Olde Dutch daliance...
By TMX Archives on 13th Apr 07
A COLD, blustery wind greeted competitors on arrival in Holland for the opening round of the World Sidecar-cross Championship.
With an entry of 52 outfits, qualifying in the deep Dutch sand was never going to be easy and, unfortunately, Mark Kinge and Stuart Dance's first GP came to a very premature end in the first training session when a spill left Stuart briefly unconscious and the doctor vetoed further participation.
It was business as usual for reigning champion Daniel Willemsen and new passenger Reto Grutter as they took pole position, heading Group A from Soderqvist and Rozehnal. Watson was eighth, with Happich, struggling down in 16th during the early part of the session, eventually pulling up to ninth. Group B was headed by Sergis, from Grondman and Rupeiks, with Brown seventh, Wilkinson 14th and Lyne 15th.
The wind had dropped somewhat by Monday and it was not as cold as Willemsen took his first holeshot of the season. Rupeiks held second briefly before being ousted by Soderqvist, while Jan and Joris Hendrickx and Burgler jostled for position behind them. Brown held ninth, Watson 11th, just ahead of Sergis, while Lyne and Wilkinson were both in the pack.
WORLD SIDECAR-CROSS CHAMPS
Rd 1 - Oldebroek, HOLLAND
1 D Willemsen/ Grutter (NL/CH - Zabel Mefo) 25 + 25 = 50
2 Burgler/ Beschart (CH - KTM VMC) 20 + 20 = 40
3 Ja Hendrickx/ Smeunincx (B - Zabel VMC) 22 + 18 = 40
4 Soderqvist/ Sylwan (S - Husaberg AYR) 18 + 16 = 34
5 Sergis/ Stupelis (LV - KTM Mefo) 11 + 22 = 33
6 Pulinx/ Somers (B - KTM AYR) 12 + 14 = 26
For full report, results and pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, April 13, 2007.