SIX FLIGHT BIKES & GLOBAL TEAM MEMBERS FILL ELITE ...
The town of Klatovy in the Czech Republic played host to Round 3 & 4 of the Euro Championship Series; and all of Redline's Global Team members were out in force - noteably the Dutch National Team providing an amazing display of strength, skills and speed throughout the weekend. Also in the hunt for spots on the Elite podium were Italy's BMX-version of Valentino Rossi - MANUEL DeVECCHI, and France's DAMIEN GODET. Dutch Natioanl team coach (and living BMX legend in Europe) BAS DeBEVER gave us the scoop: "Saturday started off well, with all of the team making it through their respective motos, showing me that the whole team is feeling good. Some bad luck and a kamikaze Czech rider made an abrupt end to Saturdays ambitions for a few of us. Nonetheless, two of our Dutch Elites made it into Saturday's main event - Martijn (Scherpens) ended up in 6th and Raymon (Van der Beizen) in 8th."
In Junior Elite, the Dutch have a new secret weapon - and her name is Merle van Benthem. "She is on a role lately," Bas informed us. "Merle won the Junior Women's class both days."
On Sunday, the Redline Global team were firing on all two cylinders. "Sunday started of just as well as Saturday," DeBever continued. "After the motos were done, four of us cruised straight into the main event, making half of Sunday's finale an Orange Crush fest!"
But there were more than just four Dutch Flight bikes in that main event...
"The best thing about Sunday," said MANUEL DeVECCHI- Italy's No.1 Pro, "...is we were 6 Redline riders out of 8 in the Elite Men main!"
This was the second time in Redline history that its Global riders have outnumbered all by 6-to-8 odds in the Euro Champ series. And it's a feat that no other brand has ever come close to doing.
I reached the main on Sunday," DeVecchi continued, "but unfortunately couldn't find a way to stay in the top of the group. After a bit of contact in the second corner, I went out."
"
I felt a little bit tired during the week, but it was not so bad of a weekend
With the odds stacked in Redline's favor, it was RAYMON van der BIEZEN coming closest to stopping So Africa's Olympic main-maker Sifiso Nhlapo, with Mr. MARTIJN SCHERPEN.com battling for the third rung of the Euro Champ podium. "In the main my gate was all right, but I didn't get perfectly over the first jump and lost some speed" - writes Martijn on his always-up-to-the-minute website. "Out of the first turn I was in the 4th position, (but I) came back to third on the third straight, but made a mistake and fell back to the 4th position."
| Round 4 (Sunday) ELITE | MEN Results: |
| 1. Sifiso Nhlapo | SO.AFRICA |
| 2. Raymon van der Biezen | NED/REDLINE |
| 3. Jordy van der Heijden | NETHERLANDS |
| 4. Martijn Scherpen | NED/REDLINE |
| 5. Ivo van der Putten | NED/REDLINE |
| 6. Rob van den Wildenberg | NED/REDLINE |
| 7. Damien Godet | FRANCE/REDLINE |
| 8. Manuel De Vecchi | ITALY/REDLINE |
For many of these guys, it's going to be a busy 3-weeks of travel and BMXin'. "Next stop will be Creazzo, Italy - which is Manuel's hometrack," commented Godet. "I'll race there and then go to Copenhagen, Denmark for the SX event, with the French national team."
After the Czech races, RAYMON van der BEIZEN is leading Elite Mens points - and an amazing total of 5 Dutch National Team riders in the Top 10!
| European BMX Elite Men Championship Standings |
| (after Rounds 3&4 in Klatovy, Czech Republic) |
| Rank | Points | Name | Country/Sponsor |
| 1 | 131 | Raymon van der Biezen | The Netherlands/Redline |
| 2 | 120 | Sifiso Nhlapo | South Africa |
| 3 | 120 | Arnaud Dubois | Belgium |
| 4 | 119 | Martijn Scherpen | The Netherlands/Redline |
| 5 | 109 | Jordy vad der heijden | The Netherlands |
| 6 | 94 | Edzus Treimanis | Latvia |
| 7 | 86 | Ivo van der Putten | The Netherlands/Redline |
| 8 | 85 | Thomas Hamon | France |
| 9 | 84 | Rob van den Wildenberg | The Netherlands/Redline |
| 10 | 83 | Roy van den Berg | The Netherlands/Redline |
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