The NTC returns to action with a Round 2 stunner at the Sachsenring
Jurrien Van Crugten (BB64 Academy) took his first victory in the Northern Talent Cup in a masterful display at the Sachsening, finishing ahead of rivals Tom Rolin (Junior Black Knights) and Antoine Nativi (Racing Nativi Team).
Race 1 took place in warm and dry conditions with the riders on slicks. Ben Wiegner (JB-Racing) got a poor start from pole and dropped to sixth, but it was Assen Race 2 winner Tobias Kitzbichler (Racing Team Kitzbichler) who took the holeshot from second on the grid. By the end of the first lap, a lead group of four had formed, led by Dustin Schneider (Mass Sports Racing by JRP Academy) ahead of Kitzbichler, Van Crugten, and Alessandro Binder (Kiefer Racing).
By lap 6 Schneider had dropped positions and the front was dominated by Kitzbichler and Van Crugten, with Nativi and Rolin now joining the fray. On lap 7 the lightning-fast Austrian lost the front on the dirty side of the track and went skidding off and into the gravel, leaving Van Crugten with a comfortable gap ahead of Nativi and Rolin. By lap 12 a mistake from Van Crugten saw the lead group bunch up again, with Nativi taking the lead.
On the penultimate lap, Alessandro Binder (Kiefer Racing) had a go at leading the race and Van Crugten dropped to fifth. The last lap began with Binder leading Nativi, Rolin, Van Crugten, Wiegner, and Levin Phommara (Phommara-Racing). The group was super tight as they came down the waterfall, with everything to play for, but it was the eager Van Crugten who muscled Binder out of the way to get himself into third as they approached the last corner. A small touch between Nativi and Rolin unsettled the Frenchman and left the door open for the Dutchman Van Crugten to sweep up the inside and claim his maiden victory in the Northern Talent Cup. Completing the top 6 were Rolin, Nativi, and Wiegner and due to a last corner wobble from Binder Phommara claimed fifth ahead of the Kiefer Racing rider.
It was a treat of a race for spectators and a well-deserved victory for Van Crugten who looked strong all race, always late on the brakes and full of confidence. Let’s see what the flying Dutchman is capable of in Race 2 on Sunday.
