Kitzbichler (A) is currently the top German-speaking Euro Moto sports biker

With more international experience under his belt and having already competed in many top-flight racing series, there were high hopes for the Austrian Jakob Rosenthaler in the Euro Moto Sportbike series. With two wins and three podium finishes, he lived up to the expectations placed on him. However, an injury sustained in practice and a series of mishaps set the 20-year-old from Linz back somewhat. Although it is not yet too late – and despite his crash in the second race at Assen, he currently sits fourth overall and remains well in the running for the runners-up spot behind Stepan Zuda, who has already pulled away in the points – he is currently only the second-best German-speaking rider, or Austrian, in the standings.

His compatriot Tobias Kitzbichler ranks ahead of him in second place in the standings. After five podium finishes, the 16-year-old from Niederndorf recently celebrated his first win of the season at the ‘Cathedral of Speed’ near Kufstein. Although this victory came about following penalty demotions, it was anything but undeserved. In the first Assen race on Saturday, he was also well on course for a podium finish, but ended up fifth as the last rider in the leading group, which he subsequently explained to SPEEDWEEK.com as follows: “I made a small mistake on the final lap, which had a bigger impact than I’d expected. But I stayed on my bike, which was the most important thing. And I came away with fifth place. Otherwise, third place would have been within my reach.”

Tactical or riding error

When asked whether it was a tactical or riding error, he replied: “A mixture of both. I was leading for the last two laps and tried to build up a gap. Unfortunately, that didn’t go so well. Then Jeffrey Buis pushed me wide at the chicane. Afterwards, I tried to make up for it a bit too boldly by opening the throttle a bit more, but that ended up being a bigger mistake. I nearly had a highside, but managed to catch it.” Catching highsides is, as is well known, his speciality. One need only recall his safe recovery at the 2025 NTC race at the Sachsenring, which remains one of the most-viewed motorsport clips to this day.

In the second race, following Rosenthaler’s crash – which also proved fatal for Jeffrey Buis – he was in the leading trio alongside Zuda and Bijman. “I wanted to be more tactically astute than in the first race. And I managed to do just that. I wanted to be the first to turn into the chicane, but then Bijman cut in on the inside and Zuda also slipped through with a bit of excess speed. They were then demoted one position for track limit, and I was the winner. I didn’t see the track limit, but I suppose that’s how it was. When you’ve actually won, you don’t say no. Now I’m very, very happy.”

And that’s knowing you’re now firmly among the top riders? “Well, if you can hold your own against a world champion like Jeffrey Buis, it certainly confirms that you can compete right at the front.” And what does he think is happening in the championship and runner-up race, given the current standings of 186 (Zuda) to 140 points (Kitzbichler)? Whilst Bijman also has 140 points to his name, Rosenthaler is ten points behind. “Phew, the battle for second place will remain very close right up to the end. The title is less of a possibility. Zuda was simply too strong at the start for that. But I’m not really focusing on the title anyway. Second place, however, is possible and that’s what I’m aiming for.”