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.
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FULLBACK MXGP OF LOMBARDIA, ITALY – QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1545m
Type of ground: Hard sand
Temperature: 28°C
Weather conditions: sunny
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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 7th.