Herrera Holds Her Nerve in Final-Lap Showdown - Cremona Race 2 Report

alicejukes
May 4
4 min read

Updated: Jul 28

Cremona Heats Up Again

For the second day in a row, scorching heat set the stage for the women of WorldWCR. With track temperatures peaking at 38°C, all eyes were on Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing), who started Race 2 from pole after setting the fastest lap in Race 1 - her emotional maiden win at home.

Joining her on the front row were Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha), hungry to improve on her P3 finish from Saturday, and Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing), the ever-consistent championship leader. Sara Sanchez (Terra&Vita GRT Yamaha) lined up fourth, hoping to return to the podium after finishing off it for the first time since Estoril 2024.

Race Start – Herrera Takes Control

Herrera launched perfectly from third, sweeping into the lead by Turn 2. Ponziani dropped to third behind Neila, while Avalon Lewis moved up to fourth and Lucie Boudesseul made a sharp start to slot into seventh from the midfield.

By the end of the first lap, the front five had formed: Herrera, Neila, Ponziani, Lewis, and Sanchez.

Early Incidents – Midfield Shakeups

Lap 2 saw the first drama of the race. Portuguese rider Madalena Simoes went down in an unfortunate crash. Soon after Isis Carreño went down in the penultimate corner following contact with Pakita Ruiz. The incident was later ruled a racing incident.

Further back, Race 1’s controversial clash pair—Emily Bondi and Mallory Dobbs—were side by side again. Bondi haven been handed 2 long-lap penalties following her crash with Dobbs in Race 1, completed these in the opening laps to rejoin in 13th. Meanwhile, Jessica Howden, declared fit after Saturday’s crash, made steady progress from the back of the grid up to 18th.

Building Pressure

Cremona’s narrow layout and the championship’s spec machinery once again made overtaking incredibly difficult. Herrera initially pulled a small gap, but by lap 9 the front five were running nose-to-tail.

Sanchez eventually passed Lewis into Turn 8 with eight laps to go, trying to close the gap to the leading trio. She clocked the fastest-ever WorldWCR lap around Cremona—only for Ponziani to better it two laps later, reminding everyone her Race 1 win was no fluke.

Further back, Astrid Madrigal ran a quiet but solid race in sixth, while Ruiz led the second group ahead of Boudesseul, Chloe Jones, and Tayla Relph.

The Final Lap

Herrera spent the entire race under pressure but never cracked. With two laps to go, Ponziani reeled in Neila, forming a tight three-rider battle for the win.

Then came the chaos. In the final corners of the final lap, Neila made a bold move on Herrera and the two made contact. Ponziani tried to seize the opening but made slight contact as well. Herrera kept the bike stable and held the line to take the win—her second victory of the season.

Ponziani crossed the line in second, taking another home podium and further proving her strength on Italian soil. Neila finished third, her fourth podium in four races.

Top 10 – Race 2, Cremona:

1. Maria Herrera 🇪🇸

2. Roberta Ponziani 🇮🇹

3. Beatriz Neila 🇪🇸

4. Sara Sanchez 🇪🇸

5. Avalon Lewis 🇳🇿

6. Astrid Madrigal 🇲🇽

7. Pakita Ruiz 🇪🇸

8. Chloe Jones 🇬🇧

9. Lucie Boudesseul 🇫🇷

10. Tayla Relph 🇦🇺

Championship Picture – Herrera Leads, Neila Stays Close, Sanchez Slips

Maria Herrera now extends her championship lead and remains the only rider to have finished every race in the top two. Her precision and composure continue to set her apart.

Neila has matched that consistency with four podiums from four starts and continues to show impressive control and decision-making under pressure. So far this season she has improved on her weakness in qualifying and is consistently battling in the top 3 - an excellent progression from 2024

Ponziani is prolific for thriving at Italian tracks and so her impressive results at Cremona come as no suprise. Take nothing away from Ponziani, she showed impressive speed and grit all weekend and we look forward to seeing if she can continue this momentum for the upcoming rounds.

Meanwhile, Sara Sanchez—despite flashes of serious speed and a lap record this weekend—found herself a step behind the leading trio. A fourth-place finish is no disaster, but if she hopes to fight for the title, she’ll need more than pace. This was her first time off the podium twice in a weekend since the series began. It's no secret Ponziani is stronger at Cremona - it seems this season Sanchez's main challenge will be to contest with Neila and Herrera, who have taken a step forward.

Next Stop: Donington Park – July 11–13

The WorldWCR now heads to the UK, where British rider Chloe Jones will hope to shine on home soil, after an impressive start to her rookie campaign. With three winners in four races and four riders in the title hunt, the 2025 season is already delivering a championship worth watching.