I think it was a suspension thing. I didn’t have the right people behind me until the middle of the season.
What about Mondraker geometry changes and the zero stem you were riding early on?After I raced in North America. I watched a few videos from Ft William, Val di Sole, MSA and Windham and looked at how I was cornering with the zero stem. I was noticing a lot of front wheel wash out. So I did a few weeks back on the 45mm stem. That combined with getting the suspension sorted out helped at Val d’Isere.
Does having a brand new track like Val d’Isere help by levelling the playing field so that veterans like and Greg Minnaar and Gee Atherton, etc., wont have as much of an advantage as before?Well when I walked the track, I didn’t think much of it, it didn’t look like it would have flow and ride well, but after riding it even after the first run I got into it and started really riding it and having so much fun. I think it’s good to have new and different tracks, it makes it exciting for riders and the fans. This suited me. No pedalling and that sort of stuff.
You don’t like the pedalling tracks. But today it seems without tracks like Champery, Maribor and Schladming you have no choice?Well from the 2011 season I’ve had a lot of support with Red Bull and my coach Todd (same coach as Steve Smith, Justin, Sam Blenkinsop, George Brannigan, Jill Kintner and Bryn Atkinson among others), so I’ve been training a lot harder and smarter especially on my weak points. He does the strength, the cardio and the mental, for me, I kind of feel like I need to focus more on my cardio and fitness. I’m not that worried about my mental aspects, after reviewing a few things with him I’ve planned out my preparations for my race day so that is good, but I don’t really worry about more than that. I can handle the pressure on the day or go onto the next race after crashing still feeling good and positive. It’s all good.
After qualifying at Val d’Isere did you think you could win?I knew I had more in the tank but I was unsure if I could take the win, but my run was pretty much a run I had always dreamed of putting together. With that track I basically put together a fast smooth run with no mistakes. Being such a short track if you made a mistake that’s time lost there and it’s hard to make it back up.
Was there point in your run where you knew it was going well and that you knew you could win?I think after the little uphill left hand turn is where I knew I had to put a good run together and from there I basically nailed a run I always wished for with no mistakes.
Were you aware that you were up at the splits? Could you see the ‘green light’ on the last straight?All I was thinking about was coming around that right hander with all my Kiwi mates there cheering, was to come off that jump and see the green light and when I crossed the line and looked back it was still green.
Do you think being fitter stronger and more conditioned will allow you to ride more in control and thus more consistently. Do you think you train as hard as the top guys like Gwin, Gee, Minnaar and Smith for that edge. Is there room to still have fun?I think being fitter and in top condition will help a lot with racing these days, I’m getting there and learning lots as I get older and seeing how hard they are training. They have had the years and trainers helping them out, but now having a top performance coach I think it’s going to help me narrow the gap. Standing at the top of that podium it’s the best feeling ever, I can’t explain the feeling, but I want to do that more often and whatever it takes to get me there again I will do. That’s my motivation. I’ve been at the top now and I still have fun, but at the same time I do take it seriously, I think at the end of the day it’s all about having fun and enjoying your job you love.
You seem to rely more on your skills or track type for your best results, similar to riders like Hill, Fairclough or Blenkinsop.Maybe sometimes, but I don’t like to rely on my skill only as it doesn’t come into play on every track these days which is a shame. I think more tech track types suit me better and I definitely can get the best results there.
What about in practice, how do you tackle it?I normally do runs with Blenki, He’s the guy I like to ride with, always have, he was the guy with the sickest style that I looked up to when I was still a junior. I’m not the kind of guy who likes to ride alone. I like to ride with other people and get tips off them. It also keeps it fun.
You have grown up racing Danny Hart since being a junior. Did it motivate you when he won World Champs to also step it up in the Elites?Yeah Danny is someone I really like to beat and don’t like getting beaten by him. Seeing him win Worlds gave me motivation to train harder and ride better. We’ve been at it ever since 2008 at my first Worlds in Val di Sole when I beat him, then again the next year in Canberra when I won. So yeah I don’t really like him beating me. I was always the underdog then.>>
