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Spectacular Display as Honda World Motorcross Team Jump a CR-V

Honda World Motocross riders Evgeny Bobryshev and Rui Gonçalves took time out of their busy training schedules to jump a Honda CR-V on their Honda CRF450R motorcross bikes.

Following the end of the World Championship race season, the riders performed the impressive display at Honda Park in Hasselt, Belgium in front of a European crowd.

The display was the climax of a two-day training camp called Jump School. Accompanied by Honda Xtreme Academy Head Coach Brian Jorgensen, they lead a masterclass in off-road motorcycle racing. With some participants riding a motorcycle for the first time, they patiently went through the basics of gear-changes and clutch control before leading up to more technical tasks such as cornering and jumping on the 2km track.

As well as jumping the CR-V, the Honda World Motocross riders rode in an exhibition race and answered questions from the assembled group.

Q: When did you first start riding a motorcycle?

Rui: I started when I was about four years old, when I got a 'bike for Christmas.

Bobby: I got a 'bike as a present too, when I was seven. I raced on a home track and then started in road races for fun. There was one time when I was racing and there was this really quick rider beating me. At the end of the race I wanted to meet the rider. When they took their helmet off, I realised it was a girl, so I gave up road racing and started in MX!

Q: Were your family into motorcycles? Did they encourage you?

Bobby: My family was. My Dad used to come to races and shout to make me go faster!

Rui: My Dad was a good footballer. No one in my family was really into motocross, but I watched it on TV. My Mum and Dad support me at races now. I am proud to have been the first World Championship motocross rider from Portugal.

Q: What do you do for fun?

Rui: Jumping that CR-V was fun! I spend a lot of time mucking around with 'bikes. Even when we are not training we race on little 'bikes and even when we are playing we always want to win!

Bobby: I like other extreme sports: jet skiing, mountain biking and skiing.

Q: Do you have any heroes?

Rui: I've been lucky to train a lot with Stefan Everts [record holder of 10 World Championship titles and 101 GPs across his career]. He is a legend.