


Rick Elzinga & Romain Febvre Land on the Box in Lommel as Lotte van Drunen Scores a Point in MX2
As expected, the MXGP of Flanders was a gruelling test of skill and endurance for the stars of MXGP. Rick Elzinga came within striking distance of a sensational Grand Prix win at the 14th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Lommel, Belgium, while Romain Febvre, against all odds, powered to the third step of the box at what was just his second Grand Prix back from injury.
The track, which had new sand brought in and was completely reformatted in 2023, again produced sharp and unsettling bumps compared to the long, wave-like holes traditionally found at the venue. This, in combination with the sizzling hot weather, caused issues for many of the usual front runners. A lot of riders mentioned that the track was faster, which gave them little opportunity to rest, meaning a lot of riders pumped up and struggled to maintain their usual pace. The rougher terrain demanded more from the riders physically, leading to fatigue setting in much earlier in the race. Many found themselves battling not just each other but also the relentless conditions of the track and the oppressive heat. As a result, the race saw several unexpected shake-ups in the standings, with some underdogs rising to the occasion and seasoned veterans faltering under the strain.
For Rick Elzinga though, a rider that has been frustratingly inconsistent this season, which has left him down in seventh in the championship standings, was back to his usual self. Helped by his long legs and natural technique in the sand, the Dutchman charged to a sensational second-place finish in race one. “The first race was so good,” he said, “the track was brutal. A lot of the guys crashed, but I just kept grinding and did my laps, and I ended up second. I was pumped to show my speed in the sand!"


The FMX crew were also back in town for round 14, with multiple X-Games medallist’s and all round legends Harry Bink, Julien Van Stippen and Andre Villa in attendance, along with Adolf Silva & Andreu Lacondeguy, hyping up the crowd and blowing minds with massive whips and trains all weekend. With Lommel located on the border of The Netherlands, the Grand Prix of Flanders was packed with hyper-charged Dutch fans. Feeding off the energy of the loud and supportive crowd, Rick nailed his start in the second race, and after watching the championship leader Kay de Wolf cartwheel down the track multiple times, he inherited the lead and a shot at his first-ever Grand Prix victory. It, however, was not written in the stars for Rick on this occasion, as a small issue with his bike cost him the power he needed to fight. The 22-year-old ultimately nursed his Yamaha home in fourth, which was enough to finish second overall. “Man, mixed emotions. I could cry for two reasons: one, to be on the box again, but mostly because I almost won my first GP, and I should have. Unfortunately, motocross is a mechanical sport, too, and we rely on that. I had a small issue near the end of the race, and this made it tough. Still, I am happy to be back on the box and it’s a nice reward for my team and everyone around me who have never stopped believing in me, even on the bad days.”
While Rick collected his second-ever piece of podium silverware, another cause for all the orange-coloured smoke that smothered the vibrant atmosphere in Lommel was the appearance of Lotte van Drunen in MX2. Lotte was the only girl on the gate that weekend and did the unthinkable, charging to 20th in Race 2, which meant The Queen scored a championship point at the toughest race on the calendar. “I’ve always loved racing the boys,” she smiled, “so when the opportunity came to race in Lommel, I was always going to do it, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I came in with no expectation, but I will leave here with a point in MX2. That’s unbelievable!”


At the same time, the racing in the premier class was insane. Jeffrey Herlings and Jorge Prado dominated the top two positions, leaving third to be duked out by the best of the rest. Had Romain Febvre not gotten injured in May, he would have been in the fight for the overall. However, in just his second Grand Prix back from injury, the fiery Frenchman fought to an impressive 4-3 result for third overall.
"I'm really happy to be back on the box after five weeks out,” Romain grinned, "I did everything I could except riding whilst I was out injured, but when you jump back on the bike it is so physically demanding just to find the flow. And it is so much easier when you are not fighting the bike because you don't land in all of the holes. I thought it would be tough after that, but I immediately found the flow again and wasn't exhausted; even Jorge (Prado) was not far away, so I am happy with the weekend.”
