The Junior Class is the last category to start its season during the Grand Prix Acerbis of Chile. This one has known some big changes during the off-season with numerous riders leaving it for the Senior categories. Among them, the 2014 World Champion Danny MCCANNEY (GB – Husqvarna) but also Loïc LARRIEU (F – Sherco), Nicolo MORI (I – KTM), or Rannar UUSNA (EST – KTM) and Eloi SALSENCH (E – Beta)! The hierarchy has to be completely rebuilt even if two riders seem to be faster!
The favorites
– Giacomo REDONDI (I – Beta): Vice-Champion for the second time in two years in this class, he had to face two unleashed riders: PHILLIPS and MCCANNEY. “RED” really hopes to be crowning Junior World Champion in the handlebar of his Beta this season… To do so, the Italian has been very serious during the off-season and he is well-decided to fight.
– Jamie MCCANNEY (GB – Husqvarna): A MCCANNEY is leaving, another arrives… Jamie! Unfortunate last year (often injured), he hopes that the bad luck will leave him quite this year… At 100%, the Husqvarna official rider is extremely fast and technical and he will be a real danger for REDONDI who was already his rival in FIM Youth Cup 125cc…
Their goal… the podium!
– Diogo VENTURA (P – Gas Gas): The Portuguese is back on the EWC with Gas Gas for a second consecutive year. Brilliant 5th last year, he will look to do better by offering, why not, a final podium to the Spanish brand.
– Kirian MIRABET (E – KTM): The young Catalan stays with the KTM Supported team and will look, for sure, to fight for first spots for his second season in Junior. Still improving, MIRABET could be a serious contender for the podium!
– Alessandro BATTIG (I – Honda): After a promising first season with Honda, the Red Moto official rider will certainly target the podium. But he will have to avoid physical troubles in order to become a real candidate for the final podium.
– Luis OLIVEIRA (P – Yamaha): The young Portuguese is back on the EWC after a successful year in the Brazilian Championship! Faster than VENTURA and CORREIA on the first stages of the Portuguese Championship, OLIVEIRA will be one to follow… Can he impose himself as a serious contender for the title? Maybe… if his mind is strong!
Top 10
– Oliver NELSON (S – KTM): 7th in 2014, the Swedes has impressed by signing two podiums in Finland. But he still has to improve on dry track. Injured, he will miss Chile!
– Lars LOFGREN (S – KTM): The second Swedish of the GP Motorsport team has also realized a nice Scandinavian tour and ended finally 9th overall. He is back for a very decisive second season!
– Jeremy CARPENTIER (F – Honda): The 2014 Junior French Champion will participate to the entire season (except Chile) and he is not hiding himself… He is looking for the Top 5! Everything’s possible for one of the best French prospect of the category…
– Theo BAZERQUE (F – Sherco): After few encouraging GP last year, we hope that the Sherco Academy rider will show us the talent that everybody says he has…
– Mika BARNES (F – KTM): The French is no longer with Antoine MEO (!) but, after a encouraging 15th rank in 2014, he will look for a place in the Top 10.
– Nicolo BRUSCHI (I – Honda): The young and sympathetic Italian will look to realize some nice shots and will continue to learn.
– Maëlig BRON-FONTANAZ (F – Sherco): After a first season with the French Army, BRON-FONTANAZ is now with Didier VALADE and the Sherco Academy.
– Kevin OLSEN (S – Sherco): After a first season with Kawasaki, the Swedish prospect has signed with “AZZA” and will look to learn with the bests.
– Arnau SOLA (E – KTM): He will start his fourth season in the World Championship and should be finally able to integrate the ten best riders of the category…
The “Rookies”
– Davide SORECA (I – Beta): The 2015 FIM Youth Cup 125cc winner arrives in Junior with great ambitions! His ardor could bring him to fight with the bests…
– Albin ELOWSON (S – Husqvarna): SORECA’s biggest rival in the FIM Youth Cup 125cc last year follows him in the Junior Class! And he could be a possible contender for the Top 5…
– Jérémy MIROIR (F – Yamaha): After a 2014 Youth Cup season stopped in Italy because of an injured knee, MIROIR is coming to in the category with a big potential… But he has just injured himself during training…
– Jesper BORJESSON (S – Husqvarna), Matteo BRESOLIN (I – KTM), Anthony GESLIN (F – Yamaha), Nicolas PELLEGRINELLI (I – Kawasaki) and Adam TOMICZEK (PL – KTM)… are coming from the FIM Youth Cup 125cc and will look to grab as much points as possible.
– The newcomers Alexandre AUDRERIE (F – KTM), Michele COBUZZI (I – Beta) and Jorge DIEZ (CL – Honda) will discover the EWC…
On the way to a duel GARCIA – MARCHELLI in FIM Youth Cup 125cc?
After Davide SORECA’s title last year and his passage to Junior, the FIM Youth Cup 125cc seems to be much more open as many riders of the 2014 season follow him in Junior (MIROIR, ELOWSON, BRESOLIN…). So it is pretty difficult to give a favourite…
But, Michele MARCHELLI (I – Husqvarna) and Josep GARCIA (E – Husqvarna) seems to have a short advantage to succeed to SORECA. They will however, have to watch out for French and 2014 French Champion Quentin DELHAYE DE MALUDE (TM), or also Jordi GARDIOL (E – KTM), Luc MALIGES (F – KTM) and Mikael PERSSON (S – KTM)…
David ABGRALL (F – Yamaha), Sergi CASANY (E – Gas Gas), Valerian DEBAUD (F – Yamaha), Luca GARELLO (F – Yamaha), Jean-Baptiste NICOLOT (F – Yamaha) and Mirko SPANDRE (I – KTM) are classified as possible outsiders…
With an average of 50 entries in each race, the Junior category promise us an intense spectacle all along the season and will bring freshness and new talent to the EWC… However, whoever identifies the person who will be able to succeed to Danny MCCANNEY is clever indeed, although two riders (REDONDI, MCCANNEY) seem better equipped to succeed in C. GUERRERO, LJUNGGREN, OLDRATI and BELLINO… that preceded the charts and became “senior” riders fighting for major titles in E1, E2 and E3.
It is the dream of the Juniors, all aged under 23 who are struggling with impatience for battle.
The Junior Champions since 2005
2014: D. MCCANNEY (Beta – Great Britain)
2013: PHILLIPS (Husqvarna – Australia)
2012: BELLINO (Husaberg – France)
2011: JOLY (HM Honda – France)
2010: SANTOLINO (KTM – Spain)
2009: MENA (Husaberg – Spain)
2008: OLDRATI (KTM – Italy)
2007: LJUNGGREN (Husaberg – Sweden)
2006: LJUNGGREN (Husaberg – Sweden)
2005: GUERRERO (Gas Gas – Spain)
The FIM Youth Cup 125cc winners since 2009
2014: SORECA (Yamaha – Italy)
2013: J. MCCANNEY (Husaberg – Great Britain)
2012: REDONDI (KTM – Italy)
2011: MANZI (KTM – Italy)
2010: ROMAN (KTM – Spain)
2009: DUMONTIER (Husqvarna – France)