It was disaster for red plate holder Mel Pocock in the opening EMX250 race in Russia after he clashed with Pierre Guippion on a jump while running in fourth place. Pocock pushed Guippion’s Kawasaki off the top of his own Husky, sending it down a bank. Pocock was then disqualified for the move.

Tom Vialle won the race from Giuseppe Tropepe with Briton Martin Barr fifth, Steven Clarke tenth  after falling from a good start and James Dunn 13th. Tropepe now leads the series with 85 points from Barr on 78 and Pocock on 73.

Reigning champ Brad Anderson fought with Estonian Andero Lusbo and Czech rider Vaclav Kovar for the win in the opening EMX300 race at the Russian GP venue of Orlyonok on Monday. After a tough scrap, Lusbo took the win from Kovar with Ando third even though he set the fastest lap of the race. With only 14 starters, red plate holder Mike Kras took fifth and Briton Rob Holyoake tenth. Anderson is now second in the series, 11 points behind Dutchman Kras.