Tim Gajser has mentioned it himself; he is riding better than any time in his illustrious career. Already with four World motocross championships, 39 Grand Prix victories he is in amongst the greatest motocross riders of all time.

With his 39^th GP victory yesterday he joins Eric Geboers on the all-time GP winners list, just ahead of him for World titles are names like De Coster, Herlings, Jobe, Smets. At the end of this season, he could very well be a five-time World champion with possible 45 GP wins. Astonishing results for this always smiling and friendly Slovenian. Let’s be honest, all those riders above him came from motocross racing countries, while this polite young man comes from very humble and isolated beginnings.

Now, riding the crest of the wave of his life, Gajser continues to rack up victory after victory on his march to title number five. We caught up with his last night as he celebrated his Maggiora win.

MXLarge: I know this is a stupid question, but does it in any way start getting boring, it seems to become so easy now?

Gajser: Winning never get boring. I am super happy you know and so proud of the team and myself, we really work hard for this in the off-season and made some changes with the bike and myself. I couldn’t be happier with the first seven GPs, and I hope we can continue this run. We want to continue this run.

MXlarge: The last three GPs you don’t seem to have had any scary moment and it’s like you are riding on train tracks, just not missing a beat and going 1-1-1-1-1-1. Have you felt uncomfortable at all in these last three GPs?

Gajser: Difficult to answer that question, but of course I have had some moments, just even my mistake, but on tracks like this, the mistakes are not coming from pushing over your limit, but just the track catching you, with a rut or something.

MXlarge: Is this the best you have ever felt on a bike?

Gajser: Honestly, yes, it is for sure.

MXlarge: I was speaking to David Bulmer your media guy and he mentioned how you were using parts of the track where there was no line and you just continued to ride that part of the track until there was a line. You don’t see riders doing that much, because everyone stays in the fast line. When did you decided to do that, because that is pretty special that you can do that and take the time to form your own racing lines?

Gajser: This year, I don’t know, it is just such a great year, I can create my own lines and when the rut isn’t deep enough, I can go somewhere else, off the main line and create those lines, lines nobody else is using. The lines I can create are completely off the other lines. When the track gets so rough in the second part of the second moto, when it is brutal, then it is nice if you can find new lines.

MXlarge: On Saturday following Maxime you looked really frustrated, because you looked a lot faster. You nearly ran into him a couple of times and just couldn’t find a way past. Was that the reason you decided today to make new lines, with the rain it softened the circuit up a lot?

Gajser: Yes, because yesterday it wasn’t possible to make new lines. The track was flat, and one lines, because they didn’t rip it, because they were expecting a lot of rain. I really enjoyed riding today, with the rain it made some lines, because the second moto the track really shaped up well, more lines. I started creating the lines this year and it comes with the confidence and trust and I am riding really relaxed and I take what I am learning from practice to the races. I just need to stay like this, ride relaxed and have fun.

MXlarge: A lot of guys injured, with Jeffrey, Romain and Jorge and Maxime seems like the guy who will push you the hardest. What do you make of Maxime as a racer?

Gajser: You know, Maxime is a great rider, and it doesn’t surprise me that he is doing so well. I knew he would be fast in his rookie season. He is a tall, strong guy and very focused and we saw that when he won an MX2 title in 2021. With more experience and of course his first year on the 450, it is a different bike, way more power and with a 250 you want more power out of the corner, because you can push the bike and try and get more. With the 450 you really have to be careful on tracks with no grip and gas control is very important, but he is learning.

MXlarge: I know you are not into statistics, but you equalled Eric Geboers on 39 Grand Prix victories and while you are not into that, we the media and the fans love that stuff. Do you feel anything joining such a great champion on 39 wins, he was also a great HRC champion?

Gajser: You know I don’t really concentrate on how many wins I have, maybe I should and will when it becomes more. Of course, Dave (Bulmer) just mentioned that to me, but I just don’t pay attention to that stuff. Now the numbers are getting bigger I should maybe take more notice and to be there with such a big name and with the big names, which is special. Very proud.

MXlarge: We watch you guys in this crazy sport of motocross, racing around on these powerful machines with not a lot of protection, and while it can go easy at the moment, in this sport you never know what is around the corner. It is very dangerous, but is that something you as a racer just block out, or do you think about the risks?

Gajser: Yes, we all know, motocross is dangerous, but as a racer you don’t think about it, or we don’t like to think about it. I talk of my experience, and we don’t think about it, but of course we go out there and risk our lives, but when you love something so much, like the training and you are enjoying yourself so much, then the danger isn’t on our mind. Of course, we know it can happen and it is part of the sport and we put it aside and don’t think about it too much.

 Bavo Swijgers images