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Collin Matiza Sports Editor

ONE of Zimbabwe’s top junior motocross riders Emmanuel Bako will next year make his first major step into becoming a fully-fledged professional racer when he competes in the European Championship series.

Bako (13) was this year racing in Zimbabwe and South Africa under a French team, EHR Racing Youth Team, who are headed up by ex-South African rider Joe Travares who told The Herald at the weekend that the talented young Zimbabwean biker will next year be part of his team that will race in a number of European Championship races.

“As you know we have integrated Emmanuel Bako into the EHR Racing Youth Team in South Africa as our top 85cc rider for 2019 season where he has more than excelled with podium finishes in every race.

“He has been brilliant and has really shown his potential and still riding a semi standard setup on his KTM 85.

“We are carrying out a number of training and detection camps internationally and we will be inviting Manu to East London, South Africa, later this month to take part in a real International Boot Camp to set him up for his season in Europe next year where he will form part of the EHR Southern Africa Youth Invitation Team to race in a number of selected European Championship races as well as some National races in France and Germany.

“Part of this mission is to enter this team into the Masterkids International Race in Belgium in July 2020.

“The camp will cover everything from mental preparation, physical preparation, race tuning and race training. He will have access to the same level of training that some of the top pilots experience in Europe and the USA.

“This camp will help us with the necessary preparation for Manu going forward both in terms of pilotage, bike set-up etc.

“His first overseas race will either be in Italy, Portugal or France against some of the toughest competitors in Europe,” Travares said. Since joining Travares’s EHR Racing Team at the beginning of this year, Bako has been revelation, especially in the South African motocross circuit in which he monopolised the 85cc (Junior) Class.

Bako continued with his fine form Down South on Saturday where he claimed the top step on the podium in the 85cc (Junior) Class during Round Six of the Gauteng Regional Championship in Johannesburg.

Even though Bako lost the South African National championship, he came back even stronger on Saturday to prove that he has what it takes to be competitive and a top professional rider.

Tyron Juul from Juul’s Motocross coaching was very happy with Bako’s riding skills on Saturday and he said even though the Zimbabwean rider has come a long way, “there is still a very long way to go and I will also work closely with Emmanuel to ensure he sticks to his programme, keeps his head and attitude right”.

“With this Emmanuel will be one of the great riders and I’m so proud of him. In my eyes and head this boy is going to be a champion and hopefully one day will be a world champion,” Juul said.

Bako’s father and manager, Brighton, was also impressed by his son’s riding on Saturday and he hopes that he will even get better when he rides for EHR Racing Youth Team in Europe next year.

“Emmanuel did very well today (Saturday) . . . In both heats he had hole shots, coming first in both heats. We are ready for next year’s programmes and we have been getting many offers for Emmanuel to join teams like Yamaha but we have decided that he should work with Joe Travares throughout this month and also next year in Europe.

“We are really impressed with his riding and positive attitude,” Brighton “Bucks” Bako said.