NATZKE’S MOVING ON UP

New Zealand’s Josiah Natzke is on the way up in the world.

He raced his CMR Red Bull KTM 125 to back-to-back senior national title wins in New Zealand in 2014 and again this season and that was just the beginning as his international career now takes off in the motocross hot-bed of Europe.

Although he could not manage another podium finish, as he had at the opening round of this year’s European 125cc Motocross Championships (EMX125) in Italy a week ago, the KTM rider did manage to improve upon his championship rankings with another solid display at round two of the series in the Netherlands at the weekend.

The New Zealand champion battled fiercely at the circuit at Valkenswaard on Saturday and Sunday, finishing 12th and 10th in his two races, which was good enough for him to claim 10th overall for the GP.

It was also sufficient for the 16-year-old from Hamilton to move up one position in the championship standings and he is now ranked fourth in the EMX125 class rankings.

“It was a tough weekend in Valkenswaard, but I gave it my all in both motos and pushed until the chequered flag,” Natzke.

He said the competition is fierce, with a large number of riders capable of winning.

The positive is that Natzke knows he has the speed of the fastest riders, and it’s just a complete performance that is required to get on the podium.

“I had never heard of some of these riders before and they were super fast, but I know I can certainly hold the pace up front.

“There is lots to learn from and put in the memory bank. Thanks to the people behind me supporting me all weekend.”

Finnish KTM rider Miro Sihvonen won the day overall at Valkenswaard, finishing runner-up in the first race and then winning the next, sharing the day’s points with Spanish KTM rider Jorge Prado Garcia, who finished 1-2.

However, Prado Garcia lost out on the count-back rule for the overall GP glory.

Prado Garcia does now lead the series overall, one point ahead of Sihvonen, with French Yamaha rider Maxime Renaux, the leader after round one, now slipping to third in the championship standings, seven points behind the two KTM riders.

Prado’s efforts drew praise from Belgian 10-time former world champion Stefan Everts who runs the KTM Factory Juniors program: “It’s a big surprise that Jorge already has the red plate. He is only 14 and I didn’t expect him to that fast and that strong. He trained hard in the winter and its already paying off. He is a super talent and very strong with his starts and his holeshots. This kid is very talented. He’s the whole package.”

The next round of the EMX125 championships is set for Talavera, in Spain, on May 10.

The eight-round series then heads to the Matterley, near Winchester, in southern England, on May 24, with rounds to follow in France (Villars sous Ecot, May 31), Italy (Maggiora, June 14), Belgium (Lommel, August 2) and, finally, back in The Netherlands (at Assen on August 30).

Natzke is racing for the KTM Factory Juniors team, led by Everts.

© Words by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

© Photo by Ray Archer

Find BikesportNZ.com on FACEBOOK here

Grand Prix of Valkenswaard – EMX Results

EMX300 Race 1 Top Ten:

1. Yentel Martens (BEL, Husqvarna), 30:23.266; 2. Mike Kras (NED, Yamaha), +0:42.325; 3. Lewis Gregory (GBR, Yamaha), +0:47.285; 4. Davey Janssen (NED, Husqvarna), +0:58.240; 5. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), +0:58.324; 6. Matthew Moffat (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:27.802; 7. John Cuppen (NED, KTM), +1:29.120; 8. Joshua van der Linden (NED, Yamaha), +1:30.842; 9. Dietger Damiaens (BEL, KTM), +1:34.403; 10. Joey Smet (BEL, KTM), +1:41.116

EMX300 Race 2 Top Ten:

1. Yentel Martens (BEL, Husqvarna), 30:05.107; 2. Lewis Gregory (GBR, Yamaha), +0:21.262; 3. Mike Kras (NED, Yamaha), +0:54.388; 4. Matthew Moffat (GBR, Husqvarna), +1:00.319; 5. Damon Strydom (GBR, KTM), +1:04.086; 6. Dietger Damiaens (BEL, KTM), +1:11.162; 7. Joey Smet (BEL, KTM), +1:18.872; 8. Patrick Vos (NED, Kawasaki), +1:22.185; 9. John Cuppen (NED, KTM), +1:24.131; 10. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), +1:28.953

EMX300 Overall Top Ten:

EMX300 Championship Top Ten:

1. Yentel Martens (BEL, HUS), 50 points; 2. Lewis Gregory (GBR, YAM), 42 p.; 3. Mike Kras (NED, YAM), 42 p.; 4. Matthew Moffat (GBR, HUS), 33 p.; 5. Dietger Damiaens (BEL, KTM), 27 p.; 6. Marco Maddii (ITA, KTM), 27 p.; 7. Damon Strydom (GBR, KTM), 26 p.; 8. John Cuppen (NED, KTM), 26 p.; 9. Joey Smet (BEL, KTM), 25 p.; 10. Patrick Vos (NED, KAW), 19 p.

EMX250 Race 1 Top Ten:

1. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 30:54.566; 2. Nick Kouwenberg (NED, Honda), +0:10.880; 3. Damon Graulus (BEL, Yamaha), +0:12.318; 4. Ken Bengtsson (SWE, KTM), +0:16.102; 5. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki), +0:40.307; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, KTM), +0:49.593; 7. Alvin Östlund (SWE, Yamaha), +0:51.665; 8. Brian Hsu (GER, Suzuki), +0:51.805; 9. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Honda), +0:59.176; 10. Simone Zecchina (ITA, Kawasaki), +1:13.214

EMX250 Race 2 Top Ten:

1. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 30:13.528; 2. Nick Kouwenberg (NED, Honda), +0:06.171; 3. Alvin Östlund (SWE, Yamaha), +0:06.314; 4. Damon Graulus (BEL, Yamaha), +0:09.996; 5. Ken Bengtsson (SWE, KTM), +0:10.773; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, KTM), +0:29.397; 7. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), +0:31.371; 8. Bas Vaessen (NED, Suzuki), +0:36.397; 9. Maxime Desprey (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:40.072; 10. Brian Hsu (GER, Suzuki), +0:43.267

EMX250 Overall Top Ten:

1. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 50 points; 2. Nick Kouwenberg (NED, HON), 44 p.; 3. Damon Graulus (BEL, YAM), 38 p.; 4. Alvin Östlund (SWE, YAM), 34 p.; 5. Ken Bengtsson (SWE, KTM), 34 p.; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, KTM), 30 p.; 7. Bas Vaessen (NED, SUZ), 29 p.; 8. Brian Hsu (GER, SUZ), 24 p.; 9. Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 22 p.; 10. Davy Pootjes (NED, KTM), 14 p.

EMX250 Championship Top Ten:

1. Adam Sterry (GBR, KTM), 92 points; 2. Nick Kouwenberg (NED, HON), 82 p.; 3. Maxime Desprey (FRA, KAW), 62 p.; 4. Damon Graulus (BEL, YAM), 61 p.; 5. Alvin Östlund (SWE, YAM), 57 p.; 6. Ander Valentin (ESP, YAM), 47 p.; 7. Brian Hsu (GER, SUZ), 42 p.; 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, KTM), 42 p.; 9. Simone Zecchina (ITA, KAW), 39 p.; 10. Michele Cervellin (ITA, HON), 37 p.

EMX125 Race 1 Top Ten:

1. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 29:21.420; 2. Miro Sihvonen (FIN, KTM), +0:00.776; 3. Cyril Genot (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:16.062; 4. Marcel Conijn (NED, KTM), +0:58.310; 5. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +0:59.261; 6. Kim Savaste (FIN, KTM), +1:11.731; 7. Glen Meier (DEN, KTM), +1:12.915; 8. Danne Karlsson (SWE, Husqvarna), +1:14.578; 9. Hardi Roosiorg (EST, KTM), +1:15.045; 10. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +1:15.701

EMX125 Race 2 Top Ten:

1. Miro Sihvonen (FIN, KTM), 30:53.208; 2. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), +0:01.249; 3. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:32.446; 4. Cyril Genot (BEL, Husqvarna), +0:40.564; 5. Noud van Kraaij (NED, KTM), +0:44.261; 6. Filippo Zonta (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:58.332; 7. Morgan Lesiardo (ITA, TM), +1:02.531; 8. Nathan Renkens (BEL, KTM), +1:06.204; 9. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), +1:10.821; 10. Josiah Natzke (NZL, KTM), +1:12.893

EMX125 Overall Top Ten:

1. Miro Sihvonen (FIN, KTM), 47 points; 2. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 47 p.; 3. Cyril Genot (BEL, HUS), 38 p.; 4. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 31 p.; 5. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), 28 p.; 6. Noud van Kraaij (NED, KTM), 26 p.; 7. Marcel Conijn (NED, KTM), 25 p.; 8. Filippo Zonta (ITA, HUS), 21 p.; 9. Danne Karlsson (SWE, HUS), 21 p.; 10. Josiah Natzke (NZL, KTM), 20 p.

EMX125 Championship Top Ten:

1. Jorge Prado Garcia (ESP, KTM), 83 points; 2. Miro Sihvonen (FIN, KTM), 82 p.; 3. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 75 p.; 4. Josiah Natzke (NZL, KTM), 54 p.; 5. Glen Meier (DEN, KTM), 53 p.; 6. Conrad Mewse (GBR, KTM), 52 p.; 7. Cyril Genot (BEL, HUS), 49 p.; 8. Kim Savaste (FIN, KTM), 39 p.; 9. Filippo Zonta (ITA, HUS), 39 p.; 10. Morgan Lesiardo (ITA, TM), 34 p.

Comments are closed.

Bikesportnz

Hot motorbike news from New Zealand and around the world, featuring motocross, supercross, cross-country, enduro, trials, trail riding, ATV racing, road-racing, superbikes, MotoGP, Grand Prix racing and motorcycling in general.