Lynn Valk claimed WMX win at Round 5 in Maggoira, Italy, her first GP victory for the season. With Race 1 cancelled due to difficult track conditions on Saturday, the Dutch rider cut through the slippery conditions to take the lead on Lap 2, holding off Italy’s Kiara Fontanesi who fought hard for P2 with Daniela Guillen rounding out top 3.
Valk’s win turns the Championship points table into a real fight for supremacy. The 25 points win boosts Lynn to P3 overall on 166 with Fontanesi 3 points behind on 163. WMX Championship leader Lotte van Drunen had few too many wheel spins in R2 finishing P6, narrowing the gap to mere 3 points over the Spanish rider, Daniela Guillen who stands P2 overall on 195.
NZ’s Courtney Duncan had major task on her hand, having missed Round 4 due to practice injury and surgery, battling her way through the slippery conditions to finish in P14, standing P7 overall. Equally, Germany’s Larissa Papenmeier looked set to repeat her performance in Round 4 with a win, taking the hole-shot before a pass by Valk and Fontanesi pushed Lare back to P5 overall.
Surprises in WMX Round 5: definitely the track conditions proved the hardest challenge for all WMX rider’s. From posting best lap-times in Free Practice on Saturday, to enduring cancelation of Qualifying Race and Race 1, to preparing for re-run of R1 on Sunday morning – which was canned, to final start in Race 2 mid-morning on Sunday – was test above the norm.
Full congratulations to Lynn Valk on the win. Salute to Kiara Fontanesi – mum of two daughters – taking her first podium of the season. And bonus recognition for Daniela Guillen’s super consistent performance from Rounds 1 – 5 with P1 win in Spain, P2 overall in Sardenia, P3 overall in Galicia, P2 overall in Germany, and P3 in Italy.
WMX Round 6: Arnhem, Netherlands on August 18.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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