Green Flag: Final weeks
It was a seemingly calm week in motocross. Apparently, because beneath that flat, wrinkle-free surface something was moving. So we know that the telephone companies have made quite a bit of money from the motocross world this week. Because it was quite a lot of calling back and forth. Team managers called agents, agents called team managers, team managers called sponsors, agents called sponsors…. In short, there was a lot of cancellation behind the scenes.
Although the transfer puzzle has now been largely completed, there are still many question marks. Those who have already found shelter can breathe easy, but for some it will still be exciting days and hours. There are a number of Benelux drivers that we don't know about yet. Stays Steve Ramon At the Rockstar Teka Suzuki team? Will Teka remain a sponsor at Suzuki at all? Where can Manuel Avg getting started next year? Where to drive Kevin Strijbos in 2011? We see Marc de Reuver back to a Dutch team, on a Japanese motorcycle? Finds Dennis Verbruggen another seat in the MX1 World Championship?
The end of the World Cup season may be just around the corner, but so is the... Motocross of Nations approaching with rapid steps. And we can imagine that tension is also increasing among the team managers. Team USA already seems very solid, but what about the European teams? How many times has the British team line-up changed now? I've already lost count. But, it is what it is and motocross is a very injury-prone sport. In the meantime, our southern neighbors are asking a lot of questions about the physical preparedness of Xavier Bow. David Vuillemin, who joins the French team as a consultant, apparently insists on the participation of Gautier Paulin. Probably a bit out of self-interest because Vuillemin coaches Paulin, but somehow rightly so. Paulin rode a very strong race in Lierop, while Boog was actually nowhere. So it will be exciting days for the FFM national coach Oliver Robert.
And what about Team Belgium? Now it appears Clément Desalle's injuries are slightly worse than first thought and Jeremy Van Horebeek seems completely out of shape, it will be exciting days here too. We can imagine that Smets first wants to wait and see this weekend, but is already working on a Plan B. Van Horebeek seems easy to replace if necessary Joel Roelants. But what if after this weekend it turns out that Desalle is insecure? To take, not to take? In any case, it remains a huge gamble. Desalle would normally compete in the final of the BK Motocross next weekend Mont Saint Guibert, but we can imagine that the MXoN is slightly more important to him. Especially after he entered last year Franciacorta with hanging legs had to drip off. Sitting out the Belgian Championship final certainly seems to be a possibility, after all Desalle himself has renounced the defense of his Belgian title.
But suppose Desalle doesn't make it, who would you replace him with? Agreed, you can move Ramon to the MX1, but then you still need someone to ride the Open class. Ken Dycker? It probably won't be that easy because Ken's contract with Yamaha will reportedly be terminated after Mont-Saint-Guibert. This means that he will no longer have access to Yamahas in Colorado. On paper, Keeno could start on one LS Motors-Honda, but in practice this seems almost impossible to us. Especially because there is hardly any time left in the week between the BK Final and the MXoN weekend to get to know the Honda CR-F 450. Kevin Strijbos then? Here too, logistics are in short supply, but adjustments can be made. It Wallet phone Suzuki team has good contacts in the United States (See the John Beijer column) and things will be fine in that regard. The question, however, is whether Strijbos, with only Mont-Saint-Guibert in his legs by then, would be able to compete at the front in an MXoN?
In short, let's hope that BMB national coach Joel Smets, doesn't have to tinker with the team too much, because he doesn't have much leeway anymore.
Also on Nationally, tension is rising. The last one is this weekend Belgian National of the season on the programme Tessenderlo. It's good to see that a club that hasn't been active in motocross for a long time Looise MC, now picking up the thread again. There is still plenty of competition for the title in a number of national classes. The Quads are also at the start at the Oosterbergen, although the denouement will only take place in Angreau within a month. Of Steven Lenoir the Looise MC will already have the brand new European MX2 champion at the start at the Inters.
The motocross season is also coming to an end in the United States. Tomorrow on Pala Raceway near San Diego, the last of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Nationals were held. Ryan Dungey has been champion of the 450s for two weeks. But in the always great 250 class, things can still go either way Christophe Pourcel en Trey Canard. The Frenchman is only seven points ahead of Trey Canard, so the slightest mistake can be severely punished. Although this finding of course also applies to Canard. Something tells me it will be a team race tomorrow there in Pala. Geico Powersports Honda undoubtedly will Justin Barcia, Blake Wharton en So Tomac to give Canard the lead and to act as a buffer between him and Pourcel as much as possible. But that consignment may also be ignored Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki communicated. Tyla Ratray, Dean Wilson en Jake Weimer will do everything they can to keep Canard from the title. So that promises to be exciting.
Photo Credit: CDS Images, Allisports
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