After a setback at Saint-Jean-d’Angély, Maxime Desprey had handed over the red plate to Thibault Benistant in the Elite MX1 championship. Two rounds later, the GSM Yamaha rider regains control of the 24MX Tour by taking his second win of the season in Vesoul. The years go by, but Desprey is still very much present—and more competitive than ever against Grand Prix riders who occasionally drop in to race the French championship. Interview by Kevin Frelaud.
Maxime, a win this weekend in Vesoul. You take back the red plate—a good day, even if I think you had a slightly tricky qualifying session.
Desprey: Yes, it didn’t start well. During qualifying this morning, I didn’t feel comfortable on the track or with the bike—it was complicated. But we managed to make some small improvements to the bike, especially with the suspension and a bit with the gearing. So I got out front twice, which really helped.
In the first moto, I managed to find a good rhythm and figure out a few things on the track—things I hadn’t managed to do in the morning—so that was great.
A good day overall: a first and a second in the motos. In the second one, Horgmo passed me halfway through, but it’s still satisfying, even if he was faster. And Thibaut also had a strong second moto, but I was still there, so it’s cool to get the win.
What did you think of the track?
Desprey: Yesterday [Saturday], it was still very dry and hard-packed, and we all felt it really needed watering. In the end, they did the job—there were quite a lot of ruts and bumps. Some sections were a bit slippery and tricky, but overall it was a good motocross track. You could make the difference, and we saw plenty of overtaking.
Elite MX1 feels a bit like David versus Goliath for you in recent seasons. You keep finding yourself battling guys who race in GPs. You even beat Tom Vialle at the start of the championship. Do you think that helps you stay sharp?
Desprey: Yes, I think so. They have the pace and they’re getting strong results, often in the top 10. So it brings speed to our championship. The team and I try to work accordingly to compete with them. It’s a great challenge and it’s really cool.
Five years later, you’re about to return to the Grands Prix. Three questions: why not before, why now, and what are your goals?
Desprey: Why not before? Because I was really focused on a French programme—motocross and supercross.
Then the supercross season starts quite quickly, and there’s training to do. I actually prefer doing a few international motocross races here and there, because financially it works out better for me. That’s why I stepped away from Grands Prix. I didn’t have that many offers either, even though I did get one in recent years.
But I preferred to stick with a French programme with Elite and Supercross. There’s also World SX with the GSM team, so I had other goals.
In any case, I’m doing the French Grand Prix at Lacapelle. I don’t really have a specific objective. The goal is to give it my all and ride well. Either way, it’s going to be tough.
We know GPs are a war. I’ll try to give it everything there and then we’ll see.
In the end, you race all over the world. We see you in World Supercross, racing in India, in France, doing ADAC, prize races, international motocross events… Will we ever see Maxime Desprey try outdoor in the US? I feel like if anyone should test themselves there now, it’s you.
Desprey: Yes, it’s actually the only championship I haven’t done yet. I think I might have a card to play there. Watching outdoor tracks since I was young really makes you dream.
If I get the opportunity, doing one or two outdoor races would definitely be something to tick off. I think it would be cool. But as you said, our seasons are non-stop. In the end, we’re caught up in it: motocross, supercross, WSX, internationals—it never stops.
There’s also Germany at the start of the year in January. There’s no real off-season anymore. It’s not easy to manage—we’re always at full intensity mentally. You have to find moments to switch off a bit.
Time keeps ticking—you can’t stop it. As an experienced rider in your thirties, can you picture life without competition?
Desprey: It’s not easy—it’s actually a bit scary. But yes, I have some ideas for what’s next. I’ve already talked about it a bit with J-C Vaschetto. My parents have a body shop, and my brother works there. We’ve already started a small wheel business together, and eventually we’ll take over the body shop. I think that’s the direction things will go.
But I’ll always keep a foot in motocross. It’s something I truly love. I’ve been on a bike since I was six, so I won’t be able to just stop completely.
When I’m done, I’d still like to race two or three times from time to time, just to keep that bit of adrenaline that I think I’ll miss.
We’re seeing a lot of young French riders heading into European programmes this year. Top-level spots are limited and only a few will truly make it to the top. What path would you recommend to a young rider looking to build a long career?
Desprey: I think when you’re young, you have to try Europe. You have to give it a go—especially now that those races run alongside the Grands Prix, so you can get noticed. But it’s not easy, because European championships are a battle every weekend too.
In my case, I managed to do four years in the world championship, and that gave me discipline and a strong base—both on the bike and on tough tracks. Those four years of GPs gave me a solid foundation. I came back to the French championship, but I can still fight with guys like Horgmo and Benistant today.
I think it’s always worth trying. When you go for something, you have to give it everything. Racing in the world championship is every rider’s dream, so when you’re young, you have to go for it.
After that, there’s no shame in returning to a French programme, with Supercross and international races on the side. As I said, financially, I’m much better off with my current programme than if I were finishing between 10th and 20th in GPs. So I have no regrets in that respect.
I still did four years in the world championship, with good teams. Unfortunately, I never quite made that next step that would have allowed me to fight for podiums and wins.
But I’m trying to keep the adventure going a bit longer. I’d like to continue for a few more years—that would be great.
