OUnder changing conditions and on a treacherous, technical course in Castelnau-de-Lévis, the opening round of the 24MX Tour Espoirs certainly didn't disappoint. Dutchman Kenzo Jaspers seized his opportunity and took the overall victory, ahead of Tim Lopes and Lenny Pichon.
As is tradition, it was the young talents of the Espoirs category who kicked off the season. Among the riders on the grid were the experienced Tim Lopes, Loan Torro, and Louis Boutet, as well as rookies like Mathys Agullo, Arthur Annelot, and Conrad Pinchon. Add Kenzo Jaspers and newcomer Lenny Pichon, and you had a starting field that immediately promised fireworks. And that's exactly what we got.
Jaspers takes his first
Kenzo Jaspers, affiliated with MC de l'Avesnois in France, proved the most consistent on the demanding Tarn circuit. With a win in the first moto and a second-place finish in the following moto, he secured his first overall victory in the 24MX Tour. The GasGas rider made two strong starts and made no mistakes – exactly what's needed on a tricky track like this.
Behind him, top favorite Tim Lopes finished second overall. The Bud Racing rider (4/1) had a difficult first moto with two crashes, but recovered well in the second race. He struggled with Jaspers for a long time, but his victory in the second moto underscored his title ambitions.
The surprise of the day came from Lenny Pichon. The KTM rider (3/4) rode with focus and maturity, immediately reaching the podium in his debut at the 24MX Tour. That's no coincidence; it's character.
Just off the podium were Loan Torro (2/7) and Louis Boutet (7/3), who each secured a podium finish in the heats and clearly demonstrated their potential. Mathys Agullo (6/5) and Arthur Annelot (5/6) also deserve a big shout-out. Having just graduated from the 65cc class, they were riding at the front without hesitation. As members of the FFM program, they are already proving ready for the bigger stuff.
The next meeting is scheduled for April 4th in Saint-Jean d'Angély. If this is a sign of the season, we can prepare for a year full of struggle, courage, and breakthrough moments.
Under a radiant sun, with a massive crowd, a perfectly prepared track, and a record number of participants, the opening round of the 24MX Tour for Juniors, MX2, and MX1 was anything but disappointing. In Castelnau-de-Lévis, the victories went to Sleny Goyer, Francisco Garcia, and Maxime Desprey.
Juniors: Goyer immediately takes the red leader's plate
The junior class had two motos on the schedule: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. With a convincing 1-1 scoreline, Sleny Goyer immediately took the overall victory. In his first race on the Yamaha MJC, the Normandy rider impressed and seems to have clearly made a step forward. As a rider for the French MX U23 team, he will be lining up in Saint-Jean d'Angély with the red leader's badge.
Arno Cazet also started the season strongly. With two second-place finishes (2/2), he showed he immediately feels at home on his new YZ 125. The third podium spot went to rookie Rafael Mennillo (3/3). The 2025 85cc world champion impressed in his debut in the 125cc class and brought a big smile to the KTM 737 Performance team. Teammate Léo Diss-Fenard (4/5) also picked up valuable points at his season opener.
MX2: Bud Racing strikes double
In the MX2 class, the podium was green. Kawasaki Bud Racing rider Francisco Garcia (1/1) completely controlled the race. The Spaniard dominated the first moto with a comfortable lead and fought back to the lead in the second moto after a slow start. He seems to be the man to beat this season.
Bud Racing's success was completed by Jake Cannon (2/2). The young Australian showed clear progress and confirmed his talent. Alexis Fueri took third place overall with his 250cc two-stroke Beta (4/3). He rode at the front all weekend and snatched the podium from Mano Faure in the closing meters of the second moto.
Faure (5/4), the 2025 125cc world champion, made a solid start to his MX2 career despite a few mistakes in the first moto, finishing fifth overall, just behind a strong Jules Pietre (3/5). Reigning champion Mathys Boisramé (8/8) gritted his teeth. He's not fully fit yet after his knee injury, but he limited the damage.
MX1: Desprey op MXGP-tempo
In the premier class, Maxime Desprey (2/1) was the strongest rider of the weekend. The Yamaha GSM Dafy Michelin rider was quick in practice and fought for victory in the first moto, narrowly missing out on second place. In the second moto, he immediately pulled away after the holeshot and rode unchallenged to victory. This also makes him the first leader in the championship.
Tom Vialle (1/3) finished second overall. The Honda HRC rider won the first moto after a strong build-up, but had a spectacular second moto. After stalling on the gate, he had to start last. He was fourteenth at the first pass, eventually moving up to third place, just behind Thibault Bénistant (3/2). The latter thus made a strong MX1 debut and immediately took his first podium in the 24MX Tour for Honda SR Motoblouz.
Cédric Soubeyras (4/4), a last-minute entrant and soon to be 37, finished an impressive fourth, proving he's still a fixture. Brice Maylin (6/6) and Adrien Malaval (5/8) also had strong weekends, while defending champion Kevin Horgmo (10/5) had a difficult race after a week of illness.
The next event of the 24MX Tour is scheduled for April 4th and 5th in Saint-Jean d'Angély.
Source: elite-motocross.fr
