SMXoN: The Netherlands wins the title, Belgium misses the podium by 1 point!
Team Netherlands has also managed to win the Sidecarcross of Nations in 2022. Bax/Cermak won the heat with Hermans/De Veene in fourth place. This makes the Netherlands once again by far the best sidecar cross country in 2022. The battle behind this was very exciting. Vanluchene/Bax came second and were individually the best team today, but team Belgium as a whole missed the podium by just 1 point (!!!). Sanders/Rostingt finished eighth in the third heat and that was just not enough for the final podium. Great Britain ultimately came second and Estonia third overall.
The holeshot in the third heat was for Varik/Kunnas, with Heinzer and Bax/Cermak and Vanluchene/Bax behind them. The Swiss Heinzer quickly fell back while Bax and Vanluchene came forward. Both Bax/Cermak and Vanluchene/Bax passed Varik and were therefore first and second with Varik/Kunnas now in third. Vanluchene/Bax always picked up just more speed than the rest during the quick dismounts. With just under ten minutes to go, Vanluchene launched the attack on Bax/Cermak. The sidecar could thus be placed next to that of Bax/Cermak in the next bend and immediately following table mountain. On the next bend, Vanluchene was able to dive just in front and take over first place. A nicely designed overtaking campaign. Unfortunately for team Belgium, Bax/Cermak showed why they are the 2022 World Sidecar Cross Champions. Within half a lap, team NL #1 was back in the lead and the pace was increased slightly to give Vanluchene no longer a chance to take the win in the heat. Bax/Cermak came first and with Hermans/De Veene in fourth place, the Netherlands became champions by a wide margin. Vanluchene/Bax then came second and were the best as an individual team, but team Belgium missed the final podium by just 1 point. Sanders/Rostingt rode from the start in the midfield to eighth place and this was just not enough for a medal. Seventh place would have secured a podium for Belgium. Or Vanluchene, who would have won in the third heat, or Vandaele or Sanders, who would have scored just one spot better than ninth and thirteenth in the second heat. If, if, if does not apply in sports and so the Belgians were left empty-handed. Just one point more and therefore third place went to Estonia, who scored stable with the experienced teams Varik/Kunnas, Gordejev/Stupelis and Reesna/Niitsoo. Varik's third place in the last heat was decisive for the bronze medal. Team Great Britain put in a real team effort and with Wilkinson/Millard (7th) and the young Foden/Cooper (11th) they collected enough points in the third heat to take silver in the overall standings together with Brown/Chamberlain.
Final result Sidecarcross of Nations – Kramolin-CZ: 1.Netherlands 13pts. 2.Great Britain 29pts. 3.Estonia 32pts. 4.Belgium 33pts. 5. Latvia 37pts.
text Emil Bilars / photo WSC
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