The second WMX race of the day took place late this morning in Arnhem, in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd. Racing in front of her home fans, Lotte van Drunen delivered another strong performance to complete a perfect weekend in the Netherlands.
Lotte van Drunen grabbed the holeshot, with Nellie Fransson, Shana van der Vlist, Daniela Guillen, Kiara Fontanesi and Lucy Barker all running inside the leading group.
Courtney Duncan, however, had a difficult start to the race, crashing in the first corner and rejoining at the back of the field.
Van Drunen immediately set the pace and managed to create a small gap over Daniela Guillen during the opening lap. The Spaniard quickly moved into second position, ahead of Lucy Barker.
Further back, a great battle developed between Kiara Fontanesi and Shana van der Vlist. The Italian eventually won the fight and moved ahead of the Dutch rider.
Barker closed in on Guillen, while Van der Vlist also caught Fontanesi, but despite the pressure, the positions remained unchanged until the chequered flag.
Danée Gelissen took sixth after gaining several positions in the early stages. Malou Jakobsen, once again held back by a poor start, fought her way forward and managed to keep Courtney Duncan behind her. The four-time WMX World Champion produced an impressive comeback after her first-corner crash.
Amandine Verstappen made a strong start but gradually dropped back as the race progressed. Nellie Fransson also lost positions after another excellent launch.
Overall: A Perfect Weekend for Van Drunen
Lotte van Drunen returns to the top step of the podium by winning both races in Arnhem. It is a huge relief for the two-time WMX World Champion, who delivered exactly what she needed in front of her home crowd.
Daniela Guillen finished second overall, allowing her to head to the final round in Australia with a small points advantage over Kiara Fontanesi. The six-time World Champion completed the overall podium. Despite being sick throughout the weekend, Fontanesi limited the damage and remains firmly in the championship fight.
Shana van der Vlist finished just off the podium in fourth at her home round. After a less impressive start in Race 2, she ended the weekend tied on points with Fontanesi.
It was an excellent weekend for Lucy Barker, who secured fifth overall. There were never any doubts about the speed of the three-time European Champion, but in Arnhem she put together a high-level weekend without mistakes and showed just how competitive she can be.
Courtney Duncan finished sixth overall. The Dixon Racing Team Kawasaki rider looked comfortable throughout the weekend but is still not quite back to her best in the sand. She now sits fourth in the championship heading into the Australian finale, where fans will hope to see the four-time World Champion back at 100%.
Malou Jakobsen claimed a strong seventh overall. Despite being repeatedly hampered by her starts, the Danish rider finished both races strongly and continued to fight her way forward.
Consistency earned Amandine Verstappen eighth overall, while Danée Gelissen finished ninth. Her mistake in the opening race ultimately cost her a higher overall result.
Nellie Fransson completed the overall Top 10, securing her first Top 10 overall result. The JK Racing Yamaha rider continues to impress with her starts, while her race pace is becoming increasingly interesting to watch.
With Arnhem now behind them, the WMX championship heads to Australia for the final showdown of the season.
