Event Coverage

Round 3 of the highest German championship, the DMX, took place in Holzgerlingen near Stuttgart. An awesome track, especially for the crowd because you can see almost the whole circuit, good and balanced riders in the entry list, perfect weather and a great organization were the facts to guaranty an amazing motocross weekend.


Start of the 3rd heat | Maxi Nagl (95), Josef Dobes (75) Dugmore (12)

As the gate dropped down for the first of three heats Dobes, Dugmore and Swanepoel leads the pack through the first laps. Swanepoel showed his strength on this day and passed Dugmore and Dobes back to back and pulled away. It looks like Swanepoel could dominate this race easily. But it appears different from thought. After a few laps Dobes, with some pressure from Aigar Leok, Leok passed Dugmore some laps ago, in his neck, was able to close the gap to Swanepoel.


G. Swanepoel was in good shape and showed a perfect performance

In the last minutes of the race these three riders were struggling for the heat win. It was a very close and thrilling decision. Swanepoel, Dobes and Leok finished in this sequence, only separated by three seconds. But that was not the only brilliant action for the attendance. Crowd’s favourite and championship leader Max Nagl has problems in the first lap and dropped back very far. On his pursuit it was impressing to look how he passed so many other riders. Nagl droves the fastest lap times and finished in 8th, straight behind one of his biggest challenger’s, Ken De Dycker from Team Sarholz Honda. Further German riders showed strong performances. Boller, with a constant race after a good start, finished in 5th, Schiffer in 10th followed by Chitarro, both coming from outside the top fifteen.


Ken de Dycker and guest rider Danny Theybers on the right

Second heat, the same basic situation. Swanepoel took the hole shot with Dobes in 2nd. Nagl has had a bad start again. But this time he lies “only” in about 15th place. So he was able to show his fighting spirit again. Meanwhile Swanepoel and Dobes break away from guest starter Theybers in 3rd. In a close battle with Leok for a top five position, the race for Dugmore was stopped after a crash in lap six. Leok dropped back several positions and finished in 13th position. In the last laps everyone was very excited because of close duels for the lead, 3rd and 5th position.


Josef Dobes hunting for Gareth Swanepoel watched by the crowd

As in race one, Dobes took some pressure on Swanepoel, used some other lines to overtake him but couldn’t pass him. The same situation happened behind the leaders. Nagl accrued to Theybers and was definite faster. In the last two laps he tried every possibility to pass Theybers, but the experienced Belgian on his four stroke bike held Nagl back in 4th position. Daniel Siegl, after the first lap in 3rd position and only passed from Theybers and Nagl, was in 5th until two corners before the chequered flag went down. But then came De Dycker with a brilliant move and blocked Siegl. So Siegl finished behind De Dycker in 6th. But this was anyhow a great performance from Siegl.



Daniel Siegl did a great job | Manuel Chitarro jumping the stepdown

Chitarro finished in front of Boller in 7th place. Back on a German track was Jiri Cepelak. Some years ago he fought in Holzgerlingen with Pit Beirer for the victory, but after a long break because of injuries, he isn’t as fast as in former times. His best result was a 9th place in second heat. A disappointing DNF for young German Marcus Schiffer, his exhaust pipe was broken. He lies in a promising top ten position.


Big success in Switzerland but bad luck in Germany | Marco Dorsch

Bad luck for “Joker” Marco Dorsch, too. He injured his leg and has a DNF in heat two and was not able to ride in heat three. A disappointing weekend after a middle-rate 12th in the first race. Another hopeful talent got some points in heat two, Stefan Michael, a really great race from him. He finished behind Leok in 14th. Michael is as old as Nagl and Schiffer.


Markus Schiffer (17) and Dennis Schröter (2)

The third race was dramatic pure. Again Swanepoel and Dobes were fighting for the heat win. This time Dobes was a bit faster then his competitor. On a right hand band Dobes went on Swanepoel`s inside and blocked him. Both riders went down because Swanepoel`s right leg got stuck between Dobes fender and rear wheel. It needed a long time till both riders were on their bikes again. The problem for Dobes was his father. He seconded his son to get back on the bike. That’s the reason why Dobes got disqualified after the race. So he lost ten points for his 6th place and his achieved championship lead.


Bad luck for Joes Dobes, he got disqualified in heat number three

Dugmore could profit most from this crash and took the win in heat three. 2nd place for Nagl in front of De Dycker and Leok. Nagl has at last a good start. He was in 4th position but dropped back after a small slip one position behind Leok. In the same lap when Dobes and Swanepoel went down Leok makes a mistake, too. So Nagl went from 5th in 2nd position during one lap. Chitarro in 7th again and Boller in 8th took further points for the championship table. At last Daniel Siegl showed his truth potential. After a crash in lap one he fights back from last position into 9th. A really awesome performance from Siegl. Hopeful he continues like these.


Collin Dugmore was the lucky 3rd in heat three and got 1st

Swanepoel finished in 6th and took the overall victory in front of Nagl and Theybers. The championship table is very close, Nagl held his lead, but De Dycker, Dobes and Swanepoel are very close. We will see…
Mentionable is especially the first race of the ADAC-Junior Cup. They show really awesome race action, too. Eight riders were fighting for the win and the speed is impressive. A really awesome event with Motocross on its best.


The actual point leader of the DMX and Open DM Champ Maxi Nagl