A brilliant start by Etienne Bax/Odrej Cermak took them into a flying lead with Stuart Brown/Josh Chamberlain hard on their heels. Vanluchene/Bax were third, from the red plate of Varik/Kunnas and Van Werven/Van Den Bogaart.
Julian Veldman/Rodolphe Lebreton were next.
Bax opened a ten second lead as Stuart Brown fell victim to first Varik, and then Van Werven. If things stayed this way, Varik and Bax would be level on points going into race two, but Van Werven could spoil it for Varik if he demoted him. Eight laps in and Bax still had a handsome lead from Vanluchene with Varik holding on just one second ahead of the big Dutchman Van Werven. One slip, and he would trail Bax in the points. Dan Foden/Nathan Cooper were going well initially, but lost out to first Godeev/Stupelis, and then Hermans/Musset.
Lap eleven and Bax’s lead was even bigger as he romped to a great result. Etienne Bax and Ondrej Cermak were showing the rest of the field what they were made of under pressure and were truly on fire!
From the gate a brilliant start took Stuart Brown/Josh Chamberlain into the lead from Vanluchene/Bax and Bax/Cermak. Kert Varik was sixth first time around with Veldman/Lebreton next up.
As the race unfolded, Vanluchene went ahead with Bax passing Brown two laps later. Brown then went missing on lap four, leaving Brett Wilkinson to fly the British flag in third. Varik then passed him and set after Etienne Bax. Veldman was next to get by Wilkinson/Millard with Vanluchene eleven seconds clear at the front. The title was in Bax’s hands to lose at this stage with his one place and two-point advantage over Kert Varik/Lari Kunnas. They had found more speed, but would it be enough?
With nine laps completed, the gap between Varik and Bax was under ten seconds, but it was a big ask. Veldman was now only six seconds behind Varik, and that was not what the Estonian needed. At this stage, Etienne Bax/Ondrej Cermak appeared to have let Vanluchene go and were managing the gap ahead of Varik. Kert Varik needed wing mirrors because the Veldman/Lebreton Mega was closing, and fast!
With two minutes before the board came out signalling the final laps, Veldman went third doing his fellow countryman a huge favour. Varik was now out of contention, four points and two places adrift. His time with the red plate was almost over, but what a fight he had given.
Marvin Vanluchene and Robbie Bax were totally in control, sealing their third place in the standings, whilst Etienne Bax and Ondrej Cermak just had to bring it home to become champions.
Photo credits: WSC World Sidecarcross Championship
Author: WSC World Sidecarcross Championship
