Just found this posted at www.cyclenews.com
We knew the day was coming, the day when one of the greatest Grand Prix riders of all time would call it a day - a time when Joel Smets would decide to never race another Grand Prix season. That day came today in a small village in Belgium when in front of a Belgian television audience and a select few members of the press, the rider known as the Lion of Dessel called it a day, at least at Grand Prix level.
The tough Belgian rider will compete in Belgian championship races and also the some International races, but his GP career is over.
Due to his serious knee injury (he injured it at the Grand Prix of Germany a month ago), Smets will have to sit out another six months. It is the second time Smets has spent a winter recovering from a major injury.
Now 37, Smets didn't start racing until he was 17 years old, but he found his way on the Grand Prix scene rather quickly. In 1993 he won the German Grand Prix and finished the season third in the championship. In 1994, Smets (riding the Vertemati machine) won two GPs and again finished third in the world. By 1995 he was racing for the Husaberg factory and he set out to clinch his first world title, winning the 500cc championship from American legend Trampas Parker. The battle between Parker and Smets was a brilliant one with Smets wrapping up the title in the last round of the series in Germany.
A shock defeat to New Zealand's Shayne King in the 1996 Grand Prix season didn't stop Smets from returning in 1997 and taking his second world 500cc title. He followed with 500cc titles in 1998 (Husaberg) and 2000 (on a KTM). In 2003 he came up against the mighty Frenchman Mickael Pichon and fellow Belgian Stefan Everts in the Motocross GP Championship, and he finished second to Everts after an exciting season of racing. He also contested the 650cc class in 2003, winning that title and picking up his 57th GP victory.
It would be his last championship-winning season as he moved to the Suzuki factory team and suffered a major injury in the season-opening Mantova International last year.
The injury prevented him from making an assault on the title. The 2005 season was another season in which he would not reach his true potential as he battled to match Everts on the track. He did win races, but could never get that Grand Prix overall. His season ended at the Gaildorf circuit in Germany when he injured his knee.
Smets also helped Belgium win the Motocross des Nations in 1995 and 1997. He sits in second place on the all-time Grand Prix winner's list with his 57 GP victories - led only by Stefan Everts who has 87 wins.
We knew the day was coming, the day when one of the greatest Grand Prix riders of all time would call it a day - a time when Joel Smets would decide to never race another Grand Prix season. That day came today in a small village in Belgium when in front of a Belgian television audience and a select few members of the press, the rider known as the Lion of Dessel called it a day, at least at Grand Prix level.
The tough Belgian rider will compete in Belgian championship races and also the some International races, but his GP career is over.
Due to his serious knee injury (he injured it at the Grand Prix of Germany a month ago), Smets will have to sit out another six months. It is the second time Smets has spent a winter recovering from a major injury.
Now 37, Smets didn't start racing until he was 17 years old, but he found his way on the Grand Prix scene rather quickly. In 1993 he won the German Grand Prix and finished the season third in the championship. In 1994, Smets (riding the Vertemati machine) won two GPs and again finished third in the world. By 1995 he was racing for the Husaberg factory and he set out to clinch his first world title, winning the 500cc championship from American legend Trampas Parker. The battle between Parker and Smets was a brilliant one with Smets wrapping up the title in the last round of the series in Germany.
A shock defeat to New Zealand's Shayne King in the 1996 Grand Prix season didn't stop Smets from returning in 1997 and taking his second world 500cc title. He followed with 500cc titles in 1998 (Husaberg) and 2000 (on a KTM). In 2003 he came up against the mighty Frenchman Mickael Pichon and fellow Belgian Stefan Everts in the Motocross GP Championship, and he finished second to Everts after an exciting season of racing. He also contested the 650cc class in 2003, winning that title and picking up his 57th GP victory.
It would be his last championship-winning season as he moved to the Suzuki factory team and suffered a major injury in the season-opening Mantova International last year.
The injury prevented him from making an assault on the title. The 2005 season was another season in which he would not reach his true potential as he battled to match Everts on the track. He did win races, but could never get that Grand Prix overall. His season ended at the Gaildorf circuit in Germany when he injured his knee.
Smets also helped Belgium win the Motocross des Nations in 1995 and 1997. He sits in second place on the all-time Grand Prix winner's list with his 57 GP victories - led only by Stefan Everts who has 87 wins.
