The German trio of Lukas Fienhage, Erik Riss and Max Dilger rewrote the record books on Saturday night at Morizès in the south-west of France when they steered their country to a tenth victory in the FIM Long Track of Nations (LToN) powered by Anlas, Kineo and HKC Koopmann.
Germany take tenth FIM Long Track of Nations title Lukas Fienhage records top individual performance France second as Great Britain edges out Finland for bronze Even without reigning FIM Long Track World Champion and current series leader Martin Smolinski the Germans seized control with Fienhage producing the best individual score of the night, dropping just one point across his six Heat races when he finished second behind Riss as Dilger ensured he was on hand to sweep up as many points as possible behind his dominant team-mates.
Taking place under floodlights on the super-fast five-hundred-and-thirty-metre oval, it was the host nation represented by the father and son pairing of Stéphane and Mathias Trésarrieu and 2019 individual world champion Dimitri Bergé who drew first blood. Going up against Finland’s Henri Ahlbom, Tero Aarnio and Jesse Mustonen, the French scored nine points to win by three before pre-event favourites Germany and Great Britain went head-to-head with Germany only denied a maximum score by Chris Harris who caught and passed Dilger for third.
Selection problems meant that the Netherlands were only fielding Mika Meijer from the team that won at Roden last year, but Henry van der Steen and Rene van Weele provided strong back up as the Dutch got off to a solid start when they defeated Denmark by a point.
The Czech Republic then had the misfortune to get their title effort under way against a rampant German team and the resulting eleven-four scorecard in Germany’s favour – with Fienhage again winning from Riss with Dilger fourth behind Hynek Stichauer – was a clear indication of form.
Great Britain then hauled themselves back into contention when Harris and Zach Wajtknecht went one-two to defeat Finland before France beat the Netherlands by eleven points to four and were only denied a maximum by Meijer who took third ahead of Jordan Dubernard.
After two blocks Germany led on twenty-two from France on twenty and Great Britain on thirteen, one ahead of the Dutch and Finnish.
With the top two teams after the Heat stages contesting the Grand Final to decide the gold and silver medals, tensions were running high – although it was all smiles in the German camp following their maximum points haul over the Finns in the third block of racing. After inflicting a heavy ten-five defeat on Great Britain, France kept the pressure on four points behind with the British on eighteen, three ahead of the Czech Republic who beat Denmark by eleven points to four.
Following a mechanical DNF against France, Wajtknecht was back on top against the Czechs and with Harris second and Andrew Appleton – in his eleventh LToN appearance – fourth, Great Britain claimed a forceful eleven to three victory as Germany dispatched the Dutch by eleven to four and the Danes, led by Kenneth Kruse Hansen, took a one-point win over Finland.
With three blocks left, Germany looked assured of a place in the Grand Final with the battle for the remaining place boiling down to a fierce fight with France, Great Britain, Finland and Denmark all in contention.
Germany then dominated against France by eleven to four to increase their advantage, with French hopes appearing to literally go up in flames when Mathias Trésarrieu’s bike caught fire behind the tapes and he was forced out of the race.
Following draws between the Netherlands and Czech Republic and Great Britain and Denmark, Finland added to the Dutch team’s troubles with a maximum twelve-three victory, a result Germany matched against Denmark as the French beat the Czech Republic.
With just three Heats left to decide the finalists, Germany led on sixty-eight from France on forty-three and Great Britain on thirty-six, two ahead of Finland.
Great Britain’s hopes of making the Grand Final were effectively ended in their concluding Heat when they defeated the Dutch by ten to five, allowing the French to cruise through in second after they beat Denmark by the same score.
Riss then gave Germany an early lead in the Grand Final and even when Bergé burst through to take the lead and the race win, Riss, Fienhage and Dilger – in second, third and fourth – ensured that the 2024 FIM Long Track of Nations title was heading back to Germany by nine points to six.
Bronze for the second consecutive year went to Great Britain who took the position on a tie-break after Finland had drawn level with them with a maximum score against the Czech Republic in their final Heat.
With the LToN consigned to the history books for another year, attention now shifts to Vechta in Germany on 14 September for the fourth and penultimate round of the 2024 FIM Long Track World Championship which will be streamed LIVE on FIM-MOTO.TV. To sign up click here.