A crash during practice left the Belgian badly bruised so she could only earn ninth choice of start-gate for each moto; that proved decisive in preventing an even better final result as she found herself ninth on the exit from turn one in each moto on a rapid raceway where overtaking has always proven difficult. But she knuckled down to the task ahead, snatching seventh place on the final lap of the first moto on Saturday afternoon and going one better for sixth in race two on Sunday morning. She was rewarded on the combination of the two scorelines with fifth overall over the weekend and is now joint-fourth in the series points chase, just five points shy of a medal placing.
 
Amandine Verstappen: “Of course I would have hoped for a better result but I crashed during the practice session on a big triple jump on Saturday morning and just tried to salvage as many points as possible. My helmet was destroyed in the crash; I had a headache for the rest of the weekend, my entire body was sore from the bruises and I had no power in my legs so in the circumstances I could be satisfied with the result. “
 
The event was a major disappointment for Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Courtney Duncan. The defending champion slipped off awkwardly on the second lap of the first practice session and felt discomfort in her right shoulder. This could not prevent the tough New Zealander continuing to circulate, posting lap times just two seconds shy of the pace-setters, but X-rays revealed a fractured collarbone and the track doctor declined permission for her to continue. Courtney has already returned to her Belgian base to seek further medical advice but with just three remaining rounds in the short series her chances of a fourth consecutive world title are now minimal.