Artwork | Assen

Toyism | Dejo | 2015 | Acrylic/Linen | 200 x 350 cm | De Nieuwe Kolk, Assen

Horsepower Mania
Since 1925, Assen has boasted a ‘shorter road’, known as the TT circuit, where riders race faster than the speed of light. During the inaugural race in 1925, Piet van Wijngaarden, wearing number 36, was the first to cross the finish line. With his 1HP, he was truly a knight on horseback. In 1926, he repeated this victory on his trusty Norton steed.

On the Ossenbroeken, the far end of the Drenthe circuit, Giacomo Agostini emerges. Leaning forward on his faithful MV Agusta, he won an astounding fourteen times across various classes. Justifiably, Agostini bore the number 1. In the 1990s, the circuit transformed into a grand rodeo show, led by Texan cowboy Kevin Schwantz. With his number 34, he flew around the track like a wormhole through time, clinching the premier class titles in ’90, ’91, and ’93!

The race event remained a spectacular circus in 1980. That year, motorcyclist Jumping Jack Middelburg stormed the circuit. Wearing number 8, he took off, finished first, and became a genuine folk hero. The first post-war race in ’46 was won by Dutchman Piet Knijnenburg on his BMW. With 32HP, Knijnenburg reached a top speed of 180 km/h. In 2013, speed demon Marc Márquez, with number 93, tore through the Duikersloot and became world champion.

In ’77, the successful Wil Hartog steered his Suzuki, number 33, across the finish line first. This triumph even earned him a factory contract. Fan favourite Valentino Rossi slipped past Hartog and made his debut in ’97 with number 46. He went on to win six Grand Prix races. Rossi steered his bike towards the Geert Timmer corner, where the golden sidecar duo Streuer and Schnieders finished first in ’87 and ’91. They were three-time world champions and remain the greatest Dutch wholesalers in precious metals.