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By STEFAN "HE CHAMP'S CORNER EVERTS The Year So Far With so many races following one another, I wanted to limit the tra veling and stay in France before the French GP. Kelly and I were looking forward to some lazy times togeth er, but unfortunate ly o ur motorhome had an electr ical problem, and it was best to get it fixed at home. Before the French GP I did som e tr ials riding w ith Ben Townley, Kevin Strijbos and Tyla Rattray. Riding trials has been a part of my training for many years now, and it's something I rea lly have come to appreciate. So yo u can imagine I was over the moo n w hen Scorpa offered me a brand-n ew trials bike. The race in Saint-Jean d'Angely was completely different from the Isle of Wight. I felt con fident going into the race because you have to use your feeling there and use smart lines to make the best of the rocky soil. Things worked out pe rfectly in France, and I'm sure yo u'll understand why I call Saint Jean one of my favorite tracks. Off the track I had the time to go rock climbing again. My climbing partner was Chicco Ch iodi, w ho also lives in Monaco. Chicco is not only very light , he is act ually an o kay climber, as we ll. there . Finally after so many years, they , did a lot of work on the track , but it came afte r a lot of pressu re fro m Youthstream and Greg Atkins. So many U I guess. It was nice to see them , and I hope th ey had a nice time. I want to lay on th e beach a little in July and August, although for sure with to Loket on August I, but I want them to com e to Namur a week later. Having the baby also mea ns I want to wra p up this title as soon as possible, because wh en I don't need to win every race anymore - I'm a little over that." of the tracks are so easy. I had a stressful week, things happen, but I don't wa nt to talk about it. I hit my head really hard at the first moto of the Belgian Grand Prix. I knew I just needed to fi nish that first race and just get as many points as possible. I cou ld have rea lly hurt myself; I just bruised my arm. I had a feeling that things would not go my way. I was menta lly prep ared for a bad day. Neeroe teren is not my favor ite track. You really can't work out w here you have to ride on that trac k. The surface is so different in so many different places. The crash was really stupid. I stalled the engine, and the bike just kicked me off. I rolled down the hill a little. I was trying to put Pichon under press ure , and he was start ing to make mistakes, so it was a pity. I felt I had it in hand. the baby comi ng, it's going to be a to ugh mo nth . Kelly knows how important my racing is at the mo ment, and she also knows that when it's the end of the season I will help in the nights with the baby. We still have to work out what we do abo ut sleeping . I ob viously need my sleep , and Kelly and the baby wo n't come the baby comes, it 's going to be to ugher. For Namu r maybe we hire another camp er, and Kelly and the baby sleep together, and I slee p in anot her camper. I don't want to get too organized on what we w ill do with the sleep ing arrange ment when the baby comes; we will see what happens. eN I had a feeling that things would not go my way. I was mentally prepared for a bad day!' U The Italian Grand Prix was a good w in for me, altho ugh it was to ugh work . I just didn't feel good going into that race. I've felt tire d, and I really needed a brea k afte r having three race s in a row. After Italy we had the Gra nd Prix of Belgium at my home track in Neeroeteren. To be honest, I was not looking forward to that race . After Italy, Ben Townley came over to my place for a few days. We did some trials riding, motocross and enduro, plus climbing, running - we did a lot of fun things together. We also wat ched some old videos, old stuff from the early days. It was a lot of fun, although it rea lly made me tired for the Grand Prix of Belgium in Nee roet eren a few days later. I won the Easter Troph y in 1992 at Neeroeteren but have not won there for a long, long time . I've never liked racing I am happy fo r Pichon . He came back from a bad injury, and I know what that is like. I don't nee d to win every race anymore - I'm a little over that . Everyo ne wanted me to win at my home track, but it was not possible. The more you wa nt to win something, the mo re chance is you wo n't win it. I also met the Alessi kids. It was nice to see them here . They came over to tes t so me bikes, they didn't stay for the Gp, but they didn't seem to know much abo ut GP racing. The wanted to meet me, but I had the feeling like they didn't know w ho I was. It is still nice to see them. They have a lot of pressure on the ir shoulders , which is a pity; they are just kids. The older guy. [Mike] looks really cool, and I had the fee ling he thou ght he co uld beat me . Anyway, that 's a little the Ame rican way of acting, www.cyc lenews.com CYCLE NE WS • JULY 21 , 2004 95