RUST magazine: RUST Tref Special

To add to my blues the bike’s handling went off a cliff after i’d
destroyed my rear mousse. i finished the day with a sloppy final test
above Mende with three things on my mind – painkillers for the knee,
changing the rear mousse before parc ferme closed and GeT DRY!
Highlight of the day: Having Laurent ‘Pom Pom’ Pidoux save my bacon
when i arrived in Mende in the pouring rain with a disintegrated rear
mousse, cold and dishevelled, unable to find the route to SP5. Running
out of time, i stopped at the jet wash to ask directions from someone
who had already finished. That person – Laurent – simply smiled and
said ‘follow me’ and led me through town until he was certain i couldn’t
mess up. The rain was torrential but no bother, he stopped, we shook
hands, he looked me in the eye and said ‘good test’ – a moment of real
sincerity and brotherhood. For those who don’t know, Laurent Pidoux is
a former French supermoto champion and has been a mentor and
trainer to 2015 MXGP world champion Romain Febvre.
Day 3
Pedro fitted a new Michelin mousse after the start (we’d managed to
change mine the night before) so we had to push on during the first
liaison to make up the 20 minutes the mousse change cost.
The first special came up quickly and landed up being my best test
of the event as i caught and passed the two riders ahead of me while
fending off a screaming Yam from behind me the entire test.
The pressure pushed me on a bit – i was not going to let him come by
me – for love nor money. i had to defend at least some self-esteem.