SARA ANDERSEN – HOME GP

As one of the leading ladies in the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship, Danish rider Sara Andersen has many special memories from the circuit for the next round of the Women’s Motocross World championship.

The very difficult Teutschenthal track is where Andersen made her Grand Prix debut, and it is also the closest Grand Prix to her home in Denmark. Adding to the love affair with Germany, her favourite rider when she was younger was one of the all-time great German champions, Ken Roczen, who is a former MX2 World champion and Monster Energy Motocross of Nations winner.

“I started riding World Championships when I was 15 years old and I have finished top five three times and I want to do better,” Andersen said. “So, I am not very satisfied. I mean, top five isn’t too bad. As a kid, I liked Ken Roczen, I never watched women races before I started racing in the women’s championship. Ken Roczen was my favourite rider since I was a little girl, so I usually watched the men racing. I went and watched the women racing in 2016, two days before my 15th birthday. It was in Valkenswaard, but my first race in the World Championships was the German Grand Prix at Teutschenthal.”

And while she didn’t find enjoyment at Teutschenthal straight away, the circuit grew on her, and better results came. She is excited to return this coming weekend as it means family and friends have the chance to attend the Grand Prix, as it is so close to home.

“I like that track. My first GP there, I was riding really good, but I crashed a lot, because I had never seen deep ruts like that before. I have been a couple of times after and last time was 2018 and it went really well, and I like hard pack and I like that track. I look forward to the next round and it is the closest Grand Prix to my home in Denmark.”

The grind of travelling and also finishing her studies is something that takes a lot of motivation, as anyone who travels a lot for their work knows, the weekends at the motocross are great fun, but getting there and back can at times be tiresome.

“Yes, the round in Spain we left on Monday, because I wanted to train on the way, and I drive to all the races. I came home on Tuesday, so more than a week on the road for one race. We trained at a track in France. Mum comes to all the race and my dad used to but hasn’t been coming the last few years. For the GPs I also have a mechanic goes with me, but then apart from that is it also some sponsors.”

Currently sixth in the World standings, Andersen is just a handful of points from third place and will no doubt be going to Germany to move into that top three in the World. So, if you attend this weekend’s Liqui Moly MXGP of Germany, keep an eye out for this talented young lady, who is working hard to gain a top three in the World, or even a World Motocross Championship.

Photo Credit : Fullspectrum