VLM is preparing for Meerhout
With five competition days under their belt, the VLM Inters will start their championship this weekend. The first of ten rounds counting for the Inter championships will be held in Meerhout on Sunday. Who are the favorites and outsiders for the three Intertitles at VLM this season? MXMag.be has already given us a glimpse of the mystery.
Inters MX1/MX3: BeTeMo upstairs?
It took a while before it got going, but it has been running smoothly in recent weeks Sven Breugelmans around as usual. The two-time MX3 world champion achieved the double last weekend during the Easter Trophy in Reet and therefore seems ready for the championship. The BeTeMo rider won the final classification at the Inters MX1/MX3 during the last three races. Reigning VLM champion Jelle Grade knows immediately what to do. Grade had a lot of bad luck during the first competitions, but now seems to have gradually found his way back to the podium. However, the Yamaha rider has not yet been able to book a single series victory this year, although regularity is of course what counts in a championship.
It is clear that the BeTeMo duo, Grade and Breugelmans, are the top favorites. Yet there are still privateers on the coast. What about Kenny Janssens? The man from Keerbergen was also a regular stage customer in recent weeks. If there is someone the predicate shadow favorite should be posted, it is Janssens. Another person who shows a lot of regularity is: Peter Iven. The Fun MX-LS Honda rider may no longer be a candidate champion, but he can steal valuable points from the favorites. For Tom Cuyvers en Glenn Berghmans on the other hand, they can secretly hope for a podium place in the final standings of the Inters MX1/MX3 championship.
Furthermore, we are looking forward to the achievements of Gunther Truyens, Tom Coeckelberghs en Sven Scheynen, who this year took the step from the Inters Open B to the Inters MX1/MX3.
Inters MX2: two newcomers and a VLM veteran.
In the “light cavalry” we can expect a long, hard battle between Wesley Verheyen en Jonathan Banks, both newcomers to VLM. BeTeMo rider Verheyen has already booked a few series victories this season, leaving the rest of the Inters starting field behind on an MX2 bike. For his part, Banks can boast a lot of experience and was even Belgian MX2005 champion in 2! Moreover, the Liège native with Limburg roots in the sand is absolutely not inferior to Flemish riders. Marco Briers, the reigning Inters MX2 champion, can already roll up his sleeves if he wants to extend his title. Yet we cannot imagine that the seasoned rider from Stevoort would not play a role in the championship. Also Jurgen Bijnens en Ronny Van Hove we will regularly find at the front.
Inters Open B: Baeten's favorite
With the departure of last year's top three in mind, Bart Baetens automatically the logical favorite. But with Jurgen Vervloessem en Kevin Cockheyt Last year's number four has already gained two strong competitors. We can expect that experienced riders like Jimmy Van Thillo en Jeroen Thijs will have a share in the championship.
Calendar VLM Championship Inters Open 2010
- April 11 Meerhout
- April 25 Overpelt
- May 30, Lommel
- June 6 Ranst
- June 20 TBA
- July 11 Tessenderlo
- August 15 Rijkevorsel
- August 29 Paal-Beringen
- September 19 Wommelgem
10. 26 September Reet
Photos credit: Plan-B
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