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Mixed Fortunes For Anstie And MX2 Team
Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe's Max Anstie was unlucky to not qualify for the 250cc Main Event at the weekend's Oakland AMA/ FIM World Supercross fourth round in California.
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The 19 year old tangled with another rider while holding fifth position in his qualifying heat and was forced into the Last Chance Qualifier. Then, after holeshotting the LCQ, he made a small mistake in the first corner, charged back through the pack; and then ran off the track.
Said Anstie: "We had a bit of a nightmare up in Oakland. It started in the Heat when I went to pass for fifth and the guy crashed and his bike got tangled up in mine and we both were stuck for a while trying to sort it out. So I headed into the LCQ feeling confident, as I had been riding well all day and felt good on the bike. I executed a perfect start and got to the turn first, but went in a little to hot and slid out allowing a couple guys to slip by. Then I went for a pass on the inside in the sand and lost the front end, sending me straight off the track. By the time I got back on I was in last, and pushed hard, but basically just ran out of time. Back to the drawing board now, but going to make good this weekend."
In Europe, Anstie's Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe team-mates Julien Lieber and Jeremy Seewer made their season debuts at the Mantova International Motocross in Italy.
Lieber showed good progress in Saturday's practice, posting the third fastest time in both practice sessions and the qualifying heat. But in Sunday morning's warm-up session a high-sider threw him off the bike and left him with a badly bruised cheek and tongue.
Lieber started the first race and rode to 12th overall and second in the MX2 class. But with his injury worsening, he decided to pull out of the two remaining heats to get a medical check-up and avoid risking his entry at the International Le Touquet Beach Race in France next weekend.
Said Lieber: "My riding on Saturday went well. I felt really good on my bike and got along good with the track. I crashed on Sunday morning in the warm-up and hit the handlebars with my face. I bit my tongue when that happened and ended up with a rather big bruise and swelling. I still decided to start the first race and finished 12th overall - second in the MX2 class. I was quite happy with the result, but started feeling really bad straight after the race, which made me pull out of the other races."
Seewer struggled to find a good rhythm in Saturday's events, but on Sunday he finished 17-19-9 in 'Inters' class - made up of both MX1 and MX2 riders - to take second overall in the MX2 category.
Mantova MX2 Class Results: 1. Glenn Coldenhof (NL - KTM) 75pts. 2. Jeremy Seewer (SUI - Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe) 58pts. 3. Romain Febvre (FRA - KTM) 57pts. 4. Priit Ratsep (EST - KTM) 5. Stefan Kjer Olsen (DNK - Honda).
PaddockTalk Perspective
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