Three-Time MX World Champion Passes
A
ndrea Malherbe, a three-time
500cc Motocross World
Champion, passed away at the
age of 66 after a short illness.
Malherbe won the 500cc MX
World Championship in 1980, '81
and '82.
Malherbe was born in Huy, Bel-
gium, March 21, 1956, and first
made his mark on the internation-
al off-road scene by winning the
FIM 125cc Motocross European
Championship in 1973 and 1974.
Born the son of a motorcycle
dealer, young Malherbe started
racing at just seven years old and
was always destined to reach the
top after showing exceptional
speed and skill even in his early
days on track. Malherbe won
his first world title in 1980 and
was successful in defending his
500cc crown the following year.
The Belgian warrior secured
his third and final 500cc cham-
pionship in 1984 before retiring
from motocross with 41 victories
to his name. Soft spoken, polite
but with a strong character and
will to succeed, Malherbe inspired respect,
a true gentleman on and off the track. He
was one of the motocross greats of the
1980s. His battles with Hakan Carlqvist and
Dave Thorpe are legendary.
After racing in the 1987 Spa 24 Hour as
part of the Touring Car World Championship
André then went on to compete in Rally Raid
events. Malherbe crashed heavily during the
1988 Paris Dakar Rally and sustained seri-
ous injuries that left him a quadriplegic.
CN
IN
THE
WIND
P24
Belgian Andrea
Malherbe, a three-
time 500cc MX
World Champion,
passed away at the
age of 66.
