Jeffrey Dewulf: Hungry like the Wolf
For the second time this season, Jeffrey Dewulf (North Europe Racing) stood on the podium the day before yesterday in the French beach racing championship. Dewulf finished third in St-Leger de Balson after Nathan Watson and Petar Petrov. In the standings, “JD” is in second place, just to say that the stylish West Flemish has quickly become one of the strong men in this typically French discipline.
In Berck-sur-Mer Jeffrey was on course for the podium despite a bad start. Due to bad luck he had to settle for fourth place in the final. “Fortunately I had a good start in St-Leger. That is certainly very important there because it is so narrow. Quite early in the race I came into rude contact with another rider. I could just about stay upright, but I kept one famous bruising in my upper leg! It was no longer possible to stand upright and I had to grit my teeth."
Dewulf crashed in the second half of the race because visibility was almost reduced to zero. Just at a time when the fastest men have to navigate through heavy traffic. Getting on the podium was a more than decent result given the circumstances.
Endurance and speed
Championship rival Yentel Martens was less lucky in St Leger de Balson. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna pilot was in a duel with Dewulf when things suddenly went wrong. Martens was left with a painful ankle and a heavy head as a result of his tumble. “I saw Yentel fall next to me, it was not immediately clear why, but it is clear that the track was very tricky! Fortunately, everything seems to be going well.”
Dewulf has quickly adapted to beach racing. As accurately as he drives, he clearly explains his new challenge. “Endurance training is of course the basis for this type of work. Both on and off the motorcycle. You actually drive 3 times 50 minutes, each time with a gas stop in between. The fitter you are, the easier it is for you to maintain a high pace. But you also have to do your homework in other areas. There is no reconnaissance lap, and everyone goes fast in the beginning. That is why you should study the circuit as thoroughly as possible in advance, on foot or by bike. Where can you go all out, where do you have to build in margin?”
In the wake of beach racing legend Demeester
Every (long) beach race has a certain pattern. The first fuel stop comes fastest because the track is still flat and then the fastest is driven. After that you have to increasingly take into account those behind you. How hard to push at what time, what about the competition? Strategy and communication are more important in these endurance races than in a sprint race.
“Suppose you hear from the team that you are 15 seconds behind the leader with 40 minutes to go, then you have to make some considerations. What is the feeling? Can you drive faster, with as little additional risk of a fall as possible? There is certainly more thinking involved than in a normal race, but a portion of luck is also crucial.” Dewulf smiles.
Jeffrey's team did an exemplary job this season both in terms of preparing the equipment and carrying out the pit stops. Mentor Arnaud 'Sandman' Demeester, eight-time Le Touquet winner, also contributes to the progression of the KTM Belgium rider.
“The more experience you gain, the more and the faster you can learn. This applies not only to myself but also to the team. That's why we compete in the full championship. This way we have the best chance of being well prepared at the start of the Enduropal. Having someone like Arnaud (Demeester) by your side is great. He knows the tricks of the trade, lots of little tips that can make a difference. The collaboration with Demeester is going great. He is very motivated and I have already learned a lot from him.”
Structure as a springboard: North Europe Racing
Despite all the preparation and professionalism, there is always a major factor in beach racing over which you have no control. “Just look at Milko Potisek, he has ridden Le Touquet seven or eight times but has only won once. A little bit of luck is certainly welcome!” Consistently being one of the fastest riders and yet having to return home without results is just part of the job. Mechanical problems and collisions are the surprising 'plot twists' that every beach racer will have to deal with sooner or later.
As a semi-professional rider, Jeffrey completed an erratic course. The former Belgian National MX2 champion only started sporadically in the World Championships. Now that the class player from Jabbeke is in his strongest years as a sportsman at the age of 27, the tide is turning. Dewulf came into the spotlight in 2018 in Lommel and Assen. He became vice-champion in the highly regarded ADAC MX Masters. This strong campaign is now being expanded internationally. Together with Petar Petrov Dewulf will compete in the European MXGPs and Dutch Masters of Motocross. Finally a full-fledged GP program.
Dewulf nods, “That is indeed a great pleasure. Without a team like North Europe Racing behind me that would be impossible. As a one-man team, the GPs are simply very tough, on every level. This is probably slightly different for an ex-GP winner because he can count on more support. So we are very happy that we can take that step with the support of our main sponsor Daniel Lokker from Nordpesca.
As a rider, such a program also takes away some stress. Because you ride more GPs, you get into the rhythm much better and the feeling that it has to be done now also becomes much less. To be honest, I have certainly felt that during wildcard matches! The expectations of some people, especially if you perform strongly locally, do not match reality. Okay, there's a match coming up that suits you, but at World Cup level everyone can now perform in the sand. Italians who don't know what will happen to them when they are in Lommel, that is outdated!”
Hungry like Dewulf
The combination of a beach racing calendar with GPs is no easy feat. Dewulf realizes this like no other. “Listening to your body is really the key. We have already anticipated that there will be two weeks of rest at Le Touquet. Okay, I will probably miss a preparation match on the left or right. That's it, the season is still long enough. It is not that I have lost my speed as a motocross rider and physically the foundation has been laid.”
Jeffrey has continued to build his career in the shadows in recent seasons. Usually purely as a private driver, but there were also some substitutes for GP teams. That experience is also useful now. “Sometimes things just don't turn out the way you hope, that's just part of life. When you look back, there are always decisions that you would have done better differently. But you learn something every time. I now bring that to North Europe Racing. Of those team collaborations, Sarholz-KTM was certainly the best experience. Given the professionalism, reputation and experience of that team, this is no surprise.”
Dewulf has brother Nigel next to him as a mechanic. That tandem is perfectly attuned to each other. They also have the same mentality: no blah blah or excuses, working hard in the most professional way possible. The comparison with childhood friend Steve Ramon is never far away. As befits the down-to-earth West Flemish, the team resolutely opts for a pragmatic approach in their first season. No show, but completely focused on sporting results and competitive material. However, confusing modesty with a lack of ambition is inappropriate. After all, if it depends on the brothers, 2019 will be Dewulf's year. Would they play Duran Duran in the workshop?
Tekst: Tom Jacobs
Photos: Xavier Leporcher/CFS, shotbyBavo/Redbull Contentpool
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