MX-Files in Europe...

Hi Gang!

As my cameraman Michael Graber and I are waiting at the Brussels Airport for a flight to Stockholm, Sweden, I thought I would give my friends at MT and V-MX a quick update and some pics from the trip. We came over to to get some interviews for this season and it has been quite a trip.

We first went to the Belgium GP in Lommel (My first GP!). We hooked up with Stefan and Harry Everts (Thanks Ragni!). Then we went to the Teka/Suzuki shop to talk with Sylvain Geboers and Andre Vromans (Thanks Sylain!) Next day it was down to Sint Truiden to see Brad Lackey's manager in Europe Patrick "Treeky" Wygaerts followed by a quick stop at Waterloo to see where Napoleon greatly underestimated Wellington.

From there down south to see Joel Robert while he got his track and venue ready for his 29th annual "12 Hours of Chanel" race they put on (Thanks Terry!) You all would go crazy if you saw how much fun this 7km course looks. Billy Liles has won this race a couple of times. Back north for a great visit and story telling session with Andre Mahlbere who looks great and is pretty damn funny.

From Andre's at 2:00pm it was a mad dash in the Skoda wagon north through Belgium, Germany to Holland to see this guy you all might have heard of...won a little race near San Diego a few times...Gerrit Wolsink. We made it by 6:00pm and Gerrit (sporting his "Wolsink Doo" still) took time away from his busy dental practice to tell some stories of that local race known as "The USGP of Carlsbad". If you can believe it, Gerrit has NEVER seen ANY of his wins on the ABC shows. I promised to send him some and left him with my copy of 1977. His fourth of five wins.

Next stop is Stockholm Sweden to see Torsten Hallman, Hakan Anderson and Torlief Hansen.

We have more but I thought I would share a few pics from the shoot so far:


Stefan Everts telling the story of how Johnny O' was his hero as a kid:



Sylvain Geboers and Andre Vromans watching Roger D's "MX-File" on the seat of one of de Dycker's #9 'Zuk:



6-Time World Champion Mr. Robert in between telling his crew how to lay out the "12 Hours of Chanel" course:



Myself, Michael and Andre Malherbe (looking great with those steely blue eyes):




Gerrit Wolsink talking about that little known race near San Diego called Carlsbad:



I need to thank DC for helping us our with credentials for the GP from Youthstream and Mirielle Daumas and her right-hand gal Emilie for taking care of us for two days there. Thanks a bunch! Also Roger D....He was definitely "The Man" on some of these phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

This should be another good season for "The Files" (as Tony D. calls them).

Headed for the gate...


Todd