MXGP: Australian rider Mitch Evans determined after horror restart to season

He didn’t get the result he wanted, but Far North motocross star Mitch Evans has got his inaugural MXGP campaign back on track in Europe.

• Young gun proving he’s up to the Challenge
• Rising netball star unfazed by daunting match-up
• Smith-Ani, Barton lead dominant Sharks to top
• Brothers eager to push Pride in Giant test

He didn’t get the result he wanted, but Far North motocross star Mitch Evans has got his inaugural MXGP campaign back on track in Europe.

The 21-year-old was in Kegums, Latvia for the restart of the 2020 MXGP championship on the weekend, but had no luck once the gates dropped.

After getting caught up in first-turn pile-ups in both motos, Evans found himself towards the rear of the field.

The Team HRC rider showed his determination as he fought his way back to finish the first race in 19th place and the second in 18th place.

Professional motocross rider Mitch Evans has restarted his inaugural MXGP season in Latvia. He has returned to Europe after spending four months at the family home in Wrights Creek, Far North Queensland, during the sport’s COVID-19 shut down to undergo shoulder surgery. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

In Wednesday’s fourth round, also held in Kegums, Evans finished his races in 26th and 15th.

Evans was 11th in the overall standings when the championship was suspended in March, but dropped to 15th after his most recent round in Kegums.

While it is his first season on the bigger 450cc bike, since stepping up from the MX2 (250cc) class last year, Evans is in pursuit of some big goals.

“I want to finish top five in the championship,” he said.

“It’s going to be difficult with the shortened calendar, as we don’t actually know how many races we’re going to get in, but the goal is to get a few podiums throughout the year, hopefully finish top five and secure a multi-year contract for the future.”

MOTORSPORT NEWS:

Motorsport: Racing set to resume at Mareeba Speedway

‘It’s my whole purpose’: V8 legend turns Supercars saviour

MotoGP history maker delights struggling nation’s president, season finish locked in

Milestone weekend for Supercars

The fifth round will be held in Kegums this weekend, before the championship takes a short break to relocate to Turkey, where the sixth round will be held on September 6.

Evans started his inaugural MXGP season in style, finishing on the podium in the first race of the season in the UK in March.

Despite the strong start, he was unable to pick up any points in the second round in the Netherlands before the season was suspended, after he was involved in a multi-rider incident and dislocated his shoulder.

Evans returned home to undergo surgery during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Originally published as MXGP: Australian rider Mitch Evans determined after horror restart to season