The Australian Motocross Championships continue at Appin in New South Wales this weekend and the question being asked is “can the winning riders from round one carry on with their good work”?

Some of the hottest picks leading into round one left a lot to be desired after the weekend wrapped up at Broadford, Victoria, a fortnight ago. In addition, the weekend proved to be a round of surprises with some unexpected results from some dark horses of the championship.

Tunetech KTM’s Kale Makeham, who was one of the MX2 class favourites leading into the first round, managed to salvage an eight overall at the opener of the series – a far cry from what Australia last saw of Makeham when he collected a podium in the MX2 Championship in 2013 at Coolum.

But Makeham was absent from the front of the MX2 Class, and that’s where unheralded Kiwi rider Kayne Lamont stepped in.

The Husqvarna Red Bull WIL Sport BikesportNZ.com rider from Mangakino, who had an inconsistent 2013, had a breakthrough series opener, convincingly taking the overall round win with 1-2-1 results (and he is pictured, at the centre of the podium, above).

The question to be answered now is whether his win was a stroke of luck, or a forecast of what he has in store for us for 2014?

Most expected, four-time Australian champ Jay Marmont to come out swinging at Broadford after returning to the CDR Yamaha team for 2014.

Marmont, who had mixed 2013 results and suffered niggling injuries, finished eighth overall at the round’s end, which most would agree, is not the start the CDR team would have been looking for.

With Appin being Marmont’s home round, he is set to have family and local fans on his side when he hits the track this weekend, and again fans are expecting a lot from the Yamaha rider at this round.

The surprise in the MX1 class was local Victoria rider Adam Monea. The young gun, who had not really attracted too much attention prior to the opener, wowed the crowds with his moto one win and second overall for the day, to stamp is position firmly on the hunt for the 2014 MX1 title.

However, with tough competition from the Moss brothers, Matt and Jake, and their Appin track experience, Monea will have his work cut out for him come round two this weekend.

New Zealand MX1 champion Cody Cooper crashed to the sideline early at round one, a track marker peg spearing its way through the gap in his helmet and shattering an eye socket. He required immediate facial surgery and will be out of action for at least the weekend’s action.

His Penrite Honda team put out and SOS call for a replacement rider and found New Zealand MX1 No.3 Brad Groombridge prepared to step in.

With the blessing of Suzuki in New Zealand, Groombridge climbs off the privateer Suzuki he campaigned with success at round one and keeps Cooper’s seat warm on the Penrite Honda this weekend.

In the MXD (under-19) class, Jack Simpson’s two-stroke machine was one most were watching. With a year under his belt in Under 19’s and an opening round arguably better suited to the two-strokes, most were expecting a win from the talented youngster. Simpson finished with an impressive fourth overall for the day. However, it was GYTR Yamaha’s Jed Beaton who stole the spotlight.

Beaton who has stepped up from the junior racing scene made his presence known in his first pro-level event at Broadford, and will be one to watch at round two at Appin this weekend with some similar racing conditions to contended with.

So with a mixed bag of results and predictions to go by, it looks like Appin is shaping up to be a round of confirmations or redemptions.

Will local Ryan Marmont breakthrough his new young competition in the MX2 class? Will Scotsman Billy Mackenzie turn performance into results in MX1? Will there be another battle of the Mosses on familiar ground? Will we see another newly turned pro show up Jed Beaton? And will we see Geran Stapleton back out there for Raceline Pirelli Suzuki?

Photo courtesy Jeff Crow

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