Young Frenchman Valentin Teillet, like so many of the competitors in the FIM World Motocross Championships, have had ups and downs. Teillet was the first rider to win a moto when he captured the MX2 qualification race win in Qatar in early March; he then injured his shoulder, missing rounds three and four in Holland and Italy. Teillet sits in 19th place in the FIM World MX2 Championships points and needs to find the form that he showed in the opening MX2 moto in Bulgaria last weekend, but on a consistent basis.
Q: Tell me about Bulgaria, first about Saturday?
Teillet: I didn’t feel good in Bulgaria on the Saturday, because I injured my shoulder and was out for a little while, but I chose to ride in Bulgaria, I knew it would not be easy and I rode ok. I was happy with my results and I can still fight for the points. On Saturday it was pretty tough as my shoulder is not so strong, so I was satisfied with eleventh in the qualification.
Q: What about Sunday?
Teillet: I felt better on Sunday, and in the first race I got a good start and then I could keep my rhythm to finish third; that’s a great reward for my work with Jacky Vimond. I was in the sixth position in the second race but I crashed on a downhill, I am not quite sure what happened but I lost too much time to get back on the track to continue with the race. I will go to the doctors for them to look at my shoulder again this week, as I never felt confident with it all weekend and I want to understand why.
Q: You won the opening moto of the season in the qualification race in Qatar, but since then it has gone wrong, hasn’t it?
Teillet: I was surprised I won in Qatar in the qualification race. I did a good winter, so I felt prepared, but on the Sunday in Qatar and in Thailand I was not happy. I know I can do a lot better, my feeling on the bike is good and my riding is good. I just need to recover from this injury.
Q: Do you have a goal for the next month or so?
Teillet: In the next few rounds I want to improve each weekend. In Bulgaria I didn’t expect too much and it worked out ok. I think in three weeks or a month I will be ok. I think I can get on the podium.
Q: There are a lot of good French riders in MX1 and MX2. Why do you think this is?
Teillet: It’s good racing with all the French riders, we all work together and we all know each other and it’s good for our country and we have a good French Championship, maybe that is why we have so many good French riders and the Federation also helps a lot.
By Geoff Meyer