VOL. 51 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 16, 2014 P67
get a championship for the
team.'"
Roczen had been on a
contract schedule since he
was in the GPs where his
contract started in Novem-
ber and ended at the end
of October. (For AMA rac-
ers, contracts normally start
in the beginning of October
and end at the end of Sep-
tember.) Red Bull KTM let
him out of the remaining two
months of his contract after
the Utah MX National, and in
exchange—and as a sign of
respect—Roczen agreed to
hold off on off-season rac-
ing during the time period
where he was technically
still supposed to be under
contract with KTM.
"Plus, I didn't want to [do
off-season races] because
I wanted to get everything
ready and prepare myself
good," Roczen said. "Instead of just riding for a
couple of weeks on this thing and then suck at
Monster Cup, which I wouldn't have, I know that!"
Still, there's always the danger of lining up for a
race before you're fully prepared to do it. If some-
thing goes wrong, you can get hurt. Even just los-
ing the race can mess with confidence. On a new
bike, with a new time, Roczen just felt it was smart-
er to stay off the starting gates until Anaheim 1.
But as of this interview, approximately six weeks
prior to Anaheim 1 in 2015, Roczen feels really
good about his immediate future.
"Mentally, I'm very confident at the moment,"
Roczen said. "I already feel really good. I'm fit and
I feel really good on the bike. I just want to be up
front, period. And I don't see why not, because I'm
feeling good already. I think I'm fast and I've got the
fitness, so I think you'll see me up there."
Roczen is still working with
trainer Baker, but he's simply
not being nearly as strict on
his diet, and he feels this will
be the answer to avoiding the
run-down feeling he had a
couple times in 2014.
"I'm actually really excited
to finally start racing again,"
Roczen said. "I've missed it.
It's been a little while, and I
can't wait. I just miss the Su-
percross racing. There're al-
ways so many people and it's
such a great atmosphere and
stuff. After such a long time,
I'm happy to go back racing
and do my thing."
RIDER OF THE YEAR
Roczen was named Rider of
the Year by other American
monthly motocross-specific
magazines, but the Cycle
News Rider of the Year isn't
just about motocross. It's
about all two-wheel motorsports. To be named
the Cycle News Rider of the Year," Roczen had
to beat out people like Marc Marquez, Kailub
Russell and even 44-year-old World Speedway
Champion Greg Hancock, for example. And, yes,
even Antonio Cairoli, Jeffrey Herlings and Ryan
Villopoto.
"That is insane," Roczen said. "When I heard
that it's [judged] from all the motorcycle racers, it
actually blew me away. And I'm really happy and
proud and thankful to be able to be in this posi-
tion. It's great, you know, because it's such a big
industry and they chose you as the guy. I'm really
happy about that. When I heard that this award isn't
just motocross, but it's Marquez, all the big peo-
ple, and I'm the one that's chosen? I'm like, 'Dude,
that's f—in' sick!' I'm super happy and thankful to be
the Cycle News Rider of the Year." CN
