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FEATURE<br />
He is arguably back at the peak of his<br />
game: third in 2018, injury-free, confidence<br />
imbued, the only winner aside from Cairoli<br />
and Herlings. He has transitioned from a<br />
period where a broken arm and damaged<br />
back interrupted his goals with Kawasaki,<br />
and from that aggressive and occasionally<br />
sensational racer to one that is more<br />
measured and appreciative of the true<br />
value of consistency.<br />
Desalle has a strong motocross background<br />
and the role of his family as a<br />
support structure and solace from the<br />
frequent pain and stress of racing is paramount.<br />
He has been well brought up: he’s<br />
respectful and mannered but also assured<br />
enough to skip the bulls**t and follow his<br />
own path and beliefs.<br />
“FOR ME IT IS THOSE LITTLE THINGS<br />
THAT GIVES YOU A STRONGER<br />
FEELING AND THAT MAKES THE<br />
DIFFERENCE. I ALWAYS WANT<br />
EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT BUT<br />
I KNOW YOU CANNOT CONTROL<br />
EVERYTHING...”<br />
He can sometimes seem spiky, but like all<br />
enigmatic people at the top of their profession<br />
and skill he’s frequently misunderstood.<br />
Take his interview technique: he can<br />
sometimes brush away a topic or answer<br />
in cliché but he thinks about what he says<br />
and how his words are conveyed. Ask a<br />
question and the answer will evolve as his<br />
thoughts churn. Get into a conversation<br />
and it’s engaging, interesting and sometimes<br />
revelatory.<br />
We’re talking on the morning of the KRT<br />
photoshoot that should take place down<br />
the road in the HQ of the WorldSBK crew<br />
and in the shadow of the Circuit de Catalunya<br />
grandstand. ‘Should’ in that Desalle’s<br />
hire car was broken into the previous evening<br />
and his Airoh helmet and other pieces<br />
of kit and personal belongings have gone<br />
missing. Despite the infuriating inconvenience<br />
Clement is still in the mood to<br />
chat…<br />
The big news to hit MXGP recently involved<br />
Herlings’ injury. What’s your take<br />
on that? Is it possibly something that was<br />
on the cards considering the speed and<br />
amount he rides…?<br />
It’s so difficult to always be on the limit.<br />
Every week, every training. I hear he was<br />
riding a lot. Everybody has their own style<br />
of training but to keep at the limit all the<br />
time without any injury is very hard to do.<br />
We don’t know how it is for him. He was<br />
very difficult to beat last season and even<br />
with that injury [the broken collarbone in<br />
the summer of ‘18] then he was still strong<br />
afterwards. With this guy you never really<br />
know and we don’t know the whole story.<br />
I’ll just keep focussed on me and we’ll see<br />
when it comes to the gate in Argentina.<br />
2018 was good: the only non-KTM rider to<br />
win, third in the championship and injuryfree…<br />
Yes, back in the top three with two really<br />
strong guys in front: Cairoli, that I have<br />
fought with for many years, and Herlings<br />
who was almost unbeatable last year. So it<br />
was good because I kept consistent. There<br />
were a lot of positives but of course I want<br />
more and we’re working with the team and<br />
the bike for that and have taken onboard<br />
all the feedback from 2018. We’ve been<br />
analysing…but I think, mentally, it was a<br />
good.
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