Jed Beaton on lockdown and the start of his season
Jed Beaton recently spoke to Paul Malin and Lisa Leyland on the MXGP studio show and they discussed the following topics..
On staying in Belgium for lockdown instead of heading back to Australia..
“The main reason not knowing what’s going on, really. The first month, no one really knew what was going on so I felt it was a difficult time to just pack up and go home, especially because I didn’t have a reason too. I just stuck around and I didn’t think all the tracks would get closed and stuff so that made it a little bit difficult but that was only about a month and a half or two month. It was actually quite nice to have some time off the bike and relax. For sure I think it was the right decision (to stay), if I went back to Australia, you have to spend the two weeks in quarantine, a lot of stuff like that makes it difficult. I’d have maybe got a bike back home but it’s just not the same when you go to the track, when you go with the team it’s quite easy and you get well looked after”.
On 2019 – a season filled with injuries..
“It was a disappointment to miss so many rounds and stuff but at the same time I had a disappointing year. I had injury on injury so it was quite hard to get the confidence back and make myself ride good when I knew I was hurt all the time. That’s the reason I went back to Australia to spend a few weeks there to get healthy again. It’s been a whole new reboot since then, I feel comfortable on the bike again and everything is going well. To be honest I don’t know if top five would have been possible last year because I missed so many rounds and stuff but obviously consistency is key and last year I wasn’t. This year I think it’s definitely possible.
On the start of 2020 at Matterley Basin..
“The first race (at Matterley Basin), I didn’t get off to the best of starts so I wasn’t really expecting to be in second, a few guys went down and a few things happened, I made a couple of passes but I didn’t actually realise I was in second until I looked up and seen Jago. I then thought I must be second but at the same time I was just happy to see Jago just in front of me, I felt like I could have go for the race win, I was pumped with the result but also disappointed at the same time because I’ve never won a race in MX2 and it was right there in front of me. To start of the season that way was positive and quite good so I can’t really complain. I just really enjoy the track there, it’s got quite deep ruts and it’s quite a rough track as well as flowing and open. That’s the kind of track I really like”.
On a tough and brutal Valkenswaard for round two..
“That was pretty brutal, the track was so heavy. Obviously in winter here we ride quite a lot of tracks that are similar but to be honest that track was something different. The track was so heavy, I don’t think anyone was prepared or ready for that, it was just a one off race that was pretty crazy. It was mentally and physically tough. I am quite satisfied with the result I got in Valkenswaard because sand has never been my strong point. It’s quite nice to see that the long winters here are starting to pay off and I’m getting used to conditions like that”.
You can watch the full studio show below:
