MxLarge Story
Clement Desalle interview - Winning Ain't Easy
Interview Thursday 19th May 2011 By Geoff Meyer
Clement Desalle is the man of the moment. Having already won two of the three rounds of the FIM World MX1 Championship the Belgian looks stronger than ever and many in the GP paddock feel he has the potential to win this year’s World Championship, the first for a Belgian since Steve Ramon back in 2007.
His 1-1 victory at the United States Grand Prix was impressive to say the least and many expect him to head to Brazil with fire in his belly and bucket loads of confidence.
The Rockstar Suzuki rider holds the red plate and is also the most consistent of the 2011 season. His always impressive attitude to racing is at times over weighed by his lack of interest with the media, but you can be sure, Desalle is an honest, serious racer and as old school as you can get. We caught up with the brilliant Belgian last weekend and here is what he told us.
MXlarge: Clement, tell me about your USGP victory?
Desalle: Saturday was good weather and it was a good qualification. I won, but for me Saturday is not so important, Sunday is important. Sunday I took a good start, you know top five and I won both motos, I was in control all the time, but the track was dangerous.
MXlarge: You mentioned that you felt the Glen Helen circuit was dangerous, what did you not like about the circuit?
Desalle: I don’t want to speak badly about it, it was possible to change something, but I don’t want to speak about it.
MXlarge: Many people feel you look fitter and stronger than in 2010, how do you feel about your condition this year?
Desalle: I don’t listen to what people say, I just want to feel good myself, you know it doesn’t matter what people say, that doesn’t make you faster on the weekend. Of course it is good to feel good with your body. I try to improve and I feel better, I also felt good last year, but sure I feel better.
MXlarge: How is your confidence after two GP wins in 2011?
Desalle: My confidence is good, but I want to take all the races with no stress, it doesn’t matter if I have the red plate of the white plate, it doesn’t change anything with my riding. In Valkenswaard I didn’t ride that well, I just didn’t want to crash there, but my confidence is good, it’s always been good.
MXlarge: How was your travel through USA did you feel good?
Desalle: This time the travel was good, I didn’t have jetlag, I just woke up a little early, like five or six in the morning and I was going to sleep around nine o’clock. A little before normal to bed and a little early awake, so that was okay.
MXlarge: But in some ways you were disappointed with Glen Helen, was it the circuit itself or the weather?
Desalle: I was just disappointed that it was a little bit dangerous, you know one section was sand, then we had a Supercross type section, then a big jump, then a wave section, it was a little too much, not just for me, but also for the security of the riders. There were a lot of crashes. Sometimes it is just a small mistake and you crash. I mean those two big jumps, that was good to have a big jump like that, but a small mistake on the takeoff and it’s over. I want more safety for the riders; it’s not to speak badly about somebody or something.
MXlarge: What would you like to find in Brazil?
Desalle: I hope some nice up hills and down hills and that it isn’t dangerous for the riders. A good rider has to like all the tracks, this is a Championship, so we all need to be able to race different tracks.
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