MxLarge Story
Ken Roczen interview – Running up Front
Interview Friday 20th May 2011 By Geoff Meyer
Here is no doubt that Red Bull Teka KTM Factory rider Ken Roczen is in a class of his own. His loss at the Grand Prix of The Netherlands was quickly forgotten when he went 1-1 at the United States Grand Prix last weekend.
It isn’t the fact that Roczen is winning, but that he is winning with such ease. Normally many would have expected both Jeffrey Herlings and Tommy Searle to have something for the German sensation; however that wasn’t the case last weekend.
We sat down with the MX2 series leader and asked him about his weekend and what it’s going to take to keep up his winning ways.
MXlarge: Ken, can you explain your USGP?
Roczen: The weekend was pretty good. I won my qualification race which was good, but I crashed in the sighting lap and hurt my finger pretty bad, two fingers actually. On Sunday I got the holeshot in both races and pretty much controlled it, it was wet and difficult, but I was able to win the first moto, then in the second moto Jeffrey followed my for a while, but I made some mistakes in the middle of the race. I also hurt my fingers again in the second moto. I didn’t crash; just hit it with my knee. I pulled myself together and won both motos which was cool.
MXlarge: You mentioned in Valkenswaard that you wanted to go to Glen Helen and win really easy, so you got your wish.
Roczen: I mean I always give it my best and the easier better for me. The track was totally different than last year, really rutted and the jumps were big again, overall it was a fun track. I think it was more fun than last year.
MXlarge: How was it racing AMA Supercross in Vegas and then moving to FIM Motocross at Glen Helen?
Roczen: It wasn’t difficult swapping from Supercross and Motocross and I only raced two Supercross races anyway. I also had my Motocross bike here and rode that during the week anyway. Supercross was good for my technique so it was all good.
MXlarge: Marvin Musquin showed some good speed throughout the weekend. Did he surprise you at all?
Roczen: He holeshot on the Saturday in the qualification race, but he is back on the bike now for two months so he is where he should be.
MXlarge: Is it getting too easy?
Roczen: It is never easy. I just want to go from race to race and make as many points as I can, and I just want to get one race at a time out of the way. It is far too early to be thinking about the championship. I want to get podiums and not crash. The season is still long, maybe half way through the season it’s going to be better anyway.
.jpg)
Stanley Leroux Design
.jpg)
.jpg)
