The 2023 FIM Junior Motocross World Champions and World Cup played out in Bucharest, Romania, July 8-9, and it was French rider Mathis Valin (GasGas) who was crowned this year’s 125cc Junior World Champion, while Dani Heitink of Holland won the 85cc Junior World Championship. Latvian rider Patricks Cirulis dominated the 65cc World Cup.
In the Nations standings, it was Team Italy who finished at the top in front of Team Netherlands and Team France. Team USA was fourth.
Valin went 1-2 in the motos. “It was a very good weekend for me with the win in race one plus taking the Fox Holeshot,” the Frenchman said. “It was bit more complicated in the second race but I still finished second which was not easy under this hot weather, but I am now the World Champion, so the feeling is amazing.”
Yamaha rider Janis Martins Reisulis of Latvia, who won the second moto, was second overall with Italy’s Simone Mancini (Yamaha) third overall.
Heitink went 1-2 to win the 85cc Championship. Belgian Jarne Bervoets, the son of long-time GP rider Marnicq Bervoets, won the second 85cc moto and took second overall.
The AMA was represented by two riders, Klark Robbins and Austin Schafer, in the 125cc class. Robbins went 6-25 and Schafer 24-33. In the 85cc class, Americans Kevyn De Pinho went 9-14 and Carson Wood 35-12.
In the 65cc class, USA’s Easton Graves captured second overall. The KTM rider went 3-2, while fellow Americans Jackson Vick went 8-23 and Eidan Steinbrecher 15-10. CN
