Sara Andersen produced solid results at WMX Round 4 of Italy finishing 4-5 and posting 3rd fastest Qualifying time in Practice on wet, slippery track at Imola in the weekend.
Showing nice turn of speed in Qualifying Practice, Andersen clocked 3rd best lap-time of 1.43.435 to 2nd placed Larissa Papenmeier of 1.43.154- which more than proved the KTM riders’ un-foreseen ability to keep even the most seasoned of racers on point during racing.
Having made steady progress up the points table over course of WMX Rounds 1-4, Sara takes stock on what went well at Imola, and what was challenging.
#325: ‘It was a weekend of solid results for me in Italy. In the first moto the track was very wet and I didn’t feel comfortable. I was around 4/5th in the first corner, but I almost crashed with some other riders and my bike was stuck with another bike for a few seconds, which cost me a lot of positions. I rode my way up and finished 4th, which is fine with a bad start’.
‘Sunday the track was much better and so was my start and riding. I was 5th from the start and I was the fastest rider on track at the beginning. I made some good passes and rode my way to second, but made a mistake right away and fell down to third again’.
‘About one lap later I had a huge crash on the finish jump and picked myself up in 4th, but never found my rhythm again, went down one more time and finished in 5th. I am very happy about my riding in second moto, and I also qualified 3rd, so I showed some really good speed. I made a pass on the points leader also, which is a big confident boost’.
Having gained 3rd at WMX of Loket Race 1, Sara knows what she can produce against her peers. Noting all the while, the 19 year old Dane has the ability to race up-front, push when needed and secure podium finish in the near future.
#325: ‘I definitely have more confidence after finishing 3rd in Loket and also now after proving that it wasn’t coincidental that I was in the top 3. I learn every time I am in the top race order and it feels more normal for me every time’.
Enjoying hard-pack tracks, WMX Final Round at MXGP of Turkey will be much the same dirt for Andersen, who managed the changeable track conditins of Imola- including big jumps.
#325: ‘I like hard-pack a lot, but it was a difficult track especially in moto 1, when it was very slippery. The jumps were very big too, which I normally like, but when the track was so slippery it wasn’t comfortable. In the second moto all the jumps were perfectly fine and I enjoyed riding a lot until my crash’.
With sights set on Round 5, Sara has achieved well deserved success this season, and with such positive frame of mind #325 will no doubt have more to impress everyone come racing.
#325: ‘My performance has been solid, but still with a few bad races because of crashes. My focus for the last round will definitely be a podium. That has been my goal all year, and just to ride in the top and show some good speed’.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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