It is amazing to think that the European motocross season starts up this weekend down at Riola Sardo in Sardinia for the opening round of the Italian International championship.

We do know Antonio Cairoli, Romain Febvre, Gautier Paulin, Tim Gajser, Calvin Vlaanderen, Brian Bogers and a list of other leading MXGP and MX2 riders will be down there. Jeffrey Herlings won’t be, Pauls Jonass won’t be, and it might not be the most exciting opening of the season, but it’s still the start of what should be a special 2019.

Herlings mentioned to us he will be make his season debut in the third round of the series at Mantova on February 10. He is now down in Spain doing the KTM photo shoot and busting out laps at Redsands, as is World MX2 champion Jorge Prado. Now that is a fast little group there that won’t be at Riola Sardo this weekend.

The pre-season looks like a solid one again, although it seems the Italian races might be a little less impressive than previous years. Hawkstone Park has a massive entry list, and that is great for the British fans, and of course the riders get to race that legendary circuit one more time. Without doubt the pre-season race of 2019. Well done Hawkstone Park.

As for Lacapelle in France, it was meant to be two weeks before the opening round, but will now be just a week, and I can see a lot of riders and teams pulling out of that race. Seems crazy to ride at Lacapelle, on hard pack, in freezing cold conditions, and then head to a sandy based track in warm weather in Argentina. Darian Sanayei makes sense heading to Brazil for his pre-Argentina training, as he mentioned to us yesterday.

Off-Season Calendar

27 January: International Italian championship Riola Sardo, Italy

3 February: International Italian championship, Ottobiano, Italy

10 February: International Italian championship, Mantova, Italy

17 February Hawkstone Park International, Hawkstone Park, UK

24 February Lacapelle International, Lacapelle, France

Timetable Hawkstone International 2019

Saturday

2.00 – 4.00pm                                    Technical Control

Sunday

7.45 – 8.30am                                    Technical Control

8.45 – 9.00                                           MXY2 Qualifying 125cc

9.05 – 9.20                                           MXY2 Qualifying Open

9.20 – 9.50                                           MX2 International Qualifying

                                                                5 minutes start, 25 minutes timed,

9.55 – 10.25                                        MX1 International Qualifying

                                                                5 minutes start, 25 minutes timed,

10.30                                                     MXY2 Race 1 125cc 15 minutes + 1 lap

10.55                                                     MXY2 Race 1 Open 15 minutes + 1 lap

Interval

12.10                                                     MX2 International Race 1 25 minutes + 1 lap

12.45                                                     MX1 International Race 1 25 minutes + 1 lap

1.20                                                        MXY2 Race 2 125cc 15 minutes + 1 lap

1.45                                                        MX2 International Race 2 25 minutes + 1 lap

PRESENTATION TOP 3 MX2

2.35                                                        MX1 International Race 2 25 minutes + 1 lap

PRESENTATION TOP 3 MX1

3.15                                                        MXY2 Race 2 Open 15 minutes + 1 lap

3.50                                                        MX1/MX2 Superfinal 25 minutes + 2 laps

PRESENTATION SUPERFINAL Georges Jobe Trophy – Winner, Vaughan Semmens Memorial Trophy – Best British Rider & MXY2 2 125cc and Open.

MX1 PROVISIONAL ENTRY LIST

Barry Turnbull     Apico/Putoline/Vapor Blasting/JR Racing Honda

Daniel Preston    Kawasaki

Mel Pocock         ASA United KTM

Ashley Thomas   JSR Thunder Road Honda

Max Nagl             KTM Sarholz Racing Team

Seth Green          FXR/Boughner Suspension Kawasaki

Kevin Strijbos      JWR Yamaha Racing

Shaun Simpson   RFX KTM Racing

Jamie Law           Apico Husqvarna

Arminas Jasikonis             Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Pauls Jonass        Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

John Adamson    Honda

James Smith        Midlands MX KTM

Graeme Irwin     Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee

Jacob Joyce        Dixon Honda Racing

Josh Bentley       Derbyshire Off Road/SPS/Racecraft Decals/ASW/Bell KTM

Jeffrey Herlings  Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Charlie Putnam  RFX KTM Racing

Dan Thornhill      Cab Screens Honda

Todd Kellett        Yamaha

Max Anstie          Standing Construct KTM

Tommy Searle    BOS GP Kawasaki

Harry Bradley     Hydrogarden/SM Pro/ProCircuit/Thor/Dragon Suzuki

Ryan Houghton  RHR Yamaha

Ivo Monticelli     Standing Construct KTM

Harri Kullas          Cab Screens Honda

Stuart Edmonds Apico Husqvarna

Howard Wainwright        Hawk/SR75 Suzuki

Yentel Martens  Rockstar Energy Husqvarna

Benjamin Rice    Husqvarna

Glenn Coldenhoff             Standing Construct KTM

Anton Gole          JWR Yamaha Racing

Charlie Hamlet   Colwyn Bay Honda

Jake Millward     Chambers Racing Husqvarna

Pip Davies            Wildmoor 772 Yamaha

Ben Griffiths       32five racing/Tillet Suspension Kawasaki

Aidan Wigger      Motolife UK/BRP Imports Racing Yamaha

Jake Shipton       Crescent Yamaha

Evgeny Bobryshev            BOS GP Kawasaki

MX2 PROVISIONAL ENTRY LIST

Lewis Hall            Team Green Kawasaki

Calvin Vlaanderen            HRC Honda Factory

Mikkel Haarup    Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Aaron-Lee Hanson           KTM

Jed Beaton          Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Thomas Kjer Olsen           Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Kevin Horgmo    Creymert Racing KTM

Tom Vialle           Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Henry Jacobi       F & H Racing Team Kawasaki

Calum Mitchell   SF Racing/Stebbings/FabriCan/Gear 4 KTM

Roan Van De Moosdijk    F & H Racing Team Kawasaki

Jamie Wainwright            Pure Building Svs/Ace Suspension/Wainwright Plant & Haulage KTM

Corie Southwood             TDF/JK Jointing/Langmead Construction Husqvarna

Davy Pootjes      Diga Procross Husqvarna

Tim Edberg          JWR Yamaha Racing

Martin Barr         Crescent Yamaha

Luke Dean           Wildmoor 772 Yamaha

Dylan Walsh        Revo Husqvarna

Corey Hockey     Cheddar MX Store/HTF Construction KTM

Michael Ogden   Bellmx/max access Scaffolding Husqvarna

Brad Anderson   Verde Substance KTM

Tom Grimshaw   HCR/Apico Factory Racing Yamaha

Oliver Benton     Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee

James Mackrel   G+G Ross/Russells M/Cycles Yamaha

Jay Hague            Chambers Racing Husqvarna

Bas Vaessen        Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee

Ashton Dickinson              Craigs M/Cycles/Talk Access/Pr Green/Acerbis KTM

Jake Sheridan     KTM

Liam Knight         Verde Substance KTM

Alvin Ostlund      Revo Husqvarna

James Carpenter               Husky Sport Greenstar Husqvarna

John Cuppen       Passion Racing Husqvarna

Jago Geerts         Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha MX2

Jack Bintcliffe     Husqvarna

Conrad Mewse   Hitachi KTM fuelled by Milwaukee

Taylor Hammal  RHR Yamaha

Tom Neal            Craigs Motoshack Husqvarna

Adam Sterry        F & H Racing Team Kawasaki

Ben Watson        Monster Energy Kemea Yamaha MX2