In addition to the World Championship classes of MXGP, MX2, and WMX this weekend the 125cc two-stroke of EMX125 presented by FMF Racing ripped around the Dutch circuit of Valkenswaard. The fastest and most consistent of all proved to be Maddii Racing Husqvarna’s Mattia Guadagnini.
Spring weather combined with the ring and premix of two strokes invoked some of the most unique racing all weekend. The FIM Europe Championship is one of the most competitive and popular in the world hosting 100 entries through two days of racing.
With the entries capped at 100 even more attempted to take part but through two groups of timed qualifying sessions on Saturday the field was trimmed down to a 40-man gate stacked with competition.
The 125cc riders started their fight through the deep and challenging sand of Valkenswaard for the first race Saturday. Taking the lead from the first lap was Guadagnini while Team VRT’s Tom Guyon from France gave pursuit. The #912 of RFX KTM Racing’s Joel Rizzi ran 3rd, RFME MX Junior Team’s Orio Oliver was 4th, and A1M Husqvarna’s Jorgen Matthias Talviku held 5th.
As the racing reached it’s 6th lap Guyon fell out of 2nd and back to 7th which moved Rizzi into the runner up position. 4 laps later Oliver took 2nd from the German but then Rizzi fought back holding on for another 3 laps until Talviku made it past both.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf was battling for a top 5 throughout race 1 starting 6th then running in 4th before eventually finishing 5th. Guadagnini took the race win after leading every one of the 14 laps with Talviku finishing 2nd and Rizzi 3rd.
This morning Valkenswaard hosted Race 2 just prior to the first MX2 and MXGP Races where De Wolf kickstarted the action leading Rizzi, Talviku, Guyon, and Oliver. Race 1 winner Guadagnini was back outside of the top 5 as the second race started.
Guyon was the one making moves forward however and after starting in fourth his road to the lead was short yet challenging. The first 6 laps Guyon looked for a way past Talviku and both gained a spot when Rizzi dropped out of contention due to a mechanical issue.
When Guyon finally found a way past the process started all over again as the Frenchman spent another 6 laps searching for a move to get past De Wolf and into the lead. With only 2 laps remaining Guyon found the position he was looking for at the front of the pack which he held for the race win. De Wolf stayed second ahead of Talviku, Guadagnini, and Oliver.
In the overall classification it was Guadagnini’s 1-4 that earned the win while Talviku took 2nd and Guyon beat out De Wolf by only one point for the final podium spot! Guadagnini also takes the first EMX125 presented by FMF Racing red plate of 2019 as the championship will now head to his home round of Trentino, Italy next week.
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Husqvarna), 29:33.564; 2. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, Husqvarna), +0:18.504; 3. Joel Rizzi (GBR, KTM), +0:20.491; 4. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:22.052; 5. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:23.129; 6. Kjell Verbruggen (NED, Husqvarna), +0:24.242; 7. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), +0:29.100; 8. Max Palsson (SWE, KTM), +0:46.761; 9. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), +1:04.343; 10. Florian Miot (FRA, Yamaha), +1:04.942.
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 30:08.811; 2. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:01.038; 3. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, Husqvarna), +0:03.653; 4. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:05.709; 5. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), +0:08.459; 6. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), +0:19.924; 7. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), +0:38.339; 8. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA, KTM), +0:39.467; 9. Rasmus Pedersen (DEN, KTM), +0:47.521; 10. Eddie Jay Wade (GBR, KTM), +0:53.018.
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Overall Top Ten: 1. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 43 points; 2. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, HUS), 42 p.; 3. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 39 p.; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 38 p.; 5. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 34 p.; 6. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 26 p.; 7. Max Palsson (SWE, KTM), 21 p.; 8. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 20 p.; 9. Joel Rizzi (GBR, KTM), 20 p.; 10. Alessandro Facca (ITA, KTM), 17 p.
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing ChampionshipTop Ten: 1. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, HUS), 43 points; 2. Jorgen-Matthias Talviku (EST, HUS), 42 p.; 3. Tom Guyon (FRA, KTM), 39 p.; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 38 p.; 5. Oriol Oliver (ESP, KTM), 34 p.; 6. Mike Gwerder (SUI, KTM), 26 p.; 7. Max Palsson (SWE, KTM), 21 p.; 8. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, KTM), 20 p.; 9. Joel Rizzi (GBR, KTM), 20 p.; 10. Alessandro Facca (ITA, KTM), 17 p.
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Manufacturers: 1. Husqvarna, 47 points; 2. KTM, 45 p.; 3. Yamaha, 14 p.
The next Round of the 2018 EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championship will take place in 1-week time in Pietramurata, Trentino together with the second round of the EMX250 class.
