Green Flag: Easter crowds
In the not so distant past it fell Easter weekend sometimes in the water. Literally and figuratively. The slightly older among us may still remember the Dantesque images of the mud on it MUL circuit (editor's note, MUL stands for Motor Unie Leuvenen) in Egenhoven during the Easter Trophy. And unless we are mistaken, snow even fell in 1998, at the last edition of what was actually the mother of all Belgian motocross competitions! At a certain point we felt more like we were in Payerne or Roggenburg than on the west side of it Leuven. Anyway, let's not look back too much on the past but concentrate on the present.
Sometimes you expect to get answers to your questions somewhere. Questions such as which of the Belgian en Dutch MX1 GP riders are actually in shape now, how guys like Davide Guarneri en Shaun Simpson relate to the Belgian top and or Kevin Strijbos was definitely back. But we did not find those answers last Sunday in the Bois brûlé. On the contrary, because afterwards we only had more questions.
It was an eventful afternoon of motorcross in Mons. But given the fact that none of the top riders indicated that they were fully fit, we do not dare to draw any conclusions. Although every now and then we saw small flashes that could give something away. Now take the passing maneuver of Ken Dycker op Clément Desalle in the third series. De Waal from Gouy-lez-Piétons does not exactly have a reputation for shying away from an opponent. But when Keeno came alongside on the table mountain, Desalle still took his chances. However, that did not prevent him from winning the third series a little later. The reactions of the Walloon public may perhaps testify to a first, albeit slight, wave of this Panda mania. A collective state of mind that is not to be confused with Pandemonium.
There is no Panda-mania in the French-speaking Belgian press for the time being. It's actually downright disappointing to see how one of Wallonia's better athletes are almost ignored. Of course there is a certain one Philip Gilbert These days he is the center of attention in the sports press, but still. Le Panda is not exactly the most media-friendly top driver and even then we express ourselves politely. During his time at LS Motors Honda, Honda Europe describes as off-road coordinator Roger Harvey Desalle even if a PR nightmare. However, to be fair, we must immediately add that Desalle has already become much more accessible. But this mainly applies to the specialized press.
In the run-up to the Dutch GP in Valkenswaard, one young demigod via a social medium that he actually hated speaking to the press and signing autographs. He just wanted to drive, he added. We understand that a rider wants to be left alone as much as possible during a GP. Interviews half an hour before the first heat or between heats are not done. But don't want to show up on media day? Strange, especially if you are in sports that rely on mediatization. But hey, it's a point of view. A position that we must certainly respect. Perhaps the rider in question also hates all the fan mail he receives from girls his age. And every month, when checking his bank statements, he discovers with horror that there are X number of thousands of Euros more in his account.
But if such a driver is honest, he will put an end to all his, probably quite lucrative, agreements. Then he will just enjoy club cycling, competitions in which having fun is the central principle. In addition, he can then follow vocational training, just like some of his peers. For example, working on greasy garbage trucks from 7 a.m. in an ice-cold garage. Or being subjected to 10 hours a day as a kitchen helper for a failed top chef or just for... Peter goossens yourself. And all to earn a few cents to keep his second-hand two-stroke engine running. But this, of course, is entirely beside the point.
No, we would rather take an example from the professional who spoke to us on Tuesday evening while he was on his way to his weekly training in the fastest team sport in the world.
No dog knows how the GP in Valkenswaard will turn out. But one thing is already certain. It promises to be extra tough there on Easter Monday. And that's a good thing. Not that we here at the MXM editorial office are sadists, but still. In recent days we heard stories from riders who felt that Valkenswaard had become "really hard" in recent years. And while years ago it was almost as much of a sandbox as Lommel. Witness that this video of the Dutch GP 500cc of 1990. If we are to believe some lines of thought, the teams had better bring slicks for the 2012 edition. But in a way they are right. The very last very tough edition probably dates back to 2008 when Ken De Dycker, not in the least hindered by the length of his lower limbs, made his way through the mud of the Brabant circuit. The chance that the circuit will be like this on Monday seems statistically very small to us, although you never know. An early heat storm now seems not entirely impossible to us.
Anyway, why would it be a heavy edition? Well who it timetable of Easter Sunday you immediately know that the engines will roar for almost 12 hours on the Eurocircuit. The veterans even start at 7:20 am. Not to look for Easter eggs, but to their free training. That is probably earlier than in our Flemish amateur federations with their 20 different classes. The reason why the veterans have to work on this unchristian thing is the unprecedented popularity of the MX2 European Championship. Last year the European Championship MX2 seemed like it was dying. But now that Youthstream has moved the European Championship to the MX1/MX2 GPs, the championship has regained its second wind. The interest is so overwhelming that the old qualifying system of the MX2 GPs had to be removed from the closet for Valkenswaard. Not one but two qualifying heats will take place on Sunday afternoon. The boys who missed it can still try to qualify in a timed training. The non-qualified European Championship riders will conclude on Sunday with a B-Final at 19:20 PM. A race at that hour on a Sunday evening? It looks like a certain Flemish Motocross Federation…
Add up all the sessions and heats on Sunday and you end up with quite a few hours of driving time and a circuit that is probably quite disturbed. Add to that a temperature of about 27° C on Monday, two series of 35 minutes + 2 laps and you know that the second heats will be very tough. This also applies to the Veteran World Cup on Sunday. Fitness will therefore play a paramount role and surprises could emerge. Riders that no one expected to be at the front, but who nevertheless rode nicely at the front.
People who already deserve a round of applause are the track marshals. With such a monster program ahead of us and in, at least according to what we are used to here in the Low Countries, summer temperatures, these people deserve the utmost respect. So dear spectators, show your generous heart this weekend and provide the nearest flagman with a fresh drink. And with this call we are not just talking about Valkenswaard but about all flagmen at motor sports competitions in the Benelux.
But above all, let's say that spectators can expect big Easter eggs (figuratively speaking) in Valkenswaard. Easter eggs that are then filled with goodies. We just mean, the spectators certainly get their money's worth with such a program. Although we doubt that with such a busy schedule you will have time to lug around beers...
We also had a lot of questions, but we will probably get the answers or at least some of them on Monday. Two Belgian riders will not be there in Valkenswaard: Jeffrey Dewulf en Jeremy Van Horebeek. Both suffered blows in the Walloon sand. MXM wishes you the best of luck! And to you dear reader, have a wonderful Easter weekend, regardless of whether it is next to the Eurocircuit or on your motorcycle at another circuit!
JBS
Photo Credits: CDS Images
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