Lachlan Turner Claims Victory in Moto 1 at Thunder Valley

LAKEWOOD, Colorado: Lachlan Turner showcased her racing prowess by overcoming a challenging start to seize the lead from Charli Cannon at the end of the first lap during Moto 1 at Thunder Valley Motocross Park. This event marked the second round of the Women's Pro Motocross (WMX) season, powered by Synchrony. Turner continued to build on her lead, ultimately finishing nearly 28 seconds ahead of Cannon, securing her third moto victory of the season.

“I want to ride the rest of the season like this,” Turner expressed after her win. “I definitely hope that the girls don't crash so that they could battle with me and have some exciting races for TV to watch. But yeah, I'm glad I'm winning.”

Despite Turner's commanding performance, the race was packed with drama, especially for the top competitors. Cannon managed to secure second place after recovering from a crash on Lap 2, which hindered her ability to pursue Turner closely, reminiscent of her difficulties in the season opener at Rancho Cordova, California. “I'm just happy to get through that,” Cannon told NBC Sports. “I got thrown with a few little issues in that moto, but we overcame them. And I finished second, so that's not a bad place to finish with what I was going through. We'll just recover and hopefully feel good for tomorrow.”

Cannon also mentioned concerns regarding a shoulder injury sustained during her fall, describing the incident as painful yet manageable. “When I crashed I just cartwheeled and landed on it or the bike hit it or something and I got a massive lump on it, but I finished racing and I can move it,” she stated after the race. “So we're all good.” However, she faced further challenges with her rear brake, which affected her lap times.

Mikayla Nielsen was poised for a strong second-place finish until mechanical troubles struck her bike on the final lap, forcing her to withdraw and resulting in a 16th place finish. This misfortune eliminated her chances for an overall podium in the upcoming race. Conversely, rookie Taylah McCullough celebrated her first podium finish in just her third race, saying, “Ending up on the podium on Moto 1 just brings more fire to the belly for Moto 2 tomorrow.”

Another standout was Lotte van Drunen, who made her WMX debut this week. Competing on a stock bike, she faced challenges from the start but demonstrated notable improvement throughout the event. In Moto 1, she engaged in a fierce battle with holeshot winner Piper Bell before passing her and then overtaking veteran Jordan Jarvis and Nielsen to secure a commendable fourth-place finish.