Monday Morning Coffee Opinion Column

It’s time for Monday Morning Coffee where we talk about what happened in the sport of Motocross over the weekend and usually much more.

By Billy Rainford

Welcome to the Monday we head over to England! As I pack my bags and get ready for another long day of travelling to Europe for the 2024 MXON at Matterley Basin, my mind once again wanders to the thought of, “Man, if these guys ride like they can...”

With our rider making the trip this year, we are poised for great results. We say this a lot, and we’re going to say it again. With Jess Pettis (MXGP), Kaven Benoit (MX2), and Dylan Wright (Open), we’ve got our 3-time 250 champ, current 450 champ, and 4-time 450 champ Dylan Wright. Currently, you can’t beat that on paper.

I doubt these guys read this, but if they simply ride like they can and don’t let the excitement of the event get in their heads, they are a top 5-8 team. There, I said it.

What I find fascinating ever year is just how fast the MXGP regulars are over there. Many people think the Americans are the fastest riders in the world but I’ve been saying for the last few years that the Europeans are riding more “American” than the Americans are! It’s pretty wild. It’s definitely not Coat Rack Andre Malherbe or David Thorpe anymore!

It’s also funny how I think many people south of the border think Jett Lawrence is American now. Sorry, he’s not. However, he was the fastest rider at the MXON last year in France. I don’t know enough about their 3rd rider Kyle Webster but the Lawrence brothers will definitely keep the Aussies at or near the front in their classes.

Jeffrey Herlings, Kay De Wolf, and Glenn Coldenhoff (Mr. MXON Performer) look like a strong team for The Netherlands. France is the defending champion and have Romain Febvre, Tom Vialle, and Maxime Renault. That should be a tough one to beat in total too. The Coenen Brothers and Jago Geerts for Belgium look good also.

Ken Roczen, Simon Laengenfelder, and Max Nagl, could also be in the mix for Germany. And the USA is bringing a quiver of vet riders with Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb, and Aaron Plessinger. If it rains, Aaron and Eli will be very strong, but let’s not forget the Europeans ride the mud a lot so it may not be the advantage they’re hoping for.

But after that, Canada looks extremely good and could compete with just about any of those I mentioned! Go, Canada go!

I’m trying to think of the best way to get up-to-the-minute information back to everyone home here in Canada. I’ll likely do a daily review “show” and will continue to post updates on our Instagram and Facebook pages throughout each day, so be sure to stay close to your phones and computers.

Here’s a video recap from the last time we were at Matterley Basin from 2017:

Here’s a look at the team list:

If you feel like it, give us your top 5 pick in the comment section on FB or IG.

Tanner Ward to Priority MX KTM

OK, so this is another worst kept secret in the game. Tanner Ward will move from the WLTN Kawasaki team over to the ever-improving Priority MX KTM team for 2025. Tanner has been busy on social media making sure to thank Brett Lee and Melody Hodgson for all their support:

Classy move by a classy rider.

Tanner came up as an amateur on the Orange Brigade squad so he’ll have no problem getting used to the feeling of the Austrian brand and looking down at an orange fender again.

This past season, Parker Eales had his best season with the team and finished an impressive 6th overall in the 450 class after working all week and flying in and out of the races. Wyatt Kerr finished just behind Sebastien Racine (-2) in 5th in the 250 class, and Hayden Jameson was 27th.

Tanner will add that top tier talent to the team that will attract more support and help keep the team moving in the right direction.

MXGP of Spain

MX2 – GP Classification
Pos Nr Rider Nat. Fed. Bike Race 1 Race 2 Total
1 96 Coenen, Lucas BEL FMB HUS 25 25 50
2 80 Adamo, Andrea ITA FMI KTM 22 18 40
3 198 Benistant, Thibault FRA FFM YAM 18 20 38
4 74 de Wolf, Kay NED KNMV HUS 14 22 36
5 516 Laengenfelder, Simon GER DMSB GAS 20 12 32
6 11 Haarup, Mikkel DEN DMU TRI 15 16 31
7 73 Zanchi, Ferruccio ITA FMI HON 16 15 31
8 319 Prugnieres, Quentin Marc FRA FFM KAW 11 14 25
9 51 Oliver, Oriol ESP RFME KTM 10 13 23
10 47 Reisulis, Karlis Alberts LAT LAMSF YAM 12 11 23
11 8 Mc Lellan, Camden RSA KNMV TRI 13 10 23
12 33 Karssemakers, Kay NED KNMV FAN 9 9 18
13 368 Nilsson, Samuel ESP RFME KTM 7 8 15
14 180 Ambjörnson, Leopold SWE SVEMO HUS 5 7 12
15 568 Palsson, Max SWE SVEMO KTM 4 6 10
16 489 Walvoort, Jens NED KNMV KTM 8 1 9
17 123 Tuani, Federico ITA FMI KTM 3 5 8
18 183 Peklaj, Jaka SLO AMZS HUS 2 4 6
19 18 Voxen Kleemann, William DEN DMU KTM 6 0 6
20 414 Brix, Oscar DEN DMU KTM 1 3 4
21 601 Gwyther, Kelton GBR KNMV KTM 0 2 2
22 22 Braceras, David ESP RFME FAN 0 0 0
MX2 – World Championship Classification
Pos Nr Rider Nat. Bike Total ARG ESP SAR TRE POR ESP FRA GER LAT ITA INA INA CZE BEL SWE NED SUI TUR CHN ESP
1 74 de Wolf, Kay NED HUS 959 9
22-25		 10
25-22		 10
22-25		 5
25-13		 1
20-12		 4
22-20		 8
20-22		 10
22-22		 10
25-12		 1
14-15		 9
25-25		 9
20-15		 5
20-25		 10
25-22		 10
14-18		 9
25-18		 9
25-20		 2
18-22		 0
20-22		 8
14-22
2 96 Coenen, Lucas BEL HUS 939 10
0-20		 7
20-18		 2
25-22		 0
11-12		 6
5-13		 9
18-25		 10
25-25		 4
25-25		 9
22-20		 0
11-22		 10
14-22		 10
25-25		 10
25-18		 9
16-13		 8
25-25		 10
22-25		 10
13-14		 9
25-25		 0
25-25		 10
25-25
3 516 Laengenfelder, S. GER GAS 852 7
25-18		 9
22-20		 6
14-20		 8
13-25		 7
22-0		 6
14-12		 4
18-20		 3
20-20		 8
18-22		 9
22-13		 8
15-15		 8
22-16		 7
22-22		 8
13-25		 7
20-20		 0
12-11		 8
18-25		 7
22-18		 0
22-20		 9
20-12
4 72 Everts, Liam BEL KTM 749 – – 8
18-15		 5
13-18		 9
20-22		 10
25-25		 0
20-22		 7
15-16		 8
14-14		 3
16-18		 10
25-18		 6
18-14		 5
16-18		 8
16-20		 6
15-20		 6
16-16		 8
20-14		 7
22-16		 10
20-16		 0
18-4
–
5 11 Haarup, Mikkel DEN TRI 694 0
16-22		 6
16-4		 4
16-12		 7
12-16		 0
3-20		 0
12-16		 3
16-15		 7
11-18		 6
14-15		 0
13-14		 5
20-16		 6
18-20		 0
18-16		 0
18-14		 9
22-15		 6
13-12		 5
16-18		 8
15-20		 0
16-18		 5
15-16
6 80 Adamo, Andrea ITA KTM 674 8
13-16		 5
15-25		 0
18-0		 10
14-15		 0
15-14		 0
25-18		 6
22-18		 9
18-15		 7
8-13		 5
20-16		 7
22-20		 1
15-22		 2
0-0
–		 1
18-22		 7
18-22		 6
10-9		 3
16-12		 0
15-16		 2
22-18
7 44 Elzinga, Rick NED YAM 555 0
11-12		 0
11-8		 8
15-13		 6
18-8		 9
18-22		 5
13-13		 0
11-10		 6
16-16		 0
13-16		 0
15-7		 0
12-10		 4
6-14		 6
15-15		 7
22-18		 3
13-12		 4
15-16		 4
0-15		 0
13-15		 0
13-3
–
8 19 Coenen, Sacha BEL KTM 456 2
15-11		 3
9-13		 1
8-15		 3
0-10		 0
13-1		 8
15-14		 0
6-12		 0
8-11		 5
20-25		 7
18-25		 0
16-18		 7
14-8		 9
0-12		 3
11-15		 4
11-9		 3
11-15		 0
6-6
–
–
–
9 8 Mc Lellan, C. RSA TRI 424 0
10-15		 0
13-14		 7
20-16		 1
16-14		 0
0-0
–
–
–
–
–		 2
13-12		 0
13-13		 3
14-13		 5
20-12		 0
15-13		 5
16-20		 1
11-10		 4
14-13		 0
14-13		 6
13-10
10 73 Zanchi, F. ITA HON 393 1
14-13		 0
3-9
–
–
–		 7
10-11		 2
14-13		 0
13-13		 2
6-10		 8
10-12		 4
7-13		 0
12-5		 1
7-9		 2
14-9		 5
0-14		 0
9-8		 0
15-12		 6
4-11		 0
9-12		 3
16-15
11 198 Benistant, T. FRA YAM 350 6
20-14		 2
14-16		 9
11-14		 2
22-18		 3
16-18		 10
16-15
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–		 2
20-13		 5
10-10		 0
11-15		 0
18-20
12 51 Oliver, Oriol ESP KTM 323 0
7-2		 0
0-7		 0
12-8		 0
10-11		 0
0-11		 2
1-4		 1
7-14		 1
12-12		 4
15-14		 4
9-10		 1
5-2		 3
11-12		 0
13-11		 0
9-10		 0
0-2		 0
8-7		 0
9-1		 0
8-9
–		 1
10-13
13 319 Prugnieres, Q. FRA KAW 319 0
12-5		 0
4-5		 0
9-0		 0
8-9		 4
12-15		 3
9-0		 5
13-11		 5
15-8		 1
12-9		 0
12-11		 0
11-9		 0
10-1
–
–
–		 1
7-9		 0
12-11		 0
11-8
–		 7
11-14
14 47 Reisulis, K. LAT YAM 259 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 0
3-0		 0
8-8		 2
9-10		 4
11-14		 4
12-16		 2
12-11		 0
14-0		 3
14-22		 1
12-14		 0
12-14		 4
12-11
15 489 Walvoort, Jens NED KTM 259 0
2-1		 0
2-2		 0
5-6		 0
2-5		 5
11-16		 0
4-3		 0
10-5		 0
4-7		 0
10-11		 0
2-4		 0
6-11		 0
7-9		 0
12-8		 0
10-11		 0
8-7		 0
3-0		 0
4-5		 0
9-7		 0
7-9		 0
8-1
16 22 Braceras, D. ESP FAN 190 0
0-8		 0
5-6		 0
6-0		 0
3-0		 0
9-7		 0
0-0		 0
5-6		 0
5-9		 0
7-0		 2
4-9		 0
0-0		 0
0-11		 0
10-10		 0
4-0		 0
10-10		 0
4-4		 0
0-8		 0
7-6		 0
10-5		 0
0-0
17 12 Chambers, Jack USA KAW 180 0
9-10		 0
8-10		 0
0-5		 0
7-7		 0
10-6		 0
6-0		 0
8-7		 0
9-5		 0
4-5		 0
5-0		 3
10-7		 0
4-7		 0
0-0
–		 0
9-8		 0
0-6		 0
5-0
–
–
–
18 33 Karssemakers, K. NED FAN 173 – – 0
0-3		 0
4-9		 0
6-6		 0
0-0		 0
3-7		 0
12-4		 2
10-10		 0
9-7		 0
0-6		 0
9-0		 0
8-0		 0
0-0
–
–		 0
0-0		 0
7-7		 0
6-1		 0
8-11		 0
9-9
19 28 Rossi, M. FRA GAS 122 5
18-9		 4
12-11		 0
10-11		 4
15-2
–		 1
11-0		 9
0-0		 0
0-0
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
20 180 Ambjörnson, L. SWE HUS 92 0
1-0
–		 0
0-1		 0
0-0		 0
8-10		 0
0-0		 0
2-2		 0
2-0		 0
0-4		 0
0-0		 0
4-5		 0
1-6		 0
6-7		 0
5-8		 0
0-0
–		 0
1-0		 0
3-4
–		 0
5-7
MXGP – GP Classification
Pos Nr Rider Nat. Fed. Bike Race 1 Race 2 Total
1 1 Prado, Jorge ESP RFME GAS 25 18 43
2 243 Gajser, Tim SLO AMZS HON 22 20 42
3 84 Herlings, Jeffrey NED KNMV KTM 15 25 40
4 3 Febvre, Romain FRA FFM KAW 18 22 40
5 91 Seewer, Jeremy SUI SWISSMOTO KAW 20 16 36
6 92 Guillod, Valentin SUI FFM HON 13 15 28
7 303 Forato, Alberto ITA FMI HON 16 9 25
8 259 Coldenhoff, Glenn NED KNMV FAN 10 14 24
9 959 Renaux, Maxime FRA FFM YAM 12 12 24
10 253 Pancar, Jan SLO AMZS KTM 11 11 22
11 70 Fernandez, Ruben ESP RFME HON 8 13 21
12 132 Bonacorsi, Andrea ITA FMI YAM 14 7 21
13 226 Koch, Tom GER DMSB KTM 4 8 12
14 32 Van doninck, Brent BEL FMB HON 0 10 10
15 161 Östlund, Alvin SWE SVEMO HON 3 6 9
16 87 Brumann, Kevin SUI SWISSMOTO HUS 5 4 9
17 326 Gilbert, Josh GBR ACU KTM 6 3 9
18 77 Lupino, Alessandro ITA FMI DUC 9 0 9
19 128 Monticelli, Ivo ITA FMI BET 2 5 7
20 189 Bogers, Brian NED KNMV FAN 7 0 7
21 991 Scheu, Mark GER DMSB HUS 0 2 2
22 365 Skovgaard, Nikolaj DEN DMU KTM 0 1 1
23 131 Nickel, Cato GER DMSB HUS 1 0 1
24 238 Aparecido dos Santos, Fabio BRA CBM YAM 0 0 0
25 101 Guadagnini, Mattia ITA FMI HUS 0 0 0
MXGP – World Championship Classification
Pos Nr Rider Nat. Bike Total ARG ESP SAR TRE POR ESP FRA GER LAT ITA INA INA CZE BEL SWE NED SUI TUR CHN ESP
1 1 Prado, Jorge ESP GAS 996 7
25-22		 10
25-25		 10
25-25		 0
20-25		 4
6-9		 10
25-25		 7
22-16		 9
25-25		 9
14-25		 5
22-0		 9
22-25		 7
18-16		 9
22-22		 10
22-22		 9
25-25		 8
22-22		 10
20-20		 9
20-25		 0
22-25		 10
25-18
2 243 Gajser, Tim SLO HON 986 10
16-25		 9
22-22		 9
22-22		 9
22-18		 10
25-11		 9
15-20		 9
25-18		 10
20-22		 10
22-22		 10
25-22		 8
20-16		 9
22-22		 10
20-25		 8
16-18		 10
22-20		 6
18-20		 9
25-25		 10
18-22		 0
4-22		 8
22-20
3 84 Herlings, J. NED KTM 944 5
13-14		 7
20-18		 8
20-20		 7
18-14		 9
0-25		 8
18-22		 1
15-25		 7
22-20		 5
25-20		 9
20-25		 10
25-22		 10
25-25		 8
25-18		 9
25-25		 4
16-22		 7
25-25		 8
22-22		 8
11-20		 0
20-18		 9
15-25
4 91 Seewer, Jeremy SUI KAW 686 4
14-16		 5
14-15		 7
10-14		 6
16-20		 0
0-16		 5
16-15		 8
18-15		 6
12-15		 0
7-15		 7
16-20		 7
15-20		 6
16-15		 7
18-15		 1
11-16		 6
18-13		 1
15-15		 6
18-16		 5
25-15		 0
11-0		 7
20-16
5 3 Febvre, Romain FRA KAW 651 9
22-20		 3
18-20		 0
15-16		 10
25-16		 8
20-18		 7
22-18		 10
20-22		 8
0-0
–
–
–
–		 5
15-16		 4
18-20		 8
20-18		 9
16-16		 2
15-18		 7
14-18		 0
25-20		 0
18-22
6 259 Coldenhoff, G. NED FAN 601 0
15-13		 6
15-0		 4
18-12		 8
12-15		 5
18-8		 0
14-16		 0
13-8		 0
15-16		 8
20-18		 0
14-11		 1
14-10		 5
15-13		 3
12-14		 0
15-15		 1
12-15		 10
20-18		 5
14-0		 0
15-16		 0
16-13		 3
10-14
7 10 Vlaanderen, C. NED YAM 550 2
12-12		 2
12-16		 5
14-15		 4
15-22		 7
1-12		 6
20-14		 5
14-13		 4
18-18		 7
15-14		 6
18-16		 6
18-18		 8
20-20		 6
16-20		 7
20-9		 0
15-16		 5
7-0
–
–
–
–
8 24 Horgmo, Kevin NOR HON 428 0
9-11		 0
10-12		 0
11-11		 0
9-9		 0
11-15		 0
0-7		 6
10-14		 0
8-8		 0
16-11		 1
10-7		 5
12-15		 0
12-14		 0
8-11		 6
14-14		 0
4-14		 0
13-11		 4
10-13		 0
10-7		 0
14-11
–
9 92 Guillod, V. SUI HON 388 1
10-10		 4
11-13		 2
3-6		 2
14-12		 0
3-0		 4
13-12		 0
0-10		 0
9-12		 0
11-13		 4
12-8		 4
13-8		 3
14-18		 2
0-12		 0
0-0		 5
11-12		 0
5-0		 0
13-10		 0
7-8		 0
8-7		 1
13-15
10 132 Bonacorsi, A. ITA YAM 340 – – – – – – – – 0
15-13		 0
0-10		 0
11-12		 1
14-2		 2
12-0		 2
13-9		 2
16-9		 2
11-11		 0
4-10		 2
13-12		 0
6-8		 0
14-12		 0
9-11		 2
16-13		 0
9-14		 2
14-7
11 189 Bogers, Brian NED FAN 326 – – – – 3
13-10		 0
5-7		 0
16-14		 0
11-9		 3
12-9		 0
13-10		 3
18-16		 8
15-18		 0
0-0
–		 0
11-9		 5
12-8		 7
0-0		 0
9-9		 0
7-5		 0
6-5		 0
7-6		 0
7-0
12 101 Guadagnini, M. ITA HUS 307 – – – – – – – – 0
4-7		 3
8-13		 0
8-4		 3
10-11		 6
8-12		 3
7-14		 0
11-14		 4
13-9		 4
13-5		 0
5-11		 0
3-4		 3
10-14		 0
8-8		 3
9-11		 0
12-12		 0
0-0
13 253 Pancar, Jan SLO KTM 287 0
6-7		 0
1-7		 0
0-0		 0
6-10		 0
12-5		 0
7-4		 0
7-7		 0
0-5		 0
3-7		 0
9-13		 3
9-12		 0
8-12		 0
7-7		 0
0-2		 3
13-10		 0
1-4		 0
11-0		 1
5-12		 0
13-16		 0
11-11
14 41 Jonass, Pauls LAT HON 274 8
20-18		 0
13-14		 6
16-18		 5
13-11		 6
22-22		 2
12-11		 0
16-20		 5
16-0
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
15 17 Toendel, C. NOR KTM 197 0
7-4		 0
9-5		 0
5-7		 3
4-1		 0
9-20		 1
10-6		 0
0-0		 0
6-9		 4
13-10		 0
5-0		 0
6-13		 0
7-7		 0
0-0
–		 0
7-3		 0
8-0		 0
3-0		 0
4-1
–
–
16 6 Paturel, B. FRA YAM 197 – – 0
0-2		 0
1-0		 0
10-13		 1
5-3		 0
2-0		 4
9-11		 0
7-14		 0
0-5		 0
11-12		 0
8-11		 0
9-8		 0
14-8		 0
8-7		 0
9-5		 0
0-0		 0
0-0
–
–
–
17 959 Renaux, Maxime FRA YAM 181 6
18-15		 8
16-0
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–		 7
16-14		 4
22-10		 0
15-1		 5
12-12
18 517 Gifting, Isak SWE YAM 166 0
5-6		 1
6-6		 0
7-13		 0
1-0		 2
13-0		 0
9-8		 0
0-0
–
–		 0
0-15		 0
10-7		 1
10-10		 0
0-0		 0
0-0		 2
14-11		 0
2-0		 0
0-7
–
–
–
19 303 Forato, A. ITA HON 160 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 0
5-6		 0
9-5		 0
8-7		 0
12-10		 1
12-15		 0
13-14		 0
10-2		 6
16-9
20 226 Koch, Tom GER KTM 111 – – 0
2-11		 0
9-8		 0
7-3
–
–
–		 0
1-13		 0
0-0
–
–
–		 0
9-0		 0
10-10		 0
5-6		 0
0-5		 0
0-0
–
–		 0
4-8

OK, I’ve got to head over to the dog park to tire out Olive so she’ll relax while I’m gone until Emily gets home later this afternoon. Have a great week, everyone, and check back for updates on Team Canada MXON!

I’m gonna let Jimmy F!#@$%g Dickens say it this week: “See you at the races…“