After attending maybe 200 Grand Prix races I needed something to give me a reason for wanting to continue following the sport with the same passion I had when watching Everts race. In the Everts era it was so much fun going to the race, not only for Stefan's friendly manner, but also because we often were able to see history being made.

Would he crack the 51 GP victories and pass the great Joel Robert, would he win that seventh World title and again pass Robert. What about 100 GP victories, was that possible, or maybe the perfect season, or a triple GP victory in one day and finally could he beat James Stewart at the 2006 MXoN and retire on maybe the biggest high possible.

So many happy memories of a man who chases his legend and didn't slow down until he finally rested his blue machine against the Rinaldi Yamaha team truck and walked away forever.

I know 2007 was for me a season I really wasn't that interested. I mean Josh Coppins injury made that season even bitterer, but with no Everts, and no Pichon, and no Smets it was just not what it used to be.

Antonio Cairoli is a legend in the making; no doubt about it, his GP victory last weekend carried him past Alessio Chiodi as the winningest GP rider from Italy. All he needs now it to match Chiodi for World titles (Chiodi has three and Cairoli two) and he will go down as the best of the best in that country. Cairoli has that X-Factor, and for sure made the last couple of seasons really enjoyable.

Now we have this 15 year old German kid, this Ken Roczen. Funnily enough I wasn't sure about it, maybe I am just stupid (well I am), but I wasn't that interested in what he was doing in these smaller races. I wasn't interested that people were saying how great he is, but after his Grand Prix victory last weekend I am starting to catch on.

Anyway, I asked Stefan Everts about Roczen, and also about his first home GP. All makes for great reading.

MXLarge: So, Ken Roczen has a GP victory, what did you think of him before last weekend?

Everts: His first GP was in Portugal, and already there he did well, he stayed with the leaders and then dropped back a bit. Then in Spain he was in second for the whole race, he showed good speed and he is picking up the speed really good, he is unbelievable. Physically he is already strong, his tactics are good and he is consistent. Moments he looks good, sometimes he looks okay, he knows his limits and he isn't taking too many risks, and that is smart.

MXlarge: How did your career start, like at that early age?

Everts: I started in the junior class when I was young, like some races when I was 11 and 12, but I didn't do any races between 13 and 14 years and then when I was 15 I did some junior class, just National races in Belgium. When I was 16 I did GP's. What I did back then is nothing compared to how he has been doing it. He has been to America, travelling around Europe, also European championship.

MXLarge: How was your first home Grand Prix?

Everts: My first home Grand Prix was a mess. It was in Borgloon, you remember that place; it was a natural circuit, soft dirt, dry, dusty, fast, the grass was high, and they didn't even cut the grass. I made a big crash on the Saturday and was riding over my limit, I was on national television being interviewed and I just wasn't myself, I was riding over my head. I had bad starts and just struggled, I didn't even get top ten or something like that.

MXlarge: You had a similar amount of GP's as Roczen didn't you before Boogloon?

Everts: I had done maybe five or six Grand Prix. I was 16 years old.

MXlarge: He is going to be really tough now, what do you think?

Everts: Next year it's going to be tough for the others. We still have some races to come this year, he will be fast in some races, but we need to see how he is in the sand. I mean he will step it up quick, you can see he is a fast learning and I am already thinking about what he will be like next year, and it’s going to be tough against him next year. I think this guy will be one of the contenders.

MXlarge: Wouldn't you like to have him at KTM?

Everts: If he wants KTM he is welcome, but I think he is more or less on a life time contract with Suzuki.