Euro Moto Sportbike winner Bijman (Triumph) delights fans in Assen

With temperatures typical of the height of summer, the weekend got off to a promising start on Friday. In FP1, the Triumph riders Stepan Zuda, Ruben Bijman, Mika Siebdrath and Leo Rammerstorfer finished in 3rd, 4th, 7th and 8th places. In FP2, Zuda made his mark by setting the fastest time, whilst Siebdrath finished fifth, Bijman sixth and Rammerstorfer seventh. In the first qualifying session, Zuda finally set the fastest time to secure pole position. Bijman stayed close to his team-mate and qualified in third place,

Overnight, the conditions changed completely. Rain and a significant drop in temperature left the track damp on Saturday morning. The times set in Q2 therefore had little impact on the starting grid, meaning that the results from Q1 largely determined the grid for the first race.

Home victory for Ruben Bijman

Race 1 turned into a thrilling race full of slipstreaming and close battles. At times, more than seven drivers were battling for the podium places. Right in the thick of it were Bijman and Zuda in their Triumphs. In the closing stages, the Dutchman made perfect use of his track knowledge. Cheered on by his numerous fans, he launched the decisive attack in the final metres and celebrated his first win of the season in front of his home crowd. Zuda crossed the line in fourth place and, due to World Championship guest starter Jeffrey Buis finishing ahead of him, took the championship points for third place.

Ruben Bijman gewinnt Lauf 1

Foto: Freudenberg

“I had my challenges in practice, but around the middle of the first race I thought: a home win might be possible today,” said Bijman. “The fans gave me an incredible boost and in the end we actually managed to seal the deal. My first win of the season, here in Assen of all places, is something very special. A huge thank you to my family, friends, partners, sponsors and everyone who supported me here.”

Double podium on Sunday

On Sunday, sunshine and warm temperatures returned to Assen – not quite as hot as on Friday, making for near-perfect racing conditions. Zuda and Bijman immediately established themselves in the leading group in the second race as well and battled for victory right up to the finish line.

Following his success on Saturday, Bijman secured his next podium finish in front of a home crowd with second place, with Zuda following close behind in third. However, this was only confirmed after a review by race control. This was because they had crossed the finish line ahead of the eventual winner, Tobias Kitzbichler. Whilst Kitzbichler stayed on the track, Bijman and Zuda, in the heat of the moment, had veered off the track and were each demoted by one place as a penalty. “Of course, it’s a shame that we narrowly missed out on victory on Sunday,” said Bijman. “Nevertheless, I’m absolutely delighted and grateful. A win and a second place at my home race are a fantastic result. Thanks to my team and to Triumph for the brilliant package.”

“We can be very satisfied with the performance of the whole team,” confirmed team boss Carsten Freudenberg. “The conditions changed constantly, from the intense heat on Friday, through rain and significantly cooler temperatures on Saturday, to perfect racing weather on Sunday. Our riders and the crew responded very well to this. Seeing Ruben win in front of his home crowd was, of course, a special highlight. Stepan was quick all weekend, Mika continues to show great progress, and Luis also fought his way back on Sunday after a difficult Saturday. A big thank you to our entire crew, as well as to our fans, partners and sponsors for their fantastic support.”