WMX Round 6 – full gate line-up of rider’s racing the sands of Arnhem, Netherlands this weekend. With a total of 41 rider’s entered, including one-off appearance of 2022 WMX Champion Nancy van de Ven, all eyes will be fixed on who produces the best possible performance from qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday through to Race 2 on Sunday.
Most certainly, the pressure is ramped high as expectation to bag valuable points will be a key deciding factor heading into the Final Round in Turkey on September 8. Red Plate holder Lotte van Drunen commands 3 point buffer over Spanish rider Daniela Guillen, with Dutch rider Lynn Valk placed in P3 having won Round 5 in Italy on June 16.
Undoubtedly, nailing the fastest Qualifying time will spear-head rider’s advantage for gate-pick, so to will making starts count to open gap on field given the number of rider’s and classes racing over the weekend. All of which will excite the expected large crowd watching and cheering track-side adding to the air of anticipation on who will take top step of the podium on Sunday.
A total of 12 Nationalities are represented in the rider line-up with only 2 rider’s from outside Europe – Courtney Duncan from New Zealand and Alicia Goggel with Columbia – Switzerland Nationality. With noticeable drop-off of rider entries in 2023 Final Round in Turkey, the penultimate Round in Arnhem, will present final opportunity to showcase the breadth of talent of WMX rider’s prior to change of venue in the Final Round in 2025.
The announcement of MXGP racing in Darwin, Australia in September 2025 – including WMX – will open the door for a fresh wave of rider’s to experience racing against the best women MX rider’s in the world. With the venue situated in Australia and close to New Zealand, along with marking the half-way point for women from the America’s to race WMX – opportunities to increase the depth of talent in WMX will be realized.
Such a change in WMX race calendar will surely be on the radar of many – for now let’s enjoy what Round 6 will bring in Arnhem – prizes are waiting.
Header photo: Lotte van Drunen competing in MXGP of Belgium in Lommel Image: @fullspectrum.media
Words: Sharon Cox
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