Motorsport: Kiwi teen ready to take on world's best

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The culmination of a long, hard season of racing arrives this weekend for Mangakino teen Kayne Lamont.

The 2010 double New Zealand Junior Motocross Champion can't wait for the start of racing at this year's Junior World Motocross Championships in France this weekend (August 21-22).

The Suzuki rider is in a confident mood after his huge performance in the Czech Republic just over a week ago, racing in the sixth round of seven in inaugural European 125 Motocross Championships (EMX125).

The previously-unheralded rider from Mangakino snatched the holeshot at the start of the race and led some of the world's best young stars throughout the opening laps.

French sensation Jordi Tixier (KTM) eventually found a way past the Kiwi and took the win, with Lamont charging hard to maintain second spot and record his best performance of his abbreviated campaign. He did not race the first two rounds of this series and failed to score any points at rounds three and four.

Lamont, riding a Suzuki RM125, was thrilled to achieve what he described as "an unreal result".

Lamont's father, Stu, said his son was "very nervous before the race but now his confidence is right up. He can't wait now for France.

"Kayne only qualified 25th and then to come home second in that race ... well that's unbelievable.

"We have had several more approaches for Kayne to ride for a team in Europe next year. We are now just weighing up the options for 2011."

In the meantime, though, he has this weekend's racing to contemplate and few would doubt that the young Kiwi could be on the podium in Gueugnon, France, on Sunday afternoon.

Two other New Zealand riders have now joined Lamont in Europe, Rangiora brothers Isaiah and Micah McGoldrick, and they will also be in action in France this weekend.