Stefan Everts is a ten-time MXGP World Champion and many in Europe consider him the greatest to ever do it. He’s also part of motocross royalty, as his father Harry is also a multi-time World Champion, and now Stefan’s son, Liam, is a rising star in the MX2 division. In this interview, Stefan Everts, talks about some major changes in his life as he himself prepares for another phase. We also talk about his current relationship with his son Liam, and how he’s happy he retired at the very top and didn’t find himself racing for top 15 positions.
MXLarge: Somebody told me you sold your place in Belgium, is that true?
Stefan Everts: Yes, that is true. We sold it rather fast, faster than I was expecting. We made a decision to reorganize our life, but it really went into a fast forward mode.
Obviously, that was a beautiful house, with a lot of area for all your motocross memorabilia. It must have been a tough decision to sell it.
It was difficult, a lot of emotion in that house, we got married in the garden there and all the memories and parties and the museum. It was difficult and emotional, but I think when we have our new place, it will be better and more relaxed.
I know you already had a place in Portugal, does that mean you spend more time in Portugal, or you also bought something in Belgium?
We bought an apartment in Hasselt, so we go from the countryside into the city. Portugal is where we may want to head for most of the year, but the next few years, my daughter is still doing school, so we first have to take care of her and when she is studying and out of the house, we will spend more time in Portugal.
So, you have decided to downsize, for old age, if you want to call it that?
You mean in the house?
Yes, I ask, because I just sold my house in Holland and moved into an apartment in the city of Arnhem, just down the road from where the Grand Prix is run. I had a large house by Dutch standards and to be honest, it’s the best thing I have ever done. No repairs needed, no mowing the lawn, or all that stuff that goes with owning a big house. The apartment is right in the city, so a nice little walk to the shops or cafes. I love it.
Yes, similar to that. We are also moving into an apartment, downtown in Hasselt and we always had this in mind, later on. Be in the heart of a nice city and Hasselt is really nice and, it is earlier than we planned, but it is less stress, because as you said, a big house means a lot of things to do. A lot of things to fix and yes, it is just more stress and now downsizing makes life easier.
You have such an amazing collection of motocross stuff. What are you going to do with all of it?
At the moment, it is in a warehouse and that is for now, but we will see what we do with it in the future.
The FIM are making a motorcycle racing museum, would you consider having some of it there?
At the moment, no. If you asked me right now, no, I wouldn’t do that. I first want to get a bit sorted in this big change in my life. I definitely want to do something with it all, but what, and where and how, I don’t know yet.
We just had the Motocross of Nations, did you go?
No.
Have you missed many Nations over the years?
Since I retired, I have missed this year and last year Liam didn’t race. I didn’t go when it was last in America, I went to Ernee, I went to Mantova, and before that, I missed a couple.
Does it still raise emotions for you, because it was such a great race for you?
Yes, maybe not as extreme as when I was a rider, but I saw this last one in America, and it was a great one. The sport is alive for that event and that is great to see, and it does bring back some great memories.
For Belgium, Liam and the two Coenen’s, so much potential in that team. They had some crashes, but you must be excited for the next decade with these three racing for your country.
Yes, let’s hope so. Let’s hope it keeps going well for them and each year we can have a strong team. I hope those guys stay motivated, because when they (Coenen’s) go to America, maybe their attitude will change. We will see, but for sure, it’s great potential. Pity they couldn’t do it this year.
I know you don’t work with Liam like you used to, and you have stepped back. I don’t want to get to into it, because it might be an emotional thing, but how are you doing as father and son at the races? Is it easier now that you have taken a step back?
In a way, it is easier. To be at the races, it always brings more emotion, and I want to see him perform at his best. When I don’t see that, I get emotional, I get a bit frustrated, but it’s better he doesn’t see me that way, because it only makes it worse for him. I think this year has been another learning curve, between father and son in the relationship, there were good things and bad things. It is definitely difficult, a father and son relationship, when you are doing the same thing, you know?
You reached a level nobody has ever reached. Are your expectations of Liam too much?
I don’t look at my results and expect him to do the same. I would just like to see him do his best, with the potential he has, and it isn’t the same as what I used to have. I still see a lot more inside of Liam and he also knows that (he has more potential) and a lot of people know that, that he has more potential. Being the son of…. that just makes it so much more difficult. People can never realize how difficult that is.
He is still doing very well and has had moments where he has been the best in the class. People will always think, yes, but Stefan and Harry are multiple-time world champions. Liam seems like a very nice human being, and I cannot even imagine the pressure he has to deal with.
Yes, and I think he has big balls to do that! Slowly, people are changing their expectation and don’t expect him to be as good as his dad. He is a different rider with different potential, and I think people expect less from him. I am so happy he made this great performance at des Nations and showed what he can do on the 450. I am so happy for him and it’s good for his confidence. This year was very difficult for him. The start of the season was maybe too good for him. He won the second GP and then after Arco he started putting a lot of pressure on himself after the DNF with the throttle cable that broke. He came good again, made the podium in England and was looking really good in Finland, but then he made that massive crash and that set him back a lot. I think also, going through another big crash like that, was difficult for him. He is a fighter, and he isn’t giving up. He keeps going and that is very good and positive to see that.
So many talented riders in MX2 at the moment and the future of MXGP is really exciting with all these kids coming through. Whether its Liam, or Kay de Wolf, of Simon Langenfelder or Andrea Adamo, so much talent. All will be good on the 450.
Yes, for sure and with Kay moving up next year, it makes it so exciting. I think it’s going to be tough for the older guys, to have these young guys moving up. We saw it with Lucas [Coenen] how he put Tim [Gajser] under pressure in Switzerland, and we saw what happened with Tim, he made this huge mistake. These young guys are putting the level up. We were in Valkenswaard (International race two weeks ago), and we saw Kay and Liam were just following Jeffrey the whole time. Jeffrey is normally the best sand rider, but he couldn’t pull away from Kay and Liam. These guys are not even in the class yet!
You must have had years where you thought about retiring so early and maybe there were another two or three world championships in you, but when you see riders slowly lose speed and drop down the order, I can also imagine, you feel really happy that you didn’t get slower and you retired as the top guy?
I don’t regret one second that I retired at the very top. In 2006, it was one of my biggest and most important decisions to walk away like this. It’s always going to end and it’s hard to know when that is, but I always told myself, 'I have worked too hard to slowly go back down again.' I couldn’t go higher than I was. That day I retired, it could only go downhill.
Tell me about 2026. Lucas will be better, Romain will be older, Tim and Jeffrey are on new teams and Kay is coming to the 450 class. Generally, the guys who win championships are the guys who have been with the same team for some time, be it Jeffrey, Tim, Tony, Romain, Jorge, they all rode for these teams over a period of time or at least the same bike. How do you see it being in that class next year?
It’s going to be difficult for both Tim and Jeffrey [switching teams]. Kay will be on that top level; I am sure of that. Tim and Jeffrey, swapping teams and bikes, it can turn out well, or not well and that is the gamble they took and maybe they needed the new challenge. It is cool to see them on different bikes and how they will adapt to it. Being on the same team, it’s normal, motivation can go down and being on a new team brings new motivation and maybe it is the right time for them to make this change. We will know in one year’s time.
I know Jeffrey is at the end of his career, but for me, the change in teams, for me, it’s one of the most exciting things in MXGP history. I think Honda is the best team in the paddock, with huge backing from Japan and so professional. Jeffrey is a special talent; you would assume he will be able to relate to the Honda. What is your opinion?
Sure, it’s a massive thing, a huge change. I mean, even for Tim going to Yamaha is a big thing and cool to see. It creates a new interest for the fans and media to see the first pictures of the year, the first race, the first Grand Prix. For everyone it is exciting but it’s a gamble for the riders and the teams. If you see what happened with Jorge in America on Kawasaki, it can end badly and that did for sure.
Main image: Moto Verte
