Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128355
~'_ . . . It has been so many years trying to become World Cham pion, nine years competing for the championship and five years finishing in second positio n. That is many years to be working for the championship. But now it is a good fee ling because I was always dream ing since I was 10 years old to be champion. Now I am so happy. What has been the reaction of your countrymen a nd the Ja pa ne se press? They too are very happy. It is fantastic. I went stra ight to Japan after the final round and. for two days, nothing but 1V and magazine inte rviews. The Honda people are very happy, too. Did you begin to feel a lot of p re ssure to w in th e ti tl e ? Yes, bec ause after [the first) three years as second place , I was think ing now condit ions are good fo r winning the championship. but Do ugie was still very strong . For five yea rs you finished runner up. What was different a bo ut this year? Now I do many more practices - more than ever before. Now my trainer works with me on physical and men tal tra ining. So, after an event we say, "W hat happened here?" and , "Why do I take a five there?" So, he helps me with physical tra ining but also with character. Before, I didn't like slippery te rrain, but now , the less grip [there is), the better I feel. It was also time to change to being more profess ional. Mymother and papa went back to Japan, and so I was living only with my wife, Nao , and tra iner. You compet ed w it h number 74 on you r helme t ; was Daj iro Kato [MotoGP rider killed last year a t Suzuka] a friend ? Yes, and he helped me many. many times. When I was nervo us or had a bad score. I prayed to Kato, "Please help me." After that, things wo uld be better. He helped me many times . After the final round , I we nt home to Japan to his grave - I said, "Thank you Kato for your help." This year. both Tamada and I have victory on Kato's birthday. Two important keys to your season were the backto -back double w ins in Ja pa n and at the U.S. GP in Du luth. You ha d taken a victory at yo ur home ro und be fore bu t had never swept both days, an accom plishment that p ut you int o a t ie with Lampkin for the lead in t he series po int s race. Ano t her sweep t he following week in Am e rica put you firm ly into t he lead , a po sition you d id no t relinquish for the remainde r of t he series . We re these w ins t he t u rn ing point fo r you? Yes. I always like to come to the U.S., and I always do we ll here . In '96, I was first here , and in '99 it was a good event for me too. Afte r the USA round, I had a good advantage. Th is year [in the United States) I had hoped to get a two-day victory, but on the first day it rained and was very difficult for me - but still I won . O n the second day, I had a good battle with Adam [Raga) and Dougie, and I also took the victory. So, the perfect finish put me in a very good advantage going into the European ro und of the champions hip. Did you e ver get dis couraged and t hink yo u wo uld neve r w in it? Yes, last year afte r the final ro und in Madrid I cried . The n I said to myself it is necessary to be World Champion in 2004. Second place is very good , but the re was always a big difference between me and Dougie until last year; the n it was very close. So, last year I though t I finally had a chance to win, so it was very hard when Dougie wo n again. How difficult do you think it will be to repeat? It will no t be easy. For one, we w ill have a new bike for ne xt yea r. Also. Raga and Dougie will st ill be very strong. but now I know wh at it takes to win the championship. This year it w as bec aus e of much more practic e . Do you and Dougie sh a re test ing a nd setu p info rmation ? In the off-season the re is good co mmunication , but after the first round . nothing! Are yo u still go od frie nd s? Yes, very goo d friend s. We train together very much . Dougie is a good man; he has been World Champio n for many years, but he has not le t that go to his head . He is a normal person - good people. Are you exci t ed about r id ing the new four-stroke? Yes. I will ride it in all of the indoor and outdoor com pet itions. The Indoor des Nations was my last time on the two-stroke . What do you think a bo ut it ? I like the torque and the power. O n the two -stroke I always asked HRC for mo re torque. but it was very difficult for more torque. On the four-stroke, torque is very good. eN CYC LE N EW S • JANUARY 5 , 2005 91