Team France - Tixier In

Former World MX2 champion Jordi Tixier will line-up for the French team at this years Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, set for the Redbuds cirucit in America, after Romain Febvre announced that he cannot race due to his injury.

Surprisingly, this might just be the change that puts some excitement into the French effort, and with the 2010 Junior World championship 125cc, the 2010 EMX 125cc and the 2014 MX2 championship, Tixier has the right breeding.

It also makes up for Tixier not being picked in 2014, when they decided to go with Dylan Ferrandis in his place. I wouldn't be surprised if Tixier shocks a lot of people, and hopefully he can get support from one of the Factory teams for this event.

Gautier Paulin, Dylan Ferrandis and Jordi Tixier might not be the favourites, and that might just work for them. Still for me, its The Netherlands who will win this years event.

Seely Continues with HRC

American Honda Motor. Co. announced today that Cole Seely has signed a contract extension to remain with Team Honda HRC through the 2019 season, campaigning the AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross Championships. This will mark Seely’s fifth season aboard a factory-prepared CRF450R; the Californian has spent his entire premier-class career (and the majority of his 250-class career) with the Honda brand.

Seely spent the early part of the 2018 Supercross series putting together a string of strong rides. He earned a win in the first of three main events held at the unique Anaheim 2 Triple Crown, ultimately earning a second-place overall finish at that race. Additionally, Seely secured three top-five finishes and two more top-10 results before a serious injury at round eight sidelined him for the remainder of the year.

“I’m looking forward to having Cole back with us for 2019,” said Team Manager Erik Kehoe. “He had a tough year with his injuries, but as his recovery progressed, he became more eager and excited to get back to racing, which was great to see. We’re confident in his ability to make his comeback and return to the podium. He’s very talented and a huge asset to our team, so we’re happy to continue our relationship.”

“I’m really excited to be re-signing with American Honda,” Seely said. “I have an awesome crew around me and we get along great, so I’m eager to get back to work with them. This past year was really rough, so to have a company like Honda continue to back me is amazing. It’s one thing to have brand loyalty as a rider, but to have rider loyalty as a brand is saying something huge. This will be my 10th season on a Honda! I’m excited for 2019 but am trying to take things slow and easy right now so I can build myself up and not rush the process. We have started to do some testing though so it’s been fun getting back into the mix.”

Following the 2018 Motocross of Nations, Team Honda HRC’s crew and riders will focus solely on preparing for the 2019 season and will not be participating in the Monster Energy Cup.

Full Recovery Expected for Ferris

Full Recovery Expected for Ferris After Nasty Crash

 

 

C DR Yamaha Monster Energy Team rider, Dean Ferris, is expected to make a full recovery and be back to 100% despite a heavy and awkward fall at round one of the Australian Supercross Championship on Saturday.

Ferris landed heavily in heat one of the SX1 qualifier on Saturday Afternoon, and lay motionless on the side of the track. RACESAFE Medical Team were quickly to his aid and assessed his injuries at the venue before being transported to hospital for further tests and evaluation.

Doctors determined a concussion as well as severe bruising to his right lung and began immediate treatment to keep his body under control. He was in ICU for a night before going to a general ward the following morning and then released from hospital on Tuesday afternoon.

“I don’t recall anything of the crash, but my Doctors are confident they have everything under control and I will make a full recovery,” Ferris explained. “There were some concerns around my lung, but they are happy with the progress and now it’s just a matter of rest and relaxation to ensure everything stays on track.

“It’s hard to put a time frame on it but due to the lung issue, my doctor has told me to lay low for four to six weeks and no physical exercise and then they can assess me from there and we can begin the process of building strength and condition back.

“With the tight schedule of this years’ supercross championship, I will be out for the remainder of the series but already looking forward to getting back on the bike and continuing my goal of racing in the US in 2019,” Ferris concluded.

CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team will continue with Dylan Long but a replacement rider is yet to be determined at this point as team manager, Craig Dack, processes what his next move is and assists Dean in his recovery.

“At this point no decision has been made either way and we are just coming to terms with what happened on the weekend. Dean has had an amazing three year run with us so his injury has been a bit of a shock and at the moment we are doing what we can to assist.

“Our short term focus is to get Dylan up the front, give Dean what he needs for his recovery and then assess what our next move is from there.

“On behalf of everyone at CDR, we wish Dean a quick and full recovery and look forward to seeing him back at the track as soon as possible,” Dack cocnluded.

Round two of the Australian Supercross Championship hits Coolum on the Sunshine Coast on October 6.

Keefer Tested: Atlas Air Neck Brace

Neck braces…This is a tough topic in the world of motocross right? Neck braces are almost like a form of religion. You have a bunch of people preaching to you on how they believe in what “they” (neck braces) can provide for you, but it’s something that is up to you to fully believe in. Or maybe it’s something that you choose not to believe in at all? I can tell you that I was somewhere in the middle between those two. It wasn’t that I didn’t “believe” in the technology as much as it was more of a comfort thing for me when I rode with one. I felt too restricted with a neck brace on and it hindered my technique on the bike. I felt like a robot, that was so stiff on the bike, that I immediately was an anti neck brace guy!

Fast forward five years and I got pressured to try an Atlas Air neck brace again by my good friend Steve. I warned him beforehand that having me test a product that I didn’t care for several years ago could be dangerous as I am a no bullshit kind of guy when it comes to evaluating products. Steve agreed and now here we are typing out this evaluation. However, sometimes getting pressured can be a good thing and in this case it was good, because as a test rider I needed to have an open mind to products that may or may not have been “acceptable” several years ago. Why? Because just like dirt bikes, products can evolve and get better over time. Well to my surprise the Atlas Air neck brace did just that, it evolved and got better. 

Before I get into the meat and potatoes of why the Atlas Air is a better neck brace, what exactly is the technology behind this product? The Atlas Air is made up of a flexible polymer construction that is tough and impact resistant that is ideal for multiple impacts. The flexible nature of the material is designed to slow down violent impacts in an effort to spread out and reduce impact forces, rather than coming to an abrupt stop.The Split-Flex Frame design allows the rear of the brace to mimic the natural movements of your shoulders to provide maximum comfort and mobility (in dirt bike riding terms, that means while riding you’re almost able to not feel like you’re wearing anything). Each Atlas Neck Brace sits around your spine and sternum, transferring impact forces to the bigger muscle groups rather than directly on the spine and sternum, while increasing surface area contact with the body to dissipate forces more efficiently. Chest suspension keeps the head in motion during a longer period of the impact, while promoting tuck-and-roll ability during an accident (If you know Ryan Hughes rants, this is something he thought neck braces lacked). Unique leaf spring style design provides 30mm of chest suspension to help slow down and reduce impact forces. Each chest support can operate independently, allowing impact forces to be absorbed strategically and effectively. Each Atlas Brace is the smallest overall size compared to the competition, but is claimed to contact your body 27% more than the competition, making it smaller, and bigger if that makes sense? The increased surface area contacts the body to help spread out impact forces, with the intent of making their effects less noticeable and/or helping to potentially prevent secondary injuries.

Previously Atlas used rear tethers that used an internal braided steel cable for strength. Now, after three years of development Atlas has now gone wireless! The new tethers use a specifically formulated rubber compound co-molded to custom machined aluminum axle nuts. This unique rubber compound provides more strength and longevity, that withstand a ton of cycle testing. Each Atlas Air neck brace features two height adjustments. Tall pads are included in the box and make fit easier for longer necks, smaller helmets, and/or other needs. I tried on several helmets (6D, Arai, Shoei, Fox, Fly, Bell) and all gave me the same amount of head movement/mobility. Aluminum Smart Mounts on the back of each Atlas Brace provides the rider six possible settings to find tune the fit around your chest and back. The reversible design can move the back supports forward or back, and an internal spline system provides a -10, neutral, or +10 degree micro adjustment to fit various body shapes as well. 

Now let me start off by saying that it’s up to you whether you believe in neck brace technology or not. I am not a preacher and can’t force you to believe in a certain technology, but I can give you facts on what it’s like to ride with the Atlas on for several, long test days. After studying/reading all about the old technology versus the new technology, I can say that I “believe” that there are some safety advantages to wearing a neck brace. I had the Atlas Air fitted up with the help of Canadian legends Brady Sheren and Ryan “The Newf” Lockhart and they gave me a brief tutorial on the Atlas Air. After the tutorial I was off to ride my first moto with the neck brace on. One important piece of technology (that I really like) that has evolved on the new Atlas Air neck brace is the material consistency and how flexible it is. The older neck braces weren’t nearly as flexible and that was a big red flag for me, especially in a crash. You can bend each end of the Atlas Air neck brace and it snaps back to the original shape much easier than older models I have ridden with. Another complaint I had with older neck braces is that I couldn’t look far enough ahead of me without feeling restricted.

The Atlas Air gives me enough freedom that I didn’t really notice it was on. Impressive! The only part that made me think that I had a neck brace on was that the straps (that hold the neck brace down) rubbed me a little under my jersey. I tried not wearing the straps, but the Atlas neck brace moved around on me too much when I rode. I tried the “X” strap that they also offer, but that was too much strap against my skin. Another option is to wear the strap over your jersey, which I refuse to do because of looks. The Atlas Air is also very lightweight feeling at 580 grams and that feels like nothing when motoing down. I had zero complaints with my neck mobility while riding, but you will notice the chin bar of your helmet will hit the front of the neck brace while your BS’ing with your buddies in the pits. This isn’t really noticeable while riding, but it’s something that I felt when at a standstill. Each contact point of the Atlas Air is soft against your body and not at one moment did I feel an uncomfortable feeling. 

If you are a chest protector wearing rider don’t fret because the Atlas Air does comply with a number of different chest protectors. At my disposal was a Fly Revel, Alpinestars A1, A4, Thor Sentinel, Fox Titan, Pro-Frame, and even an old HRP Flak Jak! Yes, I still have one of those! I did prefer wearing the Atlas Air with a lightweight roost deflector versus a full chest pro because I felt less bulky and could move around on the bike better. However, this is more of a chest protector feeling than a neck brace issue. 

So if you haven’t worn a neck brace in a while and are “on the fence” about wearing one, like I was, give it a try because you’ll be shocked on how comfortable the Atlas Air actually is. I was so impressed by how comfortable it was that I have decided to do a full neck brace shootout, come this winter, to see if the others are as good as this Atlas Air. 

Since I am no BS kind of dude and I can almost guarantee you’re reading this asking yourself “yeah, but will he wear a neck brace now that he can actually stand to wear one”? My honest answer to you is that I am going to “try”. I have been wired one way for so long (on safety equipment) that I am going to really give it a conscious effort to start wearing the Atlas Air neck brace more when I ride. It doesn’t bother me when I ride and I am going to educate myself more on neck brace technology for future tests, so why not wear one? The lack of comfort is not stopping me anymore, so I am going to give it a go. Will I wear it 100% of the time? Probably not, but if I start to wear it more and the technology becomes something that I “believe” in fully you will see me at the track with it on. Until then all I can do is tell you that if you do believe in neck brace technology, the Atlas Air neck brace is the best neck brace I have tried to date. The cost of the Atlas Air is $329.99, comes in three sizes, and six different colorways. You can check the complete line of Atlas neck braces over at atlasbrace.com. 

World Vet Championship Coming Soon!

THE CHAMPIONSHIP THAT YOU COULD WIN—IF YOU’RE OLD ENOUGH

  

   

Doug Dubach was a factory Yamaha rider and won an AMA Supercross, but he is best known for being the greatest Vet motocross racer of all-time with 26 class win. He will be looking for number 27 on November 3-4 at Glen Helen Raceway.

Eventually every famous racer will be old enough to race the Dubya World Vet Championship — if they can still swing a leg over a bike when the turn 30, 40, 50, 60 or 70 years old. We don’t know if Eli Tomac, Ryan Dungey or Ryan Villopoto would follow in the footsteps of other AMA National Champions, but it would be a shame if they didn’t.

Famous riders who have won titles at the World Vet include four-time 250 National Champion Gary Jones, Rocket Rex Staten, Warren Reid, Kent Howerton, Erik Kehoe, Rich Thorwaldson, Jeff Ward, Feets Minert, Andy Jefferson, J.N. Roberts, Eyvind Boyesen, Tom White, Kyle Lewis, Thorlief Hanssen, Lars Larsson, Travis Preston, Kurt Nicoll, Jim O’Neal, Daryl Hurley, Brett Metcalfe and Mike Brown.

 

Steve Machado won the Over-70 Expert class at last year’s World Vet Championship.

Equally important are the riders that no one paid any attention to when they were young, but now that they are old (and have kept racing all these years) they are finally getting some recognition. You may not recognize their names, but if you were their age and in their class, they would probably have lapped you. Especially riders like AMA Supercross Mechanic of the Year Alan Olson, Canadian Champion Zoli Berenyi, Sr., Japanese Champion Hideaki Suzuki, Ike DeJager, Swede Hans Hansson, Terry Sage, Canadian Kim Houde, desert race Bill Maxim, Canadian Pete DeGraff, Oklahoma’s Jimmy Redwine, Baja star Brent Wallingsford and Steve Machado.

And that is just the short list

 

Antonio Cairoli on giving up the title

Antonio Cairoli is now a former world champion again, but that is not a concern of his at this time. Cairoli has his sights set firmly on next year, despite the fact that it is many months away, and references that again in this MX Vice interview from the Grand Prix of The Netherlands. Other hot topics are also tackled, like his bursts of speed on the sandy track and the upcoming Motocross of Nations.

MX Vice: Obviously when people look at today they are going to look at the fact that you lost the championship but pushing that to one side I thought it was actually good. You are beat up still and gave Jeffrey [Herlings] a pretty good run in all of the sessions, even practice. Your times were not as far off as maybe some people expected them to be.

Antonio Cairoli: Actually, I really enjoyed the ride today. I am really a bit pissed off at the second moto, because I was keeping a good gap after he crashed. He came close to me, but then I was two and a half seconds or three seconds and always there. Then with a lapper I messed up again. First moto he was a little bit quicker than me with passing the lappers and I am still struggling a little bit. Maybe because he was racing a lot of Dutch races and he is used to this kind of traffic in the sand and I'm not racing at all during the year? I am happy overall, because the speed was there. The fitness was also coming better and better.

Antonio Cairoli has already secured second in the premier-class points (KTM Images/Ray Archer)

That second moto I could keep the rhythm for all of the moto. Now we have an Italian GP. It is a lot of pressure again and a lot of fans are coming. Really enjoying the next races and then ‘Nations. For sure it is a big event. It is not one of my favourites, because it is a team event and motocross is a sport for single. That is what I think. You never know what can happen in just one race. Like Jeffrey said in the conference, you can have twenty races in a championship very good and then you mess up one race and then you are sh*t. ‘Nations for me is just a very difficult race, but I am honoured to ride for Italy and try to do my best.

This is a bit random, but what you said there made me think of it. Do you think that maybe it would help you to do a national championship between MXGP rounds, like Jeffrey? Do you think that is something that helps those guys keep the intensity up? Obviously, the Dutch is different because there are a lot of MXGP guys there. The British Championship or the Italian Championship maybe would not be as good?

Yeah, for sure it helps a lot. You can see it when he is lapping people. He is very quickly through the pack and also with passing. If he has a bad start, he is quickly a lot of time to the front. I am not racing since, I do not remember, seven or eight years. I only raced two races in the beginning of the season from the Italian championship and that is it. I do not race any races. For sure it helps. Maybe next year I try to do a little bit more races, but it is not easy. After so many years of races, but still nothing to regret. He deserves this title. I know where I need to work. Hopefully next year we are going to be more prepared.

How is your hand, knee an everything that is banged up and a little bit injured doing at this point?

The hand is bothering me a little bit less now. I can ride during the week more, but the knee… I do not know if I need surgery or not. I need to see again my doctor, because it is a big stretch on the ligaments, so the knee is moving a lot. So hopefully not. If I just can make some more muscle around the knee, then it can keep it more compact. For sure I am really looking forward for next season already. Again, congratulations to KTM. They did one or two and it is not always easy.

Cairoli climbed onto the box for the fourteenth time this year at Assen (KTM Images/Ray Archer)

You mentioned it a few times in our interviews, but we have not really expanded on it. You are going to come into next season ready and improve on some things. What are those exactly?

The endurance for sure first, because especially the first part of the season I was leading a lot of races until the last five minutes and then he got by me in the last five minutes. This is difficult to improve, because it is one part that you need to work a lot, a lot, a lot. This is the only way to try to beat him, because I have to say his intensity is incredible. He can keep the same lap time for all of the forty-minute moto and in both motos. This is his strongest point for sure, I think.

Going into the ‘Nations, obviously all eyes are on Herlings and [Eli] Tomac. Is that exciting in a way for you? You are going in as a bit of an underdog and obviously you are a nine-time world champion, so you should be in that conversation. You could quite easily go in there, beat them both, and suddenly all off-season everyone would be talking about how great you are.

I do not really care, because this sh*t talking has always been there since forever. I am really not bothered about this stuff. I do not regret what I did in the past and I do not regret what I am going to do in the future. These people who are talking in the media, they like the fights and stuff. I hopefully can enjoy the battle. I will love it, together with them, Herlings and Tomac, but we do not forget [Ken] Roczen I think is also one that can make it in the fight. It will be amazing to have three Europeans against the Americans. It will be amazing to have such a great fight.

Finally, going into Imola, I guess winning a GP would be a nice way to cap off a difficult year?

Not really. I do not really have pressure on. This season has gone with a lot of emotions. I do not really plan stuff. I just ride and if we can win, we win. Otherwise we finish on the podium. It is a great year still. Like I said, I know where I need to improve. It is a lot of work to do, so I am far from where I want to be with my physical. This is what we are trying to figure out when we have to start and where.

Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: KTM Images/Ray Archer

DC Vet Homecoming Returns to High Point Raceway September 21-23

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The 28th Annual DC Vet Homecoming, presented by Lojak's Cycle Sales, returns to Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, this weekend, September 21-23, for three days of fun-filled racing and off-track activities. Veterans of motocross are also set to take over the legendary High Point Raceway for a "throwback" weekend of epic proportions.

On Friday, September 21, the gates will open at noon with two rotations of amateur motocross practice beginning at 3 p.m. The practice fee is $20 per group. On Saturday, September 22, High Point Raceway will host the GP Moto-X Country race, combining elements of off-road racing and motocross into one unique competition. Taking place over a three-mile course, racers will encounter woods sections intermittently separated by big European-style grass track areas. Registration for the GP race begins at 8 a.m., with practice at 9 a.m. and racing to follow. Racing will consist of two 30-minute motos, and to find a complete list of classes, click here        

Gather your family, friends, or call an old racing buddy you haven't seen in a while—just don't miss out on this weekend's DC Vet Homecoming! Also taking place on Saturday, in conjunction with the GP Moto-X Country race, will be the rescheduled round for the Fly Racing PA State Championship (PAMX) Series. Registration for the PAMX event will begin at 7 a.m., followed by practice at 8:30 a.m. and racing immediately following. Click here to view the PAMX classes. The racing fee for the GP are $40 per class and for the PAMX event $35 per class.

Sunday's DC Vet Homecoming motocross race begins at 7 a.m. with registration, practice at 9 a.m. and racing immediately following. To honor Big Dave's passion and commitment to the veteran motocross community, the Vet Homecoming offers classes for vet ages 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+ and 60+ with a variety of options for different skill levels. To view a detailed list of Vet Homecoming classes, click here.    

As well as the action on the racetrack, the weekend will boast entertainment for all members of the family. Saturday evening at 6 p.m., Pit Bike Racing will take place on the racetrack featuring three classes: Clutch, No Clutch and Big Bike (TTR 125, KLX and Honda 150 Air-cooled). Then kick back at the track and enjoy a $5 BBQ dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed by a bonfire, vintage movies, and karaoke entertainment with Racer X John at dusk.

A Vet-themed race wouldn't be complete without a special division for vintage bikes. Three vintage classes will be offered, including Retro (1986-1996 Front Disk/Rear Drum), Millennium (Pre-2006 Dual Disc) and Twin Shock (Pre-1975/1975+ Dual Drum). Support divisions including 65cc Open, 85cc Open and 18+ will also be offered on Sunday, creating a family-fun atmosphere for all ages.    

There's a class for everyone throughout the entire weekend; check out a full list here. Eric Doty

Returning once again will be the vintage contests and vintage bike show, offering great prizes for all winners. All participants have to do is register their vintage items at the MX Sports tent from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Sunday. Vintage contest categories include: Vintage Race Gear, Oldest Race Program, Vintage T-Shirt, Best Old-School Trophy, Furthest Traveled Competitor, and Oldest Competitor. The winner of each category will receive a free one-year subscription to Racer X Illustrated, as well as two all-day pit passes to the 2019 High Point Pro Motocross National. And for being so awesome, the Furthest Traveled Competitor will receive two (2) VIP Super Passes to the 2019 High Point National, a $400 value. Winners will be announced during intermission.

If you're not wanting to race your vintage bike but still want to be a part of the fun, you can show it off at the Vintage Bike Show, taking place Sunday alongside the vintage contests. With a total of seven categories in the Vintage Bike Show, there is an option for just about everyone: Classic Four Stroke (pre-1996), Classic Two Stroke (pre-1970), Golden Era (1970-1978), Pre-Modern Era (1978-1982), Modern Era (1982-1989), Millennium Era (1990-2005) and Mini Cycle 0-70cc (Pre-1990).     

Not wanting to race? You can still join in on the fun by entering one of our many vintage contests.

As professional motocross privateer-turned-event-promoter, Big Dave Coombs was the co-founder of not only High Point Raceway and Steel City Raceway, but the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch, the Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC), the National Promoters Group (NPG), the ATV Motocross National Championship (ATVMX), the legendary Blackwater 100, and much, much more. His legacy extends to the foundation of MX Sports Pro Racing, organizers of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, as well as Racer Productions, Racer X Illustrated, and Racer X Online. Big Dave Coombs passed away on August 3, 1998, after losing his battle with leukemia. He was 57 years old.

We invite you to take the journey back in time to get to know Big Dave. Only then can you truly appreciate why we continue to honor the memory of the man who made it all happen, both on the motocross track and in the woods. Our friends at META recently released an article discussing the Blackwater 100's rise to fame. Make sure you give it a read.

As you can imagine, Big Dave's story goes much deeper than this. Our friend Brett Smith with We Went Fast has done a great job of highlighting Dave's life with his story "The Ballad of Big Dave". He also did a fantastic job of chronicling the formation of the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn's with a great podcast entitled  "How We Got Here: The Genesis of Loretta Lynn's Motocross."

 For more information on the entire race weekend, please call (304) 284-0084 or visit the official website at www.highpointmx.com. Also follow High Point Raceway on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for exclusive content and to catch the latest news.

Indian Confirms Production FTR1200 Will Debut October 1

Viewpoint: Thomas Covington

Thomas Covington on another podium finish

Thomas Covington is nearing the end of his Grand Prix career now, as he has just one race left. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider, a four-time overall winner, is going out with a bang too, as he has reeled off countless moto victories and podiums in the last three months. Assen was another successful outing, as he stood on the podium in second overall.

MX Vice: Had I told you that you would finish on the box after that qualifying race yesterday, with the gate pick and everything, I imagine you would have been pretty happy. Considering everything, today was pretty good.

Thomas Covington: Yeah, for sure. Like you said, considering the circumstances, I am really happy with the way the weekend turned out and being on the podium. With the way the gates were angled here, I did not really know if I had a chance at all at the start. The gates on the outside were like pointed into pit lane, basically, but I just came out of the gate and hooked up really good the first moto and came over hard on everyone. Probably clipped a few front wheels but came out good.

The second one I was a little bit more confident and came over even earlier. I nearly got the holeshot, I just could not brake in time to turn. I was really happy with my starts there. For me in the sand it is a really good result, because I am not really a sand specialist to say the least. [Jorge] Prado is just better than me in the sand, that is all it is. Pretty happy overall.

Thomas Covington still has a chance to claim fourth in the standings (Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo)

 After the qualifying race yesterday, heading into the first moto did you just think that you did not have a chance off the gate? Honestly, knowing that you are a good starter and everything, I just thought it was impossible.

Yeah. Even though I am a good starter I was just like, I do not think there is any way. I actually debated maybe I should brake and try to cut back to the inside, but the first turn was just too slow here to do that. Jacky [Martens] just told me, "You just need to go for it and just move over as hard as you can." Actually, when I was sitting on the gate the first moto and I looked down there, I was like, "Even though the gates are pointed to the left, it is not that far around." I have been on the outside where it is a longer distance to get to the inside, so that made me feel a little bit better. I just decided to go for it.

All things considered after the start, I thought your motos were pretty good. You moved forward and even when you lost time you would then gain it back. That is kind of the ultimate test of proving that you have got what it takes, I guess.

Yeah. I felt really good physically. I think I was pretty rested after only doing two laps yesterday in the qualifying race and also my bike was just working really well. The first moto, after Hunter [Lawrence] went down and I was in a solid second place, I got a little bit tight and lost my rhythm a bit but was able to push through to the end. Then for the second moto we made a few adjustments to the bike just to get the front end up out of that sand a little bit more. It was perfect.

In the second moto I just felt strong all the way to the end. Luckily my teammate went down and gave me those points that I needed for the podium. The whole moto my mechanic was telling me, "You need third." You need third? I am like, "What? 3-4. Come on, I should be on the podium." I was just pushing so hard to catch [Thomas Kjer] Olsen and then I look up and he is laying on the ground. I was like, "Yes! Thank you!"

Thomas Covington has landed on the podium eight times this season (Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo)

 After Turkey and getting that win finally, do you feel a bit more relaxed now? It has been obvious for months and months that you have the potential to win and you can do it, but then with every GP that was passing I was thinking, "Sh*t, you are running out of time. This might not happen." Just having that under your belt must be nice now.

Yeah, for sure. It is a little bit more relaxed. I do not know if it is a good thing or a bad thing. It is like I can take a breath. I got that GP win before I go back home to America. I do not feel like I had it in me to run Prado's speed this weekend. Really happy to come away with second overall. We'll give it a run in a couple weeks in Imola. I think that is a track that will suit me a little bit better. Hopefully get those starts again and give Jorge a run for his money.

I guess you are done with the Belgian and Dutch sand, as far as training, doing motos and all of that stuff. On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you about that?

Probably a ten, if I am being honest. Last week, I do not know what was my last day riding. I think Wednesday I was riding at Lommel. I was like, "This might be my last time ever riding at Lommel." Then obviously it starts to rain a little bit and the track is just gnarly. I am in the back of the van prepping roll-offs for a practice moto and I am just like, "I am not going to miss this next year."

That was my next question. Obviously, you are really close to the end now. Are there any emotions coming into it at all? Are you starting to look around and be like, "Sh*t, I might never see this paddock or these people again?"

I have been feeling that way this whole second half of the season, ever since I decided I am going to go. I am just like, "Man, this is my last time going to all these places." Just trying to enjoy every bit of it and spend time with all the guys that I have gotten pretty close with over the years. It has been awesome. I have been camping out at the track the last few weekends too. I have been loving that. Last night I spent most of the night with the Pocock's, just hanging out. It has been a good time this last season. I am definitely going to miss it.

Interview: Lewis Phillips | Lead Image: Husqvarna/J.P Acevedo

Billy Bolt interview

Hawkstone

Great Britain’s Billy Bolt is aiming to deliver a memorable result in front of his home crowd when the World Enduro Super Series heads to Hawkstone Park this weekend, September 22/23.

Returning to a WESS podium at round five 111with a third-place result at Red Bull 111 Megawatt in Poland, a rejuvenated and highly motivated Bolt is fit and fired up ahead of his home race. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider sits second in the WESS championship standings, well aware that a strong result at the Hawkstone Park Cross-Country might well see him move to the top of the championship…

MXlarge: Billy, you’re close second in the 2018 WESS championship standings and this weekend it’s your home round of the series at Hawkstone Park. How important will the ‘home support’ be at this stage in the series?

Bolt: “It’s going to be an awesome weekend, and such an important one for me. British Enduro fans are so passionate, so to have them on my side at Hawkstone Park is going to be a big advantage. Hawkstone’s going to be a difficult race, but I can’t wait. If I need a lift mid-race I’m sure there’ll be plenty of fans cheering me on, helping me dig deeper. I’m looking forward to putting on a show for them and can’t wait to get stuck in.”

MXlarge: Third last time out at Red Bull 111 Megawatt, that must have given your confidence a real boost after your knee surgery during the summer break?

Bolt: “It felt great to be back on the podium again. I really wanted a good result there, especially as in 2017 I didn’t ride my best. I made it hard on myself this year though. I had a bad time in the Motocross section and actually crashed three times there on lap one. It wasn’t until lap three that I felt confident in the loose, deep sand. I knew both Manni Lettenbichler and Nathan Watson were close, but if I was within range I could finish top three. I managed to pass Manni in the Motocross part, then got Nathan on the Extreme stuff and broke free. Hawkstone will be different to Megawatt but knowing that things went well in Poland has certainly given me a boost at just the right time.”

MXlarge: There is a real Cross-Country feel to the remainder of the series, how do you feel about stepping out of your Hard Enduro comfort zone?

Bolt: “I’m enjoying it. I’ve always said that I want to be a rider who’s not just known for being a Hard Enduro specialist, but one who can race it all. It’s good to jump in at the deep end with things — learn new skills and race different disciplines. In Hard Enduro we’re the guys who are pushing the boundaries regards to techniques and what’s possible, whereas when it comes to being a sand specialist I’ve still the basics to learn and master. But it’s good, it’s all fun.”

MXlarge: You made the switch to the Husqvarna four-stroke for Red Bull 111 Megawatt, how are you finding the change in machinery?

Bolt: “I’m really enjoying the switch to the four-stroke. I raced it indoors during the winter so it’s nice to be able to ride it in WESS too. I feel like it suits my riding style. I can be more aggressive with it and play with the power delivery more. So far in these faster races it’s working well and I’ll be on it for the rest of the season.”

MXlarge: With the unfortunate injury of Jonny Walker at Red Bull 111 Megawatt we’ve seen a big shakeup in the championship standings. How do you see things with three rounds remaining?

Bolt: “What happened to Jonny in Poland shows just how quickly things can change in this championship. There’s still a long way to go, so we can’t take anything for granted. It was a real shame to see him crash and get injured because he’s my friend as well as a championship rival. And honestly, although it’s had a massive impact on the championship, as a rider you never want to inherit a position because another rider gets injured.”

MXlarge: Finally, Hawkstone Park has a fearsome reputation for being tough on bikes, bodies and minds – do you see it as an exercise in survival, more than being about speed or the need for Hard Enduro skills?

Bolt: “I think you need everything – that’s why it’s going to be such a good race. Managing the race, knowing when to push and when to settle into a rhythm will be important. I’m hoping there’ll be some technical stuff – some of the climbs in the woods will hopefully suit me – but I also need to try and match the pace of the faster riders like Josep Garcia and Watson on the Motocross track. Come the end of the race I don’t think anyone’s going to have much left in the tank…”