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Flashback: Ferrandis’ brilliance at Budds Creek in 2021

Key moment in 2021 MX title race.

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Relentless, dominant and dogged were all apt words to describe Dylan Ferrandis’ incredible AMA Pro Motocross title triumph in 2021.


Words: Edward Stratmann | Lead Image: Align Media


In a campaign that was filled with highlights, and one which saw him become just the eighth rider in history to reign victorious in his first season in the AMA’s premier category and the second Frenchman to win a premier class Pro Motocross crown while also giving Yamaha its first 450 Class championship since 2007, there was no stopping the irrepressible maestro.

Winning a remarkable six overalls, finishing on the podium in every round, bagging eight moto wins and claiming podium finishes in every moto bar two, this further demonstrated the ascendancy he enjoyed over the stacked field on his way to securing the crown by a whopping 73 points over Eli Tomac.

The fact his worst moto placing was fifth (twice) served as extra testament to the slow starting dynamo’s consistency, speed and ability to scorch through the pack throughout his rookie outdoor term on the 450.

In a season that was overflowing with memorable rides, his special display at Budds Creek certainly caught the eye, with his 2-1 to secure the overall and outlast championship rival Ken Roczen acting as a key turning point.

With the German superstar winning the previous round to gain back some momentum, Ferrandis was well aware how important it was to reassert himself, which was precisely what he did.

Despite beginning the opening moto poorly to find himself back in sixth, which allowed the fast starting Roczen to blast to an early lead, Ferrandis remained calm, as he patiently settled into his rhythm.

Quickly moving into fifth in the early exchanges, next on his agenda was bridging the gap to Chase Sexton, Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb and Roczen, with the latter scorching out to a hefty eight second lead five minutes in.

Maintaining his composure while he continued to methodically adapt to the humid, sweltering conditions, which the move to Florida clearly helped him with, and the rugged track, it wasn’t long before he began to lay the hammer down.

Astutely assessing the track, the lines on offer and what his fellow competitors were doing, he made short work of Webb with a clinical move down the inside.

Navigating the surface shrewdly and growing in confidence, it was impressive seeing him charge the downhills, negotiate the long, sketchy ruts and piece the many challenging sections together coherently.

Carrying fantastic speed into, and through, the rollers, this was where he eventually got Tomac with an aggressive lunge that was all commitment, knowing he couldn’t waste any more time battling as Roczen had surged out to a 14 second lead by the midway point.

Immediately setting his sights on Sexton, who was five seconds ahead, he then embarked on one of his trademark charges in the second half of the race. Laying down a series of heaters and going two seconds a lap faster than the duo ahead, Ferrandis gradually ate into the deficit, before eventually getting by the Honda hotshot with three laps to go after a backmarker impeded him.

While it appeared Roczen had victory in the bag, as he was leading by roughly five seconds with two to go, the supremely fit, mentally strong and never one to give up Star Racing Yamaha man had other ideas, with him putting on an almighty charge to get within 1.5s on the final lap.

Although he came close to replicating the assertive pass he put on Tomac near the death, a visibly frustrated Ferrandis, who mentioned afterwards how the lappers didn’t respect the blue flag, had to be content with second.

Heading to the gate fired up and ready for action in the second moto, he would’ve been delighted to get a much improved start to propel him into third in the early running.

Wanting to catch Roczen, who jumped out to another scintillating start to lead instantly, before he got away, this proved an impossible task at the time due to him being embroiled in a feisty duel with Webb and Sexton.

The latter then blasted by him to drop him back to fourth, leaving him with a tough challenge ahead to get to the front once more. Undeterred by this early setback, he regrouped rapidly, eager to make headway in his quest for victory.

Excelling all day in the waves (or rollers), it was unsurprising Webb was his latest victim here, with him sticking a pass on the Red Bull KTM rider six minutes in.

Progressing steadily and riding with a nice blend of power and finesse, there was a lot to like about how he managed the situation, for he kept in control and didn’t do anything silly.

Catching Sexton and Roczen halfway through, a four way battle royale for supremacy then ensued, as Tomac joined the party too.

Ferrandis then made yet another powermove in the rollers to overtake Sexton, thus meaning just Roczen was all that stood between him and a coveted overall win.

Weighing things up wisely while he waited for his moment to pounce, it was a joy watching these two elite operators going toe-to-toe in a battle royale. To his credit, though, Roczen responded sternly by putting in some wicked laps to keep his adversary at bay.

Ferrandis wouldn’t be denied, however, for after making a failed attempt on Henry Hill, he got the job done two corners later to take over at the front with eight minutes on the clock.

Pulling the pin and checking out emphatically in the following laps, this gave him the separation he needed to withstand Roczen’s admirable late rally to record the victory he craved to secure first overall.

Even though he and Roczen were level on points on the day, there was no questioning what a statement showing this was, as he laid down an emphatic marker to his title adversary.

Going on to claim the title with some more outstanding rides in the following rounds, it was interesting to hear Ferrandis reflect on the importance of his masterclass at Budds Creek, stating: “Budds Creek was one of the best races of my career.

“First moto I was able to come back from behind and pass all the best guys in the sport. Like I said, I had to dig so deep to get this overall. I was just so stoked on it. That day, physically I felt invincible. I was just at the peak of my season, maybe. I don’t know. That day I was just on a cloud, like I was flying. That was such a good feeling.”

Having left France in 2017 to fulfill his ambitions of racing supercross in America, this race, as part of his magnificent season, served as further vindication the former two-time 250SX and one time 250MX champ made the right decision.

Known for his ferociously driven and competitive nature and for leaving no stone unturned in his preparation, all his hard work and sacrifice unquestionably paid off for that spectacular 2021 title.

Features

Stat Attack: Indianapolis Supercross Review

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With the tenth round of AMA Supercross in the books, statistics maestro Paul Pearcy has provided MX Vice with some brilliant numbers to tuck into from what was a great night of action. Enjoy

250 Class

Qualifying

  • Top 3
  1. Max Anstie: 49.492
  2. Tom Vialle: 49.492; (Max got top spot because his time came in the first session, while Tom’s time came in the second session)
  3. Pierce Brown: 49.719

LCQ

  • Top 3
  1. Jeremy Martin
  2. Ryder Floyd
  3. Hardy Munoz
  • Laps Led
  1. Jeremy Martin: 5
  2. Hardy Munoz: 2
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Jeremy Martin: 52.413
  2. Preston Boespflug: 53.150
  3. Gage Linville: 53.549
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Jeremy Martin: 53.655
  2. Preston Boespflug: 54.259
  3. Ryder Floyd: 54.373

Race 1

  • Top 3
  1. Cameron Mcadoo
  2. Haiden Deegan
  3. Seth Hammaker
  • Laps Led
  1. Cameron Mcadoo: 12
  2. Daxton Bennick: 1
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Haiden Deegan: 49.561
  2. Tom Vialle: 49.660
  3. Cameron Mcadoo: 49.854
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Cameron Mcadoo: 50.830
  2. Haiden Deegan: 51.086
  3. Seth Hammaker: 51.907
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Preston Boespflug: 2.970
  2. Cameron Mcadoo: 3.184
  3. Jalek Swoll: 3.287

Race 2

  • Top 3
  1. Haiden Deegan
  2. Cameron Mcadoo
  3. Tom Vialle
  • Laps Led
  1. Haiden Deegan: 12
  2. Jalek Swoll: 1
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Haiden Deegan: 49.493
  2. Tom Vialle: 50.690
  3. Pierce Brown: 50.868
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Haiden Deegan: 51.522
  2. Cameron Mcadoo: 52.214
  3. Tom Vialle: 52.580
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Jeremy Hand: 2.040
  2. Coty Schock: 2.315
  3. Max Anstie: 2.634

Race 3

  • Top 3
  1. Tom Vialle
  2. Pierce Brown
  3. Cameron Mcadoo
  • Laps Led
  1. Tom Vialle: 13
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Tom Vialle: 49.844
  2. Chance Hymas: 50.020
  3. Cameron Mcadoo: 50.175
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Tom Vialle: 51.493
  2. Pierce Brown: 51.563
  3. Haiden Deegan: 51.892
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Marshal Weltin: 1.984
  2. Seth Hammaker: 1.997
  3. Nick Romano: 2.233

Overall

  • Top 3
  1. Cameron Mcadoo; (1st win of the season, 80% podium rate this year)
  2. Tom Vialle; (80% podium rate this year)
  3. Haiden Deegan; (40% podium rate this season)
  • Laps Led
  1. Tom Vialle: 13; (Tom is now tied with Austin Forkner for most laps led this season at 37.  34% of total laps raced)
  2. Cameron Mcadoo: 12
  3. Haiden Deegan: 12
  4. Jalek Swoll: 1
  5. Daxton Bennick: 1
  • Best First Lap Position Average
  1. Tom Vialle: 3rd 
  2. Cameron Mcadoo: 3.333
  3. Jalek Swoll: 4th 

Points

  • Top 10
  1. Cameron Mcadoo: 98
  2. Tom Vialle: 96
  3. Pierce Brown: 87
  4. Haiden Deegan: 82
  5. Coty Schock: 79
  6. Seth Hammaker: 72
  7. Daxton Bennick: 71
  8. Max Anstie: 62
  9. Chance Hymas: 60
  10. Jalek Swoll: 58

450 Class

Qualifying

  • Top 3
  1. Jett Lawrence: 48.523
  2. Eli Tomac: 48.554
  3. Cooper Webb: 48.568; (The difference between 1st and 3rd was .045 seconds.)

LCQ

  • Top 3
  1. Kyle Chisholm
  2. Justin Starling
  3. Devin Simonson
  • Laps Led
  1. Kyle Chisholm: 7
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Ty Masterpool: 52.415
  2. Kyle Chisholm: 52.810
  3. Freddie Noren: 53.248
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Kyle Chisholm: 54.223
  2. Ryan Breece: 54.271
  3. Freddie Noren: 54.390

Race 1

  • Top 3
  1. Jett Lawrence
  2. Ken Roczen
  3. Chase Sexton
  • Laps Led
  1. Jett Lawrence: 10
  2. Ken Roczen: 6
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Jett Lawrence: 48.639
  2. Ken Roczen: 49.225
  3. Cooper Webb: 49.581
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Jett Lawrence: 51.023
  2. Cooper Webb: 51.383
  3. Ken Roczen: 51.402
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Aaron Plessinger: 2.774
  2. Eli Tomac: 3.095
  3. Chase Sexton: 3.785

Race 2

  • Top 3
  1. Jett Lawrence
  2. Ken Roczen
  3. Chase Sexton
  • Laps Led
  1. Jett Lawrence: 10
  2. Ken Roczen: 6
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Jett Lawrence: 49.499
  2. Ken Roczen: 49.713
  3. Chase Sexton: 49.849
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Jett Lawrence: 50.735
  2. Chase Sexton: 50.884
  3. Ken Roczen: 50.908 (That’s a difference of .173 in average lap times over 16 laps)
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Ken Roczen: 2.537
  2. Malcolm Stewart: 2.641
  3. Chase Sexton: 2.676

Race 3

  • Top 3
  1. Jett Lawrence
  2. Chase Sexton 
  3. Ken Roczen
  • Laps Led
  1. Ken Roczen: 10
  2. Jett Lawrence: 6
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Ken Roczen: 49.131
  2. Chase Sexton: 49.284
  3. Jett Lawrence: 49.314
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Jett Lawrence: 50.477
  2. Chase Sexton: 50.483
  3. Cooper Webb: 50.594; (That’s a difference of .117 in average lap times over 16 laps)
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Chase Sexton: 2.528
  2. Cooper Webb: 2.885
  3. Jason Anderson: 3.079

Overall

  • Top 3
  1. Jett Lawrence; (The only other person to have a perfect sweep at a triple crown was Ken Roczen in 2020 also on a Honda.  Jett has now won 50% of the races this season, with a 60% podium rate)
  2. Ken Roczen; (Ken has a 50% podium rate this year)
  3. Chase Sexton; (Chase has a 50% podium rate this year)
  • Laps Led
  1. Jett Lawrence: 26; (Jett now has 130 laps led, 50.7% of total laps)
  2. Ken Roczen: 22; (Ken has the second most laps led at 49, Just 19% of total laps)
  • Best First Lap Position Average
  1. Ken Roczen: 1st 
  2. Jett Lawrence: 2nd 
  3. Jason Anderson: 4th 

Points

  • Top 10
  1. Jett Lawrence: 210
  2. Cooper Webb: 189
  3. Chase Sexton: 185
  4. Ken Roczen: 175
  5. Eli Tomac: 174
  6. Jason Anderson: 165
  7. Aaron Plessinger: 162
  8. Justin Cooper: 120
  9. Justin Barcia: 109
  10. Dylan Ferrandis: 107

Lead Image: HRC

Love what we do? Please read this article as we try to raise £30,000.

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British MX Nationals

Thank you. It’s been a hell of a ride.

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Since buying back MX Vice in November 2019, it has been challenging. One of those crystal balls would have been handy for navigating some problematic situations. Who would have thought COVID-19 would be a thing?

Those who follow MX Vice know we started from nothing but an idea. A fan who loved the sport created a Facebook page, website, and social media presence that would become disruptive. It has made numerous talented media people who were allowed to run with it for over thirteen years. Being in the UK/Europe has always been difficult; I’ve always believed that if we were a US media company, we would have been embraced and appreciated for our work ethic and the content we produce. We always cast one eye over the US in Europe, and you can’t blame the top European riders for doing the same.

MX Vice has always tried to give people a voice, especially the riders who are not in the limelight and the teams that put so much into the sport. We love people’s passion and sacrifice to improve and challenge themselves. That, for me, was the natural pull, not the money but the passion and sacrifice. We all know we would not be in motocross if it were about the money. I always considered MX Vice the media version of Steve Dixon’s team in MXGP (which I have a huge amount of respect for), where we have always tried to challenge without the factory budgets.

We knew it would be tough this year with so many businesses and brands cutting marketing budgets and reducing costs; this was never going to be good for us. We have just had two incredible months of stats, with January and February bringing in over 1 million people to the website, which is quite bittersweet. As much as the funds are low, so is my energy and health. COVID impacted me more than I could ever envisaged. My health has deteriorated ever since I caught COVID; my immune system is not in a great place, and when I try and work to the standard I set myself, my body breaks on me, and it takes me days to recover. Ed Stratmann has been a revelation since he took the editorial reigns and has pushed MX Vice to new heights, which is incredible given the lack of resources he has had to work with and support from myself. I have been missing from the podcast show to reduce my time, as I am now self-employed and working for two companies to pay the bills.

Every journey ends, and that’s not what we want. Over the past 13 years, we have given it everything, leaving no stone unturned. We’re proud of how we have disrupted, challenged decisions, held organisations accountable, and illuminated incredible stories.

We will have an auction for signed shirts donated by riders, podcast equipment, and memorabilia to pay off the invoices of some contributors. If, however, you want to see MX Vice continue, you can donate here: https://ko-fi.com/mxvice or purchase a shirt or memorabilia. If we meet our target of £25,000, which is currently outstanding to run this year, then Ed and I will continue. However, we fully expect this won’t happen due to the large sum required.

It’s hard out there at the moment. Take care of your health and family, and never lose your passion for the most fantastic sport in the world.

Burf.

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Features

Lit Kit Gallery: MXGP of Patagonia – Argentina

The best from round 1.

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Check out some of the freshest fits, helmets and more from the MXGP of Patagonia – Argentina. Lead Image: Nestaan Husqvarna – Full Spectrum.

Photo credits: Red Bull KTM – Ray Archer / Nestaan Husqvarna – Full Spectrum / Yamaha MXGP – Full Spectrum + Eva Szabadfi / JM Honda / Kawasaki MXGP / Fantic MXGP / Yamaha MX2 – Full Spectrum / HRC MXGP / GasGas – Juan Pablo Acevedo


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