Jurgen Van De Goorbergh

[JVA]

Today Jurgen VD Goorbergh have annouced that he will ride on a 4-cylindre bike next year. He has told to the team Proton that he leaves the team. For wich team he will drive next saeson, it's not sure.

I think he will replace Kenny Roberts at Suzuki...

[Winther]

Well about time he will get his hands on something fast
I wonder what he make of it.
It could become interesting.

[Gerrit]

I don't think it's Suzuki. Both Kenny jr. and Gibernau have contracts until the end of 2002. Forget Marlboro Yamaha, Gauloises Yamaha, Red Bull Yamaha and Team Shell Advance. This leaves Antenna 3 Yamaha, team Honda Pons and what is now Repsol Honda. Cardoso is clearly on the way out at Antenna 3 so Jurgen could take his place. But Antenna 3 will probably demand a Spanish rider next to Abe. Team Pons? Mafioso capirossi will ride there, Barros is an uncertainty at present. But I doubt whether Jurgen and his brother Patrick will feel at home there. This leaves the official HRC team, now sponsored by Repsol but next year, with Criville on the way out, probably with another sponsor.

But regardless of which team it turns out to be, i think Jurgen will regret leaving Team Roberts. With King Kenny, he is number one, and will be the first to get the latest stuff. This will certainly NOT be the case with any four-cylinder team, regardless of whether it's a Honda or Yamaha team. He will be at the bottom of the list for any new stuff, IF he gets anything at all- Wilco Zeelenberg can tell him all about that. And will this year's NSR or YZR be a match for next year's KR3? Jurgen has outridden many of the NSR/YZR riders this year. Next year's KR3 will be a better bike than this year's YZR or NSR.
Furthermore, it would mean the end of Team Roberts. There is no way they will find a rider who is as capable on the KR3 as Jurgen has been this season. The coming four-strokes will destroy the sport, but this will definitely be the final nail in the KR3's coffin.

[gomick]

interesting, i thought kr3 proton was running a 2 rider team in 2002

[elephino]

But remember, Kenny's team have put in an application to run under the new 4-stroke regulations.

[Gerrit]

Ant West has been mentioned as the team's second rider for 2002. As for the four-stroke angle, I don't see it happening. For Team Roberts to be able to do this would require MASSIVE sponsorship, which in turn would require the team to have the services of a top rider. With Jurgen leaving, they no longer will have a top rider, so they're basically back to where they were in 2000, with a valid concept but no rider capable of developing the bike further.
Fortunately, four-strokes are not compulsory so they can continue with the KR3. This will be an alternative for private teams now running the Honda V-twin which is totally outclassed as development has ceased. The KR3 would make a nice streetbike too.

[f1manoz]

Talk is that Jurgen will be joining a team that Irv Kanemoto will be starting up again next year, with backing from Bridgestone. Kanemoto has a good record in 500s, so it may be a good choice.

[ChrisUSA]

...Jurgen is just too much of a talent to be stuck with a slightly less than competitive bike. Yes, the Proton has made huge progress this season. It is nearly competitive. Nearly. It is not a threat to win each race when they line up on the grid, however. By next year the bike will be right up there, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Jurgen is not willing to wait it out until then, while the best years of his racing life go by. I think Kenny got what he needed out of Jurgen, and vice-versa - Kenny saw the development of his bike skyrocket underneath the command of a professional racer; In Jurgen's favor, the fact that everybody knew that the Proton was not the equal of the big v-4's made his accomplishments stand out and bring major attention his way.

Jurgen said he would like to ride a 4stroke soon, but i think it would be a bad idea. I would compare it to a crucial tire choice before a big race. If you choose a 4stroke, you may wind up running away from everybody on a 2stroke. Or, you might find yourself even less competitive than the KR3. Noone really knows for sure yet, because i have heard many people say the 4strokes will NOT be competive, and i've heard others that say they WILL be. I understand that someone has to ride the 4stroke's. But Jurgen has done his time on an uncertain machine. I'd love to see him ride a bike with a proven history.

[Gerrit]

There is little doubt that Jurgen, if he does join forces with Erv Kanemoto, will be under the wing of one of the very best tuners in the business. BUT- will Erv get 2002 NSRs from HRC? How good will they be? Won't HRC DETUNE them to ensure and "Prove" that the four-stroke RC211V is superior? Will the untested Bridgestones be competitive with the Michelins that have dominated GP500 for so many years?
As things stand, Jurgen can run with the NSRs on certain tracks (except with Rossi), on a bike he has done much to bring forward. He can be sure the 2002 KR3 will be better. He will be number one in Team Roberts. The Michelins are proven. Will the Kanemoto NSRs be as good as the 2002 KR3, especially with the unknown quantity Bridgestone? One thing he can be sure of- there is no way he will get the same treatment from HRC as Rossi, Ukawa, Katoh and whoever else is in the HRC line-up, but be last in line for the latest goodies (IF he gets anything). He should talk to Wil Hartog and Wilco Zeelenberg about this- they have this experience.
To me, Jurgen has given up a lot for the great unknown, and 2002 may be a great disappointment. He should have stuck with King Kenny.

[asha]

I personally think that Jurgen has made a good move, he derserves a bike that can actually win, the triple is just going to be as competive (or uncompetive) next year as it was this year.

And on a half decend bike we will be able to see how good a rider he really is! I think he has done an amazing job on the KR3, but at the end of the day, we can only compare him of previous KR riders.

Next year on a V4 2stroke he should be as competive as Lois has been this year! Lets wait and see.