Not as painful as the loss of Namur in Belgium, but a huge loss still for the Grand Prix scene was the sad end to the Valkenswaard story. A circuit that was always enjoyable to visit, often great racing and one of the many sand tracks that brought something different to the calendar.

And while we will visit Arnhem this coming weekend, the memory of Valkenswaard can never be forgotten, as much for its amazing character, but also for the fact, a Mr Jeffrey Herlings was near unbeatable there. It was an era, many of us enjoyed.

The eurocircuit in Valkenswaard was considered one of our crown jewels on the GP scene and while Valkenswaard might not be considered one of the real old school Grand Prix circuits of the 1960′s it still has a long relationship with the FIM Motocross World Championships.

Back in 1974 Sylvain Geboers topped the 250cc Grand Prix. Geboers would end the 1974 season in 11th place, and that victory in Holland would be the great rider’s last big win on the international scene.

It would be 18 years before the 250cc class would return to Valkenswaard and in this new era Stefan Everts would show good speed around the twisty, tough sand track. A young Everts (the new World 125cc champion) had moved to the 250cc class in 1992 and shocked the world with victory around Valkenswaard.

He would then add victories at the eurocircuit in 1994, 1995, 1996, and 2004. Other riders to win in the 250cc class at Valkenswaard were Greg Albertyn in 1993, Marnicq Bervoets twice in 1997 and 1999, Sebastien Tortelli in 1998, Frederic Bolley in 2000, and Mickael Pichon in 2002.

In 2003 Pichon won the MX1/MotocrossGP class after a hard battle with Stefan Everts. The two collided mid-race, breaking the front spokes on Everts bike. It was a time when Pichon rode at his best ever, taking the first three GPs of the season easily and looking likely to win the title (which eventually went to Everts).

In the 500cc class the first GP at Valkenswaard was held in 1980 and Belgian rider Andre Vromans won. The 500cc class didn’t venture to Valkenswaard as often as the 250cc class, and there would only be a handful of Open class winners around the Valkenswaard circuit, those being Dave Thorpe in 1985, Dirk Geukens in 1989, Billy Liles in 1990, Marnicq Bervoets in 2000, Joel Smets in 2002. Smets won his first Valkenswaard Grand Prix leading home Bervoets and Everts. Smets would add a 650cc win in Valkenswaard in 2003.

In the 125cc/MX2 class the history of Valkenswaard is mixed, in 1981 Marc Valkeneers won with 3-1 results, Harry Everts was second with 3-2 results, but the news of the day was the 1-DNF result by Eric Geboers.

The DNF by Geboers would cost him the title as Everts won with a 15-point cushion 211pts to 197pts. In 1987 the Dutch golden boy Dave Strijbos would claim victory with 1-1 results, while two other Dutchman Pedro Tragter and John Van Den Berk finished second and third. It was the golden era of Motocross in Holland.

South African Grant Langston won in the 125cc class in 2000, while Steve Ramon won the 125cc class in 2002 and 2003. In 2004 Ben Townley dominated the Dutch GP, going 1-1 for victory.

Valkenswaard missed two years on the Grand Prix series, and when it returned in 2007 it was Josh Coppins and Antonio Cairoli who would win in the MX1 and MX2 class, giving Yamaha a double victory.

In 2008 Ken De Dycker took a 1-1 victory in the MX1 class and Tyla Rattray produced a win in the MX2 class. Jonathan Barragan would score a shock victory in the MX1 class in 2009, and Marvin Musquin would win the MX2.

The King of Valkenswaard, Jeffrey Herlings began his amazing domination of the MX2 class in Valkenswaard with his first ever GP win in 2010, followed by overall victories in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2020, and on each occasion scoring 1-1 results.

Another KTM hero Tony Cairoli would do a similar thing, winning the MX1 class in 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2019, giving him his seven GP victory at Valkenswaard (six in MXGP and one in MX2). Funnely enough, the legendary Italian was first really seen at the 2004 Valkenswaard event, when he battled Ben Townley as something of an unknown rider, with the New Zealander getting the upper hand.

The French took over for a little while at Valkenswaard, with Gautier Paulin winning in the MXGP class in 2015 and Romain Febvre winning in 2016. Paulin won again in 2017 in a shock, as he beat the seemingly unbeatable Herlings in the MXGP class, with Pauls Jonass winning in the MX2 class in 2017. Jonass would win again in MX2 in 2018. Tom Vialle won at Valkenswaard in 2020.

That 2020 Grand Prix in Valkenswaard, was the last before Covid hit and turned out season and sport upside down, with many in the paddock complaining of this mystery throat pain and headaches. We all know what happened after that, and in a weird twist, it was also the last trip to the famous Dutch circuit that sits up the road from the Herlings home.