After the second round of the EMX125 series, we caught up with former GP rider and winner, Kenneth Gundersen who is now focusing on trying to take his son on a path of his own. Pelle raced some EMX125 rounds last year but is in for the full series this year and has started the season well.
We caught up with Kenneth after Arco di Trento to discuss Pelle, Norwegian talents in the paddock and more. You can watch/listen/read below:
GateDrop: Kenneth, let’s start with this season, the EMX125, Pelle, a big improvement from last year and it’s his first full year doing this championship, it looks like he had a strong winter…
Gundersen: Yeah, he’s been practicing a lot and working hard in the winter so it’s nice to see that the effort is paying off. It is a very hard and competitive class so you really need to push hard to make results.
GateDrop: Obviously Pelle is young but you’re a former GP rider yourself, a lot of dads can push their kids when they’re very young, would you say this is his first year proper going at it and his first full season in this championship obviously because he only done a few last year?
Gundersen: Yeah, last year was just to be here and understand what it is. I think that helped him a lot in the winter when he prepared and he knows what is coming. For me, as a dad it’s all about being safe and I don’t want to put any pressure on him. He’s doing this for himself. Myself and his mother and everyone around him, is there just to support, guide him and help him in the best way we can.
GateDrop: The first two rounds this year, pretty good I would say, are you happy with where he’s at? He sort of has top ten speed and if he can get a top five start, that probably isn’t out of the question?
Gundersen: Yeah, I think that as the season goes on he will just improve more and more because when Pelle grew up I was always busy so he didn’t have time to do so many races. He practised a lot but as he gets used to the racing I think he will steadily improve more and more. I think the most important for us is that he stays on two wheels and doesn’t hurt himself and he has to take his time to get where he wants to go.
GateDrop: Being a former GP rider yourself, you know how tough this sport is and how brutal it can be. In terms of the sport now, when you were a racer, I feel like the EMX championships is very good for youth today, it’s maybe easier for the youth of today than when you were racing. Would you agree and do you like the format of the GPs at the moment?
Gundersen: I think when you have EMX125 and then you have the EMX250, it’s a perfect way to grow into the GPs and in the end if you can manage those classes well then you deserve a place in the MX2 GP series. The way it is now is fantastic.
GateDrop: A privateer setup at the moment, how hard is it being a privateer, obviously it’s tough on the budget but you’re at least going to do the full championship this season so that’s good but going forward do you think it’s sustainable or is the hope to get him a good ride in the future?
Gundersen: I think that, what shall I say, in the sport now it’s either you do it or you don’t. I think to do it half way has no sense because everyone is so professional and works so hard. I think for us it’s all about managing and trying to give Pelle some years now with good support and that he can do all the races and learn. Now he’s only 14 so I think when he’s 17-18 he will see if he has a chance to succeed and if he doesn’t have the chance then still he had a good time and we had a good time together as a family. So yeah, in the end it’s Pelle who is racing, we only support him and where he wants to end up is up to him. How many hours he is willing to put down practicing.
GateDrop: Looking back at your career, a solid GP rider, you must be happy with what you achieved. Especially you were the first big Norwegian rider I would say to come from your country and I think you won a couple of GP overalls, can you tell me about your first win, a special place in your heart, I’m sure?
Gundersen: Yeah, I won actually four GP’s. The first time I won was in Uddevalla, very close to home and for sure I remember that, it was very nice. I was like you say, the first one from Norway. Then when I retired I started to train young kids and the first group of riders that I started to train at that time was Kevin Horgmo, it was Isak Gifting, it was Håkon Österhagen and so it’s nice to see that all the kids that you followed for many years are now making good results. At the same time Pelle grew up, he was a small baby at that time so he’s also joining the whole time and Kevin and those guys learned from me and now Pelle can learn from them. It’s nice to see that from the Nordic countries it’s still possible to become a good GP rider.
GateDrop: Yeah, that was my next question actually, working with those young kids and obviously Kevin Horgmo, you worked with him very closely. I mean Norway is a tiny country, it must feel really good seeing these three and even Martine Hughes in WMX, you sort of seem to have a rider in each class which is unbelievable really considering how small the country is…
Gundersen Yeah, and also the thing with Norway is that six months a year we have snow so we actually have only six months a year where you can really ride under good conditions but I think we try to use our problems and make it a positive thing. In the winter we ride with spikes on the tyres, do other types of training and then of course we have to travel a lot, go to Spain, Italy and these countries in the winter. But if you want to succeed I think you can do it from wherever you come from.
GateDrop: Just on Kevin Horgmo because I know you worked with him very closely, what was it like working with him and in MXGP I wasn’t sure how he would start the season being a rookie but actually he’s been very, very good. Are you impressed with how he’s doing so far in the 450?
Gundersen: Yeah, Kevin is such a talented rider and I think he has possibilities to do even better but yeah like you say I’m also super impressed because MXGP… You know, the level is so high and for Kevin to be in his first year, go in and finish almost top ten every time, it’s amazing. I really hope that he can continue the year in a good way and possibly even make some results in the top five.
Interview: Andy McKinstry
