After making his Motocross des Nations debut on the 450cc at Ironman, Liam Everts once again demonstrated the class and composure that have made him one of the most exciting young riders in the world. Despite having just five days of riding time on the bigger bike after returning from Australia, the Belgian impressed with his speed and adaptability – even going bar-to-bar with close friend Jett Lawrence during the final moto.
We caught up with Everts as he opens up about his Nations experience, how the 450 suits his smooth riding style, and reflects on a rollercoaster couple of years that’s seen highs, injuries, and strong comebacks. The Husqvarna rider also discusses recovering from his serious neck injury last year, finding his rhythm again, and what it’s like working alongside Kay de Wolf under the Nestaan Husqvarna setup. From battling with the world’s best to signing a multi-year deal for the future – Liam Everts shares his thoughts on it all.
GateDrop: Liam, you raced the 450cc this weekend, I mean, did you expect to be that fast?!
Everts: Yes and no, I felt really good in practice and I know it’s a bike that really suits me. I only had it about five days after Australia so it was quite tight but my weekends went better and better. I got more comfortable and it was a good weekend.
GateDrop: I have to ask you about the last moto, I mean the speed of the top 10 was crazy and you actually were holding Jett off for quite a bit… Good friends and I mean whenever he left Europe, you weren’t anywhere near what you are now… It must feel good just to even battle with him…
Everts: Yeah it’s nice, you know, we’re still friends and we just joke around so it’s cool to battle with him, you know. The level he’s on is crazy so to even battle with him was unexpected so it was cool.
GateDrop: After Australia, was it five days you had the 450cc or five days of riding?
Everts: Five proper days of riding…
GateDrop: That’s not long so you must be pretty happy with your pace…
Everts: Yeah, we had seven days in Belgium before we flew out here so I rode five of them and then I did one enduro ride on Saturday and one day off. It was quite a lot of riding and I enjoyed it.
GateDrop: You said it was Belgium mostly… I mean, Belgium tracks are nothing like that. What was it like riding a 450 around that track?
Everts: Yeah, it was good. I think one day we went to Lelystad as well to do a day in Holland so we went around a bit. It was nice and it was cool. I spent quite some time with Team Holland at the boys so that helped just get on pace and then push me.
GateDrop: I think that’s your first proper race on the 450. The last time you raced the Nations, I think it was a 350. Was there ever a decision to be made there between the 350 or 450 or now you’re a little bit stronger, you always felt racing the 450?
Everts: I don’t know, it felt a bit more that the decision was really easy. The 350cc never really came up, also because last year I was meant to ride the 450cc at Nations, then I broke my neck. So that decision was made, I really wanted to get on the 450cc and see what I could do with it. So yeah, I think I did alright.
GateDrop: You did better than alright let me tell you (laughs) Do you feel like it suits your style? You know, you’re quite smooth, you’re always on the pegs, so it feels like the bigger bike will suit you…
Everts: It was a lot more easy for me to ride the bike, just second and third gear. I struggled a little bit in the first part of the qualifying race, just to be too low and used to first and second. Then halfway through I knew I had it. The bottom power is there, the bike is so strong, so I could shift up a bit more.
GateDrop: To go back to China last year, obviously you had your big injury, I mean how bad was that? I remember you saying at one stage you were maybe even going to quit, I mean how close were you actually to quitting? And how tough was that injury to deal with?
Everts: Quite close (to quitting), you know. One thing was like, surgery was done but then how am I going to recover? I heard so many bad things about headaches and feeling in the fingers not coming back properly. And it wasn’t coming back to me at one point, my feeling in my fingers.
GateDrop: How long did that take to come back?
Everts: It took a few weeks but then it was good for quite some weeks, and then I started my recovery but then it started to go bad actually. Then we talked a bit, it was normal at first and then it slowly went away, but it took quite some months but then that recovery process went a lot better than we expected it. I just started riding and doing what I loved, and found that passion again.
GateDrop: I have to ask you about your off-season, I think you were only really racing full proper tracks, maybe two weeks before Argentina, is that right?
Everts: I only had a couple of weeks at RedSand in Spain so I didn’t have much prep. I just did a little bit of a turn track, which I started on the week before, but we took it really, really slow I remember. Kay was riding a lot there, and testing, and I was just cycling and running, and trying to get the neck strong, and doing a lot of stuff there, which I really enjoyed, because I was in an environment just focused on training, which I loved. Then I finally could start riding, and I remember I think Kay hurt his foot then. I was then there alone, and all of a sudden it went good… It better, better, and better, and then we were like, okay, let’s go to Argentina and see how it goes. We got a fourth, we just missed the podium.
GateDrop: Well, you’ve led me on to my next question, actually. Argentina, did you expect to be fourth after just two weeks of proper riding? Do you think after everything that happened, that maybe took the pressure off? Whereas usually you guys work so hard during a pre-season, and you’re probably thinking about winning, that’s all you guys think about. That maybe helped take the pressure off a little bit?
Everts: Yeah, exactly. I was just there thinking let’s see how this goes and where we end up, if we get some points that would be perfectly fine, finish outside the top ten, whatever, we’ll work towards it. And then it went so quickly. We went to Spain, we won the GP, France, we took the red plate, the first time I had that in my career. So in many ways, it was nice, a nice season, but also a really tough season.
GateDrop: How would you reflect on the season? I think you started really well. Wouldn’t have expected to be that fast to start. Maybe a little dip in the middle, but I feel like you ended strong again. So overall, pretty positive?
Everts: The beginning was great. We really didn’t expect that, the team and I, and then we went to Germany. I struggled a lot, and then I kind of found my flow again in England, and especially in Finland then. Then I had the crash which meant I was out for five weeks. I rode one time before Sweden, and then I kind of got the mental hit of it. Sweden, Arnhem and the other GP around then, it was very busy. I then slowly got through it again, and I don’t think the results really showed how good my speed was because I just kept on getting bad starts, and it just wasn’t really working. But that’s the way it goes sometimes.
GateDrop: What’s it been like working being with the Nestaan Husqvarna team? Unbelievable team, but you’re also working with Ruben, who’s obviously in the family, and working with Rasmus. How’s all that going?
Everts: Yeah, really good. They took me in with open arms, and I have more of a bit of a family feeling, and people I feel good with.
GateDrop: What’s it like having Kay as a teammate too? You seem to ride a lot together, so that can only help probably both of you.
Everts: Kay and I, we are complete opposites in a lot of things, like riding style, how we live. But it’s good to learn from him also, to relax a bit more. It’s been a fun year.
GateDrop: How does it feel to sign a multi-year contract to stay with the team? It must feel good.
Everts: Yeah, really good. It’s nice to end my MX2 GP career these next few years, it’s a good feeling to stay with them for that.
GateDrop: The season’s not done yet, I think Valkenswaard next week. You guys never get a break. Are you looking forward to that one?
Everts: I had my break a little bit in the season. I had four weeks off, and normally the season, once the Nations comes, you are happy it’s done, but now I have a bit of a feeling that I feel good. I’m not empty, I just want to keep going a bit. I’m doing two more races, the race in Valkenswaard and then one beach race so I’m excited for that, and after that, I don’t really have a plan yet.
GateDrop: And at Valkenswaard, I think you’re racing the 450cc again, against Kay and Jeffrey. That’s going to be pretty awesome.
Everts: Yeah, it’s going to be cool. It’s a nice track, a nice environment, it’s not far from home, and it’s cool to be still with that race.
