Podium for Fiolek!

The LS Motors-Honda girls started their season in style. American Women’s MX champion Ashley Fiolek grabbed another podium spot, her third podium from her five GP starts so far! Ashley finished 3rd in both races and left a very good impression. Fiolek took the holeshot in both moto’s and enjoyed held the leader spot for a couple of moments. On Saturday as well as on Sunday German Laier and reigning World champion Lancelot proved to be a bit faster. Lancelot won the GP in Sevlievo in front of Laier and Fiolek. However Ashley was the best American girl on Bulgarian soil with Tarah Gieger coming home ninth while Aubrianna Dunn unfortunately didn’t score any points.

Belgium’s Elien De Winter ended up 11dth in the overall standings. That was a surprisingly good result l given her injuries (Elien is on the mend after suffering a broken vertebra and a dislocated pelvis). In the first race on Saturday Elien finished in 8th. In the Sunday she had to ride through the pain barrier but clinched an honourable 13th position nevertheless. De Winter became 11th and first Belgian in the overall standings. Brenda Wagemans was 13rd and Morane de Barquin 24th.

Elien De Winter and Ashley Fiolek kick off WMX series

Photo: Red Bull Photofiles

In Bulgaria LS Motors welcomes the ever enthusiast American Ashley Fiolek. Ashley will defend the LS Motors colors during a few selected rounds of this year’s WMX World championship. Last year Ashley clinched her first podium in Sevlievo and ended 6th in the WMX’s final standings despite missing one GP. Just like Elien, Ashley oozes with

professionalism and stamina. LS Motors-Honda is very proud of fielding this duo that combines speed, charm and personality. Both Elien and Ashley ride a Honda CRF250R. Their main competition will come from reigning World champion Livia Lancelot, strong German girls Stephanie Laier, Maria Franke and Larissa Papenmeier. Peurtorican Tarah Geiger, the first every woman to compete in the Motocross of Nations, will also be behind the starting gate in Sevlievo.

Desalle looks ahead to Sevlievo

Looking back on Faenza: "Sure I got compliments from everywhere. It was definitely nice to be on the podium for the very first time. I was pleased with that but on the other hand I was mad at myself. I mean, you can’t be otherwiseif you let slip second place from you in the last lap. We didn’t celebrate that third place but then there’s no time for partying with a busy schedule like this.”

On racing in the mud “I wouldn’t call myself a real mud specialist. Sometimes it goes like you planned it, sometimes it doesn’t. All in all it’s good riding skills mixed with a portion of luck. Riding in the mud is demanding in a different way. Your speed is much lower than normal, but it’s much harder work because of all the mud that sticks on the bike. It becomes real tough when you crash and have to put the bike back upright.”

On Sevlievo. “Personally I think it’s a wonderful track: hard pack, fast and with a nice layout. The accommodation around the track is second to none as well, it’s just real professional. It’s a bit strange to find such a state of the art track in a country that is so old fashioned. But then again we really don’t have the time to visit it, we’re not there on a

holiday.”