SM Junior European Championship:
unstoppable Benvenuti wins in Germany
The SM Junior European Championship stopped in Germany, in the city circuit of Sankt Wendel, for the fourth round of the season. The event took place at the same time of the national Championship attracting a large crowd which filled the natural grandstands along the track.
Despite two less-than-perfect starts, Andrea Benvenuti (KTM Mtr Racing) achieved another triumphant double victory. Second place went to wild card Valentin Durand (Honda) who qualified ahead of Nathan Terraneo (KTM).
Race 1
At the start of the first race Andrea Benvenuti (KTM MTR Racing) was caught unprepared in the first corner and had to make way for Valentin Durand (Honda) and Nathan Terraneo (KTM), but the pole man did not lose time and moved to the head of the race in the second lap setting an unbeatable race pace for all the other rivals. Benvenuti managed the second part of the race well thanks to the advantage over the other riders. Behind him, Durand and Terraneo were the authors of a beautiful battle, and the victory went to the rider on the Honda CRF150 4 strokes. Fourth place was taken by Ukrainian Yevsevii Kovalov (Husqvarana) who did not find the right feeling. Daniele Cornoldi made some mistakes in the first laps of the race and finished in eighth place.
Race 2
In the second race of the day Andrea Benvenuti could not make the best out of his pole position and was overtaken by Valentin Durand in the first corner, but the leadership of the Belgian rider only lasted for one single round as he was overtaken by Benvenuti in the corner before the off-road section. The rider’s race pace was phenomenal and allowed him to win with a solid margin. Valentin Durand ended up in second place and Nathan Terraneo stepped on the third step of the podium. The latter probably paid the price for mounting a front rain tyre but this did not pay off since he could not keep his rivals’ pace.
Thanks to this success Andrea Benvenuti confirmed himself as the strongest rider in the Junior category and strengthened his advantage in the Championship standings.
SM Junior Classification Top Ten:
BENVENUTI Andrea (ITA, KTM) Pts. 50,000 (25+25); 2. DURAND Valentin (BEL, Honda) Pts. 44,000 (22+22); 3. TERRANEO Nathan (SUI, KTM) Pts. 40,000 (20+20); 4. KOVALOV Yevsevii (UKR, Husqvarna) Pts. 36,000 (18+18); 5. NIEWOHNER Paul (GER, Husqvarna) Pts. 32,000 (16+16); 6. BANG Lorenz (GER, KTM) Pts. 29,000 (15+14); 7. CORNOLTI Daniele (ITA, GasGas) Pts. 28,000 (13+15); 8. MUHERINA Lean (GER, KTM) Pts. 27,000 (14+13); 9. NEIRINCK Fons (BEL, Husqvarna) Pts. 24,000 (12+12); 10. BERECZKI David Zsolt (HUN, Husqvarna) Pts. 19,000 (9+10)
