Malherbe Aims For No. 3
MALHERBE AIMS FOR NO. 3
Andre Malherbe won his second 500cc motocross World Championship last year in spite of injuries. Now he’s looking for title number three after an off-season spent recouperating at his home in Huy, Belgium, a 200-year-old manor, with his wife, Sabine, a maid, and two well-groomed dogs.
Malherbe sported a cast on his left wrist and arm during the winter, after an operation where bone was grafted from his left hip into his wrist. His wrist was broken early in the 1981 season and never healed correctly, prompting the surgery. If everything went as planned, Malherbe would be riding again by mid-March.
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In both 1980 and ’81, Malherbe had to battle his way to the title. In ’80 his biggest competition was American Brad Lackey. The title came down to the final race that year in Luxembourg, where Malherbe won. “Many supporters of Brad were there,’’ he recalled in clear, French-accented English. “I received a small beer bottle, they send me this (Malherbe motions that a bottle was thrown at him). I don’t know if it was also true about Brad (that things were also thrown at him). This last year no problem with Brad. I think the press was exciting the people too much.” In ’81 Graham Noyce, the 1979 500cc champ and Malherbe’s Honda teammate, was in the hunt again. Malherbe and Noyce jockeyed for the points lead with Malherbe pulling ahead in the final Belgian and Luxembourg rounds. “It was just competition between us. Never really teammates, we found that we are free,” said Malherbe. “Graham can do what he wants, I do what I want. Just a racing relationship, but nothing bad.”
For Malherbe, the 1981 championship was the greatest. “After the first one you can make something better. The first one was nice, because that was what I was expecting. With the second one I was more happy, more satisified, because I had injuries all year. It was very hard for me, and I am still World Champion.”
The motocross upset of the year was when the American team topped both the Trophée and Motocross des Nations races in Europe. Honda’s Chuck Sun, Danny LaPorte, Johnny O’Mara and Donnie Hansen went over to do business, and part of it was done in Malherbe’s own country. “They were very good,” said Malherbe. “The best European was (Andre) Vromans, easy. The American drivers were very excited, very angry to win. They’ll never be angry like that in the future. They were excited by Roger (DeCoster). He push very much. They believe in him, they win!”
Malherbe’s winter free-time is usually spent snow skiing, which had to be put off in the 1981-1982 season due to his mending wrist. He enjoys time at home with his wife, being a part of the community, and trying to have an all-around good time. “I run, I drive bicycle, I play tennis, I do many things. I enjoy my training as much as possible.”
Malherbe will go for another 500cc title in ’82, but also hopes to add some American racing to his schedule if possible. “I don’t wish to try the Trans-USA,” he said. “I wish to win it—that’s different. I want to take one Trans-USA title. I like to try The Superbikers again (he rode the allterrain event in 1980) because I have fun. It’s different; I even like pavement.”
At present Malherbe enjoys just what he’s doing, racing motocross. At this point, he feels his long-range future ambitions might be impossible. “I (would) like to drive car racing, formula. I have much money in motocross and have good life. If I go car racing I must spend much money. After that it’s tennis. I tried to beat Roger (DeCoster) for two years (in tennis) but could not. Next time I will beat him.”
—Tom Mueller/Cycle News East
