Green Flag 9: work to be done
Last week the loyal reader found NO Green Flag at this location. The reason? On the eve of Labor Day was our Inkmonkey unable to write this column.
However, that did not prevent him from walking around Beervelde on Saturdays. It was a match that he, like many, looks back on with mixed feelings. On the one hand we can say that the BK or the MX Pro Series is now a step higher in terms of sport than in recent seasons. Not that there was no spectacle to experience, but the new formula with two heats of 30 minutes simply weighs more heavily in the sporting balance. The question remains, however, to what extent a 15-minute qualifying series makes sense in such a format. Especially when you know that the average BC competition barely reaches the 40-participant mark. Time will tell…
And that is a bit in contrast to what we saw in Beervelde, the Radson MX2 Trophy. There were 49 candidates who had registered. Ultimately, both series were just a formality Nick Trieste. We honestly wonder to what extent Triest can benefit from the remaining five races of the Radson MX2 Trophy. Simply put: Nick is too quick! Of course, the Shineray rider can aim for a 'perfect season' with a win in all 12 series. But will this benefit him in the long term?
Two years ago the race in the East Flemish sand quarry literally fell into the water, this year it was a dust-up for pilots and spectators. Could these Dakar situations have been avoided in Beervelde? Maybe. Judging by the opinion of self-declared track preparation experts a perfectly constructed circuit is a piece of cake. The truth is, however, that as a club or organizer you simply have no control over a number of factors. The most important of those factors is of course the weather. How should you estimate that? Gambling on rain and not spraying? Sprinkle a little to 'limit the damage'? Flood everything and pray it doesn't rain? In short, even with modern weather forecasts, you still have to look at the coffee grounds and in the end, especially in situations like last week, you will always have to gamble.
Danny “Magoo” Chandler from Elrod Racing on Vimeo.
The past week was a dark week for motocross. After the death of Andrew McFarlane on Sunday, died Danny "Magoo" Chandler two days later. Magoo and McFarlane will be remembered during several races this weekend, including the Portuguese GP. Both were popular riders and their unexpected deaths came as a bolt from the blue. Chandler will forever be known as a wild child and natural talent. A pilot who was always ready to give the audience a good show. Except for his speed and famous victories, such as the American 500cc GP in Carlsbad, 1982 (be sure to check out the clip above!), the Motocross des Nations and the Trophée des Nations in 1982, he also made a name for himself with spectacular crashes. After his AMA career, the American still worked in Europe where he won one 500cc GP In 1985, he was paralyzed during the Bercy SX. Afterwards, Magoo remained active in the sport, promoting the use of correct equipment to young riders, giving speeches about his career and visiting schools to talk about drug abuse.
We will close this Green Flag in style. Italian designer Oberdan Bezzi put a concept model for a Ducati motocrosser on paper. The so-called Ducati Desmocross is of course just a style study, by Bezzi personally by the way. However, the technical side was also considered. With a self-supporting, beautifully integrated frame, the Desmocross is more than coincidentally reminiscent of the exotic Aprilia RXV, especially in terms of the beautiful angular lines. In terms of drive, the Desmocross does not opt for a two-cylinder, but a high-quality single-cylinder. That block could just as easily find a home in, yes, a Desmotard. This would finally give the Bolognese a real hardcore supermoto instead of the semi-soft Hypermotard.
Photo credit: CDS, Oberdan Bezzi
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