Eight YZ125 Cup riders, who were selected after their performance at the YZ125 Cup SuperFinale on Oct 8th, will be trained by former world champion David Philippaerts and other off-road professionals at this weekend’s Masterclass at the Ottobiano track in Italy. At the end of the week Yamaha will announce which of these ambitious youngsters will join the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 Team in the 2017 European Motocross Championships in the EMX125 class.
Over the course of the 2016 racing season, top Yamaha talent from across Europe competed on YZ125s in their respective national motocross championships to qualify for the SuperFinale at the VELTINS-Arena in Germany. After the event, top-six riders Calvin Fonvieille (16 years old/France), Tim Edberg (15 years old /Sweden), Jeroen Bussink (15 years old /The Netherlands), Arvid Lüning (15 years old / Sweden), Nicolo Folli(15 years old /Italy) and Rasmus Holm (15 years old / Sweden) and wildcards Hugo Johansson (15 years old / Sweden) and Gervasio Cañas (15 years old / Spain) were selected for the three-day Masterclass where they will receive pro training.
As a part of the Masterclass, Philippaerts and MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 Team will teach the young YZ125 Cup riders what it takes to ride on an international championship level. They will receive classes on diet, working out, riding the YZ125, and more. Yamaha will then choose one rider to join team-mates Erik Elzinga and Thibault Benistant in Yamaha’s MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 Team.
Philippaerts said: “I’m looking forward to starting the very first YZ125 Masterclass. The incredibly close SuperFinale race in Germany already showed how high the level of the YZ125 Cup riders is. The eight riders selected by Yamaha are all really fast and it is very exciting that I get a chance to work with them to further develop their potential during this weekend’s three-day Masterclass. To make it to the top in off-road racing you need motivation, skills, knowledge, technical know-how and the right material.
“In terms of determination and skills, I think we have nothing to worry about because these young riders have plenty already, but during the Masterclass we aim to make them grow even more. We want to offer the riders a unique experience and the chance to absorb as much information and new techniques as possible. It will be hard work, but we will have a lot of fun – this is also an important part of racing!”