MotoXAddicts’ “Inside Story” interviews are presented by Race Tech Suspension. When privateers choose, they choose Race Tech.

Team USA manager for the more than 30 years, Roger DeCoster knows the amazing feeling of victory, and for sure, he has had that a lot more than anyone else in the sports history.

Also as a racer he won the MXoN several times, and also individually. However, the last four years have been torment for the Belgian legend as he saw his team lose for the fourth year running.

Click to check out what's new at Race Tech
Click to check out what’s new at Race Tech

Team USA were the could have, should have, would have team in 2016. Starting the weekend worse than any American team from the DeCoster era. They came back to nearly steal the victory from the jaws of defeat. Only this time the luck that helped Team USA to so many of their victory in the past, had deserted them, and now all that is left is more pressure on returning to the top of the MXoN podium and holding that Chamberlain Trophy one more time.

Born on the 28th of August in 1944, the former 500cc motocross champion is now 72 years old, and while he continues to be “The Man” in many people’s eyes, his job as Team USA team manager hasn’t been an easy one in recent years.

Roger was kind enough to give us his time after the teams lose.

Roger Decoster (far right) with Team USA and the 2016 MXoN pre race presser. Photo by: FIM.
Roger Decoster (far right) with Team USA and the 2016 MXoN pre race presser. Photo by: FIM.

Obviously you are disappointed, but this event really continues to do crazy thing. How does this event feel for you compared to some of the events you have attended in the past?

The finish was very tight between three teams, four teams maybe, because I think Italy was not far away. But it was close because of the adversity we faced. I don’t think there were any team that faced half the adversity we faced. Starting on Saturday.

 

You mentioned that you were actually thinking B-Final, was that really something you were thinking when Jason Anderson crashed on Saturday?

Yesterday, yes, when Jason went down and broke a bone in his foot, and the other guys were all down once, Cooper twice, so we were not that far away, we ended 15th.

 

It’s been four years in a row now, does it get any more difficult, or is it just always as bad as the last loss?

It’s always bad not to win, but to lose the way we lost today, I really feel my guys deserved to win today, but of course, its motorsport and a lot of things happen.

Say what you want about Roger Decoster, but do not say he cannot win at the MXoN. Roger won 9 MXoN as a rider for Team Belgium and 22 as the Team USA manager. Photo by: Chase Yocom
Say what you want about Roger Decoster, but do not say he cannot win at the MXoN. Roger won 9 MXoN as a rider for Team Belgium and 22 as the Team USA manager. Photo by: Chase Yocom

What disappointed you the most about this weekend?

I am really bummed out about what happened to the Japanese guy. I mean did you see how high he jumped. Jason was trying to get out of the way. I mean the guy not only jumped crazy, but he had no control over his bike. Because normally any decent rider can turn the bike in the air.

 

There is a different level in the riders of course. Do you have an issue with that?

That is one reason a lot of the top guys don’t want to race this event anymore. Too huge a gap between the top guys and the other guys, I mean there are 15 seconds a lap difference sometimes. I don’t know what that guy was thinking, he wasn’t fighting for a position. [In Chihiro Notsuka’s defense, he was on six seconds a lap off the leaders]

 

When Jason crashed, my feeling was nothing mattered anymore, as long as Jason was ok. What was your feeling at that moment?

Of course, you want him to be ok. The worst thing I was thinking he broke his back, which could have happened. His eyes were not good and I knew he had a concussion. I looked and he didn’t have any major cuts, but he wasn’t all there.

Roger talking with a younger Jeffrey Herlings at the 2013 MXoN. Photo by: Ray Archer
Roger talking with a younger Jeffrey Herlings at the 2013 MXoN. Photo by: Ray Archer

Next year you race the MXoN somewhere in America. You must hope this next 12 month goes pretty quickly, because we all know what will probably happen there?

You never know, even at your home track, there is more pressure and it depend on which riders participate and hopefully with it being in America we can get the top guys because they don’t have to travel to Europe. I really feel like these guys rode well, even last year we came within two points.

 

Are you having a bit of the bad luck where you had good luck in the past?

Sometimes we had good luck and all that, but today, this weekend, it was like we were not allowed to make it happen.

Click to check out what's new at Race Tech
Click to check out what’s new at Race Tech
Author