This weekend Gabriel SS24 KTM headed to Trentino set against the stunning mountain backdrop, for round five of MXGP and round four of EMX250. Transitioning from the deep sand of Sardinia to a hard-pack track the team arrived motivated and eager to build on what had already been their strongest weekend so far, and hungry for even more progress.

Gyan Doensen was first on track getting straight into rhythm and looking comfortable from the outset. He set a strong lap time in free practice fnishing fourth in Group Two. Heading into time practice he was focused on improving further and building confidence for the races.

Gyan got off to a great start in the session and quickly moved into pole position, where he remained for the majority of time practice. Unfortunately with five minutes to go Aron Katona took over pole followed by Nicolai Skovbjerg moving into second, pushing Gyan down to third. This result secured him sixth gate pick for the races.

For Oriol Oliver the hard-pack conditions are where he feels most at home. He looked comfortable in free practice settling in well and setting a lap time that placed him eighteenth. The times were incredibly close with just 1.5 seconds separating him from Tim Gajser in tenth. In time practice Oriol improved further setting a 1:45 lap time that placed him fifteenth. Once again the margins were tight with only one second separating him from a position inside the top ten.

In EMX250 Race One Gyan came in with a strong mindset, however when the gate dropped he didn’t get the best reaction leaving him with work to do down the start straight. Heading into the first turn there were riders down in front of him and with nowhere to go he was forced to the back of the field coming out nearly last. With a big task ahead Gyan began charging through the pack and by lap four he had already fought his way into the top twenty.

With 10 minutes plus two laps remaining he was the second fastest rider on track and had his sights set on breaking into the top twelve. Unfortunately with four laps to go a small mistake cost him valuable positions dropping him back to 16th, despite this setback Gyan never gave up. He pushed all the way to the finish demonstrating real determination and crossed the line in 13th place. To underline his pace he set his fastest lap of the race on the final lap quick enough to match the front runners.

The MXGP qualifying race marked the final gate drop of the day. Following one of his best time practice results Oriol lined up feeling confident about getting a strong start. Coming out of the first corner he was around 13th place, but by the end of the opening lap he had dropped back slightly to 16th. Settling into a good rhythm Oriol looked very comfortable on the bike and he began making strong decisive passes and was soon back inside the top ten.

By lap four he had worked his way up to seventh battling with factory riders and showing impressive pace at the sharp end of the field. While pushing to move further forward Oriol unfortunately had a crash costing him significant time and positions and dropping him down to 24th. Despite the setback he didn’t give up showing great determination he fought his way back through the field making passes right to the final corner. In the closing moments he was battling with Calvin Vlaanderen for 16th place which is where he ultimately finished, it was another strong comeback and a great ride from Oriol.

After feeling frustrated with his result on Saturday Gyan came into EMX250 Race two focused and determined, knowing he had the speed to run at the front. When the gate dropped got a great jump and putting himself in a strong position heading into the first turn and he merged from the opening corner in second place. On the opening lap Gyan settled into third sitting behind Skovbjerg in second and Fueri who was leading the race.

Finding a solid rhythm early on he began putting together consistent lap times and continued to build his pace. As his speed increased Gyan started to close the gap to second place and by lap 10 he made his move, pushing into second and firmly establishing himself at the front of the field. With two laps to go Gyan began to tighten up but continued to fight hard despite his efforts, he lost a position to Jake Cannon dropping back to third, which is where he ultimately finished. It was an impressive ride clearly demonstrating his ability to run at the front and compete with the leading riders.

MXGP Race One Oriol lined up calm, focused and ready to deliver. Once again showing the progress he has made with his starts he got a great jump out of the gate and came through the first turn in around ninth place, right in the mix with several factory riders behind him. As he settled into the race Oriol looked comfortable and smooth, riding effortlessly for much of the moto. He maintained a strong pace keeping the gap to Maxime Renaux under control while also looking for opportunities to move forward.

Lap after lap he delivered consistent times and held his position well. Despite pressure from Rubén Fernández behind him, Oriol remained composed and rode with confidence managing the race smartly from start to finish. When the chequered flag came out he crossed the line in an excellent 8th place, his best result of the season so far and finishing just behind Kay de Wolf. A well-deserved result.

With confidence high Oriol reset and refocused for the final MXGP gate drop of the day. He executed another strong start putting himself right at the front of the field. Getting straight to work Oriol didn’t hold back making early passes and showing he is cable of. Once again battling with Rubén Fernández Oriol stayed with him for several laps looking composed and making very few mistakes. However with 10 minutes to go his lap times dropped slightly by around two seconds allowing Fernández to edge away.

Oriol then found himself in a three-way battle with Calvin Vlaanderen and Kevin Horgmo fighting hard for another top ten finish. With two laps remaining Vlaanderen managed to make a pass dropping Oriol back to tenth. Despite this Oriol refused to give up and continued pushing all the way to the flag, with Horgmo close behind. At the chequered flag Oriol crossed the line in 10th place capping off a strong weekend. It marked his best overall performance and results to date, underlining the clear progress he and the team are making.

Gyan Doensen: “I am not satisfied with this weekend. Tough luck in the first one, but a solid comeback ride despite a small crash. The second moto stated well but I felt stiff and finish third. No excuses just not good enough yet which makes me hungrier than ever. Five weeks now to reset, refocuse and get back to work, thanks to the team for all their hard work”

Oriol Oliver: “I wanted to go into the five week break with a good result on paper and that is what we did. I am super happy because we are five races into the championship and I haven't been able to put together two races which has been effecting my overall result, and this weekend we did it! I had good starts in both motos which consistent laps and I had good rhythm all weekend. In the motos I had P8-P10 for P9 overall, we made changes during the weekend with WP suspension which helped and made me feel more comfortable. Overall I am really happy, it’s a shame about the qualifying race I crashed while in P7. We will now use this break to work and train harder to improve, I am excited for the upcoming races in the British Championship here we will try and get the red plate.”

Shaun Simpson - Team Manager: “What a weekend! Everything came together for Oriol in Arco. His position in the timed practice was a vast improvement which started the ball rolling for the weekend. The starts were important and he executed, kept his head down and rode brilliantly. He now believes he’s one of the boys. I thought we would get some top ten results this season but I didn’t think they would come so early in the season. The progression already this year has been thrilling, and although it’s a career best in MXGP this is the new benchmark. Gyan had a steady weekend but it wasn’t an easy one. He had to overcome a start crash in the first moto and a charge through the pack before a mistake cost him some positions and ultimately another chance of an overall podium. Moto two was much more like it with a solid third place finish but I feel there’s much more from Gyan that he’s not able to show at the races yet. A weekend off now which will give us a chance to look at our weak points and build on them ahead of the next sequence of races.”

Overall the team was extremely happy with the weekend showing clear progress in the right direction for both riders. Gyan delivered a strong comeback scoring 8 points in moto one and 20 points in moto two, which placed him 6th overall, just six points shy of the podium. In the championship standings he remains 4th sitting 35 points behind Jake Cannon in third, while holding a 23-point advantage over Mads Fredsoe in fifth. Oriol also enjoyed his best weekend of the season so far, scoring a total of 24 points across both motos to secure an impressive 9th overall. He made further progress in the MXGP championship as well, moving up two positions to 13th place with 72 points. The gap to Alberto Forato and Pauls Jonass now stands at 23 points.

Gabriel SS24 KTM would like to extend a sincere thank you to KTM and all of our valued sponsors for their continued support throughout the season. Their backing plays a vital role in making our racing programme possible and enables the team to compete at the highest level. The team now looks ahead to a well-deserved one-week break in the racing schedule before shifting focus back to the British Championship. Racing resumes on Sunday 3rd May at Lyng, located in Norfolk.