After a selection day that took place on February 17th at the Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet, 6 young riders were selected to join the ranks of the Belgian Motorcycle Academy in 2021 alongside former students returning for a second year and of the 2 Junior Black Knights – a total of 12 academics. The program is strengthened with new disciplines and new coaches including Xavier Siméon, rider for the world champion endurance team Yoshimura SERT Motul. After the speed pedagogical itinerary opened in 2020, a specific supermoto journey will appear in 2021.
Meet our young hopefuls
Newcomers come from all over Belgium. What do they have in common? A certain talent, an unwavering determination to improve and the dream of becoming a champion at the highest international level.
1. Valentin Durand (28/05/2010)
Valentin is a young pilot of 10 yo who comes from St Gérard, which is part of the municipality of Mettet. This young driver was spotted during his internships with the FioStarSchool.
2. Chiara D’addario (07/09/2004)
Chiara, 16 yo, from the Brussels region is a supermoto pilot. She has already done several races including the mini-biker championship where she finished 4th in 2019 as well as the Mettet Superbiker.
3. Willem Thijs (11/20/2007)
Willem is 13 years old and comes from Lanaken, in the province of Limburg. He has been riding a motorcycle since the age of 4. Willem was able to participate in the 2Race races where he raced in the MiniGP category. He then discovered the FioStarSchool where he discovered the pleasure of riding on dirt.
4. Mattia Maimonte (09/26/2010)
Originating from the Mons region, Mattia is 11 years old and started motorcycling for 4 years now. He made his debut in motorcycles by participating in FioStarSchool courses. Mattia practices motocross as well as supermoto. In motocross, he will participate in the Belgian Championship then that of France for the supermotard.
5. Yanis Starck (07/20/2006)
14-year-old Yanis comes from Mettet. He has been riding motorcycles since the age of 4. He participates in the Belgian supermoto championship in the beginner category and has already taken his first steps in the Mettet Superbiker by participating in 2019 in the junior category.
6. Troy Carpels (05/21/2004)
Originally from Gentbrugge in East Flanders, Troy is 16 years old. He has been riding a motorcycle since he was 5 years old.
These 6 newbies join the 6 young talents who had already joined the Belgian Motorcycle Academy in 2020 and who had indicated their wish to continue their high-level learning journey as well as the 2 Junior Black Knights:
7. Loris Dekkers (12/02/2007)
Loris Dekkers comes from Rijkevorsel in the province of Antwerp and has been passionate about motorcycles since the age of 4 when he received an electric motorcycle for his birthday. In 2018, he participated in CIV Junior, the Italian championship in pure speed. In 2021, he will participate in the BeNeLux Trophy SSP 300. Loris will be part of the BMA for the second year.
8. Evan Gourmet (12/26/2006)
Coming from Braine-l’Alleud, Evan Gourmet has been riding a motorcycle since he was 8 years old. His favorite disciplines are motocross and especially supermoto, which he has been practicing assiduously for 3 years. In 2021, he will compete in the 2021 Supermoto Championship in Belgium and France. Evan has been selected to join the Academy in 2021 for the second year.
9. Tom Rolin (12/21/2009)
Since he was 3 years old, Tom Rolin, who comes from Agimont in the Province of Namur, has been riding supermotard. In 2019, he finished 3rd in the Belgian Minimotard Championship. Like Evan Gourmet, he will participate in the 2021 Supermoto Championship in Belgium and France as well as 2 rounds of the Italian Championship. He has been selected again to be part of the BMA in 2021 and continue to progress.
10. Romain Even (06/24/2013)
This pocket bike rider is the youngest of academics at 7 years old and was already competing in the Dutch Junior A Championship in 2019. Due to his young age and small size, Romain Even will follow a “lighter” training program than the others pupils as part of his 2nd year at the BMA.
11. Lorenz Luciano (05/08/2004)
Aged 16, Lorenz lives in Carnières in Hainaut. He will be part of the Academy for the second year in a row and is also selected to be part of the Junior Black Knights team, entered in the Northern Talent Cup (NTC).
He got noticed during his first season of the NTC, climbing 3x on the podium and finishing 2nd overall. The Belgian Motorcycling Federation (FMB) was not mistaken and awarded him the 2020 Young Espoir Sportif Prize last December.
12. Noa Cuypers (23/11/2004)
Noa, 16 years old and from Chaumont-Gistoux, started motorcycling at the age of 4 on a Yamaha PW 50. In 2019, he went on to pure speed motorcycles, a passion that was transmitted to him by his dad. Completely addicted to the discipline, he rides as much as possible on his Yamaha R3, mainly on the Jules Tacheny Circuit in Mettet but also in Spain, where during the winter of 2019-2020, he took part in his first races. Noa joined the Belgian Motorcycle Academy this year and was recruited to complete the duo of the Junior Black Knights team.
Our mission : to find and nurture the motorcycle champions of tomorrow
Freddy Tacheny, chairman of the Belgian Motorcycle Academy: “The Academy is my only smile of the year 2020, because it is one of the only projects that was able to succeed given the restrictions imposed on us by the health situation. It was a pleasure and pride to have been able to accompany 6 young people last year and to have seen Lorenz Luciano hatch all his talent in the Northern Talent Cup! In 2021, we are continuing our momentum by further strengthening the program and opening the Supermoto sector. All this is made possible thanks to the support of the co-founders and to all the people who donated to the Belgian Motorcycle Fund whom I would like to thank warmly. ”
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