It’s the last Saturday of June and you know what that means, motorcycles. Well, maybe that wasn’t what you were thinking, and when I mention the Netherlands, you’d probably think about their World Cup match against Chile today. However, that’s no excuse to overlook the event of awesomeness that is the Dutch TT. It is an auto-powered adventure of speed and precision like no other.
Contrary to the smoke and fire of the roaring engines of competing pocket rockets (motorcycles), is the quaint town of Assen. Enjoy the harbor and meadows and let time settle like fine delta sediment as you breathe in that fresh Netherlands air.
Then split open your nirvana with hollering craziness as you watch speed junkies strive for checkered flag victory.
The Dutch TT is a tradition held since 1925 (with the exception of being interrupted for a five year span, 1940 to 1945, as that ever dooming WWII got in the way). Starting out as a route of connecting dirt roads, the track has changed several times over the years, but one element of it has never moved, the finish line. For over 75 years, motorcyclists have tasted greatness and defeat alike as they crossed that small strip of land. Perhaps that is why the fans call the track, “The Cathedral.”
One of the events is exceptionally exciting as you get to witness stars in the making. I speak, of course, of the Red Bull MotoGP Amateur Cup. The event takes place on Saturday, June 27th. Motorcyclists who have never competed in a Grand Prix before, gather to do just that. Like its athletes, the event is rather fresh and young, having been created in 2007. Since then, a few racers have gone on to compete in other Grand Prix events. The racers are specialists in 125cc motorcycles, which means the ones who go on to the pro league, end up competing in the 125/Moto3, which is the smallest class in the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix.
So if you want an adventure in speed and peace twisted together in a package that feels as if it came straight from the dreams of the rollerblading Buddha (what, you’ve never heard about that Buddha, well there are a lot of Buddhas so I’m not surprised if he got overlooked), than book yourself a trip to Assen, Netherlands.
Until the day of the event, enjoy this teaser from Red Bull.