André Villa
“
I just love the
sport, but I’m
36, I have 1.5
meters of steel
in my body
and 30 broken
bones
But something happened inside me
while standing on the landing in Dubai
that night. A huge weight got lifted off
my shoulders, and man, I was crying
like a baby under my helmet. I was so
emotional that I could ride freestyle
motocross again and compete with
these guys; I really didn’t think I’d ever
ride again after that Poland crash. But
when the weight released, another
energy swept over me that was like,
‘but do I want this anymore? Is another
result going to make me happier?’
I kept continuing after that, and I still
had the same love for the sport, but
something happened to me that night
that made me think ‘enough is enough’.
I decided to transition to speed and
style, and I won two X Games medals
in that. Then I told myself that I’d stop
competing when I became a dad,
which is exactly what I did. I became
a dad two years ago, and I stopped
competing straight away. I definitely
didn’t stop because I couldn’t do it
anymore. I still had this huge passion
for the sport and kept doing demos
and stuff, but decided to start building
up the sport in a different way as a
promoter.
It must feel good to have been able
to go out on your own terms like that,
and not have to retire due to injury or
something.
Totally, it was all my decision. My
comeback from my femur was in 2012,
then I made the transition to speed and
style, and then we lost Eigo, which also
hit me really hard. I told my sponsors
straight up that it didn’t feel right in
my heart and I didn’t want to keep
competing. I lost a few sponsors over
the decision, but I was ready to be
challenged in a different way. I’d been
hanging under my dirt bike for 15 years
trying to better each trick, but everything
has its time and I was ready to move
on from competing to riding demos and
being a promoter. This new path will keep
me in the sport longer. I love the sport
too much to just quit completely.
So what does success look like?
That’s a very good question, and it’s
something I’ve asked myself many times.
I can’t remember ever telling someone
this stuff for an interview – I feel like I’m
taking you on an emotional journey right
now – but I always tell myself not to
worry about the future. If I look back five
or ten years on my life, I could never have
guess where I’ve ended up. So instead
of focusing on where I want to go, I just
want to do my best and treat people with
respect.
But I hope I’ll work with something that
makes me happy, challenges me, and
ideally, makes life better for someone
else. I will be working with dirt bikes for
many years so I’m not sure if there’s a
way of making that happen right now,
but life as a way of working out and it will
happen.
If I can find a job I’m content with,
maintain a healthy relationship with my
family and make life better for someone
else, that’s my dream, my optimal thing.
But I still have to get that adrenalin kick. I
will ride my dirt bike till the day I die.
That’s awesome man. Much respect to
you and all you’ve done for the sport.
Appreciate you having a chat with us.
Thanks so much! t
/Villa.Andre
@Andre__Villa
@Andre__Villa
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