Laier stops Lancelot's winning streak
By Infront Moto Racing on 17th May 09
BELLPUIG (SPAIN), 17 May 2009 Stephanie Laier took her first season's win at Bellpuig ahead of Papenmeier and Lancelot. The latter retained the red plate as Laier came six points closer becoming the new runner up in this hard fought 2009 season.
The series' firstvisit to Bellpuig added new drama to the wrestle for the World Title which willcontinue on June 7 at Ernee, France.
Afteryesterday's attempt to move past Laier ended in a crash, Kawasaki Racing'sLancelot took her revenge by winning the final moto after letting Papenmeierlead for one single lap. Once the reigning Champion took the lead Red Bull KTMFactory Racing's Laier tried to stop her and build on yesterday's win thoughLancelot pulled away.
Laiereventually settled for second with the result being enough to guarantee thefirst overall win of the season-the two rivals remain the only ones to have wona World Championship event since the beginning of series' first edition lastyear.
After twoback to back overall wins in Bulgaria and Portugal Lancelot mounted on the thirdstep of the rostrum while Papenmeier collected her second consecutive podiumcourtesy of a second place overall. Papenmeier holeshotted turn one in the finalheat and lead the opening lap, then dropped down to thirdeventually.
Maria Frankeand Elin Mann rounded off the top five overall.
Lancelot keptthe red plate as the Championship's top five riders are spread in just 36points.
WMX Race 1top ten: 1. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 25:58.508; ; 2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER,Suzuki), +0:04.119; 3. Elin Mann (SWE, KTM), +0:05.927; 4. Maria Franke (GER,Kawasaki), +0:07.410; 5. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:33.663; 6. Nicky vanWordragen (NED, KTM), +0:47.013; 7. Nathalie Kane (IRL, Suzuki), +0:52.894; 8.Marielle De Mol (NED, Yamaha), +1:04.735; 9. Elien De Winter (BEL, Honda),+1:11.609; 10. Marianne Veenstra (NED, Suzuki), +1:13.498;
WMX Race 2top ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 25:41.434; ; 2. Stephanie Laier(GER, KTM), +0:06.714; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:15.964; 4. MariaFranke (GER, Kawasaki), +0:21.554; 5. Nathalie Kane (IRL, Suzuki), +0:39.515; 6.Elin Mann (SWE, KTM), +0:42.887; 7. Marianne Veenstra (NED, Suzuki), +0:49.688;8. Sarah Whitmore (USA, KTM), +0:56.141; 9. Elien De Winter (BEL, Honda),+0:56.787; 10. Nicky van Wordragen (NED, KTM), +0:58.940;
WMX Overalltop ten: 1. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 47 points; 2. Larissa Papenmeier (GER,Suzuki), 42 p.; 3. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 41 p.; 4. Maria Franke (GER,Kawasaki), 36 p.; 5. Elin Mann (SWE, KTM), 35 p.; 6. Nathalie Kane (IRL,Suzuki), 30 p.; 7. Nicky van Wordragen (NED, KTM), 26 p.; 8. Marianne Veenstra(NED, Suzuki), 25 p.; 9. Elien De Winter (BEL, Honda), 24 p.; 10. Marielle DeMol (NED, Yamaha), 23 p.;
WMXChampionship top ten: 1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 135 points; 2.Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), 119 p.; 3. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), 106 p.;4. Maria Franke (GER, Kawasaki), 103 p.; 5. Elin Mann (SWE, KTM), 99 p.; 6.Nathalie Kane (IRL, Suzuki), 87 p.; 7. Marianne Veenstra (NED, Suzuki), 82 p.;8. Ashley Fiolek (USA, Honda), 80 p.; 9. Elien De Winter (BEL, Honda), 65 p.;10. Marielle De Mol (NED, Yamaha), 59 p.;
WMXManufacturers: 1. Kawasaki, 137 points; 2. KTM, 135 p.; 3. Suzuki, 111 p.; 4.Honda, 104 p.; 5. Yamaha, 71 p.; 6. CCM, 7 p.; 7. TM, 3p.;