Yamaha YZ bLU-cRU 65cc-85cc-125cc Cup:
Maymann and Gordon do it for Denmark with YZ85 and YZ65 victories,
while Mancini puts on a masterclass to win the YZ125
From left: Yamaha Motor Europe Marketing Motorsport Director’s Paolo Pavesio, Infront Moto Racing CEO David Luongo, YZ Champions, FIM Europe Motocross Commission Vice Chairman Peter Goris
A fired-up French crowd were treated to YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale races at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in Ernèe.
On Saturday Denmark’s Storm Maymann and Willads Gordon emerging victorious in the YZ85 and YZ65 classes, respectively.
On Sunday Italian Simone Mancini has taken victory in the YZ125 class after putting in a masterful display which saw him top timed practice, carve to the front and lead for the entire race.
This year, the European SuperFinale has roughly 40 riders in each of the three classes – YZ65, YZ85 and YZ125 – making it harder to call and more exciting than ever before as riders from all over Europe push hard to earn a spot in this year’s bLU cRU Masterclass which will take place in November.
YZ125
As the French fans roared the YZ125 riders off the gate, it was fellow Italian Giorgio Orlando who rushed to the holeshot. Switzerland’s Noe Zumstein slotted into second, and Mancini found himself third. But he attacked hard and rode the wheels off his Yamaha to pass his two rivals early in the first lap.
From this point, Mancini was remarkably controlled and settled, keeping up an impressive rhythm even when he needed to pass slower riders towards the end of the race – with five minutes (plus two laps) left, he had a lead of 7.8 seconds.
The battle behind Mancini was a little more tense, with Orlando and Zumstein initially squabbling it out for second and home rider Felix Cardineau also showing them his front wheel. Latvia’s Jekabs Kubulins, who rode strongly in Saturday’s timed practice, moved into fourth place and looked to chase after the leaders with great pace.
However, ten minutes before the end, just as he attempted a pass for the podium, he injured his foot without going down. He initially entered the pits due to the pain but bravely decided to continue, desperate to finish the prestigious race. He crossed the line in 25th, a result that belies his true potential.
Cardineau also lost a place to his compatriot, Maho Simo, who moved into fourth in the latter stages of the intense race. Orlando and Zumstein did their best to hunt down Mancini, but it was clear they had to settle for second and third. The Top Female Rider was Nellie Fransson from Sweden.
In each of the YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale categories, the top three finishers and two wild cards will receive an invite to the bLU cRU Masterclass that will take place in mid-November. There, one YZ125 rider will win a place in a Yamaha-supported EMX125 team for 2024, while the top-performing YZ65 and YZ85 youngsters will earn added support from Yamaha Motor Europe for next season.
Simone Mancini, YZ125 Winner: “For these two days here in Ernèe, my feeling with the bike has been fantastic, and I also felt great with his track. Yesterday, I took the fastest lap in timed practice, and to win today is a huge emotion. My family and team have put so much into this, and I want to thank them all. My goal when I arrived here was to get a victory, and I’m so happy to achieve it. I hope I can continue my career in the best possible way”.
YZ125 Race – Classification: Simone Mancini (ITA, Yamaha), 25:36.240; 2. Giorgio Orlando (ITA, Yamaha), +0:14.109; 3. Noe Zumstein (SUI, Yamaha), +0:28.855; 4. Maho Simo (FRA, Yamaha), +0:41.293; 5. Felix Cardineau (FRA, Yamaha), +0:44.203; 6. Oliver Martinsen (NOR, Yamaha), +0:51.989; 7. Gal Gersak (SLO, Yamaha), +1:05.760; 8. Emil Gordon Rohmann (DEN, Yamaha), +1:08.793; 9. Erik Frisagård (SWE, Yamaha), +1:17.346; 10. Ofir Casey Tzemach (ISR, Yamaha), +1:20.614
YZ85
In the YZ85 class, it was Denmark’s Bertram Thorius who got first gate pick after he topped the timed practice session, but when the race rolled around, he lost out on the holeshot to Austria’s Davi Dür. It would turn out to be a three-way fight between the trio for the entirety of the race, although once Maymann took the lead, he settled into a great rhythm.
The young Dane never looked back once he hit the front and controlled the gap to his rivals nicely. However, things remained close between Dür and Thorius. The latter managed to make the move into second with one and a half laps to go, but a small crash saw him lose the spot again before the chequered flag. Switzerland’s Luis Santeussanio and Kay Zijlstra from the Netherlands completed the Top 5. Elin Rotsthen of Sweden finished as Top Female Rider.
Storm Maymann, YZ85 Winner: “I started well, getting into third off the start. After that, I was going for the lead, but I made a little mistake on the first step down, and I couldn’t jump it, so I lost some ground. Then I recovered and got to the front, and I felt really good. It’s amazing to take this victory – I worked really hard to achieve a good result here. It’s been a tough season for me; winning was my goal, and I did it!”.
YZ85 Race – Classification: 1. Storm Maymann (DEN, Yamaha), 20:07.920; 2. Davie Duer (AUT, Yamaha), +0:08.009; 3. Bertram Thorius (DEN, Yamaha), +0:15.548; 4. Luis Santeusanio (SUI, Yamaha), +0:23.469; 5. Kay Zijlstra (NED, Yamaha), +1:05.899; 6. Tylan Lagain (FRA, Yamaha), +1:07.384; 7. Louis Boutet (FRA, Yamaha), +1:11.816; 8. Storm Askbo (DEN, Yamaha), +1:15.847; 9. Enea Alamanni (ITA, Yamaha), +1:16.165; 10. Neo Nindelt (GER, Yamaha), +1:51.737
YZ65
The YZ65 class saw Denmark take the double when Willads Gordon used the first gate pick he earned from setting the fastest lap in timed practice to great use, taking the holeshot and running away with it. After just two laps, he’d built an enormous lead of five and a half seconds, and with smooth and precise riding, he only increased this further as the race wore on.
Maurice Heidegger (Austria) and Jann Huisman (Netherlands) went after the final two podium spots once it was clear that Gordon was uncatchable, and a small off for Heidegger further put paid to his chances. The front two seemed to be settled, but Huisman was hungry for more.
However, the Dutch rider fell at the end of the race while trying to make up time, allowing local rider Ryan Lustenberger to snatch the final spot on the podium, much to the delight of the assembled fans. Huisman, therefore, finished fourth, while Alberto Rodriguez (Spain) completed the Top 5. Maria Inês Gandon was the Top Female Rider.
Willads Gordon, YZ65 Winner: “I had a really good race. I was thinking before the start that maybe I could win, and I changed my mindset to say that instead, I should win. I wanted to smile and have fun, plus I really love this track; I think all of those things helped me. I rode in the SuperFinale in France last year and came third; now I was able to actually win – it’s great! I hope I will have a good future in this sport”.
YZ65 Race – Classification: 1. Willads Gordon (DEN, Yamaha), 17:04.933; 2. Maurice Heidegger (AUT, Yamaha), +0:20.739; 3. Ryan Lustenberger (FRA, Yamaha), +0:24.502; 4. Jann Huisman (NED, Yamaha), +0:31.320; 5. Alberto Rodriguez (ESP, Yamaha), +0:51.168; 6. Leo Gajser (SLO, Yamaha), +1:17.685; 7. Nael Lehmann (SUI, Yamaha), +1:21.963; 8. Ange Vernet (FRA, Yamaha), +1:24.562; 9. Thomas Bertacco (ITA, Yamaha), +1:41.074; 10. Brett Kastelijn (NED, Yamaha)
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