Glenn Coldenhoff had a superb day at Matterley Basin winning the opening moto despite pressure from Jeffrey Herlings and then Lucas Coenen but he remained calm and mistake free to take a brilliant win for Fantic.
A fifth place in a follow the leader second moto, with Coldenhoff doing all he could to pass Herlings but unable to move into fourth, still gave Coldenhoff a podium with a 1-5 score and a memorable day at Matterley Basin.
We caught up with a happy Dutchman at the end of the day:
Brilliant performance today, but that first moto, I’m sure you’ll probably remember that for the rest of your life. You held off Jeffrey Hernings and then Lucas Coenen, but no mistakes as well. How did that fail to get that well in the Fantic?
Yeah, really good. I mean, it’s been a while that I had a moto win, so I was really pumped. It’s good knowing that I’m still able to do it. It is always just great, you know, great feeling, great feeling for the team. You know, everybody was happy and first win for Fantic as well, so it was a really good moto.
And as well as the speed, you didn’t, well… I didn’t see you make a single mistake despite all the pressure you had. How are you able to focus that intensely and not make any mistake with those two pressure in you?
Yeah, no, it was tough. I mean, especially one lap rider hold me up quite a bit. I lost, I think, maybe two seconds in that lap and didn’t go out of my way. And so I was a little bit worried there, but I didn’t see Jeffrey anymore behind me. And Jeffrey normally is known as a super strong guy. When he attacks, he really attacks. But I think he went down off. Actually, that’s what I heard from the team. And I saw Coenen behind me and, yeah, I just put four laps to go. I had another extra push and, yeah, managed to win, which was amazing.
That last lap to hold Coenen off, are you going at 100% there? Are you riding it in 98, 99? It’s obviously not crash because you don’t want to throw away the win that way, but you also don’t want to go too slow that he catches you.
No, I think this is a track where you cannot go every single part of it 100%. So I tried to stay smart and just be fast where you were able to go fast and be smooth where you should be smooth. So I think that was key to that motto, to just try to stay relaxed, be focused, really focused, use your mind and, yeah, stay consistent.
So Niek Kamper, got a brilliant photo of you over the finish line celebrating. You could see the joy in your eyes. What was that moment like as you went across the line?
It’s amazing. I mean, I definitely liked the neckburn. Decided to throw a nice whip, which was great. And will definitely post that picture later.
And how big is that for Fantic, just as a company, that you’ve been able to do this for them today and not just yourself?
Yeah, I would consider like Fantic is not the biggest factory .I would say if you compare that to all the factory teams out here and to be able to perform and have a moto win for them, it’s huge. Even the boss from Fantic called me after that first moto. And, you know, it’s great. They don’t expect those results, but it’s nice to give those results to them. Because, you know, they work hard. They did a great job over the winter, as well as my team, of course. You know, we have a super, super solid structure, and everyone is working really hard, and I’m super, super happy. Also, not only for Fantic, but also for the whole team, you know. We are a strong crew, and we definitely stepped it up this year as a team, as well. And, yeah, I’m really happy at the moment where I’m at.
You started the season off pretty strong, lately you weren’t bad, but it probably wasn’t as strong as you started the season. Now you’ve come back all guns blazing. Did you think you could win a moto this year? Did you always believe that?
Yeah, I always kept believing. I mean, it’s always tough to keep believing, especially in tough times. And if I look at my results this year, you know, I’m definitely four or five races in a row, which were not the best. So I really wanted to switch that around, and I believe I did. Already in Latvia I was a bit disappointed to not being on the podium, but, yeah, being back here in England, on the hardback track, usually they call me a sand rider, but I’m also able to do that on the track, which I like, of course, but, yeah, I feel like I can do it anywhere. And it’s good for myself, especially, you know, we’re having two weekends off. It’s good having such a good result, and I knew that before coming here, so I’m really happy with that.
Was the second moto frustrating, because the five-year-old were similar speed again, and you were giving everything to pass Jeffrey. A few times it looked like you happened, but he kept fighting back.
Yeah, you know, Jeffrey is normally known as a super strong until the end, you know, and when he attacks, he definitely attacks. And, yeah, being able to, you know, push him and try to get around, and at one point I was super, super close, but, you know, he’s super smart. I mean, he started GPs in 2010, same like when I came to the GP, so we go a long way, but, you know, he definitely rode great, and it’s good to be battling with the top guys.
So you, Jeffrey, Romain, are all winning GPs in your 30s. Eli Tomac is back, we thought he’d be retired. He’s now up the front again in his 30s. Obviously, Cairoli is nearly 40, getting seventh! Why do you think there’s so many guys still so fast at age whenever a lot of people would have retired, maybe 10, 15 years ago?
It’s a good question. For sure, we’ve got a lot of experience, you know. We know how to train for an MXGP season. We know how to prepare for that, and I think, you know, that last final bit to fight with the top of the top, I think it comes down also mentally, you know, being prepared for that, and, yeah, just be at the limit, but at the same time, don’t go too much over it, because it will bite you. But that’s what I said, you know, it’s a experience, and, yeah, I’ve been around for quite a bit now, so I believe I have that.
We still have the Motocross des Nations in America, you are usually quite good there as well, so more to look forward to!
Yeah, I know, you know, if I look at the calendar now, there are so many nice races coming where I should perform quite well, and we are 12 GPs in now, still late to go, and then still having destinations. Obviously, you know, that last part of the season is going to be tough, especially with Turkey, China, Australia, a weekend off, and then des Nations in the US. It’s going to be a lot of travelling, and that’s definitely a tough part as well from our season, but I think we managed to, you know, make a solid plan for all the year, I don’t feel like we are at round 12 already, so I feel like I still have something in me. I think it’s going to be great to see you get that one.
Thanks very much.
