After that you only managed one more win MSA, but still that puts you in top ten winningest racers ever, but continuing to win at world level is a tough business, do you feel like you could have got more or were you close to the edge?
It is tough these days, qualifying is basically a race in itself! I do feel I could have gotten more from the sport back then. Team dynamics play a big part in making a pro rider and I wasn’t feeling it then. It wasn’t a tight knit feel, there wasn’t enough focus on the rider at times. Given the opportunity I would take the bull by the horns and do it again.
What are your thoughts on Aaron Gwin (2011 and 2012 World Cup overall winner) going from being so dominant to struggling so badly?I think the sport has seen what Gwin did in such a short time and put the hammer down and stepped up another level, a lot more guys are getting personal trainers and spending serious time in the gym and on their training programs.
Not only are you flat–out racing but you now have the coaching and clinics. You and Claire are busy people.Yes we started Kovarik Racing as something we could fall back on after we stopped racing full time and it’s going really well. We both have our Level 2 coaching certificates and are about to get the level 3. I’m back in OZ now spreading the word and building the coaching thing so that people get in here!
Kovarik Racing “a progression of your riding careers”… still it must be thirsty work?!It is and I don’t think there are many riders out there that still race at a top level that do this. Our riders can be coached/mentored by a top racer, so our clients are getting it straight from the horse’s mouth basically. Whistler is our base for half the season and it’s great there for coaching with so many different levels of tracks to suit every rider. It’s busy for us but we love sharing our knowledge with other riders.
A life on several hemispheres must be much easier with your wife than with a bunch of blokes like back a decade ago?Ha ha, yeah it is. Claire is pretty much the backbone of our racing/business although I don’t sit on my arse, she has the mind–set for organising and spending the time making sure we are on track with things. It does help that she rides well, so we make a good team in that respect.
You’re in Australia now for how long? Open for coaching right?Yes back in OZ for the summer (Southern Hemisphere) until May next year. I will be racing select Aussie national races, local stuff and the World Cup in Cairns, which I’m looking forward to. I’m open for coaching all year round!
Hey great to catch up with you, hopefully next time it will be less hectic…Hectic is OK, it makes you feel alive!
