Valin, Heitink and Cirulis crowned 2023 FIM Junior World Champions and World Cup winner in Romania.
The 2023 FIM Junior Motocross World Champions and World Cup Winner have come to an end at the TCS Racing Park near Bucharest, Romania and after intense battles and great show it was the French rider 737 Performers GASGAS’s Mathis Valin who was crowned this year’s 125cc Junior World Champion, while Dani Heitink became the 85cc Junior World Champion and the young Latvian rider Patricks Cirulis dominantly won the 65cc World Cup.
In the Nations standings, it was Team Italy who finished at the top in front of Team Netherlands second and Team France third.
The racing day started by an amazing Opening Ceremony where the National Anthem was sung by Silvia Bordainu to begin the festivities with an incredible Aero Show that amazed everyone present. Many prices were handed out during the Ceremony with Romanian Motorcycling Federation President Cristian Muresan who offered celebratory plaquetes to FIM Junior Motocross World Championship General Manager Patricia Maskarova and Organizers Cristian Popescu and Adrian Raduta. With the ceremony coming to an end, it was time for all the races to start and display a great show.
In 125cc race one, it was Mathis Valin who clinched the first Fox Holeshot of the day and continued with the lead to display a confident performance and never give up the lead to win race one. One of the big contenders and the one who topped the Qualifying race on Saturday, MJC Yamaha Official EMX125’s Janis Martin Reisulis went down early which hindered his chance to win the race but still managed 7th place in the end with an incredible comeback. While Valin was cruising to victory, a great battle was raging for the 2nd place between the Italians Simone Mancini, JK Racing Yamaha’s Nicola Salvini and the Australian Jake Cannon. The last word went to Mancini on lap 5 of 15 to get up to 3rd and keep going until the chequered flag. Salvini settled for 3rd and Cannon for 4th.
In race two it was Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Maximilian Werner who came out of the gate the fastest to take the FOX Holeshot but it was once again Valin taking the lead after few corners. However, this time Reisulis made a good start and quickly put pressure on Valin to remind us of the battles we are used to witness between them this season in EMX125 presented by FMF Racing. Reisulis managed to pass Valin on lap 2 of 15 and kept the lead until the end to win race two while Valin settled for 2nd knowing he would be the World Champion at the end with this position. Behind them it was RFME GASGAS MXJUNIOR TEAM’s Francisco Garcia who rode superbly to come from the back to nick the 3rd place to Cannon on the last lap. Cannon finished 4th in the end.
With a 1-2, Mathis Valin was crowned the 125cc FIM Junior World Champion to get his gold medal while race two winner Janis Martin Reisulis finished with the silver medal in front of Simone Mancini who secured the bronze medal.
125cc Junior World Champion, Mathis Valin: “It was a very good weekend for me with the win in race one plus taking the FOX Holeshot. It was bit more complicated in the second race but I still finished second which was not easy under this hot weather but I am now the world champion so the feeling is amazing.”
125cc Junior World Championship – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Mathis Valin (FRA, GASGAS), 29:50.088; 2. Simone Mancini (ITA, Yamaha), +0:15.099; 3. Nicola Salvini (ITA, Yamaha), +0:21.627; 4. Jake Cannon (AUS, Yamaha), +0:28.687; 5. Francisco Garcia (ESP, GASGAS), +0:35.517; 6. Klark Robbins (USA, KTM), +0:38.852; 7. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:45.719; 8. Alfio Samuele Pulvirenti (ITA, KTM), +0:47.412; 9. Noel Zanocz (HUN, KTM), +0:48.559; 10. Julius Mikula (CZE, Yamaha), +0:52.468
125cc Junior World Championship – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), 30:10.770; 2. Mathis Valin (FRA, GASGAS), +0:16.157; 3. Francisco Garcia (ESP, GASGAS), +0:19.165; 4. Jake Cannon (AUS, Yamaha), +0:19.627; 5. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), +0:27.045; 6. Simone Mancini (ITA, Yamaha), +0:32.898; 7. Nicola Salvini (ITA, Yamaha), +0:37.582; 8. Julius Mikula (CZE, Yamaha), +0:42.752; 9. Maximilian Werner (GER, Fantic), +0:50.240; 10. Elias Escandell (ESP, Fantic), +0:55.337
125cc Junior World Championship Top 10 Overall Classifications: 1. Mathis Valin (FRA, GAS), 25 points; 2. Janis Martins Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 14 p.; 3. Simone Mancini (ITA, YAM), 22 p.; 4. Francisco Garcia (ESP, GAS), 16 p.; 5. Jake Cannon (AUS, YAM), 18 p.; 6. Nicola Salvini (ITA, YAM), 20 p.; 7. Julius Mikula (CZE, YAM), 11 p.; 8. Mads Fredsoe (DEN, KTM), 6 p.; 9. Noel Zanocz (HUN, KTM), 12 p.; 10. Elias Escandell (ESP, FAN), 7 p
In 85cc in race one, the Fox Holeshot was taken by Ryan Oppliger as the Swiss took the lead, but he could not do anything on lap 2 when Dani Heitink passed him. The young Dutch managed to control the race until the end to win the first race in front of Oppliger. Dex Kooiker was 3rd for 5 laps out of 12 but had to unexpectedly retire from the race which gave Dean Gregoire the opportunity to finish 3rd in the end. One of the favourites, Jarne Bervoets did not have the best start and had to battle to go from 11th on lap 1 to 6th in the end.
In the second race, the Austrian Ernecker Moritz took the second FOX Holeshot but Bervoets took the lead quickly after that and showed an immense performance to win with an 8 seconds gap in front of Heitink. Heitink rode superbly and fought his way to the 2nd place after finding himself 5th on the turn of lap 1. Gregoire showed some good speed once again and managed to finish at a good and comfortable 3rd place again. Moritz ended the race in 4th.
An excellent 1-2 meant that Dani Heitink was crowned the 2023 85cc FIM Junior Motocross World Champion in front of Jarne Bervoets who showed all his talent in race two to win it and get the second place overall. Dean Gregoire showed consistency to go 3-3 and get the 3rd place overall.
85cc Junior World Champion, Dani Heitink: “It was a good weekend and I had good starts. I made really good passes in both races. I won race one and went 1-2 to get first overall and become the World Champion which is great.”
85cc FIM Junior World Championship – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Dani Heitink (NED, Husqvarna), 24:41.461; 2. Ryan Oppliger (SUI, KTM), +0:03.788; 3. Dean Gregoire (NED, KTM), +0:04.935; 4. Riccardo Pini (ITA, KTM), +0:14.955; 5. Travis Leok (EST, Husqvarna), +0:20.763; 6. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, KTM), +0:24.119; 7. Liam Bruneau (FRA, KTM), +0:26.149; 8. Robbie Daly (GBR, KTM), +0:27.683; 9. Kevyn De Pinho (USA, KTM), +0:31.437; 10. Sleny Goyer (FRA, KTM), +0:33.462
85cc FIM Junior World Championship – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, KTM), 25:05.962; 2. Dani Heitink (NED, Husqvarna), +0:08.779; 3. Dean Gregoire (NED, KTM), +0:16.720; 4. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, GASGAS), +0:21.393; 5. Riccardo Pini (ITA, KTM), +0:21.495; 6. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, GASGAS), +0:31.084; 7. Travis Leok (EST, Husqvarna), +0:35.792; 8. Andrea Uccellini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:39.747; 9. Robbie Daly (GBR, KTM), +0:40.830; 10. Áron Katona (HUN, KTM), +0:44.751
85cc Junior World Championship Top 10 Overall Classification: 1. Dani Heitink (NED, HUS), 47 points; 2. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Dean Gregoire (NED, KTM), 40 p.; 4. Riccardo Pini (ITA, KTM), 34 p.; 5. Ryan Oppliger (SUI, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Travis Leok (EST, HUS), 30 p.; 7. Moritz Ernecker (AUT, GAS), 25 p.; 8. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, GAS), 25 p.; 9. Robbie Daly (GBR, KTM), 25 p.; 10. Andrea Uccellini (ITA, HUS), 21 p
In the 65cc race one, the young Latvian Patricks Cirulis went on to take the first FOX Holeshot and kept going at the lead during the whole 8 laps to win the race. Behind him Rainers Grasis also got a very good start in 2nd position and kept this rank until the end of the in front of Easton Graves who also rode the whole race in 3rd position. Kenzo Jaspers made a remarkable comeback after an average start that saw him going from 9th on lap 1 to 4th in the end.
In race two, Cirulis showed that he was a head above again as he took his second FOX Holeshot of the day and took the lead and kept going with it until the end. Graves managed to make a good pass on lap 2 to move up to 2nd and keep that position until the end while it was a great race for Francesco Assini who made several overtakes to go from 6th on lap 1 to 3rd in the end. Starting very well and finding himself 2nd over the first lap Tim Lopes had to concede few places to finish 4th in the end.
A perfect score and a perfect weekend from the young Latvian Patrick Cirulis who dominantly won and was crowned the 2023 65cc World Cup Winner in front of the great and consistent performer, the American Easton Graves with 3-2 synonymous of silver medal. With his excellent race two, Assini Francesco made it to the third step of the podium.
65cc Junior World Cup Winner, Patricks Cirulis: “This weekend was just perfect for me with two race wins, and two FOX Holeshots. I showed that I was the fastest and it was a dominant victory. I also want to thank all my family in Latvia”.
65cc Junior World Cup – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Patriks Cirulis (LAT, Husqvarna), 17:39.716; 2. Rainers Grasis (LAT, GASGAS), +0:19.322; 3. Easton Graves (USA, KTM), +0:24.887; 4. Kenzo Jaspers (NED, Husqvarna), +0:28.935; 5. Martins Cirulis (LAT, Husqvarna), +0:49.813; 6. Jamiro Peters (GER, KTM), +0:51.760; 7. Teunis Spijkerman (NED, GASGAS), +0:52.632; 8. Jackson Vick (USA, KTM), +0:54.673; 9. Francesco Assini (ITA, GASGAS), +1:01.807; 10. Tim Lopes (FRA, GASGAS), +1:03.706
65cc Junior World Cup – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Patriks Cirulis (LAT, Husqvarna), 18:34.908; 2. Easton Graves (USA, KTM), +0:07.082; 3. Francesco Assini (ITA, GASGAS), +0:12.146; 4. Tim Lopes (FRA, GASGAS), +0:17.605; 5. Gregor Lootus (EST, KTM), +0:48.687; 6. Evan Frost (RSA, KTM), +0:49.712; 7. Kenzo Jaspers (NED, Husqvarna), +0:51.295; 8. Taj Golez (SLO, Husqvarna), +0:52.984; 9. Torre Van Mechgelen (BEL, KTM), +0:57.404; 10. Eidan Steinbrecher (USA, GASGAS), +0:58.502
65cc Junior World Cup Top 10 Overall Classifications: 1. Patriks Cirulis (LAT, HUS), 25 points; 2. Easton Graves (USA, KTM), 20 p.; 3. Francesco Assini (ITA, GAS), 12 p.; 4. Kenzo Jaspers (NED, HUS), 18 p.; 5. Tim Lopes (FRA, GAS), 11 p.; 6. Evan Frost (RSA, KTM), 10 p.; 7. Jamiro Peters (GER, KTM), 15 p.; 8. Rainers Grasis (LAT, GAS), 22 p.; 9. Teunis Spijkerman (NED, GAS), 14 p.; 10. Gregor Lootus (EST, KTM), 4 p
NATIONS CLASSIFICATIONS AND RIDE GREEN CUP
In the nations’ classifications, Team Italy were the overall winners with 10 points, while second with 17 points were Team Netherlands, followed by Team France in third with 19 points.
Meanwhile, Team Italy were declared the winners of the Ride Green Cup for showing their commitment to protecting their environment.
2022 Junior World Championship Nations Top 5 Classifications: 1. Italy 10p.; 2. Netherlands 17p.; 3. France 19p.; 4. USA 25p.; 5. Latvia 30p.
Text/Bild: Infront