In the meantime: Smarry power Spaß!
Marvin Van Daele went to Schnaitheim, Germany, east of Stuttgart, this weekend to participate in the German championship. Not without success, by the way Smarry captured a podium place. And more importantly: the friendly Honda pilot had a good time. That's promised for next weekend in Gemert...
Congratulations Marvin, or should we say: phew finally?
Marvin Van Daele: “(laughs) Thank you, but the latter is indeed also possible! Until now, something had always gone wrong and I was never able to achieve two decent results. In Mill I had problems with my glasses, a muscle tear in my buttock for Halle, snow fun in Lommel... In Germany I was able to complete at least two regular series. I finished fourth twice and was able to reach the final podium. The top riders were of course missing because it was a GP weekend, but I think you can compare the level with a Belgian National (ex-JRT). Filip Neugebauer won and Dani Siegl came second, but also men who know how to keep their foot on the gas.”
How did you end up in Schnaitheim?
Marvin Van Daele: “To supplement my calendar with fun competitions in addition to the Belgian Championships and the ONK, I am always looking for international competitions of a good level that are not too far away. On the Internet I found information that Schnaitheim was also open to foreigners. I then took a map and it turned out to be about 600 kilometers away, so that is still doable. I didn't have too many expectations in advance, but it turned out really well. The track was concrete hard, it had been a long time since I had driven on such a hard track. Schnaitheim is a kind of classic that attracts many riders and audiences. In the Inter class there were no fewer than 78 riders at the start! Luckily they had provided some consolation for the unqualified drivers and there was also an international sidecar class. It really was one of those traditional classics where everyone from the neighborhood comes to watch the crossers! The people were very enthusiastic even though they are not the greatest experts. More than usual, I received questions such as: What type of motorcycle are you riding now, and how fast does it run? Those kinds of reactions are nice. You notice that motocross is the main event in the village that day. And another nice detail, the local beer brewer Nattheimer sold Pils for the occasion with a customized ticket on the bottle showing a motocross rider.”
You rode for a German team, Teka-Suzuki, in 2008, did you meet any old acquaintances?
Marvin Van Daele: “Not right away and many people didn't recognize me because I'm not exactly a well-known German! Still, I like coming to Germany. They have many beautiful courses and in general the competitions are very well organised.”
What do you expect from the third ONK match in Gemert next weekend?
Marvin Van Daele: “To start with, it would be nice to drive in Gemert in normal conditions. Mud, snow, in Gemert the weather gods have certainly not been on their side in recent years. In any case, I'm looking forward to it, as in Germany I want to ride two decent series. Depending on the guest drivers, the pace is a bit higher from race to race, but as Bas Verhoeven rode around in Halle, he is still someone to keep an eye on. Söderström has also shown great things in the ONK... That's why I expected more from him in the World Cup.”
Speaking of the GPs, what did you think of the first two races?
Marvin Van Daele: “In MX1 it will be very difficult to stop Cairoli, that much is clear. Nagl is also as expected, Philippaerts is strong and Desalle is regularly busy. The other Belgians have not yet been able to achieve top results. But with Valkenswaard there will be a match that should suit the Belgians better. I also expect something from Ken (De Dycker) and Steve. I expect the most from Desalle, although he does not yet ride with the same aggressiveness as last year on the Honda. Maybe he doesn't feel 100% on the Suzuki yet? Then a solution will be sought and found in the coming competitions! After all, Suzuki is one of the most professional teams in the paddock. Now I'm just trying to guess, of course. As a GP rider you know much more about what is going on with your competitors: technical problems, a minor injury... Anyone who only looks at the results only gets one part of the story.”
What do you think of the MX2 GPs so far?
Marvin Van Daele: “I enjoyed the GP in Italy. In MX2, like everyone else, I am overwhelmed by Jeffrey Herlings! Hard to believe what he has already accomplished. Too bad about that slip-up at the end. If he had better control of his nerves, he would probably win his first series in Mantova. Moreover, in that second moto he pulled away from Roczen by 14, 15 seconds. Very impressive. We are going to see great things from Herlings and Roczen this year!”
Photos credit: CDS
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