Gabriel SS24 KTM headed to Teutschenthal this weekend for round seven of the MXGP, which also saw the return of the EMX250 Championship for round five. The circuit is known for its hard-packed surface, deep braking bumps and slick racing lines in dry conditions, while rain transforms the track into a deeply rutted and highly technical challenge.

Following on from France Gyan wanted to bring his experience and knowledge back into the EMX class and fight for strong results , Oriol continues to build on his recent performances and is focused on improving every weekend as the championship season progresses.

Saturday began with Gyan as he is currently fourth in the championship standings, he was placed in Group Two. During free practice he set a lap time that was good enough for sixth place. In timed practice Gyan improved his pace further finishing fourth in his group.

When the results from both groups were combined he secured seventh gate pick. For Oriol free practice saw him finish twelfth fastest just half a second outside the top ten. Building on that performance he went into timed practice where the margins were once again very tight. He finished the session in thirteenth place just one second away from breaking into the top ten.

For EMX250 Race 1 Gyan headed to the line feeling relaxed and confident in his abilities. When the gate dropped he executed the start perfectly launching into his first holeshot of the season, he was leading the way before he became cross-rutted exiting the third turn dropping back to fourth place.

Unfazed by the setback Gyan quickly settled into his rhythm and demonstrated excellent race craft, by halfway around the opening lap he had fought his way into the lead ahead of Alvisi and Fredsøe. On lap two Gyan moved back into second place behind Fredsøe where he would spend the entire of the race and he maintained a gap of around 1.5 to 2.5 seconds to the leader.

On some laps he appeared to be closing the gap only for it to stretch slightly again Gyan always looked comfortable, controlled and flowing around the circuit. As the race entered its closing stages Jake Cannon who had charged through the field began closing in from third place, with Cannon lapping around two seconds faster, the pressure was building.

Gyan remained calm and focused, continuing to ride his own race without panicking and on the final lap Cannon looked set to challenge Gyan but while following Gyan into a corner he clipped his rear wheel and went down which relieved some of the pressure during the final half lap. Gyan crossed the line in second place delivering the kind of performance everyone knows he is capable of, and it put him in a strong position heading into Sunday's second race.

The MXGP Qualifying Race marked the final gate drop of the day, and Oriol was feeling comfortable and confident after building a strong connection with the track throughout the day. His goal was to turn that positive feeling into a strong result heading into Sunday's motos.

Unfortunately Oriol didn't get the start he was hoping for and found himself buried deep in the pack from the opening laps, his task became even more difficult when he crashed exiting turn four dropping him all the way to last place. Refusing to let the setback define his race Oriol responded brilliantly and by lap five he was riding exceptionally well, using creative lines and making the most of every opportunity the track offered.

His speed was evident as he climbed to 23rd place. With 11 minutes still remaining Oriol's lap times were consistently two to three seconds faster than many of the riders around him and every lap he was making passes and moving further up the leaderboard, showcasing his determination.

With around seven minutes to go Oriol had the top 20 firmly in his sights he closed in on Ben Watson and was also reeling in a group of riders that included Rick Elzinga and Jago Geerts. In the final laps Oriol continued to push at an impressive pace, knowing that every position gained would improve his gate pick for Sunday's races.

He battled all the way to the chequered flag and fought hard with Geerts in the closing stages, despite his efforts he was unable to make the final pass and ultimately crossed the line in 19th place. It was a great comeback ride that highlighted both his speed and determination heading into race day.

Sunday morning saw the second EMX250 race of the weekend and Gyan wanted to end on a high and secure his first podium of the season. However just before the race the heavens opened and within minutes the track had turned into a mudder, despite the challenging conditions Gyan stayed calm and focused.

Hoping for another holeshot Gyan didn't quite manage it but still got away to a strong start running around fifth place. By the end of the opening lap he had slipped back to eighth. With the rain continuing to fall and the track becoming increasingly rough, rutted and slippery patience was crucial. By lap three Gyan had worked his way into fourth place and looked in control and lap after lap he closed the gap to third position, which would have secured him the final step on the podium.

As the race progressed an intense battle developed for positions three through five while Gyan was also fighting for the overall victory against Jake Cannon with just two points separating them. With two laps remaining Gyan settled into a rhythm and managed the race from fifth place bringing the bike home safely at the chequered flag.

Shortly after the race had finished Alvisi was handed a position penalty for cutting the track and as a result he was demoted in the final classification, which promoted Gyan to fourth place in the official race results. Gyan’s efforts were enough to secure second overall for the weekend and most importantly his first podium of the year.

MXGP Race One saw Oriol face a tough challenge from the start with only 19th gate pick, securing the all-important start and running with the factory riders inside the top ten was always going to be difficult.

When the gate dropped Oriol didn't get the launch he was hoping for leaving him with work to do on a technical track that offered very few passing opportunities.

Unfortunately his race became even more challenging on the third turn when he got caught up behind a fallen rider with nowhere to go that dropped him all the way back to 36th place on the opening lap, leaving him with a mountain to climb. Faced with a huge task Oriol delivered an outstanding ride making the most of every opportunity and finding creative lines around the circuit, he steadily made his way through the field.

Within the first 15 minutes of the race he had already broken into the top twenty, lapping one to two seconds faster than many of the riders ahead of him. As the race entered its closing stages he kept finding positions and by the final lap was battling for 12th place, he pushed all the way to the chequered flag in an attempt to pass Tom Koch but ultimately ran out of time. Oriol crossed the line in 13th place which was a great comeback ride that showcased determination and exceptional riding.

The final gate drop of the day came and as the gate dropped Oriol's reaction was almost perfect he launched out of the gate and headed into the first turn inside the top ten, however after the opening corners he emerged around 14th place. Determined to make progress Oriol used his intensity in the opening laps to make several important passes before long, he had worked his way into eighth place and found himself behind Maxime Renaux.

Studying Renaux's lines while looking for an opportunity to attack Oriol continued to maintain a strong pace, behind him Andrea Bonacorsi was closing rapidly and eager to make a move. Oriol fought hard and defended his position well refusing to give up the place easily, but eventually Bonacorsi managed to find a way through.

After losing the position Oriol took a few laps to reset and refocus he quickly began closing the gap again and looked faster than Bonacorsi setting himself up for a potential pass, unfortunately while changing his line in an attempt to regain the position Oriol made a small mistake and went down costing him two places.

Back in 11th he struggled to immediately regain his rhythm and a few minor mistakes prevented him from making progress through the field that opened the door for Pauls Jonass to make a pass, dropping Oriol back to 12th place. Despite continuing to push and searching for a way back past Jonass in the closing laps Oriol was unable to find an opening before the chequered flag, he ultimately crossed the line in 13th place rounding out a hard-fought final race of the day.

Gyan Doensen: “A solid weekend in Germany, I’m really proud of all the work I have put in. After a tough start to the season it’s rewarding to see the progress we are making. We finally secured a place on the box but we’re not stopping here. We will keep pushing for more because I truly believe there’s still more potential to unlock. A big thank you to my team and everyone who has supported me along the way. Let’s carry this momentum into next weekend and we will keep on building, See you all in Latvia.”

Oriol Oliver: “Overall I am happy with this weekend not so much the results but definitely with my riding and I feel like every weekend I am improving. I need to start having a better qualifying race so I can have a better gate pick for Sunday so I can be where I want to be, and that’s up front. I had a bit of a difficult weekend with first lap crashes and other crashes I couldn’t avoid which than made my races more difficult. In the qualifying race I am happy with my riding especially to come from 39th to 19th. First moto again had to come through which wasn’t easy as I knew I was riding good. In the second moto I went to make the pass for 9th mid moto and crashed , I wanted a better result in that moto but again I am happy with my riding and speed I will try and carry this momentum into Latvia , I like this track as I’ve had good result there in the past. Big thanks to the team and all their hard work and let’s keep going.”

Shaun Simpson - Team Manager: “First EMX250 podium this weekend in Teutschenthal! Gyan rode well all weekend which was good to see, bringing in his momentum from last weekend in MX2. This could be the turning point for us this season as I know he’s still got more in the tank. Looking forward to Kegums this weekend as we were on the podium there last year. Need to keep this ball rolling. Oriol had another steady weekend with two contrasting motos with the same end result. Gate pick wasn’t good after a crash in the qualifying race on Saturday so starts were difficult. A charge through the pack in the first moto to reach 13th and running in 9th in the second race before a small tip over cost him some time. 12th overall in this class is solid. His race fitness is there now so we’re close to getting top 10 results more consistently in the coming races. Shout out to the whole crew this weekend for doing a great job in the tough conditions.”