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Cycle News 2021 Issue 50 December 14

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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VOLUME 58 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 14, 2021 P101 Looking back at the year you had with the record for longest win- ning streak, the most wins in a season, and from having no wins coming into 2021 to suddenly being ranked inside the top 10 on the all-time MotoAmerica/AMA Superbike wins list, have you had time to digest what you were able to accomplish in terms of its historic nature? It's still sort of like a dream. I think what makes it so wild is that I hadn't had a superbike win until this year. The season just went by so fast, and the wins were just clicking off. In the moment I really tried not to think about it and just focus on the job, but as the wins piled up the pressure mounted, and it was a lot. At some point you are just expected to win, so I really didn't have much margin for error. And then when the year ended, it was like, 'shit! That was a heck of a year!' At the season opener you had the bike blow up on you. Sud- denly you were behind the eight ball and looking at a big climb in terms of championship points. Did any doubts enter your mind at that point? It was the second lap, too, so we barely got past the start and then we're out. I was pissed at first. Especially since I was on the pole, I thought we had the win and then boom, that happens. But gradually I calmed down and figured we got our bad luck out of the way, we had 19 more races and then winning the next day helped me brush it off. With the season you had and seeing Cameron Beau- bier starting to make waves in Moto2 there was rumor that Yamaha was considering you for MotoGP. Can you give us any insights on that? I heard the rumors, but I never had any contact with any- thing that was real. I was open to a ride in MotoGP or World Superbike, if it was a good bike and good opportunity, but there just wasn't anything out there like that for me, or it doesn't seem like it at this point. Even to have my name in the hat, if it was, is cool to hear. I know Richard would like to possibly try some World Superbike on our equipment next year, so if an opportunity like that comes around, I'm all in. Finally, if you are back with Attack next season, how do you stay motivated? After the kind of dominating season you had in 2021, what kind of goals could you set for yourself in 2022? It's easy for me to stay mo- tivated. I'm already thinking of ways to improve as a rider and I'm blessed to be able to do what I do. I wake up every day looking forward to getting myself in the best shape physically and mentally to make it even harder on the competition next season. My goals for next year are to simply walk away every week- end knowing that I did a good job and can be proud of myself. That's what makes it easy for me to stay motivated. CN A deserving champion, Gagne knows he now has to back it up in 2022.

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