With countless supporters of the team in attendance, the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team enjoyed a very successful day at the Grand Prix of Flanders. The fourteenth round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship was a poignant one for the squad that operated at full strength for the first time since round three.
Riding a wave of momentum after securing pole on Saturday, Kay de Wolf started in fourth in the first moto and immediately got to work. Wasting absolutely no time aboard his impressive FC 250, he climbed up into the lead in a matter of laps and controlled the race from that point on. Six seconds was his advantage when the chequered flag waved. It was a phenomenal effort, but attention soon turned to what promised to be a challenging second moto.
The second moto started in a rather similar fashion to the first. De Wolf started in third place, but set some blistering lap times early on and swiftly moved into the lead. Following a hard-fought battle, which had the thousands of fans on their feet, ’74’ crossed the finish in second place and secured the same ranking in the overall classification. It was a fantastic way to rebound, following some difficult weeks, and the momentum that was gained will be put to good use in the coming weeks.
Returning to action for the first time since March, Roan van de Moosdijk impressed as soon as the weekend started. There was no sign of rust – he posted competitive practice times and even led laps in moto one. It was an incredible comeback, especially considering that the Grand Prix of Flanders is the toughest event of the year. Sixth was his ranking in the first moto, after a minor mistake caused him to lose positions, and he backed that up by going one better in moto two. 6-5 scores meant that he was ranked in fifth overall.
Encouraged, the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing squad will turn their attention to the next round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship on August 07. The Grand Prix of Sweden is next on the agenda.
Kay de Wolf: “It was a really good weekend. I got pole position and the win in the first moto, but there was no energy left in the second moto. We have had some difficult times this year. To get back on the podium was incredible. It was not easy, but I am so happy to get back to where we belong.”
Roan van de Moosdijk: “Coming back at the toughest race of the year was not easy! I led for a few laps of the first moto, but the intensity was so high and you cannot practice that during the week. I tried to follow and learn from the other riders. I think that I should be really proud of my comeback ride and to miss the podium by only one point.”
