There are five riders who have won Grands Prix, motos or taken podium results in the MX2 class who will be making their debuts in the MXGP category for 2015 but perhaps one of the best positioned will be Rockstar Energy Suzuki Europe’s Glenn Coldenhoff.
The Dutchman is the only racer from a group involving Romain Febvre, Christophe Charlier, Alessandro Lupino and Jose Butron who will not be changing teams or motorcycles next year.
The 2013 British Grand Prix winner already impressed Suzuki by giving the often-maligned MX2 project their first podiums this season since Ken Roczen steered the RM-Z250 back in 2011, and was promised a step into MXGP with the backing of the Sylvain Geboers’ factory squad for 2015 as part of the deal to bring him into yellow.
Coldenhoff – who recovered rapidly from a knee reconstruction that caused him to miss nine events in the middle of the campaign – has already begun life on the bigger 450cc machine with a short test with the works crew and Kevin Strijbos recently in France. “I’m excited and I’m really looking forward to this challenge,” he said. “It is going to be a tough MXGP class next year. I will make sure I am ready. I hope I can come through the winter well.”
Like his MX2 peers Coldenhoff will be using the coming months to adjust his training in anticipation of two GP motos with the powerful and heavier motorcycle as well as competition against the likes of Tony Cairoli, Ryan Villopoto, Strijbos, Clement Desalle and Gautier Paulin. “I have to eat a bit more and I am actually allowed to now! I don’t have to watch my weight and can go for it. I have to do more power training. I will need the power next year.”
Coldenhoff will ride the RM-Z450 in the same Suzuki Europe set-up that will field Jeremy Seewer on the factory MX2 machine for 2015.
