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Report from
Strassbessenbach GP 11th July
Conditions for round eight of the 2010 world
championship held at Strassbessenbach near Frankfurt in
Germany were extremely hot and humid for the two days.
With temperatures soaring into the high thirties it was
going to be survival of the fittest for the crews and an
uphill struggle for the organisers to put sufficient
water down to control the dust.
Saturday’s quali
races were delayed for just over one hour when the group
A race was red flagged because of a nasty incident at
the end of the start straight. It was very reminiscent
of the incident in the mid 90s involving the late Ottmar
Konigsdorfer when he crashed in similar circumstances
and was left paralysed from the waist down. This time
the rider was the German veteran Jo Brustmann who
crashed and ended up under two bikes. When the bikes
were removed he complained that he had no feeling in his
legs and feet. Because of this the air ambulance was
called in and Jo was taken to the local hospital where
it was found that he had broken his femur and possibly
dislocated his hip joint but feeling had returned to his
lower limbs.
When racing did
recommence the A race was led from the gate by Joris
Hendrickx / Kaspars Liepins from Steegmans / Verbrugge
with Bax / v.de Bogaart third. Bax was passed on lap two
by Jan Hendrickx / Tim Smeuninx but it too them another
three laps to take Bax. Apart from Watson / Sabbe all
the Brits in this race were outside the twelve
qualifying places.
The B race was
not surprisingly led from gate to flag by Willemsen /
Eggink with the Daiders brothers second throughout.
Happich / Betschart held third for the first five laps
until Brown / Peters closed them down and passed on lap
6. The Millards started in eighth place and finally got
up to sixth by the end.
In the last chance Wilkinson / Keane finished second
with Hyde / Kirwin taking the first reserve position.
The Breachers failed to make the cut.
On Sunday
morning it was as hot as Saturday but there were more
clouds and a light breeze to cool things a bit.
At exactly 13.30
hrs the riders blasted off the line up the long hill to
turn one. Willemsen took the holeshot from Steegmans
with Daiders in 3rd. Brown and Millard were in mid pack
with Watson and Wilkinson nearer the back. Jo Hendrickx
started in fifth place and slowly worked his way up to
second after just over 10 minutes. On the same lap Jan
Hendrickx dropped from fifth to eleventh when his chain
came off. On the next lap Wilkinson pulled out.
Steegmans held onto third place for the rest of the race
although it was obvious he was holding up Daiders and
later Bax. Bax passed Daiders with four laps to go but
could not make it past Steegmans.
Willemsen went
on to win but at the flag he was under two seconds in
front of Hendrickx. Brown came home in 12th with Millard
seventeenth and Watson twentieth.
Before the
second leg started Watson was stopped from going to the
line by the international jury president. In the second
race Bax led the charge up the hill with Willemsen
second and Jo Hendrickx third. Halfway round the first
lap there was a multi bike pile which unfortunately
involved Brown dropping him to near the back of the
field. Bax held the lead for the first few laps from
Willemsen with Steegmans now holding third. Millard was
in 11th with Brown at the back. After three laps Jo
Hendrickx passed Steegmans.
On lap eight
Willemsen got past Bax who soon came under attack from
Hendrickx. On lap twelve he was past but although he
closed on Willemsen he couldn’t catch him. Willemsen
took the win from Hendrickx with Bax 3rd. Millard rode
well to finish tenth and Brown came home in 18th but was
promoted one place when Rodionov was disqualified for
outside assistance.
Willemsen now
leads the championship by five points from Jo Hendrickx.
Brown is the best placed Brit in 11th with Millard 13th.
The next round
is at St Mamet in France next weekend.
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