Interview: Anton Gole on going MXGP and JWC Yamaha


Young Swede, Anton Gole is just 21 years old so had to years left to compete in the MX2 World Championship. However, Gole’s plans have been announced for the year ahead and he’s signed with Swedish team, JWC Yamaha to contest the European rounds of the MXGP World Championship.

It’s quite a surprise to see Gold make the switch so early in his career but he feels the bigger bike suits him better so it’ll be interesting to see how he gets on during his rookie year in the MXGP class.

We caught up with Gole to discuss his move for 2019.

Gatedrop: It’s just been announced that you will move up to MXGP for 2019. I think that’s took a lot of people as surprise as you still had two years left in MX2. What’s the decision behind the move up to MXGP?

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Anton Gole: I have been thinking a lot about this decision. But at the end of the day I felt like the 450 suited my style pretty well. The thoughts about maybe moving up to the MXGP class all started as I got selected to represent team Sweden at Motocross of Nations in USA to ride the 450. It feels a little sad to leave the MX2 class as I still got two years left but I felt like this was the right decision for me.

Gatedrop: You’ve signed with Swedish team, JWC Yamaha who will really step it up for 2019. How did the deal all come about?

Anton Gole: I have had good connection with Johan Westermark (team manager) for a couple of years now and we have been talking to maybe do something together for some time, so it feels good to finally join the team. We just sat down and had a talk. As I live in Sweden and sort of have my base here everything gets really easy for me to be in a Swedish team.

Gatedrop: It must be nice to be with a Swedish team, you must know the guys at the team well?

Anton Gole: Yes, for sure I know the team well and it’s really nice that everybody speaks Swedish (laughs).

Gatedrop: What is it about the 450cc that you think will suit your style better?

Anton Gole: I think the 450cc suits me better as I’m a little bit taller and I feel like I can use my long legs on a really good way with all the power that the 450cc has got.

Gatedrop: You will have two strong team mates in Kevin Strijbos and Vsevolod Brylyakov. Do you plan on riding with them much as that should only help your speed?

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Anton Gole: Yes, I’m planning to ride quite a lot with them as we are going to Spain in January with the team. I’m also planning to spend some time in Holland/Belgium before the season and as they both live there I think we will ride quite a lot together.

Gatedrop: What are your expectations for the 2019 season and what’s it feel like to race in MXGP? The level is incredible at the moment!

Anton Gole: It’s going to be a tough challenge to race in MXGP as the competition is very high. But on the other hand I feel really good on the bike and my training at the moment is going really well so I’m definitely looking forward to this challenge. I don’t have any real expectations. I just want to enter the season healthy and grow into the class as the season goes on.

Gatedrop: Just on 2018, how would you describe your season and your time with the I-Fly JK Yamaha team? Was it even an option you could have stayed there for 2019 too?

Anton Gole: The 2018 season had a lot of ups and downs for me as I was injured the whole off season and also missed the first ten rounds of the MX2 series. But I did my best and I couldn’t have done it without my great team JK IFLY Yamaha. Yes, it was an option for me to stay there but everything gets so much easier for me to have the team based in Sweden.

Gatedrop: Have you any plans about which races you’ll do during the off-season yet and where you will be based?

Anton Gole: I will be based in Sweden but I will try to be in Belgium as much as possible. My only planned pre-season race is Hawkstone park but maybe I will do one or two more races but nothing is planed yet.

Gatedrop: Anyone you’d like to thank?

Anton Gole: I really want to thank my old team JK IFLY Yamaha, my personal sponsors and of course my whole family for all they do for me.

Interview: Andy McKinstry

Pic: JWC Yamaha