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STEFAN EVERTS
13 Questions To The King STORY GEOFF MEYER IMAGES REDEYE
Stefan Everts, does he really need an introduction. The King of Grand Prix Motocross. If not the best rider who ever lived (there is still debate about RC versus Everts), then very close to being the best ever. From 1989 until 1996 Everts picked up a stunning 101 Grand Prix victories, 10 World Motocross Championships and a long list of International race wins. Of course just like all young riders it wasn’t a sudden climb to the GP podium. Everts struggled in the early going, scoring not a single point in his first ever Grand Prix. He did eventually finish the 1989 season in 15th place in the World and had gone from scoring no points in round one to 4-4 in the seventh round in Czech Republic. It was the turning point for the young Belgian. A year later he would finish third in the World 125cc Championship behind American riders Bobby Moore and Donny Schmit, scoring 2-2 in Switzerland and 4-4 again in Poland. Of course it is history that his first World Motocross Championship came in 1991 and from that moment on he was one of if not the best in nearly every season until he retired in 2006. We caught up to Stefan Everts and asked him about some of the moments we remember as being special for good or bad reasons in his career.
Motocross Illustrated: I remember you telling me once how at your first ever Grand Prix in 1989 at Faenza, Italy, that you really had trouble when Trampas Parker went past you to put you a lap down. Hard to imagine Stefan Everts getting lapped, but on that day, would you have been happy to have collected just a single World title in your career? Stefan Everts: I think on the day after Faenza, my first ever Grand Prix, I wasn’t thinking about one championship, let alone 10. I went home and had to find something in myself and the cold shower I got that day put my feet back on the ground and I knew I had a lot of work hard, but I had good people around me, like my dad and mother and the team. That day I had a reality check, and I had to grow up quickly. I had done some Italian Championship races before the Grand Prix and I knew it would be tough from those races, the leading GP riders were on another level and I expected it to be tough. Motocross Illustrated: From day one first because of your fathers racing days you had massive fan base. How was that for a young kid to arrive at the races and see Everts flags flying and people screaming for you to win? Stefan Everts: I mean, that was really cool to see, and I remember one scene in Hungary, my first GP win in 1991, and I saw the bus arriving and the flags and all my local fans coming to far countries and they travelled all the way through Europe and some were there at the start and also at the end, but some we lost through my career. Motocross Illustrated: In 1998, going to Namur, was that about racing Namur or racing Joel Smets? Stefan Everts: It was about racing Namur, Joel was racing for his championship and to be honest on the Saturday I struggled a bit with the track and a little scared. On the Sunday I was a lot quicker than everyone else, two or three seconds a lap quicker and the battle everyone expected to see there was not there, we just saw each other on the start gate and I was very far off that situation that day. Motocross Illustrated: Sebastien Tortelli and Greece in 1998. Probably one of the worst days in your career in my opinion. Watching you completely lose it was really hard to watch. What happened that day, did you just have a meltdown, did you nerves get to you?
Stefan Everts: I still don’t understand what happened in Greece in 1998, also until this day I have no idea. I was leading that first moto, I was pulling away and then the lap I came down the hill and my front wheel washed out and before I even knew what happened I was on the floor, and for me that is the moment I lost my championship, from there on it was over. I started to freeze, every lap more and more and I had terrible arm pump and I was totally exhausted, like never before. I came to the finish line at the end of the moto and felt empty. After the first moto I knew it was over and I didn’t even know if I could run the second moto. I took the holeshot in the second moto, and I led for 10 minutes, but then it was over, I had nothing left in my body and I crashed and I was done. But for me I lost the championship in that first moto and in the second moto I knew he would eventually get me, because our race pace was really high and we lapped everyone throughout the season. I remember in Poland we lapped up to third place. Motocross Illustrated: I still feel as though you were at your peak in the mid 90’s on Kawasaki and Honda. Winning three titles in a row and events like the Fastcross against guys like McGrath, Emig and many others. But you feel your best years were on the Yamaha. What makes the Rinaldi Yamaha years better? Stefan Everts: I think many reasons, in the 1990s we had the 2-stroke, and the 2000’s we had the 4-strokes. Also in the 90’s I was less experienced, more aggressive, but maybe wild. On the Yamaha I had a complete feeling that I was in control, also in my mind and I had a lot of confidence from my experience, my confidence was very high. I think it is the same as Antonio (Cairoli) now, he is also super confident now. Motocross Illustrated: You bring up Antonio. He is closing in on your record and I while we all love to see records broken, I can imagine it isn’t that nice if your record is broken so quickly. I remember when you got your 10 title you said to me it will be a long time before anyone breaks this record. Are you disappointed it might only last a decade? Stefan Everts: Of course I want to keep it as long as possible, the previous record (set by Joel Robert) was held for 30 years and if Antonio breaks my record it might have only lasted like 10 years. You know, whatever happens, happens and it will not kill me and I will have a lot of respect for that
and I already have a lot of respect for Antonio right now and also for KTM. Of course he is winning on the 350 and I had a lot to do with that bike, so that is also a nice experience for me. Motocross Illustrated: The goggle incident in Sun City, South Africa, in 2004, when you threw your goggles at Mickael Pichon because you felt he pushed you off the track in a dangerous manner, then rode on your bike into his path to try and block him. Is that a big regret in your career? Stefan Everts: No, it isn’t a regret I have. It was a moment it happened to me and it was one moment that I didn’t have any control over myself. It was one moment that I didn’t have that control and that showed what kind of passion I have for the sport and to be the best and to win. In some ways I got a lot of appreciation from people, but of course people also see it in a bad way, you always have that people look from different sides. It did cost me a lot of money, I got a big fine, so I have paid my fine and it is over for me. I felt like the FIM overreacted and even when we went to Switzerland to the commission, it was a bit of a joke, because I went with my lawyer and it seems like it was already decided before we went to Switzerland. The answer was decided what I should get and what would happen and whatever we went to do with the lawyer was a waste of money. Motocross Illustrated: Again Sun City and the riders strike. Do you feel like that had something to do with the fine you got, that the two were linked together? Stefan Everts: That all happened on the same weekend as the rider strike. That was many years ago, but there were a few riders who took the lead to do the strike and everyone did it, but it was Pichon and myself who got the penalty and for sure if the goggle thing didn’t happen on the same day as the strike I would have just got a warning, but I think some people were upset with the strike and it put them under stress and somebody had to pay for it. Motocross Illustrated: I remember you arriving at the MXoN in Lierop with a black-eye. I am probably wrong, but I often wondered if Pichon took a swing at you after what happened in Sun City. Yes or not? Stefan Everts: No, I can tell you know and many people can confirm that I hit a pole on the side of my face, and I hit my eye and got a blackeye. Motocross Illustrated: What about Pichon, another very passionate rider. A really nice rider to watch, and very determined, but you guys had some pret-
ty hard racing. Stefan Everts: I think for me Pichon was a good racer, he was a hard racer and the collision in Valkenswaard he made a hard move, but I also made a hard move on him. In Austria again he went off the tracks from us colliding. I mean for me that was ok. I had a good feeling racing with him and even after the thing in South Africa I called him and he was really cool about it and he didn’t care that much. Motocross Illustrated: Your last race in a Grand Prix, at Ernee in 2006. I remember climbing onto the roof of the press room, because I wanted to not miss a single moment of that last moto of Stefan Everts. For yourself, what was the emotions of that moto? Stefan Everts: The last lap, I enjoyed, that last moto, I enjoyed it. For me the difficult moment was the few seconds before the start and I got emotional and I got myself together and said to myself this is my last one and I am going to enjoy this. The last lap was more enjoying than emotion. Motocross Illustrated: I remember at the press conference at the 2006 Motocross of Nations there was some words to the press from yourself and James Stewart. Stewart pretty much said he was riding for the team and totally neglected that you had ridden really well. For many it seemed like a lack of respect from Stewart. Did that make you angry? Stefan Everts: Yes, in a way it did. Because we had never raced together and also for James it was his only chance to race against me and beat me and then at the moment of the press conference it was disappointing and I got fired up you could say (Everts told the press it was a pity Ricky Carmichael wasn’t there because he would have raced for the win). Motocross Illustrated: Going into the race, the track was really slippery and very European style. Did you feel like you would have an advantage of him at Matterley Basin? Stefan Everts: I wasn’t busy with if the track suited me, my biggest concern that weekend was the change to KTM. I had only told Yamaha a few days before the MXoN and I told them we will announce it on Saturday and Yamaha didn’t want that and for me the whole weekend was a stress thing, but on Sunday it was over and I could focus better and I had a big crash in warm-up, but in the races I did some of my best races, so that was a nice way to end my career.
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Jeffrey Herlings
IS HE THE PRINCE OR THE KING? STORY GEOFF MEYER IMAGES RAY ARCHER AND JP
In many peoples eyes Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings might already be the fastest rider in the World of Motocross. Herlings is a little more modest and still feels the man to beat is Antonio Cairoli, but in all out speed, there are question marks about which of the two World Motocross Champions is faster.
While Herlings has been recovering from his Lierop injury and also picked up a leg injury recently. While it isn’t really serious, it has slowed his preparation a little for 2014. Off to America on Friday for a photo shoot the Flying Dutchman sat down with MXlarge and gave us his opinion about a bunch of MX things. Always very professional and giving great answers it continues to be a pleasure to interview the two times World MX2 Champion. MXIllustrated: Jeffrey, so whats the US trip all about? Herlings: I am just going for a DC shoes photo shoot. I won’t be training or anything, maybe just ride a few days, but DC Shoes have been my sponsor for like seven years now and they invited me out there, so I am looking forward to that. As you know the weather in Holland isn’t that good, so it is lovely to go to the US and do a little bit of riding there, but I will only be there for five days. It is not fun to ride here in Holland at the moment, all the tracks are wet, so riding a little on some dry tracks in California will be nice. MXIllustrated: How is the shoulder? Herlings: My shoulder is ok, I started riding about three weeks after the MXoN, I also started training harder and I have injured a bone in my leg from running so much, and I am struggling with that a little. It is getting worse and worse because I keep on riding, but when I get back from America I will take a couple of weeks off and the doctor said it will be ok after that. MXIllustrated: Off season should also mean being just a normal guy for a while. Have you been having fun with your
friends? Herlings: I have been having a lot of fun with my friends and it is always nice to take time away from the races. From March until September you don’t have too much time for your friends, so it is nice now doing some fun stuff with them. I can’t party too much because I can’t handle alcohol, so I don’t party too much. I shouldn’t drink that much, and just have fun with my friends. MXIllustrated: The motivation for MX2 title number three is still strong? I mean only one other riders has won three 125cc/MX2 titles in a row and that was Gaston Rahier in the 1970s. Does getting his record give you extra motivation? Herlings: I am already working hard for the 2014 season and I really want to go for my third title next year. I don’t know about the record of Rahier, I don’t know how many guys have won 125cc or MX2, but my main goal is to be the best MX2 rider ever, and I saw on your website that I am already the winningest MX2 rider of all time, so I am pumped about that. As I am the best MX2 guy in history and I just want to keep winning and hopefully one day I will be looking at Stefan Everts record, maybe I can win 10, but it is still a long way away. MXIllustrated: This year your goal was to go undefeated, and you just missed out. Herlings: This year I wanted to win every Grand Prix and every moto, but that is tough, then I had the injury and it wasn’t possible anymore. I will try it next year, but one start crash and it was over. Also with the shorter motos it will be tougher, but the goal is to win all the overalls and if the bike keeps working and I don’t
crash it might happen. MXIllustrated: I know its winter and you are enjoying your friends, but you must be hanging to get to Qatar. As a fan and just a person I loved being in Qatar and Thailand. How are you setting yourself up for there? Herlings: Oh man, I can’t wait until the gate drops in Qatar. It feels like I haven’t raced in years and its only a few months. I last races in August and I just can’t wait. I am so looking forward to being behind the gate and battling with some guys. Qatar is a lovely track, of course the light was not perfect last year, dark in some places, but it will be better this year. Thailand, I loved that track, it was rough, wide and many lines, one of the best tracks on the calendar. I will
five spot. Hopefully I will race next year and as you know it’s the biggest race of the season. MXIllustrated: Why do you think the Americans have struggled the last two years? I mean Euro’s have won all six motos and Belgium and Germany the teams events. That isn’t normally the case is it?
try and do my best and try and win. Qatar is like Anaheim I, all eyes will be on me and I will deal with the pressure and try and win. MXIllustrated: Motocross of Nations, you missed it, and you must have been kicking yourself when Roczen and Tomac were battling eachother? Herlings: I really wished I could have ridden against Tomac and Roczen, it was my only chance to race those guys on the smaller bike, but even on the bigger bike I would have races against them. Holland don’t have the perfect team yet and we don’t have the riders to battle Belgium and America. I think had I raced we had a chance for a top
Herlings: I think Tomac was on it, he was really fast, coming back from a long way in 20th to nearly pass Roczen, he was fast untile he crashed. Dungey and Barcia were not that great, I mean they were still good, but not as good as I expected. But they are up against Antonio Cairoli, and he is in fire. That dude is so good on a motocross bike, he won the last five MX1 championships in a row, he won all the motos in Lommel and then Germany for the last two MXoN events, he is the man. I mean America have Villopoto, but I still think Cairoli might be the fastest man on the planet. I think the only guy who can beat Antonio might be Villopoto. MXIllustrated: 2015 is a long way off, but you must be looking forward to swapping pain with Antonio in the MX1 class. You will go MX1 in 2015 or not? Herlings: I would love to race Antonio, but it is not just my choice. I am on a contract with KTM and it is me and KTM who decide that. Of course 2014 its MX2, but 2015 is a year away and it could be MX2 or MX1, nothing is decided. I can’t tell you which bike I race in 2015.
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Kurt Caselli was much more than a legendary racer, he was a true friend and a favorite son in the offroad family. Rest in peace, Kurt. You will always be remembered as a champion on the bike, and in life. 19 District 37 Championships 4 National H&&H Championships 3 WORCS Championships 8 Time top American ISDE and Overall Class Champion 2007 & 2011 2013 RUTA 40 World Rally Champion
Cairoli and Herlings World Champs!
UN(4)GETTABLE, UN(DUTCH)ABLE! Toni Cairoli’s fourth successive MX1 world championship title aboard the KTM 350 SX-F was another step for the Italian towards matching the remarkable 10 titles won by legend Stefan Everts. As team boss, Stefan also got to witness Jeffrey Herlings, with 14 GP wins in succession on the KTM 250 SX-F, pulverise another record of his. Just 18 years old, Jeffrey was simply untouchable in winning his second MX championship title. One team – two champions – 39 moto wins – READY TO RACE!
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JosĂŠ Butron MX2 World Championship Photograph: Bavo Swijgers
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Elliot Banks Browne
BACK TO BRITAIN STORY STEFAN PAETOW IMAGES RAY ARCHER
Elliot Banks Browne is one of those riders that is sometimes hard to work out what the future brings. At times his speed gives you the impression that he is ready for the next step in his career, at least on the World scene, but it just hasn’t happened for him just yet. On the domestic scene, he is the man in the MX2 class and no doubt when he moves to the MX1 class in 2014 many people will be watching and wondering what he can do at the Maxxis British Championship against fellow Brit Jake Nicholls. MXIllustrated: It’s been quite a season for you hasn’t it? Last year in the British championship it was a fairly tight run until the last race of the season, was it a bit less stressful this year? EBB: I think it was a bit more stressful this year; last year I went in with nothing to lose and this year it was the other way around. I had a good lead in the championship, so I went in expecting to win, whereas last year it was a bit of an off chance. Obviously I went there to win and do all I could, but last year didn’t seem as stressful as this year. MXIllustrated: Last year wasn’t your first championship, was it? You’ve already got some championships under your belt? EBB: Yes, I won the British Schoolboy Championship in 2005, and then I won a Red Bull Pro Nationals in 2011. MXIllustrated: You mentioned the Red Bull Pro Nationals, that was with DB Racing Honda. After several good years with them you switched to HM Plant KTM UK for a Grand Prix ride, and it just didn’t quite seem to work out in the GPs, did it? EBB: Yeah, I don’t know what the deal was with this year. Last year I had a lot of injuries and stuff, and that was why the GPs didn’t go so well. I always had the
speed, I was running well in a lot of the races, and at the end of the year it all turned around and I showed what I could do, which is what I should have been showing all year. This year I was on the back foot before we started, I broke my shoulder pretty badly in December, and was out for a long time with that. Before Qatar I’d ridden maybe four or five times, so it wasn’t the best preparation I’d had before this season started, that’s for sure. The bike was really good but I just couldn’t get comfortable on the bike, couldn’t get out of the start on it. In the GPs, when everyone’s so fast, getting out of the gate is the main thing, but for some reason I just couldn’t show what I had shown the year before. MXIllustrated: You really got into adult racing on a Suzuki, that was with Swift, that was two years wasn’t it? EBB: Yeah, I did two years with Swift. I first did GPs when I was sixteen with RWJ Honda. I didn’t do a full season, but I did a fair few races, and that was pretty tough. I really shouldn’t have jumped in and done the GPs so young, I wasn’t really ready for it, I’d just come out of schoolboy racing straight into the GPs. Then I went to Swift Suzuki, the family started that up, which was an awesome team. I had a great team mate, Sean Hamblin, he really helped me. The first year I didn’t really gym and I was struggling, and for the second year I got a new trainer, Mat Wilson [who worked with the British Olympic team], who really turned things around for me, he showed me I had to train harder that I ever had done before. He gave me a lot more discipline, and he really kick-started my career in that way. I started qualifying nearly every race in the second year for Swift and I scored a few points, and everything was going good. Unfortunately the team had to stop, and I went back to racing the British championships for a few years. MXIllustrated: The first year back in
the British was with LPE Kawasaki, it seemed you were a lot happier, although you ended up with an injury. So talk us through some of your next few years; how did things go? EBB: In the beginning with LPE I didn’t ride very well, I had some trouble and stuff, but then got onto the 450 at the end of the year and I was really good; I won the last three of three MMX Championship races, but I missed a round so I ended up fourth or fifth in that championship. Everything started to go well, and I went to DB Racing Honda, who’d signed me for the year after that. Once again I got a little injury which set me back a little bit, but at the end of the year everything started coming good again and I finished second in the Red Bull Pro Nationals by two points and I think fourth in the British championship. In the year after that I knew I could win and that was really the turning point of my career. Dave from DB Racing put a lot of time and effort into me and he worked really really hard and gave me the best bike I could’ve asked for with Multitek, he did everything properly like it should be done, and I was really happy with that. We went to the world championship in St. Jean d’Angély, and I think I turned a few heads there with a ninth in the first one. I crashed in the second one on the first lap when I was seventh, and I was way back, nearly last, and I came back through to thirteenth for a twelfth overall, so I showed that I could do pretty good in the GPs. Roger contacted me at the end of the year and he sorted a deal for me to do GPs. MXIllustrated: So what’s the plan for next year then? Are you racing GPs again? EBB: I’m still undecided with what’s happening, we’re still a bit up in the air. There are rumours going around and stuff but I don’t know. I’ve got a good 450 and I’m definitely riding the 450, but I’m not 100% sure what I’ll be doing. MXIllustrated: Well, you’ve just clarified the question I had next, whether it would
be MX1 for you next year or not, because you’re now twenty-three, going on twenty-four? EBB: Yes, I turn twenty-four in February, so I can’t do another year of MX2. I’ve done 7 years of MX2 now, I think it’s time I move up. I really enjoy riding the MX1 bike, and I’ve always enjoyed riding the MX1 bike, so I’m really really looking forward to that. It’s going to be a new challenge and it’s going to be a hard one, but I think I ride it better than I’ve ridden in the past and done really well on it. So let’s have a full season on it; I think I can do a lot better than I have already. MXIllustrated: You are a Red Bull athlete, how did that come about and how has being one helped you in your racing? EBB: Matt Bates introduced me to Ben [Courtnell] from Red Bull and I started speaking to him at the end of 2011, we came together and made a deal. Red Bull have been awesome; they’ve really helped me and I couldn’t have won the British championship without them, especially in 2012, when I was hurt a lot. They got me to see the best people I could possibly ask to see. They got on top of my injuries and in the end I was out for a week instead of four. With my training and everything, Red Bull keep on top of it, they don’t just put you in a helmet, they really look after you and they help you with all the medical side of things to help you get to see the best people, because at the end of the day they don’t want you to sit around at home but out on the track. So yes, I’ve had a good relationship with them for two years and they’re carrying it on for 2014, so I’m really happy about that. I appreciate everything they’ve done. MXIllustrated: You’ve seen the announcements that we’ll be sticking to the twenty minute plus two format over three races per round. How do you feel about that, EBB: I prefer thirty minutes plus two. The ACU say twenty minutes plus two is for the spectators and that they get more for it, but when we’re in the last race, people are starting to leave anyway. If it is thirty plus two and there was something in between or they made the interval a little bit shorter, then I think it would be a lot better. In the past few years I’ve enjoyed it [the current format], it
was quite good, it gets your speed up, that’s for sure. But this year especially, it’s not suited me, because when I’ve come back to the twenty minute races, I’m in the mindset of the GPs, you know, pacing myself a little bit and then going fast at the end of the race. Many British riders just go flat-out straight away and that’s caught me out sometimes, but I always seem to come back at the end of the race. I think if we went thirty minutes again like it used to be, it’d be better for the racing and more riders would come over [from Europe] to do that! They don’t want to be racing twenty minutes when they’re going to do thirty-five minutes in the GPs. It’s quite a lot of difference. MXIllustrated: Who’s been your biggest influence in your career? EBB: There’ve been a lot, but the biggest influence is Jonathan Wright. A lot of people wouldn’t know him but he’s been a huge driving force. My dad used to be at the GPs, my mum used to be away with my sister with her horse riding, so Jonathan took me under his wing and used to drive me around to every single race. We used to go every week up and down the country, even all over Europe for me to race when I was in the schoolboys. He really helped me, looked after my bike, did absolutely everything for me. If I hadn’t had Jonathan around when I was little, I definitely, 100% wouldn’t be where I am today. Jonathan won, I think, three British championships, he’s been a great guy, he’s never pushed me hard, he told me when I was doing badly, and when I was doing good, so he’s been a big influence on my career. MXIllustrated: Rider wise, which rider in the GP scene perhaps or in the AMA has been a bit of a hero to you? EBB: I’ve always looked up to Stefan [Everts], obviously! I always thought it was amazing how he could ride a bike without ever putting his feet down! He wasn’t perhaps the most exciting rider to watch, but he always put in the time and he was always the fittest. And Josh Coppins, he was also someone I always looked up to, especially towards the end of his career. He was maybe not the most talented rider in the world, but he definitely worked hardest and that definitely showed and paid off. Unfortunately he didn’t win a world championship, I really think he should have. In America of course it was Ricky Carmochael.
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HARRY EVERTS KEEPING HIS EYE ON THE SPORT STORY AND IMAGES GEOFF MEYER
With four World Motocross Championships it is little surprise that the FIM awarded Harry Everts with legendary status last weekend at the FIM Awards in Monte Carlo. The father of Stefan and grandfather of Liam Everts is very much in a good place in life. Harry is one of my favourite people, always happy and with a big smile the former 125cc and 250cc Motocross Champion can sit back and be very happy with his family life and experiences from the past. Still very much interested in helping young riders he is also excited that his grandson Liam is enjoying riding Motocross. We caught up to Harry Everts and asked him about the recent success of Team Belgium, and also about why the GP riders now seem stronger than their American rivals. MXIllustrated: Harry, did you enjoy the Grand Prix season? What rounds did you like? Everts: In France and Italy, those GPs were so nice and they were so happy to see Motocross. Maggiora was a great Grand Prix. I thought there was some good racing this year, we saw a lot of good races, also in MX2, but we need more riders on the grid in my opinion. When I see on the television and its just 20 riders, it’s a pity. For the racing it doesn’t matter, because the good racing is at the front, but the riders come through to quickly after a crash, and that
isn’t Motocross. It should be tough. Jeffrey Herlings and Antoni Cairoli are so strong, too strong for the others, but behind them it is always good racing like the MX2 in England with Coldenhoff and to see him win, I was happy for him, he is a good young rider. MXIllustrated: You have been in Motocross so long, how can we get more riders back on the grid?
Everts: I don’t know what to say, it is not like before and it is difficult to say. I am more than 50 years in Motocross and I remember a lot of it. I did my career 20 years, then Stefans career. Now you need a good start, the bikes are so quick now, but there are not many riders on the gate sometimes, I think that is a problem. I remember in France at the GP and there was a crash in the start and Van Horebeek was in the crash, after one lap he was 9th, because there were not many riders on the grid. I thought, this isn’t possible, but if the grid was full, then he would have been lucky to be in 30th place after a lap. MXIllustrated: You must be excited that your
grandson Liam has started riding and racing a lot? Stefan mentioned he will possibly race some European Championship rounds this year. Everts: Liam is coming, wait, he is coming. I spoke to Stefan and he has a new track made for him. I have to laugh about it, because it’s the same story as when Stefan was a kid. Building tracks, we still have Stefan’s old track behind my house, but you can’t ride there anymore. MXIllustrated: I also saw that Liam is now riding the bigger bikes. Everts: It is good he is on the bigger bike, good for balance, and I can hear what he does with the throttle, he knows how to ride the bike, so clever. He understands the bike so good and that is very important. The problem is for Stefan he has team manager and has a big job . When Liam comes I will do a lot for them. When Stefan and Liam want to race we go, but when Liam doesn’t want to go, we don’t go. It was the same with Stefan, if Stefan didn’t want to go as a child, we didn’t go. You know, the results or Liam are not important, it is good he enjoys it, and that he wins sometimes and loses sometimes. He needs to learn also how to lose. He is fighting for wins, and that is good. Liam also has to learn to play with the bike and enjoy it. Will Liam be the best, we have to wait and see. So many young kids coming. You have guys like Roczen and Herlings coming and nobody expected that, two guys like that at the same time.
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LEGENDS OF MOTOROSS IMAGES DAVIDE MESSORA
The Trans Borgaro International race is organized by Pino Mangano of Reikon and the race takes place in Borgaro Torinese near Turin. The pilots were divided by year, from eras of the 1970, 1980 and 1990. The public is always very numerous partly because you do not pay the entrance.
LEGENDS The greatest British Motocross rider of all time. The Great Dave Thorpe. He showed the most promise of the legends, fiishing third in his class. Like Geboers and Johnson the style remains, although maybe a little slower than in his prime, but still poetry in motion.
1970s class 1 8 MICCHELI Pietro 0 0 0 2 3 SUN Chuck 2 2 4 3 37 DOVIZIOSO Antonio 4 3 7 4 2 BRUNO Jean Jacques 5 5 10 5 1 BRISSONI Gualtiero 8 6 14 6 4 BESSONE Ivano 6 8 14 7 14 CALLEGARI Erardo 11 4 15 8 16 BERTONE Enrico 9 9 18 9 10 SCABROSI Enrico 7 11 18 10 30 DE AGOSTINO Massimo 10 10 20 11 23 MARNIGA Lino 13 12 25 12 7 FOI Giorgio 12 15 27 13 35 DIANO Luigi 14 14 28 14 28 GRINFONE Giuseppe 15 16 31 15 12 BERTOLOTTI Gianclaudio 16 17 33 16 11 FERRI Roberto 29 7 36 17 33 GASTALDI Gianluigi 18 18 36 18 21 MOLINO Claudio 17 20 37 19 9 ROLLE Paolo 3 35 38 20 19 COLONNA Riccardo 20 19 39 21 29 QUAGLINO Fabrizio 21 21 42 22 15 CALLEGARI Giuseppe 23 24 47 23 6 ROCCA Marco 35 13 48 24 32 STRAMIGIOLI Giovanni 27 22 49 25 36 RE Elio 26 23 49 26 20 SAROGLIA Luigi 22 27 49 27 31 GUCCIO Salvatore 19 30 49 28 27 TARDIVO Roberto 25 25 50 29 26 BAGNOLI Manuel 24 26 50 30 22 CASETTA Marcello 31 28 59 31 24 FERRERO Paolo 30 29 59 32 34 D’ALESSANDRA Walter 28 31 59 33 25 BASSIGNANA Guido 32 32 64 34 13 GIRONDI Corrado 33 34 67 35 17 BUCCULIERO Salvatore 36 33 69
LEGENDS
The Kid, Eric Geboers. He doesn’t ride much anymore, but still looks the part. Retiring on the top of the podium in Namur in 1990 we will never know what the Belgian legend had left in his career. One of the few great champions he retired at the very top.
1990 class 1 8 RAVAGLIA Cristian 0 0 0 2 1 BARTOLINI Andrea 3 2 5 3 9 AALTONEN Miska 2 3 5 4 10 ARO Samuli 5 4 9 5 2 COOPER Guy 4 5 9 6 4 DOVIZIOSO Andrea 6 6 12 7 16 CAPPELLINO Davide 8 8 16 8 21 GALLINO Giuseppe 9 11 20 9 20 BUSSEI Giovanni 14 7 21 10 17 AGAZZI Simone 12 9 21 11 12 SALINA Bruno 10 12 22 12 19 BARTOLINI Fabrizio 13 10 23 13 15 FORADINI Enrico 15 13 28 14 23 PETRACCA Marco 17 14 31 15 31 CABUTTI Piero 16 15 31 16 14 GASPARDONE Paolo 7 26 33 17 3 ROSSI Franco 18 16 34 18 25 PASTA Dario 19 17 36 19 6 BELTRAMI Massimo 11 28 39 20 33 GAY Franck 22 19 41 21 29 PASCHETTO Davide 23 20 43 22 35 ALLEGRETTI Adriano 21 22 43 23 34 MARANGON Luca 29 18 47 24 26 FUSER Paolo 26 21 47 25 18 CARANZANO Francesco 20 27 47 26 28 SBRANA Alessandra 25 23 48 27 13 BUCCI Luigi 24 24 48 28 32 LOGIUDICE Enzo 27 25 52 29 22 TOSO Alberto 28 29 57 1980s class 1 2 CARAMELLINO Paolo 0 0 0 2 6 FALCIONI Palmiro 2 2 4 3 4 THORPE David 3 5 8 4 8 DOTTI Alberto 7 3 10 5 16 COSTA Roberto 4 6 10
LEGENDS
Ricky Johnson might be a little thicker in the body, and older in the mind, but he will never lose that great style. The multiple AMA and MXoN Champion joined his fellow legends in Italy and had a ball.
6 5 JOHNSON Ricky 5 8 13 7 7 CARDELLINI Stefano 10 7 17 8 14 TURCI Fabio 8 9 17 9 22 ARNALDI Andrea 6 11 17 10 33 BARONE Luca 9 10 19 11 12 BRAMAFARINA Alessandro 11 14 25 12 11 CHIOLERO Roberto 14 12 26 13 1 GASPARDONE Giuseppe 26 4 30 14 21 MERLO Fabrizio 15 15 30 15 23 BIGNARDI Brenno 13 17 30 16 15 MARESCALCHI Massimo 16 16 32 17 27 SIFLETTO Giancarlo 22 13 35 18 35 SOLA Emanuele 17 18 35 19 26 GALLO Sergio 19 19 38 20 30 MERLO Marcello 21 20 41 21 10 GELSO Giuliano 20 22 42 22 3 GEBOERS Eric 12 30 42 23 13 BIANCHI Martino 24 21 45 24 34 ZANZANI Gianluca 23 23 46 25 17 LORENZELLI Massimiliano 18 31 49 26 29 MARENGO Davide 25 25 50 27 32 DI STEFANO Franco 28 24 52 28 18 LORENZELLI Luca 27 27 54 29 24 MAGGIA Carlo Maria 29 26 55 30 20 LOMBARDO Giuseppe 30 28 58 31 25 GRANDI Jango 31 29 60 32 31 GANDOLFI Sergio 32 36 68
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DEAN FERRIS SEARCHING FOR GLORY STORY GEOFF MEYER IMAGES YAMAHA
23 year old Australian Dean Ferris showed at the 2013 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations that he is a very special talent. We had seen glimpse of it throughout the Grand Prix season, but not too many, probably not even Ferris himself could have hoped for such a surprising result. Not only did he run with German sensation Ken Roczen, but his laps times were consistently quicker than everyone including multiple World MX Champion Antonio Cairoli and former American Motocross and Supercross Champion Ryan Dungey.
Once the dust had settled at the MXoN and Team Australia posted their second best result of all time, the World media wanted to get a piece of the Aussie sensation. It was at this moment that Ferris gave his dream to one day race in the AMA Supercross and Motocross Championships.
and everyone is super friendly, but in saying that I really enjoyed my time in Belgium. It was such a change and I took that in my stride and I learn about the Belgians and Dutch and it was a great experience. America feels a little like being back home.
That dream was realized this week when the Red Bull KTM Factory team in America signed Ferris to race the 2014 AMA Supercross and Motocross Championships. We caught up with him and asked him about reaching the next level in his ultimate dream to be American Champion.
MXLarge: Supercross you have ridden in Australia, and in my opinion with your riding style and the support from the Red Bull KTM team I feel you have a good shot at winning in Supercross. What with Roczen and Tomac now moving to the 450cc class. What is your goals for 2014 in Supercross?
MXLarge: Dean, first congratulation on the new deal. You had that amazing result at the MXoN, did you have talks pretty quickly with teams after that race. How did the interest come about to race in America?
Ferris: I don’t want to go in there with all guns blazing and get hurt, I want to feel my way in. I have the speed and a good bike, but I just want to stay safe through Supercross, that is my main goal and then for Outdoors I want to go for the title and be fully healthy. The team said this is a Ferris: I expressed my interest about going to Amerlearning year in Supercross and that is awesome ica to the media that I eventually wanted to race in that the pressure isn’t there in Supercross, but the America, because there was a lot of media there, most pressure will come from myself and I want to also from America, and I mentioned that I would like keep a level head and get through the championto go to the states to race. Nobody (teams) contactship. ed me at that point, and as far as I knew I was just going with the original plan to do the GPs in 2014. MXlarge: Yes, but saying that you must feel like you could have the pace to run up front? MXlarge: Obviously going to America for an Aussie isn’t that difficult. You must be enjoying the nice Ferris: I think I can (be a contender), but I don’t weather after trudging through Belgium in the snow want to go in with all the hopes in the World and and rain? crash or whatever. I want to come in calm and collected and see where that gets me and just back Ferris: America feels a lot like Australia, the weathmyself to do well in the Motocross Championship. er has been good the whole time I have been here
MXlarge: The American tracks should suit you a little compared to the tracks back in Australia or not? Are they a little more similar than the GP circuits? Ferris: Some Aussies tracks are a bit small, but I have some practice tracks that look like AMA tracks, but as for as racing in OZ, it isn’t on par. I hope the soil is good and it gets rough and technical, because as you know, that is where I shine. I mean it is all new tracks, different weather, but I adapt pretty quick so I don’t think that will be a problem. MXlarge: We will miss you in Europe, but it was a great experience for you wasn’t it? A great learning experience. Ferris: I learnt a lot in Europe. Being on my own, alone, away from home and taking care of myself. There were so many races in a Grand Prix championship that you get so many chances to learn about your body, the bike, everything like that. I had an awesome two years in the Grand Prix and I wouldn’t change it for anything, and I made some life-long friends there. MXlarge: what about working with the Steve Dixon team. It seemed like you all had a good working relationship? Ferris: I had a good year with Steve, and I really enjoyed working with Victor my mechanic. I established myself as a top International rider there and that ultimately led to the offer from KTM. I am glad Steve and I could work out an agreement so I could follow my dream. MXlarge: What was your favourite GP or country? Ferris: I loved Finland, I have some friends there and I got to go riding with my old team-manager Kari Tiainen. I just really enjoyed that country and of course Belgium was also a good GP for me, my first ever GP win. I mean I wouldn’t change anything, I think I travelled to like 18 countries in 2013 and I am only 23 years old. Most people don’t get to travel to that many countries in their life. I am a pretty lucky guy. MXlarge: What type of deal is the KTM deal, just for 2014? Ferris: It is just a one year deal. To do the West Coast Supercross and Outdoors. MXlarge: Going to America, is it financially bet-
ter, or more about the opportunity? Ferris: It is about the opportunity, when it came up it was the direction I wanted to take, a good bike a good team racing in America. MXlarge: You are also working with Roger De Coster and many other respected names in the Red Bull KTM team. What is it like working with that team? Ferris: Roger is great, when we chat he always has good advice, but the whole team is awesome, they have such a good program and we are getting stuff done pretty quick, I will get to know everyone better as the season rolls on. I have only been here two weeks, but it has been really good. MXlarge: You don’t seem to get nervous, I remember at the MXoN this year with that huge crowd and a lot of pressure from your Saturday performance you remained pretty solid, but moving into the biggest team in the World and riding in front of 70,000 spectators at an AMA Supercross race will test those nerves or not? Ferris: I can’t say what will happen, I mean I might get nervous at the AMA Supercross, but all I can do is prepare myself and I don’t think anything is too daunting for me, and I will just get on with it and see what happens. MXLarge: With Chad now on the later stages of his career and your career just taking off, it is important to be the top Aussie in World Motocross? Ferris: I haven’t really thought about that. It is not important for me to be the top Aussie. I always wanted to do the best I could and I think Chad will have a good year, he is getting himself set-up to do well. I am not out there trying to be the best Aussie, I just want to do the best for myself. MXLarge: Do you think you might hook up with Chad a little, he is always doing his best to help out younger Aussies? Ferris: I haven’t had much to do with him. I spoke on the phone once before and he gave me some advice, which was good. We might catch up this year and have a chat, probably just about Australia or something. I would love to meet up with him, that would be cool.
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