Five Part Series.
Part 1:
In this five-part series, take a guided tour around the greatest and most famous motocross track of all time, the Citadelle of Namur.
Join 1980's grand prix contender Rob Andrews as he shows you how the long-lost home of the Belgian 500 GP looks today and explains everything you ever needed to know about what it was like to race there during its heyday.
And if you want to learn even more about racing the 500cc world motocross championship back in the glory days, you need ‘The Inside Line: Racing the 500cc world motocross championship’ book. 416 pages of unique, detailed insight into the life and emotions of a 500 GP racer. Beautifully illustrated in full colour from front to back, with some for the most incredible and soul-stirring images from the greatest photographers of the day, ‘The Inside Line’ is rated 5 stars at Trustpilot.
Available at https://robandrewsmx.com
Part 2:
Part 3:
Part 4:
Part 5:
Awesome
Excellent work, as always, Rob.
This is top 3 on my moto bucket list trips. I can't wait for the other parts to drop, thanks Rob!
Takes you back, doesn’t it?
Awesome thread. Thanks Mav.
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My Grandpa, the Ekins bros, and that other guy that was part of the group, went over a couple times and I would hear their stories over Sunday dinners and just dream of being able to see it in person one day. Until I do I will happily look at it through Robs' videos and book.
Very Cool! I always wondered how the track went there, Rob did a great job. It was long before my time taking MX race photos, I would of made the trip over there to shoot a race. Roddy MacLeod's iconic photo from there always comes to mind when anyone mentions Namur.
My Photo Gallery: www.pbase.com/thomasef
I can attest that track is the most unusual but very exciting to watch. I got to go twice in 85 and 86 as I was stationed in Germany at that time in the Air Force. Best race I ever went to.
Dropping into the woods. Mahlerbe
This right after they drop into the woods. Goebors
This right after the iron bridge and just past the pit. Carla
This going back up in the woods. Thorpe
One of my favorite shots. Magoo.
Fresh grass. Malherbe
Just before the drop down to the tarmac by the cafe. Malherbe
The cafe.
I guess that's all I can load at one time.
Can I borrow some of those pictures please?
I’m there on the 15th of next month to watch the Cyclocross World Cup!
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Wow i'm speechless, 2007, the last event held there seems like just yesterday. I thought it was many years before that, also reminds me of Carlsbad and it"s stature in America. What was the reason for discontinuing the event there? It seems to correspond with the advent of 4 strokes. Cant wait for the rest!
Of course Rob. I'm trying to find some more I took. I don't have all of them in digital. I'm looking for a photo album that's full of them but I miss placed it somewhere. I had better find it.
Oh and great video Rob. I'm excited for the next three.
Here is Goebors dropping into the woods.
Malherbe just starting in the woods.
Thorpe just down from the pits.
Thorpe heading into the woods.
Jobe dropping into the woods.
One of favorites. Thorpe leaving the pits.
Jobe during practice.
Thorpe. I really like the shots I took going from light to the shade of the trees around this white tire.
Jobe coming out of the pits. This is just down from the iron bridge.
Not the track but I love candid shot I took of Magoo talking to Malherbe.
Carla looking like he was going kill me.
Goebors in the woods.
Carla around the tire.
Nicoll using the suspension dropping into the woods.
All my photos are from 1985/86 so that's why some of the riders have different numbers and gear. Malherbe was wearing #1 in 85 and Thorpe was wearing #1 in 86.
Here are some pit shots.
I have been spelling Geboers name wrong all this time.
Factory Kawi of Jobe.
Factory Honda RC500 of Malherbe.
Jobe and Nicoll.
Geboers and Thorpe.
Geboers.
Unloading the RC500 of Thorpe.
Thorpe.
A dazed and confused Malherbe.
Malherbe getting ready for practice.
Jobe's Factory KX500.
Nicoll and I think that's Rob on the left number 14 on the KX. Sorry Rob, only shot I have of you.
The epitome of cool. Thorpe.
Malherbe.
Jobe.
Thorpe.
Danny "Magoo" Chandler.
Thorpe going out to practice.
Awesome. I can definitely add a couple of those to episode 2. They’re just what I’m looking for.
Thank you.
This whole video will make give you goosebumps but at 1:05 DT passing Eric going up there still gives me shivers it’s so friggin badass .
https://youtu.be/BqcytPKUHzA?si=meTilzxm7enb9bKt
Four…
😁
Pit Row
Enjoyed looking at these, thanks.
Great track walk, Rob. Thank you!
Shot this of Everts there at the MXdN in '01. You can see how gnarly it was for them to be weaving through the trees. Very hectic.
See that step down there in the background? In Saturday practice, it was near the end of a session so it was getting quiet with less bikes, and I think it was Rodriguez sends it off the top and fugging cases it HARD. It made this huge THUNK sound that went echoing through the trees, followed by silence. Gnarly.
Can I steal that one please? Ideal for episode 3!
I actually say in the video (and wrote in the book) that it was difficult to remember the track. Some drops could be taken faster than others. Some you had to brake hard at the top.,,
Sure thing, Rob. Keep up the great work.
At the last GP there in 2007, me and some moto journo regulars did a Friday afternoon trackwalk, since it would be the last GP held there I decided to shoot the track completely.
Bummer you weren't with us that day Rob, you could have told some cool stories along the way.
Here's the gallery which I think belongs in this thread too.
https://pbase.com/jefro98/trackwalk
The last few photo's I took more recently and shows how it looks now.
Went to Namur a few times in the '90's and it was everything you hear about and more. One of those places that lived up to it's legend. The first time I walked the track I just couldn't believe how insane it was - in so many ways.
One year, a local got through the fence on the road section during Saturday practice, and blasted his moped up the track and off the jump up the grass verge and wiped himself out while Billy Liles (I think) just shook his head as he rode past.
A minibus full of young guys who had lived on Jupiler beer and frites all weekend, is a smell I wouldn't want to experience again though 💨😄
Great photos, really captured the unique atmosphere of Namur. Was such a buzz to first arrive there, fans tents perched on any spare grass around the circuit. Empty bottles of Jupiler strewn outside, evidence of a good night previously?😜🍺
In 85 when I went. I drove from Germany and got there late Friday night. I didn't even know exactly where the track and it was pitch black but I knew I was close. I parked and slept in my car. I got woke up the next morning by the sound of a loud speaker. I got up and walked in the direction of the sound and I ran into part of the track. I was only like 300 yards or so from it where I parked.
I went on the other side of the track where I was and just followed it all the way around tell I got up to the Espanalde (sp). The famous hill with the step ups was so steep they had a rope tied between trees all the way up so you could help pull yourself up.I never saw a ticket both. I spent all day walking around the whole track multiple times getting all these shots I have shown on here.
I had an O'Neal hoodie and hat on. They had a vendor row and as I was walking by somebody yelled at me. I looked over and it was a vendor selling O'Neal stuff. He was French. Can't remember his name. But he spoke a little english so we had a good talk. I kept going around and taking photos. This was on Saturday. On Sunday I kept walking around and thats where I got a lot of the pit shots. Still no ticket and free to walk right in the pits. I couldn't believe this was happening.
Anyway I had the best weekend of my life. I went by myself so I didn't even have anybody to share it with. At the end of the racing I ran into the the French O'Neal guy again. We talked a bit more and he asked if I wanted to go to the podium and take some good photos. I told him I used up all my film (yes film no digital in those days). He said "well I can get you right up front so just pretend your taken photos". He did just like he said got me through this huge crowed and was standing there in front of the podium. Rodger DeCoster was there to hand out trophies. It was a long time ago but I think the podium was Thorpe or Malherbe first and second and Magoo was third. It was pretty surreal that Magoo was on the podium and just four years back I was watching him do local races at E street and Riverfront ParkI in Yuba City/Marysville California. I was pretending to take photos and got sprayed by the Champaign. It was the best time of my life and I have no photos of it. Oh well I have it in my mind anyway.
Namur will always be a very special place to me.
Great story. And great photos, especially the pit shots. Look for some of them in episode 2 this Saturday.
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone sharing their stories and pictures, terrific thread 👍
I cant believe that i never got there to see a race, but racing every weekend didnt leave enough cash in the pot for GP trips.
For those that did , fair play, and for those that got to ride there like RobGVX, they are part of the history of the sport that will never be added to.
Short vid of Everts racing there in 1998: https://gatedrop.com/watch-everts-on-a-500-honda-at-namur-98-500gp/
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