Green Flag: Title fever
The end of the summer (holiday) is quickly approaching. In supermarkets you see stay-at-home mothers who feverishly provide their offspring with covers, writing utensils and other school materials. Something that obviously doesn't make the offspring very happy. The first signs of title fever were visible this week on practice circuits and in motocross circles…
In Brazilian Campo Grande can do both Marvin Musquin as a Tony Cairoli take a decisive step towards world title this weekend. Because, it should now be clear that KTM will also win the MX1 world title for the first time. And with this the Austrians are helping to lay the foundations of one new motorsport world order. But more about that later.
GPs in exotic countries such as Brazil always have that adventurous touch that we never see in European World Cup competitions. If only because almost all World Cup toppers have to make do with just one motorcycle this week. The technicians actually have to work from the crate and that of course means adjusting. The “our boys overseas” feeling is very small this time. No Dutch contribution to South America this time and the Belgian contribution has also been reduced to an absolute minimum. Jeremy Van Horebeek en Joel Roelants rule the MX2 class, Steve Ramon en Clément Desalle do that in the MX1. Perhaps never before have there been so few Belgians at the start of a GP in the queen class... Desalle is somewhat our secret favorite for this Brazilian GP. If only because he may suffer less from jet lag than his playmates. We also had the feeling that he has been saving himself a bit in recent weeks in view of Unadilla and probably still has something left in the tank. Well, we won't know until Sunday.
A Brazilian GP seems a bit redundant to many fans, but Lowland motocross history has already been written in Brazil. At the end of August 1986, the then 18-year-old Dave Strijbos the very first Dutch Motocross World Champion during the Brazilian GP Campos do Jordao. Strijbos then drove ahead Cagiva. The Cagiva WMX 125 was the reference in the 125cc GPs at the time because it also included “Flying Finn” Pekka Vekhonen en Corrado Maddi (father of current MX2 GP pilot Marco) rode such a fiery red motorcycle. A year later Eric Geboers the basis for his world title in the 250cc at the same circuit in the state of Sao Paolo. And then Pekka Vekhonen, this time on a Cagiva WMX 250, played a leading role. Geboers secured his third world title a week later in La Salta, Argentina, which was also his first Honda was.
With 12 permanent GP riders in MX1 and 15 permanent GP riders in MX2 present in Campo Grande, there will undoubtedly be a number of classification changes, although they will probably be limited to positions between 10 and 20.
In French Dardon-Guegnon title fever is really dominating everything this weekend. Because no fewer than three junior world titles are at stake. The Belgian delegation is led by ex Juniors 125cc rider Yves De Vlaeminck and BMB representative André Vantomme. Two of the most passionate MX people we know. The Belgian and Dutch selections as well as the rest of the field of participants can be found here. However, it should be noted that the Belgian team was significantly reduced due to injuries. The final Belgian team is:
85 tsp: Yannick Heylen, Brent Vandoninck, Axel Nijs, Daymond Martens, Nathan Renkens and Ludovic Brevers
125cc / 2-stroke: Wietse Brackman, Yerki Janvier, Robin Bakens and Mathias Plessers.
We looked ahead to the title battle in the 85cc with the fast Dutchman Luca Nijenhuis and KTM factory rider Brent Vandoninck.
But title fever is also increasing at national level. The Belgian Sidecar Cross Championships will have their penultimate competition on Sunday during the Belgian National van MC Mikkola in Eernegem. Championship Leaders Joris Hendrickx-Kaspars Liepins are currently 28 points ahead Jan Hendrickx-Tim Smeuninx. A lead that seems comfortable with 100 points still to be earned, but provided that a DNF is largely erased. So it remains exciting, especially since the circuit in Eernegem was specially designed with a BK sidecarcross in mind by former vice world champion sidecarcross Eddie Ramon, Steve's father. In Eernegem the boys of the National classes are ready for the third to last Belgian National, and with only two stages of the BK Inter to go, the title fever will undoubtedly increase there too. The issue has not yet been decided in any National class. Logical because there are still 400 BK points to be distributed everywhere. By the way, the denouement of the Belgian Championship in the national classes could well have a surprise in store. But more about that next week.
Not so far from Eernegem, more specifically in Egem, the trialists start from Trial West Flanders Tomorrow they will start the second part of their season with the Clay Quarry Trial. The clay quarry has been buzzing with trial activity for two days and we dare to say without blushing that this is the largest trial competition in Flanders. Anyone who thought that trials didn't have the glamor of motocross might be wrong. Because in Egem they have their own Miss trial. The full calendar for the 2e half of the season of Trial West Flanders, by the way here to find back.
Photo Credits: CDS Images
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