The FIM Motocross World Championship was in Loket for the MXGP of Czech Republic but crowning champions are the classes of EMX85 and EMX65 along with the Czech round of EMX300 presented by FMF Racing. Taking the title as 2018 European Champion was Camden Mc Lellan in EMX85 and Brando Rispoli in EMX65 while Mike Kras won the Czech round of EMX300 presented by FMF Racing.
The Loket circuit provided epic conditions for the riders with overnight rain watering the track perfectly. The EMX classes took advantage of the conditions with amazing racing in front of the thousands of motocross fans lining the massive hillsides. Racing was over two days, with the first action being completed yesterday, while today hosted the deciding races of all three classes.
Photo: From left to right: FIM Europe President Wolfgang Srb, EMX65 Champion Brando Rispoli, EMX85 champion Camden Mc Lellan, Youthstream Vice President David Luongo
One of the best classes to watch this weekend was the little 65cc rippers as they battled among the monstrous hillsides of Loket. 40 riders made the trip after qualifying through various regional races in Europe.
A fast start from Brando Rispoli led the field of small wheeled 2 strokes in race 1 but the #411 of Damian Knuiman from the Netherlands made a pair of passes to move from third into the top spot. Jakob Madsenfrom Denmark was the rider between Rispoli and Knuiman after the start but he dropped to third once the lead changed.
Rispoli was running in second but fell and rejoined in 6th giving Madsen 2nd back briefly. Working his up from 8th on the first lap to pass Madsen for 2nd was Slovenian Jaka Peklaj. Bradley Mesters from the Netherlands was 4th most of the race and held off Rispoli on the last two laps. At the finish of race 1 Knuiman topped Peklaj, Madsen, Mesters, and Rispoli.
Race 2 hosted another strong start from Rispoli as he led fellow Italian Alessandro Gaspari. Madsen was 3rdand KTM Silver Action’s Jan Janout from the Czech Republic was 4th. Sweden’s Anton Isaksson was in the top five before Mesters made pass with 3 laps to go.
Rispoli won the race ahead of Gaspari, Madsen, Janout, and Mesters. Rispoli’s race win gave him just enough points to take the overall and be crowned the 2018 EMX65 Champion! Taking a close second was Madsen with only 1 point less while third went to Knuiman.
The final EMX title to be decided this weekend was with the slightly larger and older EMX85 riders. The class was also filled with 40 riders and stacked with young talent and aspiring champions.
Race 1 was led by Kays Karssemakers on lap 1 with Liam Everts in 2nd and Raul Sanchez Garcia running 3rd. Garcia took the lead on lap 2 after Karsemakers fell to 9th. Germany’s Constantin Piller moved up to third while KTM Kosak Racing’s Camden Mc Lellan was fighting forward from 8th.
On lap 5 Everts took the lead but Garcia took it back the next time around. Clearly on a mission was South Africa’s Mc Lellan as he took the lead only a lap later. Mc Lellan was impressive as it only took him 7 laps to gain 7 positions.
Everts again went after Garcia with 4 laps to go and this time made a pass stick for second. At the finish Mc Lellan won ahead of Everts, Garcia, Piller, and Karssemakers.
Race 2 was dominated by Kay De Wolf who led every lap recorded but the championship deciding action was behind him. Karssemakers was 3rd on lap one but passed Italy’s Valerio Lata on lap 2 and held second for 2 laps before Mc Lellan took the position after running 5th on lap one.
Everts was back around mid-pack on the start but came across the first official lap in 9th. Everts methodically picked his way through the field to take fourth from JD Gunnex KTM Racing Team’s Radek Vetrovsky with only two laps remaining.
De Wolf held on to win the race with Mc Lellan second and Karssemakers third. The overall and 2018 EMX85 title went to Camden Mc Lellan with Kay De Wolf second and Liam Everts reaching the podium.
