MxLarge Story
Jake Nicholls interview - The Comeback
Interview Wednesday 15th June 2011 By Geoff Meyer
British Red Bull KTM rider Jake Nicholls has made a nice return to the FIM World MX2 Championship with four consistent results. Having wanted to finish with two top 12 results in France the British rider went 11-13 in France and then backed that up with 13-11 in Portugal.
The off season injury to Nicholls was a serious blow to a rider who had worked so hard to climb to 13th in the World in 2010.
After competing in just two rounds of the MX2 Championship he is now 22nd in the World, but amazingly still had a pretty good chance of cracking the top 15 if he can remain consistent. In fact getting back up to his 13th place in the World is for sure a possibility.
We sat down with Nicholls and asked him about his time off and what he has been doing to come back to the place he feels he belongs.
MXlarge: Jake, so tell me how long have you been able to actual ride the bike and what did it take to come back?
Nicholls: I’ve been back on the bike for like six weeks. When I was injured I had surgery straight away and then I had four weeks of doing nothing. I was then in the gym with the air cast one and cycling with the boot on. I had a good fitness level and once I got the okay to start riding again it was all good. I spent two weeks riding with Ben (Townley), he came over and rode with me and I’ve been in Belgium with him since then. I kept a good condition, but bike fitness was obviously down, but I feel alright really.
MXlarge: That must have been great to be back on the bike after being off it for so long?
MXlarge: It was mega riding again; it was like three months not riding and a good release. It also made me realize why I was training so hard in the gym. Some days I was like why am I doing this, because I wasn’t riding or racing, but once I got back on the bike I realized why I did it.
MXlarge: Sometimes when you stop doing something for a while you actually do it better when coming back, be it skiing, tennis or just about anything.
Nicholls: It felt like that, the second day I rode I was like, wow, I feel okay, then you go through a low stage, but I feel like I am in March and not June or whatever. I feel okay; just have to ease my way into it.
MXlarge: You mentioned in France that you wanted two top 12 results. Are you happy with how it went?
Nicholls: I was happy to come away with nearly two top 12 places. I have worked hard so I deserve a good result, but not expectations really. It’s just nice to be back into it. I am fit and healed and I can just work away. I want to be where I should be at the end of the year, so just working my way up there really.
MXlarge: Training with Ben, is that like training with Josh?
Nicholls: It’s very similar, it’s just Ben is a bit younger, and I can act a little more immature, which suits me really because I am not the most mature person. I also have my girlfriend over and she gets on pretty well with Lucy (Ben Townley’s partner).
MXlarge: What can you learn from somebody like Ben?
Nicholls: Just the way he rides and the focus he has is something else. Also just to have fun and work hard, you know what I mean.
MXlarge: Changing the subject, what is with the new hair style?
Nicholls: I just wanted to do something a bit different with the sideburns and I also have a mullet.
MXlarge: Why a mullet?
Nicholls: I don’t know; just want to be a bit different.
MXlarge: You still into the boxing?
Nicholls: Sure, I am still doing it. Ben also had a go, he was okay, his foot work isn’t the best, but he is getting there.
MXlarge: Do you get into each other, like pound away?
Nicholls: Sure, I haven’t with Ben yet because it’s a bit unfair as he is just started. But with my mate sure, we get into it.
MXlarge: Do you get angry in those boxing matches, any major injuries out of it?
Nicholls: I mean we get into it for sure and you can get pissed sometimes, but we shake hands after it and everyone is alright. It’s like being in a race really you acknowledge each other afterwards. We are all good mate, so it’s okay, you know what it’s like. It’s good fun.
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