Short nights for ‘team boss’ Glenn Coldenhoff: ‘But it does have something’

Glenn Coldenhoff has had a hectic few months. The 35-year-old motocross rider from Best signed with a Brazilian team, became a father for the second time and also founded his own team. “I have sometimes wondered what I was doing.”

During the Dutch MX Season Opener in Lierop, Coldenhoff rode for the first time on Sunday in the shirt of his own team: GCR. “I’m going to race in Brazil, a very nice, new challenge. That’s eight races and not twenty like the MXGP. This gave me time to also race in the Netherlands, which I think is great in front of my own audience.”

Setting up your own team was not an easy task. “I have driven for top teams for the last fifteen years, where everything was taken care of. I only had to focus on the physical part. In Brazil everything is also perfectly arranged, but for my own team I had to do a lot of things, such as hiring mechanics.”

He discovered that it is not all that simple. “But I did everything I could to make it look neat and finish it on time.”

There was a moment in recent months when Coldenhoff could no longer see the forest for the trees. “But the love for cross-country skiing prevailed. There is also something about having a team start from scratch. And now that it is in place, it really starts to become fun.”

In Lierop, Jeffrey Herlings from Oploo took victory, Calvin Vlaanderen from Heeswijk-Dinther came third. Coldenhoff had to settle for fifth place.

“I’m not super satisfied, because the podium was there. But after only a few days of training it’s not bad. Unfortunately, I’m missing something with the new bike powerbut I chose it myself. I have to compensate by working even harder.”

The championship in Brazil starts on March 15, so Coldenhoff still has some time to get into top form. “I have been very busy with the team and of course at home with our second child. There was little sleep, but I can relax for a few days. The focus is on Brazil and we will also make plans with GCR.”