Heavy rainfall overnight drenched the Kegums track in Latvia, giving the riders another muddy circuit to start the day with, but as the circuit dried, Honda HRC’s Ruben Fernandez showed his speed in the sand to finish just two points off the podium.
Given the nature of the track, starts were once again a crucial factor for all the riders and Fernandez utilised his fourth gate pick to great effect. The Honda CRF450R rider rounded the turn around the top five in both races, which made his life a lot easier for the rest of the moto. In the first race, he was able to move through from sixth to fourth as he showed real grit and determination to maximise his points after a tough week of recovery.
Race two started off in a similar fashion with the #70 in fifth place as they crossed the line for the first time. He then moved into fourth after making a nice pass early on but around the mid-point of the moto, he was trying his best to hold on and eventually had to let a couple of riders through to finish in sixth place with 33 points. That gave him fifth overall, which was an excellent haul considering there were doubts he’d be fit enough to ride in the immediate aftermath of his crash in Germany last weekend.
Valerio Lata’s day in the MX2 class didn’t go very well, as technical issues early on in each of the motos meant he had to pull off the racetrack. After the highs of Teutschenthal, it was a real shame for the young Italian to miss out here, but he’s keeping a positive frame of mind and excited to try again in two weeks’ time, when they head to the UK for the magnificent challenge of Matterley Basin.
Unfortunately, Ferruccio Zanchi has received disappointing news from medical professionals following his recent crash in Germany. The young Italian rider has sustained a knee injury and, as a result, will be sidelined from competition for the foreseeable future.
Further medical evaluations are scheduled in one month to monitor his recovery and determine the appropriate next steps. For now, doctors have advised complete rest and avoidance of any physical activity.
This development is a significant setback for the Honda CRF250R rider, who had shown promising form earlier in the season with a moto victory and podium in Cozar, Spain. However, Zanchi will receive the highest standard of medical care as he focuses on recovery and a potential return to racing.
