Roan van de Moosdijk (25) was known as a great cross talent, ready to storm the world top. The Eindhoven native did not reach the absolute top, partly due to wrong choices and injuries. Yet he remains confident that his chance will still come: “I know I have it in me.”
Van de Moosdijk participated in the Dutch MX Season Opener in Lierop on Sunday and finished twelfth and tenth. But while fellow provincials such as Jeffrey Herlings and Calvin Vlaanderen will start the MXGP World Championship in Argentina next weekend, the Eindhoven native will remain behind in the Netherlands.
The fact that he does not have a permanent place among the ‘big men’ in the MXGP is partly due to a number of wrong choices and injuries. For example, the former European EMX250 champion was fired from Fantic Factory Racing MXGP Team in 2024. The collaboration with his next team Honda HRC was ended due to a knee injury.
“I was out for almost a year, so you know how it works in top sport. People quickly forget about you,” says Van de Moosdijk. “I could have stopped, but during my rehabilitation I discovered that I loved cross-country so much. It was a moment when I realized that I had to continue.”
It was the German team KTM Kosak Racing that awarded him one last year comeback granted. He went on to ride the ADAC MX Masters, a competition in Germany. On the last day of competition he won the final classification. “It’s important for the team and also for me financially. This year I want to defend the title, which is more difficult than winning for the first time.”
In addition to racing in Germany, he rode several European races in the MXGP last season. This year he will probably start there seven or eight times. “My heart is with the MXGP, but I have to be realistic that because of the competition with factory bikes I can be very happy with a tenth place. Moreover, I don’t earn anything with the MXGP, it costs the team a lot of money.”
Van de Moosdijk remains confident in a permanent place in the MXGP. “What if I had not had any injuries or had made the right choices? Fortunately, I am a person who can put that behind me fairly quickly. I am 25 years old, a bit more experienced and full time doing what I like to do. It is up to me to get the most out of it this year, maybe I will get the chance in more races.”
“He listened to the wrong people.”
In the past, Van de Moosdijk trained for three years with former professional Marc de Reuver. Last year they decided to work together again. According to De Reuver, the Eindhoven native is one of the three best drivers he ever worked with. “It doesn’t matter what kind of track you put him on, he can set the fastest time. Roan is a great rider, but he listened to the wrong people. I also made mistakes, but otherwise made a lot of good decisions. Above all, you have to want it yourself.”
His trainer thinks that Van de Moosdijk is facing a crucial year. “This team took him in when Roan was on the ground. They think the German competition is the most important and that is where it should happen again. His heart is with the MXGP. If he is at the start there, he has to perform. It is not his cross talent, but everything has to go well.”
