Kevin Strijbos_Mister Surprise

Sometimes things happen when least expected. Let us go back 12 months and remember a day when a Grand Prix veteran shocked the world. With a Grand Prix victory since Lierop in 2007, Suzuki Factory rider Kevin Strijbos was a man expecting nothing more than consistent results and to recover from injury.

After missing three Grand Prix’s due to injury in 2016, Strijbos was making his return at the Grand Prix of Czech Republic. Making that return 12 months ago, he scored 11-11 results for 10^th overall, and went to the next round in Lommel with his confidence down, and his expectations just as low.

Strijbos went into the Grand Prix in Lommel in 2016 with hopes of surviving. Underdone, and really not in the right place for anything less than a nice top ten finish at his home GP.

A Grand Prix victory seems as far away as his last GP victory nine years earlier. Yet, in a big surprise the Suzuki rider captured the GP.

Scoring 3-3 results, and never expecting to stand on top of the GP podium, Strijbos could once again taste the victory champagne, and celebrate. Just days before the birth of his first child the Belgian was over the moon with his win.

“My last win was 2007,” Strijbos said. “A lot of the younger guys weren’t even into GPs. I didn’t get a good start, but I rode really good and I think it is my first home GP win. It was really special, for the team, we did the special thing with the bike. Second moto I had a decent start and everyone started putting on my pit board GP winner. It was nice for my girlfriend and baby.”

“We often expected a lot in Lommel, and it never worked out, and last year we came in not expecting anything and it worked out ok. I think I am not good under pressure, and that is why I rode good in Lommel last year. I had the injury and I didn’t have much bike time, so maybe that helped a lot.”

In a rather similar situation this year, Strijbos is again coming back from injury, and having missed a handful of Grand Prix’s, he again returned at Loket, going 9-15 for 12^th overall. (It might be added it was in 2005, some 12 years ago Strijbos won his first ever Grand Prix at the Loket circuit, but for now that story is just something for the record books.)

His return this year proved to be a good day as far as getting back on the bike, and heading to Lommel with a little more confidence than in 2016.

“It was good to be back as it’s been such a long time since I did two races. I just wanted to put all my injury problems behind me and start getting back to 100% in time for the next few races.”

Now 12 months later, Strijbos cannot surely recapture that magic of 2016, and again surprise the motocross world? Or can he?