SPB: Zuda Scores a One-Two Finish at the Sachsenring

Stepan Zuda (Freudenberg RoRa-Paligo Racing) finished the season opener of the EURO MOTO Sportbike series at the Sachsenring as a double winner. The Czech rider prevailed in the second race after an intense and close battle with Jakob Rosenthaler (RT Motorsports). He thus leaves the first race weekend of the season with the maximum points haul of 50 and heads to Brno as the championship leader.

Zuda got off to a perfect start and jumped straight from third place to the front of the pack. The Triumph rider tried to pull away from his pursuers, but Rosenthaler stayed right on his heels. The two had already engaged in thrilling battles during Saturday’s first race, and those continued into the second race.
The lead changed hands repeatedly between the two riders. The race remained completely open right up to the final lap. In the penultimate corner after the waterfall descent, Zuda finally emerged stronger, slipped past Rosenthaler, and defended the lead all the way to the finish line. “This race was even tougher than yesterday,” the Triumph winner explained after the race. “My team did a great job. The bike felt even better today than yesterday. That allowed me to maintain a consistently high speed, even though the tires were completely at their limit by the end.”

Rosenthaler comes close again

Despite another strong performance, Jakob Rosenthaler had to settle for second place. The Austrian had initially crossed the finish line first on Saturday, but was demoted to fourth place after receiving a penalty from race officials. In the second race as well, Rosenthaler demonstrated that he is among the absolute top riders this season. “The early stages were extremely fast,” explained the RT Motorsports driver. “It became clear to me relatively early on that the rear tires wouldn’t hold up over the long haul. In the end, Stepan and I had huge tire problems, but he simply had a bit more momentum in the decisive moment.” The next showdown between the two won’t be long in coming: they’ll be back on the starting grid in Brno in just three weeks.

Jacob Rosenthaler and Tom Kuil. Photo: Dino Eisele

Kitzbichler on the podium again

Tobias Kitzbichler (ViVa by Peuker & Streeb) also made it onto the podium once again. After finishing second on Saturday, the 16-year-old came in third this time, once again impressing with his strong pace and smart tire management. Midway through the race, however, the Austrian had to ease off the gas a bit, as the long left-hand turns were putting a heavy strain on the tires. Ruben Bijman (Freudenberg RoRa-Paligo Racing) initially passed him. Kitzbichler stayed close and used the final lap to reclaim third place. Bijman ultimately finished fourth.

Mika Siebdrath also confirmed his strong form, finishing fifth this time after placing sixth on Saturday. Behind him was his teammate Luis Rammerstorfer (both Freudenberg RoRa-Paligo Racing) in sixth place.

Oliver Svendsen (ERC) once again fought his way up from twelfth on the grid to finish seventh. The Dane is currently still lacking a bit of pace on his new Kawasaki ZX-6R to keep up with the leading group. Julian van Kalkeren (SRTD Pearl Gebben) finished eighth, ahead of Micky Winkler (WSC Racing) and Sasha De Vits (ERC).

Tom Kuil (RT Motorsports) provided some early excitement. The Dutchman got off to a strong start and initially moved up from seventh to second place. However, the Triumph rider was penalized for a false start, prompting race officials to impose two long-lap penalties. In the end, Kuil finished twelfth, behind Alexander Weizel (Weizel Racing) in eleventh place.

The EURO MOTO Sportbike series continues from May 29 to 31 in Brno. This marks the series’ first visit to the city. Tickets for the second race weekend are available on EURO MOTO.

EURO MOTO Sportbike, Race 2