Hugo Blasco, an 11-year-old motocross rider from Ibiza, has qualified for the final of the EMX65 European Motocross Championship after a strong performance in the semi-final in Bulgaria.
The road to Sevlievo
Blasco earned his place in the semi-final by finishing fifth in the last qualifying round in Portugal. The semi-final took place on 20 and 21 June at the Sevlievo circuit, a fast track with hard ground and steep slopes that regularly hosts rounds of the MXGP World Championship.
Practice and qualifying
In free practice, he used the session to learn the track and fine-tune his bike with his team, finishing 14th in his group. In timed qualifying he improved to 13th, securing direct entry into the heats.
In Saturday’s qualifying race he finished 15th, giving him a reasonable choice of starting gate for Sunday.
Race day
First race. Blasco made a clean start and rode with the leading group from the beginning. As the track broke up, he rode intelligently, avoided mistakes and finished 14th.
Second race. The track was even more rutted for the second race. Showing good fitness and technique, he held off the riders behind him to finish 11th.
Into the final
His combined results left him 11th overall in the semi-final standings, enough to secure a place in the European final. It takes place in July in Loket, in the Czech Republic, alongside a round of the MXGP World Championship.
A school for young riders
His result is also a success for the Ibiza and Formentera Motorcycle Club and its motorcycling school, founded in 2014, which has helped young riders from the Pitiusas reach national and international competition. Experienced riders such as Elías Escandell support the training of the next generation.
Competing against Europe’s best young riders in the 65cc class is a major achievement for a rider from an island with limited facilities, and the final in Loket will be the biggest stage of his career so far.
