KTM - Benelux GP Lierop Qualifying review

MX2 championship leader Tyla Rattray of the Red Bull KTM factory team put in a solid day's riding on the sandy track at Lierop in the Netherlands to win his qualifier and secure the prime starting position for Sunday's GP.

Going into the second last round of the season, the South African said he was prepared for a tough race. "The qualifying was quite tricky today. I got the holeshot and took the lead but then Eggens passed me and I had to retake it. I just tried to be consistent, to put my head down and make a good race." He wrapped up the qualifier with a five second advantage.

"Tomorrow will be tough. The track will be quite rough and Tommy (Searle) will be right up there with me," he said. Red Bull KTM teammates Rattray and Searle are locked in a two-way battle for the title that is likely to go right down to the wire at the last race in Faenza, Italy next weekend.

Winner of the second qualifier was young Belgian Joel Roelants riding for the KTM-supported team GP Juniors Team Champ. "It's my first qualifying victory for me but I am not really satisfied with my riding even if I did have a good battle with Aubin and Rui (Goncalves)," Roelants said.

Dual title contender Tommy Searle was fourth in the second qualifier but was typically cool. "I had a good start behind Rui and I managed to pass him but when I was going through the woods section I hit a bank coming off the jump and that put me out. I managed to get going again but I had lost my rhythm," he said.

Cramps slow down Goncalves

The third Red Bull KTM rider Rui Goncalves was third across the line in the second qualifying race. "I had a good start but them I started to get cramps and had to slow down in the corners. I lost my rhythm. I wanted to get up to second pale but I did not succeed. Tomorrow I hope to be strong on this bumpy track."

The women will contest the final race in their World Championship season on Sunday and KTM Germany's Steffi Laier, in second place in the standings was satisfied with her third qualifying place on Saturday. "This was the best qualifying of the season for me," she said. "Except for Bulgaria where I hurt my shoulder, I have won all my races so tomorrow anything can happen." Livia Lancelot is the championship leader and she has a 20-point advantage but with 50 points up for grabs the championship title is still within Laier's reach.

Red Bull KTM's German MX1 racer Max Nagl finished in ninth in the Time Practice and said he is happy to be back racing on the sandy surface in the Netherlands.

Nagl was four seconds off the winning pace of Dutchman Marc de Reuver but was still satisfied "Ninth in qualifying was quite ok. Tomorrow I will try to get a good start and stay up with the front of the pack. It's going to be a tougher race than the one at Lommel (Belgium). There are many races on the program and the track will be really rough."

Team Silver Action announced at a press conference on Saturday that they had re-signed Spaniard Jonathan Barragan for the 2009 season. Pit Beirer, KTM's Motor Sports Director praised the cooperation and spirit of the team and announced that Barragan would be riding a KTM factory bike for the competition. Team Silver Action has also signed promising young Estonian rider Gert Krestinov to ride with Barragan in MX1 in 2009. He will be a KTM supported rider.

The track at Lierop is a typical Dutch sandy circuit with a grass covered starting straight and part of the track going into the forest. It requires both physical and mental strength. Weather forecasts indicate there could be some rainfall on Sunday .

-KTM-Sportmotorcycles Mattighofen-