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Grand Prix of Great Britain - Rider Comments
News Monday 20th August 2012 By Geoff Meyer
It was a Grand Prix not to forget, the GP of the year for sure. We have already heard from the podium guys, but how about a little more from some of the riders who didn't finish on the podium. Here are comments from some of he factory riders and semi-factory riders, plus a whole lot more.
Antonio Cairoli
“I like to race in England. I have a lot of fans and they cheer like crazy all the time, so for me it is nice to come here. And also the tracks they work really well, and they are always fun to ride on. It’s amazing that it’s my 51st GP so I’m pretty happy about that.”
Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings
“It's a shame I didn’t win here but I only lost six points on Tommy and now the next races are in Lierop and that’s like my own back yard. I’ll be ready for that and I’m sure I can win both motors there and add to my 51-point lead and hopefully Jeremy (van Horebeek) will also be between me and Tommy and help me to extend that points gap."
Jeremy Van Horebeek
Jeremy Van Horebeek
“My first heat was not so good at the start and I made a mistake in the first lap and was right back in the field. I managed to work my way back to fifth but it cost me a lot of energy so I was very tired after about 20 minutes into the second moto and had to back off the speed.”
Clement Desalle
"On Wednesday my aunt died and it was really not good for my head coming here. I've lost my grandfather and my aunt in the last two months and a half and both were very close to me...the sort of people that I could say anything to. Talking about motocross...I felt good on Saturday and was having fun on the track but then I made a small mistake and jumped too far on the step-up. It was a big crash and I had a lot of pain in my hand. I went to the medical centre and there was nothing broken but I needed some attention and help. My starts were good in the motos and I think this was the only good part of the weekend. I felt OK in the first parts of the races but in the later stages it was difficult and painful through the braking bumps and on the landings of the jumps. The second moto was really hard and at the end I was looking at the clock by the finish every lap and hoping it would go down. To have pain and crash is part of the job and I just tried to do my best. I will go for physio now on Tuesday and hope everything will quickly get better."
Tanel Leok
"I didn't have the best start position obviously and I found the track was too flat in the first moto. There were not so many lines like there were on Saturday and I couldn't make the passes like I wanted. I changed my start slot in the second moto but the ground was not so well prepared. I have to say my riding was better in the second and I was chasing and passing people. I just made that small mistake which made me lose two positions but I tried to fight back. The results were not the best but I was happy with my riding."
"On Wednesday my aunt died and it was really not good for my head coming here. I've lost my grandfather and my aunt in the last two months and a half and both were very close to me...the sort of people that I could say anything to. Talking about motocross...I felt good on Saturday and was having fun on the track but then I made a small mistake and jumped too far on the step-up. It was a big crash and I had a lot of pain in my hand. I went to the medical centre and there was nothing broken but I needed some attention and help. My starts were good in the motos and I think this was the only good part of the weekend. I felt OK in the first parts of the races but in the later stages it was difficult and painful through the braking bumps and on the landings of the jumps. The second moto was really hard and at the end I was looking at the clock by the finish every lap and hoping it would go down. To have pain and crash is part of the job and I just tried to do my best. I will go for physio now on Tuesday and hope everything will quickly get better."
Tanel Leok
"I didn't have the best start position obviously and I found the track was too flat in the first moto. There were not so many lines like there were on Saturday and I couldn't make the passes like I wanted. I changed my start slot in the second moto but the ground was not so well prepared. I have to say my riding was better in the second and I was chasing and passing people. I just made that small mistake which made me lose two positions but I tried to fight back. The results were not the best but I was happy with my riding."
Gautier Paulin
“It’s great to be back on the podium, and I want to dedicate it to my team who remained strongly behind me even when I was not getting the results which we expected. My last podium was in Portugal and that was a long time ago - we have had some tough GPs but we found some solutions, even though it’s never easy to recover during the season. I'm having again fun on the bike, and a couple of good starts helped me to achieve this podium. The track this weekend was almost perfect and it was nice to race the same event as the young kids of the European series.”
Julien Lieber
"I am very happy because the bike is very, very good. I made three good starts through the weekend. I was fifth for more than half of the first moto but got a little bit tired at the end. My start was even better in the second race but I crashed out of second in the waves section. I fought back but made another mistake and just saw the race out from there. The Suzuki is really strong and very light and it feels easy to throw it into the corners and over the jumps."
Kevin Strijbos
Kevin Strijbos
“The first moto was a pretty normal. I was seventh all race behind Desalle and I couldn’t pass him. In the second race I had a good reaction out of the gate but had some wheel spin and I made a very bad start. I tried to push hard but was really difficult because everybody was really fast and in the last two or three laps I was completely tired. Twelfth is not a good result but I know what the problem is. I can´t ride during the week and its very hard for me to practice with my bike.”
Elliott Banks-Browne
“Saturday was very good for me, I had a very good speed during the qualification race. Today I made a good start in the first heat and ended up thirteenth. In the second one I lost the back of
the bike and I crashed and a lot of people hit me. I was behind in the last place and I came back to eighteen. Wasn´t too bad but I´m sure that I need make a better start, It’s very important.”
Natalie Kane
“I’m quite happy with my riding. I said at the beginning of the year that I didn’t want to go into the season with and injury and I ended up with a small one but it turned out to be OK. I’ve been competitive at every round and unfortunately this weekend we had small bike problems in each moto but I was pleased with how I can perform and I know I can still improve.”
Rui Gonçalves
“In the first moto I didn’t have such a bad start, but in the second turn I got taken out and went down pretty hard with the bike landing on me. Everything was quite bent and it took me some time before I got going, so everyone was well over half a lap ahead of me. I put my head down, as I had to push really hard to close the gap, and I managed to get to 14th. It’s not the result I work for, but considering the circumstances it wasn’t so bad. I’ve also been struggling with the shoulder I damaged yesterday morning, as it was bad luck again and I had to go through the pain again. I had no power sometimes with the hand, which was coming off the bars. I got a good start to the second one, but halfway through the moto I started to get cramps in my back because of the shoulder. Hopefully time will heal it over the next few weeks and by Lierop I hope it will be fine . I was fast all weekend, so I was looking for something better, but at least we took sixth. We have a lot of positives to take away and we will keep the focus for the next race, so thanks to the team, my mechanic and all that have supported me.”
Evgeny Bobryshev
“I had a bad start in the first race and I got squeezed up in the corners. I made a mistake, as there was quite a lot of water on the track and I lost my front wheel. So Rui and I were last, but I fought through to come back to 14th. It was difficult in the middle of the race because everyone was going the same speed, and I had a technical problem in the end so I had to pull out. The second race went really well. I had a good start into third, but I found it difficult to get the rhythm and keep the pace of the front guys. I got going mid-race and found my lines with good speed and I started to make progress. I was trying to catch (Gautier) Paulin but the heat really started to get to me, so I had to settle for fourth. I am happy with that result, the atmosphere has been awesome with the crowd supporting the riders. The track was quite gnarly, slippery and bumpy but the overall day f or me is better than Loket, so I am happy.”
Brian Hsu
"I was pleased after the first race. I felt good on a tough track but it was really special to be here with all the GP guys. My gate pick was not the best and I needed better from the qualification. The second moto was just bad luck. I lost the front wheel and I hope Jorge [Prado] is OK as he was following me and got caught up with the bike."
Jorge Zaragoza
"Honestly I think the meeting went quite well but obviously I am still not 100% strong. I rode quite fast and set good lap-times but I need to get sharper. I really like Sevlievo in Bulgaria and I'm really motivated to go there. I think a top-five finish would be very good considering my shape at the moment."
"I was pleased after the first race. I felt good on a tough track but it was really special to be here with all the GP guys. My gate pick was not the best and I needed better from the qualification. The second moto was just bad luck. I lost the front wheel and I hope Jorge [Prado] is OK as he was following me and got caught up with the bike."
Jorge Zaragoza
"Honestly I think the meeting went quite well but obviously I am still not 100% strong. I rode quite fast and set good lap-times but I need to get sharper. I really like Sevlievo in Bulgaria and I'm really motivated to go there. I think a top-five finish would be very good considering my shape at the moment."
Zach Osborne
It was a great weekend for me and I gelled with the track straightaway. In the first moto I didnt get such a good start but I closed down a five or six second gap to Jeffrey. I have only done three GPs and it is hard to come back on these guys when they have already done more than twenty-five motos. Im happy with the result I had this weekend and Im continuing to build my fitness and come back to a good level.
Arnaud Tonus
I made a mistake on Saturday and had a bad crash. I hurt my back a bit and felt lucky to be able to ride today. I felt good with my arms and that was a positive thing, especially as I didnt have much preparation time for this race. I had two consistent motos and it was hard to get a good jump out of the gate with the position I had. Anyway, the rhythm came back to me today and I was strong at the end of the motos. I will keep on working and hope to be better and better each GP.
Michael Leib
I underestimated myself coming back to the GPs early. The plan was to get through the weekend and finish both motos and that wasnt the case and it was a bit more than I expected. I need to crack down and follow my original goal of being able to do well in Italy and Germany. This is not the start I wanted so I just have to put it behind me. My fitness will be better just from the riding I did anyway and it would have been pointless pushing through the limits after the sickness Ive had.
Mel Pocock
Obviously Im gutted. I wanted to win here. I was taken out by Olsen in the first moto and it was a hard track to come back from that far down. I was also getting some arm-pump which is really weird. Basically I wasnt myself this weekend and thats disappointing because I had such amazing support. Anyway looking at the bigger picture I got some more points with second place in the second moto and now we go to Lierop and I consider myself more of a sand rider.
It was a great weekend for me and I gelled with the track straightaway. In the first moto I didnt get such a good start but I closed down a five or six second gap to Jeffrey. I have only done three GPs and it is hard to come back on these guys when they have already done more than twenty-five motos. Im happy with the result I had this weekend and Im continuing to build my fitness and come back to a good level.
Arnaud Tonus
I made a mistake on Saturday and had a bad crash. I hurt my back a bit and felt lucky to be able to ride today. I felt good with my arms and that was a positive thing, especially as I didnt have much preparation time for this race. I had two consistent motos and it was hard to get a good jump out of the gate with the position I had. Anyway, the rhythm came back to me today and I was strong at the end of the motos. I will keep on working and hope to be better and better each GP.
Michael Leib
I underestimated myself coming back to the GPs early. The plan was to get through the weekend and finish both motos and that wasnt the case and it was a bit more than I expected. I need to crack down and follow my original goal of being able to do well in Italy and Germany. This is not the start I wanted so I just have to put it behind me. My fitness will be better just from the riding I did anyway and it would have been pointless pushing through the limits after the sickness Ive had.
Mel Pocock
Obviously Im gutted. I wanted to win here. I was taken out by Olsen in the first moto and it was a hard track to come back from that far down. I was also getting some arm-pump which is really weird. Basically I wasnt myself this weekend and thats disappointing because I had such amazing support. Anyway looking at the bigger picture I got some more points with second place in the second moto and now we go to Lierop and I consider myself more of a sand rider.
Shaun Simpson
Somehow Saturday seems to be so easy! I make good starts and ride a good pace but then its more of a struggle on Sunday. Maybe the tracks are changing and Im not adapting quick enough. I couldnt get out of the gate today and I tried two different approaches this afternoon without success. It was frustrating to have to battle the whole moto and keep pushing forward and eat roost; nobody sees how difficult that is to do for two motos every week and how much it takes out of you and affects your whole week. Overall it was an exciting event for me and Im just gutted that it was under-par. I honestly thought I could get near the fight for the podium after Saturday but I was quite a way from it today. All I can look forward to now is Lierop and the next round. It will be sandy and a few people will be struggling so I know I can make the difference skipping on top of those bumps. I want to have a strong finish to the season.
Kristian Whatley
This morning went well and I was pretty happy after practice. I didnt get such a good start in the first moto but came through and was just outside the top ten after five laps. I made a mistake on a jump and slid-out. I hurt my shoulder and pulled the clavicle, something similar to what I did in the British Championship. I was at the back but rode to nineteenth or something. I did what I could but my shoulder was killing me. I had a go at the second moto but couldnt pull around the turns or go through the braking bumps. There were some good signs but it could be a couple of weeks before Im back to normal.
Somehow Saturday seems to be so easy! I make good starts and ride a good pace but then its more of a struggle on Sunday. Maybe the tracks are changing and Im not adapting quick enough. I couldnt get out of the gate today and I tried two different approaches this afternoon without success. It was frustrating to have to battle the whole moto and keep pushing forward and eat roost; nobody sees how difficult that is to do for two motos every week and how much it takes out of you and affects your whole week. Overall it was an exciting event for me and Im just gutted that it was under-par. I honestly thought I could get near the fight for the podium after Saturday but I was quite a way from it today. All I can look forward to now is Lierop and the next round. It will be sandy and a few people will be struggling so I know I can make the difference skipping on top of those bumps. I want to have a strong finish to the season.
Kristian Whatley
This morning went well and I was pretty happy after practice. I didnt get such a good start in the first moto but came through and was just outside the top ten after five laps. I made a mistake on a jump and slid-out. I hurt my shoulder and pulled the clavicle, something similar to what I did in the British Championship. I was at the back but rode to nineteenth or something. I did what I could but my shoulder was killing me. I had a go at the second moto but couldnt pull around the turns or go through the braking bumps. There were some good signs but it could be a couple of weeks before Im back to normal.
Stanley Leroux Design
