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Antti Pyrhonen interview - Hunting for the MX3 Title

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Interview Thursday 02nd February 2011 By Harry Van Hemmen

The 2009 season was a dream come true for Finnish Antti Pyrhönen when he won a GP moto in Chile and Slovenia, followed by a double victory in his home GP at Vantaa. That secured him third place in the MX3 World Championship of 2009.

But at the last race of that year his luck ran out at the MX of Nations where he was knocked down and broke his leg. Several operations later Antti ran his own AP Racing team again in 2010 to give Chile teenager Alejandro Noemi the opportunity to get the taste of MX3 motocross.

“All of the 2010 season I have been busy though I did not race myself. I broke my leg at the 2009 MX of Nations and the healing took a long time. The doctor did a great job, the injury was complex and healing took much more time then predicted. The break did not heal and in the end there was a bone and skin transplant needed from hip to ankle.”

“Today my goal is to race another couple of years and try win to the World MX3 Championship. I am proud to announce that my loyal sponsors bring me the budget that is needed to do a full year. I have my own AP Racing team and we work professional and full gas. My 2009 results were great meaning this year I have no pressure and I don’t need to race like a maniac to score results because I have already fulfilled my dreams.”
 
At the end of the 2010 season Alejandro Noemi went back to Chile and invited Antti to stay some months in Chile with the family to train together. Instead of winter and frozen tracks in Finland Antti enjoyed summer in South America. He stayed 2 weeks in October, 4 weeks in November and now he is back for another 5 weeks in Chile again until mid February.
 
“My first trip to Chile was in 2009 and it was a great trip because I won a moto in the Chile MX3 event. I went back the 14th of October last year and it has been an amazing experience. When I landed at Santiago airport there was a lot of press and 2 TV stations to welcome me as if I was the world champion. One TV station did a live interview and I have been in all the newspapers and magazines. It’s amazing how popular motocross is over there, all that Alejandro and his father Juan had told me about the sport in Chile is absolutely true. The Noemi’s treat me like family so I have been able to do daily training.”
 
Now in Chile for the third time and improving his condition week by week Antti is steadily getting back at race speed.
 
”Like in Europe I do training together with Alejandro on the tracks, in the gym, we go cycling, running. We focus on our own training programs, anyhow I coach and advice him every day.”
 
“I have been out of competition for one year but I feel that in 2011 I can bring my race and riding skills to a higher level. I have been Finnish champion (several times), Dutch Champion, European champion, I won an individual FIM bronze medal, I was two times 3rd with the Finnish Team in the Motocross of Nations. I believe that is an impressive list for a hard working motocross rider from Finland. I am very proud of my results”

MX3 CALENDAR 2011

“Talking about a new start, I went to the MX3 meeting in Geneva to discuss details for 2011. Something needed to be done because the class was under pressure with less riders and rumors going around it would be devaluated to amateur level.”
 
“The meeting with the Youthstream staff and MX3 promoters and riders was really positive to not let the class fade away. The goal is to attract more riders. Interesting is the drop of the 300 euro start money although not a major issue, more important is a better racing calendar. Less races in a schedule that is more balanced with national championships because national races are good for domestic or local sponsors.”
 
“South America has 3 MX3 races on the calendar and Youthstream said they will take care of the cost for the top riders, sounds like a 10.000 euro budget per rider. Biggest point is the calendar, in case races are too widely spread out it becomes too expensive to travel and many riders can not afford to do a full season MX3.”
 
Apart from training on and off the tracks in Chile, Antti started in a couple of races over there. The results and the way the competition went have boosted his confidence. And it was a lot of fun with his team mate Alejandro and his friend José Fernandez. To make the Chile adventure complete Antti gained 2011 sponsorship from 3 local companies VTR, Battery and Crossman!
 
“During my stay I did my first race after an absence of one year, man I was nervous. That I finished third despite big arm pump was already a good result. Every week that I am here we train hard every day to improve ourselves. I won a race and scored a handful of podium places, it has been a great start of the year for me.”

 
2011 SEASON
 
After 5 weeks of serious training on hard and sand track and races under a 30 degree sun (contrary to 30 degrees minus at home) Antti will return to Europe on the 15th of February. Collecting his new truck, bikes and gear he will then travel south to prepare for some international races before the first MX3 Championship race in Greece.
 
“In the second half of February we start making my GP package ready in central Europe with my new mechanic Jussi Heikkonen. Also will I do some races there before the GP starts.”

“Goal is to start the finishing touch and get prepared for the MX3 World Championship and to be in the hunt for a top position in every race until the final one. Can I fulfill my dream to improve third place that I realized 2009?”

“I am so happy that my physical and mental condition is back where it should be after a tough 2010 year without competition. And also that I have such great sponsors and people around my own team that I can go full speed ahead for the World Championship.”

“I think there is going to be good competition with more riders then last year. Youthstream has made some good improvements to the MX3 class.”
 
This mailing was produced by Harry van Hemmen
 
 
 
MY BOOK - "ANTTI PYRHÖNEN'S RIDE"
 
“The latest news is that my book about me and Finnish MX is out, I just did an autograph session at the Lahti SX. The book has been written by an experienced journalist who knows all the ins and outs of Finnish motocross. The book launch was end October 2010, one reason why I came back from Chile.”  

Language: Finnish
Year: 2010
ISBN: 978-952-472-122-6
Publishing house: Alfamer Ltd
Product Code: S271
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