Long-Course Team World Championships: One top German rider wasn’t enough for medals

“I’m proud of the team,” announced team manager Jörg Tebbe after the national team finished fifth at the Long Course Nations Cup in Roden, the Netherlands. The team scored 40 points – 29 of them from team captain Lukas Fienhage, who conceded just one point to Britain’s Zach Wajtknecht. However, the British team, who had dominated the heats, were still unable to secure the title, as Chris Harris, who was leading, was forced to withdraw in the decisive final. The Netherlands thus won the final 8–7 – and became world champions for the fourth time. In the medal table, they now sit in second place behind Germany, which has won the title ten times to date.

Germany got off to a good start with Lukas Fienhage (Lohne), Timo Wachs (Werlte) and Dominik Werkstetter (Zeilarn), securing an 8–7 victory over Denmark and benefiting from the disqualification of Kenneth Kruse Hansen. In the second heat, it looked for a long time as though the German trio were set for a maximum victory – until Werkstetter lost grip in the final bend, veered off course and was disqualified. In the end, they finished 9–6. Germany lost 6–9 to the French. Fienhage managed to overtake Tino Bouin and did everything he could to take the lead. However, Timo Wachs and Dominik Werkstetter were left with only the bottom places.

Team Deutschland

Foto: FIM/Veldhuizen

Fienhage managed to beat the British

“In the fourth heat against the Dutch, we decided to field Fabian Wachs,” says Tebbe. Fienhage chose the outside starting position and took the lead from there. However, as the Netherlands took places 2 to 4, Fienhage and the Wachs brothers were once again left with a 6–9 result. “The Wachs brothers were certainly able to keep up,” explained Tebbe. He therefore fielded Fabian Wachs again in heat 5 against Finland. Timo Wachs returned to the paddock shortly before the start with a faulty clutch; the spare motorbike arrived too late and time had run out: disqualification. Two Germans against three Finns meant another 6–9 result in the end. The British had already secured four maximum wins and had only dropped points against the Netherlands – and against Germany in the final heat. Fienhage broke the British dominance and took second place behind Zach Wajtknecht. Timo Wachs, finishing fifth, contributed to the Germans’ five points. Great Britain secured ten.

“With a bit more luck, bronze would have been on the cards,” Tebbe is convinced. However, he is also pleased with fifth place, the good atmosphere within the team and the fact that the three newcomers have settled into the squad. “Of course, you could sense their nervousness at the start, but there was no friction, no resentment or anything like that. All three have settled in very well and we were able to compete without any pressure.” The team was supported by someone who would have loved to be part of the squad but had to pull out for the third time in a row due to injury: Daniel Spiller. “He hopes it will finally work out in 2027,” said Tebbe.