Stefan Everts has decided that the 2006 season will be his last and even though he has won 9 World Championships as well as writing his name in capital letters in motocross history, the Belgian doesn't seem to be 100% satisfied and at the age of 33, he's hunting another title to end his career with 10 world championship.
DR:Now that Mickael Pichon who seems to have caught (mononucleosis/glandular fever) and Sebastien Tortelli who's badly injured and Joshua Coppins just included, after the accident to his shoulder, you practically have your tenth world title in your pocket, right?,
Everts: No,not really! Even though it could look easy now that these great competitors are out of the game, I can assure you it is not.
Their place has been taken by young guns such as Tanel Leok, Kevin Strjibos, Ken De Dycker, Jonathan Barragan and Steve Ramon, and by looking at their times you'll find them to be really fast, too: the names have changed but the number of contenders is still the same and there's still many GPs until the end of the world championship.
My objective is to always remain focused and consistent throughout all the races so that when my opponents have better days than me, I'll be able then to count on my regularity. Another important aspect is to avoid making mistakes and most of all not to get injured.
DR: During the GP in Portugal, you overtook Tortelli, in both Motos, in the same part of the track and in the same way with two Block-Pass, like the ones we're used to see in the Supercross, and I can't keep back that it surprised me.
Everts:Yeah I think many people were possibly surprised by those two manouvres. During the first Moto, straight after Tortelli overtook me, I knew that I had to get back in the lead and I could not wait long so when I saw Sebastien entering the curve too wide and that's when I calculated my move as well as the right time to do it and after a few seconds I pulled it off; it was a quite aggressive move but I had to do it; I wanted Sebastien to see that I wasn't going to stay behind him and watch him win because my aim was that of winning the race. It was definitely a very important step to achieve victory in the first Moto.
I did exactly the same thing during the second Moto.
DR:I've got a feeling that after your first Block-Pass in the first heat, you put a lot pressure on Tortelli, so much to induce him to make that one mistake and fall off his bike in the second Moto.
Everts: I don't honestly know if that is how it all happened, whether he fell off his bike because he wanted to overtake me once more or due to something else. During the first Moto, I was the one put under pressure by him, whereas in the second heat I noticed he wasn't riding as well as he was doing in the previous one, I thought he maybe was a bit nervous: I possibly put him under pressure which was what I wanted to do.
DR: You've won 7 GPs (all the GP until now disputed)
and so far you're at the top of the league; are you really sure about retiring at the end of this year?
Everts: (laughing) This is the 14th time I'm questioned about this today and to guess an estimate I probably get asked that question from 20 to 30 times every weekend... so today it's been an average day!! Apart from kidding, that's a decision I've taken and I'm convinced enough about it not to go back on it.
To keep in shape at a professional level is very demanding and stressful both for the mind and the body: don't get me wrong, I still love riding my bike and racing GPs but I don't intend to go through such a tough preparation anymore. When you do it for many years or for as long as I've done it, it really starts to get to you and it can really be exhausting
DR:When did you decide it was time to retire?
Everts: I started thinking about my retirement at the end of 2004, but then I wasn't ready yet, so a couple of years have passed since then and I think now that time has come.
DR: How important is it for you to win the 2006 World Championship?
Everts: I've collected 9 World titles so far and I'm sure that this last one will not change my place in the MX history. My goal is to end my career riding at my best and trying to win as much as I can and that's why I'm now putting lots of efforts into it. If I were to lose the title I can already see magazines with headlines such as " The legend has been beaten..." and I really don't want this to happen and that, I think, is where I get my inspiration and motivation from.
DR:During the previous years you were alwasys in top shape for the first few GPs, but this year I thought you were even more. What was your training like this winter?
Everts: I have followed my card of training, I've been to Spain first to help out my father Harry in his motocross school. There I'd run on foot and cycle every morning as well as following the pupils training, while in the afternoon I'd train with the Yamaha 250 cc. 4T instead of the 450 cc. so that I could gradually get yet again used to it.
In Spain I found a beautiful sun to start training before the beginning of the world championship.
Like every year I've put my self to the test at the university of Bruxelles where I usually take part to some physical test to prove my physical shape.
They are of the tests that estimate my physical shape, but are extremely heavy, in particular way the test of lactic acid, is based on several run of the duration of three minutes one, where they come to me captures you of the blood champions, this operation repeats several times and every time increases the speed of the run until arriving to 20 Kph, truly exhausted.
DR: You won a lot last year but you also made a lot of mistakes. How do you explain that?
Everts: Yeah you're right , I made a lot of mistakes particularly during the starting point of the race and so I was forced to risk more to gain the lead in most of the events: naturally I was increasing the chance of falling off my bike every time I had to do that.
I've worked a lot on that and this year I've found my YZ450FM very comfortable and in particular I'm enjoying the new engine and the new clutch, in fact now I am making of the beautiful starts.
DR:You seem more calm and relaxed. Is it your son Liam who transmits this tranquillity to you?
Everts: Probably: all I know is that because of him my life has changed a lot. I'm not saying that in a bad way...I'll give you an example. When I'm away from home, and you can imagine it happens quite often just to test bikes or for training, I miss him a lot and that's why he comes to the events with us. Every time we have to organise the journey in advance and set off earlier that what we'd normally do but as a father it's a pleasure. Liam has changed me as a person and he is now the most important thing in my life and I think that only a father can understand how much joy your son.
Stefan Everts and Sebastien...
Stefan Everts and Sebastien Tortelli in the battle of the Portugal GP
DR: Speaking of sponsor, can you tell us why your historical sponsor LM (cigarettes) has abandoned the MX?
Everts: It's because of the new European laws that state that it's impossible for a cigarettes brand to sponsor events or athletes or even be advertised so we had to cover the logo.
What sort of interest will there be from a company to sponsor something where they can't be seen?
It's been a great loss for me financially and we've tried to do something about it for this last year of racing just to end in glory, but unfortunately it's not been possible.
Hour I have a new sponsor: the Intur Sports is a newly formed branch of the world renowned Intur Group, a family owned enterprise dedicated to the tourist industry in Spain. The group owns six hotels in Spain. The Intur Group network also includes restaurants, water parks, discos.
Stefan and his father, Harry...
Stefan and his father, Harry have a combined 13 World Titles
DR: What's the best memory you have of all these years?
Everts: Well I've got many and it's hard to say which one is the best.
DR:Just pick one.
Everts: One?? Well probably during the year 2003 where I won in Erne (on the same circuit that hosted the MXdN in 2005). On the same day/GP I participated to all the three classes 125 cc. MXGP and 500 cc and I won all, and in the same year I took part for the first time in my career to the 6 days of Enduro and I won.
To finish off that year we won the Motocross of the Nations with the Belgian team, so I think that the year 2003 was definitely a year to frame but like I said there's plenty more memories that this sport has left tattooed in my brain.
DR:What will you do after retirement?
Everts:I'm thinking that the first few months without racing will be really hard to put up with but I'm sure I'll handle it well. Throughout all these years I've been travelling a lot, moving from one place to another so I reckon I'll have a lot more time to spend with my family and maybe have another child.
As far as the financial situation is concerned, I'm not bothered about big earnings ( laughing) I just want to make sure that the bills are paid for..
I'd like to work with young riders, pass on my experience to them cause I've noticed that there's many young talents and I'd like to see them grow as pilots and as people.
DR:The last thing, your personal future goal ?
Everts:Being a good father.