INTERVIEW
2014 CYCLE NEWS RIDER OF THE YEAR KEN ROCZEN
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Roczen says there was definitely part of him
that looked at the other racers on the line—guys
he had looked up to as a much younger kid, such
as Chad Reed—and was blown away that now he
was racing against them. But he also felt like he
knew he had the speed, since he was
riding with the three-time defend-
ing champ all during the off-
season.
"Since I'd been riding with
RV the whole time, I kind of
knew where I was, but racing
is different," Roczen said. "And
I got my ass chewed by my dad [af-
ter the race] because I didn't ride good in
Anaheim I. Which I agreed. I honestly felt like I was
going so slow and nobody would catch me, really."
Roczen was definitely smooth, and the win
seemed pretty effortless, and he also got a bit of
help from Villopoto and others who struggled.
"Well that's the thing; it comes with everything,"
Roczen said. "A little bit of luck. Just everything in
around them, they eased me into it. I think it was
just the perfect team and I had the perfect people
around me to start my life in the U.S. in the most
comfortable way and the best way."
But things weren't perfect for Roczen at KTM,
either. He did have some issues with bike setup
that he says he had trouble getting addressed.
"There was just a time like with the bike when
I absolutely hated it," Roczen said. "And they've
gotten better, but that's what I mean [when I say]
I needed a change. Just because I was so done
screwing around with suspension and
stuff like that and I felt that they
were a little, how can I say it,
like narrow-minded. But really,
it was 98-percent good times
over there."
19 AND LIFE
During his first full year in the USA in
2012, racing the 250cc classes, Roczen
raced a few 450cc Supercrosses just for fun on a
KTM 350 SX/F, and he actually finished second
in the Seattle Supercross that year behind Andrew
Short. However, coming into Anaheim 1 this year,
Roczen was about to become a full-time 450cc
racer at the tender age of 19.
And then he goes out and wins.
"I DISAGREE SOMETIMES
WITH ALDON'S PROGRAM, BUT
YOU EITHER TRUST HIM OR
YOU DON'T."
(Above) Roczen credits much of his early success in the
U.S. to his team manager Roger DeCoster.
