Mathis Valin retains the EMX red plate

Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Mathis Valin maintained his thirteen-point lead in the FIM European EMX250 Championship after recording his sixth podium of the season in the Swedish round of the series at Uddevalla.

On Saturday Mathis did a strong race as he spun at the gate and had to come from outside the top-ten to reach his eventual third place on the eighth of fifteen laps in the first points-scoring moto of the weekend. In the second moto on Sunday he made an excellent start to hold down an immediate third place and already on lap two he made a decisive pass to move into second. He was then the sandwich in a three-rider breakaway at the head of the pack; time-and-again he would close down the leader but the hard-pack track had become very one-line and attempts to pass were becoming ever more frustrating. The action became increasingly hectic as they got caught up with lappers during the closing stages and at the final corner of the penultimate lap he left an opening for his chaser to slip past and he again finished third. Mathis did not lose the overall podium and, more significantly, he leaves Sweden with his thirteen-point series advantage intact.

Teammate Benjamin Garib posted his best Qualifying of the season to earn eighth gate-pick and used that choice effectively for a top-six start in the first championship moto of the weekend. After surrendering two positions through the hectic opening laps the Chilean responded admirably to slice his way back up the leaderboard with a series of impressive passes to secure his eventual fifth three laps from the finish. On Sunday he made it two Bud Kawasaki’s in the first six on the opening lap and the Chilean rode another solid race, advancing to fifth on lap three and maintaining his leaderboard position to the chequered flag to earn fifth overall – his best result of the campaign – over the weekend and advance to eleventh in the points-standings.

Mathis Valin: “On Saturday I missed a good jump at the gate so my start was not so good but I rode a strong first lap even if it’s not easy to pass on this track. I was quickly into the top-ten and I knew that my championship rivals were in front so I had to push but I didn’t want to do anything stupid. I made some good passes to come back to third but I was not really happy with my performance as I was fighting the track. On Sunday the feeling was much better. I got the same result – a third position – but it was really close throughout the entire moto with Lata and Van Erp; it was very intense! Perhaps I could have scored a couple more points this weekend, but we kept the red plate and I only lost one point to Lata. I knew in advance that this track is not really my favourite and in two weeks it will be different as I really like Frauenfeld!”

Benjamin Garib: “I was solid all weekend long with fifth in Free Practice, eighth in Timed Practice and fifth in both races. I had a good start in both races and could maintain the speed at the top with some good passes at the end of the first race. I felt great all weekend on the track; when we arrived on Friday I thought it would be a mud race after all the rain but conditions were perfect even if the track was a little muddy in places on Sunday; I stayed focused and put all the pieces together for my best-ever EMX result. I want to thank all of the team for their help and confidence in me; now we keep training and focused to produce more good results in the races to come.”

Mathis Valin keeps the red plate after a strong ride at Lommel / Anthony Bourdon win SX in Italy

Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Mathis Valin maintained his thirteen-point lead in the FIM European EMX250 Championship with his fifth podium of the season in the seventh round of the series at Lommel in the Flanders region of north-eastern Belgium. In the meantime, Anthony Bourdon won the Supercross international of Carpi in Italy.

Mathis had already signalled his intentions as he posted the fastest time in Free Practice and he was only narrowly piped for Pole during Qualifying Practice. Excellent reactions at the start-gate of race one saw the Bud Kawasaki sweep through the opening turn of the first points-scoring moto of the weekend to take the holeshot before he was pushed off the track in a highly aggressive move by his main championship rival at turn three. Regrouping calmly in fourth he was third by the end of the lap, second on lap three and made a smart inside-pass in a deep sandy turn to retake the lead on lap five and win pretty easily this race. The track for race two was even tougher than it had been for race one on Saturday after the track crew had only worked on the faces of the jumps overnight and left the straights and corners at their most rugged. This inevitably favoured the local sand experts but the French teenager showed his maturity as he rode his own race rather than being tempted into duels with the locals, who have ridden such tracks from a young age, to maintain fourth place throughout the moto. This earnt third overall, on the same points as second and just a single point shy of the overall winner, to ensure that he retains the thirteen-point series lead which he held at the start of the weekend.

Teammate Benjamin Garib took a tenth-placed start from gate fifteen and maintained a top-ten ranking until a small slip pushed him back to twelfth on the final lap. Fourteenth for the first twelve minutes of the Sunday moto until he was forced to retire, the Chilean’s Saturday scoreline was sufficient to see him advance to twelfth in the series standings.

Mathis Valin: “We came in Belgium two weeks ago to train and prepare for this race in Lommel, and we got the reward. On Saturday in the first moto I took my time and when I found my rhythm I passed the two guys in front of me and made a gap. On Sunday I must admit that I was disappointed with my riding; I was fighting the track and that cost me some energy. I got a good start again, but I didn’t felt comfortable with the track. But normally this should be a learning year for me and I am still learning every weekend! The most important thing is that I have kept the red plate and I only lost one point to one of my main rivals this weekend. There are still four round to go, so now we go home to work to keep the red plate until the end of the series.”

Benjamin Garib: “I got a decent start and was running around tenth all moto; on the last lap I had a small crash trying to make a pass so I had to be content with twelfth. This is my first time at Lommel and it’s a cool experience even if I was forced to retire in the second moto.”

While his team mates were racing the Belgium sand, Anthony Bourdon got his first Supercross win of the season for the SX international of Carpi in Italy. Anthony had a very good night, winning his heat race and finishing 3/1 in the main events to grab the overall win.

Mathis Valin French MX2 Champion

Mathis Valin was in sovereign form as he clinched the French MX2 motocross title this weekend; the teenager had a perfect day in the final round of the series at the iconic Ernée track in the Loire region with pole position in the timed practice period and two moto wins. His victory is the fifteenth French title for Bud Racing Kawasaki, the fourth in the MX2 class after Valentin Teillet, Dylan Ferrandis and Maxime Desprey.

Headed to the final round as the virtual leader of the series courtesy of the points compensation with which he was credited as round four of the series had been on the same day as he was representing France at the European Championship in Portugal, Mathis didn’t need to win on the day at Ernée to clinch the title. But those who know Mathis were well aware that it was not his intention to simply secure sufficient points; he wanted to clinch the title with elan! Fastest in timed practice, he grabbed the holeshot and dominated the first race from start-to-finish; in the second moto he quickly passed Calvin Fonvieille to lead the remainder of the race to the chequered flag. With his second double-win of the series – after Romagne – and victory in six of the ten motos, Mathis is a true champion and can now focus on the second part of the European EMX250 Championship with the next round scheduled at the end of July in Lommel (Belgium).

After a seventh position in the timed practice period on his first visit to the track Bud Kawasaki teammate Benjamin Garib progressed throughout the weekend with seventh- and fourth-placed finishes in the two races. Fifth overall on the day, he also ended the season fifth in the series standings.

Mathis Valin: “It was a perfect day with the pole position and two moto wins; I had such a great feeling. I grabbed the holeshot in the first moto and, as my main rival Mathys (Boisrame) crashed, I could concentrate on managing the gap; then in the second race I took the lead during the first lap to win quite easily. It was a great weekend – French champion during my first season on a 250 – and now we must continue to work for the second part of the European Championship. But today I showed once again that I have good speed.”

Benjamin Garib: “Last round in Ernée this weekend, enjoying the track a lot! First moto had a good start but wasn’t riding so comfortable with the bike and track, we made some changes for the second moto which was better and started to feel more like myself. I had a good start again and finished 4th. Now back to supercross for Agen this weekend.”

Stéphane Dassé: « This weekend Mathis rode perfectly. He really dominated the weekend with the pole and then two moto wins; quite comfortably I would say. In the first race he took the holeshot and was two seconds a lap faster than Boisrame and nearly three faster than Guyon. It was a perfect day. I have rarely seen him riding with such confidence; it’s encouraging for the second part of the European championship. Benjamin also had a decent weekend; his first moto was a little difficult but he was much better in the second and overall we are happy how this weekend went for the entire team.”

Mathis Valin keeps the red plate in Latvia

Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Mathis Valin takes the red plate of the points-leader in the FIM European EMX250 Championship into the summer break, after a fifth overall at Kegums in Latvia.

Fourth-fastest in practice Mathis rounded turn one sixth before making two decisive passes to advance to fourth by lap five. In the closing stages of the race he surrendered one position to an aggressive pass from a championship rival, to cross the finish line in fifth. On Sunday he took the holeshot in the second race and, even though a slight moment on the opening lap cost him the moto lead he was headed for the overall podium as he controlled his championship rivals for five laps until slipping off in a loose turn. Remounting fifth he then faced a lonely ride to the chequered flag; his brace of fifth-placed moto finishes earnt the same position over the weekend, and he takes a healthy thirteen point lead over his closest rival into the summer break as the next round of the series commences at Lommel in Belgium on July 27/28.

Benjamin Garib continued to show the good rhythm of recent rounds after a difficult start to the series. On Saturday the Chilean moved forward from an initial twelfth to tenth at the chequered flag, and he did even better on Sunday to get his best result of the season. Eighth through the early laps, he made a decisive pass for seventh on lap four, resisting all attacks from behind and pushing for sixth throughout the race to earn sixth overall on the day and move further up the series points standings to thirteenth, just ten points shy of the top-ten.
Next weekend the team will be at Ernée for the final race of the French Elite Championship

Mathis Valin: “It was a tough weekend; not exactly what I was expecting after several good races. But I have to accept the situation; that’s life! Today I got a good start and was fast, but to be honest Valk and Reisulis were faster on this track. I had a good rhythm and was close to them but I crashed and lost a couple of positions; my fault. The track was rough; it’s always like that here and I’m happy to be going home safe and still leading the championship after six rounds. Now we have seven weeks to prepare for the next round in Lommel where the goal will be a podium.”

Benjamin Garib: “We can take many positives from this weekend; top six overall and moving up in the points. The track was different to yesterday after the rain overnight; it was very slippery in some parts and more hardpack in others so it felt strange at first but I got a good start and made it happen. Now we have a break until the next round of the European series but we have the final round of the French Elite at Ernée next weekend and I’m really looking forward to that.”

250 European Championship Another victory for Mathis Valin in Germany

Mathis Valin retained the red plate of the series points-leader and extended his lead in the FIM European EMX250 Championship with his second consecutive series victory at Teutschenthal in Germany. He will have again the red plate on his Bud Racing Kawasaki next weekend in Latvia.

In the first race Mathis swept through turn one seventh but was quickly up to fourth and a clever line-choice on lap four saw him sweep around his closest championship rival for third. A simple error accelerating out of a slippery turn cost him two positions on lap six and he was content to retain fifth to the chequered flag. On Sunday he made a neat inside pass for the lead on lap two after rounding turn one third and remained unruffled when challenged for the lead in the sticky conditions to take the chequered flag second. Within minutes of the finish he was awarded the win as a result of a penalty for a rule-infringement by his rival. The moto victory, together with fifth in Saturday afternoon’s first moto, also ensured overall victory – his second consecutive win in the series – and he has extended his lead in the championship to twenty-six points heading to Latvia next weekend.

On Saturday Benjamin Garib joined his teammate in the top-ten off the start to finish ninth, and he persevered in the demanding conditions of race two, avoiding mistakes to push forward from an initial thirteenth to his second ninth-placed finish of the weekend to secure his best result of the season with eighth overall. The Chilean is now sixteenth in the points standings.

Mathis Valin: « On Sunday morning my goal was to have a podium result, but in the end, as Lata got a penalty, I won the GP. For sure I don’t like to win that way, but it’s good for the championship! I showed my speed again this weekend and I did my best as always; the track was rough but I got a better start on Sunday and that was necessary in these conditions. I took the lead, but when Lata passed me I made a couple of mistakes and had to ride more calmly to finish second. Next up is Latvia; I won there last year in the 125s and I like this track so let’s go!”

Benjamin Garib: “I can take a lot of positives from this weekend. My starts have been costing me this year so we’ve been working on that and I finally got top-ten start again this weekend. On Saturday I rode a solid race – no crashes – and I maintained my pace to stay on two wheels when the rain came to finish ninth. The second moto was muddy, and that is not what I am best at, but I made it happen; I was happy with my riding and stayed on two wheels. Latvia is a new track for me but I’m excited after two solid motos this weekend.”