In the 54 years of World Motocross Championships only riders like Stefan Everts, Joel Robert, Paul Friedrichs, Roger De Coster and Gastin Rahier have been able to win back to back to back titles in the same class and if you consider our greatest GP rider of all time Stefan Everts didn’t do it until he was 10 years into his career, then you know it’s not an easy job.

Chiodi is a special person. In his prime the whole sport revolved around him, there was nothing else, just race wins and hard work. Now as a veteran of the sport his dreams are more of spending time enjoying life. Somewhat a hippy the Italian legend continues to attend races, and despite his dislike for watching Motocross and not racing it, he is trying to find his place in the Grand Prix paddock one more time.

We got hold of Chiodi a little while ago and did this interview with him.

MXlarge: Alessio, nice to see you, what are you doing still visiting the GP’s, I thought you retired from all this?

Chiodi: I am 37 years old. I need to stop racing that is why I help riders now, I start to help the young riders. I was in Lierop to help Alessandro (Lupino); at the start of the season I tried to help him with bike and training and some secrets for the race. I do it for him, personally, not for the team. I like doing this, it is not like racing, I prefer racing, but I am getting old and I need to look for the future. It is good when you have a rider and you see him improving that is very satisfying.

MXlarge: You have a lot of experience in the sport, do you like giving that experience back to the sport?

Chiodi: I think like when Corrado (Maddi) and De Carli they helped me, they told me their secrets and I become good, so I should give my experience to other younger riders.

MXlarge: Do you miss being a rider on the grid at a Grand Prix?

Chiodi: Yes, I miss the Grand Prix’s, yes I miss it a lot. I miss the racing, I had not touched a bike in four months because I was injured and the last race of the Italian Championship. I had surgery in August to fix the bone. When I watch the races on television it breaks my heart, I want to race.

MXlarge: Antonio Cairoli is now a 4 times World Motocross Champion, so in many peoples eyes the best Italian rider ever. Does that upset you at all that you are no longer the man in Italy?

Chiodi: It’s okay for him, but for the other riders even me, it’s not okay. I am honest, he is a good rider and I am happy for him that he goes better than me.

MXlarge: Is he better than you?

Chiodi: That is difficult to say, he is another generation, and of course when I was younger I think we would have had a good battle together, if we were the same age.

MXlarge: Not too many riders could win consecutive titles like you did, that is pretty special.

Chiodi: Also my best years I wasn’t winning ever race, but I was always first, or second, or third. I think I am the only one, no sorry Rahier also who has done that in the 125cc (MX2) class. In the record books winning three titles in a row there are not many who did that. Maybe that is a good record to try and break.

MXlarge: You are a bit of a free spirit with your dreadlocks. To have success with that mind set, was that difficult?

Chiodi: Now I am a hippy, but not ten years ago, and that is my mentality and I was professional in my job, I used to concentrate just on Motocross, nothing else, now I can relax a little bit.

MXlarge: Was there a moment in your career when you felt like it just went perfect. Maybe Brazil in 1999 and the MXoN victory?

Chiodi: All my career was up and down, but of course from 1997 until 1999 was my best years. I remember in Brazil, when we won, that was a good result, but that was with the team, and individual results are always better. When you win a title it’s a different feeling and you have much more satisfaction. My best single race, I don’t know, every time I won it was special. Every week it was a different day and either in the sand or hard pack I always felt good.

MXlarge: Italy doesn’t really have a good MX2 rider to represent at the MXoN, is there one coming?

Chiodi: I hope, two young riders impress me, I hope they are coming, but after Puzar passed 10 years then I came, 10 years after my first success came Cairoli, so maybe we have to wait 10 years. I do my best to help the young riders.