The opening round of the FIM Women’s World Speed Championship concluded this Sunday with a tie for the lead between Beatriz Neila and Maria Herrera, after the Spanish rider Neila secured her first career victory with a breathtaking overtake on the final lap.
On a track still partially damp from overnight rain, Herrera got off to a better start from second position on the grid and took the lead. However, Neila, Sanchez, and Lewis always remained close behind, forming a compact group in pursuit of the top position.
The decisive moment came on the final lap when Madrid native Beatriz Neila, aboard her Ampito Crescent Yamaha, executed a bold maneuver to overtake Herrera, then defended her position in the final chicane to secure the win by less than two-tenths of a second.
Sara Sanchez completed the podium in third position, while Britain’s Avalon Lewis squandered her fourth place after suffering a crash in the final chicane.
Italian rider Roberta Ponziani also stood out with a remarkable recovery after a terrible start that dropped her to 18th position. The Klint Forward Racing Team rider managed to recover to fourth place at the finish, exactly the position from which she had started.
Spanish rider Pakita Ruiz finished fifth, climbing ten positions from her starting spot on the grid, while Australian Tayla Relph closed the Dutch weekend with a sixth-place finish.
South American riders also shone in Assen, with Astrid Madrigal achieving eighth place – her second-best result in two years in the competition – and Isis Carreno closing out the top 10, matching her performance from the first race. Both represent the Pons Italika FIMLA team.
With this result, Beatriz Neila and Maria Herrera share the championship lead after the first round, promising a season full of excitement in the Women’s World Speed Championship.
