Roelants will make a quick stop in Australian in November and December to race a couple of Australian Supercross Championship races and is looking forward to improving his technical skills. We had called Roelants last week to mention that Bercy would like to get in contact with him for a possible place in the team, although it was then that Joel mentioned that he would be getting ready to leave for Australia that weekend.  

MXlarge: Joel, you mentioned to me last week about your trip to Australia, why head down there?

Roelants: I was looking for some nice (Supercross) tracks where the level is not too high, I mean like if you go to America to race then race on those tracks the level is too high for me. Australia looked really nice and of course it is also nice to see the country some time. It is a lot of fun to go over there and not just stay in Belgium all the time.

MXlarge: Will you do some sightseeing while you are down there?

Roelants: We are going to visit some Supercross tracks for sure, as for the rest I don’t know. I want to ride as much as possible and when you have a race in Sydney you see Sydney a bit and then if we have a race in Brisbane I will also see a bit of Brisbane, but I am not really a tourist type of guy.

MXLarge: I remember when we talked about your trip to America last year you mention you didn’t do any shopping or anything like that.

Roelants: I think I went to the shop one time, for the rest it was just riding, that is just what I like to do.

MXlarge: How is it going with the team you are riding for in Australia, how is the contact?

Roelants: I had contact with Jeff Leisk (former Grand Prix racer and now head man at KTM in Australia) and he arranged everything for me, a training bike and a racing bike. Also a support team will help me at the races.

MXlarge: What is the advantage of them having you there? Obviously you will be a Grand Prix rider there, so a big name, but you are only doing two races there right?

Roelants: Yes, I will only do two races, I was really happy they want to help me and I just go there to try and learn. If I can go there and make a good result its okay and I think the people will be happy. They don’t expect anything from me. I told them I just want to learn and improve and they know that.

MXlarge: Supercross seems like it might start to become an important part of a Grand Prix rider’s progress, or preparation for the Grand Prix season. With the new era of riders all good at technical circuits and interested in Supercross and with the Grand Prix circuits now really technical and at times like Supercross. What is your opinion on this?

Roelants: I think the same, for sure my style, you know it’s not Supercross suited yet, but I think I will get a big advantage by riding Supercross. I still ride a little old school and I need to get a little more like the new school riders.

MXlarge: When do you leave for Australia and when do you get back?

Roelants: I leave 22 November and come back on December 11. I will just work towards 2011. Preparing and maybe I got to America one time with Ken De Dycker or something. We have to see how the weather is here in Belgium. You know that yourself in Belgium in the winter you don’t have to be here for training.

MXlarge: I know it’s a while ago now, but did you watch the MXoN in September?

Roelants: I watched it on television, yes, and second place hey.

MXlarge: Looking at the circuit it seemed like a track that might have suited you?

Roelants: It had a lot of long corners and big jumps and I like both those circuits. I also rode well in those last Grand Prix’s, so I think I could have done well there.

MXlarge: How about MX2 in 2011, it’s not going to get easier. What are your thoughts on Roczen on the KTM and Herlings is going to be a year older?

Roelants: I think the level is going to be really high, like you said; Roczen and Herlings will be tough. I think Searle coming back he will do better here than he did in America; I feel like Anstie might get some good results, also I think Paulin will be a major part of the top riders. Last year it was Herlings, Roczen, and Musquin, but next year I think there might be more guys in it. Probably Herlings and Roczen will be better than the rest, but for sure it’s going to be a difficult year.

MXlarge: How old are you?

Roelants: I am 21 now?

MXlarge: So you can still do two more years in MX2?

Roelants: Yes. I haven’t thought about MX1. I see it year by year; I want to stay in MX2 a little longer. I have the condition for MX1, but I like to improve my technique a little more and in MX2 you can do that. I think MX2 is the best choice for now. I don’t need to build up, I think if you look at Cairoli he isn’t a big guy, he is really fit, and you have to be fit, not strong.

MXlarge: Where you happy with your season, how did it compare to 2009?

Roelants: We had bad starts, so we need to fix that. I also found it difficult to get into my rhythm this year, plus I had some mechanical problems. So all of that doesn’t get your on a roll and each Grand Prix I was fighting to get back on the speed. When you can go from the start top five then you get the speed straight away, but I was always searching for me speed.

MXlarge: That first Grand Prix in Bulgaria I remember thinking my god I haven’t seen Motocross at such a frantic pace as in that MX2 race. It was stupid fast. How was that for a guy who was sitting behind those guys?

Roelants: It was like the fast lap of timed practice, you needed to do that fast lap every lap of the moto. They were riding so fast and you couldn’t make up ground, you had to be perfect in every corner otherwise you never made up any time. I was a long way back, I had a big crash with two guys, and my bike stopped and I couldn’t get it started again and on the Sunday I had problems with my bike.

MXlarge: Did you have much interest from other teams for 2011?

Roelants: I had a lot of interest really, also from some of the factory teams, but I feel really good with the Martens team and I didn’t want to change. I have a good bond with them and I feel like we can improve a lot. The bike is good and the suspension is amazing. The power we can still improve, but the team is supporting me really well.

MXlarge: With Jeremy going to the Red Bull KTM factory team, did you also have the chance to go there. Would you want to go?

Roelants: They didn’t ask me, and I wish him luck, I just want to do well in my team.