He was the best in the world five times. There will not be a sixth time, because sidecar crosser Etienne Bax (35) from Bergeijk is retiring. “I’ve been thinking about it for a few years, but now is the right time to say goodbye.”
His baking player Ondrej Cermak from the Czech Republic previously announced that he would quit and Bax’s team also changed. After much thought, Etienne himself decided that it is now the end of his top sports career. “I’ve been racing for 30 years, 16 of which professionally. It’s been good now.”
“I’ve worked with very good people.”
Etienne won everything you can win. Several Dutch and European titles and five times he and his baking player were the best in the world. “I could have gone for the sixth world title, but in the end that doesn’t add anything to what I have already achieved. In all these years I have worked with very good people to whom I am very grateful, from bakers to mechanics. And certainly my loyal sponsors, because without them I couldn’t practice this sport.”
In addition to the titles, there were even more highlights in his long career. Such as his royal award in 2022 and the ‘Hans de Beaufort Cup’ in 2017, the highest award in Dutch motorsport. “I thought that was really great. It means we did something right.”
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After he announced his retirement on Wednesday evening, his phone exploded. “I have already answered more than 700 texts in one day and I am only half way through. I still need some time for the rest,” he says, laughing.
“There are people who warn me about a black hole.”
Etienne comes from a real cross family and has been riding almost all his life. From now on, his agenda will look completely different. “There are people who warn me about a black hole, but I will see that again. I will focus on my family and my work. With my roofing company I now have more time to grow. So there are plenty of great plans. “
This is how Etienne Bax became world champion for the fifth time: