Shana van der Vlist likes to hit the track running, clicking up gears to make hole-shot up front, believing races aren’t over til the chequered. Yet, when obstacles arise like- Shana gets sick week prior to racing, #188 digs deep and finds her motivation to race WMX and EMX Women Championships.
Finishing 7-5 for 5th Overall at EMX Women Round 4, Shana was not that happy with performance, only to reaffirm to herself focus in coming weeks will be ‘getting health back’, ‘racing as I know how’, and ‘get on top of my game’ for EMX Women Final Round June 15th/16th.
#188: ‘The track for EMX Women Round 4 at Reutlingen was challenging. I struggled a bit on Saturday, and with a bad start in the Qualifing-race I had only 8th gate pick for Sunday’.
‘Sunday morning I felt a lot better during the warm-up and that gave me a good feeling for the races. First moto my start was decent, 4th place. I was in 4th place for half of a moto, but unfortunately I made a crash in a slippery corner.
‘I fell back to 10th place and fought hard for finishing 7th. Definitely not the result I wanted and I lost a lot of important points for the championship. Although my riding was quite solid. Second moto I rode all moto in 4th place, but got passed a few laps before the end. I wasn’t happy about my riding in the 2nd moto. Not really the results I wanted, but I gave everything’.
Not feeling 100% due to being sick week before Women MX World Championship Round 2 at Agueda, Shana battled with feeling ‘bit stiff and not confident on my bike’, for both R1 and 2 going 7-8 for 8th Overall, and standing 6th Overall in WMX Championship.
With only 6 points difference between WMX Overall 4th to 6th, and 3 Rounds remaining, Shana has plenty of verve in the tank to be competitive as her peers on sand or hard-pack.
#188: ‘It’s good to ride with all the fast girls during the WMX and EMX, so I can get better. I have to work on my consistency, especially on my starts. My speed must increase too’.
Given 2019 WMX is Shana’s 2nd full World Championship season, having completed 4 of 6 Rounds in 2017 due to injury, the KTM’s Dutch racer has such focused, positive attitude towards improvement on the track, it’s not if success will come, it’s just when.
#188: ‘Yes, in 2017 I wanted to ride everything, but I got injured during a Dutch Championship Round, so that’s why I couldn’t race the last two WMX Rounds’.
‘I like to ride races, so it’s good for me that I ride both Championships. This year the calendar is not the best, with all the races we had this month (May). With the final race in my home country I am definitely pleased and after that race I still have the WMX Rounds to focus on’.
‘In coming weeks I will keep my focus on the final EMX in Arnhem. A bit more sand training again. After the EMX race I will focus myself on the hard-pack tracks again for the last WMX races’.
Header photo: Shana van der Vlsit Photo Credit: Eric Laurijssen
Words: Sharon Cox
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