WMX

FRAUENFELD-GACHNANG (Switzerland), 07 August 2016 - There are two riders in the FIM Womens Motocross World Championship who felt they had a point to prove here in Frauenfeld-Gachnang, Switzerland, where round five of the 2016 FIM Women’s Motocross Championship took place.

MXFontaRacing Syneco Honda’s Kiara Fontanesi, the defending champion and owner of four WMX gold plates, feels she could have claimed her fifth title this year if it wasn’t for some freak accidents, while JCR Altherm Yamaha’s Courtney Duncan was the early championship leader and breakout star in the WMX class before an unlucky incident in Germany sidelined her with a broken ankle. The Kiwi, Duncan, went back to New Zealand for two months before returning to Europe a few weeks ago.

After a two-month hiatus, the Yamaha star from down under was back on the line and back to her winning ways. Fontanesi, on the other hand, was also running a fierce pace. She set the fastest laptimes in all sessions but a few too many mistakes during the race saw her finish second place, 15 seconds adrift of Duncan. The Dutchess, Nancy Van de Ven didn’t look like the Nancy we’ve come to know and love, yet she still managed to wrap up third ahead of Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot, the championship leader, who was also having an ‘off’ day.

When the gates dropped for race two, the thousands of fans that packed into the grand stands that surrounded the track here in Frauenfeld-Gachnang were treated to some sick racing. Three of the fastest ladies in the world went wire-to-wire into turn one with Nancy Van de Ven leading the way and the race one winner, Courtney Duncan, hot on her heels. While initially it was a blue blur, Lancelot came out of nowhere and passed both of the Yamaha stars before the exit of turn two.

As Lancelot’s closest rival, Van de Ven knew she had to get on the gas immediately. She did, she took the lead for the first couple of laps before being passed back by the championship leader. As Lancelot knuckled down and put in some solid laps out front, Van de Ven remained right on her rear fender. Any mistake from the red plate holder would have been costly.

Duncan remained calm in third, far enough away from the leaders to stay out of trouble if the two tangled, but close enough to pounce if an opportunity arose.

When the two-lap board came out, Duncan pulled the pin on her grenade and went after Van de Ven for second. Lancelot took the checkers with a massive race win, her fourth of the season, while Duncan stylishly scrubbed past Van de Ven with one turn to go for second place. Van de Ven was gutted to finish third ahead of Kiara Fontanesi and KTM Silver Action’s Amandine Verstappen.

JCR Altherm Yamaha’s Courtney Duncan topped the box with a 1 – 2 result,  “It was tough, the battles were sick this weekend. Honestly I’m not satisfied, but it’s a win, but I’ll take it for my first race back.” She said. Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot regrouped after a rough day yesterday for the win in race two, which was enough for second overall ahead of Nancy Van de Ven who said, “I’m a little bit disappointed, I got the holeshot, but I think I pushed a little bit too hard. Anyway, we will see how Assen will go, that’s something more for me, the deep sand!”

The final round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship will take place in Assen, The Netherlands on the 27^th and 28^th of August.

WMX Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), 24:51.720; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Honda), +0:15.656; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:27.802; 4. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:51.048; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +1:12.639; 6. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:55.732; 7. Justine Charroux (FRA, Yamaha), +2:06.327; 8. Virginie Germond (SUI, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 9. Line Dam (DEN, Honda), -1 lap(s); 10. Stacey Fisher (GBR, KTM), -1 lap(s).

WMX Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 24:57.787; 2. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), +0:03.636; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), +0:04.190; 4. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Honda), +0:58.731; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +1:20.305; 6. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +1:24.019; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:29.986; 8. Justine Charroux (FRA, Yamaha), +2:11.679; 9. Virginie Germond (SUI, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 10. Shana van der Vlist (NED, Yamaha), -1 lap(s).

WMX Overall Top Ten: 1. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 47 points; 2. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 43 p.; 3. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 40 p.; 4. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, HON), 40 p.; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 32 p.; 6. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 29 p.; 7. Justine Charroux (FRA, YAM), 27 p.; 8. Virginie Germond (SUI, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Line Dam (DEN, HON), 20 p.; 10. Shana van der Vlist (NED, YAM), 19 p.

WMX Championship Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 264 points; 2. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 237 p.; 3. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, HON), 192 p.; 4. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 189 p.; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 188 p.; 6. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 149 p.; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 135 p.; 8. Shana van der Vlist (NED, YAM), 116 p.; 9. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), 108 p.; 10. Britt Van Der Werff (NED, SUZ), 94 p.

WMX Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha, 273 points; 2. Kawasaki, 264 p.; 3. Honda, 223 p.; 4. Suzuki, 207 p.; 5. KTM, 207 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 39 p.

Click here to obtain the complete results

All the photos of the MXGP of Switzerland presented by iXS will be available HERE

MXGP of Switzerland presented by iXS – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1560m

Type of ground: Hard Pack

Temperature: 26°C

Weather conditions: Sunny

Weekend Crowd Attendance: 45,000

LINKS

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FIM

MXGP of Switzerland presented by iXS

Courtney Duncan will race again in Switzerland, and returns to Europe this week from an extended recovery in her native New Zealand after a May crash in Germany sent the FIM Women's Motocross World Championship red plate leader out of competition with injuries to her wrist and ankle. 

Duncan went in for surgery back home and sat out for the WMX rounds in France and Lombardia. Despite three moto victories in her first four WMX starts, she readily admits that the 2016 points race is now beyond her grasp.

"I'm not worried about where I finish up in the championship now, that's been ruined for me. It's all about setting myself up for next season," Duncan said.

In February Duncan won both motos handily in Qatar, her first Grand Prix start. The 20-year old from Palmerston on New Zealand's South Island rides a YZ250F for Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team and is managed by motocross champion Josh Coppins. 

In her second Grand Prix at Valkenswaard Duncan placed fourth in Saturday's first moto following a crash in deep, wet sand, but followed up in the second race on Sunday with a 25-second victory gap over former World Champion Livia Lancelot of France to hold on to her championship points lead and the WMX leader's red plate.

In Germany Duncan finished 12th in the first moto but was forced to retire from the GP overnight after the injuries to her ankle and thumb. Lancelot took over the leader's plate and after successful outings France and Italy now leads the competition with 221 points. Duncan has fallen to eighth overall with 102 points and two more weekends of WMX Championship racing in Switzerland and Assen.

Coppins said Duncan followed up in New Zealand with surgery and light training, but has stayed off the motorcycle for nearly two months in recovery.

"Courtney had a pin inserted in her thumb to rejoin the ligament and was in a brace for six weeks. She hasn't had any physio, it's been just rest and stay in the brace, so we expect some pain when she begins riding," Coppins said.

Duncan said the long wait to resume on-bike training "feels like forever."

"I can't wait to get back on the bike again. My fitness is pretty good because I've been in the gym and cycling a lot over the past six weeks. I've got two and a half weeks before the GP in Switzerland, but I should be all good to go," Duncan said.

MANTOVA (Lombardia - Italy), 26 June 2016 – MXFontaRacing Syneco Honda’s Kiara Fontanesi treated the extremely enthusiastic Italian fans that had made the journey out to Mantova this weekend for the fifth round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship where she topped the box for the first time this season.

In race one, Yamaha’s Nancy Van de Ven pulled the holeshot ahead of Suzuki’s Larissa Papenmeier who was side by side with Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot around turn one. Lancelot was on the outside of Papenmeier but had the inside line going into the next turn and instantly snatched second. As the worthy red plate holder, Lancelot got her head down right away and passed Van de Ven for the lead before the end of lap one. A fired up Van de Ven wasn’t happy with the situation and charged at Livia like a bull at a gate. On lap two, a brain in your lunchbox move saw Van de Ven go way too hot up the inside of Lancelot to the point she couldn’t stop and ended up T-boning her. Both riders went down.

Papenmeier inherited the lead before being passed by the defending champion MXFonta Racing Syneco Honda’s Kiara Fontanesi who gapped it for her first win of the season. Papenmeier finished second ahead of Lancelot, while KTM Silver Action’s Amandine Verstappen and KTM’s Natalie Kane rounded out the top five.

In race two there was a touch of déjà vu with the three ladies up front going around turn one in exactly the same order as they did yesterday in race one. Yamaha’s Nancy Van de Ven got off to another cracking start ahead of the tiny statured Larissa Papenmeier and the championship leader Team One One Four’s Liva Lancelot.

Papenmeier and Lancelot are two riders who have been battling for WMX glory for the last ten years, so it was a cool little blast from the past to see them going bar-to-bar on the first couple of laps here in Mantova in a battle for second.

On lap two, Lancelot timed the rhythm section perfectly and passed Papenmeier with ease before going after Van de Ven who had pulled a slight gap. The four-time FIM WMX World Champion, MXFontaRacing Syneco Honda’s Kiara Fontanesi was half asleep on the gate and got off to a bad start, which made life difficult, as she had to push from miles back.

Back to Lancelot, she put in a hard charge and got right on the back of Van de Ven, and just like yesterday, a close battle for the lead ensued. Lancelot pulled up next to Van de Ven in the waves but had the door shut on her as Van de Ven took her wide in the following turn.

Meanwhile, Fontanesi had emerged and with a few minutes to go was all over Papenmeir for third, which she managed to take away from the German with massive roar of approval from the enthusiastic crowd.

Up front, there was literally nothing in it between the leaders Lancelot and Van de Ven as they fought like cat and dog for the lead. Lancelot threw absolutely everything at Van de Ven, but the Dutch lady kept her head down and withstood the pressure for her third race win of the season.

A frustrated Lancelot had to settle for second, while Fontanesi was on damage control after her shocking start and got back to third ahead of Papenmeier and KTM Silver Action’s Amandine Verstappen.

There was an awesome reception from the crowd who were pumped to hear their national anthem with MXFontaRacing’s Syneco Honda’s Kiara Fontanesi taking the overall. Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot had to be content with second while Larissa Papenmeier rounded out the top three for the first time in ages.

WMX Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Honda), 26:18.446; 2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:06.233; 3. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:32.815; 4. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +0:40.244; 5. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), +0:51.417; 6. Britt Van Der Werff (NED, Suzuki), +0:56.013; 7. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +1:08.538; 8. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:12.650; 9. Shana van der Vlist (NED, Yamaha), +1:17.095; 10. Joanna Miller (POL, KTM), +1:27.882.

WMX Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), 25:22.236; 2. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:03.477; 3. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Honda), +0:10.674; 4. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:16.415; 5. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +0:35.365; 6. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), +1:05.640; 7. Shana van der Vlist (NED, Yamaha), +1:13.920; 8. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:27.986; 9. Line Dam (DEN, Honda), +1:41.899; 10. Kimberley Braam (NED, Kawasaki), +1:44.051.

WMX Overall Top Ten: 1. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, HON), 45 points; 2. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 42 p.; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 40 p.; 4. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 34 p.; 5. Francesca Nocera (ITA, SUZ), 29 p.; 6. Shana van der Vlist (NED, YAM), 26 p.; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 26 p.; 8. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Joanna Miller (POL, KTM), 21 p.; 10. Line Dam (DEN, HON), 20 p.

WMX Championship Top Ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 221 points; 2. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 197 p.; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 174 p.; 4. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 156 p.; 5. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, HON), 152 p.; 6. Natalie Kane (IRL, KTM), 108 p.; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 106 p.; 8. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 102 p.; 9. Shana van der Vlist (NED, YAM), 97 p.; 10. Britt Van Der Werff (NED, SUZ), 83 p.

WMX Manufacturer: 1. Yamaha, 226 points; 2. Kawasaki, 221 p.; 3. Honda, 183 p.; 4. Suzuki, 177 p.; 5. KTM, 175 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 31 p.

Click here to obtain the complete result

All the photos of the FULLBACK MXGP of Lombardia - Italy will be available HERE

FULLBACK MXGP OF LOMBARDIA, ITALY – QUICK FACTS

Circuit length: 1545m

Type of ground: Hard sand

Temperature: 28°C

Weather conditions: sunny

MXGP will be available across the board in high definition and is also globally available to view live and in HD on MXGP-TV.com. Click here for the complete list of countries and cooperating MXGP broadcasting networks.

NEXT ROUND

The next round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship will take place at the MXGP of Switzerland presented by iXS in Frauenfeld – Gachnang on August, the 7^th.

LINKS

Youthstream

FIM

FULLBACK MXGP of Lombardia, Italy

WMX, EMX250 & EMX125 had their first races of the weekend yesterday. Watch all the highlights here:

WMX Race 1 Highlights

EMX250 Race 1 Highlights

EMX125 Race 1 Highlights