FreestyleXtreme Magazine Issue 7 | Page 68

So you felt confident that you
could win a Grand Prix again? And
that you could match the speed
of people like Desalle, Cairoli and
Paulin?
After Lommel, Brazil came around
and I could get into a position to win
but it was still really hard because
I had the effects of that stomach
infection; it takes a few months to
go away. I remember feeling terrible
after that race and almost wanting
to die, physically it was very tough
to deal with. Going into the winter
I was unsure. I spoke a lot with my
trainer, Hugo, because if you take
part in a GP, pass the chequered
flag and fall to the ground straight
afterwards then it makes no sense
to keep on racing. So we started
changing the programme and also
my diet and it has been a different
story this year. I’m still tired after
a race but in the normal sense,
and it gives me a lot of confidence
heading into the next races.

It was in 2011 you were struggling
with your back injury and there
was even some talk that you were
finished at the highest level. It
seemed like a very serious thing.

68 | FreestyleXtreme.com

© ENZO TEMPESTINI

Yeah. Many riders probably say that
they have found ‘the best team’
when they change but I really think
that this is the best team I have
ever had. First of all it is a small
crew with not so many people so
there are less problems. Then there
is only one boss, which is Antti
[Pyrhönen]. OK, Kimi [Räikkönen,
Team Owner] and Robert Jonas
[Husqvarna’s Sport Director] are in
the background but on the track
and at the race days it is Antti.
Everybody listens to him and the
group fits nicely together. Plus the
support from Kimi for what we do is
great. You only have to look inside
the awning to see that we have one
of the nicest set-ups in the whole
paddock and everything is so wellorganised; the workshop is amazing.
It is all part of why the results have
been good.

© JUAN PABLO ACEVEDO

You say you have found an ideal
home with IceOne Husqvarna but
then they have also landed a rider
that they badly needed. Does it
feel nice to have created a buzz
around the place?