Tim Gajser, the 19-year-old Slovenian from a humble background, is MXGP’s golden boy. His stock is through the roof as 2015 MX2 World Champion and current leader of the MXGP World Championship in his rookie season, aboard the CRF450RW. Here, the Honda Gariboldi Racing star talks a little about the Hunger and his definition of drive.
“When you are a young rider like in the 150 Championship and you can see that you have the potential, you ride well and think you can see the future, then you have to make sure you remain with your feet on the ground. Train hard, don’t speak a lot and give your best every day on the track.”
“When the trainer says ‘train like this’ you say to him ‘Just that? I want to do more’ to show that you are really prepared to do your homework and put in the work. I think that depends on the type of person and how you are, but everybody who is now racing in MX2 and MXGP is good – it’s not easy to get that far in our sport and you have to work all the time to get there.”
“You don’t have the same life as your friends, when growing up and as teenagers, and you have to be prepared to sacrifice these things for your goal.”
“So I think hunger is the most important thing. World Champions can be just one a year, and everybody who is here, all the 30 riders behind the gate, are all here for one goal – to win. We all want to do our best and we all want to win, but the person who wants it more will come out ahead.”
“You have to want it more than anyone else, and all the time. That’s why the preparation in winter is so important. Who trains the most and who is prepared to sacrifice the most to be ready and to be in the best shape, because by the time the season starts it’s too late if you’re not at the right level.”
“Everyone has different programmes and trainers, and when you are training you don’t see the others, you can’t compare to how you are doing, and this is why you always have to want to do more. You have to have the hunger to train four times a day instead of three. To ride five times instead of four. To keep going when you feel exhausted and like you can’t. Because that’s how you make sure you’re the best when the season starts.”
So take note kids and young hopefuls. You have to want it, crave it, dream it and live it to get it.
