Extensive preview of the European Youth Championships 65 & 85cc in Emmen
4 & 5 April has been marked with fluorescent lights on my calendar for quite some time. The international season for youth riders is finally starting again. After two ONKs and a Belgian Championship, it is now time for the opening round of the European Championship 65 & 85cc. This competition will take place on the very heavy circuit of Emmen and is immediately ideal for the lowlanders. But who can we expect in Emmen? Fortunately, we received the help of a well-thought-out press kit drawn up by our colleague from KEMCO Sports PR.
Word explanation:
Before we start identifying the favorites, let's first shed some light on how this European Youth Championship works. To save travel costs, Europe is divided into 65 regions for the 85 & 4cc pilots. North West, North-East, South-West, South-East. Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and so on are in the North-West region. The best 10 per region, per class are qualified for the finals that will be held this year during the GP of Latvia fall. In this one race on a tough GP circuit and in front of around 30 spectators, these young boys will compete for the European Championship title.
The 65cc riders are allowed to ride up to a maximum age of 12 years (turning 12 this year) and for the 85cc's this is 14 years. The 65cc riders have to complete two sets of 12 minutes + 2 laps and the 85cc pilots have to go full throttle for 20 minutes + 2 laps.
The Belgians:
I think anyone who no longer sees a future in Belgium got a little too much mud in their eyes last weekend. In the 65cc class we see four Belgians at the start; Loman Castieau, Lars Ver Boven, Liam Everts and Yoran Moens. Lars Ver Boven is the only one with international experience, from the Junior World Championships in Lierneux last year.
In the 85cc class we see six Belgians on the start list; Glenn Bielen, Emilio Vannieuwenhuyze, Tallon Verhelst, Chiel Vanhaeren, Storm Steensels and Ugo Moors. Anyone who was attentive in Moerbeke-Waas will certainly recognize some of these names!
Expectations:
With young people you should always be careful with expectations, it is still a hobby and putting too much pressure at such a young age is never good. Yet Liam Everts will be watched by everyone. The son of the best motocross racer who ever lived will enter international racing and will undoubtedly be followed by many. But Tallon Verhelst, Glenn Bielen and Chiel Vanhaeren may also have a little pressure. Verhelst thanks to his dominant performance in Moerbeke and Bielen with Vanhaeren have also shown that they are fast + they are last year 85cc riders according to European standards.
The foreigners:
What should we expect from the foreigners? To be honest, even for me it's a bit of a waste of money when it comes to the 65cc class. The Belgian federation, for example, does not have a 65cc class and there is little to read about these competitions in other countries either. What I can say is that the Dutchman Jens Walvoort left an impression on me during the first RES Axel club cross of the season, the playful style, the consistency and the courage were just there. And his compatriot Kay Karssemakers was already impressive during the supercross in Goes. So look forward to these two gentlemen in “their own” sandbox.
The 85cc class is a completely different story. Last year, Jago Geerts claimed the European title in Finland in a very dominant manner. He did this a few weeks after he won the ONK 85cc title. So it seems that the ONKs are a good target for this class. To keep it short I'm betting my money on the following riders; the Dutch Rick Elzinga, Raivo Dankers, Loeka Thonis and the Danes Mikkel Haarup and Bastian Boegh Damm.
Cool facts
Tim Gajser, Davy Pootjes and Brian Hsu (all 3 factory pilots) have won the European 65cc title. Gajser in '07, Pootjes the following year and Hsu took his title in '10.
Christophe Pourcel, Marvin Musquin, Alessandro Lupino, Jeffrey Herlings, Tim Gajser, Brian Bogers and Davy Pootjes all also have a European Championship 85cc title.
In 2011, current KTM factory pilot Jorge Prado Garcia won both the European and World Championship titles in the 65cc class.
Alessandro Lupino did this in the 85cc class in 2006. In 2008 it was Jeffrey Herlings who drove everyone home at both championships.
And another KTM factory pilot, Conrad Mewse, demonstrated this trick in 2013.
Text & Photo: Frederik Van Eeckhoven
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