The weather wasn’t as kind to fans today at the MXGP of Trentino, with rain falling throughout the morning and cloudy skies lingering all day. However, they were treated to a great race track—and even better racing. Let’s take a look at how the Brits got on here on Day 2.
Words by Edward Heather – Feature Image courtesy of Lexa MX
EMX –
EMX125 Moto 2 kicked off the racing on the final day in Trentino, and Drew Stock was the only Brit to put his Yamaha YZ125 inside the points. Stock started outside the top 20 but moved forward steadily throughout the moto. With ten minutes remaining, the #418 had worked his way into 18th position, and that’s where the youngster would finish. A solid showing from Stock, who battled through the pack without goggles for the majority of the race. This performance should definitely give him some confidence heading into the next EMX125 rounds and the British Championship!
Hayden Statt also put on a charge after starting just inside the top 30. Unfortunately for Statt, he just missed out on the points, finishing 22nd. Despite that, the weekend as a whole was a positive one. While the results might not show it, Statt proved his speed and potential as he battled in a stacked field. Considering it’s only his first year on a 125, he should definitely hold his head high and take plenty of positives from the weekend.
What could have been for Cole McCullough. The Dream Team Fantic rider got off to a horrendous start but clawed his way up to 16th before his bike gave out, resulting in a DNF. It was gutting to see the #555’s weekend end like that—especially after he clinched his first win in the class just yesterday. Still, that’s part and parcel of motocross. McCullough has shown he’s got the speed and ability to win, and no doubt he’ll be back stronger.
In the final EMX250 moto, both Bobby Bruce and Billy Askew were caught up in a first-turn crash, while Chambers Racing’s Ollie Colmer started inside the top 15 and quickly worked his way into 9th. Colmer held that position for the majority of the 25-minute + 2 lap race, running with the top ten until being shuffled back to 14th by the chequered flag. Still, it was an extremely strong ride from the #456, who looked more than comfortable matching the pace of the front-runners. This performance should give Colmer a real confidence boost—proving he belongs in the mix with the fastest 250cc riders in Europe.
Askew was a man on a mission after going down in the first turn. By lap 5, the Dirt Store Triumph rider had charged his way up to 13th and was closing in on the pack ahead. However, while chasing the group, Askew suffered another fall on lap 8, dropping him back to 17th. He managed to recover one more spot before the flag, ending the race in 16th and giving the #441 3–16 moto scores for the weekend. Unfortunate circumstances for the Brit, but he’s certainly proven himself as a top contender in the EMX250 class this weekend.
After showing immense qualifying speed yesterday, Dixon Racing’s Bobby Bruce endured a disastrous second moto. Caught in another first-turn crash, Bruce began mounting a charge through the pack—but his efforts were cut short when his bike expired on lap 3. It was far from an ideal weekend for Bruce and the team, but the speed he showed is not reflected in the final results. There’s no doubt the #79 will be back in the mix for wins and podiums once a bit of luck swings his way.
MXGP –
In the opening MXGP moto, the British trio of Josh Gilbert, Adam Sterry, and Ben Watson were running one behind the other on the opening lap, positioned 16th, 17th, and 18th respectively. John Adamson found himself slightly further back in 24th. By the halfway mark of the 30-minute-plus-two-lap race, the trio were still in sequence, but had been shuffled back to 18th, 19th, and 20th, with Adamson dropping one position to 25th.
In the closing stages of the race, Watson began to find his flow, gaining significant ground on the group ahead to move up to 14th with three laps to go. Sterry improved to 18th, while Gilbert was firmly placed in 20th. Adamson, at one point, climbed as high as 22nd—just two positions away from a points-scoring finish. The Scotsman would eventually come home in 25th place, a solid ride in a full 40-man gate. Watson’s charge continued, progressing two more spots to finish in 12th place. Adam Sterry rode his Chambers Racing machine home in 18th, with Josh Gilbert rounding out the final points-paying position in 20th. A solid showing for the trio, as all three scored valuable championship points.
Ben Watson managed to start just outside the top ten but was shuffled back to 14th by lap four. The MRT Racing Team Beta rider progressed to 11th by lap seven and held the position into the final stages of the moto, eventually coming home in 12th. A pair of 12th-place finishes secured another top-10 overall for Watson, so all in all, it was a productive weekend for the #919.
Chambers Racing’s Adam Sterry mirrored his first moto result with another 18th-place finish. Sterry had to fight his way up from just outside the points, finding his way into 18th by lap eighteen and holding the position for the remainder of the race. Consistent 18-18 moto finishes secured him 19th overall, earning 6 championship points for his efforts.
The Lexa MX boys got off to a good start in Moto 2, but both ran into issues that resulted in a pair of DNFs. Adamson suffered a crash on lap three, which caused a problem with his rear brake, while Gilbert’s chain guard became wedged between the chain, forcing both riders to retire from the race. It was a gutting way to end the day, especially with Gilbert running inside the top 20 and Adamson in 21st at the time. Despite the disappointment, Gilbert managed to secure one championship point for his efforts over the weekend.
