The penultimate round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship was hotly contested. With only 14-points separating the top-four in the championship, the title contenders had to lay it all on the line.
The opening race was an absolute thriller. Nancy van de Ven pulled a trademark holeshot and led all but two laps as the other three WMX protagonists swapped positions throughout the race.
After an intense 11 lap wheel-to-wheel battle it was Kiara Fontanesi that crossed the line first, but the Italian six-time world champion faced with a penalty for jumping on waved yellow flags and was docked two positions. Van de Ven then inherited the race win, while the initial Championship Leader, Yamaha Germany’s Larissa Papenmeier, finished fourth.
With everything to play for in the final race, van de Ven chased the defending champion Courtney Duncan around turn-one and managed to hold off a hard charging Fontanesi for second position. Papenmeier fell from fourth and eventually recovered for eighth.
Despite finishing on the same points as the Grand Prix winner, the overall victory is awarded to the rider that has the best result in the final race. In this case, it was the Race 2 winner, Duncan.
Nevertheless, it was a fantastic day in the office for van de Ven with the 22-year-old talent taking over the championship lead for the first time this season.
Van de Ven now leads Duncan by 4-points while Papenmeier rounded out the top-five and has dropped back to third in the Championship Standings.
The next and final round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship will take place in Pietramurata on Saturday 3rd November.
Nancy van de Ven “It was a really good day. I was feeling good on the track both GP’s here and I could win the second moto in the last race and then again in the first race I ended up winning because Kiara was penalized. It was really close racing today and even in the second race we had to fight, but I ended up holding on for second and now I have the red plate. Really, this is what we are working for. I want to thank my team and my team manager who can’t be here. Can’t wait for the next one.”
Overall WMX Mantova:
1 Courtney Duncan 47 Pnt
2 Nancy van de Ven 47 Pnt
3 Kiara Fontanesi 40 Pnt
4 Sara Andersen 33 Pnt
5 Larissa Papenmeier 31 Pnt
World Championship Standings WMX:
1 Nancy van de Ven 166 Pnt
2 Courtney Duncan 162 Pnt
3 Larissa Papenmeier 160 Pnt
4 Kiara Fontanesi 156 Pnt
5 Lynn Valk 128 Pnt
