Green Flag 6: two-stroke revival!
First and foremost, let's get something straight. Last week we said in this section that there was little press interest in it Clément Desalle. Who can describe our surprise when we discovered on Saturday morning that Desalle was on the cover of Sports Mag, the weekly extra sports magazine from The last hour, featured?
Getting the cover of a mainstream sports newspaper or magazine is something that may not be possible for the current Flemish top players. Although we hope, of course, that we will be proven wrong again in this case. But to be honest, we don't see it happening immediately. Just this about Desalle. We wonder when people will be able to spell his name correctly in certain countries. In the May 2010 issue from Moto Magazine it was even mentioned Celemente Desalle....
The focus of many motocross fans from the Low Countries will of course be on Mantova this weekend. We too MXMag.be We are eagerly looking forward to the 2e GP of the season. Not only because we hope for a Benelux party on the northern Italian sand track, but especially for the start of the brand new European Championship for 125cc 2-strokes.
For some techno freaks The introduction of this class may come as a step back, but the majority of current motocross fans grew up with two-strokes. Plus, two-stroke dirt bikes are far from dead. On the contrary, because in most amateur federations, in the national classes of the BMB and even in the Inters MX2 of the same national federation, we still see (or should we say 'more and more') riders who opt for a two-stroke. No fewer than fourteen riders from our region, seven Dutch people en seven Belgians, are on the list of participants of the very first competition in that European 125cc European Championship. With 74 registered drivers, tomorrow's qualifying promises to be tough. We bet that many MX1 riders and team bosses will be watching tomorrow as the pack of young wolves is released at the Mantua crossodrome?
What is striking about the registration list of the European Championship 125cc are the motorcycle brands. Of course it is KTM very well represented because the Austrians have always further developed their two-stroke engines. Also Yamaha en Suzuki are logical choices because the two-stroke motocross bikes from both Japanese brands are still for sale, although not in every country. In the same vein we see TM. The brand from Pesaro has always built beautiful two-stroke machines that are very close to their factory material. By the way, didn't the successful Belgian team manager Steven Lettani (LS Motors-Honda) once have a great time riding a TM in the FAM Juniors 125 championship?
Until then everything is normal as far as motorcycle brands are concerned. But what else do we notice in the list? Only one rider opts for one Husqvarna CR125. Although this one concerns Roberts Justs, a Latvian who may have something to offer. It becomes even more impressive when we see that there are three Kawasaki cases (or what else do you call riders of a motorcycle from the city of the same name?) take office. Punishment, because the KX125 has been removed from the catalog for a few seasons now. The same comment applies to those two Honda drivers. So the question is how do you get one or preferably two competitive CR's or KX's 125? Did you find it in parts in grandfather's attic? Or have far-sighted team managers already set aside a stock of “older” models, with a view to a return of the smokers?
In any case, we are already looking forward to this European Championship and hope that the riders from the Netherlands and Belgium will also play a significant role. Jordi Tixier, the French poulain of Jackie Martens is already one of the top contenders to win the first edition of this championship. Tixier won both in the first two matches of the French Junior Championship Tilly on Seulles, as in Thomer the Dream each of the three heats.
It remains to be seen whether he will also be the man to beat on Sunday. What we do find a bit of a shame is the fact that the European Championship 125cc is not on the program during one of the GPs in the Benelux. Although you never know now that the British GP in Chepstow has been replaced by the USGP in Glen helen. So fingers crossed.
In all the hype surrounding the 125cc European Championship, we should not forget that a Belgian is now in the lead in the MX2 European Championship. Kenny Van Dueren was already interviewed by MXMag.be earlier this week and The Importance of Limburg yesterday devoted an article to the young Beringen resident. In short, keep up the good work Kenny!
We would also like to refer to our previews of it E.W.C. and the Interchampionships in the various Flemish amateur federations, which start on Sunday. Here you will find the MCLB, in the slideshow VBM en VMCF included. And here you will finally find the VLM preview. Enjoy the weekend!
Photos credit: DHnet, CDS, Mediacross/Pascal Haudiquert
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