The penultimate round of the WMX World Championship delivered a major shake-up in the title fight. While Lotte Van Drunen dominated on home soil to secure the overall victory, Daniela Guillén left Arnhem with the biggest prize of the weekend: the championship red plate.
With just one round remaining in the season, the Spaniard now holds a six-point advantage over Kiara Fontanesi, setting up a decisive showdown in Darwin next month.
Lotte Van Drunen (De Baets Yamaha) enjoyed a perfect weekend in the deep sands of Arnhem, leading both motos from start to finish to complete a dominant 1-1 sweep.
The reigning world champion controlled the action throughout the weekend and secured her first overall victory of the season in front of her Dutch fans.
Despite the flawless performance, Van Drunen remains a distant third in the championship standings. With only one round left and a 48-point deficit to Guillén, her chances of retaining the WMX crown are virtually over.
The championship battle swung in Daniela Guillén’s favour thanks to another pair of consistent rides.
The RFME GasGas rider charged from outside the Top 10 to finish second in Saturday’s opening moto before backing it up with another runner-up finish on Sunday. A late-race mistake briefly cost her second place in Race 2, but she recovered in the closing laps to secure the position and lock in second overall for the weekend.
Championship rival Kiara Fontanesi (FontaMX GasGas) entered Arnhem with the red plate for the first time since 2017, but the Italian was unable to protect her advantage.
Fontanesi finished fourth in both motos (4-4) to claim third overall. Her weekend was particularly affected by an early crash in Saturday’s race, a setback that ultimately proved costly in the title fight.
As a result, Guillén leaves Arnhem as the new WMX championship leader, carrying a six-point advantage over Fontanesi into the final round of the season.
The WMX World Championship will conclude on September 19-20 in Darwin, Australia, where the battle for the title will be decided.
WMX RACE 1 HIGHLIGHTS
WMX RACE 2 HIGHLIGHTS
