Lorenzo de Luca of Italy won the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Valkenswaard on Saturday (August 12) to move into contention for the overall title.
Riding Ensor de Litrange LXII in heavy rain in the Dutch town of Valkenswaard near Eindhoven, De Luca won the eight-horse jump-off with a clear round of 39.20 seconds. Germany’s Christian Ahlmann was second on 39.93 with Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten third with 40.31.
With two events remaining, Dutchman Harrie Smolders, who finished fifth behind De Luca, is leading with 268 points. Ahlmann is now just eleven points behind, moving ahead of Italian Alberto Zorzi who is on 255 after finishing eleventh.
Van der Vleuten is fourth on 247, with De Luca on 243.5, and with 40 points for a win, all five have chances to take the title.
The penultimate event is in Rome, Italy next month.