With the postponed Grand Prix of Great Britain, the new season of motocross starts on Sunday. Although reigning world champion Jeffrey Herlings is still missing due to a foot injury, there are still three people from Brabant in the MXGP with Glenn Coldenhoff, Brian Bogers and Calvin Vlaanderen. The MX2 class will be especially interesting this year with Roan van Moosdijk, Kay de Wolf and newcomer Kay Karssemakers.
Last weekend the British GP was postponed by a week due to storm Eunice. As far as topper Jeffrey Helrings is concerned, it doesn’t matter, he will be in the rags for quite a while.
But even without world champion Jeffrey Herlings from Oploo there is still plenty to do in the MXGP. Although it would of course be nice if Herlings can make his comeback soon. It is not yet clear how long his broken heel bone will keep him sidelined.
Herlings is a loss, but of course not the only eye-catcher in Brabant at the highest level. With Glenn Coldenhoff, Brian Bogers and Calvin Vlaanderen there are still plenty of crossers who can provide a surprise.
The eyes will certainly also be on the MX2 this season. The three people from Brabant who participate have a great urge to show themselves. Hopefully there will be surprises ahead.
For example, to achieve better performance, Roan van de Moosdijk changed teams. He left F&H Racing and signed with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Racing for two years. And with his new employer, Van de Moosdijk thinks he can take a shot at a podium place in the MX2 class and then move on to the MXGP.
“I really like my new team,” he says. “The team is very professional and I immediately notice that when driving. I made a good choice and a place in the top five is therefore realistic.”
Teammate Kay de Wolf from Eersel also has that goal. After a great debut year, he finished seventh, he now wants more. “I want to ride in the top five this year,” says 17-year-old De Wolf determinedly. “I feel good and I am ready to hit the ground running. My goal is to win a Grand Prix. And preferably as soon as possible, because that is the dream of every motocross rider.”
In the short preparation for the new season, Van de Moosdijk and De Wolf trained together as teammates, but they will soon also be competitors. “It doesn’t feel that way yet,” says De Moosdijk. “We have raised each other to a higher level in recent weeks and are buddies. But later in the track you will of course go for yourself, although we will not drive each other off again.”
17-year-old Kay Karssemakers can also surprise positively. The motocross rider from Boxtel will make his MX2 debut on his KTM bike on Sunday. “It has always been my dream to drive Grand Prix,” he says. “I am very driven and want to learn a lot. Top five is too ambitious for me and I don’t set the goal too high. But there can always be a nice outlier.”