Tom Vialle feels his time in the USA has helped his performance in MXGP and, after a scintillating start to his rookie 450 season, it is hard to argue with his assessment.
New bike, new team, new class and new series, none of ot mattered to Vialle who seemed to pick up where he left off before he went to the USA with one extra ingredient…intensity!
“I think I’ve improved my intensity at the start of races over the past three years,” offered Vialle. ” I felt good at the beginning of the motos. I got good starts, but I went too wide each time and got passed. But my intensity in the opening laps was good, and I hope that continues throughout the year. Also, this type of track isn’t really what I prefer on paper, but I did my best.”
But after having a one day format in the States, the long MXGP weekend with six on track sessions including three races, was a bit of a shock to the system with Vialle saying: “Grand Prix weekends are long, honestly. We ride a lot, maybe even a bit too much in my opinion. Especially on Saturday: there’s free practice, long qualifying practice, and then a qualifying race. It’s a long day, but it’s the same for everyone.”
And maybe there lies the reason for the differences in intensity…short sharp Supercross races are a very different animal to a long GP weekend and it’s harder to sustain that intensity. But Vialle may just be able to create the perfect hybrid in 2026 just like Jorge Prado did in 2024 when he came back from the US with an incredible leve of intensity that no-one else could match early in the season.
