The 2010 motocross season has been one of extremes for New Zealand’s Kayne Lamont, at both the good and bad ends of the spectrum.

The Suzuki rider from Mangakino started the season at the double, winning both main “big bike” titles at the New Zealand Junior Motocross Championships near Blenheim in April – the 125cc two-stroke and 250cc four-stroke title as well – and since then has been based overseas as he’s dipped his toes into the European motocross scene.

The BikesportNZ.com-sponsored rider tasted some extreme highs during his European adventure but, equally, he experienced a few moments he’d rather forget, all of which have made the 17-year-old a much wiser and faster racer.

Lamont taught a few lessons to some of the UK’s rising stars when he won the day at two British Motocross Championships events and also surprised elite riders across the English Channel when he took points away from some of the top European 125cc (EMX125) campaigners at rounds in Sweden and the Czech Republic, all the time proving that he was able to run with such renowned riders as French sensations Jordi Tixier and Dylan Ferrandis.

Lamont also impressed the annual World Junior Motocross Championships in France, running among the leaders early on, but, ultimately it was a disappointment as several crashes cost him valuable points and he had to settle for a world ranking of No.17.

His farewell event in Europe was to race at a British Championships meeting at Silverstone and it was during the practice session here that Lamont struck another problem.

“There was a ‘wall jump’ at the track and Kayne landed very hard, jarring his ankle,”explained Lamont’s father, Stu. “Then, to make matters worse, he crashed quite heavily during qualifying and tore a calf muscle. We decided not to risk aggravating it any further, so opted not to race.”

The pair return home this week.

“It was a bit of an anti-climax to our trip. He’s done really well in Europe and there has been a lot of talk about him in the bike community.

“The season coming up in New Zealand is important to him now. There have been lots of highs and a few lows from our trip but he has learned so much.

“Kayne was running about 10 seconds a lap behind (just-crowned world junior champion) Jordi Tixier when we first arrived in Europe but now he’s racing within a second of him. Kayne handled it all very well. I know others who would have cracked under the pressure that Kayne had to deal with.”

© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

Full story and more photos in your next issue of KIWI RIDER magazine.