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/146681
Continued from page 27 the best but not at the expense of the lower-level competitors. That may be one answer. Who inspired you to compete in trials? No one inspired me. I became interested in trials because it isn't just driving, it involves much thinking, physical conditioning and maintaining your bike. The sport keeps me interested. Even though I am now World Champion, there is always . something that I can do better next year, so that is why I like trials very much. Being a full-time contracted rider, do you have a full-time trainer that helps you with physical conditioning and your diet, or do you train on your own? Of course the team would help steer me in the right direction when I asked questions about these things, but up until yesterday, I have made my own decisions and I didn't have any special diet, usually eating normal food but always checking fat content and other ingredients. I also have my brother Jommi, who is staying all year with me. We will be setting up a training as well as a dietary plan for me over the winter during the off-season. Did you come up through the bicyde trials ranks, like many of your competitors did? No. I have always had a motorcycle since I was six years old. I've had a little practice with bicycles, but you could say 99% of my experience is with a motorcycle. Which do you prefer, stadium trials or the more traditional outdoor series? I don't have a preference to either one of these. When I've competed all year outdoors, I look forward to doing the stadium circuit and when spring comes around, I'm looking forward to the outdoor series. They both create and help each other as well as keep my skills sharp, to make me the best rider I can be. What role does your brother Jommi Ahvala play in your team structure? A very important role, because I have to be away from my home nine to 10 months (a year), so it is important that I have one person that I know very well and that person knows me just as good, someone I can speak my own language with. He also takes care of all my practice bikes and looks after my day-to-day activi.ties, which include making sure I have enough drink and food at the races, so I don't have to worry about those things. All I worry about is my riding and, hopefully, my good results. A lot of riders try to psyche each other out in trials, either in practice or while checking the sections on foot. You don't seem to get invovled with that. Why not? I think to try those kind of things is not very sporting. When everyone is .doing their best in a good and fair way the person who wins is really the best one. If a person takes a first position in a no-good way by cheating or moving obstacles in sections to benefit themselves, his win is probably not very satisfying. I think it's important to win in a good way so" you feel satisfied that you are the best on that particular day. How much of this sport is mental? At our level, like yesterday, about 95%. In dosing, where do you see Tommi Ahvala and the sport of trials going in the next couple of years? It's very difficult to say. I used everything for the championship yesterday and to think about tomorrow or next year is tough to call. For sure, I will continue with this sport, and I hope it will be difficult to beat me, as I will be doing my best. eN GOLD CUP SERIES Sept 20 Sept 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1 WINTER NATIONAL OLYMPICS Gatorback-Gainesville, FL Gatorback Dade City Orlando Reddick Ocala Gatorback Volusia Cty Nov 23 Nov 24 & 25 Nov26&27 Nov 28 IT Scrambles Stadiu~ Style SX MX Grand Prix AMA CAMEL SUPERCROSS SERIES COORS LIGHT CHALLENGE Jan 9 Orlando, FL Feb 13 Tampa, FL AMAAMATEUR SUPERCROSS SERIES Jan 10 Orlando, FL Feb 14 Tampa, FL Feb 27 March 6 April 3 Feb 28 April 4 Atlanta, GA Daytona, FL Charlotte, NC Atlanta, GA Charlotte, NC AMA . . . . . C T I 0 ... I: 0 FLORIDA WINTER AMA SERIES Jan 2 & 3 Gatorback TBA Jan 9 & 10 Jan 16 & 17 Jan 23 & 24 Jan 30 & 31 TBA TBA TJ3A GATORBACK AMA 125/250 NATIONAL MOTOCROSS OPENING ROUND Gatorback-Gainesville, FL Feb 19 Feb 20 Feb 21 Amateur Amateur Pro 125/250 SX (Daytona Round) Motocross AMA National HONDA-KAWASAKI-SUZUKI-YAMAHA CONTINGENCIES PAID • •- Tentative Schedule ~ DUN.£DP ~.~ K/O/NG To THE FtlTl/N ~/J ~a1iOfJ Agjt.& rrJV nrn-cdb'1 r::--'-7"':: -=- _ -, .. "f:IWO....A..CI!JII :z. SC:OTTW~~ ~1Iogesen ~ ~. (ill]] l1J]:JJ hfif':.=1 ~ ha~~."[,.~~.ad PkOTO SPOITS ~ THE MORE YOU B: 01ll!z THa BETTER IT GETS For the Motorcycle Rider Course Nearest You ... Call Toll Free: 800·447·4700 MOTORCYCLEW SAFETY FOUNDATION '.1 & 31