MXGP Mag #8 May 2014

#8_MAY 2014

Interview

with Former Liverpool FC Star

Sami Hyypiä

, à t i c o l e V

e o g n a F

a i r o l G

Top 5 in 5 years, the Kemea Yamaha Team story

RACING CATCH UP

TEAM OF THE MONTH Kemea Yamaha Racing

07 08 15 18 28 32 38 44 49 54 58 60

INDEX

COOL SHOT

MONSTER GIRLS

HALL OF FAME

André Malherbe

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 #8 May 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).

MXGP MAG 2014 MXGP.COM

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E

E

EDITORIAL

Giuseppe Luongo President of Youthstream Group

the same time as amateur riders who are minutes slower than them, and on top of this, there is an absence of Dear MXGP friends, marshals and medical people presThe World Championship medical system is also high on Youthstream’s ent. Something must be done.

This month I would like to talk about priority; even if at every MXGP something extremely important and there is a local medical staff who Youthstream works very closely with which takes a lot of Youthstream’s the Foundations Wings For Life and is legally in charge, Youthstream attention, I’m talking about riders’ Road 2 Recovery, because everything sees the necessity of having a safety. we can possibly do to support and professional medical staff at every promote safety and recovery is esGP with modern medical technolOver the years there have been sential for our sport and for all those ogy and personnel knowing every many improvements made in this rider, therefore YS fully finances the involved. domain and MXGP tracks have be- Mobile Medical Centre which cares come more and more professional We will continue to work and invest in about all the riders and/or everywith the fencing installed around one present at every MXGP for free this direction and I hope all together the track in a manner respecting FIM, YS, teams and manufacturers of charge for the person needing the obstacles and the speed of the assistance. can find a feasible solution for pracarea, and by removing hard obtise sessions and National races. stacles (trees, rocks, walls and/or Unfortunately, the majority of rider This is a complicated point, but as other). Marshals and officials have injuries occur during training seswe have all succeeded in reducing become increasingly expert, and the noise and significantly increased sions and non-world championship the layout and maintenance of the races, and this year is no exception the safety on the MXGP racetracks, tracks are made by professionals with already 5 main actors seriously I have no doubt that we will also to ensure the quality, the technical succeed with this. injured during practise sessions aspects and above all the safewith similar types of accidents, putty. For safety issues Youthstream After 5 MXGP events, both the ting their participation and results has created a working group that MXGP and MX2 World Championship in the FIM Motocross World Chamtogether with FIM takes care about pionship in jeopardy. Regrettably classes show to be intense, and the the current safety and the develop- there are not many practise tracks next MXGP events in the Netherment of the safety. Our advisor, Mr. open and the few that are open lands and Spain with completely Dave Nicoll (former FIM Race-Didifferent types of layout and soil will have too many riders participating rector), with his long experience continue to mix up the results and at the same time and with huge as previously a rider, then team provide great racing and an exceldifferences in their level of riding manager and after Race-Director, skills. Top MXGP riders practise at lent show. works at every MXGP to advise us how we can continue to improve the safety for the riders and public.

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COOL SHOTS

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COOL SHOTS

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COOL SHOTS

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F

F

HOLESHOT

FOX HOLESHOT

5 races down, 10 motos in the books and 10 Fox Holeshot points bought and paid for with perfect timing and skill.

As we passed the quarter season mark of motos in race 1 in Bulgaria a new name was added to the MXGP Fox Holeshot leader board as the #222 of Antonio Cairoli finally got the start and first corner that he had been looking

for on the 350 Red Bull KTM. Starting 4th from the inside the championship leader was beaten down the start straight by both Steven Fossard on the Monster Energy Kawasaki and Xavier Boog on the 24MX Honda, who both started outside of the Italian.

However, their wider entry meant a wider exit and Cairoli was able to stop and turn the KTM much faster to get on the gas on the inside line

and sneak over the holeshot line to take his first point of the year. He would go on to lose that lead just 20 seconds later to Gautier Paulin who had been the holeshot king just one week earlier in Trentino, storming to both points and the lead of the table, and Cairoli would need to do it all again in moto number 2.

That was a different challenge altogether as the heav-

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ens opened before the start of the second MX2 race and the track was a slick wash of mud and the start straight was rapidly returning to a sea of mud that it had been 24 hours before. A perfect gate reaction for Cairoli, his bike’s wheels moving a fraction of a second before anyone else’s gave him the initial jump and the lead on the run to turn one. It looked to be all his until Dennis Ulrich on the #147 Sarholz KTM swept in from the outside to have a run at the holeshot line. Cairoli this time didn’t square off the corner, preferring instead to run the bike to the outside, causing Ulrich to check up and leaving plenty of space for the #222 to scamper across the line for his second point of the season and second his second Fox Holeshot in a row.

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Gautier Paulin still leads the way in MXGP with 4 points but Cairoli’s haul means he jumps up to second in the table.

give him a few bike lengths lead and allow him to own that inside line once more. It was Butrón again who was his closest challenger but In MX2 Romain Febvre, start- once again the Spaniard was ing 5th from the inside, was forced to take the outside line given a clear run to turn one after his 13th place in the as the men inside of him, inqualifying race left him with cluding Arnaud Tonus and Jef- an outside gate pick. Both frey Herlings, couldn’t match were lucky to escape the first the reaction time of the Wilvo corner melee that claimed Nestaan Husqvarna rider. amongst other people the Only perennial holeshot art2-time holeshot winner from ist Jose Butrón on the Silver Trentino Valentin Guillod on Action KTM could get lose and the Standing Construct KTM. he couldn’t match the speed Febvre would go on to take of the tight inside line, leaving his second point in a row and Febvre with a clear run to the close to within one of Butrón Fox Holeshot line and his first at the head of the table. point of the season.

In Moto number two it was the first 25 meters after the jump that really paid off for Febvre as he found traction in the now slick surface to

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B

BEAUTY

AND THE

BEAST

INSIDE MXGP ROUNDS FOUR & FIVE Stepping off the plane from Brazil - MXGP’s round three – to Europe meant that the holiday was officially deemed over. Teams, organizers and support crews scurried back to their European bases to attend to their long list of chores which had to be completed before making the trip to MXGP’s fourth stop on the calendar, easily the most breath-taking of the tour, Arco di Trento.

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Before that destination could be entered into the chosen navigation system, team rigs had to be pulled apart and cleaned from top to bottom, re-stocked with tools and spare parts, wrapped in the latest sponsor logos and loaded with bikes and gear. With a trip to the supermarket to buy all things necessary to keep the boys fighting fit and on their “A” game, the squads were good to go and ready to get the show on the road.

Arriving at the circuit it was evident that good things really do come in small packages. The spectacular and serene venue was tight and cozy but the rainbow of team shirts that painted the pad-

dock that weekend just gave the stunning location an extra shot of MXGP flare.

While more often than not Friday is the calm before the storm, this particular Friday was anything but. Walking through the pits you could definitely sense the excitement and anticipation of everyone as the European media descended on the returning trams and riders, coupled with the fact that it was the first round of European MXGP and it was taking place in the one country that could easily be named ‘the heart of motocross’ due to its ever passionate, loyal and rowdy fans the tension and expectation in the air was palpable.

The location was undeniably attractive with its snow covered mountains, crisp air, stunning limestone cliffs and refreshing lakes, it was easy to be distracted and swept away in admiration until the beasts of MXGP were unleashed to shower us in all their glory.

Standing shoulder to shoulder and utilizing every possible square inch of available spectating real estate the fans packed in to witness some of the best racing so far this season. The MXGP class was completely unpredictable, with even the best riders in the world such as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli, Monster Energy

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Kawasaki Racing Team’s Steven Frossard and Team HRC’s Evgeny Bobryshev, all struggling to keep their machines rubber side down.

Taking advantage of the situation at hand, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MXGP’s Clement Desalle put in two super smooth and consistent rides to win his first overall this season.

Europe’s Glenn Coldenhoff. Nevertheless, a win is a win and the Dutch rider was able to make up five points on the red plate holder CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus.

contrast. Whereas Arco had a tight, rocky based, slick circuit, Sevlievo was wide, rutty and flowing, meaning the only similarities that the two tracks shared was their technicality, although for Sevlievo that was mostly due to the downpour that After the flag dropped on the races saturated the Bulgarian clay the riders were stoked to be able to entire week prior to the race. return to the comfort of their own motorhomes to rest and reflect.

While Saturday (the day of qualifyMeanwhile in MX2, Red Bull KTM From Trentino it was onwards ing) was a rather quiet day specFactory Racing’s Jeffrey Herand upwards, with everything tator wise, come Sunday and a lings was making his return to the water-blasted off and packed up bright dawn the Bulgarian public gate after missing round three of ready to make the long haul to Bul- was wide-awake and ready to root the championship in Brazil. While garia, where round five of the FIM for their MXGP favorites. Joining the Dutch sensation was strong Motocross World Championship in on the action, all three classes enough for the overall victory, he was set to take place. of the European Championship, didn’t claim the perfect score he which included the all new EMX300 has been so used to pocketing, From the compact, scenic and hilly two-stroke class, were also racing instead in moto two he had to settle paddock of Arco, to the spacious, in Sevlievo and had to deal with for second behind his Dutch coun- flat and flowing paddock of Sevlie- a weatherman who clearly had a terpart Rockstar Energy Suzuki vo, it seemed everything was in chip in his shoulder as he contin-

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ued his on/off rain offensive with the drenched circuit. Nevertheless, come race day all riders geared up in good spirits determined to tame the beast that was Sevlievo.

In the MXGP class race one, the seven-time FIM Motocross World Champion Antonio Cairoli sat a close second behind the man who was on the verge of being named the king of Bulgaria, Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Gautier Paulin.

Race two was more or less a battle of survival, the Red Bull KTM Factory Rider used his exceptional dirtbike skills to carve through the slop for the final race win and his first ever Bulgarian overall MXGP victory and his first overall at the circuit since his 2007 MX2 days.

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Meanwhile in MX2, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings and CLS Kawasaki Monster Energy’s Arnaud Tonus stole the show, both riding at a blisteringly fast pace to take first and second respectively in both races, though for a slow speed mistake at the end of race one, that saw him in the dirt allowing Herlings an easy pass, Tonus could have changed the look of the overall result. These two were in a class of their own finishing over forty seconds ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jordi Tixier who finished third with two thirds to his name to take his first podium of the season.

As for the European Championship, TM Racing Team’s Samuele Bernardini won the opening round of the brand new EMX300

series with a perfect 1 – 1 score while in the EMX250 Spanish prodigy Jorge Zaragoza took his Bud Racing Kawasaki to a 6 – 2 result to claim the first EMX250 win of the season. For the EMX 125s it was round two of the European Championship and Red Bull KTM Racing’s Davy Pootjes claimed his second overall victory this season with his 1 – 3 result.

After racing two rounds that have supplied MXGP with both beautiful scenery and beastly conditions, MXGP will take on its first sand round in Valkenswaard on the weekend of May 4th before heading to Talavera de la Reina where Spain will make its FIM Motocross World Championship comeback after a two year hiatus.

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FIM Motocross World Championship

Standings MXGP CHAMP. STANDINGS

MX2 CHAMP. STANDINGS

1. A.Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 222 points 2. C. Desalle (BEL, SUZ), 194p.

3. J.Van Horebeek (BEL,YAM),194 p.

4. .G. Paulin (FRA, KAW), 180 p.

5. M. Nagl (GER, HON), 166 p.

6. K. Strijbos (BEL, SUZ), 145 p.

7. T. Waters (AUS, HUS),107 p.

8. X. Boog (FRA, HON), 96 p.

9. E. Bobryshev (RUS, HON), 95 p.

10. S. Simpsom (UK, KTM), 95 p.

1. A. Tonus (FRA, KAW), 198 points.

2. J.Herlings (NED, KTM), 194 p.

3. G. Coldenhoff (NED, SUZ), 176 p.

4. R. Febvre (FRA HUS), 158 p.

5. D. Ferrandis (FRA, KAW), 154 p.

6. J. Tixier (FRA, KTM), 147 p.

7. A. Tonkov (RUS, HUS), 130 p.

8. T. Gajser (SLO, HON), 121 p.

9. V. Guillod (SUi, KTM), 107 p.

10. J. Butron (ESP, KTM), 105 p.

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

222 points 200 points 194 points 193 points 170 points 117 points 88 points

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

224 points 216 points 179 points 164 points 141 points 131 points 6 points

MXGP Facebook Insights Short Facts about MXGP Facebook Page • Launched in March 2013 • 1000 fans in March 2013 • 900,000 people reached us in March 2013 • Almost 150,000 fans today • Over 2,500,000 people reach us monthly today • Up to today 30,000,000 people have reached MXGP Facebook Page

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Top 10 countries on the MXGP Facebook

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MXGP SOCIAL

TWITTER, FACEB IN THE WORLD OF #MXGP

@MXGP Buy your #MXGP tickets: http://ow.ly/w41H9 Which races are you coming to? @Moto_Magazine Tommy Searle is BACK RIDING - he said, “Very steady but enjoyed it” #MXGP @marcobonomi “@mxgp: #222 @Antoniocairoli has 222 points after 5 #MXGP rounds! Nice combination! @KTM_Racing” As well as KTM Factory !... ‫@‏‬MarchettiRacing MXGP OF BULGARIA 2014 26MN MAGAZINE #marchettiracing #mxgp http:// fb.me/6xS6u9LXG ‫@‏‏‬alex_bennett191 “@alpinestars: Great weekend in #MXGP for @JHerlings84 in Bulgaria #MX2 #Alpinestars - who caught the action? Why is he so sick 100%!!! @salvadorRV1 MXGP of Bulgaria VIDEO Highlights !! #motocross #MXGP http:// fb.me/6IgufjL6O

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@GettingDirtyUK Fun in the Mud for @ shaunsimpson24 at the weekend! 8th Overall in Bulgaria #TeamGD #MxGP #GDClothing @mxdoh KTM back on top in #mxgp with @Antoniocairoli #sevlievo @Mad_RR Seeing this #mxgp for the first time here on tv in the states. Some good racing.

Was just playing #mxgpvideogame demo the other day.

Thumbs up for MXGP! This month MXGP Facebook (http://www.facebook. com/mxgp) will celebrate 150,000 likes! This is all thanks to you, our greatest motocross fans. In 2013 we started with only 1000 likes, and after year of daily communication, we are proud to have so many loyal MXGP fans!

Be the 150,000th fan and win 2 MXGP season passes!

Like MXGP Facebook page and find out if you are the lucky one!

@NaomiNolte Arnaud was on the 2nd step of the podium yesterday after a 2-2 in the heats!

He still has the red plate! #mxgp #mx2

MXGPtv Youtube Channel celebrates 1st birthday!

Over the last 12 months, MXGP has posted nearly 900 videos and has reached 1mln views with 3mln estimated minutes watched. Thanks to all the motocross fans to enjoying MXGP video content! Click here & catch up with the top 10 most popular MXGPtv Youtube

BOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE Visit MXGP Instagram (@MXGP) and have fun!

@gillburgess1 Funniest track walk!! #mudfordayz #bulgaria #mxgp

@MXGP #mxgpselfie right before the #mxgp Qualifying starts with @antoniocairoli ! Keeping the good vibe!

@elizagg #mxgpselfie at the #mxgp of Trentino! @antoniocairoli @kendedycker @ aleksandrtonkov

@bobryshevevgeny #mxgpselfie #mxgp #trentino#evabobrysheva @elenabobrysheva777 @MXGP #mxgpselfie with @toddwaters47 at the #mxgp of Bulgaria. Show us your#mxgpselfie !

IN THE WORLD OF #MXGP 29

KEMEA YAMAHA R HALFWAY THERE 32

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TEAM OF THE MONTH

RACING: Belgium produces motocross teams like Holland produces tulips, small family run organisations are the backbone of the local scene and the MXGP paddock is dominated by passionate and professional Belgian outfits that run riders all the way from EMX125 to MXGP.

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Three years ago a new team made its bid for an established place in the paddock as Kemea Yamaha Racing took shape under the guidance of Hans Corvers and Marnicq Bervoets.

In 2014 they have hired the talents of Aussie SX and MX champion Luke Styke alongside returning teenager Petar Petrov to try to steer the blue and white bikes into the top ten of the MX2 World Championship, a goal which Corvers really believes they are on their way to fulfilling.

“In 2011 we started with the European championship and then Marnicq is from the same town as me, so everything came together. Marnicq was working for LS Honda and he stopped there and said “ok maybe we can arrange something” and

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then it went really fast. In a few months we decided that we would go for the World Championship because when you want to do everything well in the European Championship you need the truck, the workshop, you need the mechanics, you need everything the same as for the World Championship, so then we decided to go for the World Championship and Marnicq said “Hans, either we do it good or we don’t do it.” So then we made a plan with the budget for the long term, we made an agreement together to say we go for 5 years, and in 5 years, that’s 2016, we want to be in the top 5.”

That goal setting and long term view is key to the success of any venture but it doesn’t come cheap, any initial investment

can seem like a staggering amount without the foresight and commitment to see the plan through and this is a project that knows both why and how it exists.

“From this year we have a completely new workshop, a completely new truck, we have two new vans, I’m really proud to say we have top mechanics in house now, so everything is there, the structure is there.

We have a few good sponsors with commitment for a few years so everything is there to go, but you can’t buy success, you have to work for that and it’s not easy to get success.”

Part of that success means having proven winners on the team and that’s where Luke Styke comes is. One of two Australians to make the trip

over this year, 22 year old Styke won everything he could get his hands on in the 2013 Australian season, part of his success came from the strong relationship that he had with his long term Yamaha team and it was clearly a wrench for the cool headed Aussie to leave the safety of a championship winning team in search of bigger rewards in Europe, something Corvers is very much aware of.

“From his side it’s not so easy, from our side we are completely there for him, but first of all he has come from 30 or 40 degrees and when he came to Belgium it was 5 degrees, the tracks are completely different, the culture, everything is completely different and what we knew before was that it was some risk that we knew before that all the New Zealanders, South Africans and Austra-

lians, the guys that are coming over in the past everybody needed one year to get in and the second year they will get results, so it was a little risk to take Luke as he is only coming for one year. We didn’t know him very well, we knew that he was riding Yamaha and that he won 9 of the 10 championship races in Australia, Dean Ferris last said to me “ok Hans he is fast, he is even faster than me.”

was hard to find someone to talk to and tell everyone what was going on as I had no one, so it was kind of building up and building up and it was very tough at the start. The more and more racing I do, the more time I spend with the team it’s getting better and better.”

Beyond the language barrier and the colder climate there are the extended GP weekends and other racing commitments to take of for Styke.

Styke, like many before him, underestimated the task that fell before him and when coupled with an unlucky reaction to a flu jab before travelling to Brazil, it has been a rocky start for the number 26.

“The two days of racing is hard, I’ve never done that before in Australia, we’ve always done a 1 day race and you go home and there are always big gaps between the races, here I haven’t had a weekend “It was hard at the start just off since I’ve been here, I’ve in the fact that everyone was raced every weekend with the new, the team was new, I didn’t ONK (Belgian Championship) have my girlfriend to talk to, it with the Dutch Championship,

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the GPs, with travelling and also trying to test as quick as I can to get more comfortable.”

It’s a difficult task for anyone to master but Styke has come back from those dark days of the early rounds where thoughts of home were clawing at his mind and really now begun to settle down to the task in front of him, the arrival of his girlfriend to Belgium has brought a sense of belonging to Europe and the new boy in Kemea Yamaha Racing will soon begin to show just what he’s made of.

That brings us back to the stalwart of the team, it’s odd to think of Petar Petrov as a championship veteran at the age of just 19, but such is his presence and affable nature that he is already a well known

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personality on the GP scene, he is also one of biggest and tallest riders in MX2, is that something he has to work on?

“I work on it a lot over the winter and I’m still trying to improve, but it’s really hard as I’m not really fat, there are only muscles on my body and as you know muscle weighs more than fat so I think I’m just like this, I’m born big and my bones are also pretty heavy, so that’s the way it is and we can’t really change it.”

happen how you plan them, it’s technical sport, injuries happen and all those things but I mean I know I am only 19 and last year I was 11th in the championship, at the end we had some crashes and problems but we should have finished maybe 8th or 9th.

I’m only 19 so I have 4 more years to ride MX2 so there is still a lot of time ahead of me.”

With his best results of the year coming last weekend in Bulgaria, 8th after a first lap crash in moto 1 and 6th in moto two Bigger than most he may be, beating GP winner Glenn Coldthis year Petrov knows he has to enhoff in the drag to the flag, show that he is a more experithere are signs of maturity enced competitor than the others in Petrov, if he and Styke can as well. work together then the team is in place around them to reach “I should have been better I be- their goals for 2014 and then lieve, but sometimes things don’t some.

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O

One ball versus two, with UEFA Champions League Champion Sami Hyypi채

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SPECIAL FEATURE

There’s nothing more gratifying than seeing a legend of a different sport share our passion for MXGP. Formula One legend Kimi Räikkönen and star of the UEFA Champions League (Football) Sami Hyypiä are two sporting heroes that have, in the last few years, taken a liking to our great sport.

A couple of weeks ago, amidst the action of MXGP round four at the picturesque circuit of Arco di Trento in Italy, Kimi Räikkönen’s motocross team Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing played host to a legend of the soccer pitch and one of Liverpool FC’s fan favorites, Sami Hyypiä.

Sami Hyypiä is a Football giant – in more ways than one.

Standing at a massive 196cm tall, the lanky football ace became a fully fledged football celebrity when he ventured out of his home country of Finland in 1996. After playing for three and half years for Wilem II Tilberg in Holland, Hyypiä was offered his dream job of playing for his all-time favorite team Liverpool FC. Hyypiä played for ten years at Liverpool where during the 2001 and 2002 seasons he was team captain. In 2005, Hyypiä’s career reached its all-time high when he played a key role in Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League victory. In 2009, Hyypiä left the place he

had called home for the last ten years to set his sights on new challenges. From Liverpool FC, the Finn moved to Bayer Leverkusen, a smaller club in Germany, and played until 2011 when he decided to retire from playing and move off the field and into coaching.

While Hyypiä is most famous for chasing a ball around a field, he’s not afraid to admit that people are right when they say, “you need two balls to ride motocross!” We caught up with the football star to see how professional football relates with professional motocross and to see how an

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SPECIAL FEATURE

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athlete from a non-motorsport arena views MXGP…

coaching much much more difficult than playing.

MXGP Mag: As you may know, many of the top motocross riders take on team management roles after they hang up their boots, for example Stefan Everts is the MX2 Team Manager at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Joel Smets is the same for Rockstar Energy Suzuki World. You too did the same in a Football sense, after 10 years of playing for one of the most popular teams in the UEFA Champions League (Liverpool) you decided to try your hand at coaching. What was that experience like from your perspective?

Sami Hyypiä: You know, of course as a player it is much easier. You have your own tasks and you only have to concentrate on what you do. But as a coach there are so many different things you have to think of, like, all the players are different, so you have to treat them differently. Things like that make

Somebody said to me when I was playing, “Try to play as long as you can because those will be the best days of your life”, especially when your hobby is your job, he was right!

When I decided to quit football, I could have still played two or three years more but I wanted to retire at the top.

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MXGP Mag: Was coaching something you had always wanted to do?

Sami Hyypiä: I always wanted to continue somehow in football, but I didn’t really think of being a coach until it came about. I heard from other people that they were confident that I would be a good coach, so I agreed to try it and after I finished playing it was only 10 months before I was the head coach of our team. It was a big responsibility and I had to take it on without much experience.

I mean, it was only myself and

one other guy - who had experience in coaching - but he was coming in from the youth division of the club. So that was a bit of a jump into darkness where I didn’t really know what to expect but you know we did ok, we finished third in the league that year.

MXGP Mag: But coaching for you was somewhat short lived…

Sami Hyypiä: Yeah, I guess you could say that. This season started well, we were second after the first half of the season, but then after the winter break the results were not very good and I know in football that when it is going bad, the coach has the responsibility of the results and when someone has to go it’s the coach. So of course the club wanted to change things, it’s normal, and now the team has to have a new coach and I have to do something else until the summer or I find another job.

MXGP Mag: So you’ve spent a bit of time hanging out with the guys at Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing, what does a week in the life of a pro footballer look like in comparison to that of a rider?

Sami Hyypiä: In the on-season in football we have to play every week, whereas in motocross there are some weekends that you have free and in that time you can train or if you are tired or injured you can rest. In football we don’t stop playing so we train almost all year long to stay in good shape. As a footballer I prefer to work with the ball.

Running without the ball is more or less a waste of time, but of course there are days where you just have to do it.

But really you should only do it when you can’t find something that is relative to how hard you work with a ball.

If you compare football to motocross, I think the guys of MXGP are training much harder and much longer. I mean motocross is so brutal. Your heart rate is up around 190 – at least – for the duration of forty minutes!

That is so hard, people don’t understand how hard that is.

In football it’s like the fitter you are, the easier it is to play and when the ball is out of play you can take a few moments to rest, whereas in motocross you can not rest. You just have to go full speed all the time. There is no time to be tired. It’s so crazy, I admire these guys, every time I come to watch the racing I am always amazed at how fast they are riding and they are absolutely crazy and so it’s always really great to see.

MXGP Mag: Do you ride yourself?

Sami Hyypiä: When I was playing I tried to ride a little bit after

the season. When I was a coach I used to ride every week, and that was the best way for me to forget football for a while. But I found that you have to really have to concentrate when riding, because when you lose concentration you will crash and end up in the hospital.

MXGP Mag: The guys in MXGP are doing thirty minute plus two lap races, have you tried to ride thirty-minutes as fast as you can?

Sami Hyypiä: No, no, for sure I don’t have the power to ride 30 minutes in one time. I still have a lot to learn.

MXGP Mag: How did you get to know the guys at Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing?

Sami Hyypiä: I met Antti Pyrhönen (Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager) for the first

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time at the FIM Motocross of Nations 2008 at Donington Park, England. A little bit later, I moved to Germany, which was cool because the team is based in Belgium only 1.5 hours away from where I was living. That was really cool because if I wanted to ride, I just went there to ride with the guys.

MXGP Mag: Do you know Kimi Räikkönen personally?

Sami Hyypiä: Of course, I have met Kimi a few times and I find it great that he has a passion to race motocross and have his own team. Now I am trying to practice (riding), so next time we ride together I can give him a race! But I think he is a bit quicker than me so I have a lot of practice to do.

MXGP Mag: You mentioned before that you have been riding with the guys, how was that experience?

Sami Hyypiä: It was a prob-

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lem to ride with these professionals (Laughs), when they went to a track and it was smooth like a runway of an airport, absolutely no bumps, they turn around and go to another track which is in really really bad condition.

Those places were maybe not the right places for me to ride, but it was ok, just difficult.

MXGP Mag: Where did your passion for motocross come from?

Sami Hyypiä: When I was a little boy, my neighbor had a dirtbike and I used to go watch him practice and race.

Also at the time the FIM Motocross World Championship was every year in Finland, so then I used to go and watch there and it was so awesome to see the top guys riding.

Back then there were also a lot of good riders from Finland, so it was really interesting to follow because the Finnish guys were at the top.

So I think my passion comes from that time.

MXGP Mag: Who was your favorite rider then, and who is your favorite rider now?

Sami Hyypiä: When I was younger, Pekka Vehkonen was one of my favorites. As for now, that’s a tough question because I have met a few of the top riders and it has been great to get to know them a bit better than just to see them on the track. So I don’t really know who’s my favorite, but Antti (Pyrhönen) was definitely one of them when he was riding and I also used to help Harri Kullas for a few years.

So I got a bit closer to him too, and now hopefully he is getting back to the top and he will have another chance to shine.

Thanks for your time Sami, it was great to meet you. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day and look forward to seeing you at more MXGP rounds in the future!

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MONSTER GIRLS

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MXGP ACADEMY

MXGP Academy’s Masterclass Madness

After much anticipation, the MXGP Academy Masterclass has finally arrived. The first European session took place at round four of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Arco di Trento, Italy, as five of the best and brightest Italian youngsters huddled up with established MXGP Academy trainers Jan Postema and two-time FIM Motocross World Champion John Van Den Berk to experience this once in a life time opportu-

nity. Unlike any other training program in the world, Youthstream’s MXGP Academy gives riders an authentic insight and experience of life as a MXGP pro.

On the Friday of the MXGP of Trentino the selected masterclass riders, all aged between 8 and 12 arrived at the circuit of Arco di Trento and headed straight into the MXGP media center where they were brought straight

into the media spotlight as photographers and journalists got their first glimpse of the next generation of championship hopefuls. MXGP Academy Trainer Jan Postema was quickly in with the first lessons, that it’s important to stand up straight in order to promote your sponsors in the

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best way possible and be sure to smile, as the last thing you want is to be that guy who is always in a bad mood, after all media and the way that a rider promotes himself is what helps to bring the best sponsorship opportunities.

Once the photographers

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had the shots they needed the group was taken to the press conference podium, where they were seated as if they were the stars of a FIM Motocross World Championship press conference.

Again they were shown that sitting up straight is a golden rule, whilst also learning to not speak while others are speaking and to pay attention, reinforcing the fact that presentation is key.

pionship circuit at an MXGP event.

Focusing on particular sections of the track, the trainers began to use their experience to demonstrate specific skills and riding techniques that need to be mastered in order to make it to the big time. For example, John Van Den Berk grabbed onto and lifted one rider’s bike into a nose dive with the rider on it in order to teach him to sit back as far as possible in that situation, and to hold on After a thorough briefing and a run down of the track rules it tight with his legs so he reducwas time to hit the track. Eager es the chance of being bucked over the handle bars. Simple to get on with what they know yet effective, it’s things like this best, the five young Italians made history as the first group that make the MXGP Academy program a level above any othof under fifteen’s to take to a er training available.

FIM Motocross World Cham-

After tearing up the MXGP track for two full hours and literally cutting seconds off their section times, the boys had to call it a day so the track directors could water the track ready for the FIM Motocross World Championship the next day.

The following day, practice and qualifying of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the five masterclass students had a tour of the MXGP paddock. Including a behind the scenes trip around the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing set up by 10 times World Champion Stefan Everts. After speaking to some of their MXGP heroes, seeing the trucks and the entire set-up

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their eyes were really opened to the level of the series and what it will take for them to get to the top of the sport. It was obvious that this is where these hopefuls want to be.

The final and perhaps most important lesson came at the end of their second day at the track, beyond all they had learned on the track, riding a true world class circuit, more important than understanding the pressures that are placed on riders in the sport, these young hopefuls learned that they need to be able to communicate with everyone, it’s no good winning everything in sight if you can’t work with and thank the people that get you there. It was only when

witnessing the MXGP qualifying press conference and the fluid language skills of the top riders that the five discovered that now is the time to learn English to a high level, as when they have the language skills to back up their undoubted riding skills, they really will be on their way to making it in the professional ranks of the MXGP elite.

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HALL OF FAME

André Malherbe, a lord of Motocross Three times a World Champion in the prestigious 500cc class, André Malherbe will forever be an icon of Motocross. One of, if not the top rider in the 80’s aboard his factory 500 Honda, André was not only a top racer but he was also a true star. Racing with white riding gear, living in Monaco and coming to the races in flash cars, Sabine his beautiful and elegant companion, Andre ‘Hollywood’ Malherbe had it all, but his brilliant career stopped suddenly at the end of 1986 as he made the move to car racing. Later a horrific accident during the Dakar rally let him paralysed from the neck down.

Born on the 28th of March 56 in Huy, where his father owned a garage, Andre was always near engines when he was young as his father raced Motocross. He was only six years old when he had his first opportunity to try his first little bike and four years later his father prepared him a 110 Honda. On that bike he did his first local races

and started to enjoy the sport so that when he turned twelve he got his first real Motocross bike, a 50 Zundapp. 125 Junior amateur champion in 1969, he switched to a 250 CZ to get his other titles in the amateur ranks (senior 250 in 1970 and intermediate 250 in 1971) and later in the national series (Belgium Junior champion in 72).

Moiseev and Kavinov. KTM pushed him into the 500cc class for the next season and Andre battled for fourth position in the championship but had a couple of DNFs and finished the year sixth in the series.

Impressed by the suave young talent, Honda offered him a ride in the factory team alongside Graham Noyce.

With results like that to his name the call of a factory ride came to the talented Belgian and with Zundapp he lined up to compete in the brand new 125cc European championship. Claiming two consecutive titles in that class, André moved to the 125cc World Championship with Zundapp but didn’t have so much success as in 1975 he broke his wrist in the middle of the season. He moved on in 1976 and signed with the Belgian KTM importer to compete in the 250cc class, where he got his first GP win in one year later in Germany, and finished third in the series behind Russian teammates

Moving into such a major team team that raced in the premier was the real start of the Malherbe legend as Andre wrote along with HRC the best pages of his career. Winner of the final GP in

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Luxemburg and third in his first year in red just one point behind Wolsink, Andre was ready to win and entered the 1980 campaign with a win in Switzerland; it was a fantastic season as he came to the final round just one point ahead of Brad Lackey! From that he became World Champion for the first time after an epic race but André had to wait the final round of the 1981 season to beat Noyce and Carlqvist to get his second crown. The disaster of a broken leg, sustained during the US GP, ruined his year in 1982 so he had to wait until the following year to challenge for the title again. Then he came to the final round embroiled in a struggle with Carlqvist but even though he won his ninth GP in St Anthonis, Carlqvist got the title and André had to wait one more year to claim a third crown. “I had two young and fast team mates as Honda had hired David Thorpe and Eric Geboers, but that was not a problem for me. They were good riders, but I had more experience and was strong mentally; Eric was more ag-

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Claude Olivier to race the Paris Dakar in January of 1988. It was his last race, as he had an unfortunate crash and was left paralysed, a dark ending to a bright career.

Always calm and relaxed before the races, he has stayed strong in his new challenge and continues to enjoy his changed life with the Twice runner up in the series in 1985 and 86, André surprised many support of his devoted friend Jean people when he announced that he Claude Laquaye who took on the was moving to car racing at the end full time responsibility for André’s of the 86 season. Racing the French wellbeing. formula 3 series, he was approached Text and Photo by P. Haudiquert later by French Yamaha boss Jean gressive than I but sometimes lost a bit of control, David was not 100 per cent aggressive but was there all the time and never did any mistakes,” remembers André who finally beat both his team mates to secure what would be his third and last title.

1972 250cc Belgium Junior Championship – 1st (CZ) 1973 125 cc Motocross European Championship – 1st (Zundapp) 1974 125 cc Motocross European Championship – 1st (Zundapp) 1975 125 cc Motocross World Championship – 7th (Zundapp) 1976 250 cc Motocross World Championship – 14th (KTM) 1977 250 cc Motocross World Championship – 3rd (KTM) 1978 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 6th (KTM) 1979 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 3rd (Honda) 1980 500 cc Motocross World Championship - 1st (Honda) 1981 500 cc Motocross World Championship - 1st (Honda) 1982 500 cc Motocross World Championship - 5th (Honda) 1983 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 2nd (Honda) 1984 500 cc Motocross World Championship - 1st (Honda) 1985 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 2nd (Honda) 1986 500 cc Motocross World Championship – 2nd (Honda)

PADDOCK TALKS

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Paddock Talks 01/Passionate Italian fans giving full support to Antonio Cairoli at Arco di Trento.

02/Warm welcome to ELESKO as the official Sparkling wine partner of the FIM Motocross World Championship. 03/Behinds the scenes with Todd Waters. 04/Crazy punk style of a marshal in Sevlievo. 05/ Steven Frossard chilling at the team awning before racing. 06/Samuele Bernardini, the 2 stroke mafia has arrived with the new EMX300 championship.

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07/Charismatic Angela remembering old good days!

08/Paddock Chit-Chat with David Philippaerts and Amy Dargan. 09/Jordi Tixier’s father taking care of Jordi’s injured hand. 10/The Monster Girls under the rain in the Bulgarian MXGP. 11/Jeffrey Herlings receiving some extra protection for his delicate shoulder. 12/Follow MXGP on your favourite social network.

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QUESTIONS TO THE EDITOR

QUESTIONS TO THE EDITOR Hi MXGP, Where can I see pictures from the MXGP of Bulgaria in Sevlievo?

Thanks, Mihael Dear Mihael, You will find MXGP of Bulgaria photos on the official FIM Motocross World Championship website, MXGP.com. Here is the link to the MXGP photo albums: http://www.mxgp.com/ photos All the best, Youthstream Hi MXGP, Can I watch MXGP races on MXGP-TV.com via my iPad? What Internet speed should I have to stream in HD? Cheers, Craig Bradley Dear Craig, MXGP-TV supports all mobile devices for the LIVE stream and other video content including any iOS device, iPad in your case.

The Internet speed must be minimum 1 Mbps. Thanks for enjoying the FIM Motocross World Championship on www.MXGP-TV.com!

Best Regards Youthstream

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Hi MXGP, When is the next race in Great Britain? Where about would it be? Also how much for a ticket?

Cheers, Josh Searson Hi Josh, The 2014 MXGP of Great Britain will take place in circuit of Matterley Basin on the 24th and 25th of May. Click here to find ticket prices. For the VIP packages, please click here.

For more information please visit our website, www.MXGP.com Best Regards Youthstream Hi MXGP, Where can I watch race repays from Sunday?

Cheers, Simone Loda Hi Simone, Please register on www.

MXGP-TV.com where you can find replays from the 2014 Season as well as from the previous years.

All the best, Youthstream

Hi MXGP, I cannot attend all MXGP races this year. What do I get if I buy an MXGP-TV pass?

Cheers, Wilco Schellevis Hello Wilco, Thank you for your interest in the MXGP-TV.com service. If you buy a single MXGP pass, you will receive an access to the LIVE stream, REPLAYS and the premium 26mn magazine for the 7 days after the event is finished. We recommend you to buy a season package that will be valid until the end of 2014, and you will have LIVE, REPLAYS & 26mn magazines of the 18 MXGP events. Season package also includes 2 days LIVE stream from the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in Latvia on the 27th and 28th of September.

Best Regards!

Youthstream

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