A hug between friends: De Wolf visits Van Erp, countdown to his first MXGP

Kay De Wolf paid a visit to Ivano van Erp after Sunday’s serious injury. In a few days it’s time for his MXGP debut.

Sometimes pictures are worth more than a thousand words. An example is the visit by Kay de Wolf to his friend and fellow countryman Ivano van Erp, who was involved on Sunday in a very bad crash while contesting a round of the national championship, as he awaited his first event in the MX2 World Championship. The DCN-Vos Oss-KTM Racing Team rider clearly won’t be there—his recovery will be very long after the severe injuries sustained in the accident. For the Nestaan Husqvarna standard-bearer, however, the long-awaited MXGP debut begins in a few days in Andalusia, after skipping the first round in Argentina due to a hand finger injury suffered in a pre-season race.

"An unexpected visit, thanks Kay". "Great to see you smiling, my friend!" A brief exchange on social media accompanies the photo showing the two motocross riders. A fresh update after the recent scare, given that Ivano Van Erp did not get off lightly: as later explained by his team, the young Dutchman suffered a torn aorta near the heart, in addition to fractures of the collarbone, shoulder blade, and sternum, and underwent surgery as soon as he was transferred to the hospital. He was supposed to contest all the European rounds of the MX2 World Championship, but the bright Dutch prospect now has to face a much, much bigger challenge...

On the other side, here is Kay De Wolf ready to officially kick off his first MXGP season aboard the FC 450. He has just gotten back on the bike, proof that the finger injured before the start of the championship—and immediately operated on—is in a much better state, and you can bet that the 2024 MX2 world champion doesn’t want to waste any more time before debuting in the premier class of the Motocross World Championship. Let’s not expect miracles right away, but we also know these guys can deliver big surprises... One thing’s for sure: he’ll be one to watch throughout the season.