Lancelot Takes Pole at First Women’s World Championship Appearance At Mantova

MANTOVA (ITALY), 17 May 2008

Round two of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship is once again a wet one as the opening round was last weekend at Sevlievo. Livia Lancelot took her first win there and marked her first outing in Mantova with today’s pole; Maria Franke and two time World Cup Winner Katherine Prumm rounded off the top three.

GPKR’s Livia Lancelot is experiencing an incredible start to the 2008 season as she confirmed her status of title favourite by clocking today’s pole. The French rider was three seconds faster than closest rival Maria Franke, of Kawasaki Elf Pfeil.

The latter still has victory in her sights while Yamaha Van Beers Racing’s Katherine Prumm was a surprise by entering today’s top three.

After she broke her right ACL the Wednesday before Bulgaria, Prumm was almost scratched off the list of the Title contenders; though the hard working Kiwi was a brave fourth in Sevlievo and ended third fastest in Mantova, with the race going to be a harsh battle in between the three.Also Honda mounted Ashley Fiolek can enter the fight for the win, with the American finishing a positive fourth today ahead of injured Larissa Papenmeier.

Making her comeback to racing with an injured right shoulder, 2005 World Cup Winner Steffi Laier was sixth fastest.

Top ten of today’s qualifying:

1. Livia Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki), 2:19.570
2. Maria Franke (GER, Kawasaki), +0:03.018
3. Katherine Prumm (NZL, Yamaha), +0:04.385
4. Ashley Fiolek (USA, Honda), +0:04.551
5. Larissa Papenmeier (GER, Suzuki), +0:04.654
6. Stephanie Laier (GER, KTM), +0:05.105
7. Elien De Winter (BEL, KTM), +0:06.461
8. Marianne Veenstra (NED, Suzuki), +0:10.173
9. Sofia Sjöberg (SWE, Honda), +0:10.826;
10. Marielle De Mol (NED, Yamaha), +0:11.309

With day one ending in rain, Livia Lancelot walked away from the press conference area with her first Circuiti Gioielli Women Pole Position Award handed directly by Circuiti Gioielli’s head Gianfranco Quartaroli.

[Source]