IIn the section #Watdoejijnou MXMag.nl looks at what former top motocross riders are doing today. Their family life and their current work. How do they look back on their careers, the highs and lows. This month we have former ONK top rider Pascal Brons!
Would you please briefly introduce yourself?
Pascal Bronze: “My name is Pascal Brons, I am 41 years old and live in Bergschenhoek in South Holland with my wife Renate and son Keano.”
What do you do for your daily sandwich these days?
Bronze: “In daily life I am a manager in one of the largest and most beautiful bicycle shops in the Netherlands! I work at 12GO Biking in Moordrecht. Since I enjoy mountain biking as a hobby these days, I really see it as 'turning your hobby into a job' so that's great. In my spare time I also like to give motocross training to the Blokland brothers. I still really enjoy doing that and as you can see, it still tickles me, motocross!”
How do you look back on your motocross career?
Bronze: “I look back on a period of about 25 years of motocross. I can say that I enjoyed almost every moment of it! I think I saw everything I wanted to see! I managed to win two Dutch titles. Every weekend was a weekend away with the family, and only afterwards do you realize how much that actually meant to you. I will also never forget the international youth weekends in England and Scotland with Herman Hoff. Going to the Red Bull Knock Out with Team Voorwinden and riding with the big yellow guns, what an experience! Then I'll leave out the stories of the Crazy Pianos that weekend 😉 I rode for the Van de Wetering MX Team and therefore Team Voorwinden but also for Meurs, a really great time! A few years ago I was involved with the F&H Racing Team for a while as a motorcycle trainer, and I have nothing but praise for the people who made it all possible for me!”
What was the highlight of your motocross career?
Bronze: “Pffffff, that's a lot for me, but the two that I found most special were qualifying with the wildcard that I had in my first GP in Lierop. I heard announcer 'Kiske' coming over the bikes and he was driving the crowd crazy! Really, that was great! Another highlight is the ONK at the Berghem circuit in 2003. I was in the lead for a long time in the first round, but in the final phase 'Calimero' still passed me!”
What was the low point for your motocross career?
Bronze: “That's probably the same for all cross riders, the injuries! I have made a number of them, but I suffered the 'heaviest' one during the European Championship competition in Harfsen. It was really a slide, it was nothing but I hit my knee and was out of action for months!”
What was the best motorcycle you ever rode?
Bronze: “That's a piece of cake, especially a KTM of which I have worn out quite a few! The best was the engine made by Dennis 'Dyno' van de Eng, Richard de Beer (Grizzly) and Rene Kouvelt. That really was a bomb and the ultimate holeshot bomb!”
How do you view the current motocross world?
Bronze: “I still love going to the GPs or watching them on TV. What Jeffrey (Herlings) and Glenn (Coldenhoff) show there is of course absolutely great! The driving is so incredibly fast and you have to sacrifice everything if you want to reach that level. A special achievement by both of course!”
Thank you for your cooperation!
Bronze: "You're most welcome!"
By: Steven van Kempen/KEMCO
Photo: Archive
