The Rudersberg 2022 World Sidecarcross Championship finale was a brilliantly exciting weekend for all concerned even though the weather made life difficult. Over forty teams from seven nations fought for the honours on this technical hillside track which has seen many years of top-class motocross action.
Report by Barry Nutley – Images courtesy of WSC
Torrential rain leading up to the weekend caused many problems for the organisers. The track became unrideable during qualifying on one section, so they changed the layout to eliminate this problem. Two races were then scheduled as normal, with all hope and anticipation they would be completed.
The earlier qualifying sessions identified a handful of teams who stood above the rest, but as we all know, it is the GP races themselves that matter, and we could not wait. The rider’s presentation was packed with supporters, despite the ambient temperature dropping significantly.
Race One
A brilliant start by Etienne Bax/Odrej Cermak took them into a flying lead with Stuart Brown/Josh Chamberlain hard on their heels. Vanluchene/Bax were third, from the red plate of Varik/Kunnas and Van Werven/Van Den Bogaart.
Julian Veldman/Rodolphe Lebreton were next.
Bax opened a ten second lead as Stuart Brown fell victim to first Varik, and then Van Werven. If things stayed this way, Varik and Bax would be level on points going into race two, but Van Werven could spoil it for Varik if he demoted him.
Eight laps in and Bax still had a handsome lead from Vanluchene with Varik holding on just one second ahead of the big Dutchman Van Werven. One slip, and he would trail Bax in the points. Dan Foden/Nathan Cooper were going well initially, but lost out to first Godeev/Stupelis, and then Hermans/Musset.
Brett Wilkinson/Joe Millard were making ground after being in last place on lap one. They obviously had a problem which they had to recover from.
Lap eleven and Bax’s lead was even bigger as he romped to a great result.
Brown/Chamberlain fought back on Van Werven as Varik eased away in third.
There was great racing right through the field despite all the fears about an impossible track.
Etienne Bax and Ondrej Cermak were showing the rest of the field what they were made of under pressure and were truly on fire!
The two-lap board came out as Vanluchene narrowed the gap on Bax, and Brown reclaimed third place in passing Varik. This would effectively take Varik out of the lead and hand it to Bax by the tightest of margins. The Estonian was not having any of that, and it was not to remain that way as Varik fought back to stay in the fight. When the flag came out, with Varik third, the two main men and their passengers tied on points at the top of the table. This could not have been a better scenario to set up the final race.
Result
Race Two
Chats with the two opposing passengers after the first race were great fun and enlightening. Lari Kunnas admitted they needed more speed, so have done some tweaks, whilst Ondrej Cermak simply wanted more of the same. “We were in our rhythm and provided we get the hole shot we can do it again” he told me.
From the gate a brilliant start took Stuart Brown/Josh Chamberlain into the lead from Vanluchene/Bax and Bax/Cermak. Kert Varik was sixth first time around with Veldman/Lebreton next up.
As the race unfolded, Vanluchene went ahead with Bax passing Brown two laps later. Brown then went missing on lap four, leaving Brett Wilkinson to fly the British flag in third. Varik then passed him and set after Etienne Bax.
Veldman was next to get by Wilkinson/Millard with Vanluchene eleven seconds clear at the front. The title was in Bax’s hands to lose at this stage with his one place and two-point advantage over Kert Varik/Lari Kunnas. They had found more speed, but would it be enough?
With nine laps completed, the gap between Varik and Bax was under ten seconds, but it was a big ask. Veldman was now only six seconds behind Varik, and that was not what the Estonian needed.
At this stage, Etienne Bax/Ondrej Cermak appeared to have let Vanluchene go and were managing the gap ahead of Varik. Kert Varik needed wing mirrors because the Veldman/Lebreton Mega was closing, and fast!
With two minutes before the board came out signalling the final laps, Veldman went third doing his fellow countryman a huge favour. Varik was now out of contention, four points and two places adrift. His time with the red plate was almost over, but what a fight he had given.
Marvin Vanluchene and Robbie Bax were totally in control, sealing their third place in the standings, whilst Etienne Bax and Ondrej Cermak just had to bring it home to become champions.
Another spectacular ride was by Koen Hermans/Nicolas Musset who, from dead last away, fought through to seventh place.
It was all a brilliant climax to what might have been a complete disaster. All credit to the Rudersberg organisers for pulling off a miracle.
Race 2 Result
Round overall
Final standings
