FIM Long Track World Championship – Final 4
MORIZES (FRANCE) – 07.09.2019
The Moto Club Morizes saw their biggest crowd for many years as they staged Final 4 of the FIM Long Track World Championship and those spectators enjoyed some excellent racing with two French riders on the podium.
Dmitri Berge was the winner and takes a one-point lead over current champion Martin Smolinski as they enter the last round. The pair met four times during the meeting with honours even at two wins each, but it was in the Final that Berge secured his advantage as Smolinski failed to gain the lead from a poor start and was able to finish only in fourth place. Ahead of him there was a great four lap battle between Berge and his compatriot Mathieu Trésarrieu before Berge secured his lead.
Smolinski’s performance reflects that he is still suffering the effects of his recent injury and he needed a pain killing injection during the days before the meeting in order to compete but German fans will have been encouraged by the result from young Lukas Fienhage who took third place on the podium and moved into fourth place in the Intermediate Classification equal with Josef Franc on 57 points. His score would have been higher but for a fall caused by a mechanical failure when leading Heat 8.
Another to suffer from mechanical problems was Britain’s Chris Harris who was forced to retire from his semi-final when he was holding second place. He now faces a duel with Finland’s Jesse Mustonen for the vital 7th place and automatic qualification for 2020 with Germany’s Max Dilger only one point behind.
Leading scores after four rounds:
1. Dmitri Bergé (France) 95 points
2. Martin Smolinski (Germany) 95
3. Mathieu Trésarrieu (France) 82
4. Lukas Fienhage (Germany) 57
5. Josef Franc (Czech Republic) 57
6. Theo Pijper (Netherlands) 53
7. Jesse Mustonen (Finland) 37
8. Chris Harris (Great Britain) 37
9. Max Dilger (Germany) 36
With nothing separating the riders in 1st 4th and 7th positions the battle in Roden in two weeks time will be a tough one. Could we see a finish as dramatic as last years final? We must wait until 22nd September to find out.
FIM Communications