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/441908
INTERVIEW P54 ANAHEIM I SUPERCROSS 450-CLASS WINNER KEN ROCZEN STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAN MOORE T here is so much buildup each year leading up to the Anaheim Supercross opener that there's bound to be a lot of disappointed rid- ers and teams when all is said and done. One of the riders living up to all of the hype, however, was Ken Roczen, who jumped ship during the off-sea- son, moving from Roger DeCoster's Red Bull KTM team, to Carey Hart/Ricky Carmichael's Soaring Eagle/RCH Suzuki team. When all the dust had settled on the chilly se- ries opener, Roczen had proven that he was cer- tainly all that had been advertised, as the recently crowned outdoor champ breezed to a relatively easy win in the 450 main event, leaving many to wonder if this year's championship chase will be a one-man show. If you remember, however, Roczen started in the same fashion in 2014, taking a surprise win at Ana- heim I, only to falter near the end of the series. The former MX2 World champ says he has learned his lesson when it comes to enduring the long seasons, and vows there will be a different outcome in 2015. "It's good to get the first win, but we just need to keep it consistent; there are 16 races left and it's go- ing to be tough," said Roczen. "We've been work- ing hard and I think it shows—it really paid off. The track was tricky; it got a little slippery in some spots, but we made it happen and that's all that matters. "It's a long season, though, and we could be smiling now but not at the end of the year. That's why it's important to keep a little bit of a poker face on and keep grinding away." The amazing part was just how easy Roczen made the win look, keeping Jason Anderson and BACK IN YELLOW Trey Canard at bay for the duration of the race. "I felt really good, so I would say it wasn't that hard to put in those lap times and put in a solid ride in the beginning and then just keep it consistent," said Roczen. "I felt so solid out there and I just kept clicking those lap times. "I saw Jason getting close to me a couple of times, and I think I could have had some better lines in places, but the track was tricky and it kind of gets pebbles, and I just didn't want to go down." The interesting part of Roczen's win was that he was making his debut ride for a new team, and on a new bike. Roczen did, however, break into the big leagues riding Suzukis in Europe on the MX GP circuit before switching to KTM. "Coming from a KTM, those are totally different bikes, so it took me a while to adapt," said Roczen. "Actually, I adapted pretty quick, but it just took me Ken Roczen talks about his Anaheim I win Ken Roczen feels right at home with his new team.