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It’s clearly worked but was<br />
there moments when you had<br />
doubts? Or did you find that<br />
support you needed in the<br />
team?<br />
Definitely. I have such an<br />
amazing team. They are always<br />
behind me, even when<br />
I have a bad race or two bad<br />
seasons and I didn’t feel<br />
myself, there was always support<br />
and help. We had a good<br />
winter and set the bike really<br />
well. During the races now we<br />
don’t change so much. Some<br />
races – like Valkenswaard or<br />
Kegums where the ground is<br />
changing from year to year<br />
and the sand feels like it is<br />
becoming more hard-packed<br />
and the bumps evolve differently<br />
– I struggled a bit to<br />
set-up the bike but we’d done<br />
so much testing that if something<br />
didn’t work then we had<br />
another plan. We always found<br />
something where I felt quite<br />
comfortable.<br />
Romain Febvre had a torrid<br />
season in 2017 after making<br />
a miss-step with winter testing.<br />
If anything your championship<br />
this year shows how<br />
well it can work if you get it<br />
right…<br />
Yes and we did small things<br />
like changing the dates so we<br />
did our testing a bit earlier.<br />
In the past I’d take a break<br />
after the season and we’d test<br />
in mid-<strong>No</strong>vember and, looking<br />
back, I perhaps was not<br />
the best prepared. It means<br />
that some parts on the bike<br />
are not acting or reacting the<br />
same as when you are on top<br />
form and race fit.<br />
For two years you were also<br />
hurt around that time-<br />
Exactly. So the past winter we<br />
did it earlier, straight after the<br />
last GP so I could easily do<br />
30-35 minute motos. It helped<br />
me to develop the bike. When<br />
I came to Argentina fully fit<br />
and ready I had a familiar<br />
feeling with the bike already.<br />
In the past I was unable to go<br />
fast in mid-<strong>No</strong>vember and to<br />
really make those GP-speed<br />
35 minute motos.<br />
Have you become a better<br />
test rider? HRC must have<br />
many questions…<br />
The winter was also the first<br />
test without my Dad and<br />
I think my focus was even<br />
bigger. In the past I’d have a<br />
feeling or idea but he’d always<br />
see something from the outside<br />
and have his opinion, like<br />
the bike would be more nervous<br />
in one corner or kicking in<br />
another place. Without him I<br />
focussed really hard on every<br />
kind of test and every kind of<br />
part and I paid more attention.<br />
We’d do more comparative<br />
stuff if I was unsure and<br />
the whole team was there so<br />
I could call on all the experience<br />
of people like Massimo,<br />
Marcus, Nico and Giacomo to<br />
help me. We found that set-up<br />
together.<br />
Tell me about the effects of<br />
injury. In 2017 there were a<br />
couple of crashes and you<br />
even started the season sick.<br />
Then 2018 was ruined by that<br />
massive pre-season accident<br />
at Mantova. Was there a<br />
sense of relief that 2019 gave<br />
a clear run?<br />
Definitely. When you have<br />
a great winter and you are<br />
free from injury then you can<br />
also build your confidence.<br />
You can bring everything you<br />
have done in that time to<br />
the races. When are entering<br />
the season unfit then the<br />
confidence and the mentality<br />
is not in the right place.<br />
MXGP WORLD CHAMPION TIM GAJSER
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