AFYON (Turkiye) 8 September 2024 – The penultimate round of the EMX250 in Afyon in Turkiye was going to be pivotal in the race for the Championship. The Turkish round was one that could be tricky with the 1000m elevation that made every team try to adapt to get the best setting possible and the best chance to win it.

With the Championship leader, Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Mathis Valin having an 11 points gap with Beddini GASGAS Factory Juniors’s Valerio Lata, the Turkish battle tilted towards the Frenchman who came out on top with a perfect 1-1 to insured a little bit more his chance to lift the trophy in the last round in Cozár, Spain.

On Saturday n Race 1, it was VRT Yamaha Racing’s Gavin Towers who took the holesot just to see his teammate VRT Yamaha Racing’s Ivano Van Erp going in front right after the holeshot but in the end it was the green livery of Mathis Valin who stormed at the front on the second turn.

The two teammates Van Erp and Towers who were fighting for the lead collided in the air with the American crashing and picking himself up in 13th positions. Van Erp stayed on two wheels and kept the 2nd place while Valerio Lata made his way to 3rd in the opening lap. With Gabriel SS24 KTM’s Cas Valk behind in 4th the top 4 in the championship occupied the top 4 positions.

Valin led Van Erp by 2 seconds on the opening lap with Lata right behind putting pressure on the Yamaha rider. Valk did well to place himself in 4th with the top 3 in the championship occupying the top 4 positions in lap 2. Valin pulled the fastest lap on lap 2 and created a 4 seconds gap with Van Erp who was holding Lata behind him.

On lap 5, Lata run on the inside and commit himself in the middle bank to pass Van Erp for 2nd clocking his fastest lap in the aftermath. Meanwhile Towers who crashed on the opening lap was up to 9th showing the speed he’s capable of.

While Valin was edging away on his way to a peaceful and control victory finding himself up to 10 seconds ahead, Lata thought he found his flow but it was without counting Van Erp determination.

Van Erp charged back on lap 10 and reconquered the 2nd place in one of the most intense battles of the season in EMX250. Lata wasn’t getting Valin getting more points on him in the championship as all points count, and attacked Van Erp who defended greatly but Lata managed to found a way to pass the Dutch firecracker on lap 10 of 14.

The battle intensified to the point that we were not sure if both of them will finish on two wheels as both riders pushed to the limits. Lata defensively and Van Erp trying everything possible. In the end Lata kept an excellent composure and showed he could deal with immense pressure with both riders jumping together on the finishing line.

In the end, Valin comfortably won with Lata gaining the 2nd position and Van Erp closing the top 3. Valk’s uneventful race assured him the 4th place and a good chance at the podium. The comeback of the day was of course for the American Towers and manage to unbelievably snatch the 5th place off Ghidinelli Racing Team’s Saad Soulimani who thought that the position was assured until a last move from Towers changed that.

In Race 2, JM Honda Racing’s Max Werner took the holeshot with Van Erp in 2nd and Valin 3rd. Van Erp quickly was on the attack as he charged in the outside of Werner in the opening lap to take the lead. Valin followed in the wake of Van Erp and leapt to take the 2nd position.

Lata crashed in the first few corners as he got clipped and had a lot to do to not lose the 2nd place in the championship to Valk who had a good start and was up to 4th in lap 1. Towers was 5th and had a better position to charge up the field following his impressive comeback in race 1.

Leader Van Erp and Valin were 2 seconds apart on lap 2 of 13. Lata was already up to 8th on lap 3 to gain precious points in the championship. Valk tried to push behind Werner, but the German was holding his position until he couldn’t no more and Valk went through after a move on the inside to go 3rd. Werner was then under pressure from the great pace of Towers. Towers quickly passed him to go 4th.

Meanwhile Lata was doing his climb up as he managed to find himself in 6th after passing his teammate Mads Fredsoe and Bud Racing Kawaski’s Benjamin Garib.

On lap 8, Towers made a mistake and saw Lata and Werner pass him by as he came back riding behind them the duo. Lata then passed Werner for 4th in what was a great comeback. Meanwhile, not much movement was happening at the top with Van Erp leading Valin by 2 seconds again and Valk in 3rd. And the top 4 in the championship again occupying the top 4 places in the race.

Valin probably fancied his chance to win the race and get a 1-1 but Van Erp was solid. However all turned upside down for Van Erp with 3 laps to go when stalled after a cross rut and saw Valin flying by to go and win the race for a perfect 1-1. Van Erp finished 2nd and had as consolation the 2nd place on the podium. Valk cruised to the end in 3rd but missed the podium for 2 point  as Lata comeback to 4th place in the end handed him the 3rd spot on the podium.

The American rider, Towers shone during the weekend despite some hardships and finished 5th overall, getting more and more involved in the fight for the top positions.

Mathis Valin: “It was really a good weekend. It’s been a long time since I do 1-1, so it was quite good. We worked a lot these last weeks to get there, so it was better this weekend. And we can see the work we do. Now we focus on the last round. We have the red plate, and we need the champion one now!”

Main Photo: Mathis Valin

Bottom Photos: 1.EMX250 Start ; 2. EMX250 Podium

MXGP OF TURKIYE QUICK FACTS:

Circuit length: 1800m

Type of ground: Hard Pack

Temperature: 30°

Weather conditions: Sunny