Tixier aims for a faster start to the season
FIM MX2 World Champion Jordi Tixier hopes to shed his status as a slow season starter in the year he is due to defend his title at the first Grand Prix on the Japanese machine. As well as the first GP for the Monster Energy CLS Kawasaki Team. With 2012 & 2013 World Champion and former teammate Jeffrey Herlings currently struggling with his preparation and reportedly not yet able to ride the 250SX-F, Jordi Tixier is one of the title contenders. Tixier is therefore in an excellent position to take some lead and continue the winning streak of the last GP in Mexico 2014. Then he won the title with a lead of just four points ahead of the injured Dutchman.
The 22-year-old Frenchman had a very difficult start in the world championship in 2013 and 2014 and did not get further than sixth and eighth place during the last two Grand Prix's in Qatar and he only achieved a podium place at the fifth Grand Prix in 2014. . The question from many MXGP fans is “will this 2014 Jordi Tixier also be able to compete as strongly in Qatar”? We met up on the eve of the KX250F testing in France after they had to leave the snowy tracks in Belgium. “I hope so, I'm still working on it. Last winter I made a mistake in my preparation. I was training too much with the bike and not enough intervals and that did affect my pace in the beginning. This year I changed it up and focused more on increasing my speed. Physically I know I'm fine and I want to make sure I'm at the front at the start. But I also know that starting a little slower and finishing strong is always better than doing it the other way around.”
After a fall during training and an injured back, Tixier was off the bike for a while, but he is now back to riding in anticipation of the pre-season such as the races in Hawstone Park (GB), Valence (F) and Mantua (I) in the busy period of February. Having worn the number one in MX2 since 2010 when Marvin Musquin took over, Tixier knows that he may be able to deal a big blow to rival and friend Herlings. “I know Herlings is still hurt because we are still in touch as good friends and have been for a few years now. I know he's not ready to drive yet. My goal is to get as many points as possible and then just get stronger and stronger in the next matches. I also know I have to become more regular and try not to crash!”
Tixier only has one more year left in MX2 to try to become world champion for a second time. Because he will turn 2016 in November 23 and that means that he will have to make the mandatory switch to the MXGP class. He is therefore the perfect man to ask who he sees as the surprise or the future in the MX2 class this summer. “It's not really a surprise, but I think Tim Gajser (HRC Honda Gariboldi rider) will be very good. He already showed last year that he was good and strong and was able to keep pushing throughout the series.”
Tixier forms a powerful French partnership with Dylan Ferrandis on the CLS Kawasaki. American Thomas Covington is the third rider in the team that will focus exclusively on the MX2 class, after they were also in the MXGP class for two years in a row with the now departed Tommy Searle.
Text: Adam Wheeler / OTOR
Photo: Kawasaki
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