The magic of the Namur esplanade!
We Belgians have plenty of reasons to be nostalgic about motocross. Since the 50s, we have ruled the sport like no other and won plenty of world titles. All the while, the rest of the world watched with dismay as the Belgians continued to leave their mark on the sport. No one could have imagined that lean years awaited us after the turn of the century and that the once mighty motocross nation would become a shadow of its former self.
However, in all those glory years, there was one place that could perfectly capture the magic of the sport. The Citadel of Namur was a place of pilgrimage every year for motocross fans, curious sports enthusiasts or people who wanted a day out in a special environment. One of them was MXVintage editor-in-chief Danny Hermans. Danny wrote a beautiful, nostalgic piece about that magical place: the esplanade of Namur.
“As a young teenager I attended the 500cc Grand Prix at the Citadel of Namur for the first time. Together with my father and his friends we drove on a small road that climbed gently to the esplanade. According to Dad, they parked every year in a street very close to the circuit, but that was only possible if we were early enough. We had already left at seven in the morning so that had to be fine. My father's friends had a garage and that made the drive to Namur an experience in itself because it was the first time I was in a Mercedes. You shouldn't settle for less if you're on your way to the Monaco of motocross. The comfortable ride also took place in sunny conditions, so this day could not have gone wrong….” Click here to read the full story.
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