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{{short description|Belgian motorcycle racer}}
'''Eric Geboers''' (born [[August 5]], [[1962]] in [[Neerpelt]], [[Limburg (Belgium)|Limburg]]) was is a [[motocross]] racer from [[Belgium]]. [[Nickname]]d ''The Kid'', he was the first person to win world championships in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc divisions. He retired from the international competition after his victory in [[Namen]], on [[August 5]], [[1990]].
{{Infobox Motocross rider
<br>
| name = Eric Geboers
<br>
| image =Eric Geboers-2011.png
{{start box}}
| caption = Geboers receiving the FIM Motocross Legend Trophy in 2011
{{succession box |
| nationality = [[Belgium|Belgian]]
before=[[Georges Jobé]]|
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1962|8|5}}
⚫
title=[[Belgian Sportsman of the year|Belgian Sportsman of the Year]] |
| birth_place = [[Neerpelt]], Belgium
after=[[Thierry Boutsen]]|
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2018|5|6|1962|8|5}}
years=[[1988 in sports|1988]]}}
| death_place = [[Mol, Belgium|Mol]], Belgium
{{end box}}
| years = 1980 - 1990
<br>
| teams = [[Suzuki]], [[Honda]]
⚫
[[Category:1962 births|Geboers, Eric]]
| races =
[[Category:Living people|Geboers, Eric]]
| championships = 125cc- 1982, 1983<br/>250cc- 1987<br/>500cc- 1988, 1990
⚫
[[Category:Belgian motorcycle racers|Geboers, Eric]]
| wins = 39
}}


'''Eric Geboers''' (5 August 1962 – 6 May 2018) was a [[Belgians|Belgian]] professional [[motocross]] racer and [[racing driver]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bestsports.com.br/db/atlpag.php?atl=8319&lang=2 |title=Eric Geboers career profile |publisher=mxgp.com |access-date=31 January 2020 }}</ref> He competed in the [[Motocross World Championship]]s from 1980 to 1990.
{{Belgium-bio-stub}}
{{sport-bio-stub}}
{{motorcycle-stub}}


A five-time world championship, Geboers is notable for being the first motocross competitor to win world championships in the 125cc, 250cc, and 500cc divisions.<ref name="Eric Geboers">{{cite web |url=https://www.suzuki-racing.com/worldmx/ERIC-GEBOERS.90385.cms |title=Eric Geboers |publisher=suzuki-racing.com |access-date=18 November 2018 }}</ref> Geboers' 39 career Grand Prix victories ranks him fifth overall among motocross world championship competitors.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mxlarge.com/news/mickael-pichon-interview-legend |title=Mickael Pichon interview - Legend |date=11 March 2019 |publisher=mxlarge.com |access-date=26 November 2020 }}</ref>
[[fr:Eric Geboers]]

[[nl:Eric Geboers]]
In 1988, he was named the recipient of the [[Belgian National Sports Merit Award]]. In 2011, Geboers was named an [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|FIM]] Legend for his motorcycling achievements.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fim-live.com/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Distinctions/FIM-Legends.pdf |title=FIM Legends |publisher=fim-live.com |access-date=April 29, 2020 |archive-date=October 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002111452/http://www.fim-live.com/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Distinctions/FIM-Legends.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Geboers died in a drowning accident in 2018.<ref name="RIP Five-Time World MX Champion Eric Geboers">{{cite web |url=https://www.dirtbikes.com/rip-five-time-world-mx-champion-eric-geboers/ |title=RIP Five-Time World MX Champion Eric Geboers |date=9 May 2018 |publisher=dirtbikes.com |access-date=27 November 2020 }}</ref>
[[sv:Eric Geboers]]

==Biography==
Geboers was born in [[Neerpelt]], Belgium where his father owned a petrol station and also sold automobiles as well as mopeds and scooters.<ref name="Remembering Eric Geboers">{{cite web |url=https://amcn.com.au/editorial/remembering-eric-geboers/ |title=Remembering Eric Geboers |date=23 March 2019 |publisher=amcn.com |access-date=30 November 2020 }}</ref> He was the youngest of five brothers who raced motorcycles, including his eldest brother, [[Sylvain Geboers]] who finished in the top three of the 250cc motocross world championships for five consecutive years between 1968 and 1972.<ref name="Remembering Eric Geboers"/>

Geboers began racing professional motocross in the 1980 125cc motocross world championship for the [[Suzuki]] factory racing team managed by his brother Sylvain.<ref name="Remembering Eric Geboers"/> He made an immediate impact by winning the 1980 125cc French Grand Prix in only the second Grand Prix of his career.<ref name="Remembering Eric Geboers"/><ref name="1980 125cc motocross world championship race winners">{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/situation/index.php#0440929e1b0db2c0d |title=1980 125cc motocross world championship race winners |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=27 November 2020 }}</ref> He went on to win two more Grand Prix races in Germany and Czechoslovakia to finish the season ranked third in the championship behind [[Harry Everts]] and [[Michele Rinaldi (motorcyclist)|Michele Rinaldi]].<ref name="1980 125cc motocross world championship race winners"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/chambres/index.php#0440929e021037101 |title=1980 125cc motocross world championship final standings |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=27 November 2020 }}</ref> Geboers won three more Grand Prix races in the 1981 125cc motocross world championship, improving to second place in the championship behind Everts, who had successfully defended his title.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/situation/index.php#0440929df70fdda07 |title=1981 125cc motocross world championship race winners |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=27 November 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/chambres/index.php#0440929de30e0ce01 |title=1981 125cc motocross world championship final standings |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=27 November 2020 }}</ref> In 1982, Geboers dominated the second half of the 125cc motocross world championship season by winning five of the last six Grand Prix races to claim his first world championship for Suzuki.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/situation/index.php#0440929dd905f2b06 |title=1982 125cc motocross world championship race winners |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=27 November 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/chambres/index.php#0440929dd71244a01 |title=1982 125cc motocross world championship final standings |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=27 November 2020 }}</ref> He successfully defended his title for Suzuki in 1983 by winning six out of twelve Grand Prix races during the 125cc motocross world championship..<ref name="RIP Eric Geboers">{{cite web |url=https://racerxonline.com/2018/05/07/rip-eric-geboers |title=RIP Eric Geboers |publisher=racerxonline.com |access-date=26 November 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/situation/index.php#0440929dd50ac1c0a |title=1983 125cc motocross world championship race winners |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=27 November 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/chambres/index.php#0440929dd71244a01 |title=1983 125cc motocross world championship final standings |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=27 November 2020 }}</ref>

Suzuki's decision to withdraw from the motocross world championships at the end of the 1983 season led Geboers to sign a contract to become a member of the powerful [[Honda]] factory racing team that included the reigning world champion [[André Malherbe]] as well as [[David Thorpe (motorcyclist)|David Thorpe]] and André Vromans.<ref name="Remembering Eric Geboers"/><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pFxXek2F5nMC&dq=eric+geboers&pg=PA136 |title=Motocross Racers: Thirty Years of Legendary Dirt Bikes |author=Ryan, Ray |year=2003 |publisher=Motorbooks |isbn=9780760312391 |access-date=30 November 2020 }}</ref> While with the Honda team, he was given the nickname ''The Kid'' by Honda team manager Steve Whitlock due to his small stature.<ref name="Remembering Eric Geboers"/> He ended the year ranked fifth in the 500cc motocross world championship behind his three Honda teammates and Kawasaki-mounted [[Georges Jobé]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/equipe/index.php#0440929dc905f8303 |title=1984 500cc motocross world championship final standings |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=30 November 2020 }}</ref> Geboers improved to third place in the 1985 500cc motocross world championship behind his Honda teammates Malherbe and Thorpe and, this result was repeated in the 1986 world championship with the three Honda teammates capturing the top three results in the season final standings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/equipe/index.php#0440929dbd0feb702 |title=1985 500cc motocross world championship final standings |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=30 November 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memotocross.fr/maison/equipe/index.php#0440929d87106c301 |title=1986 500cc motocross world championship final standings |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=30 November 2020 }}</ref>

Whitlock convinced Geboers to compete in the 250cc world championship in 1987, with the promise that he could return to the 500cc class if he won the 250cc title.<ref name="Remembering Eric Geboers"/> Geboers won five Grand Prix races to win the 1987 250cc world championship, earning a return to the premier 500cc division.<ref name="RIP Eric Geboers"/> The following year, he won his first of two FIM 500cc World Championships to become the first competitor to win FIM world championships in all three classes.<ref name="RIP Five-Time World MX Champion Eric Geboers"/><ref name="Remembering Eric Geboers"/> His performance earned him the 1988 [[Belgian National Sports Merit Award]] and he was named the 1988 [[Belgian Sportsman of the year]].<ref name="Remembering Eric Geboers"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.demorgen.be/nieuws/eric-geboers-afscheid-van-een-belgisch-motorcross-icoon~ba4a19e4/|title=Eric Geboers, afscheid van een Belgisch motorcross-icoon|work=DeMorgen|date=7 May 2018|access-date=30 November 2020|language=nl}}</ref> Aged 28 years, Geboers retired at the top of his sport in 1990 by winning the premier 500cc world championship in his final season of competition.<ref name="RIP Eric Geboers"/> He won the final race of his career at the 1990 500cc United States Grand Prix.<ref name="RIP Eric Geboers"/>

Geboers also won the [[Le Touquet]] [[Beach racing|beach race]] three consecutive times between 1988 and 1990.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://racingmemo.free.fr/Z%20LE%20TOUQUET/Z-LE%20TOUQUET.htm |title=Le Touquet Enduro results |publisher=memotocross.fr |access-date=26 November 2020 }}</ref>

After his retirement from motocross racing, Geboers began a career in [[Sports car racing|sports car]] [[Endurance racing (motorsport)|endurance racing]], competing in the [[2001 FIA GT Championship season|2001]] and [[2002 FIA GT Championship season|2002]] [[FIA GT Championship]] in events such as the [[2001 FIA GT Jarama 500km]] and the [[Spa 24 Hours]] in [[2001 Spa 24 Hours|2001]] and [[2002 Spa 24 Hours|2002]]. Geboers managed the Suzuki motocross team along with his brother, fielding Belgian riders [[Clement Desalle]] and [[Kevin Strijbos]].

==Death==
Geboers died on May 6, 2018, in a drowning accident on a lake in [[Mol, Belgium]] after jumping off a boat to save his pet dog.<ref name="Eric Geboers"/><ref name="RIP Five-Time World MX Champion Eric Geboers"/> Geboers immediately had difficulty and failed to surface.<ref name="RIP Five-Time World MX Champion Eric Geboers"/> Rescue crews recovered his body the next day.<ref name="RIP Five-Time World MX Champion Eric Geboers"/> The dog, a recent gift from his wife, reportedly survived.<ref name="RIP Five-Time World MX Champion Eric Geboers"/>

The final cause of death turned out to be cold shock. The surface of the water was quite warm that May 6th, but it was still icy below that.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 May 2021 |title=Vandaag drie jaar geleden overleed Eric Geboers |url=https://motornieuws.be/vandaag-drie-jaar-geleden-overleed-eric-geboers/ |website=motornieuws.be |language=nl}}</ref>

== Honours and awards ==

⚫
* [[Belgian Sportsman of the year]]: 1988
* [[Belgian National Sports Merit Award]]: 1988
* First "Mr. 875cc" (winning world titles in 125/250/500cc): 1988. The second became [[Stefan Everts]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 May 2017 |title=Beroemde Belgen in 60 jaar motorcross-geschiedenis: Deel 4 |url=https://www.mxvintage.be/beroemde-belgen-60-jaar-motorcross-geschiedenis-deel-4/ |website=mxvintage.be |language=nl}}</ref>
* FIM Motocross Legend Trophy: 2011<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=Tribute to Eric Geboers |url=https://www.mcnews.com.au/tribute-to-eric-geboers/ |website=mcnews.com |language=}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.suzuki-racing.com/team.aspx?SRS_ID=5 Sylvain Geboers Team Suzuki web site]

{{MX1 world champions}}
{{MX2 world champions}}
{{MX3 world champions}}
{{Belgian Sportsperson of the Year}}
{{Belgian National Sports Merit Award}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geboers, Eric}}
⚫
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Limburg (Belgium)]]
⚫
[[Category:Belgian racing drivers]]
[[Category:FIA GT Championship drivers]]
[[Category:People from Neerpelt]]
[[Category:24 Hours of Spa drivers]]
[[Category:Deaths by drowning]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths in Belgium]]
[[Category:Belgian motocross riders]]

Latest revision as of 09:45, 27 September 2024

Eric Geboers
Geboers receiving the FIM Motocross Legend Trophy in 2011
NationalityBelgian
Born(1962-08-05)5 August 1962
Neerpelt, Belgium
Died6 May 2018(2018-05-06) (aged 55)
Mol, Belgium
Motocross career
Years active1980 - 1990
TeamsSuzuki, Honda
Championships125cc- 1982, 1983
250cc- 1987
500cc- 1988, 1990
Wins39

Eric Geboers (5 August 1962 – 6 May 2018) was a Belgian professional motocross racer and racing driver.[1] He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1980 to 1990.

A five-time world championship, Geboers is notable for being the first motocross competitor to win world championships in the 125cc, 250cc, and 500cc divisions.[2] Geboers' 39 career Grand Prix victories ranks him fifth overall among motocross world championship competitors.[3]

In 1988, he was named the recipient of the Belgian National Sports Merit Award. In 2011, Geboers was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements.[4] Geboers died in a drowning accident in 2018.[5]

Biography

[edit]

Geboers was born in Neerpelt, Belgium where his father owned a petrol station and also sold automobiles as well as mopeds and scooters.[6] He was the youngest of five brothers who raced motorcycles, including his eldest brother, Sylvain Geboers who finished in the top three of the 250cc motocross world championships for five consecutive years between 1968 and 1972.[6]

Geboers began racing professional motocross in the 1980 125cc motocross world championship for the Suzuki factory racing team managed by his brother Sylvain.[6] He made an immediate impact by winning the 1980 125cc French Grand Prix in only the second Grand Prix of his career.[6][7] He went on to win two more Grand Prix races in Germany and Czechoslovakia to finish the season ranked third in the championship behind Harry Everts and Michele Rinaldi.[7][8] Geboers won three more Grand Prix races in the 1981 125cc motocross world championship, improving to second place in the championship behind Everts, who had successfully defended his title.[9][10] In 1982, Geboers dominated the second half of the 125cc motocross world championship season by winning five of the last six Grand Prix races to claim his first world championship for Suzuki.[11][12] He successfully defended his title for Suzuki in 1983 by winning six out of twelve Grand Prix races during the 125cc motocross world championship..[13][14][15]

Suzuki's decision to withdraw from the motocross world championships at the end of the 1983 season led Geboers to sign a contract to become a member of the powerful Honda factory racing team that included the reigning world champion André Malherbe as well as David Thorpe and André Vromans.[6][16] While with the Honda team, he was given the nickname The Kid by Honda team manager Steve Whitlock due to his small stature.[6] He ended the year ranked fifth in the 500cc motocross world championship behind his three Honda teammates and Kawasaki-mounted Georges Jobé.[17] Geboers improved to third place in the 1985 500cc motocross world championship behind his Honda teammates Malherbe and Thorpe and, this result was repeated in the 1986 world championship with the three Honda teammates capturing the top three results in the season final standings.[18][19]

Whitlock convinced Geboers to compete in the 250cc world championship in 1987, with the promise that he could return to the 500cc class if he won the 250cc title.[6] Geboers won five Grand Prix races to win the 1987 250cc world championship, earning a return to the premier 500cc division.[13] The following year, he won his first of two FIM 500cc World Championships to become the first competitor to win FIM world championships in all three classes.[5][6] His performance earned him the 1988 Belgian National Sports Merit Award and he was named the 1988 Belgian Sportsman of the year.[6][20] Aged 28 years, Geboers retired at the top of his sport in 1990 by winning the premier 500cc world championship in his final season of competition.[13] He won the final race of his career at the 1990 500cc United States Grand Prix.[13]

Geboers also won the Le Touquet beach race three consecutive times between 1988 and 1990.[21]

After his retirement from motocross racing, Geboers began a career in sports car endurance racing, competing in the 2001 and 2002 FIA GT Championship in events such as the 2001 FIA GT Jarama 500km and the Spa 24 Hours in 2001 and 2002. Geboers managed the Suzuki motocross team along with his brother, fielding Belgian riders Clement Desalle and Kevin Strijbos.

Death

[edit]

Geboers died on May 6, 2018, in a drowning accident on a lake in Mol, Belgium after jumping off a boat to save his pet dog.[2][5] Geboers immediately had difficulty and failed to surface.[5] Rescue crews recovered his body the next day.[5] The dog, a recent gift from his wife, reportedly survived.[5]

The final cause of death turned out to be cold shock. The surface of the water was quite warm that May 6th, but it was still icy below that.[22]

Honours and awards

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Eric Geboers career profile". mxgp.com. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Eric Geboers". suzuki-racing.com. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  3. ^ "Mickael Pichon interview - Legend". mxlarge.com. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  4. ^ "FIM Legends" (PDF). fim-live.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "RIP Five-Time World MX Champion Eric Geboers". dirtbikes.com. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Remembering Eric Geboers". amcn.com. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  7. ^ a b "1980 125cc motocross world championship race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  8. ^ "1980 125cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  9. ^ "1981 125cc motocross world championship race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  10. ^ "1981 125cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  11. ^ "1982 125cc motocross world championship race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  12. ^ "1982 125cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d "RIP Eric Geboers". racerxonline.com. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  14. ^ "1983 125cc motocross world championship race winners". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  15. ^ "1983 125cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  16. ^ Ryan, Ray (2003). Motocross Racers: Thirty Years of Legendary Dirt Bikes. Motorbooks. ISBN 9780760312391. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  17. ^ "1984 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  18. ^ "1985 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  19. ^ "1986 500cc motocross world championship final standings". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  20. ^ "Eric Geboers, afscheid van een Belgisch motorcross-icoon". DeMorgen (in Dutch). 7 May 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  21. ^ "Le Touquet Enduro results". memotocross.fr. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  22. ^ "Vandaag drie jaar geleden overleed Eric Geboers". motornieuws.be (in Dutch). 6 May 2021.
  23. ^ "Beroemde Belgen in 60 jaar motorcross-geschiedenis: Deel 4". mxvintage.be (in Dutch). 2 May 2017.
  24. ^ "Tribute to Eric Geboers". mcnews.com. 2018.
[edit]
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