A 100% Belgian podium, how long ago was that?
In our reporting yesterday we alluded to the exceptional fact of three Belgians who lived on one MX2 podium were shining and the fact that we couldn't remember when that was the case in this class. We therefore delved into our archives to provide clarity.
So yesterday there were three Belgians on the MX2 podium in Sumbawa with a proud winner Lucas Coenen who took pole and both heats, Liam Everts (P2) and Jago Geerts (P3). For the 16-year-old Coenen it was a first victory in MX2. It was bound to happen anyway because it could have happened two weeks ago.
Then his plans were thwarted by a chain break. Liam Everts finished second twice and thus finished second in the final standings. Geerts was on the podium for the first time since his injury that he sustained in France. He finished 5th and 3rd in the heats.
We cannot emphasize enough how exceptional this situation is, even for a motocross country like Belgium. For the same event in the MXGP class, it was a flashback to 2014 when Clément Desalle won the Spanish Grand Prix (Talavera de la Reina) and was flanked on the podium by Jeremy Van Horebeek and Kevin Strijbos.
Desalle won both series. Van Horebeek was allowed on the second podium step thanks to a 2nd and a 4th place. Kevin Strijbos finished third in the final standings with a 4th and 3rd place.
The search took a little longer for the MX2 class, but we still found the same feat in our yearbooks. To do this we had to go back to a period when the MX2 class was still called the 125cc class. On April 5, 1981, the 125cc Grand Prix of the Netherlands was held in the sandpit of Valkenswaard. The match was won by Marc Velkeneers who beat Harry Everts and Eric Geboers. So three Belgians on stage and the fact that grandfather Harry was there in 1981 makes it that little bit more special.
And even more recently, in 1981, these three Belgians could also be found together on a podium during the Grand Prix of Czechoslovakia. On August 2, 1981 (in Dalecin) Harry Everts won the GP ahead of Geboers and Velkeneers.
We wish our riders a successful continuation of this season, knowing that a completely Belgian podium could easily happen again with talented riders such as Jago Geerts, Liam Everts, Lucas and twin brother Sacha Coenen.
Photos: Full Spectrum Media and Archive MXVintage
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