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Amsterdam Pit Stop: Strike A Pose!

Wednesday, 13 April 2016 13:12 GMT

Dutch city hosts WorldSBK caricatures, photos and Q&A

Canal-veined Dutch capital of culture Amsterdam set the stage on Wednesday for the upcoming Prosecco DOC Dutch Round of the Championship, with riders Michael van der Mark, Jonathan Rea, Alex Lowes, Josh Brookes and Lorenzo Savadori joined by local riders Rob Hartog and Nigel Walraven for a photo opportunity with a twist.

The Iamsterdam installation on Museumsplein in the center of the city has become a favourite place for tourists to create their own postcards of Amsterdam, and the WorldSBK paddock proved no different with the landmark and great weather proving the perfect frame. The riders then posed for caricatures to be drawn, with local artists capturing the moment with some modern classics. Michael van der Mark's caricature also sports something a little extra, as the Dutch rider suffered a mishap just before the trip into the city...but the Honda rider has his sights set on victory this weekend.

"Assen as a track is great," said the 2014 WorldSSP Champion. "Also, the bike has always worked well there. We've been so close to the podium this year so many times, and on the podium, close to winning. So if there's a good opportunity to win my first race, it must be in Assen..."

The headquarters of De Telegraaf then set the stage for a press conference ahead of the race weekend, with fans who won the chance to take part enjoying the opportunity to get answers to their questions ahead of a chance to meet the riders. The day wound down with autograph and photo opportunities for the lucky fans, before WorldSBK hits the road to head north to Assen and the legendary Cathedral, to see if Michael van der Mark can take that first win or if last year's double-winner Jonathan Rea can do it again.