Does Husqvarna regain the La Chinelle title?
After two consecutive victories in 2016 and 2017, Husqvarna lost the victory to Zone Rouge Yamaha last year. In the 40th edition of the 12 Hours of La Chinelle, team manager Wim Vanderheyden is taking a shot at victory this weekend with two strong teams. We spoke to Vanderheyden about what makes this popular race so special!
In the first half of August, more than 30.000 spectators traditionally descend on Franchimont-Pilippeville for a motorcycle race that is unparalleled. For twelve hours, pilots compete as a team on a 6,5 kilometer circuit. The circuit is therefore much longer than the usual 1,5 kilometers of a cross track. Of course, the duration of the race, 12 hours, is also exceptional.
“Riding at night requires the biggest adjustment for most riders,” explains Husqvarna Belgium team manager Wim Vanderheyden. “Sometimes riders even discover that they are not able to drive around properly when it is dark. You know, night blindness.”
Enduro specialist Vanderheyden often participated in the “12 heures de La Chinelle” that were founded by six-time world motocross champion Joël Robert. As team manager, Wim put Husqvarna firmly on the map. Since 2015, at least one Husky trio has been on stage every time. They even won in 2016 and 2017. This year his teams, Jerome Martiny-Matthew Vanoevelen-Erik Willems and Wietse Brackman-Jilani Cambré-Kevin Fors, leave as favorites again.
“That's right, on paper we are at the start with two teams to beat. However, I expect a lot of resistance from the KTM Belgium team. Okay, individually their riders (ed. Cedric Grobben, Jeffrey Dewulf and Antoine Magain) do not have the same La Chinelle experience as our guys. But that's actually not necessary. In 2016 we won with a very young “Junior” team! That was with Brackman, Cyril Genot and Nathan Renkens.”
The duration of the competition and riding in the dark are tailored to the needs of enduro riders. Yet speed is ultimately the deciding factor. “More and more, La Chinelle is in fact an elongated cross. One with its own quirks, of course. For example, everyone must enter the stands at least 10 times over the entire duration of the competition. Who drives when, how you deal with those special circumstances requires the necessary strategy and preparation,” according to Vanderheyden. “The atmosphere in those pits is indescribable. The audience is really on the action. The spectators see the drivers, mechanics and motorcycles up close. That gives extra adrenaline!”
The work in the pits is crucial, just like in F1 and in other branches of motorsport. In La Chinelle it often even decides the difference between profit and loss. “In 2015, the difference between the winners and the second was barely 3 seconds. In 2016 that was 49 seconds. Still nothing in 12 hours!” Unlike any normal cross or enduro race, riders have to work intensively together to achieve a top result. “You have to be willing to share information with your teammates. I insist that drivers make optimal use of those 30 seconds during a pit stop to make their teammate who takes over wiser. How is the job now? Where should we pay attention? Has the engine started to behave differently?”
For this competition, the Husqvarna Belgium pilots will start with brand new equipment. Both teams chose the 2020 Husqvarna 450FE. In terms of preparation, this involved quite a bit of extra work. “Over the past three years we have almost always driven the same motorcycle that we knew inside and out. With new equipment you must of course first test and learn how to get the best out of that machine. It is exciting to immediately go to such a big competition... But then the thrill is even greater to achieve a top result or win!”
Modern off-road motorcycles have now become a model of reliability compared to their predecessors from the early years of La Chinelle. The wear rate of the material therefore mainly depends on the weather. “In (heavy) rain, the engine becomes very heavy due to the mud and it is also less able to cool down. If it is too dry, the tires and foam will deteriorate considerably. But in principle the engine runs almost constantly. We did the math: two years ago our engine stood still for barely 7 minutes and 20 seconds. Negligible in a 12 hour race…”
The 12 hours of La Chinelle are also a great challenge from a sporting perspective. Pushing your body to the limit at night, staying awake, eating and drinking while you would otherwise sleep normally. Every rider reacts differently to it. “That is also the charm of this competition. Whether you are a pure amateur or you are a world champion, riding out and competing against yourself together with two other riders is a unique experience. Three brothers, three neighbors or three champions together, everything is possible,” concludes Vanderheyden.
At exactly twelve o'clock on Sunday afternoon we will know who the 40th anniversary edition of perhaps the largest 'unknown' sports competition in Belgium!
Tekst: Tom Jacobs
Photos: Gino Maes
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