Belgian racing is making progress with the Belgian Motorcycle Academy
Today the Belgian Motorcycle Academy was presented in Mettet. Without a doubt a great first for the Belgian motorsport! The FMWB, Zelos/MIG, the Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet and the Belgian Motorcycle Foundation join forces in the Belgian Motorcycle Academy. This initiative, recognized by DORNA, will be officially integrated into their “Road to MotoGP™” program this year.
Helping young Belgian talents to grow to the highest level
The mission of the Belgian Motorcycle Academy is to detect, train and guide young Belgian talents between 7 and 14 years old to prominent motorcycle competitions. The new academy will include a training program of at least 10 days per year, mainly during weekends and school holidays. The participants follow advanced and structured training in various motorcycle disciplines such as trial, dirt track, supermotard, motocross and speed. There will also be courses focusing on communication, psychology, nutrition and physical training. The Academy will be able to count on various coaches and instructors, including: Stephane Mertens en Fred Fiorentino, all certified by the Fédération Motocycliste Wallonne de Belgique (FMWB) and ADEPS.
Freddy Tacheny, chairman of the Belgian Motorcycle Academy: “This Academy was the missing link in the difficult path for young pilots to find their place in the professional motorcycle world. The Academy, open to the youngest, will allow early detection and support of the best talents to guide them towards a professional career, ideally guided by the Zelos management that already cares for our two Belgians at the highest level : Xavier Siméon and Barry Baltus. I thank all the partners and driving forces from the motorcycle world in Belgium for uniting around this great cause, with which we can significantly help the young pilots and their families. “
Didier Frerot, chairman of the FMWB, is pleased: “Belgium is a cradle in the world of motorcycling. The FMWB, whose sports licensees have offered Belgium more than 30 individual world titles, could therefore in no case pass up the unique opportunity to actively and professionally participate in the common will to win championship jerseys again. They have become so rare in recent years… ” He further states:“The main effort of the FMWB within the Academy will be, on the one hand, the experience in the administrative, communicative and deontological management of our future Academicians and, on the other hand, the follow-up of the specific training that will be provided by our certified instructors.”
Heikki Sermon, executive director of the Jules Tacheny circuit, adds: “Our mission is to be the benchmark in Belgium in the field of sports training for motorized two-wheelers. In addition to speed and supermoto track days, we have recently expanded our offering with the inauguration of a completely new dirt track track. With the Academy we now focus specifically on the training of our future champions.”
Road to MotoGP™: the Belgian talent trajectory
The idea of an Academy grew after Freddy Tacheny, after numerous discussions with DORNA – the promoter of MotoGP™ – received confirmation that they were launching a championship for young talents in Northern Europe to guide them towards Moto3 and Moto2, and thus hopefully open the door open to the MotoGP™. This follows the Asian Talent Cup, the British Talent Cup, the Red Bull Rookies Cup, etc. From this year onwards, DORNA will organize a Northern Talent Cup, and the best pilots of the Belgian Motorcycle Academy will potentially gain access to the annual selection.
Two young Belgian talents were selected for the 2020 edition after a selection day organized by the co-founders of the Academy. They were Lorenz Luciano (15), who has been shining in the FSBK Pré-moto 2 Championship for 3 years and Amélie Triffet (17), 3rd in the French Women's Championship in 2019. Both were accepted by DORNA to participate in the Northern Talent Cup and are integrated into the Junior Black Knights Team, led by Christophe Chantrain. This championship is one of the most important (but not the only) to which the Academy will guide young participants.
Jorgen Van hellemont, CEO of Zelos: “The Academy is a perfect continuation of the Black Knights, founded by Zelos a few years ago. This new tool is essential for our young talents to allow them to develop in a professional environment and acquire good reflexes from the start of their sporting career. The will of the Academy is to take our Belgian promises to the highest level, as Zelos did with Xavier Siméon and more recently with Barry Baltus, who will debut in Moto3 next season. “
How to become a member of the Belgian Motorcycle Academy?
To register for the Academy selections, the candidate must be between 7 and 14 years old, have Belgian nationality, excel in motorcycle control and be in possession of an annual permit obtained through the FMWB. For candidates aged 11 and over, the application must be accompanied by a sports CV. The registration amount is €2.500 for support, the use of different types of motorcycles, all lessons, full equipment, instructors and the use of different circuits (+2.000 deposit).
Registrations are via the Academy's website, which will be online in February 2020. Until then, interested parties can send their request to belgianmotorcycleacademy@gmail.com. Depending on the number of registered pilots, several selection days are organized every year, including a physical and psychological assessment.
Valuable support from various partners
In addition to the involvement of the founders and the support of DORNA, the Belgian Motorcycle Academy can also count on the valuable support of Yamaha Belgium, Pirelli, Bihr, the official Yamaha concession Zone Rouge in Andenne and Yamalube.
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of DORNA Sports: “I am delighted to welcome the Belgian Motorcycle Academy to the official Road to MotoGP program, and to expand this program to a new, important country. Discovering and developing young talent is an essential part of our vision and the Belgian Motorcycle Academy will be an extra valuable partner. I look forward to seeing the young people in the Academy grow and build better foundations for the future of motorcycling in their country and region, in combination with their participation in the new Northern Talent Cup.”
A Foundation for Motorsport
Michel Wanty and Freddy Tacheny, both passionate about motorcycles, decided together to create the Belgian Motorcycle Foundation. The Belgian Motorcycle Foundation, part of the King Baudouin Foundation, is a non-profit organization that aims to encourage the practice of motorsport.
Based on the Academy, co-founded with MIG, FMWB and Circuit Jules Tacheny, the Belgian Motorcycle Foundation will introduce another major project in the coming months. More news will follow in February.
Michel Wanty, chairman of the Belgian Motorcycle Foundation, is delighted: “Privately, Freddy and I wanted to launch a foundation together to make our actions for our common passion for motorcycles sustainable. With our initiative we hope to unite a broad panel of enthusiasts who, like us, want to contribute to the development of motorsport in Belgium through the actions we will support. The Academy is a first illustration of this, others will follow… We thank the King Baudouin Foundation for its support in the creation but also for hosting the Belgian Motorcycle Foundation.”
WHO'S WHO?
Freddy Tacheny
Chairman of the non-profit organization Belgian Motorcycle Academy
President of the Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet
Chairman of Zelos NV
Chairman of MIG (Motorcycle Investment Group)
Vice-chairman and co-founder of the Belgian Motorcycle Foundation
Michel Wanty
Chairman and co-founder of the non-profit organization Belgian Motorcycle Foundation
2nd Vice-Chairman of the non-profit organization Belgian Motorcycle Academy
Driver of the Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet
Director of MIG (Motorcycle Investment Group)
Didier Frerot
President of the Fédération Motocycliste Wallonne de Belgique (FMWB)
1st Vice-Chairman of the non-profit organization Belgian Motorcycle Academy
Vice-chairman of the Belgian Motorcyclists' Association (BMB)
Member of the Association Interfédérale du Sport Francophone (AISF)
Member of the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee (BOIC)
Member of the International Motorcycle Federation (FIM)
Heikki Sermon
Executive director of the Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet
Responsible for the organization of the training courses within the Belgian Motorcycle Academy
Christophe Chantrain
Member of the Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet
Member of the FMWB
General Manager of the Junior Black Knights Team
Jorgen Van Hellemont : CEO of ZELOS NV, mandated for the management of MIG
Carmelo Ezpeleta : CEO of DORNA Sport
Photos: Marc Bossiroy / Circuit Jules Tacheny
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