In an epic day of racing at the MXGP of the Netherlands the Women’s Motocross World Championship chase tightened up to a new level of competitiveness with the top 4 in the standings only separated by 5 points. Dutch native Nancy van de Ven took double race wins on her way to taking the narrow championship points lead in Assen.
In Saturday’s WMX Race 1 Larissa Papenmeier led the opening 5 laps first over Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot and then Nancy van den Ven after the dutch rider made it by Lancelot on lap 3. After the pass on the #114 van de Ven went after Papenmeier and took the lead.
Meanwhile the title contenders of MXFONTA SYNECO’S Kiara Fontanesi and Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Courtney Duncan where coming back from 11th and 9th place starts. The pair was able to make it up to a 4th place finish for Duncan and a 5th for Fontanesi behind van de Ven, Papenmeier, and Lancelot.
Race 2 was full of passes and battle with the only exception being the #85 of van de Ven who led from the start and never looked back on her way to the race win and overall. The real shake up was between Fontanesi, Papenmeier, Lancelot, and Duncan who started 2nd,3rd,4th, and 6th with KTM Silver Action’s Amandine Verstappen in the 5th position early.
Papenmeier struggled early and though she started in 3rd dropped to 6th only 3 laps in to the race. At the same time Duncan was moving forward quickly first to 4th on lap 3 and to 3rd on lap 7. However Livia Lancelot made a late charge going from fourth on lap 9 of 12 to cross the line in second ahead of Fontanesi, Duncan, and Papenmeier.
In the overall it was a clear home win for Nancy van de Ven with Lancelot taking second and Papenmeier rounding out the podium. In the championship van de Ven takes the red plate into the final round next weekend by only 2 points over Courtney Duncan in 2nd and 5 points over Fontanesi in 4th.
WMX Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), 24:56.744; 2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:46.737; 3. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:07.137; 4. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), +1:42.948; 5. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +2:08.665; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +2:21.160; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +2:36.102; 8. Britt Van Der Werff (NED, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 9. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 10. Eline Burgmans (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s).
WMX Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), 25:06.075; 2. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:07.800; 3. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:09.390; 4. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), +0:30.102; 5. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +1:01.888; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +1:20.122; 7. Emelie Dahl (SWE, Yamaha), +1:23.442; 8. Britt Van Der Werff (NED, Suzuki), +1:40.143; 9. Sara Andersen (DEN, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 10. Madison Brown (AUS, Yamaha), -1 lap(s).
WMX Overall Top Ten: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 50 points; 2. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 42 p.; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 38 p.; 4. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 36 p.; 5. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 36 p.; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 30 p.; 7. Britt Van Der Werff (NED, SUZ), 26 p.; 8. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 22 p.; 9. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 21 p.; 10. Madison Brown (AUS, YAM), 18 p.
WMX Championship Top Ten: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 193 points; 2. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 191 p.; 3. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 190 p.; 4. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 188 p.; 5. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 160 p.; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 151 p.; 7. Nicky van Wordragen (NED, YAM), 119 p.; 8. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 89 p.; 9. Francesca Nocera (ITA, SUZ), 80 p.; 10. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 72 p.
WMX Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha, 241 points; 2. Kawasaki, 190 p.; 3. Suzuki, 167 p.; 4. KTM, 163 p.; 5. Honda, 46 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 27 p.;
