Profile of ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN - MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM

N°42 Bike MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM

DIEGO GAMALIEL LLANOS

MILAN ENGEL

ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN

(fra) 1.87m / 86kg

Hobbies

moto de piste, jetski, VTT, rallye voiture, buggy…

“The same goal, the same dream, the same desire”

After a successful career as a sand racer, which saw him win the Enduropale du Touquet three times from 2014 to 2016, Adrien van Beveren, who was already known as 'VBA', switched to rally-raid with Yamaha, the team he started out with. After three preparatory races in 2015, he participated in his first Dakar in 2016. The Frenchman led the race in 2018 and 2022 before letting it slip away, each time just a few days from the finish. On four of his eight appearances, the native of France's Nord region living in Andorra had to retire from the race. On the other four occasions, the podium has always eluded him. Twice fourth (2022 and 2017), once fifth (2023) and once sixth (2016). After moving to Honda at the end of 2021, 'VBA' will enter his third complete season in red in W2RC. In 2023, the Frenchman won the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge before finishing sixth, fifth and seventh in the last three rounds of the W2RC. 'VBA' finished runner-up in 2021 and 3rd in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, Adrien will set off again the day after his 33rd birthday on his ninth Dakar. The tall blond still wants to give himself the ultimate gift: victory.

“I'm now one of the more experienced riders. I probably already said that last year, but with one more Dakar under my belt, it's all the truer. Analysing the race with more patience is something that can pay off. I'm going into this Dakar with the same objective, the same dream, the same desire, which is to win. I won a race and stages this year in the world championship. The end of the season wasn't as good. But I've worked on the minor problems I had, and they'll be sorted out by the Dakar. I should be completely fit and confident to ride at my best and be out in front. The team was reinforced in 2023, which also brings strength. It's good to feel supported, sometimes to support others. That's the aim of a team like ours. I've been on the W2RC podium for three years in a row. I'm among the title contenders, especially in 2023, when there was less of a points gap than in previous years. I think I had a shakier second half of the season. But I still believe I have a great shot because it's a title within my grasp. After Morocco, I did a two-month intensive training programme with clear objectives. I had to arrive with my feet firmly planted on the ground to prepare for 2024.”

Vehicle

MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM

HONDA CRF 450 RALLY
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM

Mark HONDA
Model CRF 450 RALLY
Performance tuner Monster Energy Honda Team
Assistance Monster Energy Honda Team
Class Rally GP

Ranking 2024

All news of A. Van beveren

Dakar 2024: Brabec and Sainz, masters of the dunes

The 46th edition of the Dakar, the 5th to be organised in Saudi Arabia, has finished after more than 4,700 kilometres of specials and a total distance of almost 8,000 kilometres, which tested the riders, drivers, co-pilots and crews, from the ancient city of AlUla to the shores of the Red Sea, passing through the oceans of dunes in the Empty Quarter. The major winners of the 2024...

Adrien Van Beveren: “We are closer than ever to the dream”

Adrien Van Beveren has finally secured the first podium finish of his career on the Dakar career after two finishes just outside the top three.

“After the last years and the difficulties I had, the crashes, all of that, overall, to be on the podium, finally on the podium of the Dakar, it tastes really good. I’ve been fighting until the...

Only 25 kilometres left for Branch

Ross Branch, who is opening the special, has just completed 150 km. With 25 km left before the finish, he is 9’37’’ behind Ricky Brabec in the virtual general rankings. Adrien Van Beveren trails his Honda team-mate by 12’19’’, 2’24’’ behind the Hero rider. The positions on the final podium have not changed since the start...

Brabec and Sainz show who’s boss

FOCUS

The terrain proves decisive! With more than 4,700 kilometres of specials over two weeks of racing, it is still possible to predict where the victory will be won. The dunes of the Empty Quarter definitely played an important role, while the volcanic stones on the first stage also played a part. Indeed, we could list the damage recorded on each of the stages in one...

Adrien Van Beveren: “I thought to myself, ‘this is going to hurt’”

In the middle of his fight for second place with Ross Branch, the Honda rider was forced to interrupt his progress by a sudden encounter with a herd of dromedaries.

“There was a herd of a dozen dromedaries right in the middle of the tracks. It’s not unusual to see them, they are desert animals after all. It was one of the very quick...

Brabec heading for his 2nd stage victory

Ricky Brabec still leads the day’s special. Ross Branch is the quickest rider at the last intermediate point on the stage, after 375 km, 1’47’’ ahead of Adrien Van Beveren, but Brabec, who is 5’15’’ slower than the current leader, also possesses 5’45’’ in bonuses. In the virtual classification for the special as it...

Brabec takes the lead

Ross Branch is still the quickest rider after 333 km, 1’18’’ ahead of Adrien Van Beveren. Ricky Brabec is still 5th quickest, 4’32’’ behind the stage leader, but the American has picked up 5’19’’ in bonuses, making him the virtual leader of the special by 47’’, allowing him to increase his lead in the general...

No change for Branch, Van Beveren and Brabec

After 292 km, Ross Branch (Hero MotoSports) is still the quickest rider, 1’12’’ ahead of Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda). Ricky Brabec, the Frenchman’s team-mate with the reds, has the 5th best time of the day, 4’59’’ behind Branch, but with 4’40’’ in bonuses. As a result, the American has only lost 19’’...