MxLarge Story
Milko Potisek interview - MX3 Challenge
Interview Wednesday 06th July 2011 By Harry Van Hemmen
This year’s MX3 title challenge is expected to be a race between Julien Bill (Switzerland) and Milko Potisek (France) and their battle might take until the flag drops for the last time. Bill has been on the mx scene for many years as a regular MX1 rider, winner of both motos of the Swiss MX3 2010 and now a steady MX3 contender.
Julien has been on the Aprillia works team and on other semi works teams so his name is well-known among motocross followers.
“It would have been a completely different situation if I had won. Because Bill won, he went to ask everybody (including me) to stop the second race. I said no, I want to ride, my team does not spend over 2000 euros to come to Greece to ride just 1 race.”
Next came Finland, you won Saturday’s qualification race though Bill follow all the way on close distance. On Sunday so much went wrong with several crashes, tell us why.
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Milko Potisek is the newcomer in his second year in MX3. Milko looked on his way to win the opening race in Greece till he got stuck in the mud. He won the double at the second round in Bulgaria but then it seemed he went from one mistake to another, now facing a 28 points gap on Bill.
Who is Milko Potisek and what is his background?
Milko is a 22 year old Frenchman from Cassel in the north of France, almost on the Belgian border. Cassel - for non MX insiders - was a well know MX circuit in the 60’s having a 250 cc GP and international races.
Born two days after Christmas 1989 he grew up in a motorcycle family. “My father had a Kawasaki motocross shop in Lille so I was interested in MX bikes from a young age. Dad bought me a PW 50 and that was my first bike, riding it on the field next to our house and slowly moved on to the real motocross tracks.”
France has a strong mini-rider circuit so competition is fierce and it pays off as France is now one of the leading countries in the mx world. Jacky Vimond – the first French MX World Champion - is like many ex racers involved in coaching and training the youngsters who make their appearance in the MX1 and MX2.
“My mini years were mainly in 65cc and 85cc Belgian club races, when I went to the 125cc I started doing the French Junior Championships where I got faster and faster. From there I went to EMX2 but didn’t have much success. I also started doing Supercross.”
THE FAMOUS LE TOUQUET BEACH RACE
Every French rider and especially the ones from the north have one main goal in MX: win the famous Le Touquet Beach race. What makes the northern French riders so strong in the sand?
“All riders in the north train to become sand riders, even on 85's now. I think it is in our blood, wanting to win the prestigious Le Touquet that offers great price money. Many riders, including foreigners, have discovered the heavy sand track of Loon Plage as an ideal practice place. This is just 30 minutes away from my house and open every day, summer and winter.”
“In 2010 I did most MX3 races as a privateer and was pretty successful but my budget did not allow me to do the full season. I can say now that my 2010 budget was from a few sponsors but mainly it came from the money I made in the 2009 sand races. These are beach or sand races in Europe but my biggest win was in Argentina. There is the “Enduro del Verano” which I won in 2010 and that year I finished third in Le Touquet and I won a beach race in England.”
“Honda Argentina is strong and the “Enduro del Verano” is a very important for them like Le Touquet is in Europe. It is one of the biggest off-road events in south America, a 3 day event with Supercross on Friday, practice for the big sand race on Saturday and then the 1.30 hour big event on Sunday. My cousin made me enthusiastic in 2009, I packed my bags in and won that year the Supercross and finished second in the big race. Last year I won the big race so sure I will go back there next February.”
This Argentina sand race “Enduro del Verano” is on Milko’s 2012 schedule and not Le Touquet as both are held on the same day. “In Argentina it is summer that time of the year, a pleasant bonus.”
FRENCHMAN ON A CZECH MX3 TEAM
This year Milko is a welcome guest in MX3 and insiders were expecting him to be in the chase for the title. He rides under the wings of the Czech UFO Racing Team – how did that come together?
“They saw me last year as privateer and they were interested. I had some good scores in the MX3 races that I did, they invited me for a test in the Czech Republic and I accepted their offer. I had an opportunity to ride for a Kawasaki MX1 team but it didn’t feel right at the time and I had given the Czech my word. Besides I had started in MX3 with reasonable success (5th overall in 2010) and I wanted to do it again this year and become World Champion.”
A Frenchman – in general not known for speaking many foreign languages though Milko can manage in English - on a Czech team how does that work in daily life?
“The team is very well organized, been in the MX scene for many year and they have a good reputation. Well I must admit the language can be a bit of a problem but Megan speaks a bit of German with the team owner.”
This needs an explanation .. who is Megan ? I have been on the MX scene for a long period of time and know Megan Lewis racing the WMX for the Steve Dixon team in 2008. For a small girl she rode pretty well but money was short and she also had some crashes. She met Milko and guess it was love at first sight because now you won’t see Milko without Megan as she stopped her own racing career.
Megan: “My dad has some money problems and my mum wanted to borrow money from my grandma for me to continue in WMX but I didn't want that. It broke my heart to stop racing myself, it’s fun when you’re young but I had to think about my future. Girls do not make a living out of motocross, just the top 15 in MX1 and maybe the top 10 in MX2. I only did a couple of GP's - I was injured a lot and was really unlucky.”
I noticed in the MX3 Press conferences when Milko feels uncertain about his English he looks at Megan. “Yeah he is improving his English for everyday life and for the interviews. I learned him words like stressed and disappointed. It feels nice when he looks at me. I smile back and it gives him confidence. We are engaged and live together in Cassel.” It sure helps that Megan speaks French.
I noticed in the MX3 Press conferences when Milko feels uncertain about his English he looks at Megan. “Yeah he is improving his English for everyday life and for the interviews. I learned him words like stressed and disappointed. It feels nice when he looks at me. I smile back and it gives him confidence. We are engaged and live together in Cassel.” It sure helps that Megan speaks French.
Milko may be a bit unknown but the Potisek name is not new. Timotei Potisek was a successful racer who tragically lost his life in action. I feel a bit ashamed to ask Milko about that period of great sorrow and pain.
“My cousin Timotei was testing his Yamaha, there was something wrong in the suspension setting and the bike chucked him off. During the winter after his death it was difficult for me to ride at my level because every race I entered there was a one minute silence before the start. I stopped riding during one month and discussed the situation a lot with my family to try and stop thinking about these bad things. I know that Timotei was with me all of the time and I visit him almost every week at the cemetery.”
RACING IN CHINA
Milko Potisek overcame the family tragedy and continued what he loves doing best, ride a motocross bike. On the internet I found out that he has won a race in China …. China ?
“Yeah China, the French Des Nations team manager called me and asked if I was interested to go, I had never been to China so I went there. I thought maybe the Chinese would be faster than the Europeans but guess they are not. Everyone had the same Honda, there were 15,000 spectators watching the event. The only thing I didn't like was the food and I didn’t see much of the city of Peking. Most of the time I had spent in planes and busses. Unfortunately next year China does not fit in my schedule.”
Does Milko race the French or other National Championships, maybe the Czech? “No, the goal this year is just race MX3. We do not want to risk any injuries from other races. I was supposed to race the Czech nationals but the team manager didn’t know I would be fighting for the MX3 title. I did the first Czech race, crashed pretty hard and that was the end of it.
But when the World Championship series is finished I will do all the big International sand races. In October, November, December and the beginning of 2012.”
THIS SEASON SO FAR
The MX3 season opened in Megalopolis, Greece and Potisek dominated for the main part of the race until he was brought down by a fallen rider. This other rider had got stuck in the greasy mud, a marshall came to help him and all of that made Milko crash and lose loads of time.
The MX3 season opened in Megalopolis, Greece and Potisek dominated for the main part of the race until he was brought down by a fallen rider. This other rider had got stuck in the greasy mud, a marshall came to help him and all of that made Milko crash and lose loads of time.
Julien Bill – until then a distant second - won what would be the only moto that day and Potisek finished fourth. When the rain changed to thunder Bill pushed for cancelation of the second moto. Most riders agreed but not Milko Potisek, what was the situation?
“It would have been a completely different situation if I had won. Because Bill won, he went to ask everybody (including me) to stop the second race. I said no, I want to ride, my team does not spend over 2000 euros to come to Greece to ride just 1 race.”
Megan adds: “I told Milko we have been in track situations worse than this. Bill knew that if we would ride the next race Milko could win and that would give him the Red Plate as Championship leader. It was just an unluckily weekend.”
From there it was on the road to Bulgaria for the second MX3.
From there it was on the road to Bulgaria for the second MX3.
“Bulgaria was a perfect race, I was totally devastated about my race in Greece I badly wanted to win and to take over the Red Plate from Julien. I tried hard not to make mistakes, however in the second race I fell but still won. I was the fastest on the track and I proved it with a double win.”
Next came Finland, you won Saturday’s qualification race though Bill follow all the way on close distance. On Sunday so much went wrong with several crashes, tell us why.
“I was completely stressed having the Red Plate for the first time in my life, I couldn't relax. My suspension wasn't working that well for me, I pushed and pushed but ended up making more mistakes sending me to the floor.”
“In Italy I took the lead, lost the rear brake on the second lap but stayed second and then the clutch went with 6 laps to go and I dropped to third. In the second moto I led again until Julien passed me and I made a small fall and dropped again to third. What a bummer!”
“Next race Slovakia and Senkvice is my favorite track but again luck was not on my side although I beat Bill in the opening race after a good fight. Then Julien won the second and I made a stupid mistake after a not so brilliant start and that threw me back into 8th so I was well pissed off because I rode well and I love this track.”
Julien Bill seems to be on a roll as he won two motos in Finland, two in Italy and one in Slovakia and his gap on Milko is 28 points.
“Julien is not the only contender but surely the main one and he is the most consistent of us at the moment. He is a nice guy, we spent some evening time together in the pits with his father and mechanic and speak about racing.”
“I will do everything I can to change things in the Ukraine and Slovenia, the next two MX3 events, and close the 28 points gap on him. At the same time be aware of Martin Michek who is fast in every race and presently only 8 points behind me.”
Text and photo: Harry van Hemmen
Stanley Leroux Design
