The MX2 rider is flying high this season after a strong start. Redbull.com catches up with him…
It’s been a strong start to the MX2 World Championship this year for Standing Construct KTM rider Glenn Coldenhoff.
The Dutchman is now in his third campaign in the World Championship and after five rounds of the 2013 series he’s sitting third overall in the standings. A first podium has so far eluded Coldenhoff but it doesn’t seem far off, and he’s currently on track to achieve his aim for the year.
“My goal for this year was to finish in the top five and I’m currently in third, so if I could make that by the end of the year, why not? I can fight for top three, for sure,” Coldenhoff recently told redbull.com.
“I think I’ve had a solid GP at every round, and I’ve not been outside the top eight. That’s also important. I got second place in Qatar in the first moto, that surprised me a little bit because I had expected more from other riders but they’re coming now so, so far so good!”
That doesn’t tell the whole story though. Coldenhoff’s form belies some fitness problems that dogged his 2012 season…
I’ve been fighting so hard.
“Last year I had two operations, on my shoulder and my elbow, and it was always going to be difficult to come back from that,” he explained. “But with a season like we’re having now, third in the Championship, it’s going well.”
One of the key factors to Coldenhoff’s progress this year – he finished 9th overall last season – has been a completely new approach to training, and the guidance provided to him by four-times Motocross World Champion Harry Everts.
“I changed a lot actually. I have a personal trainer now, twice a week, and I did a lot of core training,” Coldenhoff revealed. “Also on the mental side I have learned a lot with Harry Everts, he has so much experience.
For me it’s the most important thing, that I stay calm, and Harry is helping me a lot with that.
“I also had a really good winter with the team, I went to a lot of hard tracks. Now I have some confidence and I’m going to keep that going all year long.”
There’s also an added determination to the 22-year-old’s demeanour, something he attributes to Everts…
“He is always pushing. I love to train very hard and he helps with the good things in training, especially on the mental side. I am not so strong on the mental side but last winter I learned so much with Harry, and he has made me a lot stronger.”