Sven Verbrugge
Encyclopedia
Sven Verbrugge is a Belgian
sidecarcross
passenger and triple Sidecarcross World Champion
, winning the title in 2005, 2006 and 2011.
Verbrugge started racing motocross in 1983 in the 125 cc solo class before becoming a sidecarcross passenger in 1986. In his career he has raced for over 20 years in the Belgian, Dutch and the world sidecarcross championships. After his second world championship in 2006, Sven retired from the world championship, but felt, according to himself, "homesick" for the GP circus and returned for the 2008 season alongside his countryman Nicky Pulinx.
Apart from two world championships, he also won the Belgian title in 1993, 1994, 2004 and 2006 and the Dutch in 2001 and 2006.
GP in Pernes Les Fontaines on 4 April 1993. He won his first race in this season in Roggenburg
, Switzerland
on 15 August 1993. In 1995, an ankle injury prevented him for three month from taking part in most of the season but the year after the pair returned with a sixth place overall finish. After those four seasons, Verbrugge had two lean ones with only four races in 1997 and none in 1998 after Gooverts choose not to take part in the world championship and only race in domestic events in Belgium. He raced successfully with two different drivers in 1999, Martin Gölz and Gerton Kops, who finished 12th and 9th overall this season. After a short stint with Peter Steegmans he returned to Daniël Willemsen
for a second time and the pair finished second overall in the 2000 and 2001 world championship. In 2002, apart from Willemsen, he also raced with Are Kaurit, with both drivers finishing in the top four. Another second place finish, now with Kristers Serģis
, in 2003, when his old partner Willemsen won the championship was followed by a seventh place in 2004 due to a three month long injury for Serģis. After this, the two drivers, Willemsen and Serģis, swooped partners, with Verbrugge returning to Willemsen for a third time and Kaspars Stupelis
joining Serģis instead. This move proved very successful for Verbrugge as he managed to win two world championships with Willemsen. After the second one, Verbrugge left the world championship in 2006, seemingly for good, at the age of 39. After a year away from the GP circus however, he decided to return, now with his new partner, fellow Belgian Nicky Pulinx.
In 2009, he was back as passenger of Daniël Willemsen once more, except in the first race of the season, when he raced with Gerrit van Werven. The pair dominated the early part of the season but an injury to Willemsen forced them to miss three events and a lack of good form upon return caused them to finish only fifth in the world championship. In the last event of the season, Verbrugge broke his thumb and the team was unable to score any points. Daniël Willemsen however declared already before the race that he would try to win title number eight in 2010.
After riding with fellow Belgian Peter Steegmans in 2010, Verbrugge started once more with Willemsen in 2011, after an injury to first-choice passenger Roman Vasyliaka. It is the fifth time that the two are racing together in the competition. As Willemsens passenger, Verbrugge has also won two Dutch national titles, in 2001 and 2006. Willemsen temporarily switched to Ondrej Cermak as his passenger for the first of two German GP's because of an injury to Verbrugge. Willemsen and his passenger clinched the World Championship at the second-last race of the season, at Slagelse
, Denmark, having a 53 point lead over Latvians Janis and Lauris Daiders at the time.
The last race event of the 2011 season saw the World Champions, Willemsen and Verbrugge, failing to score any points. A dispute during qualifying between the two lead to Verbrugge walking out during the first qualifying sesion. He later returned to take part in the "last chance", where the team qualified for the race after all. Verbrugge however was injured during a fall and had to be taken to hospital where his arm was placed into a plaster, ruling the team out of the race.
Source:
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
sidecarcross
Sidecarcross
Sidecar-cross racing, also known as sidecar motocross, is very similar to regular, solo motocross but with a different type of motorcycle chassis, and with a team of two people riding together instead of one, a driver and a passenger. While not confirmed most articles seem to show Sidecarcross...
passenger and triple Sidecarcross World Champion
Sidecarcross world championship
The Sidecar Motocross World Championship is an annual event, organised by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme , held since 1980. Previous to that, a European competition was held from 1971 onwards....
, winning the title in 2005, 2006 and 2011.
Verbrugge started racing motocross in 1983 in the 125 cc solo class before becoming a sidecarcross passenger in 1986. In his career he has raced for over 20 years in the Belgian, Dutch and the world sidecarcross championships. After his second world championship in 2006, Sven retired from the world championship, but felt, according to himself, "homesick" for the GP circus and returned for the 2008 season alongside his countryman Nicky Pulinx.
Apart from two world championships, he also won the Belgian title in 1993, 1994, 2004 and 2006 and the Dutch in 2001 and 2006.
Sidecarcross world championship results
Sven Verbrugge joined the sidecarcross world championship in 1993 as the passenger of his countryman Gunther Gooverts, whom he raced with quite successfully for four seasons. He made his debut at the FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
GP in Pernes Les Fontaines on 4 April 1993. He won his first race in this season in Roggenburg
Roggenburg, Basel-Country
Roggenburg is a municipality in the district of Laufen in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.- History :Both Roman coins and the remains of a Roman watchtower have been discovered within the municipality. Roggenburg is first mentioned in 1162 as Rogenberc. The name originates from the Latin...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
on 15 August 1993. In 1995, an ankle injury prevented him for three month from taking part in most of the season but the year after the pair returned with a sixth place overall finish. After those four seasons, Verbrugge had two lean ones with only four races in 1997 and none in 1998 after Gooverts choose not to take part in the world championship and only race in domestic events in Belgium. He raced successfully with two different drivers in 1999, Martin Gölz and Gerton Kops, who finished 12th and 9th overall this season. After a short stint with Peter Steegmans he returned to Daniël Willemsen
Daniël Willemsen
Daniël Johan Nico Willemsen is a Dutch sidecarcross rider and eight times World Champion.Willemsen is the most successful rider in sidecarcross history, winning the title nine times, in 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011...
for a second time and the pair finished second overall in the 2000 and 2001 world championship. In 2002, apart from Willemsen, he also raced with Are Kaurit, with both drivers finishing in the top four. Another second place finish, now with Kristers Serģis
Kristers Sergis
Kristers Serģis is a retired Latvian sidecarcross rider and five times World Champion.Kristers Serģis came to the sidecarcross sport through his father, himself a rider in the days of the Soviet Union. He made it possible for his son to take up the sport after Latvian independence in 1990...
, in 2003, when his old partner Willemsen won the championship was followed by a seventh place in 2004 due to a three month long injury for Serģis. After this, the two drivers, Willemsen and Serģis, swooped partners, with Verbrugge returning to Willemsen for a third time and Kaspars Stupelis
Kaspars Stupelis
Kaspars Stupelis is a Latvian sidecarcross passenger and double World Champion.As of 2008, he is part of the Team Serģis, operated by five times world champion Kristers Serģis. However, his two world championships were gained when being the passenger in Daniël Willemsen's team...
joining Serģis instead. This move proved very successful for Verbrugge as he managed to win two world championships with Willemsen. After the second one, Verbrugge left the world championship in 2006, seemingly for good, at the age of 39. After a year away from the GP circus however, he decided to return, now with his new partner, fellow Belgian Nicky Pulinx.
In 2009, he was back as passenger of Daniël Willemsen once more, except in the first race of the season, when he raced with Gerrit van Werven. The pair dominated the early part of the season but an injury to Willemsen forced them to miss three events and a lack of good form upon return caused them to finish only fifth in the world championship. In the last event of the season, Verbrugge broke his thumb and the team was unable to score any points. Daniël Willemsen however declared already before the race that he would try to win title number eight in 2010.
After riding with fellow Belgian Peter Steegmans in 2010, Verbrugge started once more with Willemsen in 2011, after an injury to first-choice passenger Roman Vasyliaka. It is the fifth time that the two are racing together in the competition. As Willemsens passenger, Verbrugge has also won two Dutch national titles, in 2001 and 2006. Willemsen temporarily switched to Ondrej Cermak as his passenger for the first of two German GP's because of an injury to Verbrugge. Willemsen and his passenger clinched the World Championship at the second-last race of the season, at Slagelse
Slagelse
Slagelse, a town in east Denmark, is in Slagelse municipality on the island of Zealand. It is about 100 km southwest of Copenhagen. The population is 31,979 ....
, Denmark, having a 53 point lead over Latvians Janis and Lauris Daiders at the time.
The last race event of the 2011 season saw the World Champions, Willemsen and Verbrugge, failing to score any points. A dispute during qualifying between the two lead to Verbrugge walking out during the first qualifying sesion. He later returned to take part in the "last chance", where the team qualified for the race after all. Verbrugge however was injured during a fall and had to be taken to hospital where his arm was placed into a plaster, ruling the team out of the race.
Season by season
Sven Verbrugge's season by season world championship results:| Season | Driver | Equipment | Position | Points | Races | Wins | Second | Third |
| 1993 |  Gunther Gooverts |
KTM KTM KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and moped manufacturer.The company was founded in 1934 by engineer Hans Trunkenpolz in Mattighofen. It started out as a metal working shop and was named Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen... -EML EML Sidecars The EML Sidecars company, short EML, is a Dutch Sidecarcross and Quad frame manufacturer, having won numerous worldchampionships in this sport.EML stands for Einmalig, meaning unique.-History:... |
11 | 182 | 27 | 2 | — | 3 |
| 1994 | Gunther Gooverts |
KTM-EML | 8 | 135 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1995 | Gunther Gooverts |
KTM-EML | 21 | 27 | 8 | — | — | 1 |
| 1996 | Gunther Gooverts |
KTM-EML | 6 | 155 | 16 | — | 3 | 2 |
| 1997 | Gert Devoldere |
23 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | |
 Daniël Willemsen |
Zabel-BSU | 3 | 40 | 2 | 2 | — | — | |
| 1999 |  Martin Gölz |
Zabel-VMC Vruwink MotorCycles The Vruwink MotorCycles company, short VMC, is a Dutch Sidecarcross frame manufacturer, having won eleven riders and six manufacturers world championships in this sport.-Company history:... |
12 | 90 | 20 | — | — | — |
| Gerton Kops |
MTH-EML | 9 | 17 | 2 | — | — | — | |
| 2000 | Peter Steegmans |
Zabel-EML | 21 | 16 | 2 | — | — | — |
| Daniël Willemsen |
Zabel-BSU | 2 | 320 | 22 | 5 | 4 | 7 | |
| 2001 | Daniël Willemsen |
Zabel-BSU | 2 | 377 | 22 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| 2002 |  Are Kaurit |
MTH-AYR AYR AYR is an Estonian Sidecarcross frame manufacturer, competing in the sports world championship.The most prominent team in the 2008 world championship to use an AYR frame is the former world champions Kristers Sergis / Kaspars Stupelis. AYR has yet to win a world championship.-History:The company... |
4 | 268 | 16 | — | 3 | 2 |
| Daniël Willemsen |
Zabel-VMC | 2 | 88 | 4 | — | 4 | — | |
| 2003 |  Kristers Serģis |
MTH-BSU | 2 | 501 | 26 | 12 | 7 | 1 |
| 2004 2004 Sidecarcross world championship The 2004 FIM Sidecarcross World Championship, the 25th edition of the competition, started on 21 March 2004 and finished after fourteen race weekends on 5 September 2004 with Daniël Willemsen and Kaspars Stupelis taking out the title once more... |
Kristers Serģis |
MTH-BSU | 7 | 246 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| Frank Hofman |
Zabel-VMC | 12 | 22 | 2 | — | — | — | |
| 2005 2005 Sidecarcross world championship The 2005 FIM Sidecarcross world championship, the 26th edition of the competition, started on 17 April and finished after eleven race weekends on 18 September 2005 with Daniël Willemsen taking out the title once more.-Overview:... |
Daniël Willemsen |
Zabel-VMC | 1 | 478 | 22 | 15 | 4 | — |
| 2006 2006 Sidecarcross world championship The 2006 FIM Sidecarcross world championship, the 27th edition of the competition, started on 23 April and finished after eight race weekends on 17 September 2006 with Daniël Willemsen taking out the title once more.-Overview:... |
Daniël Willemsen |
Zabel-VMC | 1 | 341 | 16 | 13 | — | — |
| 2008 2008 Sidecarcross world championship The 2008 FIM Sidecarcross world championship, the 29th edition of the competition, started on 20 April and finished after twelve race weekends on 14 September 2008... |
Nicky Pulinx |
Zabel-VMC | 9 | 22 | 4 | — | — | — |
| Jarno van den Boomen |
Zabel-VMC | 22 | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | |
| 2009 2009 Sidecarcross world championship The 2009 FIM Sidecarcross world championship, the 30th edition of the competition, started on 29 March and finished after thirteen race weekends on 13 September 2009.... |
Gerrit van Werven |
KTM-VMC | 16 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — |
| Daniël Willemsen |
Zabel-VMC | 5 | 341 | 17 | 11 | — | — | |
| 2010 2010 Sidecarcross World Championship The 2010 FIM Sidecarcross World Championship, the 31st edition of the competition, started on 5 April and finished after fourteen race weekends on 12 September 2010.The defending champions were Joris Hendrickx from Belgium and Kaspars Liepins from Latvia... |
Peter Steegmans |
KTM-WSP | 12 | 212 | 20 | — | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 2011 Sidecarcross World Championship The 2011 FIM Sidecarcross World Championship, the 32nd edition of the competition, started on 3 April and finished after thirteen race weekends on 11 September 2011.... |
Sven Verbrugge |
Zabel-WSP | 1 | 437 | 21 | 14 | 3 | — |
| Overall 1993 - 2011 | 4,332 | 305 | 89 | 37 | 23 |
Source:
- Passengers in italics.
Belgium
- Champions: (4) 1993, 1994, 2004, 2006
Netherlands
- Champions: (2) 2001, 2006