THREE LEGENDS – MXGP 2025

It isn’t often you get three motocross legends to preview the start of a World Motocross Championship, but 10 time World Motocross Champion, Stefan Everts, five time World Motocross Champion, Joel Smets and three time World Motocross Champion, Dave Thorpe gave us their comments when we asked them what they think will happen this year.

Everts feels that Tim Gajser will be the favourite, and it will be his championship winning experience that will give him the upper hand in 2025. He also will be looking closely at the comeback of Jeffrey Herlings and feels if he can come back quickly enough, it will make the battle between Gajser and Herlings very interesting.

“Tim will be one of the favourites and already a five-time World champion,” Everts said. “He is used to being in the position of winning championships, so he has that advantage. He will also be super motivated after losing the championship the last couple of years now. I hope Maxime Renaux can stay healthy and then maybe he can be in the fight with Febvre. We have to see what happens with Jeffrey when he comes back, if he will miss one GP or more, then it will be more difficult. If he only misses one GP, then anything can happen. Things always happen throughout the year.”

Smets is still concerned for the length of time Herlings might be out and with such an injury, it is nearly impossible to know if he is back in a few weeks, or in a couple of months. Knowing his rider, anything is possible, but nothing will be known for a week or more.

“We evaluate week after week and with this injury,” Smets said. “It isn’t like a broken bone. With a broken bone, you can put a date on it, and then we start riding, but with an ACL, it isn’t like that. They say the minimum the doctor talks about is four months, but is it going to be four months, or is it going to be five months? In case of an ACL, you can always take a risk, after four months, the pain is fine, you will be able to ride, but the strength of the ACL, which is built in, is not the same for everyone and you cannot see on MRI’s, how strong it is. It has a strength, but you don’t know the risk of it snapping again. Of course, even with a healthy ACL, it can snap, but that is difficult to judge. Some people ride after three months, but some ride after five months with less success. It is up to the athlete, not just physically, but also mentally, when is he willing to do it.”

And Thorpe, also a former HRC factory rider likes what he sees from Gajser in the pre-season and how he has come into the opening round in Argentina. The British legend doesn’t really agree with the number of races Herlings did in 2024 and feels luck wasn’t on his side with injuries.

“I kind of look at it closely and I feel like Tim and the team have done a good job in choosing their events wisely and they haven’t done too much, but they have done enough. The have gotten some races behind them with the new bike. You would have to say their prep is ideal. When you look at poor Jeffrey, he kind of raced every race under the sun in 2024 and the law of average, says you are going to come unstuck at some point. Unfortunately, he did come unstuck in the race in Holland. Whilst you cannot wrap your riders in cotton wool, Tim’s prep from the outside looking in, has been very good.”

So, when three legends of the sport see the excitement of what is possible in 2025, you get the feeling we might see some very entertaining rounds in the early part of the season, and whatever happens when the best motocross riders in the World go head to head in Argentina this weekend, there might be drama and excitement.

Photo Credit: Bavo Swijgers