MOTOCROSS RYAN DUNGEY RED BULL KTM FACTORY
BRING ON 2013 AMA SX LIVE IN OZ GEORGES JOBE FOUR WEEKS
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MOTOCROSS RYAN DUNGEY RED BULL KTM FACTORY
BRING ON 2013 AMA SX LIVE IN OZ GEORGES JOBE FOUR WEEKS
COVER IMAGE BY SIMON CUDBY CONTENTS IMAGE BY SIMON CUDBY
CONTENTS GEORGES JOBE AMA SX IN LIVE OZ FOUR WEEKS THE TRADITION CONTINUES
CONTENTS Publisher and Founder: Geoff Meyer mxlarge@live.nl Design: Geoff Meyer Photography: Ray Archer, Redeye, Frank Hoppen, Simon Cudby, Paul Buckley, Geoff Meyer, Stanley Leroux Contributors: Tinus Nel, Dave Thorpe, Eric Johnson, Geoff Meyer Advertising: Meyer Publishing mxlarge@live.nl Copyright Meyer Publishing 2012
MXGP INSIDER TRAD STORY GEOFF MEYER IMAGE RAY ARCHER
In recent years Youthstream continue to look for old school circuits to give the older Motocross fans something to enjoy. Just a month ago Hawkstone Park one of the oldest circuits in Europe was mentioned as a possible GP venue, and with many other beautiful old school circuits already in the FIM World Motocross Championship calendar the heritage of the sport is in good hands. Steve Dixon who ran the 2012 British Grand Prix at the Matterley Basin circuit and remained very passionate about improving the sport in Great Britain and Europe believes that some of the old school circuits are just not big enough anymore for the size of the GP paddock. “I think we are in a good place with the venues for the FIM World Motocross Championships,” Dixon said. “The days or crowds hanging over the fence are gone, it is too dangerous now with the speed of the bikes, and also you have to control things like alcohol and other areas. The sport is so professional now we don’t need trouble at these races; we are really under the eye of the whole World now with internet and live television. We need to make our events really special, and entertaining.” The British public are famous for going over the top with alcohol and the British Grand Prix has been a nobeer event for the last two years. Entertainment is also something that is not allowed in the UK. Due to the last two years going so well it looks like Dixon might be able to bring back the party atmosphere, something that many people enjoyed in years gone past.
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Dixon found himself in a situation at his Grand Prix of Great Britain when a spectator had brought his own beer into the grounds in his car, gotten drunk and slept in his car. Seems the British police found the spectator in the car and fined him because his car was parked on a public road in the facility. While circuits like Valkenswaard in Holland, Arco de Trento and Maggiora in Italy and others are old school circuits they are also held in countries with a rather organized system of running events, and fewer problems with crowd control that in the UK. The danger of a drunken fan at races in Italy or Holland is no existent and while both Italian venues are small in comparison with a circuit like Matterley Basin in Great Britain, the FIM World Motocross Championships are willing to cramp their paddock into some of the events throughout the season, to give the fans the feeling of old school motocross. A lot of changed in the way the sport has been presented, with a much more professional look in the paddock and circuits much better prepared, but the spectators also need to feel that great excitement of what many felt in the 1960’s and 70’s when the sport was still learning to grow.
GOODBYE GEORGES THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES STORY AND PHOTO BY GEOFF MEYER
Georges Jobe is and will always be one of the true legends of the sport of Motocross. Five World Motocross Championships, 31 Grand Prix victories, several Belgian Championships, a victory at the 1980 Motocross of Nations. Not too many in the sport have achieved what George Jobe achieved. Belgium has something called the magnificent seven, seven riders who reached for the stars and brought that small country to the top of the sport. Stefan Everts, Joel Robert, Joel Smets, Eric Geboers, Roger De Coster, Harry Everts and Georges Jobe, 40 World titles between them. It wasn’t until Antonio Cairoli came along that this special group was made up of just Belgian riders. For Jobe the success came first while racing for the Suzuki and winning his first World title in the 1980 World 250cc Championship Jobe would add the Motocross of
Nations team’s event to his list of successes. In 1981 Jobe lost the 250cc title to British rider Neil Hudson, this time the points were 235 for Hudson, 233 for Jobe, again another tough battle, fought until the very end. Only a knee injury late in the season stopped Jobe from helping Suzuki to another World Motocross Championship. A year later American Danny Laporte won the World 250cc Championship after a torrid season long battle with Jobe. The season ending points 238 to Laporte 225 to Jobe. It wasn’t the first or last time Jobe would fight until the very end, with more World Motocross Championships won or lost by a handful of points. Laporte summed up the competitive attitude of Jobe, but also the guy who loved life and wanted to
get everything out of it he could. “RIP George, you were the best, you made my career worth it all! You are right, we might have fought on the track but were buddies after the flag! Adieu mon ami!� Again on his trusted Suzuki Jobe would get the better of Laporte in 1983, winning easily as he cruised to his second World Motocross Championship. Another close loss for Jobe in 1984 as he moved to the 500cc class. Fellow Belgian Andre Malherbe would win this time, with Jobe just 11 points off the final tally of Malherbe (370 to 359). Jobe raced in an era of greats, his main rivals being names such as Eric Geboers, Dave Thorpe and Andre Malherbe. The 1986 World 500cc Championship Jobe would finish in fourth place, however this will go down as one of the most dramatic Championships in the sports history as the top four riders finished the season with just 20 points separating
them. Thorpe would be crowned with 316 points, while fourth placed Jobe had 296 points. As he did in his two previous World Championships Jobe won easily in 1987, scoring nearly 50 points more than second placed man Kurt Nicoll. With a third World title in his pocket the Belgian great grew in confidence, although injury and bad luck saw him have a couple of poor years, before he fought back once again to win the 1991 and 1992 World 500cc Championships, equalling the great Roger De Coster and fellow Belgian Eric Geboers with five World Motocross Championships apiece. In 2006 Jobe helped KTM start up their assault on the FIM World Motocross Championships as team manager and in recent years he has also helped many riders from Kevin Strijbos, Anthony Boissiere and Arnaud Tonus. After retiring in 1992 Jobe suffered a terrible accident in Dubai in 2007, breaking his back, an injury that would once again see his mental strength shine through as doctors told him he would never walk again. Months later Jobe was back on his feet and while the injury prevented him from enjoying 100% fitness, he was working hard to get as much from his body as possible. I spoke to Jobe just a couple of months ago. He knew this would be a hard battle to win, having nearly passed away in September he remained positive that he would win. He had seen enough fights in his life, always knuckled down and got on with the job. Jobe was not a person to sit back and let something take over his life or body without doing everything in his power to overcome it. Unfortunately on the 19th of December Jobe lost his last fight, the fight against cancer. The legacy that Jobe will leave behind will be one of a man who never gave up, who fought for every single thing he received in life and a person who said what he thought. Georges Jobe will be missed by many and his passing is a sad moment for the sport of Motocross.
AM LI
IMAGE BY SIMON CUDBY
MA SUPERCROSS IVE IN AUSTRALIA ESPN Australia will air 11 of 17 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship, rounds live during the 2013 season. It’s been confirmed that in the US, supercross will enjoy the largest television package in the sport’s history. Nearly 100 hours of Monster Energy Supercross will air domestically in America across SPEED, CBS and FUEL TV. In addition, over 150 countries around the globe will broadcast Monster Energy Supercross, including a groundbreaking live programming schedule in Australia, the Middle East and Africa on ESPN International. “With the most robust international television package ever, will make the 2013 Monster Energy Supercross season the most watched season ever,” said Ken Hudgens, COO, Feld Motor Sports. MotoOnline.com.au has secured a schedule for those scheduled 11 live rounds within Australia, including the season opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on 5 January. The other non-live races will be covered by highlight shows, according to our ESPN source. The live rounds will be held on ESPN or ESPN 2, pending major conflicts. Both channels are available through pay TV companies Foxtel and Austar within Australia. Scheduled Australian live rounds of 2013 Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship: 6/1/2013 – 2:00pm AEDT – Anaheim, CA 13/1/2013 – 1:30pm – Phoenix, AZ 3/2/2013 – 2:30pm – Anaheim, CA 10/2/2013 – 2:30pm – San Diego, CA 17/2/2013 – 1:30pm – Arlington, TX 24/2/2013 – 11:30am – Atlanta, GA 17/3/2013 – 10:30am – Indianapolis, IN 24/3/2013 – 11:00am – Toronto, ON 7/4/2013 – 12:30pm – Houston, TX 28/4/2013 – 11:30am – Salt Lake City, UT 5/5/2013 – 12:00pm – Las Vegas, NV
4 WEEKS IMAGE RAY ARCHER STORY GEOFF MEYER
Amazing to think it is just four weeks and the 2013 European Motocross season will kick off in Mantova, Italy. With the MXoN just three months ago that means a break of just four months of the leading FIM World Motocross Championship riders. Of course while a rider like Antonio Cairoli takes a complete break from racing, his schedule from October until January is full of media obligations and sponsorship meetings. The Italian has not raced any Supercross events in the off-season, but continues to be the busiest rider in the sport. If he isn’t visiting one of the many Motorcycle Shows in Milan, Bologna or Cologne he will be doing some type of photo shoot for one of his many sponsors. “Antonio is very busy in the off-season,” told Pit Beirer of KTM, “I know Red Bull and KTM have him going to all sorts of events for them and also his other sponsors. I can understand that he just doesn’t want do to any media work sometimes, because a lot is asked of him.” While Cairoli keeps off the bike Frenchman Gautier Paulin has been busy racing all over Europe. Starting in Genoa, Italy, in October then off to Paris for the Bercy Supercross in November, then Geneva just last weekend. Paulin seemingly loves his Supercross and is one of the few Grand Prix riders who has gone out of his way to race SX in the off-season. Jeffrey Herlings was seen out and about in Holland, doing some local races, and just enjoying himself, although his serious schedule will not begin until Mantova in January, when he will begin his preparation in the defence of his FIM World MX2 Championship.
Others such as Tommy Searle, Jake Nicholls, Max Anstie, and Clement Desalle just do their own thing, some go training in America or New Zealand, and others just spend time at home, getting over injuries or making their training program to suit their needs. Nicholls will head to New Zealand and train with former World MX2 Champion Ben Townley. The British rider is an outside chance to win the 2013 FIM World MX2 Championship and will leave no stone unturned to reach his goal. “I know at the moment my speed is not that of Jeffrey Herlings,” Nicholls said. “But I will work hard with Ben in the winter (NZ summer) and try and find some extra speed. I finished fourth in the World in 2012 and two of the guys who finished ahead of me have moved to the MX1 class (Searle and Van Horebeek), so I am confident I can do something special in 2013.” Whatever does happen in 2013 this is a period that the riders need to find something special from themselves. Recover from 2012 season injuries and start to build themselves up for what is going to be a magnificent 2013 FIM World Motocross Championship.
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