Drama at French GP for Van De Ven
Nancy van de Ven of the No Fear Yamaha team lost the world title in dramatic fashion at the final GP of the series in France. She finished second in the first race, giving her a slender championship lead going into the final, where the title slipped out of her hands in dramatic fashion.
The final round of the Women’s motocross world championship was held at Villars sous Ecot in France. The circuit was immaculately prepared, but half an hour before the first race on Saturday, a deluge turned it into a quagmire.
Nancy had qualified third and took the early lead in race one with title rivals Courtney Duncan and Kiara Fontanesi in tow. Fontanesi moved into the lead, and Nancy had some trouble when she slid out. She recovered and was ready to reclaim second when Duncan also made a mistake. This gave her the championship lead.
The rain did not let off throughout the night, and the track was nearly impassable. The organisers cut out part of the track. Nancy settled into third after one lap, being careful to avoid stranded riders. Nancy held her third place for a long time, which made her the virtual world champion. Alas, with two laps to go, she swerved to avoid another rider, and that caused her to slide down the hill. It took her a long time to get going again, which cost her two places and the world title.
Nancy suffered a lot of setbacks during the season, but fought back every time purely on character. Alas, the drama of the last few laps dropped her to fourth in the world championship series, where she deserved so much more.
Overall WMX France:
1. Kiara Fontanesi 45 pnt
2. Livia Lancelot 42 pnt
3. Courtney Duncan 40 pnt
4. Nancy van de Ven 38 pnt
5. Larissa Papenmeier 36 pnt
Nancy van de Ven wins at her home round
(ASSEN) The Netherlands, 10 September 2017 – In an epic day of racing at the MXGP of the Netherlands the Women’s Motocross World Championship chase tightened up to a new level of competitiveness with the top 4 in the standings only separated by 5 points. Dutch native Nancy van de Ven took double race wins on her way to taking the narrow championship points lead in Assen.
In Saturday’s WMX Race 1 Larissa Papenmeier led the opening 5 laps first over Team One One Four’s Livia Lancelot and then Nancy van den Ven after the dutch rider made it by Lancelot on lap 3. After the pass on the #114 van de Ven went after Papenmeier and took the lead.
Meanwhile the title contenders of MXFONTA SYNECO’S Kiara Fontanesi and Altherm JCR Yamaha’s Courtney Duncan where coming back from 11th and 9th place starts. The pair was able to make it up to a 4th place finish for Duncan and a 5th for Fontanesi behind van de Ven, Papenmeier, and Lancelot.
Race 2 was full of passes and battle with the only exception being the #85 of van de Ven who led from the start and never looked back on her way to the race win and overall. The real shake up was between Fontanesi, Papenmeier, Lancelot, and Duncan who started 2nd,3rd,4th, and 6th with KTM Silver Action’s Amandine Verstappen in the 5th position early.
Papenmeier struggled early and though she started in 3rd dropped to 6th only 3 laps in to the race. At the same time Duncan was moving forward quickly first to 4th on lap 3 and to 3rd on lap 7. However Livia Lancelot made a late charge going from fourth on lap 9 of 12 to cross the line in second ahead of Fontanesi, Duncan, and Papenmeier.
In the overall it was a clear home win for Nancy van de Ven with Lancelot taking second and Papenmeier rounding out the podium. In the championship van de Ven takes the red plate into the final round next weekend by only 2 points over Courtney Duncan in 2nd and 5 points over Fontanesi in 4th.
WMX Race 1 Top Ten: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), 24:56.744; 2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:46.737; 3. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +1:07.137; 4. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), +1:42.948; 5. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +2:08.665; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +2:21.160; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +2:36.102; 8. Britt Van Der Werff (NED, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 9. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), -1 lap(s); 10. Eline Burgmans (NED, KTM), -1 lap(s).
WMX Race 2 Top Ten: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), 25:06.075; 2. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:07.800; 3. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:09.390; 4. Courtney Duncan (NZL, Yamaha), +0:30.102; 5. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +1:01.888; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), +1:20.122; 7. Emelie Dahl (SWE, Yamaha), +1:23.442; 8. Britt Van Der Werff (NED, Suzuki), +1:40.143; 9. Sara Andersen (DEN, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 10. Madison Brown (AUS, Yamaha), -1 lap(s).
WMX Overall Top Ten: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 50 points; 2. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 42 p.; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 38 p.; 4. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 36 p.; 5. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 36 p.; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 30 p.; 7. Britt Van Der Werff (NED, SUZ), 26 p.; 8. Anne Borchers (GER, SUZ), 22 p.; 9. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 21 p.; 10. Madison Brown (AUS, YAM), 18 p.
WMX Championship Top Ten: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, YAM), 193 points; 2. Courtney Duncan (NZL, YAM), 191 p.; 3. Livia Lancelot (FRA, KAW), 190 p.; 4. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, YAM), 188 p.; 5. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, SUZ), 160 p.; 6. Amandine Verstappen (BEL, KTM), 151 p.; 7. Nicky van Wordragen (NED, YAM), 119 p.; 8. Shana van der Vlist (NED, KTM), 89 p.; 9. Francesca Nocera (ITA, SUZ), 80 p.; 10. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 72 p.
WMX Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha, 241 points; 2. Kawasaki, 190 p.; 3. Suzuki, 167 p.; 4. KTM, 163 p.; 5. Honda, 46 p.; 6. Husqvarna, 27 p.;
Nancy van de Ven wins Women of Nations Poland
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!
WMXoEN Race 1 Top 10 Classification: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), 25:59.671; 2. Nicky van Wordragen (NED, Yamaha), +0:29.175; 3. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:56.150; 4. Sara Andersen (DEN, Yamaha), +0:56.975; 5. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), +1:37.473; 6. Maria Franke (GER, KTM), +1:40.698; 7. Emelie Dahl (SWE, Yamaha), +1:41.749; 8. Julie Dalgaard (DEN, Honda), +2:11.987; 9. Francesca Nocera (ITA, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 10. Frida Ostlund (SWE, Honda), -1 lap(s).
WMXoEN Race 1 Top 10 Classification: 1. Nancy Van De Ven (NED, Yamaha), 25:15.937; 2. Kiara Fontanesi (ITA, Yamaha), +0:01.875; 3. Nicky van Wordragen (NED, Yamaha), +1:22.126; 4. Maria Franke (GER, KTM), +1:24.347; 5. Sara Andersen (DEN, Yamaha), +1:31.341; 6. Emelie Dahl (SWE, Yamaha), +1:42.065; 7. Anne Borchers (GER, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 8. Mathea Selebo (NOR, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 9. Julie Dalgaard (DEN, Honda), -1 lap(s); 10. Thea Johansen (NOR, Yamaha), -1 lap(s)