Kevin Strijbos Suzuki RMZ450K - Photo Courtesy of Beursfoon Suzuki
Race Report - Beursfoon Suzuki round 9 in Kegums, Latvia
13 World Championship points for Kevin Strijbos at the Latvian Grand Prix
Amsterdam - Beursfoon Suzuki rider Kevin Strijbos has scored 13 World Championship points at the ninth round of the World Championship Series in Kegums, Latvia. In both motos the Belgian rider started around fifteenth position. In the first moto he couldn't find his rhythm but still managed to finish in 16th position. In the second moto things went better for Strijbos and after a consistent race he finished in 13th position. Jose Butron scored World Championship points as well. He finished in 19th and 20th position in the motos and went home with three World Championship points.
On Friday the team got some bad news from Marc de Reuver. The Dutch rider developed a 40 degree fever and an infected throat on Wednesday night. The team waited until to make the final call on Friday morning, but seeing as De Reuver still had a very high fever, he decided to withdraw from the GP. Despite this bad luck the team travelled to Latvia with the ambition to score as many points as possible. Kevin was motivated to do well in Latvia. His speed in the practice sessions was ok but in the qualifying heat he had to come back trough the field after a poor start. At the end of the first lap he came by start/finish in 19th position.
On the fast circuit of Kegums it was difficult to overtake riders. Kevin gave everything he had and worked himself up to fifteenth position. In the closing stages he lost a position and finally crossed the finish line in sixteenth position. In the first moto he came out of the first corner in fifteenth position. In the beginning of the race he worked himself up to 13th position but soon after he lost his rhythm and lost several positions. In the second part of the moto things started to go better and he finally finished the race in 16th position.
In the second moto he went trough the first corner around fifteenth place. In this moto his riding went better and Kevin was able to put the pressure on the riders in front of him. After several laps he moved up to fifteenth position and some laps later he passed the fourteenth place rider. In the closing stages of the race he gave everything he had and worked his way by another rider to finish the race in 13th position.
Kevin finished fourteenth overall and sits in twelfth position in the World Championship Standings. Marc de Reuver sits in 23rd position.
MX2 rider Jose Butron goes better and better. In the first moto he started the race just outside the top ten. The pace was to high for the young Spaniard and because of this he lost a lot of positions. In the second part of the race he found his rhythm and finished the race in 19th position. In the second moto he had to come back after a poor start. Jose rode his own race and worked himself back up to 20th position.
Jose finished in 22nd position overall and sits in 26th position in the World Championship Standings. The next stop for the Beursfoon Suzuki Team is the Grand Prix of Sweden next weekend.
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Jose Butron Suzuki RMZ450K - Photo Courtesy of Beursfoon Suzuki
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