Taking pole at his home GP Marc de Reuver of Martin Honda looks confident for tomorrow’s races in Lierop where last year he won his maiden MX1 moto and took his maiden MX1 podium.

Right behind the Dutchman was Teka Suzuki WMX1’s Ken de Dycker who had a 1.472 second gap while Championship runner up Steve Ramon took third. Being second and third in the MX1 series the Suzuki factory duo aims at getting closer to Championship leader David Philippaerts of Yamaha Monster Motocross.

 The latter was 11th quickest today but is ready to face a tough challenge from his rivals who are both sand specialists. KTM Sarholz Racing’s Marcus Schiffer was a surprising fourth ahead of AXO KTM Silver Action’s Jonathan Barragan who will remain in the team also next year as it was announced in an official press conference today.

CAS Honda’s Billy Mackenzie took a disappointing 19th as he was riding with a broken rib from the morning’s practice.

Top five: 1. Marc de Reuver (NED, Honda), 1:57.145; 2. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Suzuki), +0:01.472; 3. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:01.953; 4. Marcus Schiffer (GER, KTM), +0:02.942; 5. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), +0:03.041

Winning his ninth Lovemytime Qualifying Award today in heat one Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray is first in the Lovemytime standings and could wrap both his first ever MX2 title and the Lovemytime final award in Faenza next weekend.

Keeping the focus on this weekend Champ KTM’s Joel Roelants took his first ever qualifying heat win as he won the battle with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Rui Goncalves (third) and Ricci Racing Yamaha’s Nicolas Aubin (second). Beursfoon Suzuki’s Erik Eggens and Champ KTM’s Jeremy van Horebeek rounded off the top three of heat one.

Tommy Searle was fourth in heat two after a couple of crashes in the opening laps. MX2 QUALIFYING RACE 1 Rattray won an eventful qualifying heat as he had to work his way up to first after making a mistake when he was at the lead.

A solid Eggens kept following until he moved past Rattray for first but he was an eventual second ahead of Van Horebeek who rode solid in third during the whole moto. Boog, Simpson and Swanepoel battled it out for fourth with Boog taking the spot from Simpson and Swanie.

Top five: 1. Tyla Rattray (RSA, KTM), 25:34.055; ; 2. Erik Eggens (NED, Suzuki), +0:05.493; 3. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, KTM), +0:33.114; 4. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), +0:42.982; 5. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:45.170

MX2 QUALIFYING RACE 2 Winning a three way battle for first Roelants took his first ever qualifying moto with Aubin second and early leader Goncalves third. Right out of the gate Searle was all set on catching the Portuguese for victory but he crashed twice in the opening two laps and ended fourth. Seistola rounded off the top five.

Top five: 1. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 26:11.488; ; 2. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:04.446; 3. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +0:06.456; 4. Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), +0:42.474; 5. Matti Seistola (FIN, Honda), +0:46.295

DE HERSELSE BOSSEN AND LIEROP After Valkenswaard and Lommel, the De Herselse Bossen track is another sandy venue in the World Motocross calendar. The venue hosted its first Grand Prix back in 1996 (500cc class) and it is more than a classical Dutch sandy course; the start straight is always covered in grass while there is a part of the track going through a forest.

The whole layout and the ground are very demanding as a good physical challenge will add to the mounting mental pressure of the final two rounds of the MX1 and MX2 series.

Among last year’s winners are Kevin Strijbos (MX1), Antonio Cairoli (MX2) and Katherine Prumm (Women). Lierop is one of four community villages that form the municipality of Someren, a sort of natural paradise with its 1.615 hectares of woods, natural grounds and plantation landscape on which windmills, chapels and several other monuments are part of the beautiful Dutch scenery. Lierop is a quiet town at 20 kilometres from Eindhoven and 150 kilometres North of lively Amsterdam.

THE EVENT’S SCHEDULE Sunday September 7: Women’s World Championship Warm-up at 9:00 am; MX2 Warm-up at 9:30 am; MX1 Warm-up at 10:00 am; Women’s World Championship Race 1 at 11:10 am; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 at 12:10 am; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 at 1:10 pm; Women’s World Championship Race 2 at 2:10 pm; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 at 3:03 pm; MX1 Grand Prix Race 2 at 4:03 pm (local time).