VOL. 51 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 16, 2014 P61
been feeling great. You know, we do so
much training, and I'm not like RV or RC
that look at a Coke and they get fat. My
whole family is thin. My dad's ripped and
he's 52!"
Roczen knows the importance of bal-
ancing work and fun.
"I still have fun," Roczen said. "And
plus I knew what to expect this year with
boot camp and stuff, so I handled it way
better. I don't know how to explain it. I
still have fun. I'm not the kind of dude that
just does the training and then...I'm not
grouchy everyday. I wake up happy. I talk
do—honestly, one of my hobbies is defi-
nitely cycling. And I've actually started to
enjoy it, just because I've gotten better
and I'm not suffering as much. So road-
biking [is a hobby]. I've actually been
playing golf, so I really like golf now. I
haven't been in a while."
KTM
Without KTM, Ken Roczen might still be
racing in Europe, but when he signed
with Red Bull KTM back in late 2010,
part of the reason he did it is because
part of the deal would be allowing Roc-
zen to chase his dream of racing in the
USA. He ended up signing a contract
extension with KTM after he made it to
the USA, which took him through his
first full year in the 450cc class in 2014.
Even though his dad and DeCoster
butted heads, and very likely Roczen
himself and DeCoster butted heads, as
well, at points in their relationship, Roc-
zen gives DeCoster and KTM a ton of
credit, all of which KTM deserves.
"I love Roger, and I love the whole
team there," Roczen said. "They're
great people. They're so nice, and he
[DeCoster] has taught me a lot. I think
he was a perfect guy to be around when
I got to the U.S. That was our plan the
whole time. I mean, at first, when Roger
was with Suzuki, that wasn't my dream
[to come work with him in the USA], but
obviously then Roger switched to KTM,
and I had an offer from KTM [prior to
2010, when Roczen was just 15]. But
Rockstar came in there with Suzuki and
I had nowhere to go and that was it. Not
my choice. I didn't really have a choice
with anything else, but my goal was, and
my dream was to work with Roger. So,
[after 2010] I'm like, 'All right, let's do
it.' And he taught me a lot. Just being
shit to everybody. That's my kind of fun."
Roczen seems to imply that he's in the
market for a good hobby, though.
"When I was in Europe, I did all kinds
of stuff," Roczen said. "I BMX'd, I played
basketball, I played soccer, I played rac-
quetball, I played all kinds of shit. But
here, the schedule is so different that all I
(Left) Roczen
hangs out with his
trainer Aldon Baker.
(Above) When the
outdoor title was
on the line, Roczen
stepped it up at
the wet Indiana
National.
