and shared goals have made me very enthusiastic for the future.

I am very happy to continue my relationship with Glenn Coldenhoff who is an experienced and dedicated rider. Roan van de Moosdijk is one of the most exciting rookie prospects and  2024 is looking great for Fantic and myself.

A new brand, new colours and new people have ignited the excitement further. Let’s start racing!

Mariano Roman – CEO of Fantic

Fantic is truly pleased to commence this collaboration with one of the best teams in MXGP. We are sure that with the structure of Louis Vosters, we have chosen an excellent partner, who will be able to show the high potential and the efficiency of our products. Our rider line-up is the perfect combination of experience and promising talent, with Glenn Coldenhoff, who has always been between the main contenders during the last MXGP seasons, and Roan Van de Moosdijk, an extremely capable rookie in the top class. I want to take this opportunity to thank Louis for his collaboration and his incredible enthusiasm, which he is transmitting to the whole Fantic family.

Glenn Coldenhoff – Fantic Factory Racing MXGP Rider 

I am very excited to start this new chapter in my career. We will use this winter for testing and developing the bike and get ready for the new season. With the knowledge and experience of Fantic and our team, I am sure we will have an opportunity and I am looking forward to the new season.

Roan Van de Moosdijk – Fantic Factory Racing MXGP Rider

I am very happy and proud to sign with Fantic Factory Racing MXGP and the opportunity they have given me to race in the MXGP class. It’s always been my dream to ride at the highest level of motocross, and I’m very excited to do this with such a great group of people. Let’s have some great success together!

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Dutch Masters

Results: 2023 Keiheuvel International

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Find all the results from the 2023 Keiheuvel International below.

MX1 Overall

MX2 Overall

Lead Image: MXGP

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Dutch Masters

Results: Dutch Masters Of Motocross – Oldebroek

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Find all the results from the Dutch Masters of Motocross in Oldebroek below.

This page will have all of the results. The results are posted in an easy-to-view fashion, with the latest results at the very top of the page. If you do not immediately see the most recent results, hit the refresh button in the top-right corner and then the issue should be rectified.

MX1 Overall

MX2 Overall

Lead Image: Ray Archer

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