On Track Off Road No. 194
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Ice<strong>On</strong>e seemed to change<br />
philosophy for 2019 with two<br />
young riders: you appeared<br />
to have hit their target for the<br />
year…<br />
For sure. The main objective this<br />
year was to gain experience and<br />
confidence for 2020. We knew<br />
already that we’d missed the<br />
winter and it would be hard to<br />
battle for proper results…I think<br />
we reached our goal though with<br />
three podiums and sixth overall.<br />
Some days I was a bit off. But<br />
I know how to fix that for next<br />
year. I fit into the team right<br />
away. It is a hard-working team<br />
You had some bad luck with<br />
your knee last year but did<br />
2019 give you some insight as<br />
to how injuries can also easily<br />
be suffered with the 450?<br />
For sure you need to be stronger.<br />
In MX2 you have to be riding<br />
at your best to win but the<br />
demands feel much higher in<br />
MXGP because there are ten<br />
guys around you who are capable<br />
of taking that victory. In<br />
MX2 there are two-three who are<br />
realistically there all the time.<br />
In the past you could make a<br />
good start push for some laps<br />
and then just cruise around. In<br />
PAULS JONASS & MXGP<br />
“IN THE PAST YOU COULD MAKE A GOOD MX2<br />
START PUSH FOR SOME LAPS AND THEN JUST<br />
CRUISE AROUND. IN MXGP YOU NEED TO PUSH<br />
EVERY SINGLE LAP...”<br />
and having that base in Lommel<br />
helps because it means a family<br />
feeling; it’s not like you only see<br />
your race mechanic at the races.<br />
Was there much more attention<br />
on you – particularly in Latvia –<br />
by being in MXGP compared to<br />
MX2?<br />
Hmmm, I don’t think it matters<br />
too much if you are still at the<br />
front battling. From the spectators’<br />
side I think MXGP draws<br />
that much more attention because<br />
it is the premier class.<br />
I would say the level of media<br />
attention is the same…but I feel<br />
more from the fans because of<br />
being in MXGP.<br />
MXGP you need to push every<br />
single lap: you need to be mentally<br />
and physically stronger.<br />
Based on 2018 and the end of<br />
2019 Herlings currently sets the<br />
performance ‘bar’ in MXGP, so<br />
do you now know what to do in<br />
order to catch or beat him?<br />
Yes, and I know my training<br />
– the intensity – needs to be<br />
better. I need to hit my targets at<br />
100% all the time and not save<br />
myself for anything. That’s one<br />
of the ways to come to the next<br />
level.
Change language