Line Dam takes all opportunities to improve racing skills, experience and mental determination competing in EMX Women European Championship Round One in Italy at the weekend.
Finishing credible 4th Overall in the 5 Round Series, Line learns from every race, knowing all knowledge gained goes into preparation for Women MX World Championship Series 2019.
Currently standing 7th Overall in WMX Championship, with Round 2 in couple of weeks time, Line pushes out comfort zone to race track venues that are unfamiliar- hard-pack for starters.
#131: ‘I’m not a huge hard-pack fan, and the track was really difficult and not even flat for the first practice. So when the rain came they needed to cancel the qualifying-race, and we didn’t ride on the track until 13:00 on Saturday’.
‘In the first moto I actually got a good start, but I was riding way too stiff so I got passed and ended 4th. Second moto, my start was really bad, but I was quickly into 4th behind Lynn Valk, but couldn’t pass, so ended 4th again.
Not one to back down to changes of schedule and track conditions, given Line had travelled from home country Denmark, #131 relished battle with Lynn Valk, not only boosting self-confidence but also enjoying the competitive rivalry on the track.
#131: ‘It was an epic battle. We came together in a corner and we almost crashed. We were pretty close for some laps but then I made a mistake and Lynn got a gap, and I couldn’t close it’.
Using European EMX Women Championship Series as feeder to WMX Championship, Line puts in place much needed race-time given lengthy gaps between WMX Rounds. As the great 10X World MX Champion Stefan Everts says: ‘no amount of training and preparation can replace actual race-time’.
With EMX Women Round 2 at Vesoul, France then following weekend Round 3 at home in Denmark, Line looks forward to putting mental focus to the test as well as enjoying home fans cheers track-side before racing WMX Round 2, in 4th straight back-to-back weekends of racing.
#131: ‘France is another hard-pack race. But I just need to focus on my starts and ride faster from the beginning of the races. I really look forward to ride in my home country, it’s always more fun when you have some people cheering for you’.
‘As we could see this weekend, we ride pretty close in the EMX Rounds, and I think it’s really good for the WMX races also. The race-time is the same, and it’s important to learn to push all 20min+2laps’.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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