Two-time MX2 Motocross World Champion Tom Vialle is starting to find his footing here in the states. The transition from MXGP’s to the AMA Pro Motocross Championship is not always as seamless as people assume it should be. Different rules as to what can be changed on the bike make for two completely different bikes, even for a rider like Tom who rode for factory KTM both in Europe and the U.S. The tracks are also prepped completely differently and as any MXGP rider that comes over here will tell you, the riders here get way less track time before it's time to race because of the one-day format. Maybe that is why Tom always seems to do better in the second motos.
In fact, with the exception of Thunder Valley, where a first moto crash sidelined him for the rest of the day, Tom has finished on the podium in all other second motos. Unfortunately for him, poor first moto finishes have kept him off the overall podium. Moving forward, the French rider is ready to turn his luck around. Our Kellen Brauer caught up with him after RedBud to talk about his day and how he is looking forward to future rounds, especially Southwick.
Racer X: All right, Tom Vialle, 9-2 on the day, I feel like the result doesn’t show the speed that you had today but second moto a lot better, right?
Tom Vialle: Right, I had a crash the first moto, I had a collision with another rider. I was feeling good and then that crash make me, I was six-seven, I think I came back to fifth or sixth and then I had another crash with a lapper on the start, so I ended up ninth the first moto. The speed was good, I was happy with the speed but too many mistakes. Second moto was way better, I was in the rhythm, I was third and then passed Haiden [Deegan] two laps to go, I think. So, it was nice I had a great feeling with the bike, I feel like I am getting into the rhythm. And I think for the next few races I will be there to fight for the win or podium for sure.
Take me through that crash with Ryder [DiFrancesco] in the first moto, it just looked like two lines coming together?
I mean normally when you go inside, you go outside after. I didn’t expect him to go inside, inside. Because since the morning normally when you go inside and then outside, it's a double line. So I didn’t really expect him, I didn’t jump much but he even almost over jumped it and we barely touched, it was not a big impact. We barely touched on the landing and then we both crashed. We were third and fourth so when you fall the first few laps of the first moto, for sure we lost a lot of positions and also physically it's tough. It was not the way I wanted to start the first moto but yeah, it's like this.
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Align Media ![Vialle jumping LaRocco's Leap.]()
Vialle jumping LaRocco's Leap. Align Media
Coming off of Thunder Valley you had that crash and missed the second moto, are you feeling any ill effect from that crash or are you back to 100 percent?
I’m back to 95 percent, my wrist is getting better, I had some struggle a little bit the last two weeks. But it's getting better when I am riding today it was fine. So, no for sure I think we are in a good way and hopefully it can be a good week of training and get ready for a good race in the sand. It's going to be a nice one, I think.
We are now in these East Coast tracks, long deep ruts everywhere, how has the bike felt with that change over? You don’t get as much play with the bike here as you do in GP’s so has the change been okay for you?
Yeah, actually we work on the bike, bike was fine today especially that second moto. I had a good feeling, we didn’t change the bike the whole day. It was pretty good I think we have a good base for the bike, of course everyone looks for better, but we are on a good base, I think. I feel confident with the bike so like I said with some good training this week I think we can be there next weekend. I would like to fight in the sand for the win and for sure the podium.
So, sand right, I feel like against Jago [Geerts] he maybe had the upper hand on you, but you are still a good sand rider, so do you look at it as something that is an advantage for you coming from Europe because you guys train in the sand?
I train a lot. I came from the south of Europe, so I never ride in the sand, only the last three or four years. So, for sure I know a little bit, I have some experience. They say the track is not like Lommel, of course a little bit less sandy. Not as deep. But of course, the technique is going to be a little bit the same. So hopefully let’s see. I never ride that track so I don’t know where to go, you know, but hopefully we can have a good weekend.
Well, you haven’t ridden a lot of these tracks so it's like a learning experience every time for you. What did you think about High Point and then this one [RedBud], they are two tracks that are kind of legendary on the circuit.
They are both tracks really nice. I think RedBud… especially with the LaRocco [Leap] jump, dude the jump is big. The first time I jump, you just have to send it, like full gas and you just land perfectly. I think it's one of the biggest jumps I have jumped in my life, so it is pretty cool yeah.
I think I saw the first time you did it you were behind Deegan, were you marking his speed?
Yeah, I jumped it in the second practice. I didn’t jump it in the first practice because it was too wet, and I saw a lot of guys case the triple like so bad. So, I was like, “No way am I going to do that I will wait until the track dries a little bit and then I am going to jump.” And then I jump the second moto only two or three laps I think and then I stop because the corner was not so good before.
Watch this interview in the video below:
