The 2017 Motocross of European Nations saw 17 teams from 16 different countries come together to race in Gdansk, Poland this weekend. Today marked the second of the 2 day event. An Opening Ceremony started the morning with FIM Europe President Dr. Wolfgang Srb, Major of Gdansk Mr. Pawel Adamowicz and Mr. Michal Sikora, Vice President of the Polish Automobile and Motorcycling Federation PZM, all welcoming the participants.
After a wet Saturday the weather made a change for the better Sunday to provide great racing and at the conclusion of which it was the French Federation celebrating as their team took the MXoEN winner’s trophy while the Women of the Netherlands celebrated their Women’s Motocross of European Nations victory.
In the first race of 125cc and 250cc Ukraine’s Volodymyr Tarasov led the first 2 laps but had France’s Mathys Boisrame and Germany’s Tom Koch behind him. It didn’t take long, 2 laps to be exact before the number 69 of Koch took the lead.
Meanwhile Roan Van De Moosdijk from the Netherlands was making moves through the field. The number 57 started in 5th but was charging to the front in a hurry. As Roan moved forward so did Boisrame into the lead and by lap 9 Van De Moosdijk was 2nd.
Another rider charging hard through the field was the #26 of Mikkel Harrup from Denmark. Harrup started in 12 yet by the finish was 3rd behind Boisrame and Van De Moosdijk but ahead of Sweden’s Ken Bengtssonand Isak Gifting.
Race 2 started with a Holeshot from Italy’s Gianluca Facchetti but Roan Van De Moosdijk was leading in the begging and Mathys Boisrame was following him. Gianluca Facchetti went from his holeshot to chasing Boisrame very closely, they had a good battle for a few laps and eventually Facchetti took the lead ahead of Boisrame as Roan Van De Moosdijk and Alberto Forato from Team Italy battled for 3rd.
Meanwhile the Polish Fans were going crazy supporting local hero Szymon Staszkiewicz, who lives only 20 km from the track, after he started forth, then he moved to the sixth position where he would finish. Van De Moosdijik went to work and managed to overtake all of his rivals on his way to the lead and win while Alberto Forato followed in second.
85cc racing started with the team Netherlands rider of Kay Karssemakers leading the opening lap. Karssemakers’ success ended there however as he would finish 20th and not start race 2.
Taking advantage was the #28 from Denmark, Rasmus Pederson who from 3rd on lap 1 moved to the lead one lap later and stayed in the premier position to the finish. Behind Pederson was Karssemakers’ teammate Kay De Wolf.
De Wolf started second then dropped to third while he battled with Swedish rider Max Palsson before retaking the spot. Palsson would fall to 5th by the finish after being edged out by France’s Florian Miot and Denmark’s Magnus Smith.
Race 2 had another strong performance from Kay De Wolf as he led the opening three laps before Florian Miot passed for the lead. Pederson also had a good second race coming from 5th on the first lap to 3rd by the finish ahead of Germany’s Nico Greutman and Magnus Smith.
The first women’s race was a riding clinic from team Netherlands and Nancy Van De Ven. Van de Ven rode the perfect race leading every lap on her way to the win while her teammate Nicky Van Wordragen ran second behind her the entire race. Sara Anderson from team Denmark was third the first half of the race but she was passed by the Italian Kiara Fontanesi.
In Race 2 Saleba Mathea from Norway took the Holeshot but after the first turn Kiara Fontanesi took over. On the opening lap Nancy Van de Ven was leading, but Kiara managed to pass before they completed the first official lap.
Sara Anderson was running third with Anne Borchers from Germany not far behind her. Van de Ven’s team mate, Van Wordragen, had good speed, looked comfortable on the bike, and managed to overtake Borchers for the third spot.
Throughout the entire race we were witnessed of the exciting battle between Fontanesi and Van De Ven. Kiara was leading the majority but on the last lap Van De Ven overtook Kiara for the lead and race win!
