EMX125

Two riders to watch out for in the EMX250 and EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing championships are Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider Kay de Wolf and Team KTM Liamski Liam Everts. Both just 15 years of age, and both clearly very, very talented. While the MXGP and MX2 riders are coming to terms with racing again, these two young kids are just enjoying being motocross racers, something they will be doing for many years to come.

De Wolf isn’t from a motocross family, which of course is the total opposite from Everts, who is the son of Stefan Everts (10 time Motocross World Champion) and grandson of Harry Everts (four time Motocross World Champion), but what both these teenagers have in common is being young boys and not letting the whole motocross things take away their youth.

“I have been doing well,” De Wolf said. “Just building some BMX tracks at home and doing stuff around the house. I wasn’t really bored, and I could still train with the team physically. I enjoyed the time off but kept working.”

As for Everts, the team KTM Liamski rider has enjoyed time riding around the family property and getting advice from his famous father, but with school and other things keeping him busy, lockdown hasn’t been that quiet for the Belgian teenager.

“The lockdown has been alright,” Everts said. “I can ride in the forest here and keeping busy with physical training. I do home school, but my exams didn’t go through, and that is a bummer, but we go for the next one.”

De Wolf was pretty happy to see the EMX calendar come out recently and can’t wait to spin some wheels in Latvia during the EMX250 championship and gain some points on the guys in front.

“We start in Latvia, and then we go to Italy to Mantova and I really like that track, rode it last year on the 125cc also Spain at a new track, and of course three times Lommel, I am really looking forward to Lommel.”

As for the relationship between the two, De Wolf enjoys his Belgian friends’ company, and knows that while they are from different backgrounds, they will be racing each other for many years to come.

“We get on well with each other, he is my friend."

And for Liam: “I ride and have fun, do my homework and just ride like I do through the week.”

So when you watch the Latvian Grand Prix keep an eye out for the two 15 years old, learning their trade and building to something that might be special, and a rivalry that might see many Belgian and Dutch fans screaming for years to come

Photo Copyright: Bavo Swijgers

EMX125 presented by FMF Racing red plate holder Liam Everts looks like he might have a successful future. The 15-year-old won the opening round of this year’s championship at Matterley Basin with 1-1 results and then turned up at the opening round of the EMX250 presented by FMF Racing championship a week later at Valkenswaard in Holland and finished 7-6 results for sixth overall.

The son of Stefan (Everts) was terribly unlucky not to win the World Junior Championship in 2019 when engine failure saw him miss out on that title, but he has burst into 2020 and opened many people’s eyes. His win at Matterley Basin was something that came rather easily for the young teenager.

“For me,” Everts said. “I was just doing my thing and I wasn’t thinking about the podium at all, that hit me in the train on the way back home. It was nice to be a little like my grandad or my Dad, and also create your own little style, which I like to have, but it is a long way to go and it was just one race win. Even in Valkenswaard I showed many things I am capable of. I believe I am capable of more. I want to be in MX2 as soon as possible in a top team and I don’t know when it will happen, but I need to focus and I want to win, I am not a fifth-place guy, I want to win.”

Liam’s famous father Stefan knows that the long road to the top is not an easy one, plastered with crashes, injuries, and hard luck, but if you want it bad enough, then anything is possible.

“Matterley is a fantastic track,” Stefan Everts said. “It was technical, we had muddy conditions, we had dry conditions, so, I mean, we saw a lot of great things Liam can do on a motorcycle. I have been seeing this a long time during the week, and in practice and I think it never came out because he was not ready for it, maybe mentally, but also physically mainly. It is nice to finally see him do that under pressure, because the pressure he has on his shoulders is immense big and maybe I am one of the only ones who can understand what he is going through, because I had the same thing with my dad. I only see him getting better and stronger, even now in lockdown he is still motivated. He is disappointed there is no racing and he cannot do other good results. He looks at me as his father, but also as a champion and an example and he trusts what I tell him and what we do. We discuss some things, but for his example his physical program, he trusts everything and just follows it and he does it as his best. That is the best way to do it and that is how I did it with my father or with Willy Linden, I never went into discussion, I would just do it.”

So as Belgium comes out of lockdown, the young Everts is still pushing hard, doing his training, and progressing as a young racer. Once we return, do not be surprised to see an even better version of that young teenager who won at Matterley Basin. Exciting times for Belgian motocross.

Photo Copyright: Ray Archer

Great news this week as circuits around Europe began to open and Grand Prix riders have their chance to ride their bikes again. Training tracks in Belgium and Holland opened up for riders, with federations working overtime to get the circuits up and running.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 rider Ben Watson is still in the UK, although in a week he will head back to his Belgian base and start working again with his team member.

“Lommel is open to a few Belgian GP riders now,” Watson said. “My plan is to get work papers from Yamaha so I can cross the border. Flights are not possible, but the Eurotunnel is open, so I plan to go back to Belgium around the 11^th, so not too long.”

​Standing Construct Gas Gas Factory MXGP rider Glenn Coldenhoff is more than excited and appreciates the work his federation put in to get some professional riders riding again after it was originally only okayed for under 18 years to ride. 

“Last week we got some good news that selected professional motocross riders are allowed to ride again, which is big news from our federation the KNVB and a big effort and we can ride two days in the week. We can ride a little bit, so Tuesday is hard pack and Thursday is a deep sand track, so we have a bit of a mix. I think there are eight to 10 professional motocross riders and they have made a schedule that we don’t all ride together.

EMX125 red plate holder Liam Everts can’t wait to get back on the track, and although he has done some riding in the forest on to his families property, the idea of riding places like Lommel again and continue his improvement is a big step for such a young rider.

“I haven’t ridden there yet,” Everts said. “Lommel won’t open until the 14th, because they are still waiting on permission. Of course, when we get the green light, I am very excited to race again. It will be nice to train again.”

So, with riders back on their bikes throughout Europe, hopefully we can all be as positive as possible, and the 2020 season can once again fire into life.