SAND MASTERCLASS FOR KATONA WHO CONQUERS RIOLA SARDO IN EMX125 PRESENTED BY FMF RACING.
The third round of the EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing delivered a full weekend of intense racing, resilience, and breakout performances on the sandy terrain of Riola Sardo. And at the heart of it all was Racestore KTM Factory Rookies’ Áron Katona, who put on a masterclass across both races to become the first rider this season to win three races in a row, solidifying his place as a title favourite.
In Race 1, Katona continued his exceptional form. The Hungarian became the first rider this season to secure back-to-back race wins following his triumph at the last Round of Europe. The race kicked off with SwissMoto KTM’s Ryan Oppliger taking the holeshot, while TM Moto CRD Motosport’s Niccolò Mannini slotted into the front group. Chaos erupted in the opening corner, however, with F4E GASGAS Junior Racing’s Seth Priem, Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC Yamaha’s Levi Townley, and others getting caught up in a first-turn incident.
As the field scrambled to recover, Racestore KTM Factory Rookies’ Nicolò Alvisi charged forward to take third from Mannini. At the front, Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC Yamaha’s Mano Faure and Oppliger fought for the lead — until Katona entered the mix, slicing through the pack with precision. A crash for Alvisi while leading handed control to Katona, who took full advantage, grabbing the lead on lap 6 and never looking back.
Behind him, Alvisi regrouped to take second, while Faure dropped to third after pressure from Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC Yamaha’s Dani Heitink. Despite a crash that knocked him outside the top 10, DREAM TEAM Fantic’s Cole McCullough recovered brilliantly to finish fifth. Mannini faded dramatically in the latter stages, ultimately crossing the line 15th — a result that opened the door for Katona to launch a serious bid for the red plate.
The momentum only intensified in Race 2, where Katona cemented his dominance with another flawless display. As the gate dropped, Townley stormed into the lead with a perfect holeshot, chased closely by MCV Motorsport–TM Moto’s Riccardo Pini and Yamaha’s Jekabs Kubulins. McCullough also started strong in fourth, while Katona — buried outside the top 10 — began another relentless comeback.
By lap two, Katona was already into the top 10, clearly the fastest man on track. Mannini, meanwhile, continued to struggle in the Sardinian sand, eventually slipping to 19th. Up front, a fierce battle ensued between Townley and Kubulins, with both riders swapping positions in a tense showdown. Behind them, McCullough overtook Pini to claim third, setting his sights on the leaders.
Katona charged past Fantic Factory Racing EMX125’s Francesco Bellei and Pini by lap five and soon dispatched McCullough with a precise outside-in move. With just under two laps to go, he launched a decisive attack over the finish jump to pass Kubulins and instantly pulled a gap, cruising to a commanding third straight race win. Townley crashed on lap eight while fighting with Katona for third and had to finish the race in 19th place despite his great start from the start.
Kubulins held strong for second, while McCullough’s third earned him his first podium of the season. Late-race drama saw Faure falling out of podium contention, allowing Bellei and Alvisi to secure top five finishes. Alvisi’s consistency over both motos was enough to seal second overall on the day, while McCullough’s comeback rewarded him with the final step of the podium.
In one of the most electrifying rounds so far, Katona delivered a perfect 1-1 scorecard in Sardegna, showcasing his prowess in the sand and extending his winning streak to three. With 50 points secured in Riola and 115 overall in the standings, the Hungarian now holds the red plate heading into the next round — and looks like the man to beat in this year’s EMX125 championship.
Aron Katona: „It was pretty hard and again not the best start so I will definitely work on it. But I kept the flow and my speed. I had so much fun and it’s such a beautiful track. Thanks to everybody supporting me especially my team! What a feeling it is to be the leader of the Championship!”
EMX125 – Race 1 – Top 10 Classification 1. Filippo Mantovani (ITA, KTM), 32:47.512; 2. Niccolo Mannini (ITA, TM), +0:05.055; 3. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, Yamaha), +0:05.788; 4. Áron Katona (HUN, KTM), +0:18.789; 5. Francesco Bellei (ITA, Fantic), +0:19.490; 6. Riccardo Pini (ITA, TM), +0:35.732; 7. Dani Heitink (NED, Yamaha), +0:56.556; 8. Douwe Van Mechgelen (BEL, Fantic), +1:12.437; 9. Vencislav Toshev (BUL, Fantic), +1:20.113; 10. Ryan Oppliger (SUI, KTM), +1:25.337
EMX125 – Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Áron Katona (HUN, KTM), 30:27.085; 2. Jekabs Kubulins (LAT, Yamaha), +0:08.786; 3. Cole McCullough (IRL, Fantic), +0:16.250; 4. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, KTM), +0:18.178; 5. Francesco Bellei (ITA, Fantic), +0:18.632; 6. Mano Faure (FRA, Yamaha), +0:28.105; 7. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, Yamaha), +0:46.404; 8. Riccardo Pini (ITA, TM), +0:49.977; 9. Sleny Goyer (FRA, Yamaha), +0:51.353; 10. Filippo Mantovani (ITA, KTM), +1:08.076;
EMX125 Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Áron Katona (HUN, KTM), 50 points; 2. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Cole McCullough (IRL, FAN), 36 p.; 4. Jekabs Kubulins (LAT, YAM), 35 p.; 5. Mano Faure (FRA, YAM), 35 p.; 6. Francesco Bellei (ITA, FAN), 31 p.; 7. Dani Heitink (NED, YAM), 28 p.; 8. Riccardo Pini (ITA, TM), 27 p.; 9. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, YAM), 24 p.; 10. Sleny Goyer (FRA, YAM), 19 p
EMX125 Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Áron Katona (HUN, KTM), 115 points; 2. Dani Heitink (NED, YAM), 88 p.; 3. Francesco Bellei (ITA, FAN), 87 p.; 4. Nicolò Alvisi (ITA, KTM), 82 p.; 5. Niccolo Mannini (ITA, TM), 82 p.; 6. Riccardo Pini (ITA, TM), 82 p.; 7. Jarne Bervoets (BEL, YAM), 81 p.; 8. Mano Faure (FRA, YAM), 78 p.; 9. Jekabs Kubulins (LAT, YAM), 72 p.; 10. Filippo Mantovani (ITA, KTM), 72 p
EMX125 Manufacturers – Top 10 Classification 1. KTM, 135 points; 2. Yamaha, 130 p.; 3. TM, 109 p.; 4. Fantic, 97 p.; 5. GASGAS, 53 p.;
Text/Bild: Infront