Clement Desalle's career: an overview!
Earlier this year, our compatriot Clément Desalle announced his retirement. He rode his last MXGP race in Trentino, Italy. The MX Panda will no longer be seen at the highest level and therefore this overview of its rich career.
Desalle was born on May 19, 1989 and would make his debut in the MX1 class at the age of sixteen. He did this for the German Kurz-Suzuki team. The team runs into financial difficulties, causing Desalle to move to Inotec-Suzuki, also of German origin, in 2008. There he managed to achieve some great results for the first time, but unfortunately this team will also fail.
Despite offers from the factory teams of Suzuki, KTM and Kawasaki, Desalle moves to the Belgian team LS Honda from Lier. He immediately managed to secure a podium spot during the first GP of 2009 in Faenza. It is the year of the definitive breakthrough because he wins the GP of the Czech Republic and Brazil. In addition, he scored four additional podium finishes and finished third in the MX1 World Championship. All eyes are now on the 20-year-old Belgian.
It is Sylvain Geboers who takes the plunge and buys out Clément from LS Honda. The rest is history as he wins 17 GPs spread over six seasons with the Suzuki team. In 2011 the knife went between his teeth and he fought Antonio Cairoli with the aim of winning the world title. The battle is fierce and Desalle is at least as strong as the Sicilian, but unfortunately he sustains an injury during a BC competition in Tongeren and has to endure the pain in the coming GPs with a dislocated shoulder. In Latvia he is knocked down and falls again on his already damaged shoulder, which only widens the points gap between him and Cairoli. Cairoli eventually takes the title that year, but how different could it have been without that painful shoulder.
After six successful years with the Geboers brothers, Desalle looks elsewhere and finds a seat at the Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT). He falls back into the arms of his former mechanic Francois Lemariey of the LS Honda team. He also managed to win a number of GPs in this team, but at the end of this year he announced that it was becoming increasingly difficult to enjoy life and racing in the MXGP. He also added that he loves motorcycling and will certainly be seen on a dirt bike. It is not yet clear what the future of Clément Desalle will be, but we understand that he will not turn down an offer to ride a season of AMA Nationals.
The fast Belgian came very close a number of times, but was never able to win a world title. He was selected five times for the Belgian MXoN team and, in a real thriller, won the Chamberlain Trophy in 2013 together with Jeremy Van Horebeek and Ken de Dycker. We will never forget his duels with the greats of the earth because they were razor sharp, never faltering and a feast for the eyes. Desalle was tough to get past, he could defend his place like no other. Just ask his competitors, they did it by the seat of their pants with Desalle in their neighborhood.
Palmares
2020: 7de MXGP World Championship
2019: 6de MXGP World Championship
2018: 3de MXGP World Championship
2017: 4de MXGP World Championship
2016: 8th MXGP World Championship
2015: 10de MXGP World Championship
2014: 4de MXGP World Championship
2013: 2de World Championship MX1, Winner – Motocross of Nations
2012: 2de MX1 World Championship, Second at Motocross of Nations
2011: 3de World Championship MX1
2010: 2de MX1 World Championship, Second at Motocross of Nations
2009: 3de MX1 World Championship, Belgian MX1 Champion – Third at Motocross of Nations
2008: 11de World Championship MX1, Second in the German Championship MX1 (ADAC MX Masters)
2007: 20th World Championship MX1, Fifth in the German MX1 Championship (ADAC MX Masters)
2006: 25th World Championship MX1, Eighth in the German MX1 Championship (ADAC MX Masters)
2005: 5de in the 125cc Junior World Championship & 9de in the European Championship 125cc
2004: Ninth in the 125cc French Junior Championship
2003: Ninth in the 125cc French Cadet Championship
Photos: BMB and archive
Also to read
The Husky boys about their race in Lugo
The super fast sixth MXGP was held in Lugo, in the center of Spain. Lucas Coenen was able to take his first win of the season while Mattia Guadagnini collected valuable points with…VIDEO: Andrea Verona and Josep Garcia dominate in Romania
The 3rd GP of the Enduro World Championship was held this weekend in Romania. Andrea Verona and Josep Garcia shared the victories. Steve Holcombe put his Honda on the…A medical update from sidecarcrosser Jason Vandaele
After the second series of the Grand Prix sidecar cross in Heerde, Jason Vandaele had to go to the hospital for a medical check-up. There was a broken rib, two fractures to his eye socket...Dano Verstraten breaks tibia and fibula
Last week Dano Verstraten fell during training. The Brabander broke his tibia and fibula. As a result, the season of the 12-year-old cross rider is over prematurely. …
Your reactions