Prado on Deegan’s take-out attempt – “against that type of racing”

A defiant Jorge Prado says while he knows Haiden Deegan likes to ride aggressively, he won’t be able to push the top 450 riders around like the 250 class, with Prado managing to slip Deegan’s contact attempt and re-take the lead on his way to clinching the SMX title. 

Prado said: “My mentality was just going for the win. I didn’t have another option in my head. I knew if I got the win, I was sure I was winning this title because of my results, not because maybe of other riders. So I went for it in sprint for 20 minutes plus one. Sprint all the way. I couldn’t go faster than that and that’s a reality. I was doing my 100%. 

“I was fast in some areas, but he was getting me in others. So I couldn’t make that comfy, let’s say, three second gap where I know he’s not going to go straight into me. We got into some lappers, he got closer and I knew on that 180 triple 180, there was a chance there because I was leaving a lot of space in the inside. But I know the good thing is that normally when you leave a lot of space is because you’re on the main line. And if you hit your main line, good.

“You have a little gap. Normally, you’re fine. Well, with the lapper, he didn’t move. Obviously, the same guy always. And I wanted to go to the inside, then I moved to the outside and he pretty much hit and I think, Haiden, he opened up the corner and went straight into me. He just didn’t even turn. I mean, that’s not even a racing running. But by each other, I knew it could happen. That’s why Nick Connor, I really brake hard. And I could feel he was almost getting my front wheel. Like I could feel it. And for some reason, wasn’t enough to make me tip over. And I was like, okay, now I really need to go for it. So I knew in the sand I was making some time. So I was making sure as well that I was hitting that sand section fast.

“I don’t like those games of making block passes. That’s not the type of racing I race. He likes that. Maybe in the lower categories, he could play with the other kids, but not with me. So when you race with that mentality, normally you end up bad.. When you race clean, you have a lot of things in your favor.

“I’m against that type of racing. I’m not racing for the money like he is. I’m racing with passion and I’m racing because I love the sport, because I accomplished a lot of things in MXGP and I came over to the States and I prove to everyone that I can get world champion there as well. So I’m racing with passion and I think that’s what leads you to getting the number one.”