After winning his 8th motocross
GP title, Stefan Everts can see the
sun setting on one of the brightest
MX careers ever
STORY AND PHOTOS BY GEOFF MEYER
t's been a long year - not to mention career - for Stefan
Everts . Despite winning a reco rd-se tting eighth World
Motocross Championship and chalking up his 79th Grand
Prix victory, the great est Grand Prix rider of all time has
fought probably one of his toughest seasons he has ever
endured. He's crashed more than usual, he has been beaten
more han he's used to , and his resolve is somewhat in question . At times during the 2004 season, Everts even hinted of
reti rement, looked brittle, and , neari ng the en d of the season ,
the Belgian was being beaten badly by former World Champion ickael Pichon. Are we seeing the beginning of the collapse of an empire?
Everts has never bee n a quitter. He has faced the best of his
era, clashing head-on with some of the greats of the sport, and
through it all, he's proven to be the gre atest Grand Prix rider
I time . His 79 Grand Prix victory tally will likely never be
en, and he holds other reco rds that will probably neve r be
toucned either. But it appears tha t Everts ' time at the top is
nearl ver.
"I Know it won't last forever," Eve rts said. "I can feel it
already ; '1 can feel that I am not doing it as easy as in previou s
seasons. In 2003, I was rea lly riding we ll. I didn't feel this year
that I was on the same level as in '0 3, and if I come out of 2005
and I am not enjoying myself, if I am not winning like I want to ,
. en I will stop . I won't hang arou nd fight ing for top five, no
.ay. Sometimes my body is telling me it's time to look at doing
-s
ething else."
'"
