2024-10-04 10:36:16
Driving has become a luxury in our country. Today, only four permanent circuits remain: Comines and Lierneux in Wallonia, Lommel and Genk in Flanders. The dozens of courses previously used on a small weekday or for a weekend amateur competition are also drastically decreasing.
The consequence? Some pilots sometimes travel hundreds of kilometers to satisfy their passion. Mattéo Puffet, national champion less than a month ago in Inters 500 (the highest amateur category in Belgium), does not even have time to train. Blame it on his work cleaning industrial chicken coops which takes up a lot of his time during the motocross season. But not only that. “If there were more circuits not too far from my house, or which open more often during the week, it would be different. But, to name only Lommel, I have an hour and forty-five minutes drive. Even leaving work at 3 p.m., you can imagine the time I would get home.” points out the pilot from Fosses-la-Ville.
Does this mean that the 23-year-old biker could have had international ambitions? “Difficult to say. Because what is also lacking are the financial means. There is motorcycle maintenance, wearing parts, gasoline, travel. Here again, a multiplicity of circuits in our country would be beneficialcontinues the man who will begin the French sand racing championship where he regularly plays the leading roles.
Motocross in Lierneux, the circuit brought up to standard?
Noise as the main obstacle
In addition to the question of ecology, the noise complained of by local residents is one of the main obstacles to the construction of new permanent sites (or to their survival). The organization of amateur competitions is also impacted. “We are trying to raise awareness among the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) to this problem so that it hits the nail on the head with manufacturers. But it is complicated compared to certain big markets like the United States. There, they don’t care if the motorbikes make a lot of noise.”explains Christian Dejasse, president of the Belgian Motorcycling Federation (FMB).
Our former champion Joël Smets was recently moved by this in an open letter. Because, in January 2025, maximum noise levels will be lowered on European circuits. Bad news, one more.
To get around the obstacle of noise pollution, finding land far from any housing could prove to be an interesting option. But urbanization being what it is in our country, these sites are becoming a rare commodity. “Have you seen what the average population density is in Belgium? We are close to 400 inhabitants per km². That said, I see that France and Italy, although far behind in this little game, are starting to also to experience certain difficulties.”
A multi-year low at the top level
Since Steve Ramon’s title in 2007, no Belgian has been crowned world champion in the premier category of motocross. Neither in MXGP, nor in MX2 for that matter.
A low of several years which obviously did not plead the cause of discipline. The sport has lost visibility, particularly among young people and the media. Part of the support from the authorities too, probably. “It’s true that we probably rested on our laurels at one point”concedes Christian Dejasse, who also emphasizes having noted that the competitive spirit had diminished among practitioners. “There was a time when you just had to bend down to pick up the titles.”
Is motocross, once the flagship of our country, doomed to disappear? “For now, let’s not be afraid of words, I would say that motocross survivessays the president of the FMB. But I am an optimist. With will, good training and good information, the future can become brighter. We are able to work, develop and train our pilots in Belgium.”
Initiatives are being taken in this direction. Like the MX for Kids program launched by Motorsport Vlaanderen and which allows young children to try the joys of driving, its Walloon counterpart (FMWB) organizes courses in collaboration with Adeps. “Work is being carried out in terms of detectioncontinues our interlocutor. We try to find nuggets. As with every sport, you have to work from the base of the pyramid, casting a wide net to find one or two good ones. But we must tackle it now, to reap the benefits in fifteen or twenty years.”
Belgium seems to have found some good ones with the emergence of the Lucas twins, vice-world champion in MX2 a week ago, and Sacha Coenen (17 years old), Liam Everts (20 years old) and Jago Geerts ( 24 years old), who has been competing in MXGP since this season. Two of them, Lucas Coenen and Jago Geerts, associated with Brent Van Doninck (28 years old), will compete in the Motocross of Nations this Saturday October 5 and Sunday October 6 at Matterley Basin (Great Britain). A competition that Belgium has not won since 2013.
“With these four young guys, we will perhaps benefit from a lever to pull the discipline upwards again. And perhaps also motivate everyone, drivers, organizers and authorities to work together”concludes Christian Dejasse.
Motocross of Nations – Belgium with world vice-champion Lucas Coenen in MX2
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