The Australian contingent has fared well in Saturday’s opening day of the 2018 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship in Horsham, Victoria, setting up a fascinating battle for tomorrow.

In the 125cc World Championship it was Italian Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) who clinched pole position, his 1m48.434s edging top of the local and new national MXD champion Bailey Malkiewicz (Yamaha).

KTM-mounted Czech rider Petr Polak was third and the final rider in the 1m48s, as Aussie Korey McMahon (KTM) and Raivo Dankers (Netherlands, KTM) filled the top five. Additional locals inside the top 10 included John Bova (KTM) in sixth, Blake Fox (KTM) in eighth and Regan Duffy (KTM) in ninth.

Topping the 85cc qualifying session this afternoon was US talent Caden Braswell (KTM), posting a 1m51.944s to go just under half a second quicker than Camden McLellan (South Africa, KTM).

Times were tight at the front and featuring some of the biggest names in junior motocross globally, with Kay de Wolf (Netherlands, KTM), high-profile American Ryder Difrancesco (Kawasaki) and Liam Everts (Belgium, KTM) in positions three through five. Top Aussie was Brad West (Kawasaki) in P10.

The 65cc World Cup category was led by youthful Dutch racer Damien Knuiman (KTM), the only rider to break two minutes with an impressive 1m59.803s lap-time.

Australia’s Braden Plath (Husqvarna) was only two-tenths back in P2, followed by American Enzo Temmerman (KTM), countryman Logan Best (Yamaha) and another local in Kayden Minnear (KTM).

There were a selection of Australian riders in the top 10, including Ky Woods (KTM) in sixth, Jet Alsop (KTM) in seventh and Jack Deveson (KTM) in eighth position following today’s sessions.

Detailed results