Column: Geert Gelaude October 2018.
The last match of a beautiful and long ONK championship is over after this weekend. RES Axel has once again proven that they are worthy of bringing these types of competitions to a successful conclusion. Even more so, in beautiful Zeeland they do not even try to organize a perfect Dutch Masters or Motocross.
Judging from the general trend in motocross country and the political pressure, we must hope that there will still be enough circuits left to organize in the foreseeable future. When you see the pace at which they close beautiful tracks, I fear just as much of a doomsday scenario as in Belgium. It hurts me a lot that many clubs have done everything for years to take all the rules into account and that a beautiful story comes to an end because of a few lines on a thin sheet of paper. This not only affects the board and club members, but also the many volunteers who have worked hard for years. If you think about which beautiful circuits have already disappeared and which are on the closure list, it is also five to twelve in the Netherlands in the MX.
And that is precisely why we must hope that next season the clubs that are eligible to organize a Dutch Masters will actually get their chance. And I certainly include Axel, unfortunately too many riders still think that the move to the country of Zeeland will not bring them what they expected. I therefore openly ask myself the question if you participate in a championship and do not visit certain locations, why do you participate in the rest and travel to France, Spain and the like during the winter period? The new layout receives nothing but praise, so anyone who wasn't there has no right to speak. But as always, the absent are wrong. Two days of radiant sunshine with summer temperatures provided the same competitions. Because the many duels, a perfect track and the necessary fans ensured excellent matches with nothing but happy faces. This became clear once again at the awards ceremony after the races.
It has been known for some time that the Netherlands is one of the most progressive motocross countries of the last ten years. During the MXON in Red Bud, America, brand new World Champion Jeffrey Herlings and a super-motivated Glenn Coldenhoff blew everyone away and managed to reach the podium with only two of the three riders. If Calvin Vlaanderen had not injured his eye and had not been banned from starting by the doctor, the gold would almost certainly have gone to the Netherlands team. An achievement to be proud of. But in addition to these top players at world level, Dutch youth can look to the future with their heads held high. If you see the list of all the talents who are pressing their noses against the window, I say with some pride that we will see some very nice champions from Dutch soil. Even though Kay De Wolf and Kay Karssemakers are switching to the 125cc, there remains enough quality to see a super nice field of participants in the 85cc again next year. They also record times in 65cc that sometimes leave your mouth open. So the future is assured as far as the sporting aspect is concerned, we can only hope that the associations, government and manufacturers continue to do their part.
Furthermore, I would like to once again congratulate all champions on their title and hope that everything goes smoothly for those who make the transition. And for the other drivers, enjoy your title and work with just as much passion to keep it for another year.
By: Geert Gelaude
Posted: Steven van Kempen/KEMCO
Photo: NiekFotografie
Also to read
VIDEO: Highlights MXGP Portugal 2024
After a two-week break, the FIM MXGP-MX2 World Championship continued in Portugal. The normally sunny south was treated to lots of water this weekend! Liam Everts made very…MXGP Portugal: Pauls Jonass takes overall victory, Herlings wins the second series
The hard-fought MXGP of Portugal is one for the books because the rain that fell this weekend had turned Agueda into a mud puddle. Pauls Jonass was surprisingly able to…MX2 Portugal: Dominant Liam Everts takes the full spoils in the mud
Liam Everts has won the brutal Grand Prix of Portugal with a double series victory. In Agueda a heavily muddy circuit was thrown under the wheels and the race was…Tim Gajser beats Pauls Jonass in apocalyptic first MXGP series
In a gray and wet Agueda, Tim Gajser has just won the first series of the MXGP class. He trumped Pauls Jonass for the win. Jeffrey Herlings fought a heroic…
Your reactions