Right before Kiara Fontanesi packed her stuff and went to her first WMX race of the year in Qatar we met with her and made this nice interview. If you want to know more about her check below.
MXDOSE.com: Hi Kiara thank you for you time…
Kiara: Hello everyone!
MXDOSE.com: When was the first time you came across with motocross and when did you start to ride?
Kiara: I started with my first championship in Lemm Trophy at the age of 5, but for fun I started to ride when I was two and a half years old. From that point onward I started to race, I always did well…especially because I was the only girl. I never thought my future will be on the two wheels. I lived day by day, so when I wanted to ride my bike I did without to be forced. It was, as I sad just for fun, at that time I was doing also gymnastics!
MXDOSE.com: Some years back we saw your brother competing in MX3 World Championship, does he still ride or train with you?
Kiara: Since the end of MX3 he spend more time managing the team, but he still ride with us.
MXDOSE.com: Now that you are 3 time FIM Women Motocross World Champion are you faster than your brother? (If yes “how he looks at it”)
Kiara: He has always been my point of reference because I always hit the track with him from the beginning. While growing up the gap became smaller and smaller to the point that in good days I go even faster than him. He is happy about my results but I think that, as every brother, he’s not too happy that his sister is faster than him… No mater how it is we work together to go even faster so we can try to win another WMX World Champion.
MXDOSE.com: How is your family involved in your motocross career?
Kiara: My family is always with me. Without my dad I raced only one time in the race where I got the head trauma that oblidged me not to participate in the last race of 2012 championship. A team is a team! We are always together! In Qatar we will be in 7!
MXDOSE.com: One not so much pleasant subject Injuries. Which was the worst for you and how do you deal with them?
Kiara: Luckily I never had serious injuries. In 2012 I crashed hard where I hit my head really hard. It took me awhile to get back because my brains processed inputs really slow. Other than that I have injured my ankle a few times and also last year in Qatar I banged my head again after going over the bar. The next few days I felt really bad almost like the truck drove over me. In average I had every season some small injuries and for this season I’ll try to limit them as much as possible.
MXDOSE.com: One of your family member, could be easily said, is also your dog Otto, are you taking him with you to all the races?
Kiara: Otto is like my daughter. I take him with me to every race and at the moment he’s lying on my legs. He’s my shadow.
MXDOSE.com: Can we say that Otto is your “Lucky Bunny”? Are you superstitious, do you have any ritual before the race?
Kiara: Not quite he’s more a part of the family. Back in the days I had some rituals. I rode with the same pair of gloves but at the end the focus on the race become so intense that I slowly forgot about it. You don’t need to be superstitious.
MXDOSE.com: How your preparations went for 2015…did you change anything in your training regime this year?
Kiara: My preparation went really well, I feel strong and ready for the season even tho the races starts earlier every year. This year I’m training differently and with different mind approach, spending more time on my bike. This makes me feel much better and now I enjoy the training even more!
MXDOSE.com: Are you staying with the same team structure and brand this year…any changes?
Kiara: My team is growing every year, more sponsors, coverage and pilots. In 2014 we got the award as being the best team in WMX Championship. Back in the day my dad had a painting company so he can form a small team for me so I could race and look where we are now. I can say that he did a good job. Nowadays YAMAHA MX FONTARACING is moving structures, managing our workers and other two pilots. The pilots that are also riding for our team this year are Giorgia Montini in WMX and Alessio Monteleone who will ride National and International races. This couldn’t been done without my sponsors that support us like Yamaha and Syneco.
MXDOSE.com: As a women rider is it hard to get sponsor support despite the World Championship Titles?
Kiara: I can’t complain at all, I’m one of the rare women rides that can say “motocross is my job”. I was lucky that we had the right persons and sponsors from the beginning. Yamaha supports me since 2009 and now I can proudly say that we are the official team. One year after my debut Monster Energy jumped in to become that part of “family”. After that we won three world titles which is just an amazing accomplishment. At the moment I can consider my team as one of the best, because we get a lot of requests of sponsors and we always try to find the best way for everyone. I’m happy that this happened thanks to my results and amazing job my dad did so far.
MXDOSE.com: What are your expectations for 2015?
Kiara: To defend my title! Once you’re there you have to fight for!
MXDOSE.com: Which women rider you think will be hardest for you to beat this year?
Kiara: It’s hard to say because at the starting gate there are 39 other riders and not just one. All of them can give you some difficulties, but none of them dread me, I don’t feel pressure from other riders, it’s the race that gives me the power.
MXDOSE.com: Are you close with any of them outside the racing?
Kiara: We all are close to each other. I like to have relations outside the track with Natalie Kane, Steffi Laier… but with Larissa Papenmeier I can say that we are close friends. I can still remember her when I won in Loket…she was crying more then I did! In race one she came to me saying that she dreamed my world title.
MXDOSE.com: In mens motocross we know that American’s opinion is that the best and fastest racing happens in the States, do you think that in FIM Women’s MX this is not the case. Are in your opinion WMX riders faster than in the States?
Kiara: I think that WMX Championship have higher level at the moment, that’s why all the best riders race here. Last year in August I was invited to race in the States with the best American riders and getting the podium was easier than in World Championships.
MXDOSE.com: And for last question, we can see many times that your name is written as Chiara or Kiara. Which one is the right one, does that bother you?
Kiara: It doesn’t bother me 🙂 We always used my name Chiara on the bike, poster,web etc… But on awards it all started when they often used the K by mistake. Now that almost everyone spells my name as Kiara, I decided, after a year of waiting, to change my name officially in to the register office into Kiara.
MXDOSE.com: Do you have anything to say to your fans?
Kiara: I would like to thank to all of you for the power and the support you give me on the track and on my social network. When I win they win with me!
MXDOSE.com: Once again Kiara, thank you for you’re time. MXDOSE.com crew wishes you all the best in 2015 and all the luck at defending your crown.
Kiara: I’ll do my best…thanks a lot to you guys and all the reader…see you on the track.
Interview by Peter Vasle (MXDOSE.com)