The 2019 European champion, contesting his first “home” GP, raced solidly in the top six throughout the MX2 Qualifying moto; his sand-racing experience has taught him to relax and he overcame initial arm-pump to earn fifth choice of start-gate for each of tomorrow’s GP motos. Onlookers could also see him experimenting with a variety of lines after several days of rain prior to the weekend had created an unpredictable surface; the knowledge gained will stand him in good stead tomorrow as the top riders search for passing lines to negotiate the plethora of lapped riders they will encounter during the two thirty-minute-plus-two lap races.
 
Roan van de Moosdijk: “I haven’t raced here for four or five years and it was tough out there after all that rain; it’s so easy to make a mistake but it’s the same for everyone. I got a good lap in timed practice and almost got the holeshot in the Qualifying race but I was riding tight and soon had arm-pump; I didn’t push too hard as I tried to loosen up and I got fifth which is OK for the gate tomorrow. “
 
F&H Kawasaki teammate Mathys Boisrame held a challenging eighth place until a mid-moto riding error pushed him back to an eventual nineteenth whilst young Dane Mikkel Haarup advanced from thirteenth to ninth after being squeezed at turn one. BUD Racing Kawasaki’s Mitchell Harrison displayed good early aggression to move from eighteenth to fourteenth on the opening lap and showed his experience to continue his charge to eventually finish tenth.
 
Clement Desalle on the lone Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team KX450-SR advanced strongly into the top ten on the opening lap of MXGP Qualifying but a fall on lap two left the Belgian with it all to do again; rejoining the race fourteenth he moved forward decisively to secure ninth place three laps from the close.
 
Earlier in the day DRT Kawasaki’s Courtney Duncan rode sensibly in the treacherous conditions which faced the girls despite admirable work by the track crew to defend her championship lead with a fourth-placed finish in the first moto of this, the second station on the six-round FIM World WMX Women’s Motocross Championship. Quickly realising the potential dangers facing riders on the unpredictable surface after she nearly high-sided in front of the pack at turn one the New Zealander soon settled into a lonely fourth place throughout the twenty-minute-plus-two-lap race to successfully defend her championship lead and takes a six-point series advantage into tomorrow’s second moto.
 
Courtney Duncan: “I just didn’t have the feeling for the track today. No excuses! We don’t have anything like this back home and you have to live here to experience it; I need to get better in these conditions, but it’s only one race and it’s a long season. “