The sixth round of the EMX125 Championship at the tight and twisty ‘Ciclamino’ circuit in Pietramurata got off to a sensational start for the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team. The outfit took top honours in qualifying with all three GYTR kitted YZ125 powered youngsters topping the time sheets. Van Erp was the fastest in Group One, posting a 1’43.453 to go pole for the second time this season, ahead of teammate Ferruccio Zanchi, who secured P.2 with a 1’43.608. Meanwhile, in Group Two, Karlis Reisulis topped the time-sheets for the first time in his EMX125 racing career, going fastest with a 1’43.728.
Van Erp finished an intense opening race in second position after a thrilling race-long battle with the championship leader, Valerio Lata, that went right down to the wire. Following gate-drop, Van Erp started outside of the top-five but quickly found the fastest lines on the track and set the fastest lap of the race as he stormed forward. The 432 swapped the lead back and forth with Lata, but was narrowly edged at the flag.
Putting in an equally impressive performance, Reisulis weaved his way through the field after starting 23rd to finish seventh, while Zanchi recovered from a poor start to finish 21st.
In the final race of the day, a better start allowed van Erp to control the race from start to finish, for his third race win of the season, as teammates Zanchi and Reisulis crossed the finish line in 10th and 12th.
Following a hard-fought EMX125 round of Trentino, where Van Erp was victorious and Reisulis and Zanchi were classified 10th and 17th respectively, van Erp has moved up into fourth in the Championship Standings with four rounds remaining. Zanchi and Reisulis are currently in eighth and 12th, respectively.
The MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team will remain inside the paddock in Trentino for the next six days with the seventh and eighth rounds of the series taking place on Tuesday 26th and Saturday 30th October.
Getting the final WMX Grand Prix of 2021 off to a flying start, Papenmeier won the opening race of the weekend in commanding style. After qualifying in second position, the German star rocketed to an impressive holeshot and led every lap of the 20-minute plus two-lap race duration to celebrate an emphatic victory, the sixth of her career.
In the opening race, Van de Ven charged through the field from outside of the top-five and successfully defended a tough challenge from the eventual World Champion, Courtney Duncan, to finish second position.
In the season's final race, Papenmeier led the way out of turn-one and rode a solid race to finish hot on the heels of Duncan in second, which was enough for the Grand Prix win. Like race one, van de Ven had to battle her way from ninth to finish third which was enough for the flamboyant Dutch lady to celebrate her 28th piece of podium silverware since turning pro in women’s motocross.
After six rounds of bar-to-bar racing, van de Ven ends her 2021 WMX World Championship campaign in second position with Papenmeier ending the year in fourth.
For full results from the EMX125 & WMX rounds of Trentino, click here.
