Toppers of tomorrow: Micha Boy de Waal
Anyone who does not follow the youth competitions received a nice sample of Benelux talent during Everts & Friends in Genk, Belgium, last week. 15-year-old Micha Boy de Waal from Aalburg (North Brabant) even stole the show in the first series of the GP Stars Vs. Future Stars. And in the European Championship 85cc, De Waal is in the lead ahead of fellow countryman Brian Bogers. Last weekend the Brush 'n Rush rider was also the best in Denmark where the Honest International Youth MX took place. In short, time for a conversation!
Do you feel like you've made any progress this year?
Micha Boy De Waal: “Yes, quite a lot in fact! Last year I fell too much and made too many mistakes. This year has gone very well and I have only had a few falls (Micha knocks on the wooden table in the meantime). Driving is going well.”
You have been on a strong run in recent weeks. Is there an explanation for that?
Micha Boy De Waal: “It helps me keep my sanity while driving. And that produces results. My main goal this year is of course the European title. I am now in the lead in the European Championship. I am now 29 points ahead and we still have two games to go. But hey, a mistake can happen... During the next race in France (La Capelle Marival on August 18) it really comes down to keeping a cool head. Of course I want to get as far as possible. However, the most important thing is to be consistent and get points. And then I want to finish the job in Bulgaria. If I have to drive a little more calculatedly for that, then so be it.”
Winning a championship is nice, but international competitions such as Honest, the MX Masterkids or Everts & Friends also provide the necessary attention, right?
Micha Boy De Waal: “That's right, in addition to the European Championships, those international races are great to participate in. During the MX Masterkids in France I had one retirement with a technical problem, but I won two qualifying races. On Sunday I won the final. That was certainly a beautiful experience. The Honest International Youth MX this past weekend was also fun. It is also a competition that looks good on your record. But I probably enjoyed Everts & Friends the most. It was fun to ride in the 'Future stars' against Brent Van Doninck and Luca Nijenhuis because we usually compete in a different championship. But the race against the GP riders was really kicking. I was very keen to win in that first series. Too bad Herlings mentioned it at the end. I tried everything to fight back, but he was too strong. I tried for a while to pick up some of his lines. I think Jeffrey secretly trained on an 85cc! His 85cc period has been over for a while and he is still so fast. Unbelievable."
How do you combine all that traveling and training with school?
Micha Boy De Waal: “I can get an exemption from school. If I have to train or go away, that's okay. That is very nice.”
When or how did the coin drop in relation to your driving style?
Micha Boy De Waal: “Well, that was also partly because of my parents. By helping out at home and also by Gys who provides me with some mental guidance. As you get older, you also realize that you have to do more to reach the top. Training my fitness, my parents helping here and there.”
What do you consider to be your greatest qualities as a pilot?
Micha Boy De Waal: “I think mainly my technique, for example cornering, is going well. Furthermore: never give up. I never give up unless something really bad has happened.”
This is your last year on 85cc, are you already training on 125cc?
Micha Boy De Waal: “Training very occasionally on the 125cc. Especially because we don't have much time due to all the traveling, the championship is still going on and my dad's work. Now I want to get the most out of it with the 85cc. I feel like I'm hitting my ceiling. Of course we can get better and better in terms of driving, but I don't think there is much room for improvement anymore. That's why I'm happy that I'm switching to the 125 next year.”
For next year it will be a bit more serious again. With probably the European Championship 125cc two-stroke, you will also need more budget for that. How does that work?
Micha Boy De Waal: “There are conversations and contacts left and right. We'll have to wait and see if anything comes of that. Hopefully we will get good support from a team or a sponsor so that we can continue next year. If that is not the case, it will be a very difficult year for us.”
Thanks to that international experience, your options are not limited to sand courts. In any case, that is a very important asset?
Micha Boy De Waal: “Yes, that's right, because I have been in the European Championships for a few years now and I ride a lot internationally, the feeling is very good. In fact, the feeling on hard courts is now even better than on the sand! I actually find it much more enjoyable to drive on hard surfaces. In the European Championships, for example, Sevlievo is a lot of fun to do. A wonderful course with a lot to offer.”
In a few weeks (note: August 22) the Junior World Cup in France will also be coming up. On paper you are one of the big contenders?
Micha Boy De Waal: “Yes, probably; but I'm not going to say that I'm going to win the world title. My goal is to reach the top 3 there, but you can never think too hard ahead. You never know what happens. Who is coming or maybe riders you don't know from the US or from another country. I hope I can surpass myself, of course, but in principle a podium is the goal.”
Are you going to ride Supercross this winter?
Micha Boy De Waal: “Actually, that's where my ambition lies. I'd rather ride supercross than outdoor even. After the season I will participate in the European Supercross Championships and in principle I would also start in Bercy. I'm really looking forward to that because you meet the strongest riders there. For a Dutch person it's quite nice indoors, but compared to the Americans it's of course nothing! It's so hard to train for supercross here.”
You can also count on sporting support from the KNMV?
Micha Boy De Waal: “Indeed, there are some internships and there is always someone from the KNMV present at the European Championships. Either that is Leon Giesbers, Carlo Hulsen, Arwald Nijland or Marcel Hartman. In general, they mainly help with driving technique. During a competition they help choose better lines on the track. Okay, maybe it would be even better if there were more sponsors for youth guidance, like in Italy. So that a real team can be created, but in terms of sport it is certainly a good help.”
There is now a pretty strong crop of young Dutch riders. Is Jeffrey Herlings the pioneer?
Micha Boy De Waal: "Yes and no. He falls into a category of his own because there are only two or three in the world who can already do what he can do at that age. You can't compare anyone to that. I think it's all very beautiful and good what he has done. However, none of the boys after him will be able to match that straight away. Jeffrey won four titles in one year in 2008 (Dutch champion, European champion, German champion and world champion 85cc). It is impossible to do the same.”
But is there probably also competition among the current top 85cc riders?
Micha Boy De Waal: “I especially have that with Brian Bogers. Both on and off the track. Just because we are number one and two, I will win the European Championship. Depending on what happened on the track, we get along better or less well. Usually there is something from one side… But that is part of it.”
Who are your role models?
Micha Boy De Waal: “Jeffrey Herlings then. In terms of driving and he never gives up. It used to always be Ricky Carmichael.”
Would you like to thank someone else?
Micha Boy De Waal: “My mechanic William, my supervisor Gijs and Eddy Van Den Hoek from EHR tuning.”
Thank you for the conversation.
Micha Boy de Waal: "Don't mention it!"
Photos credit: CDS & Olivier Evrard
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