Eddy Lejeune

Eddy Lejeune (born 4 April 1961), is a Belgian former International motorcycle trials rider and 1982, 1983 and 1984 FIM Trial World Championship title holder. Lejeune was also a seven-time Belgian Trials National Champion.[1]

Eddy Lejeune
Lejeune at the 1981 Sant Llorenç Trial.
NationalityBelgium Belgian
Born (1961-04-04) 4 April 1961
Verviers, Belgium
Current teamRetired

Biography

Born in Verviers, Belgium, Lejeune followed in the footsteps of his elder brother Jean Marie Lejeune who was Belgian Trials Champion in 1974, 1977 and 1978. He began as a schoolboy riding a Honda and after impressing at youth level was signed by the Honda Factory in 1979 at the age of 16.[2]

In 1980, Lejeune won his first Belgian title and placed 4th in the FIM Trial World Championship, winning his first world championship trial on home ground at the Belgian round. 1981 was another Belgian title and another 4th in the World Championship for the young Belgian. Lejeune ran away with the World Championship in 1982 taking 9 wins and 2 podiums throughout the season, also retaining his Belgian title.[1] He defended the title for Honda at both World and National level during the 1983 and 1984 seasons.[1] 1985 was a battle for the title between Eddy and Fantic factory rider Thierry Michaud. Lejeune won the Belgian and Austrian rounds and podiumed at 8 of the other 10 rounds, but was beaten by Michaud and wound up the season in 2nd place.

1987 saw another season long battle with not only Michaud but with his own Honda teammate Steve Saunders. After sharing almost all of the wins and podiums between them it all came down to the final round in Finland. Lejeune had a rough day finishing 13th with rivals Michaud and Saunders taking 1st and 3rd at the trial, and 1st and 2nd in the championship.[2] 1987 didn't produce Lejeune's usual results and at the end of the season Honda decided not to renew his contract.

Ignacio Bulto, son of Bultaco founder Paco Bulto was at this time pushing his new Merlin trials bike line and was quick to sign Lejeune for the 1988 season.[3] Lejeune finished a creditable 6th in the championship with podiums in Luxemburg and Belgium, but unfortunately Merlin folded at the end of the season. Lejeune was contracted by Montesa for the 1989 and 1990 seasons then retired at the end of 1990.

In 1998, Lejeune had a bad road accident which left him with head injuries which he still suffers with today.[2] All three of the Lejeune brothers, Eddy, Jean Marie and Eric had a one off ride in the 2011 Scottish Six Days Trial.[4]

International Trials Championship Career

[1]

Year Class Machine Rd
1		 Rd
2		 Rd
3		 Rd
4		 Rd
5		 Rd
6		 Rd
7		 Rd
8		 Rd
9		 Rd
10		 Rd
11		 Rd
12		 Points Pos Notes
1979 FIM World Championship Honda IRL
-		 GBR
-		 BEL
-		 NED
-		 SPA
-		 FRA
-		 CAN
10		 USA
9		 ITA
-		 SWE
6		 FIN
-		 CZE
7		 12 15th
1980 FIM World Championship Honda IRL
-		 GBR
10		 BEL
1		 SPA
8		 AUT
1		 FRA
4		 SWI
1		 GER
6		 ITA
7		 FIN
7		 SWE
3		 CZE
5		 86 4th
1981 FIM World Championship Honda SPA
2		 BEL
1		 IRL
1		 GBR
6		 FRA
6		 ITA
4		 AUT
-		 USA
6		 FIN
7		 SWE
6		 CZE
6		 GER
5		 85 4th
1982 FIM World Championship Honda SPA
1		 BEL
1		 GBR
2		 ITA
1		 FRA
2		 GER
1		 AUT
1		 CAN
3		 USA
1		 FIN
1		 SWE
1		 POL
4		 162 1st World Champion
1983 FIM World Championship Honda SPA
4		 BEL
1		 GBR
1		 IRL
1		 USA
3		 FRA
5		 AUT
1		 ITA
1		 SWI
1		 FIN
1		 SWE
2		 GER
1		 156 1st World Champion
1984 FIM World Championship Honda SPA
2		 BEL
1		 GBR
4		 IRL
1		 FRA
1		 GER
3		 USA
2		 CAN
1		 AUT
3		 ITA
1		 FIN
1		 SWE
2		 214 1st World Champion
1985 FIM World Championship Honda SPA
3		 BEL
1		 GBR
2		 IRL
2		 FRA
6		 USA
3		 AUT
1		 POL
2		 FIN
2		 SWE
2		 SWI
2		 GER
4		 195 2nd
1986 FIM World Championship Honda BEL
1		 GBR
6		 IRL
2		 SPA
1		 FRA
4		 USA
3		 CAN
1		 GER
3		 AUT
2		 ITA
1		 SWE
4		 FIN
13		 183 3rd
1987 FIM World Championship Honda SPA
-		 BEL
6		 SWE
4		 IRL
3		 GER
-		 FRA
-		 USA
-		 AUT
8		 ITA
12		 CZE
8		 SWI
6		 SWE
4		 81 9th
1988 FIM World Championship Merlin SPA
10		 GBR
6		 IRL
9		 LUX
3		 GBR
7		 AUT
-		 FRA
5		 BEL
2		 ITA
7		 SWE
12		 FIN
6		 POL
6		 108 6th
1989 FIM World Championship Montesa GBR
10		 IRL
12		 ITA
7		 USA
11		 CAN
10		 FRA
9		 SWI
-		 SPA
-		 AUT
15		 CZE
10		 GER
14		 LUX
5		 57 10th
1990 FIM World Championship Montesa IRL
-		 GBR
-		 USA
-		 CAN
-		 BEL
12		 GER
-		 SWE
-		 FIN
-		 SPA
-		 ITA
-		 POL
-		 SWI
-		 4 25th

Honors
  • Belgian Trials Champion 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
  • FIM Trials World Champion 1982, 1983, 1984

References
  1. "FIM World Championship". trialonline.org. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  2. "The Best Eddy Lejeune Interview Ever". retrotrials.com. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  3. "Lejeune and the Merlin". retrotrials.com. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  4. "Belgian Brother Back at Scottish". time-4-sports.com. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
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