MX Belgium: False start
A new month and a new column. In MX Belgium we look at current events in the Belgian motocross world every week.
Last weekend the Belgian motocross season finally got underway with the opening races of MCLB and VLM. For VLM, the start of the season went ahead of schedule because the opener was scheduled for Sunday, February 26. At MCLB, the match in Stekene was preceded by two cancellations. And the first International motocross of this season, the BMB opener in Lommel, also fell prey to the whims of the weather gods.
Do the federations want to start too early as many suggest? Maybe, but it used to be different. In the late 90s, the season for VLM always started during the last weekend of January. Something that also applied to the BMB in the 80s. Sometimes they even started a week earlier. The first weeks of such a BMB season were driven exclusively on sand circuits, mainly in the Limburg Kempen. Heavy food and therefore ideal for getting fit there in Hechtel, Koersel, Lummen and Lommel. Due to their 'heavily sandy' character, these courses were virtually 'weatherproof'. At least as long as it only rained. Because anyone who lives in the region knows that in freezing weather it is slightly colder than in the rest of Flanders. And when the frost was in the ground, even the toughest sand track turned into a concrete track that you would expect in Italy rather than Limburg.
Anyone who remembers the cold January and February months of 1985, 1986 and 1987 probably knows what kind of weather we are talking about. But the season still got off to a good start. Were the people, and we are especially talking about the drivers, just tougher about a quarter of a century ago? Or were there simply more bread riders who desperately needed these races to complete the rest of their campaign? The truth, as often happens, may lie somewhere in the middle.
The fact is that there is precious little to see in motocross on frozen circuits. Anyone who was at the BMB opening match of 2010 can probably speak to that. It is simply too dangerous for the riders to go all out. Although some did not notice this in Lommel at the time. The limit that everyone draws for themselves regarding risk-taking varies from rider to rider. But a common factor such as a mirror-smooth circuit should encourage organizers and federations to make decisions that serve the common good. That has happened in recent weeks and we must certainly compliment the clubs and federations involved in that regard. It is not always easy to make such a decision because a cancellation is almost always accompanied by financial loss. But the riders simply have more to lose in such 'ice crosses'. Just think of Dylan Verleysen, who injured himself quite badly during that opening cross in Lommel as a brand new National MX2 rider. Bye season….
Anyway, the rush is over and hopefully this will be a great season for everyone involved, with the absolute highlight of course being the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations on September 29 and 30 in Lommel.
Until next week,
BJ
Photos: CDS Images
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