After the two high flying races in Estonia and Poland, the teams will plough through the sand in Lommel in Round eight of the 2023 FIM World Sidecarcross Championship. There are teams who love the deep conditions and there are others who will be less than happy over the weekend of 24-25 June.
Words by Barry Nutley – Images courtesy of WSC
With the exception of round three in Heerde, the tracks have been hard, fast and challenging. Lommel offers a different type of challenge, but nonetheless has attracted a good entry.
We will see a return to the series of more French crews as well as one or two extra British teams. Brett Wilkinson and Joe Millard have done themselves proud despite a couple of mechanical issues. They have fought hard to emerge fourth at the half-way stage in Poland. Their prowess in deep sand is impressive, so they will be hoping to close the gap on the top three.
That will be a tough call however, because Marvin Vanluchene, Koen Hermans and Etienne Bax have grown up in these conditions and revel in the technique of sand riding.
Vanluchene and Nicolas Musset enjoy the red plate with a thirty-six-point advantage over Koen Hermans and Ben Van Den Bogaart, with Etienne Bax and Ondrej Cermak a mere three points further back.
Now into the second half of a busy year, this is tight at the top, so there will be no rest in Lommel. Behind Wilkinson, it’s even closer as Keuben/Rietman and Sanders/Rostingt are just one point apart and riding well. He will be looking over his shoulder, as well as ahead, this weekend.
In seventh place is surprise package Tim Prummer/Jarno Steegmans, who also like the sand, as does the team right behind them. Gert van Werven enjoyed the company of Lari Kunnas in Poland but will have Kenny Van Gaalen, renowned sand specialist alongside. Gert was looking more like his old self last weekend and will be hoping to continue that run.
He’ll need his wits about him as the Latvian Lielbardis boys are getting their act together and riding fast. Behind them Marco Heinzer and Jason Van Daele are one point apart. Van Daele is a self-confessed non-sand specialist, so can Heinzer capitalise?
We expect a big crowd in Lommel, not least of all because it’s the home track of the reigning champion Etienne Bax.
Entry lists
