After taking a short breather, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP and MX2 teams will be back in action this weekend with the 13th round of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship taking place in Loket, Czech Republic.
Located 130km west of Prague, Loket is a charming medieval village that gained fame as a filming location for the James Bond movie “Casino Royale” in 2006. It is also known for its “old-school” track featuring steep uphills and challenging downhills. The clay surface demands precise throttle control, making it a hard-packed venue that suits high-momentum, smooth riding styles – just like that of Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Calvin Vlaanderen. With a strong track record at Loket, including race wins in 2018 and 2023, Vlaanderen arrives fourth in the MXGP Championship Standings and is hungry for more podium finishes after securing two phenomenal top three results in Indonesia.
For Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Andrea Bonacorsi, Loket presents an exciting new challenge as he visits the track for the first time. Despite the unfamiliar territory, the 21-year-old rookie remains optimistic and determined to continue climbing up the standings. He is currently 14th.
In the MX2 class, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2’s Rick Elzinga is looking to bounce back from recent setbacks. After taking some time off to recharge, the 22-year-old Dutchman is eager to return to form and improve upon his current seventh place in the championship standings.
Additionally, the team’s new recruit, Karlis Reisulis, is excited to gain more experience aboard the factory YZ250FM as he navigates his way through the MX2 ranks.
Calvin Vlaanderen
4th MXGP Championship Standings, 429-points
“Unfortunately, I got really ill the day I returned from Indonesia, but thankfully, it only took a couple of days, and I felt better again. I spent my weekend doing some recovery training and just enjoying the time at home. I look forward to the next few GP’s. Although they are two completely different tracks, they’re two of my favourite. I have been training on the hard pack to get ready for Loket this weekend, a track I like a lot. I have had some of my best races there. I think the best memory from the track would have been in 2018 when I came from the back to win. Last year I also grabbed a moto win there.”
Andrea Bonacorsi
14th MXGP World Championship Standings, 167-points
“I recovered well after the Indonesia trip! A weekend off was also nice to rest and reset. I’ve been training and focusing on both kind of surfaces to be ready for both rounds in Loket and Lommel. I’ve never ridden in Loket before, so I don’t exactly know what to expect, but from what I saw in the past years is a track that can suit me well.”
Rick Elzinga
7th MX2 World Championship Standings, 346-points
“I took some time to recover from Indonesia, but it was a good recovery. I spent my off weekends in the mountains. I felt like I needed to get away from everything and to give myself a reset, and I must say I enjoyed my trip to the mountains and felt refreshed for the second half of the season. I have been focusing on hard-pack tracks because I have been struggling with them in Indonesia, so I am working with the team to get that better. Loket is a special venue; I like to ride there.”
Karlis Reisulis
24th MX2 World Championship Standings, 40-points
“I feel good. I recovered well from Indonesia. I spent the week training and then went to watch the Junior Motocross World Championship at the weekend. I think the next two weekends will be fun, with two completely different tracks coming up. I have been focusing mostly on sand but have managed to do a few days on the hardpack ahead of this weekend. I remember racing in Loket on a 65cc. Back then the track felt huge, so it will be cool to race there again.”
