To celebrate Kiara Fontanesi’s second consecutive World Championship victory we ran a competition on Facebook, inviting you to submit the questions you’d like to ask Kiara.
We selected the ten best questions and will give prizes, including one replica Fontanesi AIROH replica MX helmet to the people who submitted them.
Here are Kiara’s answers for you…
Fan: Itziar Polo Martinez
Question: What was your feeling when winning the second championship?
Kiara: “Winning a moto, GP, or a championship is always a big emotion. Every victory is the result of hard work behind the scenes. Winning the world championship again was something really special, even more special than the first one!”
Fan: Alejandro Beltran
Question: this victory is probably one of the most heartfelt for you so to whom is it dedicated?
Kiara: “Normally it has to be dedicated to only one person but as a world championship is something big I dedicated it to a lot of people: my family, my mechanics, my trainer, my special friends, supporters and all the people at home which couldn’t be there at the last round. I also have to say a big thanks to everyone who follows me.”
Fan: Simon Roberts
Question: When you’ve finished winning in Motocross, will we see you road racing? It would be cool to have a female MotoGP champion!
Kiara: “I’ve never tried a road bike but I’m going to this month. I will try a Yamaha R6 and I think it is going to be funny! When I stop racing I want to do something which doesn’t take me so far away from home and something more relaxing…”
Fan: Frank Ros:
Question: The number of female MX riders is limited. How and when did you start riding MX?
Kiara: “I was only two and a half years old when my parents bought me a pw50 Yamaha and it just happened naturally. My brother Luca was already an MX rider when I was born so I was riding in the paddock while he was racing. Then step by step and years by years I have become two times a world champion! If I look back I would never have thought I could do this!”
Fan: Pam Rogers
Question: Do you think women will ever be totally accepted in what is a predominantly male sport?
Kiara: “I know many male professional riders and they totally respect professional MX girls!! MX isn’t a sport only for men!”
Fan: Oliver Pumfrey
Question: When are you going to become the first women to take on the men in MXGP racing for a whole season, love to see you race and show them your ability?
Kiara: “I would like to compete a round in the MX2 class and that’s maybe something I will do soon!”
Fan: Trond Stubergh
Question: How can you get more women in to this sport?
Kiara: “That’s difficult to say because people see MX as a male sport and to be an MX girl or an MX boy as well you must have a different mentality then a normal person…should I say, the MX world is for ‘not normal people’ in my opinion!”
Fan: Robert Haworth
Question: Congratulations on your latest World Title ! Can I ask how many hours per month you spend on physical training and practicing riding skills /endurance?
Kiara: “Thanks a lot! My training depends on when I have races, and if I’m home or away for training in other countries. It’s difficult to say how many hours I train but for sure I train at least five or six times a week. When I’m not riding I do physical training for strength and fitness.”
Fan: Huan Tan
Question: Take us through your preparation for a big race from the day beforehand. How you focus mentally, what kind of physical preparation do you do and what kind of diet you eat before race day?
Kiara: “I don’t train so much in the week if that weekend I have an important race. I don’t follow a special diet before the race because now I’ve learnt what my body needs to get in to be fit. I always eat meat and vegetables and not so much pasta.”
Fan: Mirjam Veerhuis
Question: Do you look forward to next season and race the brand new YZ250F and what is your opinion of the bike?
Kiara: “I do race again with Yamaha next year and I’m happy about this. I began with a Yamaha pw 50, my first bike ever and I got to ride in the world championship with a 125cc Yamaha two-stroke. I won the world championship with a Yamaha 250 so I’m really happy to continue with them and I hope to keep riding with Yamaha for my career.”