Es ist schön, wenn man sich für einen Teamkollegen freuen kann, wenn dieser gewinnt. Aber noch schöner ist es, selbst zu gewinnen. Das hat Andreas Kofler (Yamalube Kofler Motorsport) im zweiten IDM Supersport-Lauf auf dem TT Circuit Assen vor Luca de Vleeschauwer (MotoLife) und Daniel Blin (AF Racing) getan. Ein Österreicher auf Yamaha, ein Belgier auf Triumph und ein Pole auf Ducati standen auf dem Podium. Internationaler geht es nicht.
Kofler, who had been beaten by his teammate Lennox Lehmann in the first race, left nothing to chance in the second race and led the pack, which included Luca de Vleeschauwer, Lennox Lehmann, Daniel Blin, Sasha de Vits (Team SWPN), Dirk Geiger (MCA Racing), Kas Beekmans (Team Apreco), and Twan Smits (Team Apreco) around the 4.555-kilometer course. Halfway through the race, de Vleeschauwer and Lehmann got in each other’s way behind him and engaged in a fierce battle. For Kofler, the duel between his pursuers was a gift, as it allowed him to pull away from them. On the seventh lap, Lehmann had to swerve to avoid a crash. This briefly threw the Dresden native off his rhythm, and Sasha de Vits showed him his rear wheel.
Meanwhile, de Vleeschauwer was under pressure from the closing Ducatisti rider Daniel Blin, and the Belgian had to fight back with everything he had. He clearly enjoyed it, as he admitted later. In the end, however, de Vleeschauwer only had Kofler on his radar, who had been struggling to lead the pack the entire time. It was clear that de Vleeschauwer still had something up his sleeve to win after he closed the gap and worked his way back up to the Austrian. It was a brutal but fair passing move that he initiated. But Kofler also pulled out all the stops. The fact that he would strike back from his position was a real shocker. And it worked: a fourth victory of the season for the 20-year-old from Attnang-Puchheim.
Other highlights: Honda rider Julius Caesar Rörig (MCA Racing) scored points in both races for the first time this season. For Kas Beekman, the races at his home track marked his most successful weekend so far: the Dutchman earned 13 points. Daniel Blin has already finished third four times and second once. He is still waiting for his first victory. Sasha de Vits set the fastest lap of the race.
In the overall standings, de Vleeschauwer and Blin have switched places. Kofler leads with 185 points, ahead of the Belgian (147.5) and the Pole (139.5).
IDM Supersport, Lauf 2:
1. Andreas KOFLER (AUT), Yamaha
2. Luca DE VLEESCHAUWER (BEL), Triumph
3. Daniel BLIN (POL), Ducati
4. Sasha DE VITS (BEL), Yamaha
5. Lennox LEHMANN (GER), Yamaha
6. Dirk GEIGER (GER), Honda
7. Marvin SIEBDRATH (GER), Yamaha
8. Twan SMITS (NED), Yamaha
9. Filip FEIGL (CZE), Triumph
10. Kas BEEKMANS (NED), Yamaha
11. Luca GÖTTLICHER (GER), Triumph
12. Julius Caesar RÖRIG (GER), Honda
13. Kyle SMITH (GBR), Kawasaki
14. Till BELCZYKOWSKI (GER), MV Agusta
15. Damien RAEMY (SUI), Yamaha