As the battle for the 2023 FIM World Sidecarcross title comes down to the final six races, we return to the popular and demanding Loket circuit in the Czech Republic 19-20 August, and traditional hardpack going. Last year at Loket, Koen Hermans, then with Nicolas Musset, took overall victory with neither of the two current leading contenders featuring in the upper rankings.
Preview by Barry Nutley – Images courtesy of WSC
A variety of problems kept Marvin Vanluchene and Etienne Bax from scoring well, and this is something they must both avoid going into this all-important twelfth round of fourteen.
Defending champions Bax and Ondrej Cermak narrowed the gap to eighteen points in Strassbessenbach, and despite four hard-fought battles in Ireland and England, it has remained at eighteen points. It’s time for the deadlock to be broken, and the second visit to the Czech Republic must surely now change the picture.
Koen Hermans/Ben Van Den Bogaart had a miserable weekend in Cusses Gorse returning a zero score from the two races, giving Brett Wilkinson and Joe Millard a golden opportunity to gain massive ground on third place.
Sadly, the British crew upended in race two, and were only to make a minimal eighteen-point in-road to Hermans at the end of the day.
The popular Brits now have a bigger problem looming from behind, as a debut podium for the seventeen-year-old Latvian Lielbardis twins in Cusses Gorse moved them to within fourteen points of Wilkinson/Millard.
Justin Keuben/Dion Rietman are a further five points back, so the battle for fourth place is firmly on, just as the top two teams also have it all to play for.
Ondrej Cermak will be on home ground with all that brings, so there will be no shortage of support for Bax/Cermak, just as the Latvian fans seem to be everywhere in large numbers with their flags and air-horns cheering for team Lielbardis.
Vanluchene/Musset will get steadily on with the job in hand, protecting the red plate, and barring breakdowns, can be counted on to give a totally focussed and methodical performance.
Expect a large entry at Loket, with other Czech teams joining in the action and making the most of the euphoric atmosphere.
Team WSC is already well prepared for what we know will be another great weekend in Loket and will be on-site from early Thursday morning to get the ball rolling ahead of round twelve.
What will the picture be at the close of play? This is anyone’s guess, as this is shaping up to be a grandstand finish with so much at stake.
