The first results in Latvia came from the EMX250 and EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championships. New Zealander Josiah Natzke and Frenchman Brian Strubhart Moreau were the 2 crowned winners both of them for the first time in 2017 season.
Hitachi KTM UK’s Josiah Natzke took control of the first race of the 3rd round early leading every lap, creating a gap, and then cruising to a comfortable race win. Race 2 started out front but wisely settled for second to claim the overall. During today’s Press Conference he stated: “I got the holeshot in Race 1 and I had a nice gap with Jago behind me, then he went down which created a nice comfortable lead and I really don’t know what happened, I was just able to grow the lead out each lap, it was the perfect race. It’s a pretty great feeling.”
Finishing behind Natzke was the Italian Morgan Lesiardo aboard his #44 KTM. Lesiardo took second in the first race after making several passes. Then in Race 2 he would both start and finish in 3rd. The combined results gave him the 2nd overall but more importantly the points lead and the red plate.
Sahkar KTM’s Jago Geerts was battling up front in race one but eventually finished in 5th. The night to think over what could have been fueled Geerts into winning Race 2 were he passed race one and overall winner Natzke.
F&H Racing’s Ruben Fernandez was 2nd the majority of Race 1 until being passed by Lesiardo. His 3-7 results placed him 4th overall.
The last of the top 5 was Carglass Honda Racing’s Jed Beaton who rode very well in Race 2 on his way to 4th after his 8th in race one.
Last race’s winner Miro Sihvonen remains second in the championship after missing this weekend’s race due to an injury.
EMX250 Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Josiah Natzke (NZL, KTM), 31:04.176; 2. Morgan Lesiardo (ITA, KTM), +0:05.166; 3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:08.087; 4. Simone Furlotti (ITA, Yamaha), +0:14.329; 5. Jago Geerts (BEL, KTM), +0:18.799; 6. Alberto Forato (ITA, Honda), +0:22.116; 7. Zachary Pichon (FRA, Suzuki), +0:27.817; 8. Jed Beaton (AUS, Honda), +0:28.518; 9. Karlis Sabulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:33.721; 10. Ken Bengtson (SWE, Yamaha), +0:37.626.
EMX250 Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Jago Geerts (BEL, KTM), 29:36.657; 2. Josiah Natzke (NZL, KTM), +0:05.260; 3. Morgan Lesiardo (ITA, KTM), +0:08.879; 4. Jed Beaton (AUS, Honda), +0:14.346; 5. Alberto Forato (ITA, Honda), +0:22.441; 6. Ken Bengtson (SWE, Yamaha), +0:30.024; 7. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:31.346; 8. Jere Haavisto (FIN, KTM), +0:44.572; 9. Todd Kellett (GBR, Husqvarna), +0:47.446; 10. Michael Sandner (AUT, KTM), +0:58.925.
EMX250 Overall Top 10: 1. Josiah Natzke (NZL, KTM), 47 points; 2. Morgan Lesiardo (ITA, KTM), 42 p.; 3. Jago Geerts (BEL, KTM), 41 p.; 4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, KAW), 34 p.; 5. Jed Beaton (AUS, HON), 31 p.; 6. Alberto Forato (ITA, HON), 31 p.; 7. Ken Bengtson (SWE, YAM), 26 p.; 8. Simone Furlotti (ITA, YAM), 23 p.; 9. Todd Kellett (GBR, HUS), 18 p.; 10. Kim Savaste (FIN, KAW), 16 p.
EMX250 Championship Top 10: 1. Morgan Lesiardo (ITA, KTM), 112 points; 2. Miro Sihvonen (FIN, KTM), 90 p.; 3. Simone Furlotti (ITA, YAM), 86 p.; 4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, KAW), 74 p.; 5. Nick Kouwenberg (NED, YAM), 73 p.; 6. Ken Bengtson (SWE, YAM), 69 p.; 7. Karlis Sabulis (LAT, YAM), 66 p.; 8. Jago Geerts (BEL, KTM), 64 p.; 9. Alberto Forato (ITA, HON), 63 p.; 10. Jed Beaton (AUS, HON), 54 p.
EMX250 Manufacturers: 1. KTM, 143 points; 2. Yamaha, 118 p.; 3. Kawasaki, 107 p.; 4. Honda, 83 p.; 5. Husqvarna, 63 p.; 6. Suzuki, 28 p.
Hitachi KTM’s Josiah Natzke at MXGP of Latvia for the European Championship
With a massive list of entries BUD Racing Monster Energy’s Brian Strubhart Moreau was the fastest competitor this weekend after he went by Gianluca Facchetti for the race 1 win on lap 6 and did the same in race 2 to Sergi Notario. Moreau was very satisfied in today’s press conference: “I’m very happy because this is my first win in EMX125, it feels good for me to win here.”
Creymert Racing’s Kevin Horgmo took the second spot on the overall podium. Horgmo moved from 3rd to second in Race 1 and from 6th to 4th in race 2. Horgmo is also now 3rd in the points.
Jezyk Racing Team’s Sergi Notario rebounded from a 10th in Race 1 to 2nd in Race 2. Notario took 4th in both Valkenswaard races and his 3rd overall here in Latvia positions him 4th in the championship standings.
Yamaha Europe EMX125’s Thibault Benistant became the second French rider in the top five with 4th overall thanks to his consistent 5-5 finishes.
Isaak Gifting took the remaining top five spot in the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing overall classification also due to his consistency. Gifting finished 6-6 for 5th overall and a combined 30 points out the 50 possible.
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Brian Strubhart Moreau (FRA, Kawasaki), 30:34.834; 2. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KTM), +0:03.279; 3. Gianluca Facchetti (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:11.331; 4. Matteo Puccinelli (ITA, KTM), +0:17.079; 5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:19.540; 6. Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), +0:33.115; 7. Jeremy Sydow (GER, KTM), +0:35.336; 8. Marcel Stauffer (AUT, KTM), +0:38.066; 9. Andrea Zanotti (SMR, KTM), +0:42.255; 10. Sergi Notario (ESP, KTM), +0:44.618.
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Brian Strubhart Moreau (FRA, Kawasaki), 29:48.522; 2. Sergi Notario (ESP, KTM), +0:04.627; 3. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:08.353; 4. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KTM), +0:09.745; 5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, Yamaha), +0:11.975; 6. Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), +0:13.615; 7. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, TM), +0:40.134; 8. Filip Olsson (SWE, Husqvarna), +0:46.394; 9. Marcel Stauffer (AUT, KTM), +0:46.930; 10. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), +0:47.847.
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Overall Top 10: 1. Brian Strubhart Moreau (FRA, KAW), 50 points; 2. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Sergi Notario (ESP, KTM), 33 p.; 4. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 32 p.; 5. Isak Gifting (SWE, KTM), 30 p.; 6. Marcel Stauffer (AUT, KTM), 25 p.; 7. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, HUS), 24 p.; 8. Gianluca Facchetti (ITA, HUS), 24 p.; 9. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 21 p.; 10. Filip Olsson (SWE, HUS), 19 p.
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Championship Top 10: 1. Brian Strubhart Moreau (FRA, KAW), 92 points; 2. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, HUS), 74 p.; 3. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KTM), 71 p.; 4. Sergi Notario (ESP, KTM), 69 p.; 5. Gianluca Facchetti (ITA, ARC), 55 p.; 6. Tim Edberg (SWE, YAM), 49 p.; 7. Rene Hofer (AUT, KTM), 44 p.; 8. Paolo Lugana (ITA, TM), 40 p.; 9. Alessandro Manucci (ITA, HUS), 36 p.; 10. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 33 p.
EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki, 92 points; 2. Husqvarna, 90 p.; 3. KTM, 82 p.; 4. Yamaha, 68 p.; 5. TM, 45 p.; 6. Suzuki, 9 p.
