Glenn Coldenhoff interview - Ready!!!

Posted on July 09, 2020

GasGas Factory rider Glenn Coldenhoff isn’t scared of hard work and when we called him last night, he gave us an inside look at what he feels it will take to handle these triple GPs and one day formats. With rumours flying around Holland at the moment about a possible second venue for a GP in 2020, we also talked about that, and what these pre-season races in Holland might look like.

coldenhoff-seewer-2020.jpg#asset:30548

MXlarge: We know the calendar now and obviously the training changes. How are you doing as far as riding again and have you taken it to another level now?

Coldenhoff: Definitely. I think about one and a half weeks ago I started training really hard and the coming two or three weeks I will continue to do that. If we look at the calendar, it will be very intense and over a short period, so basically we need to put in the effort now to gain some physical condition and be ready, because it will start, it is going to go quickly. I think having races on Sunday, Wednesday and Sunday, we need to be prepared for those, because its going to be tough.

MXlarge: I can imagine you are the sort of guy who would look at those triple GPs and think this is going to be fun, even though it is going to be bloody hard work.

Coldenhoff: Yes, I am good with it, as long as I know what the schedule looks like, I can make my plan. I made a good plan and I am confident with that plan. I already felt strong the last few months physical wise. We are just at a point now we need to do the final things. I just want to be ready when the races are there and I am looking forward to it, because its been too long and for me, it can’t come early enough.

MXLarge: When the calendar came out, what did you like about it, and what did you not like about it?

Coldenhoff: I liked that there are a lot of races on the calendar, but I am not so sure its all going to happen. Everybody talks about three times Lommel, but I am not worried about that and it’s a one-day event this year and it won’t be that tough. The track won’t be that heavy, because normally we have a lot of classes over the Sunday, so it won’t be as physical, maybe the speed will be higher, but its just one day. Usually after a Saturday at Lommel, you feel it a little bit, but now its just Sunday and for me, three times Latvia, three times Lommel, I am okay with that. I mean usually when we practice at Lommel during the week, it is often very bumpy, so for me, it won’t be that big a difference. The most important thing will be to recover.

Coldenhoff-side-2020.jpg#asset:30549

MXlarge: Obviously for some time now a lot of rumours about a Grand Prix in Holland this year, at the Arnhem circuit. I have heard double GPs, or a triple GP or even four GPs, what have you heard and what do you think of that circuit?

Coldenhoff: I know they are talking about it with the federation and also with Infront. Of course, I don’t know if it will happen this year, but I have also heard two GPs and four GPs. I actually don’t mind having more GPs at home, so hopefully it will happen, and I look forward to that. I think it will be good for a GP. This track doesn’t exist that long, so in the start the ground was weird, and it isn’t a typical Dutch sand track, it is more a hard sand track, but the place is amazing, awesome club house, toilets, watering system and track wise it’s a good track. A big paddock so many can go there. Have you heard if public will be allowed at these races?

MXlarge: I know in Latvia they are allowed 3000 people per day, and I also know in Holland they are making a decision on September 1 if we can have festivals and large outdoor events here. Now considering that Holland has very few deaths and the cases are also way down, there is NO WAY they can say no large outdoor events with crowds. As you know Holland has done a great job with getting the cases and deaths down, so if we do race in Holland, I see large crowds attending.

Coldenhoff: Okay, for me that makes more sense, because those supercross races in America seemed strange without public.

MXlarge: The pre-season races in Holland, I understand one was meant to be at Lelystad and Axel, but now one will maybe go to Arnhem. Will you do both of those, as one is meant to be on August 2, which seems very close to the opener in Latvia?

coldenhoff-back-2020.jpg#asset:30545

Coldenhoff: Yes, I will do both of those. Those dates are no confirmed yet, but I have an intense week now and when the season will start, I am good with it.

MXlarge: The Nations this year, you guys are the defending champions, so I would guess you would still want to do it. Maybe its in England, maybe it is somewhere else, it could maybe also end up in Holland, nobody really knows at the moment with all the government rules changing. How do you see the Nations this year?

Coldenhoff: I think when they keep the race as it used to be, so a real des Nations, then I feel like it is a special event and you need to keep it like that, but my opinion, keep it as this race. It is special, you are riding for your country and it should stay like that. For me, especially because I won the last four races at that event, it is really special. I just hope it stays the same.

MXlarge: How will you now ride and train in the coming month before Latvia. Are you on the bike a lot?

Coldenhoff: A lot of riding, probably riding four or five times a week and keep doing that and then do those two races in Holland, and then the last period take it a little easier. Most things are just riding, riding and riding and making laps, a lot of 40-minute moto’s and also doing sprints to keep the speed and I feel really good with it and we will see.

Coldenhoff-jumps-2020.jpg#asset:30546

Ray Archer/GasGas Images