Brits' Dutch of bad luck

But neither of Britain's top GP runners was tooupset with their failure to take a podium finish at the wooded venue near to the German border.

 

After holding down third place in both motos there was concern for Tommy as he retired late on each time.

 

But he assured fans: "I'm mint. Riding was okay, just a couple of teething problems with the bike.”

 

Jake, meanwhile, was satisfied with two fourth places for fourth overall on the day after a tough week.

 

"It was good considering my current physical state, with no mid-week riding and a rough sand track,” he said.

 

Indeed they were not the only top names content to finish the day in one piece. 

 

KTM factory runner Jeremy Van Horebeek looked a certain winner of the first MX2 moto but crashed in the closing stages after tangling with a lapper.

 

Searle's Kawasaki team-mate Joel Roelants gratefully accepted the win and clinched the overall on the day, by finishing runner-up to Jeff Herlings in race two.

 

The local idol had also had a torrid time in the opener as he had to pit at the end of the opening lap after damaging a wheel, eventually battling back through the pack for sixth.

 

Wound-up by his rare defeat in sand, Herlings was taking no prisoners in race two, defeating Roelants by 58-seconds and actually lapping Nicholls in fourth.

 

With Van Horebeek eliminated by a broken foot-rest, Glen Coldenhoff took his second third-place of the day after narrowly avoiding a similar fate.

 

Honda top guns Evgeny Bobryshev, Ken De Dycker and Rui Goncalves effectively had no-one to race in the MX1 class and went 1-2-3 each moto.

 

MX1 OVERALL: 1 Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS - Honda World) 1-1, 2 Ken De Dycker (B - LS Honda) 2-2, 3 Rui Goncalves (P - Honda World) 3-3, 4 Herjan Brakke (NL - JK Gebben Yamaha) 4-6, 5 Yentel Martens (B - BeTeMo Kawasaki) 7-5, 6 Marvin Van Daele (B - Vamo Kawasaki) 5-8.

Moto One: 1 Bobryshev, 2 De Dycker, 3 Goncalves, 4 Brakke, 5 Van Daele,...

Moto Two: 1 Bobryshev, 2 De Dycker, 3 Goncalves, 4 Marcus Schiffer (D - Silent Sport Suzuki), 5 Martens.

MX2 OVERALL: 1 Joel Roelants (B - Floride Monster PC Kawasaki) 1-2, 2 Jeffrey Herlings (NL - Red Bull KTM) 6-1, 3 Glen Coldenhoff (NL - JM Nestaan KTM) 3-3, 4 Jake Nicholls (GB - JM Nestaan KTM) 4-4, 5 Erik Eggens (NL - Eggens Yamaha) 5-5.

Moto One: 1 Roelants, 2 Jeremy Van Horebeek (B - Red Bull KTM), 3 Coldenhoff, 4 Nicholls, 5 Eggens, 6 Herlings.

Moto Two: 1 Herlings, 2 Roelants, 3 Coldenhoff, 4 Nicholls, 5 Eggens, 6 Nikolaj Larsen (DK - Standing Construct Suzuki).