“
What are your expectations for
Vegas?
It’s going to be the first time for me
racing in a stadium in America, so I
don’t have any big expectations. It’s
a huge event, it’s a big show, so I just
want to go there and have fun, try to
ride like I know and enjoy it.
How is your level in Supercross?
Do you currently ride a lot of
Supercross?
Actually, I have tracks at home, one
Motocross and one Supercross which
my father prepares. Also during the
MXGP season I practice quite a lot
on a mixed track of MX & SX. I have
rhythm sections and whoops in there
so it’s not completely new to me, but
obviously when you arrive in America
it’s different so I’m looking forward to
getting over there - to learn!
You mentioned your father - for
a young guy you already seem to
possess a lot of mental strength,
has that been instilled from your
father? I understand he’s your
trainer.
Yeah, he has been my trainer from
the beginning, since I started riding
at two and a half years old. He is the
guy that really knows me the best,
he knows what I am thinking during
the race. When I get back in he tells
me something and I’m like, ‘yes I was
thinking about that’. When we speak I
know I can really trust him - I think it’s
that connection that I really like, we
understand each other.
Okay, sometimes we fight - but that’s
life, you know. When that happens we
will always address it, have a meeting
to speak about the issues, solve the
problem and move forward.
Do you have a separate trainer who
manages your physical condition,
you have a very athletic look, having
only just turned 20 years old I’d
imagine you need some one taking
care of your development?
Actually my Father takes care of
everything, he is my trainer on the
bike, in the gym, he even takes care of
the mental side. We are still learning
all the time though, even if I am a
two-times World Champion you are
never perfect - so you have to identify
the weaker points and find a way to
improve. That’s what we are doing.
What do you think set you apart
from your competition? Winning the
MXGP as a rookie is no easy task.
I think the key was the first round
of the Championship in Qatar. I just
came into the season as a rookie
without any expectations, keen to
learn and gain from the experience but
I immediately went 1 - 1 and I think
that was a shock for the other riders.
They knew that I was fast because
we were training together in Sardinia,
and throughout testing I was fast. But
they didn’t know that I could arrive to
the race and ride the same as I was
doing during practice - they are two
very different things. When you are
practicing you can be fast, go like 30
minutes and keep all the lap times
within 1 second - but when you are
in the race, that different environment
affects some people differently.
You can handle the pressure pretty
well?
Yes, but also it was the first year that
I came into the season really relaxed,
in the past I always put a little bit
too much pressure on myself, and
the beginning of each season would
always be the weakest part. So we
tried to change a few things and we
succeeded
I saw on Facebook that you were
studying to be a Policeman?
No actually, I already am a Policeman
- but it’s like through sport. In Slovenia
when you are a really good sportsman
for the country they give you a job
in either the Army or the Police, but
you don’t go there normally to work,
I only go there like 4 times a year to
represent the Police. I was studying as
well, I graduated just last year, 2015,
but I was doing normal school, I went
through high school during the racing.
So you currently live at home in
Slovenia, when you go to America
will you move your family out there
also?
Actually, I’m not thinking about it just
yet. We are committed to one more
year in MXGP, so we are focused on u
( My father)
has been
my trainer
from the
beginning... He
is the guy that
really knows
me the best,
he knows what
I am thinking
during the
race... Okay,
sometimes
we fight - but
that’s life, you
know. When
that happens
we will always
address it.