Last Sunday, France shone brightly at the FIM Junior Motocross World Championships in Romagné, taking team gold and two individual titles, despite particularly difficult weather conditions.
France Team World Champion!
The French team put in an exceptional performance on home soil, taking the gold medal in the nations ranking with an unbeatable total of four points. A feat which testifies to the strength and determination of the young French riders in the face of fierce competition. Italy took second place, while Great Britain climbed onto the third step of the podium for the second year running. The USA and Latvia complete the top 5, demonstrating the depth of their talent.
125cc: Local hero Mano Faure crowned World Champion!
The 125cc category saw the feat of young local rider Mano Faure (Yamaha Europe EMX125 MJC), who took the gold medal and the title of World Champion! Despite several minor crashes in the second race, Faure dominated with a score of 1-3.
The first race was a show of strength for Faure, who took the Fox Holeshot and led from start to finish, finishing with a comfortable 36-second lead. In the second heat, Faure again got off to an excellent start, but a crash saw him lose the lead to Latvian Jekabs Kubulins (JK Racing Yamaha), who eventually won this heat. Faure rallied to finish third, which was enough to secure the world title.
Italy's Filippo Mantovani (KTM) was consistent (3-2) and took silver, while Jekabs Kubulins, winner of the second race, took bronze.
Mano Faure thus becomes the fourth Frenchman to win the 125cc Junior World Championship, following in the footsteps of such illustrious names as Jordi Tixier and Maxime Renaux.
85cc: Rafael Mennillo takes home the gold!
In the 85cc class, France was once again in the spotlight with victory for Rafael Mennillo. The young prodigy mastered the muddy conditions of the circuit to secure the gold medal with two solid second places.
The first race was marked by an intense battle between Mennillo and his compatriot Enzo Herzogenrath, who finally won the heat by just 1.733 seconds, providing a magnificent French one-two. In the second race, Rafael Mennillo showed great consistency, finishing second behind Estonian Lucas Leok, who dominated this round by almost a minute.
Despite the impressive performance of Leok (who finished with the silver medal), Mennillo's consistency enabled him to clinch France's first ever 85cc junior world title. Australian Seth Thomas (KTM) put in a fine performance to finish third overall, justifying his long journey.
65cc: A Unique Race in Extreme Conditions
The 65cc category was the hardest hit by the vagaries of the weather. The very young drivers (aged 10-12) had to face a veritable deluge of rain, turning the track into a major challenge. In the end, the race was limited to a single heat due to the extreme conditions.
American Kannon Zabojnik (Cobra MOTO) came out on top, taking the gold medal. The young local rider, Mathys Agullo (KTM), despite a crash and Dantesque conditions, gave it his all and took a fine silver medal. Another American, Levi Geis (Cobra MOTO), completed the podium with a bronze medal. The second round was cancelled for safety reasons, the track having become impassable.
Opening Ceremony and Tribute
Before the start of the races, the official opening ceremony of the 2025 FIM Motocross Junior World Championship was a moment of pride and joy, marked by the presence of numerous personalities from the motocross world. The stirring rendition of La Marseillaise by an orchestra created an electric atmosphere. A moment of silence was also observed in memory of former FIM president Francesco Zerbi.
This weekend in Romagné will remain engraved in the annals of junior motocross, not only for the exceptional sporting performances, but also for the resilience of the young riders in the face of difficult conditions and the festive atmosphere that reigned despite the rain.
Information and photos: mxgp.com
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