Vanthourenhout hopes that the European jersey makes him believe in his own chances

Vanthourenhout already became world champion among the promises, but this is his first champion’s jersey among the professionals.

“Michael Vanthourenhout took the men’s title. He was without doubt the strongest rider in the race. He put pressure on Lars van der Haar and drove away from him in the full final. Whoever made the fewest mistakes yesterday was the champion and that has proven to be the case afterwards,” says team manager of Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal Mettepenningen.

Mario De Clercq is technical coordinator of the Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal team. “For me, Michael Vanthourenhout is technically the best motocross rider currently touring around. He descended the best in Namur, took the sloping edges excellently and he also dares a little more than the rest. That it started to rain before the start of the European Championship was clearly in Michael’s favor. The course changed its face. It became slippery and muddy, in short, it became a real playground for Michael,” said Mario De Clercq.

“I think Vanthourenhout is also the better technical rider on other courses,” continued De Clercq. “He was served in Namur by the circumstances. It was a whole cross ‘tjolen’ and then Michael stands up. And I expect that Vanthourenhout may now be able to blossom completely. Someone who has a jersey gets more attention and appreciation. “Michael Vanthourenhout is someone who doesn’t win many races per season. Maybe he’s really unfurling with that white-blue star jersey now? I don’t think that jersey will backfire on him. He won’t put too much pressure on himself. Michael remains “I think he will be in the shadow of Eli Iserbyt and I think he really likes that position. I foresee that Michael Vanthourenhout will now cultivate a bit more killer instinct with that jersey.”