The fifth round of the 2015 ADAC MX Masters at Bad Segeberg (Schleswig-Holstein) marked the start of the second half of the season in Europe´s most popular motocross series. Around 8,000 spectators turned out to watch world championship rider Kevin Strijbos (29, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP Team) triumph on the deep sandy track used by MCE Tensfeld. This was the second successive victory for the Belgian after he also picked up the winner´s trophy at Jauer (Saxony). His closest pursuer and fellow world championship contestant Glenn Coldenhoff (Team Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe) saw the chequered flag in second place after posting the fastest time in qualifying. Third fastest was Switzerland´s Jeremy Seewer (21, Team Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe).

"It´s a great feeling to once again take the Sunday victory in this series," said former ADAC MX Junior Cup winner. "I wasn´t familiar with Tensfeld until now, so it´s all the more satisfying to have mastered this difficult track. In addition, it´s the perfect preparation for the remaining races in the world championship. In Glenn, I was up against a strong opponent. He is fast in the sand and showed with his victory in the first race that he can win." Despite having to settle for the runner-up spot in the Sunday standings, Coldenhoff took comfort from having accumulated further important points towards the championship. "Kevin was too fast," said the 24-year-old Dutchman. "I wasn´t able to beat him in the second race. But I´ve been able to score a lot of vital points, and I still lead the title race. And one thing is certain: I certainly won´t be satisfied with second place in the championship." Coldenhoff´s team-mate Seewer crossed the finish line in third place. Defending champion Dennis Ullrich (21, Team Castrol Power1 Suzuki Moto-Base) from Wallerfangen in the Saarland just missed out on the podium in fourth place. In the championship, Coldenhoff tops the table on 220 points followed by Ullrich (179). Seewer is a further ten points adrift in third place.

ADAC MX Youngster Cup

In the ADAC MX Youngster Cup for junior riders, Arminas Jasikonis (17, Monster Energy Kawasaki Elf Team Pfeil) from Lithuania finished the day on the top rung of the podium. His second place in the first moto and a win in the second made him the best rider overall on Sunday ahead of Junior World Champion Brian Hsu (17, Team Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe). "Everything went as I had imagined," said 17-year old Jasikonis "My plan was to come back as strong as possible. Because of my injury-related absence, I´ve missed out on a lot of important points. But if this continues, a place among the Top Three at the end of the season is still possible." Third place went to Denmark´s Nichlas Bjerregaard (18, Easy MX Yamaha Team). The German rider of Taiwanese extraction , Brian Hsu, continues to lead the competition for riders in the 14 to 21 age bracket on 229 points. KTM rider Stefan Ekerold (19, Bodo Schmidt Motorsports) from Weiskirchen, Saarland, occupies second position on 157 points, followed by Nicholas Adams (18, Monster Energy Kawasaki Elf Team Pfeil) on 149 and Jasikonis in fourth place on 136.

DMV MX Ladies Cup

The northernmost venue on the 2015 calendar attracted not only top class male riders; the best female riders in the land were also there to compete in the MX Ladies Cup. Larissa Papenmeier (25, Twenty Suspension Suzuki) from Bünde, North Rhine-Westphalia, won both races in the ladies class, thus easily becoming overall winner on the day. "It was fun to be part of the series once again," said the 2009 world championship runner-up. "The victory took a lot out of me, because this track requires you to be really fit. But I managed to keep going, as indeed the result showed." In second place was Maria Franke (23, Team Yamaha STC) from Zeitz in Saxony Anhalt. Third place went to Kim Irmgartz (25, Suzuki, Diga Procross) from Grafschaft in Rhineland Palatinate.

The next ADAC MX Masters race weekend (8th/9th August) will be hosted by Ried im Innkreis, Austria. Motocross fans can look forward to one of the country´s most beautiful tracks which blends in beautifully to its natural surroundings. The classes to be contested are the ADAC MX Masters, the ADAC MX Youngster Cup and the ADAC MX Junior Cup. The 1,900-metre clay circuit with its spectacular jumps was laid out on a military training area formerly used by the Austrian army. The unusual feature of the Ried track is the long downhill straight which follows the starting gate, placing exceptional demands on the contestants. Immediately after the practice and qualifying sessions comes an additional highlight on the programme: the ever popular motocross long jump competition.

Tensfeld: Independent Riders´ Trophy in the ADAC MX Masters class

1. Hannes Volber (Gardelegen/KTM GST Berlin Racing)

2. Manuel Engel (Möckmühl)

3. Tim Münchhofen (Düsseldorf)

Tensfeld: Manufacturers´ Championship in the ADAC MX Masters class (after Round 5/8)

1. Suzuki, 239

2. KTM, 179

3. Kawasaki, 141

4. Honda, 135

5. Husqvarna, 101