Vencislav Toshev of AIT Racing wrapped up the Dutch Masters of Motocross 125 series with a strong performance in Markelo.

The track in Markelo was in perfect condition. Thanks to favorable weather, the circuit was completely dry, resulting in a hard surface. Toshev felt right at home and managed to set a solid sixth-fastest time in qualifying.

He continued his strong riding in the motos. In both the first and second race, Toshev got off to a good start. He rode consistently in both motos, which earned him fifth place finishes in each.

Toshev finished fifth in the overall results for the day, which also secured him fifth place in the final championship standings. This coming weekend, he will compete in the EMX125 race in Ernée, France.

Dutch Masters 125 Day Results in Markelo:

Douwe van Mechgelen – 45 pts

Dean Gregoire – 45 pts

Dani Heitink – 44 pts

Jarne Bervoets – 36 pts

Vencislav Toshev – 32 pts

The final round of the Dutch Masters of Motocross took place at Markelo over the weekend, with Van Venrooy KTM arriving in high spirits. Cas Valk had been a dominant force throughout the series, heading into the final round unbeaten in the MX2 class.

Valk continued his fine form at Markelo, delivering another flawless performance to win both motos by huge margins. It was a fitting way to cap off an outstanding campaign, as he clinched the MX2 title in perfect style—undefeated across the entire series.

This marks Van Venrooy Racing’s first domestic championship since switching to KTM machinery, and the team will be hoping it’s the beginning of many more to come.

The team will travel to Frace this weekend for round nine of the MX2 World Championship taking place at Ernee for some hard pack racing.

Cas Valk (1st overall): It was the perfect day at Markelo to win the championship. I am so happy to take all moto wins in the championship – six from six. The riding and the feeling was good on a nice track. Up to the next Grand Prix!

Van Mechgelen and the Fantic XX 125 Crowned Dutch Masters Champions, Mancini and Bellei Shine in Italy

Fantic Factory Racing riders delivered standout performances across the top national championships this weekend. Douwe Van Mechgelen clinched the 125cc title at the Dutch Masters of Motocross in Markelo, while Brian Bogers secured third place in the premier class standings. At the Italian Prestige Championship in Cingoli, Simone Mancini claimed his first podium of the season, and Francesco Bellei opened the 125 Rookies Cup with a solid third overall.

As the MXGP and EMX championships took a weekend off ahead of the upcoming triple-header that will see the Fantic Factory Racing teams head to France, Germany and Latvia over the next three weeks, the spotlight shifted to two of the most prestigious national championships: the Italian MX Prestige Championship in Cingoli and the final round of the 2025 Dutch Masters of Motocross in Markelo.

At the latter, it was Douwe Van Mechgelen who stood out aboard the Fantic XX 125, securing the Italian brand’s first title of the season by clinching the 125cc crown in a thrilling finale at the Dutch Masters. The young Belgian sealed the championship with an impressive overall victory – his second win from three rounds – courtesy of a third-place finish in race 1 and a stunning win in race 2.

There was more good news from Brian Bogers, the sole Fantic Factory Racing MXGP rider competing in Markelo. With a solid performance consisting of two fourth-place finishes, Bogers ended the 2025 Dutch Masters third overall in the premier class standings.

It was also a positive weekend for the Fantic Factory Racing EMX squad in Cingoli, where Simone Mancini claimed a well-deserved first podium of the 2025 season aboard the Fantic XXF 250. Racing in front of his home crowd, the 17-year-old from the Marche region immediately impressed by setting the second-fastest MX2 time in Saturday’s qualifying – just two tenths off pole position.

Despite battling a cold, Mancini had a lightning start in Sunday’s first race. He slotted into second place from the first corner and stayed close to the leader in the opening laps, eventually pulling away from the chasing pack. Thanks to a strong pace and smart race management, he crossed the line in second. After a slightly slower launch off the line in race 2, the Fantic rider fought hard right to the chequered flag, crossing the line in fourth – and securing third overall. It was Mancini’s first podium of the 2025 season and his second in the MX2 class of the Italian Prestige Championship, following his stunning 250 debut in Arco last October.

Also racing in Cingoli was his Fantic Factory Racing EMX teammate Francesco Bellei, who took part in the opening round of the 125 Rookies Cup. The 16-year-old Italian grabbed the holeshot in Saturday’s first race aboard the Fantic XX 125. Although he had to relinquish the lead in the early stages, he delivered a strong performance to secure second place.

Race 2 got off to a hectic start, as Bellei came close to going down in the second corner but managed to recover just in time, albeit losing valuable ground. While battling his way back through the field, he suffered a minor crash but continued to push hard. A decisive overtake in the closing stages earned him sixth place in the race to secure third overall.

Douwe Van Mechgelen:

“What a special day! I felt really good right from time practice. In race 1, my start wasn’t the best, and the track was quite one-lined. I was sitting behind third for a while before making a pass, and even though I set the fastest laps, I couldn’t close the gap to the leaders. So, the championship was tied on points going into the final race. I took the holeshot, made a mistake and lost a position, but with two laps to go I managed to pass again – and secure the title. I am just so happy right now because we work so hard for moments like this. Thanks to my family, my team and everyone at Fantic, my friends, and all the people supporting me trackside this weekend. I am really looking forward to carrying this momentum into the upcoming races.”

Simone Mancini:

“It feels great to get on the podium at my home race! I woke up with a bit of a cold and was struggling to breathe, but I still gave it everything I had. In race 1, I got off to a very good start, tried to keep my rhythm and stay consistent, and I managed to bring home a strong second place. The top riders weren’t too far ahead in race 2 either, but after a slightly slower start, I just couldn’t get any closer to them. Still, I am really happy with this first podium of the season – it is definitely an important step forward. I want to thank my team and everyone at Fantic for the great work they have done. A big thanks also to all the fans in Cingoli and all my friends who came to cheer for me – you were amazing!”

Jeffrey Herlings of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing claimed victory at the final round of the Dutch Masters of Motocross in Markelo, winning both motos and securing his first overall win of the season.

Feeling increasingly confident in his form, Herlings arrived at the Markelo finale in a positive mindset. The track was in perfect condition and, thanks to the good weather, featured a harder surface than usual. In time practice, Herlings posted the second-fastest lap, earning an ideal gate pick for both motos.

A strong start in the first moto put Herlings straight into the lead group. After initially sitting in second, he patiently sized up the race before making his move to the front. Once in the lead, he pushed hard to open a gap. In the latter part of the race, his closest rival closed in and was right on his rear wheel, but Herlings held firm with sharp lines and smart defensive riding, leaving no room for an overtake. After a thrilling battle, he crossed the finish line as the winner.

The second moto saw an even better start, with Herlings leading from the first corner. Romain Febvre was right behind him, making for a nail-biting race. The two raced wheel-to-wheel for the entire moto, but once again, Herlings delivered a flawless performance under pressure. Despite Febvre’s relentless pursuit, Herlings maintained the lead and took the win.

With a double moto victory, Herlings captured his first major win of the season. He now looks ahead to next weekend’s French Grand Prix in Ernée.

Overall Results – Dutch Masters of Motocross 500, Markelo:

Jeffrey Herlings – 50 pts

Romain Febvre – 44 pts

Jago Geerts – 40 pts

Brian Bogers – 36 pts

Micha Boy de Waal – 30 pts

 

Photo credit: True Focus 381

The Van Venrooy KTM team made the journey to Lugo, Spain, for round eight of the MX2 World Championship. It was nice to have the team at full strength with both Cas and Lynn Valk lining up under the awning, as the second round of the WMX series also took place.

Saturday’s track conditions were dry and fast, which provided a good opportunity for both Valk siblings to showcase their potential. In the MX2 qualifying race, Cas delivered an impressive ride, charging through the field to finish seventh after a start outside the top ten — a strong performance on a circuit that offered limited passing opportunities.

However, heavy overnight rain transformed the circuit heading into Sunday, creating a muddy and treacherous track for race day. Cas didn’t have it easy in the challenging conditions, making a number of mistakes in the first moto and ultimately finishing eighteenth. Unfortunately, his weekend ended on a low note as technical issues forced him to retire from race two.

On the WMX side, Lynn Valk enjoyed a much more positive outing. She grabbed the holeshot in the opening moto and held her own at the front before crossing the line in a strong third place. In the second moto — held in perhaps the worst conditions of the weekend — Lynn showed grit and determination to finish fourth, which earned her fourth overall on the day with consistent 3-4 results.

Despite mixed fortunes, the Van Venrooy KTM squad showed resilience and potential in Lugo, with both Cas and Lynn continuing to build momentum as the season progresses.

Cas Valk (20th overall): It was not the weekend we hoped for. Saturday was a good day with a good qualifying race but Sunday in the first moto I made some mistakes and unfortunately in the second moto it ended early with a technical issue. We keep working and on to the next one.

Lynn Valk (4th overall): The first moto I had a really good start and could lead for a long time. Both girls were pushing on this high speed track so I finished in third. It was a pretty solid feeling especially after my timed practice which wasn’t good. Sunday it was a completely opposite track. I had a good jump out of the gate but then lost a bit in the mud because in the beginning I was too careful and then afterwards just didn’t really have the flow. Overall I was fourth which is okay, but I will get ready for Teutschenthal to show what I worked hard for this winter.

Photocredits – Juan Pablo Acevedo

It was another weekend of heavy rain and mud for the MXGP of Spain. Lugo hosted round eight where our team had to endure more tough conditions but this didn’t stop our boys showing good pace.

Gyan qualified 4th in timed practice but the times were very tight, he was just 0.4 off of pole position. In race one Gyan had a top 10 start and was showing good speed with consistent lap times with that of the front runners. With the fast pace of the track Gyan finished in 7th. Race two on Sunday however was a different story, with heavy rainfall overnight and into the day the hard and fast track turned into a very wet and sloppy track. Despite this Gyan secured a good start and rode a steady race in tricky conditions to bring it home in 4th place along with 4th overall for the weekend. He sits 7th in the championship standings.

In the MX2 class it was a similar story with tight times again in timed qualifying with Oriol having 14th in timed practice and improving to 12th in the qualifying race.  In race one Oriol had a top 10 start but crashed in the tricky conditions early on, he remounted and worked his way back to 16th place. For race two Oriol worked hard on the opening lap and put himself in the top 10. By lap 5 he had secured 9th place and was riding well. Unfortunately this was short lived as on lap 6 another rider collided with him causing him to crash. He remounted quickly despite this and finished in 11th place for 13th overall.

Oriol: “Not the best weekend but not the worst. Two crashes in both motos, still we couldn’t make a perfect weekend but I think we are getting near. The track conditions where really technical this weekend, so it was important to get a good start, to see the good lines from the fast guys and to go with the speed of them but we did our best. The first moto after a crash and loosing all of the time we could only finish 16th but second moto the start was a little better, I was able to make some good moves. I was running good in 9th position with not riding over the limit, then one guy block passed me and crashed. I lost two positions and finished 11th with an ok rhythm, I did have a bent leaver but it was ok. We want more for sure but for the moment it was like this and the good thing is that I am feeling really good on the bike, we will still improve some things with the team so yeah just continue working and the rest will come soon”

Gyan: “Positive weekend in spain. Went in with a different mindset and a different mentality. Felt good all weekend long just didn’t have the extra bit to really be up there but we are inching closer!! P4 in qualifying and 7-4 in the races for my best overall in P4. Can’t wait to improve myself and show what i can do in france! Thanks to the team and everyone around me!”

Team Manager Shaun Simpson: “Another wet one in Lugo, Saturday was actually reasonably dry and quite a decent track but was not especially good for racing as it wasn’t very rough and pretty much where you started was where you finished. Oriol managed to get 12th in the qualifying race which gave him a good enough pick for the Sunday motos and Gyan really couldn’t make much of it and just sort of rode around in 7th place. His times were actually good enough to see him run up front but it was all down to track position. Then heavens opened and Sunday was a completely different track, we made a good choice on the start for Gyan up the inside, very smart and held it round the inside. Unfortunately lost a couple of positions but still finished 4th for 4th overall and up to 7th in the championship, defiantly moving in the right direction, maybe a little slower progress than Gyan is looking for but from where I looking at defiantly going in the right direction so we should be knocking on the door for podium soon. Oriol was a little unlucky in the motos on Sunday, the first one was tricky conditions, went down at the beginning of the race and just struggled to find his rhythm and to come through for 16th. Then the second moto he was actually riding quite well inside the top 10 before he was taken out by another rider, but again the speed during the motos without these mistakes and unforeseen issues would see him running comfortably in the top 6, so I think its only a mater of time before the sun starts shining and we start getting the results from both riders that we feel like they deserve. A huge credit to the crew for their job in the conditions and we are all looking forward to Canada heights this weekend.”

Next Event: 18th May | MXGB | Canada Heights, Kent

Juan Pablo Acevedo

Brent van Doninck of the JM Racing Honda team secured his first top-ten finish of the season during the ninth round of the MXGP World Championship in Lugo, Spain. The Belgian rider finished ninth in the opening moto, a major confidence boost after a preseason plagued by injuries.

With the Lugo circuit heavily muddied for Sunday’s first moto, a good start was crucial. Van Doninck got off the line well and quickly found his rhythm. He managed to overtake several riders and crossed the finish line in ninth place — a result that significantly boosted his confidence.

In the second moto, Van Doninck experienced issues with his goggles on the opening lap, causing him to lose several positions. The treacherous track conditions made things more difficult in this race. Nonetheless, he pushed through and finished in seventeenth place.

Zanocz on the Podium in EMX250

Noel Zanocz claimed third overall in the EMX250 class in Galicia. In the first moto, he got off to a great start and slotted into third place early on. He battled hard for second position, but a damaged rear brake forced him to continue with only the front brake. Not realizing the issue immediately, he ran off track and rejoined in fourth. Despite the setback, he managed to limit the damage and finished fifth.

In the second moto, Zanocz started around tenth place. On the muddy circuit, he steadily worked his way up to second and held that position for several laps with a strong pace. However, he lost a spot in the wave section and ultimately crossed the line in a solid third place. His combined results earned him third overall for the weekend. After six rounds, Zanocz now sits second in the EMX250 Championship standings.

Home GP Struggles for Braceras

David Braceras had a tough home Grand Prix in Lugo. On Saturday, he suffered a hard crash in time practice, sustaining a deep cut on his arm. With limited mobility, he sat out the qualifying heat. After medical treatment Saturday evening, Braceras felt improved by Sunday morning and decided to compete.

In the first moto, a poor gate pick led to a bad start, and he was forced to swap goggles mid-race. He found better pace towards the end and finished seventeenth. His second moto started far stronger, exiting the first corner just outside the top five. He ran well in the opening laps but crashed while holding seventh. Braceras then maintained eleventh for much of the race but faded late and suffered another fall, eventually finishing seventeenth again.

Braceras ended the day eighteenth overall and now holds fifteenth in the championship standings.

The next Grand Prix will take place in Ernée, France, on the weekend of May 24–25.

Photocredits – Fullspectrum Media

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 team’s Thibault Benistant has placed fifth at the MXGP of Spain in Lugo. Fast and consistent all weekend, Benistant narrowly missed out on climbing onto the overall podium by a single point. Rick Elzinga also performed well at the eighth round of the MX2 World Championship, finishing ninth overall, while Karlis Reisulis placed 16th.

After winning the MX2 Qualifying Race on Saturday, Benistant was focused on bringing that speed into the two Grand Prix races. When the start gate fell in Race One, the 22-year-old reacted quickly, claiming the holeshot and leading the way for two laps. After dropping to second, Benistant was pushed back to third around the halfway mark and maintained that position to the finish.

Benistant’s start in Race Two wasn’t as perfect as the opening race as he tangled with Kay de Wolf shortly after the gate dropped. Within a couple of laps, however, the Frenchman climbed to fifth, then moved into fourth by lap five. An intense battle for fourth then began, with Benistant on course for third overall until he dropped to fifth in the closing stages. Ultimately, after losing his position, and with the points incredibly close, Benistant placed fifth overall. After eight rounds, he remains fifth in the MX2 World Championship standings.

Elzinga had the speed but not the luck in Spain. In a very muddy first race, he didn’t execute the best of starts and was also forced to stop for goggles, leading to a 13th place finish. He recovered well in Race Two with an eighth-place result, securing ninth overall. The Dutchman continues to lie 11th in the championship.

For Reisulis, the MXGP of Spain concluded on a positive note. After a DNF in Race One due to a bike issue, he bounced back with a strong ninth-place finish in Race Two. The Latvian rider retains 13th in the overall standings as the series departs Spain.

The team will now take a weekend off before a trio of Grands Prix takes them into the second half of the season, starting with MXGP of France for round nine over the weekend of May 24-25.

Thibault Benistant

“This weekend was probably the best weekend of my season so far as I had good results in all three races. It was a shame to miss the overall podium today and it’s partly my fault because I wasn’t always looking at the pit board to know the points situation. If I knew I needed to make a pass then I’d have taken some risks for sure. But overall, my speed is good and so is my fitness, so I think I’ll have some even better results as the season continues.”

Rick Elzinga

“This weekend was frustrating. On Saturday, I had really good speed but I struggled to ride the same way on Sunday and couldn’t flow around the track. The first race wasn’t ideal with the weather, and I had a bad start. I also stopped for goggles, so it wasn’t the best race for me. The second race was much better, and now it’s a case of putting all the pieces of the puzzle together on race day.”

Karlis Reisulis

“Race one was going well and I felt good despite the muddy conditions. Unfortunately, I had a bike issue, which ended my race. Because of my Qualifying Race result I didn’t have the best gate pick for today but I made it work in Race Two. My feeling on the bike was good and I felt strong at the end. So that’s encouraging for the upcoming races.”

Photocredits – Fullspectrum Media

Over the weekend, the stunning Lugo track hosted the Spanish Grand Prix, round eight of the FIM Motocross World Championship 2025. The bad weather also marked this weekend, making the track very challenging.

Ben Watson (Beta RX450) started the race days with thirteenth and sixteenth fastest times in the free practice and time trials. In qualifying, which took place under a heavy downpour, the British rider kept a good pace and finished twelfth. He also achieved this position in the first heat on a very difficult track due to the heavy rain that fell during the night. In the second heat he managed to do even better, finishing eleventh. These results gave him a great tenth position in the day’s Overall. Watson confirmed his twelfth position in the Championship.

Nineteenth in free practice, Tom Koch (Beta RX450) set the eighteenth fastest time in the time trials. A problem with his glasses slowed the German rider down in qualifying, which he finished in nineteenth position. In the first heat he struggled to find his feeling for the track and came close to the points zone at the end of the race, finishing twenty-first. However, Koch made up for it in the second heat, where he collected a positive sixteenth position, finishing nineteenth Overall.

Ben Watson:

“The Spanish weekend was also hard tested by rain and bad track conditions. On Saturday during practice the track was very fast and without potholes. In qualifying I mainly tried to be consistent, I didn’t have much feeling with the slippery track but I still finished twelfth. In the first laps of race one I was not fast enough but in the final I was able to ride better and finished twelfth again. In race two, I got off to a bad start but after ten minutes I started to get the feel of the track which had become very technical as it dried out. I did some overtaking and finished eleventh. Right now my driving is better, I have to work a lot on the first part of the race to collect more satisfying placings.”

Tom Koch:

“The weekend got off to a good start. Before qualifying the track was dry and very fast, conditions in which I felt really good. The rain afterwards caused me some problems. In qualifying I got a good start but could not defend my placing. It was raining hard and my glasses were not in order. I had to go through the ‘google lane’ to change them, lost a lot of time and finished nineteenth. On Sunday, the track got even worse. I think I have never raced in such difficult conditions. In the first heat I was not comfortable and I struggled to find my rhythm. In the final I was better and realised that I could keep a good pace. In the second heat the track improved, the start was good and my speed was good, but I made a few mistakes in the final. I am still not satisfied with my races, I am sure I can do more and I will work hard to improve my results.”

After the double round in the Iberian Peninsula, MRT Racing Team Beta Factory will be back on track in a fortnight at Ernee. The historic transalpine track will host the French Grand Prix, the 9th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship 2025.

Fantic Factory Racing MXGP leaves Round 8 of the 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship in Lugo, Spain, with a seventh overall for a resilient Andrea Bonacorsi and an eighth for Glenn Coldenhoff. In EMX250, Simone Mancini narrowly missed out on what would have been a well-deserved podium for the rookie.

The rain just won’t let up this season, and right on cue for the start of the MXGP qualifying race, it returned in Lugo as well. But the big talking point on Saturday was the scary incident at turn one, when Andrea Bonacorsi clipped the rear wheel of another rider and was launched into the air along with his Fantic, before being struck by other bikes. Miraculously, the Italian managed to continue the qualifying race, although he remounted far behind the pack.

Just outside the top 10 after the first-turn chaos, Glenn Coldenhoff fought his way into the points, securing a solid ninth place, while Brian Bogers crossed the line in 13th. Bonacorsi couldn’t do better than 22nd, but his lap times remained very competitive, despite his visibly damaged bike after the hard crash at the start.

The track was once again hit by heavy rain in the hours leading up to the first race on Sunday. Coldenhoff nailed his launch aboard the Fantic XXF 450 but didn’t get the ideal line through turn one, leaving him just outside the top 5. “The Hoff” found his rhythm in the opening laps and went on to deliver a strong performance in muddy conditions, securing fifth place. Bonacorsi bounced back brilliantly after a tough Saturday to finish sixth, while Brian Bogers crossed the line in 13th after losing time in the opening lap.

Once again, the start proved decisive in the final race of the day, as Brian Bogers’ start device disengaged behind the gate, leaving him with work to do from the back of the field, alongside Glenn Coldenhoff, who was unable to replicate his fast launch. Andrea Bonacorsi got off the gate better and battled inside the top 10, but the times were tight and moving forward wasn’t easy. Eventually, Bona crossed the line in seventh for a solid seventh overall. Coldenhoff had to settle for twelfth in the race but still finished inside the top 8 overall, while Bogers finished 13th in both the moto and the overall of the day.

Andrea Bonacorsi:

“I am really happy with this result. Considering what happened in the qualifying race, getting a sixth and a seventh in Sunday’s races is a good outcome. It is not exactly what we are aiming for, but after yesterday’s crash, the most important thing was to come out of it in one piece. In race 2, I struggled a bit because I was feeling a bit sore, but aside from that I felt good on track. I want to thank all the guys in the team and Fantic for their huge support – see you back on track in two weeks!”

Glenn Coldenhoff:

“I am quite disappointed after that second race… The first one was okay – I had a good start, my riding was decent in the mud, and fifth place was a solid result. But in race 2, I didn’t get the start, and even though I gave it everything, I just couldn’t move forward. I was missing some pace, and that was frustrating – when you push so hard and give it your all, but still can’t stay with the guys in front. The track and conditions here were pretty special, and it didn’t really go my way. But we will keep pushing, do some testing next week, and try to come back strong in France.”

Brian Bogers:

“We had some ups and downs this weekend. Of course, just one week ago I dislocated my shoulder, but I think the recovery went quite well – the shoulder feels pretty good and is improving day by day. But once again, we had some bad luck. In race 1, I had to stop twice on the first lap, probably because a stone got stuck in the chain. I lost a lot of positions but still managed to come back to 13th. In race 2, the holeshot device popped out when I was behind the gate, so I was almost last at the start, but I fought back to 13th again. I have to say, I felt quite good on the bike in the second race – and that is positive for my feeling. I think we made a good step forward.”

Fantic Factory Racing EMX

Simone Mancini continues to prove himself as one of the most promising talents in EMX250, once again showing his form in Lugo – the very place where he claimed victory in the 125 class a year ago. Following his maiden race win in Arco di Trento and a second-place finish in race 1 at Agueda, the Spanish GP also got off to a strong start for the 17-year-old Italian, as he secured another excellent second place in the opening race.

The rookie kept his cool when the red flag came out on lap 1 due to a starting gate malfunction, just as Mancini was running in the leading group. On the restart, he got off to an even better launch aboard the Fantic XXF 250, immediately slotting into second place. Showing both speed and determination, he fended off attacks from his rivals in the first part of the race before opening up a small gap, which he managed well all the way to the finish line, securing second place.

The heavy rain that fell overnight and throughout the morning made for particularly treacherous conditions in Sunday’s second race. Mancini wasn’t able to replicate the strong start from race 1 but responded brilliantly, making a series of decisive passes to break into the top 10 within just two laps. He continued to push forward, climbing as high as fifth and placing himself in a virtual second overall. However, the conditions remained extremely challenging, and just a few corners from the end, Mancini was forced to retire due to a technical issue. Despite the unfortunate ending, the Fantic Factory Racing EMX rider still secured fifth overall for the weekend.

Simone Mancini:

“There is not much to say – we were doing a great weekend, but the podium slipped away just two corners from the finish. It is a shame, but we won’t give up. The whole team did a great job. The speed is there, I had a great start on Saturday and a strong comeback on Sunday. I am really happy with how I rode in the mud. I had the pace, and that is a bit of a consolation. We will try again next time!”