International Road Race Legend from Yesteryear: Didier van Keymeulen

The international road racing legend of yesteryear, where has he gone, what is he up to now, and how does he view today's road racing sport? In this section, we ask these former heroes a series of (the same) questions. This week: Werner Daemen.

Didier van Keymeulen

Who is Didier van Keymeulen??

Name : Didier
Nickname : Not any I know of
Born on : 20/05/1983
Nationality : Belgian
Residence: Ghent
Start of road racing career : 1999 ONK CRT 125Cup
Active in : BK, NK, IDM, WorldSP, FIM Superstock 1000, FIM EWC
Number of titles : 1 – FIM Superstock 1000
End of road racing career : End of 2014
Current profession : Co-owner of a company that sells and services earth-moving machines

How did you first get involved in road racing?

My father was active in the Belgian championship and bought a PW50 for my 4th birthday, which I rode around the paddocks during race weekends.

Which rider did you have the best battles with on the track?

Kenan Sofuoglu

Best motorcycle you've ridden and why?

Yamaha R1 2010 IDM – 2012 FIM EWC. The bike's characteristics combined with the chassis suited my riding style best. Not the fastest, but definitely the most enjoyable.

Favorite Circuit you have raced?

The old TT Circuit Assen – the fast, flowing corners.

What is the strangest or most hilarious experience you've had in racing?

Nürburgring 2005. After a crash in the first practice session, we temporarily lost the bike. It turned out the bike had been launched through the banking and had gone straight through the roof of a marshal's tent.

Do you have a special memory of racing in the Netherlands?

CMSNL is based in the Netherlands
Of course, the Netherlands was my gateway to an international racing career as a Belgian. Since I couldn’t compete in a recognized championship in Belgium to obtain my international license, we moved to the Dutch championship. Furthermore, Assen was always a home race for us and our supporters on the international calendar.

The best thing you've gained from racing

The memories with my father. Thanks to racing, we spent a lot of time together, which might not have been the case otherwise. Also, the enduring relationships and friendships.

Didier in 2005

What did you do after your active road racing career ended?

We now run our own business in earth-moving machines with a team that is very active in providing hydraulic services in the port of Ghent. An interesting note is that I also work closely with Kai Borre Andersen, and we are the Benelux importers of his unique safety glazing for construction machinery.

Are you still involved in the sport in any way?

Unfortunately, not. Due to a lack of time, I am no longer involved in the sport.

Which current or past motorcycle would you like to ride?

Current Ducati WorldSBK machine.

For which current rider do you have a lot of respect and why?

My experience has taught me to respect every rider, from the first to the last. Whether at the front or the back, everyone has their story and capabilities, likely all with the same dedication and passion.

Who do you see as the greatest (currently active) road racing talent and why?

Many would probably name Pedro Acosta today. Talents don't take many years to break through to the top. It seems clear this is the case with him, and he also seems to stay well in the saddle.

Who will be the 2024 MotoGP & WorldSBK world champions?

Toprak Razgatlioglu in WorldSBK and Francesco Bagnaia in MotoGP (at the end of the season).

With your experience, how do you view the current developments within international road racing?

It's hard to say as I’m not closely involved anymore. I only see the sport becoming more popular, which I can only applaud. A positive development would be if it became accessible for everyone with talent to showcase their abilities. But we might be dreaming in a world that revolves around one thing: money.

This blog was written in collaboration with Racesport.nl

source: https://www.racesport.nl/de...
issued: Thursday, May 30, 2024
updated: Thursday, May 30, 2024

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