MXGP Mag #9 June 2014 by MXGP MAG

#9_JUNE 2014

Dave e p r o Th From the

outside:

Kim stersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Clij ctive perspe

k e e b e r o y Van H

r e p e e l S The Jerem

RACING CATCH UP

RIDER OF THE MONTH Jeremy Van Horebeek

07 08 15 18 28 32 38 44 49 52 56 58

INDEX

COOL SHOT

MONSTER GIRLS

HALL OF FAME Dave Thorpe

MXGP MAG: Chief Editor: Marionna Leiva Photos: Youthstream YOUTHSTREAM Media World Trade Center II Rte de Pré-Bois 29 1215 Geneva 15 Airport Switzerland MXGP Mag #9 June 2014 The articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the official position of Youthstream. Then content of this publication is based on the best knowledge and information available at the time the articles were written. The copying of articles and photos even partially is forbidden unless permission has ben requested from Youthstream in advance and reference is made to the source (©Youthstream).

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E Dear MXGP friends,

EDITORIAL Giuseppe Luongo President of Youthstream Group

There have been 2 very important arguments over the last few months; we have previously discussed one concerning riders’ injuries during practice sessions. Currently there are more than 6 MXGP riders injured and the majority from the same scenario; practicing on motocross tracks together with many amateur riders on the circuit at the same time, no flag marshals, no ambulance, no doctors, etc. During the next meeting in Maggiora between FIM, team/manufacturers and YS this topic will be discussed and assessed, and all together we need to find a solution. Riders’ health is crucial and we all need to work together to solve this problem to permit riders to prepare and train in safe conditions. The other most important issue, which has arisen recently, is concerning MX2’s 23 year age limit Regulation. The large majority of teams and manufacturers are supportive of this rule, however there are a very few who, for their own business, try to change these rules by spreading rumors that these rules will be changed next year; this is completely false. Youthstream’s position is very firm; these rules were created for

2 main reasons, the first is to give access to all talented riders from the European Championship to a good MX2 team, and the 2nd is to reinforce the MXGP class making it really the major class with all the big stars racing together, and now after experience this works perfectly. This is one of the most successful Regulation changes made over the last years; every year talented riders from the European Championship come and find a place in a top MX2 team, and the average age of this class continuously descends motivating more and more young riders to take part in the European 125cc and 250cc Championships. We don’t have anymore, as was often seen in the past, stagnant older riders with no ambition to move up to the MXGP class but just happy to remain in the MX2 class taking some points and blocking the road for young, ambitious, skilled riders with a future ahead of them. And thanks to this Regulation change the MXGP class becomes increasingly strong at every level; the MXGP class must be exclusive and it must be for the unique, riders who take part are proud to be amongst the elite. To have the MXGP brand printed on a rider’s race shirt means to be within the top 30 in the world, it means to be the diamond point of a

large pyramid. We are proud because with this rule and with the MXGP track design, which becomes more and more technically and physically demanding each year, the overall level of all the riders involved from the European 125cc up to the MXGP has significantly improved and this trend will continue. With England, France, Italy and Germany, we are back to classic MX venues. The value of the FIM Motocross World Championship, which is the first off-road series in the world, is made up by the diversity of the race tracks and conditions, they go from the classic ones like Maggiora, Talavera and St Jean d’Angely to the very modern ones like Brazil and Qatar, from the deep sand of Lommel to the very hard packed dirt of Arco di Trento, and from the extremely hot and humid conditions of Thailand to the freezing cold of Valkenswaard; not one track is similar and not one condition is the same; to be an MXGP rider, the rider needs to be talented, physically and mentally strong, and be ready to affront the various tracks, cultures, travels, lifestyles and conditions. This is what makes the MXGP riders the most unique in the world, and this is why an MXGP World Champion is without-a-doubt the best rider on the planet. MXGP MAG 2014 MXGP.COM

COOL SHOTS

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COOL SHOTS

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COOL SHOTS

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HOLESHOT

FOX HOLESHOT

Three more rounds are in the books for the Fox Holeshot and the championship is starting to take shape. In Valkenswaard we had a slightly unusual situation for the holeshot line; with the first turn being a fast and slick chicane, the line was placed 5 meters past the exit of the second corner, a placement that really rewarded the thinkers of the sport and when coupled with a starting gate that was pretty even across the board it

made for 4 great runs to the line. In MX2 Romain Febvre continued his run of form to take the first point of the day, narrowly edging out Butrón who was starting to regain his gate drop form. Behind those two a big crash wiped out Arnaud Tonus and a few other contenders and nearly took Jeffrey Herlings out of the mix at his home GP. Herlings was back on it for race 2 but it was his team mate Jordi Tixier who had the inside line into the first part

of the chicane, holding off Febvre who was to his right he grabbed the best line into the turn and emerged with his first point of the year. In MXGP it was a great day in Holland for Antonio Cairoli, as far as starts go at least. He took his first point of the day by a country mile from Gautier Paulin and in race two did a very similar thing, this time though he was pressured a bit by the two Rockstar Suzuki’s of Clement Desalle and

Kevin Strijbos who then both end- but he hit the outside berm of turn ed up being mugged by Mr Consis- one and lost vital speed, Jeffrey tent, Jeremy Van Horebeek. Herlings took another tack and by keeping it tight and to the inside he However, Cairoli didn’t have that took it by a wheel from Tonus and sort of form one week later in Tixier. For race two Jose Butrón Spain and neither did Jake Nichwas clearly pumped up and it was olls who managed to hit the gate the Spaniard who moved first but at the first time of asking. Xavier Valentin Guillod, one gate over Boog on the 24MX Honda got his from the Silver Action KTM rider, first point of the year with a huge got the jump on the lot of them start, 3 meters clear of the chas- and had his front wheel over the ing pack of Evgeny Bobryshev and gate before the others had moved. the lone Monster Energy Kawasaki Then as they clicked through the of Steven Frossard. Race 2 was gears Butrón got into his stride, possibly the closest holeshot of the sweeping into the lead by two bike year as the two Rockstar Suzuki’s lengths from Gajser who had his duked it out. Strijbos went wide best start of the year. in turn one, carrying the speed, while Desalle took to the inside Last but not least in this months and lined it up for turn two. It was first corner journey we headed to Strijbos who took his second Fox the MX mecca of Matterley Basin Holeshot point of the season but and a slightly different holeshot it was Desalle who got his nose in line from previous years. Brought front meters later and would go on forward by some 15 meters the to win the moto and the overall in marker was now on the entry to Spain. turn one instead of the exit and that made a big difference to the In MX2 Arnaud Tonus, fully recov- outcome of the 4 motos. ered from his mistake in ValkenButrón continued his run of form swaard, thought he had it covered to make it two in a row in race

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one, sneaking in front of Herlings by a whisker and the Dutchman was denied the point by even less in race two as Aleksandr Tonkov sneaked his second point of the campaign, the Russian somehow managing to keep his bike upright as Guillod slammed inside his Husqvarna in a mad dash to the inside of turn one. Butrón leaves round 8 with a 2-point margin in the points chase over Febvre. To the final MXGP showdown and Antonio Cairoli got his start gate mojo back with a great run to the line in turn one to move into the overall lead of the Fox Holeshot competition, one point clear of the absent Gautier Paulin. Race two was a stunner from Matiss Karro, taking his second point of the year the Latvian began to gap the field straight away only to drop the bike 5 turns later and remount mid pack. However, he does move into 3rd place in the standings.

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M MXGPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

MOTLEY

MONTH

The 2014 MXGP world tour is in full swing and by the time you open this magazine the teams and trucks that make up the paddock will have just reached the half way mark in the trip and be setting up in France for round 9. Oh how time flies. In the first five rounds we tackled the desert, went exotic, took on the tropics, were allured by beauty and have been face to face with Mother Nature as she devoured what is normally one of the greatest tracks on the calendar.

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Onto rounds six, seven and eight where we voyaged to the land of our MX2 World Champion, the Dutch prodigy Jeffrey Herlings, revisited ancient times with the re-birth of MXGP Spain and went back to the roots of motocross in the location most famous for the 2006 FIM Motocross of Nations, Matterley Basin in Great Britain.

MXGP of The Netherlands Rolling into the Eurocircuit Valkenswaard, the first and most eye-catching aspect was the cosmetic appearance of the track. Thick and plush green grass surrounded the infield by turn one and was accompanied by a refreshing feature fountain catapulting

lucent lines of water skyhigh, giving the place known for windmills, wooden shoes and sand a more tropical feel. Beyond that the fences around the track allowed the fans, all 26,000 of them, to totally get amongst it with a good percentage of them quite literally getting a face full of sandy roost.

of Valkenswaard has somewhat diminished over time as the Eurocircuit shaped up a little harder and choppier than it had in previous years. Nevertheless, the track proved popular among the riders with most embracing the challenge of a very tricky surface and enjoying the battles it produced.

Trackside, VIP tents lined the finish line rhythm section offering first-class views of the start straight and ‘s’ bend first corner. The track itself was prepped to perfection, complete with a new set of up hill rollers that boosted the complexity of the already complex sandy circuit. On the subject of sand, it soon was obvious that the “sandiness”

In a very pleasant change from the frozen landscape of last year the sun was radiating amongst the clear blue skies with only a chill breeze restricting what would have been a toasty day. The only thing to out shine the sun on race day was local kid and total motocross phenom Jeffrey Herlings as the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider lived up

to his title of ‘King of Sand’ by sweeping both races convincingly and astonishingly setting a blisteringly fast pace that was a full three seconds faster than the second fastest rider of the day MXGP’s Antonio Cairoli.

beek and Paulin. In race two, the Italian stallion got off to great start and had his life made a little easier when his biggest threat on that day, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin, crashed out early on lap one breaking his collarbone and On the subject of the Italian, thumb which later required the Red Bull KTM Factory rider surgery. With Paulin out, twenproved why he is already a ty-eight year old Cairoli cruised seven-times FIM Motocross home to take an easy win for World Champ, and on the fast his fifth consecutive overall at track to world title number the MXGP of The Netherlands. eight, with his riveting display of heart and bravery. After MXGP of Spain breaking the bearings in his While the icy wind kept us front wheel in a heavy landing dressed a couple layers more on lap one, the Sicilian nursed than our summer souls desired the steadily disintegrating in Holland, a mare five days wheel home to a remarkable later we were stripping off as third place behind Van Horemuch as possible to cope with

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the heat of Spain’s sizzling return to the calendar. After it’s two-year hiatus, Spain was hot, hot, hot, not only in terms because of the sun that beat down across the weekend but also in terms of the boisterous and enthusiastic crowd that bustled into the venue over the weekend and the mammoth party that took place in the centre of town until dawn every day. The Spanish wouldn’t dare host an event of such epic proportions without throwing a monumental fiesta and the gigantic party encompassed a series of white pop-party stations that had been erected around the local esplanade with a big stage in the centre as the main

focus. Famous DJ’s rolled out across the night’s revelling to spin their beats, while national rappers faced off against one another in a rap battle. After partying through the night the crowds went straight to the hills around the Talavera de la Reina track where they took a couple of hours of much needed shut eye before waking to the sound of roaring fourstroke engines letting loose on the classic style circuit. With one of the most evolving factors in motocross being the development of the tracks Talavera de la Reina, in all its natural goodness, wound back the clock at least two decades. No waves, no whoops, no mas-

sive jumps, just a classic style circuit nestled in the highland of Talavera that threw a spanner in the works for many of the modernized riders. Un-phased by the grass-roots style, it was a ‘taking back Sunday’ moment for Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings as both riders finally ditched their start of the season timidity to dominate their respective races for perfect scores.

MXGP of Great Britain

On Saturday, race day for MXGP’s qualifying and the first motos of the European EMX300, 250 and 150 classes, it became blatantly obvious that the British riders in the field are used to miserable weather as they out shone the majority of their competition. In MXGP Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Shaun Simpson used his experience of Scottish rain to smash through the testing mud to qualify an impressive second while the real English contingent of Tommy Searle and Jake Nicholls ended up locking down seventh and eighth respectively.

While Matterley Basin is typically a favourite among the riders, everything was made extra interestIn MX2, BikeIT Yamaha ing after the darkness of Thursday, Friday and parts of Saturday Cosworth’s Max Anstie looked to have rediscovered the speed lathered it in natures ale.

he left in Thailand. The humorous redhead was killing it in second place for the entire qualifying heat before he ditched his goggles in a down pour causing him to slow up and gut-wrenchingly lose out to Tixier at the last turn of the race. Meanwhile it was a memorable hat trick for Great Britain in all three European EMX race ones. GL12 Racing’s Lewis Gregory got the ball rolling with his win in the EMX300 while Hitachi Construction Machinery UK KTM’s Ben Watson dominated in EMX250 and Albie Wilkie prevailed in EMX150. Come Sunday, after frantic

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over night efforts from MXGP’s track builders, fans and riders alike were rewarded with blue skies and sunshine for race day. It was amazing how quickly the track dried up and it wasn’t long before Matterley Basin was back to its former cocky self, boasting tacky dirt and great flow. With great weather joining the party, a whopping twenty-five thousand fans passed up their Sunday scones and clotted cream to come and root for their MXGP favourites. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings dominated both heats convincingly for his fourth double victory of the season, while his teammate

flew the flag for KTM in the MXGP class. Antonio Cairoli showed admirable strength after the passing of his father one week earlier to win race one and storm his way to second in race two for the overall victory. Wrapping up rounds six, seven and eight, the whistle has blown and we’ve reached half time in the MXGP season although there’s no time to rest as we head wide open into the next month of Grand Prix’s which are set to take place on June 01 in St Jean d’Angely, France, June 15 in Maggiora, Italy, and June 22 in Teutschenthal, Germany. See you there.

FIM Motocross World Championship

Standings MXGP CHAMP. STANDINGS

MX2 CHAMP. STANDINGS

1. A.Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 351 points 2. C. Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 323p. 3. J.Van Horebeek (BEL,YAM),316 p. 4. K. Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 250 p. 5. G. Paulin (FRA, KAW), 205 p. 6. M. Nagl (GER, HON), 166 p. 7. S. Frossard (FRA, KAW),164p. 8. S. Simpson (UK, KTM), 159 p. 9. J. Roelants (BEL, HON), 153 p. 10. X. Boog (FRA, HON), 145 p.

1. J.Herlings (NED, KTM),344points. 2. A. Tonus (FRA, KAW), 305 p. 3. R. Febvre (FRA HUS), 263 p. 4. J. Tixier (FRA, KTM), 253 p. 5. D. Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 248 p. 6. T. Gajser (SLO, HON), 209 p. 7. A. Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 197 p. 8. J. Butron (ESP, KTM), 184 p. 9. G. Coldenhoff (NED, SUZ), 176 p. 10. V. Guillod (SUi, KTM), 173 p.

MXGP MANUFACTUERS 1. KTM 2. Suzuki 3. Yamaha 4. Kawasaki 5. Honda 6. Husqvarna 7. TM

351 333 316 307 250 200 144

points points points points points points points

MX2 MANUFACTUERS 1. KTM 2. Kawasaki 3. Husqvarna 4. Suzuki 5. Honda 6.Yamaha 7. TM

374 points 331 points 249 points 269 points 219 points 215 points 6 points

MXGP Instagram Insights

141,9Klikes 13,9K followers Tag your #MXGPselfie to win gift voucher on MXGP-STORE. 26

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MXGP SOCIAL

TWITTER, FACEB IN THE WORLD OF #MXGP

@Supermx_Oxford Herlings doing the double and tonus triple down. This thing was BIG. #mxgp #motocross #britishmxgp

@Nath_OVO The British lads did well yesterday but it is hard to see if we are going to have a british world champion in the future! #mxgp #motocross @AndrewMckinstry The other wasn’t top 5 in emx250... I like both AMA’s and MXGP’s but MXGP’s deserve more respect #RantOver #mxgp

@Supermx_Oxford Awesome weekend at matterley basin mxgp. #mxgp #britishgp #motocross #grandprix #supermx

@sjwright2011 Back home after a fun weekend with the @Cmpracewearshop team at the British #mxgp hope everyone had fun

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@NoemieRaynaud I’m so proud of my man, I’m so lucky to have a boyfriend how him ! #110 #greatstart #mxgp #GB #MatterleyBasin @JarnoTolkamp Had a great weeked in the UK #matterlybasin #mxgp nextstop ? @Antoniocairoli repect @jakemillerrr @tommysearle100 is just a cool dude great day yesterday! Some great racing #MXGP @SexyBexy88 Good weekend at the #mxgp can’t believe how much work goes into one day of racing! Finally in bed already aching from cleaning up today! Zzz

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@jakemillerrr Such a wicked day!! #BritGP #MXGP

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IN THE WORLD OF #MXGP 29

JEREMY VAN HOREBEEK THE SLEEPER

Sleeper (sleep-er) Noun: something that achieves sudden unexpected success after initially attracting little attention

MXGP MAG 2014 MXGP.COM

RIDER OF THE MONTH

Move over Tin-Tin there’s a new Belgian hero in town, Twenty-four year-old Jeremy Van Horebeek is the sleeper success of the 2014 FIM Motocross World Championship MXGP class. After a torrid 2 years in the wilderness the Yamaha Factory racing team have found in Van Horebeek a rider and a recipe to return them to success. For many that combination was the underdog, the outside shot at podiums for 2014, but ‘Jere’ as he’s known has come out swinging on the new for 2014 YZ450FM. Having not finished outside the top five this season and with an exceptional seven consecutive podiums that started at round 2 in Thailand, Van Horebeek has launched himself to the sharp end of the leader board as the most successful rider this year in terms

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of podiums – even more so than the seven-time world champ and current MXGP points leader Antonio Cairoli. With so much curiosity surrounding his success in his sophomore MXGP campaign, where he currently sits third in the MXGP championship just seven points behind fellow Belgian speedster Clement Desalle, MXGP Mag caught up with the down-to-earth Yamaha man to throw some water on some of those burning questions.

knew I was a good rider because I was top three in MX2, so I was thinking top five in MXGP would be possible. But then I broke my finger and it was rough for the first few GP’s. Anyway, by the end of the season, top five was kind of my place, so I was happy with that, it was good.

MXGP Mag: For all the MX2 boys who will be turning 23 this year and having to jump up to the MXGP class, what did you think was the hardest thing to adjust to? MXGP Mag: Last year you had a Van Horebeek: I don’t really season of ups and downs with your know. It is difficult, but I don’t best race finishes being a second know why. MX2 is difficult, too; in Czech Republic and a second in it’s just a different way of ridMatterley Basin. What did you ex- ing. I don’t think it’s the bike that pect going into your rookie season makes it more difficult. Only my and how do you think it went? arms get tired faster and in a Jeremy Van Horebeek: Hoh, you different way than on a MX2 bike, know, it’s always difficult when you that is the most difficult thing, I go into a series in a new class. I think.

MXGP Mag: At MXGP round two in Thailand, you took your first ever MXGP podium. Can you explain what that moment meant to you and the team? Van Horebeek: Yeah in 2013 I was close so many times and it was a bummer that I never made the podium, so when I made it this year, it was special. It was a special day for me because it was my first MXGP podium and it was a special day for the team because it had been a long time since they had a Yamaha on the podium and also to prove to the people that said Yamaha is a bad bike and the ones that told me I would mess up my career and all those negative things, so to show those people they are wrong, made it more special. MXGP Mag: You seem to gel well with your new team Yamaha Factory Racing, what is it that has made you feel so at home? Van Horebeek: Yeah I am the only rider so they have put their trust in me, and I trust them too and

when you have that everything becomes easier because it feels good to know they have the trust in you, this is also why I am a lot more relaxed and everything is going good. MXGP Mag: Is there anything you would change if you could? Van Horebeek: No, I only want to get better starts so I am working on that with the team but for the rest, I wouldn’t change anything because the team at Yamaha Factory Racing is like my family and I am their family and that makes life much easier even for the working side of things. MXGP Mag: What’s the deal on your contract are you signed for next year? Van Horebeek: I have a two-year deal so I am staying where I am now and I am really happy about that. If everything keeps going the way it, is it will be great to get a win with these people because it’s just so nice working with them.

MXGP Mag: Obviously everyone wants to know what you changed in your program to make such a giant leap forward? Van Horebeek: Actually it is the same as always. I have a trainer back home who helps me with physical condition and strength, I try to keep a good routine, I have a doctor, so I can check my blood and make sure I am fit and healthy, these are the same things I have always done since MX2. As for my riding, I have been doing it myself because I worked with the best already, Stefan Everts, so I know how it works. All I did was push a little bit more. But yeah, for the most part it just stayed the same, I’m only working a little bit harder because that’s what you have to do, you can’t be satisfied, if you are satisfied you aren’t moving forwards. MXGP Mag: What motivates you? Van Horebeek: Um, I don’t know, it’s difficult you know. I guess as a rider you always want to win and I will not be satisfied until I

am world champion. I always said to my parents, I want to be a world champion, even if it’s just once, I will be happy then, I would have achieved everything I have wanted since I was a little boy. MXGP Mag: Are you where you expected to be? Van Horebeek: Yeah, I am where I want to be. I always set my goals a little bit lower, so they are achievable. Like I said top five, but I know that I put in a lot of work over the winter so I know I could do better. Everything has gone really good, and now I am sure top three is really my spot. Of course I want to win GPs, that’s what I ride for, but maybe right now it’s a little bit too early but it will come very soon. MXGP Mag: Do you think it will happen this year? Van Horebeek: Yes for sure. I am sure.

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MXGP Mag: You’re currently second with a massive string of podiums, what are your goals for the rest of the season? Van Horebeek: I know it’s not going to be easy to be every weekend on the podium but that is the goal, I want to finish on the podium every weekend and be top three at the end of the year. And I also want to win at least one GP.

also been really good so far.

MXGP Mag: One last question, when it was announced that your home Grand Prix, MXGP of Belgium, will take place in Lommel, what was your reaction? Van Horebeek: It was ok. It’s definitely not my favorite place. It’s difficult there because it’s really rough. But I live 10 minutes from there so it’s good MXGP Mag: Would you say that for my fans. Personally for me, this year has been the highlight of Bastogne was better, it is more your career so far? my style of track, but I am a Van Horebeek: The last four years good sand rider, so it doesn’t have been very good for me actual- really matter. I am happy that it ly. I broke my shoulder in 2011, but is close to home and I will have when I came back I was straight a lot of people telling me “you’re into the top five in the MX2 and a good sand rider and you can getting podiums. Then I was top 3 win”, and it’s true I can ride in 2012 and last year also it was a sand but the problem is there good result, only the injury made is one Italian in particular who it worse than it should have been. is crazy good in the sand and But yes, you know this season has super fast, so it’s never easy.

Sometimes motorsport can be a pretty insular place, road race fans follow MX, MX fans like to watch speedway, enduro fans love a bit of motocross, trails fans, well trials fans are just different but you get the picture. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why racers spend their weekends off at other races; they know the sport, relish the buzz and get to enjoy it without their race nerves getting in the way. Then sometimes you get an outsiders perspective, someone who understands sport and what it demands but is from a totally different end of the spectrum, enter former tennis world

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number 1, Kim Clijsters. Hailing from Bilzen in Belgium, just 30 minutes away from where the legendary Everts family made their home, Clijsters is nearly 10 years Stefanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s junior but they shared the limelight in Belgian sport at almost exactly the same time as both were at their competitive peaks from 2003 to 2006. The two have been firm friends for a while now but with her life based first around her tennis career and now her young children, Clijsters had never been able to find the time to come and see what dirt bike riding is all about, until that is the re-

cent Dutch round of the MXGP World Championship at Valkenswaard. MXGP Mag caught up with the now retired mother of 2 after the end of moto 1 to get her take on her new experience. I hear that this is your first Motocross race? First one ever, of course due to Stefan Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen a lot of races on TV but this is my first one in real life. Will this entice you to give it a go or perhaps come to the Everts and Friends charity event and maybe try a bike?

SPECIAL FEATURE

From the outside: the Kim Clijstersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perspective. 39

SPECIAL FEATURE We’ve tried but because my husband is American we spend our summers in America most of the time so the timing is a little bit unfortunate for us but whenever I can I’ll try to be around. You picked a pretty gripping first race to watch, what do you think of it? Impressive, we were able to be there at the start of the first race (MX2) and then in the MXGP race we kind of walked around and saw the jumps and it’s incredible, I mean when you look at it on TV you don’t get the same feeling, ok you hear

Photo: Getty Images

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the sound but when you smell the gas and smell all that stuff, the oil, it’s like an incredible feeling and both my husband and I were like “it’s an adrenaline rush.” To see them ride by, it’s incredible, a unique experience.” MXGP is a unique atmosphere and in Valkenswaard, as in a lot of countries on the tour, the circuit played loud euro house music during the 2 minute countdown to the race, pumping up the fans and adding to the atmosphere, a moment that wasn’t lost on Clijsters.

“It’s sports and it’s what I love and to see different types of sports I want to pick his brain and see what do they do, what do they eat, what’s their routine before the race, what do they do between races, those kinds of things, that’s what I’d love to know, and we get to see a lot of things behind the scenes an that makes it even more special so we feel very lucky.” Clijsters, taking a quick breather in the Red Bull hospitality with her family, was clearly relishing the whole experience but how did she rate the sporting

efforts of the MXGP riders on a larger scale? “For sure I think there are a lot of similarities, of course you know a lot of differences, also you know just the energy around the track is completely different to tennis, but like said before, here the interaction with the fans is a lot bigger in this sport than in tennis, I think that we kind of go off into our own kind of locker room and you don’t see a guy like Federer 2 or 3 hours before the game and that’s where it’s really cool, you see the bikes and where they come in after

the race straight away and the people are right on top and you can see what’s going on what’s wrong with the bike, that’s really cool.”

and I can’t imagine doing that in Tennis but here it works perfectly fine and in a way I think it’s even better for the fans to be so close to the athletes.”

Can you imagine as an athlete having that yourself in Tennis, being mobbed and having to make your way through the crowds straight after a match? “No, and I think it’s all a matter of what you are used to, if tennis was like that in a way that we had to walk from the stadium to the locker room by ourselves with the crowd it’s all a matter of what you’re used to

A little bit more on you, how is retirement treating you are you enjoying life now? “I am, I am enjoying it, it’s a lot more busy now with the two kids but it’s a very special time, completely different of course but I’m still involved in tennis, I work at an academy that I built up a couple of years ago, so I like to work with some top players and I’m still enjoying my life in tennis.

SPECIAL FEATURE

@Clijsterskim: On our way home from the MXGP in valkenswaard! What an amazing experience and adrenaline rush ... Thank you @StefanEverts for great day! What about motocross in Belgium and how it ranks in peoples awareness, were you much aware of it and are people generally aware of it and the level at which it’s raced? “I mean, Stefan and I, he grew up 5 minutes from where I grew up and live, so it was big around our area because of him, he made the sport in Belgium, yet it still doesn’t come close to cycling or football and that’s the same thing with tennis, now tennis had dropped back a bit too.”

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As a guest of Everts and KTM, Kim Clijsters was close to the Tony Cairoli effect, a force that is spreading further and further through Italy and the world and it’s something he has worked hard on himself, that morning he had already done a signing session before moto 1, in that context how much responsibility does she think athletes should take to promote the sport and themselves? “I think it’s really important and I see it here. But at the tennis the WTA and ATP organisation really put a lot of rules

in to try and get the players more involved, and have certain things that we have to do for the tournament and every week when you play a new tournament there are different things expected from you whether it’s an autograph session, whether it’s sponsor visits, a lot of things, and every player has to do a few of those every week and they really try hard to make it more approachable for the fans so I think it’s two different sports but they all try to reach the same thing of getting more and more popular with the fans.”

MONSTER GIRLS

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MONSTER GIRLS

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MXGP ACADEMY

MXGP Academy’s Masterclass Madness

“Dude! Guess what I did in the weekend?” 10-year-old Johnny said to his buddy Billy, “What dude?” “I rode at MXGP, man, and I learnt to scrub!” “No way dude, you’re dreaming!” “No man seriously!” the bus ride to school never was as cool as it is now for a few young motocross talents. Thanks to MXGP Academy and the all-new ‘Masterclass’ program, kids all over the world are given the opportunity to learn and ride MXGP style. The idea of the MXGP Academy Masterclass is to give

local kids the opportunity to dip their feet into the world of professional motocross and accelerate their development in all facets of our sport from presentation and exposure right through to bike skills and finesse. On the Friday of selected MXGP events, a small group of little shredders aged between eight and twelve are given the ultimate MXGP experience, which has so far attracted some of the most touted up-and-comers in

Europe such as 2013 European 65 Champion Raivo Dankers and Liam Everts son of ten-time FIM Motocross World Champ Stefan Everts. The kids, in small groups of six or eight and with smiles from ear to ear, are taken into the MXGP media center where they are taught

some of the key things about communicating with the media such as sitting up straight, looking people in the eye and speaking highly of sponsors. After that vital lesson in media presentation the little tackers are given the green light to gear up and hit the track. In Valkenswaard the riders were split into two groups of approximately six riders, one group of 65â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and one group of 85â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where each rider was given individual attention from either Jan Postema or John Van Den Berk. After going through both their strengths and weaknesses the riders were able to shred some laps on a section of the track that had been specifically marked out in order to help the young talents refine and enhance their sand riding abilities. In contrast to the sand of Valkenswaard, the hardpack hilly circuit of Talavera de la

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Reina in Spain required a different skill base. John Van Den Berk had the little tikes out throwing whips, learning to scrub as well as high speed braking on down hill slopes, late breaking on inclines and throttle control around the hard pack corners. The kids from both rounds of MXGP absorbed the information like sponges with water and were looking much better and more confident on the bike before the end of the session. The following day, a day of practice and qualifying of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the Masterclass students had a taste of MXGP life. This introduced the troop to a world of dreams as they were taken through the paddock of MXGP and introduced to some of the biggest stars in motocross. Both top notch teams, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing were happy to explain and show

the future stars their set up from parking the truck, to setting up the tent, working on the bikes, going to get the tires changed, where they eat, where they sleep and where the riders hang out between track sessions. After witnessing the scene that they all would one day love to rule the kids gathered for what may have been the most memorable experience of the day, the MXGP Qualifying press conference. At the press conference the kids learned there is more to being a MXGP star than just twisting a throttle, such as learning to speak English and giving back to your sponsors as they sat up front with the qualifying winners facing the hungry horde of MXGP journalists, a daunting prospect for any 10 years old but one that only the MXGP academy can prepare them to face.

52 Photo: MEYER

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HALL OF FAME

Dave Thorpe the gentleman Three times 500cc World Champion in the most prestigious class aboard his factory HRC Honda, Dave Thorpe was one of the main stars of the 80’s and the best British representative in the history of our sport. Adding a fourth title in 2007 in the FIM Veterans Motocross World Championship and always involved in the UK as a team manager, Dave who turned 51 in September, remains as one of the most contained heroes of our harsh and demanding sport.

With his father Keith racing motocross, Dave spent a lot of time at motocross tracks when he was a kid, always waiting for someone to lift him onto his father’s bike for the trip back to the pits. He was five years old when one of his father’s friends built a 50cc Suzuki for him on which he experienced his first taste of success at the local club events. Later he won races and titles in the famous schoolboys series but unfortunately wasn’t granted permission from

the British Federation to enter the adult class before he turned sixteen. At the ripe age of sixteen-yearsold, Alec Wright knocked on the door of the Thorpe family home which was located in close proximity to the Kawasaki UK headquarters. Wright, who at the time was the manager of Kawasaki UK, came forth with the offer for Dave to ride on the ‘Green Team’ on board a 420cc. With Dave’s love for riding the bigger 420cc bike he graciously accepted. Throughout Dave’s time on Kawasaki, the youngster went on to claim two British titles in succession, and also entered the FIM Motocross World Championship mid season which ended with a remarkable sixth place finish at the final round in Luxembourg a mare three days after turning eighteen. Leading the reigning World Champion Andre Malherbe during most of the second race in the 1982

FIM Motocross World Championship season opener in Villars sous Ecot (France), Dave Thorpe known to his fans as ‘DT’, won races in Austria and Great Britain securing a long-term deal with Honda HRC alongside the champ Andre Malherbe. After spending two years in the ‘learning phase’ with Honda, Dave proved in the final stages of his 1984 campaign that he was ready to win. In 1985 Dave was stronger than ever taking the honours during the last three Grand Prix’ before approaching the final round of the series as a serious title contender against teammate

Malherbe. With Dave being the successor that day he wrapped up his first ever FIM Motocross World Championship which he went on to defend in 1986 after an epic battle with Vromans, Geboers and Jobe. “In 85cc I really, really wanted this title. When things got tough, I had the ability to knuckle down and crack on. When I was getting close to André I’d think as I was going off to sleep “in 20 years time do you want to have any regrets?” The next day in training I’d push, push and push. I was lucky never to go to a championship decider and not emerge a winner. What really sticks in my mind is the ability to put pain behind me and still deliver the goods,” he reminisces. Unable to defend his titles in 1987 and 1988 due to injuries, Dave claimed his third title in 1989 and then moved to Kawasaki. Back on a green machine, Dave with a head full of dreams and heart full of ambitions hoped to claim yet another world title but failed to succeed and finally retired in 93 with his

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Honda, Buildbase CCM, which has recently change to Buildbase HonAfter hanging up his boots, Dave has da, and has been working closely with Honda UK running his training stayed involved in the sport reaching success as coach of Team Great school. To this day Dave still carries Britain’s Motocross of Nations team. that same passion and enthusiasm It was a memorable day that day in for his sport “How many nice people Roggenburg Switzerland when the have we been privileged to meet in British team of Paul Malin and Kurt our lifetime in this sport? Motocross Nicholl defeated the heavy favourites brings people together in the right way” and with a statement like that, Team USA. it shows. Moving into management roles, Text and Photos by P. Haudiquert Dave has gone on to manage Cat final season being on Cinti Honda.

1976 British Schoolboys Champion 1977 British Schoolboys Champion 1978 British Schoolboys Champion 1979 500cc British Championship under 18 – 1st (Kawasaki) 1980 500cc British Championship – 1st (Kawasaki) 1982 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 6th (Kawasaki) 1983 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 5th (Honda) 1984 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 3rd (Honda) 1985 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 1st (Honda) 1986 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 1st (Honda) 1987 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 5th (Honda) 1988 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 3rd (Honda) 1989 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 1st (Honda) 1990 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 5th (Kawasaki) 1991 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 7th (Kawasaki) 1992 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 17th (Honda) 2007 Veterans Motocross World Championship – 1st (Honda)

PADDOCK TALKS

Paddock Talks 01/Toni Cairoli went out for tapas with Amy during the MXGP of Spain. 02/Dutch TV presenter Tess Milne overcame the challenge of making a lap on the track of Valkenswaard with Gautier Paulin’s bike. 03/FOX presented the NYC Limited Edition 360 to the media in Valkenswaard. 04/MotoGP rider Álvaro Bautista travelled to Talavera de la Reina to support the Spanish MX riders. 05/Pata Honda World Supersport race winner Michael van der Mark visited the MXGP of the Netherlands and met the HRC riders Evgeny Bobryshev and Tim Gajser. 06/ In Valkenswaard Youthstream’s president Giuseppe Luongo and Eric Geboers announced that the MXGP of Belgium will take place in Lommel during the 3rd August weekend

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10 09

Paddock Talks 07

07/Watch the Pit Chat with Thomas Covington and Amy Dargan. 08/The public love taking pictures with the new Instagram structure placed in the MXGP paddock. 09/José Butrón and Amy Dargan went to the Plaza de Toros of Talavera de la Reina during the Spanish MXGP. 10/Injured Todd Waters visits the GP’s and makes the most of it while he is recovering from his broken left tibia and fibula.11/ Moto3 rider Maria Herrera visited the MXGP of Spain.

QUESTIONS TO THE EDITOR

QUESTIONS TO THE EDITOR Hello MXGP, Where can I buy MXGP – the Official Videogame? Thanks, Arnold Verik Hi Arnold Please visit the official website, http://www.mxgpvideogame.com where you can find the possible places to buy the game. Please follow the “Buy Me” on the website. All the best, Youthstream Hi MXGP, What time does the first race start on Sunday, please? Cheers, Daniel Lloyd Hello Daniel, Thanks for contacting us. Please visit the MXGP-TV. com to see the LIVE schedule before each MXGP event. You can also register for the MXGP-TV newsletter and receive such info to your e-mail: http://www. mxgp-tv.com/user/signup Best Regards Youthstream

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Hi MXGP, We are from Canada and have purchased the 2014 MXGP live stream package. When we watch the footage, the stream continually loses its feed. Can you help with any suggestions to prevent this from happening? Cheers, Kim Houde Dear Kim, Great to hear that Canadians are following the MXGP series, too! It seems that you have a problem with your Internet connection. Please contact the Internet provider. If you have any further questions please contact us by this e-mail: contact@youthstream-media.com Best Regards Youthstream

Hey guys, I’m in Dubai this month and I cannot find info about the Mxgp TV coverage here. Where can I watch it? Thanks, Marco Dragoni Dear Marco Thanks for reaching us. TV Broadcasters that cover the FIM Motocross World Championship are listed under this link: http://www.mxgp.com/ inside-mxgp/tv-broadcasters. Also, before each MXGP please visit www.MXGP.com where you will find TV Broadcasters Guide for that particular event. Not to mention, you can also watch full races and replays on www.MXGP-TV.com, on your computer, tablet or mobile phone. All the best, Youthstream

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