Joel Smets

Joel Smets , born the April 6th 1969 with Mol, is a Belgian pilot of Motocross.

Called the “Flemish Lion”, it joined the world of the Grand Prix of motocross in 1989. It is however in 1993 qu ' it gains its first Grand Prix, in Teutschenthal in Germany. It progresses again the following year, adding two new Grands Prix for a total of six victories of handles. It gains then its first world title in 1995 and gains the first of its championships of Belgium. The season also ends in a victory at the time of the Motocross of the nations with the Belgian team.

After one season disturbed by a wound which prevents it from defending its title, it carries out a beautiful triplet again: world champion, of Belgium and victorious of the Nations, with Stefan Everts and Marnicq Bervoets. The following year, it largely dominates its category with six victories of Grand Prix and a profit of thirteen handles. The following year is remembered by the bad luck: it undergoes many abandonments on mechanical rupture.

It finds its title in 2000 after one dominated season in an outrageous way: 12 victories out of 16 Grands Prix, marking points in the 32 disputed sleeves.

The following year, he fights a long time against his Everts compatriot for the world title in spite of a wound before finally releasing taken following a fall. The following year, following a fall then of a mechanical rupture, it must very quickly give up its dreams of world title. It is devoted to the victories in the Grands Prix, adding six new victories. The following year, it takes part in two championships of the world: the championship 650 cm ³ and new championship MX1. In 650 cm ³, it does not meet any competition and gains its 5th titles easily, with 10 victories out of 11 Grand Prix disputed. In MX1, he is a long time the main adversary, with French Mickaël Pichon, of his compatriot Stefan Everts. The following year, a bacterial infection following an operation with the knee very quickly leads it to put a term at its season.

After a springtide finished on wounds, it decides in September 2005 to put a term at its career.

Prize list

World champion 500 cm ³ in 1995,1997,1998,2000
World champion 650 cm ³
57 victories in Victorious Grand Prix
of the Motocross of the nations 1995 in Sverepec, 1997 in Nismes, 2003 in Zolder

External bonds

Official site

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