Reactions after Valence
During the first matches it is always a matter of guessing who is already in shape and who is not. Some want to be top fit in Bulgaria and others opt to only peak as the season progresses. In these spring competitions you already get an idea of who is taking it easy and who is going all out. But whether they are all satisfied is another matter. Below are some quotes after Valence.
Tony Cairoli (Red Bull-KTM) – Winner in MX1, two series wins: “My first match in Valence was certainly not a bad experience. It was a good preparation and the conditions were completely different from Mantova; a hard track and an explosive start. That kind of variety is important at this stage of the season.”
David Philippaerts (Yamaha-Monster Energy) -2nd in MX1: “I am very satisfied with Valence, because the riding went great. Much better than in Montevarchi last week! On Wednesday we tested the suspension and that helped enormously. We have made some changes to the shock absorber, but the different setting for the front fork also works fine. I felt completely at home on the bike and I could ride at my own pace without any problems.”
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Steve Ramon (Teka-Suzuki WMX) – 3rd in MX1: “I have a lot of confidence for the new season, so the results in Valence were certainly not unexpected. In the first moto I suffered from pumped arms, but with a few changes in the set-up I felt very good on the bike in the following heats. I could always follow Cairoli's pace without taking any risks. The engine runs well and I feel strong. We still have a few weeks of testing ahead of us to be completely ready for the first GP in Bulgaria. At the beginning of this week we will stay in France for a while to test some parts. I have next weekend off.”
Ken Roczen (Teka-Suzuki Europe) – Winner in MX2: “Yep, this was definitely a stroke of luck! I never thought I would just win here. I felt sick last week and that's why I didn't ride much. Moreover, the weather was also bad. Both myself and the bike are now at a good level. Not yet where we want to be for Sevlievo and the first GPs, but already quite competitive. I think my biggest opponent this season is injuries, everything else is in my hands.”
Gregory Aranda (Bud Racing-Kawasaki) – 9th in MX1, winner of the first series of MX1: “It was really nice to win that first race. I have proven that I can maintain the same pace as the top riders if I have a good start. In the other races I had bad luck, such as a stone that damaged my front brake in the second race. I felt good on the bike all weekend and that also confirmed that my physical condition is good at the moment.”
Jeffrey Herlings (Red Bull-KTM) – sixth in MX2: “I thought it was fun in Valence. On Saturday I had a hard time getting into the right rhythm. My starts were good on Sunday and things went a lot better because I rode with more confidence.”
Clément Desalle (Teka-Suzuki WMX) – seventh in MX1: “My first moto was the best, then I came third. I had a bad start in the second moto, but I ended up finishing fifth. In the last series I took the holeshot, but after a few laps in the lead my front wheel slipped. I was able to get back into the top five but my engine broke down again. This time I moved to the back and I banged my arm against the tire wall. It did hurt, but luckily only the muscles were hit. My next race is Hawkstone Park.”
Jeremy Van Horebeek (CLS-Kawasaki) – eighth in MX2: “The feeling on the bike was quite good, but the track was slippery and I didn't want to take unnecessary risks. This was ultimately our first race, I still have to get used to the power of the engine, so I made a few mistakes. But the bike is so good that I can hardly wait for the GPs to start!”
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Dennis Verbruggen (Nestan-JM Racing-KTM) – 12th in MX2: “To be honest, I was quite nervous before my first race on the KTM! I don't have that many hours of motorcycle training under my belt yet, while most of the top riders have already completed a few races. Still, Valence turned out very well. My starts were always good and in the first series it went even faster than expected. I hung in third for a long time until I had to give up a few places at the end. In the second heat I had a good start again, but I had some problems with the throttle response.
Joël Roelants (Nestan-JM Racing-KTM) – seventh in MX2: “It didn't go so smoothly on Saturday, but on Sunday I was generally quite happy with the driving. In the first heat my starting gate remained open for one to two seconds so I had to start a catch-up race. I was able to come back from the back of the pack to tenth place. In the second race I had a very bad start, but the riding went very well, even better than in the first moto. I was able to go from 20th place to 7th. I did well in the super final. This time I was just a bit too careful on the slippery parts. In the second half of the series things went a bit better and I was able to make up some ground.”
Max Nagl (Red Bull-KTM) – eighth in MX1: “I have chosen to build up this season quietly. I wasn't super motivated for Valence, also because I really consider this race as a training. My starts were far from ideal, but we know what is causing this and with the necessary changes this can be remedied quickly.”
Ken De Dycker (Ricci Racing-Yamaha-Monster Energy): “We are actually still busy developing the engine. That is going in the right direction, but it is difficult to achieve results. In principle, parts should arrive this week and next week so that we can continue testing. Next weekend I will ride the Italian championship in Castiglione del Lago.”
Marvin Musquin (Red Bull-KTM) – second in MX2: “My starts were good today and it was good to win the first heat for Shaun Simpson. In the second series I fought against Roczen, but he was slightly stronger. During the super final it was really difficult to compete against the MX1s. The conditions were also quite dangerous with the wind and the condition of the course.”
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Georges Jobé (Fazza-KTM) over Kevin Strijbos – 22nd in MX1 and Anthony Boissière – 4th in MX1: “Anthony is doing really well. He is physically strong and he is adapting well to the transition to the 450. I am convinced that he will show great things in the MX1 World Championship this year. Kevin is a completely different story. Things are going well at the moment and we have to keep fighting to boost his confidence. Getting back to the top level is never easy, but I know his potential is still intact.”
Gauthier Paulin (Yamaha-Monster Energy) – fourth in MX2: “It certainly wasn't bad for my first race of the season. Frossard was perhaps the fastest today and in the last heat there was little difference between us. With one or two extra laps I could have overtaken Steven and then I would have been the first MX2 among the 450s. It was also positive that my last race was the best. My form is quite good and we are definitely moving in the right direction.”
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