Jeremy Delince has been an ever-present in the ADAC MX Masters paddock for quite a few years now. The amiable Belgian started out in the ADAC MX Junior Cup, and in recent years, he has been competing in the ADAC MX Masters class. The 29-year-old, who has been doing motocross since early childhood, gradually worked his way up to motocross world championship level. We talked to him about his short period as a pro and his current life as a top motocrosser doing a full-time job at the same time.

How did you get into motocross?

That was thanks to my parents. My mother had a regular motorbike, and that fascinated me as a little boy. My dad then said that I could have a proper bicycle as soon as I could ride without support wheels. He had to unscrew them the same day, and that very evening, I was riding around on my own. I was four years old at the time. At the age of five, I competed in my first race. At first, I wasn't all that fast, but I quickly got better.

How did your career continue after that?

At first, we were only racing in the surrounding area, but then we travelled all over Flanders, and eventually we ended up in the ADAC MX Junior Cup. I was ten years old, and it was quite a struggle. I still remember my first race in the Junior Cup. That was at Reutlingen, and I was only able to qualify as a reserve rider. But I found my rhythm and completed two pretty wild races in totally muddy conditions. After that, my career progressed step by step, and in 2010, I was a KTM rider for the whole of the world championship season. But I didn't have a good year: I broke my collarbone and never really got established, so my world championship adventure came to an abrupt end.

How did you get in touch with the KMP Honda team?

I was riding for Honda back then, but my contract expired and I wanted to stick with the red bike because I liked it a lot. So I contacted Alex Karg, and we got together quite soon thereafter. We started with a season in supercross, but that turned out to be not such a good idea after all. Things went a lot better for me in motocross, as a result of which I have just finished contesting my fifth season for KMP Honda.

Do you lead a typical life as a motocross pro?

No not at all! I have a normal full-time job as a bus driver. I drive kids to and from school, and it's a job I really enjoy. Some of them know that I'm in MX, and they regularly ask me what it involves, but I don't advertise the fact when I'm at work. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to reconcile a normal work routine with a motocross schedule. The first races were therefore sometimes problematic for me. On the Möggers weekend, for example, I arrived at the hotel very late on Friday night because I'd been at work all day. Due to lack of time, I was unable to do much training before Mölln and I therefore suffered a lot from the heat. But then the holidays started, and I had a few weeks in which I was able to concentrate fully on motocross.

Would you like to try again as a professional?

No, not really. I feel OK in my current situation. I can pay my bills and spend my free time doing what I'm passionate about. If you focus your efforts solely on motocross, it can go downhill very rapidly, and you then find yourself out on the street with nothing to your name. I have my day job and my hobby in a sensible balance, and I manage OK with my situation, even if it is not always easy.

Why did you decide to compete in Germany?

I really like the ADAC MX Masters. The races are superbly organised: they are two-day events which give you a lot of time on the track and you are up against opposition at a high level. As a sportsman, of course, I want to compete as best I can against the top riders. In addition to which, I feel really good working with Alex and the KMP Honda team.