Mikkel Haarup Shines at Thunder Valley Pro Motocross
Triumph Factory Racing travelled north to Thunder Valley, Colorado, for round three of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, continuing their steady climb towards the 250MX podium. Mikkel Haarup once again demonstrated strong form in the first moto, battling near the top three, before thrilling fans with a determined comeback in the second race.
Skilfully putting down the power of his TF 250-X, Haarup secured a top-five start in moto one. Building on insights gained at the previous round at Hangtown, he surged into third just a few laps in. After intense on-track battles and learning the demands of the Colorado circuit, he ultimately crossed the line in seventh. A crash on the opening lap of the second moto forced him to charge from the very back, but in what was arguably the performance of the day, he rallied to 12th place, earning eighth overall.
Jordon Smith has fond memories of Thunder Valley but could not quite capitalise on that momentum after a fall in timed qualification. Battered and bruised, he persevered to claim 14th in moto one and eight championship points. The #19 signed off a consistent day with an impressive charge from 22nd to 10th in the second moto. It was another example of his grit and determination, earning him 11th in the 250MX classification.
Thunder Valley served as another valuable step in Austin Forkner's tale; he started in the top 10 for the first time in moto one and went with the furious pack. Securing 11th – just eight seconds from 10th – marked a season-best finish. An early crash in moto two thwarted his push for a position in the top 10 in the overall classification, but he still salvaged a creditable 19th despite an additional fall. His 11-19 scores placed him 18th on the day.
Pennsylvania's magnificent High Point Raceway is next on Triumph's agenda. The race will mark round four of the Pro Motocross season and the end of four consecutive weeks of intense on-track action.
Mikkel Haarup
"I think this was rather successful, taking everything into consideration. I had a good start in moto one and made passes on the first lap for the first time! That was good. I am getting the intensity up a little bit. I had a bad jump in the second moto and was in the pack. I took a trip into the fence and had to untangle myself but came from dead last to 12th. I’m happy with my efforts."
Austin Forkner
"The track was tough today, especially the ruts. I wanted to work on my starts and sprint speed this weekend – both starts were sick! I did not have that sprint speed in moto one and was shuffled back, but I still finished 11th. I sprinted hard in moto two, after another good start, but had a crash after two laps. I am happy to be in one piece! I rode it out after that. There are definitely positives to take from today."
Jordon Smith
"A rough day for me. I crashed onto my shoulder on the first lap of practice; I dealt with that all day. I fought hard to go 14-10 for 11th overall. It was not a terrible day, so we will keep fighting and come back stronger next weekend."
Steve Westfall – Team Manager, Triumph Factory Racing
"It was not a bad weekend. The first moto was very good for the guys, but we did not have the greatest starts in moto two. We will work on that this week. Mikkel went from dead last to 12th, Jordon went from 22nd to 10th and Austin crashed twice but still scored points. The goal is to get everyone in the top 10 at High Point."
250MX Results: 2025 Pro Motocross, Round 3 – Thunder Valley
1. Chance Hymas (Honda) 1-1
2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 2-2
3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 8-3
4. Tom Vialle (KTM) 6-5
5. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 9-4
8. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 7-12
11. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 14-10
18. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 11-19
250MX Standings: 2025 Pro Motocross, Round 3 – Thunder Valley
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 144pts
2. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 119pts
3. Chance Hymas (Honda) 95pts
4. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 86pts
5. Tom Vialle (KTM) 85pts
11. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 63pts
14. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 56pts
19. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 29pts
