Preview: Deep field at the EMX250 Championship opener in MXGP of Spain

We already talk about the WMX class, which also kicks off this weekend in Spain. Now it´s time to take a look at the deep field of the EMX250 division, which is loaded and ready to start a refresh season alongside the second GP of the season at the MXGP of Spain, in Madrid.

Where did to start? That was the question I asked myself before wrote this article. The list of riders is plenty of talents: Contenders, notables, and rookies from the EMX125 will face each other for the first of the ten battles of the calendar.

Based on last year´s results, Cas Valk emerged as one of the main contenders for this season. Bronze medal in 2023, the Dutch will stay one more year in the EMX250 class but this time with GabrielSS24 KTM under the guidance of experienced former GP winner Shaun Simpsons. Valk took a big boost of confidence by winning the opening round of the Dutch Masters series a week ago in Harfsen via 1-1.

Another rider who won at a domestic level a week ago was Valerio Lata as he swept the opening round of the Italian Prestige in Mantova. The 2021 EMX125 Champion and current Italian Champion will be equipped by the new Beddinni GasGas Factory Junior Team, which means he may have all the necessary to go for another title. Alongside Lata, his teammate will be the young Danish Mads Fredose, 7th in the EMX125.

Yamaha has won three of the last EMX250 titles in recent years. Now the VRT Yamaha team will be in charge of continuing this dominance with the Latvian brothers Karlis and Janis Reisulis. This will be Karlis´s second season in this class, while Janis is set to make his debut after winning the EMX125 title. Dutchman Ivano Van Erp, 9th last year in the standings but one of the best sand riders in the field, will be the third rider.

Bud Racing Kawasaki also arrives renewed with the young Frenchman Mathis Valin and the Chilean Benjamin Garib as new riders. Valin will face his first season in EMX250 after a 2023 full of successes such as a runner-up in EMX125 and the 125cc Junior World Championship. Garib has already shown flashes of speed in the few races he was able to compete in after a shoulder injury that affected a large part of his year.

Elías Escandell and Maximilian Werner were teammates at Fantic during the EMX125 days. Now they are both moving up to the EMX250 class but on separate paths. Escandell has joined the Spanish RFME GasGas team along with another rookie, Francisco García. Meanwhile, Werner has signed for JM Honda. However, Alexis Fueri, winner of the last edition of the GP of Spain, will continue with Fantic.

Also, keep an eye on some dark horses such as Edvards Bidzans (KMP Honda), Nicolai Skovbjerg (Yamaha), Liam Owens (Cat Moto Husqvarna), Billy Askew (DRT Kawasaki), Nico Greutman (SB KTM), Joe Brookes (426 Motorsport KTM) or Ryan Alexanderson (WZ KTM).

EMX250 Round 1 Schedule – *Based on local time

LIST: EMX250 Champions from 2007 to 2023. Before 2007, the class were named E125 and E-MX2.

EMX250 Round 1 Entry List:

2 Skovbjerg Nicolai Yamaha DEN DMU Wozniak MX Racing Team
2 6 Escandell Elias GASGAS ESP RFME RFME GASGAS MXJUNIOR TEAM
3 12 Kooiker Dave KTM NED KNMV Schmicker Racing
4 20 Giorgessi Toni GASGAS FRA FFM
5 21 Blumfelds Rauls KTM LAT LAMSF
6 29 Garcia Francisco GASGAS ESP RFME RFME GASGAS MXJUNIOR TEAM
7 36 Greutmann Nico Husqvarna SUI FMS Cat Moto Bauerschmidt Husqvarna
8 47 Reisulis Karlis Alberts Yamaha LAT LAMSF VRT Yamaha Racing
9 50 Cazal Xavier KTM FRA FFM AIT Racing Team
10 51 Fredsoe Mads GASGAS DEN DMU Beddini GASGAS Factory Juniors
11 52 De Baere Emile Yamaha BEL FMB
12 53 Lata Valerio GASGAS ITA FMI Beddini GASGAS Factory Juniors
13 57 Bidzans Edvards Honda LAT LAMSF KMP HONDA RACING TEAM POWERED BY KRETTEK
14 62 Alexanderson Ryan KTM AUS AMF WZ RACING TEAM
15 70 Kees Valentin KTM GER DMSB KTM Kosak Team
16 75 Mesters Bradley KTM NED KNMV KTM Kosak Team
17 83 Grau Maxime GASGAS FRA FFM VHR Racing Team
19 114 Vennekens Nicolas GASGAS BEL FMB
20 123 Peklaj Jaka Husqvarna SLO AMZS
21 140 Korsbeck Nike Husqvarna SWE SVEMO
22 172 Valk Cas KTM NED KNMV Gabriel SS24 KTM
23 212 Pulvirenti Alfio Samuele KTM ITA FMI SEVEN Motorsport
24 256 Smith Magnus Yamaha DEN DMU Wozniak MX Racing Team
25 304 Owens Liam Husqvarna AUS MA Cat Moto Bauerschmidt Husqvarna
26 315 Beltran David KTM ESP RFME
27 317 Valin Mathis Kawasaki FRA FFM BUD RACING-Kawasaki
28 329 Scollo Maurizio Yamaha ITA FMI GHIDINELLI RACING TEAM
29 339 Garib Benjamin Kawasaki CHI FMC BUD RACING-Kawasaki
30 362 Alonso Marco GASGAS ESP RFME
31 371 Maschio Paolo Kawasaki FRA FFM
32 382 Lopez Carreras Manuel GASGAS ESP RFME
33 384 Congost Gerard GASGAS ESP RFME
34 410 Barker James KTM GBR ACU
35 419 Brookes Joe KTM GBR ACU
36 420 Rossi Andrea KTM ITA FMI
37 422 Koskinen Kimi GASGAS FIN SML
38 432 Van Erp Ivano Yamaha NED KNMV VRT Yamaha Racing
39 441 Askew William Kawasaki GBR ACU Bike It Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team
40 446 Petit Adrien Yamaha FRA FFM
41 494 Werner Maximilian Honda GER DMSB JM Honda Racing
42 567 Moen Rasmus Husqvarna SWE SVEMO
43 586 Sondergaard Lucas GASGAS DEN DMU
44 601 Pumpurs Mairis Husqvarna LAT LAMSF
45 633 Frandsen Jakob Yamaha DEN DMU
46 669 Ruffini Luca Husqvarna ITA FMI MAXBARTMOTOSPORT
47 717 Fueri Alexis Fantic FRA FFM Fantic Factory Racing MX2
48 731 Jones Alfie Husqvarna GBR ACU
49 744 Soulimani Saad Yamaha MOR FRMM GHIDINELLI RACING TEAM
50 772 Reisulis Janis Martins Yamaha LAT LAMSF VRT Yamaha Racing
51 938 Bicalho Rodolfo KTM BRA FMI