More than a decade of racing Grand Prix motocross was something that 27-year-old Dutchman Brian Bogers got very used to. Six podiums in his MX2 and MXGP career and a Grand Prix victory around the toughest motocross circuit in the World, Lommel, in 2022. Always a hard worker and a rider who has ridden for the GasGas factory team, the Husqvarna factory team, the HRC factory team, and the Standing Construct Honda team. 

A regular top ten guy in MXGP, the recent signing by the Fantic Factory team, after that team let their original rider, Roan Van De Moosdijk go, meant that Bogers was more or less able to bring his Grand Prix career back to life and I can tell you, it seems sure that after 10 years of racing against the best in the World, the Dutchman would be saying goodbye to the MXGP championship.

Having signed with the Revo GasGas team back at the end of the 2023 season, Bogers looked likely to continue racing at the highest level, but early in 2024, it was made clear that the Revo GasGas team wouldn’t have the budget to race MXGP and Bogers was out of a job.

He did however sign to race selected sand races for the SR Honda team, finishing a very solid fourth in the Le Touquet beach race and then signed with the Hannamax GasGas Galvin MX team to ride the Dutch Masters of Motocross and a number of selected races. Bogers did make an appearance for the Hannamax team, but his results were so bad that he considered calling it a day on his motocross career.

Working as a labourer for a friend’s building business, Bogers was as far away from the highest level of motocross as he had ever been, and it seemed that his career was over. That was until he got a call from Fantic factory team owner, Louis Vosters and now, as we enter the third round of the 2024 MXGP championship, Brian Bogers is back.

MXLarge: Firstly, congratulations on signing with Fantic, I can imagine you are pretty happy, but can you tell me how it came about?

Bogers: Yes, thanks very much. Well, at first it was just for two races, Riola and Trentino. There was the situation with Roan, I guess.

MXLarge: So, I assume they sorted something out with the contract with Roan and that left the team open to make a full-season deal?

Bogers: I guess.

MXlarge: I mean, you couldn’t ask for a better race to start with the team, being a Dutchman in the sand of Riola?

Bogers: Yes, but it looks nice, but its going to be really difficult. I am short of two months of training. It was a crazy winter for me, and I did six weeks of training for Le Touquet, but before that I hadn’t done any training and after Le Touquet I hadn’t done any training. So, you know, at this moment I am just not fit enough for the race, but I am really happy and excited to be back. Also, the bike, it is a different bike, I need to get used to it, but at the moment, it feels really good. I just need to get my physical side better.

MXlarge: Louis is a very passionate team owner, and he seems to be really good at running the team. Have you worked with him ever before?

Bogers: No, I never worked with him before, but as you said, he has a big heart for the sport, and you can feel this. If you look into the team, everything is there, all the small details, which are very important. That is a big advantage for me now to build up from zero again.

MXlarge: Glenn is also a great guy, and a fellow Dutchman. I assume you two will work together well for 2024.

Bogers: I think we will do a lot together, because I will also train with Kevin Strijbos and Glenn also trains with him. Although Glenn is very fit at this moment and I am not, so I can’t follow the same program, but I will do my best for sure.

MXlarge: You obviously had a ride with the Revo GasGas team, which didn’t go ahead and left you with no ride, but as it turns out, you probably have a better ride now, so in the end, it works out well for you?

Bogers: Yes, I think everything happens for a reason you know, so maybe, that needed to happen, I don’t know.

MXlarge: I can imagine, because of the situation you had, where you didn’t have a GP ride, that you are now super motivated, maybe more than ever before in your career, to get another shot at MXGP?

Bogers: Yes, probably yes, because a few weeks ago, I was riding for a Dutch team and they helped me really good, but I had to do everything myself. I went training with my own van, cleaning the bike with my dad. It was a really tough time, and I was also working during the week, because I also have bills to pay. So, for sure, this wasn’t easy. At one moment, I did a race, and it went so bad, that I thought, Brian, it is maybe better to stop with it. I was actually at this point and then I got a call from Louis.

MXLarge: What type of work were you doing during the week?

Bogers: I was working for a friend in construction. I didn’t have a lot of school, but I know to work hard. It was a friend and he helped me, because I also needed to train, and he allowed that.

MXlarge: I know when I first came to The Netherlands back in 1993, I worked in a flower farm and it was in March, and I know how tough that is to work in the winter in Europe, but I guess you are a motocross rider and a lot tougher than me, so I assume you didn’t mind as much as I did?

Bogers: Yes, I have never had trouble with hard work, so it wasn’t too bad. I always worked hard, my whole life. I also don’t care about working hard, physical training or working for a boss.

MXLarge: I assume this deal is just for this year, but do you think if you can put some good results together, you might be able to get a second year on the contract?

Bogers: I guess so. What you said before, I am more motivated than ever and maybe not the first few races as I build my fitness, but you will see how motivated I am after that, because I really want this to work well.

MXLarge: Will you do Oldebroek on Monday?

Bogers: No, no, that is too soon. Even Riola is too soon, but we will get started and see how it goes.