Since his arrival on the Motocross of Nations scene, back at the Vimmerby circuit in Sweden in 1990, Stefan Everts has done magnificent things. He has more moto wins than any other riders in the history of the sport in this event, and also has won with Team Belgium in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2004.

His 1998 performance in the mud at Foxhill in England with a 1-1 showing and his 2006 1-1 performance at his final ever Nations, are just two of his great moments. He also finished with 1-3 scores in 1993, 1-1 in 1999, 1-1 in 2001, and 1-1 in 2004. 11 moto wins from his des Nations appearances. Lets walk you through 1998 at Foxhills though and 2006 at Matterley Basin.

MXdN Foxhills - 1998

I recall it oh so well, late September of 1998. The rain clouds were as dark as I had seen them in the whole six years I had lived in Europe. Sitting at a roadside fuel station with a bus load of Stefan Everts’ fans, we all looked towards the sky and wondered what was coming. Just one more hour and we would arrive at the Foxhills circuit, for what would be my eighth visit to the greatest motocross event in the world, the Motocross of Nations.

I often travelled with the Stefan Everts fan bus back in those days; it was a cheap way of getting to the motocross, and also an enjoyable one. Travelling with Everts late Uncle Pierre was a pleasure, as he was always accompanied by a warm group. On this day, despite the rain clouds above, they looked positive and happy, as they would be watching their king once again go up against the almighty Team USA. Or maybe, just maybe, they were hoping for heavy rain.

“In 1998 we had Foxhills, which was of course a legendary race due to the large amounts of mud, and I mean real mud,” said Everts. “They didn’t cancel it, but they changed the track over the hillside for the other races, because nobody could get up the hill anymore; I was the only one who could do it. Everyone remembers I was the only one, and it was a great victory, because just two weeks before I lost my championship to Sebastien, and I was so down. I spent the whole week trying to get over that loss, but I went to Foxhills with an attitude to show everyone what I could do. Everyone was disappointed when the rain came, but I was just smiling.”

“It’s funny, it doesn’t matter who I talk to in Great Britain, they all talk about Foxhills. Some people don’t even know I won 10 World Championships, but they know about that race in the mud. Of course racing in mud is tough, as you have to really concentrate on the track and make sure you don’t get caught. On that day in Foxhills, I was working hard on not losing momentum going up the hill. You needed to go at a steady pace, but not stop and not ride into an area where it might be too deep, but that wasn’t easy for many people. In the end they changed the track, because nobody could get up, other than me. That felt pretty good, to be the only one who could do it. Years later I still think about that race, and it’s one of those days in my career that I can be really proud of.”

Everts would of course end his Motocross of Nations career with a victory over James Stewart in the 2006 event, again in England, but this time at Matterley Basin. Once a king, always a king.

Foxhill, Great Britain
Sunday, September 27, 1998

Race 1 (125/Open) top-10
1. Doug Henry (USA/Yamaha)
2. Aaltonen (Finland/)
3. Rob Herring (Great Britain/)
4. Patrick Caps (Belgium/)
5. Francisco Garcia Vico (Spain/)
6. Marnicq Bervoets (Belgium/)
7. Alessio Chiodi (Italy/Husqvarna)
8. Gert-Jan Van Doorn (Netherlands/)
9. Darryll King (New Zealand/ Husqvarna)
10. Kocirek (Czech Republic/)

Race 2 (125/250) top-10
1. Stefan Everts (Belgium/Honda)
2. Michael Pichon (France/Honda)
3. Marko Kovalainen (Finland/Honda)
4. Paul Malin (Great Britain/Yamaha)
5. Pit Beirer (Germany/Kawasaki)
6. Kadlecek (Czech Republic/)
7. Alessio Chiodi (Italy/Husqvarna)
8. Jasinski (Germany/)
9. Krajelj (Czech Republic/)
10. Remy Van Rees (Netherlands/)

Race 3 (250/Open) top-10
1. Stefan Everts (Belgium/Honda)
2. Gert-Jan Van Doorn (Netherlands/)
3. Darryll King (New Zealand/ Husqvarna)
4. Marko Kovalainen (Finland/Honda)
5. Belometti (Italy/)
6. Bernd Eckenbach (Germany/Husqvarna)
7. Shayne King (New Zealand/)
8. Francisco Garcia Vico (Spain/)
9. John Dowd (USA/Yamaha)
10. Marnicq Bervoets (Belgium/)

Nations
1. Belgium (Bervoets, Everts, Caps) 22 points
2. Finland (Aaltonen, Kovalainen, Gustafsson) 45
3. New Zealand (D-King, S-King, Coppins) 49
4. Netherlands 50
5. USA 54
6. Germany 68
7. Great Britain 70
8. Czech Republic 82
9. Slovenia 91
10. Estonia 99
11. Italy
12. France
13 .Denmark
14. Switzerland

MXoN Matterley Basin - 2006

One race though really turned the sport on its head as thousands and thousands of fans headed to the circuit in the valley of Matterley Basin. Back in 2006, having held just one Grand Prix a few months earlier, this young track saw a weekend of magic and for the promoter of the event, Steve Dixon, it was a day he will never forget.

“I mean,” Dixon said. “That was generally the biggest crowd I have ever seen at a race. Then we had that big storm, hurricane Gordon and everyone was trying to get it. It was so successful, it was unsuccessful, and it will go down as one of those ones, like Woodstock or Glastonbury. There were people everywhere, but the racing was unbelievable. I still watch the (Moto Magazine - Mikey Neale video) video of Stefan (Everts) and James (Stewart) having the banter about it all being for the team and Stefan saying Ricky (Carmichael) would have raced him for the overall. I will always remember when Billy (Mackenzie) got into the lead and he was my rider, I had goose pimples all over my body.”

While it was Team USA who won that years MXoN, the star of the day was Belgian legend, Stefan Everts. His final major race as he retired from the sport, and a day he dominated and put on a perfect performance. His battles with Team USA’s rider James Stewart will go down as one of the best battles in the sports history.

“When I rode there in 2006,” Everts said. “It was the biggest crowd I had ever ridden in front of in Europe and the Nations, so a good moment, even great moment. It is always nice going back to Matterley. It is one of the nicest tracks on the season, along with Argentina, and Matterley is equal. You can see 100% of the track, which is awesome for the crowd and also the teams. It’s a cool track and the layout is nice. My fight with James Stewart was really a nice fight and I remember how the crowd reacted to my overall win. One of the best days of my career.”

With Matterley Basin returns to the 2024 calendar for this magnificent event, what we all will never forget about this English circuit though, is that day in 2006, when a legend left the sport on top, and that greatest race in the world took another step in the right direction.

Matterley Basin, England
Sunday, September 24, 2006

Race 1 (MX1/MX2) top-15
1. Stefan Everts (Belgium/Yamaha)
2. James Stewart (USA/Kawasaki)
3. Ryan Villopoto (USA/Kawasaki)
4. Christophe Pourcel (France/Kawasaki)
5. Ben Townley (New Zealand/Kawasaki)
6. Josh Coppins (New Zealand/Honda)
7. David Philippaerts (Italy/KTM)
8. Max Nagl (Germany/KTM)
9. Tyla Rattray (South Africa/KTM)
10. Antonio Cairoli (Italy/Yamaha)
11. Kevin Strijbos (Belgium/Suzuki)
12. Tanel Leok (Estonia/Kawasaki)
13. Billy MacKenzie (Great Britain/Yamaha)
14. Jonathan Barragan (Spain/KTM)
15. Sebastien Pourcel (France/Kawasaki)

Race 2 (MX2/MX3) top-15
1. Antonio Cairoli (Italy/Yamaha)
2. Ryan Villopoto (USA/Kawasaki)
3. Ben Townley (New Zealand/Kawasaki)
4. Steve Ramon (Belgium/Suzuki)
5. Tyla Rattray (South Africa/KTM)
6. Ivan Tedesco (USA/Suzuki)
7. Christophe Pourcel (France/Kawasaki)
8. Jussi Vehvilainen (Finland/Suzuki)
9. Tommy Searle (Great Britain/Kawasaki)
10. Carlos Campano (Spain/KTM)
11. Avis Wyatt (South Africa/KTM)
12. Carl Nunn (Great Britain/KTM)
13. Aigar Leok (Estonia/Yamaha)
14. Matti Seistola (Finland/Honda)
15. Marc Ristori (Switzerland/Honda)

Race 3 (MX2/MX3) top-15
1. Stefan Everts (Belgium/Yamaha)
2. James Stuart (USA/Kawasaki)
3. David Philippaerts (Italy/)
4. Tanel Leok (Estonia/)
5. Steve Ramon (Belgium/Suzuki)
6. Jonathan Barragan (Spain/KTM)
7. Sebastien Pourcel (France/Kawasaki)
8. Josh Coppins (New Zealand/Honda)
9. Ivan Tedesco (USA/Suzuki)
10. Billy MacKenzie (Great Britain/Yamaha)
11. Carl Nunn (Great Britain/KTM)
12. Yoshitaka Atsuta (Japan/Honda)
13. Cody Cooper (New Zealand/Honda)
14. Blair Morgan (Canada/Honda)
15. Yves DeMaria (France/KTM)

Nations top-15
1. USA (15 points)
2. Belgium (22)
3. New Zeeland (35)
4. Italy (37)
5. France (48)
6. Great Britain (55)
7. South Africa (59)
8. Spain (67)
9. Estonia (69)
10. Finland (78)
11. Australia (102)
12. Japan (118)
13. Germany (125)
14. Portugal (133)
15. Slovakia (134)

Luc Verbeke image