Source: Supplied.

Top international contenders battled it out at select European pre-season races over the weekend in preparation for the 2017 MXGP World Motocross Championship.

It was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Max Nagl who claimed the MX1 overall victory at the Hawkstone International in England, the German rider using a 2-1 moto scorecard to take home top honours.

Behind Nagl it was teammate and MX1 rookie, Max Anstie, who took the runner-up position with a 1-5 moto scorecard ahead of Arminas Jasikonis in third, Gautier Paulin in fourth and Kevin Strijbos in fifth.

In the MX2 category it was Red Bull KTM’s Pauls Jonass who dominated the field with victories in both motos, he was joined on the podium by Thomas Kjer Olsen and Thomas Covington to round out the top three.

Australia’s Hunter Lawrence, a new addition to the Team Suzuki World MX2 squad for 2017, was strong on debut in the MX2 category, battling it out with teammate and 2016 world number two, Jeremy Seewer, for the number four position.

Lawrence, thanks to a 6-3 moto scorecard, was able to top his Suzuki counterpart on the day and bring home an impressive fourth place finish as he relegated the 2017 world motocross MX2 championship favourite to fifth.

At the second round of the 2017 Italian Motocross Championship it was Red Bull KTM’s Antonio Cairoli who dominated the field in slippery conditions.

The eight-time world champion claimed the MX1 victory ahead of a star-studded list of contenders, including Jeremy Van Horebeek in second and reigning MXGP champion, Tim Gajser, in third.

It was former world champion, Romain Febvre, who finished just off the podium in fourth position, fending off Russia’s Evgeny Bobryshev who rounded out the top five.

In the Elite race, which includes riders from both the MX1 and MX2 category, Cairoli again brought home the win aboard his factory KTM 450 SX-F to make it a perfect weekend.

The Italian rider again shared the podium with Van Horebeek and Febvre in the Elite race, rounding out the top five was Glenn Coldenhoff and Gajser.