Nathan Green had the opportunity to represent Ireland for the third time at this years Coupe de l’Avenir and he once again put in a great showing. The qualifying race was superb as he brought home a fifth position and on race day he ended up ninth overall – impressive!
We caught up with Green to discuss the event.
GateDrop: Nathan, not for the first time you got to represent Ireland at the Coupe de l’Avenir, having raced the event in the past, do you think that helped you this year?
Green: Yes, this was my third year racing the event. It definitely helped knowing how it all worked and I knew what sort of pace to expect from those guys.
GateDrop: Can you talk me through your moto’s? That fifth in the qualifying race must have been a big confidence booster!
Green: I really enjoyed the qualifying race… It nearly feels like mid-week evening motos back home. I got a really good start, I think I was in second out of the first turn. I knew the intensity was going to be high so the first few laps where really important. The first sort of ten minutes I was with the front boys which I was really happy with and I knew there was a strong group behind me so getting that fifth definitely gave me a lot of confidence heading into race day.
GateDrop: What were the expectations coming into the weekend? You must be chuffed with 9th overall?
Green: Honestly if you said to me that I was going to get a top ten overall before the weekend I would have grabbed it with both hands. I was more than happy with that.
GateDrop: Billy Askew and Edvards Bidzans seem to be out in front on their own – what was there pace like?
Green: The pace them boys had at the weekend was high. They can definitely sprint the whole moto and it’s definitely something I need to work on for next year. But it’s a good experience riding with them knowing what can be worked on.
GateDrop: How was the track? The type of dirt looked similar to tracks we have at home but there looked to be plenty of ruts! Did you enjoy it?
Green: The track got gnarly to say the least with very technical bumps into the step downs then jumping straight into ruts. You definitely have to be constantly thinking about what you’re doing with lines etc. I think we definitely need our tracks at home to cut up like this so we aren’t thrown into the deep end over there.
GateDrop: Having raced the event before, did you help the younger Irish riders?
Green: Yes, I helped the younger riders as much as I could. It wasn’t easy just with me racing myself but I am definitely going to go over next year (Nathan is too old to race next year) to give Wayne a hand and the riders because it is such a great event.
GateDrop: Everyone did well but I thought Herron and Thompson were really good. You must have been impressed with them?
Green: Alfie and Bradley were really expressive. I knew Alfie was going to be good as he has been there a few times but fair play to Bradley. It was his first time there and doing some of the big jumps on the 65 as well
GateDrop: I always thought Wayne Garrett was made for a management role, what was it like working with him for the weekend again?
Green: Me and Wayne would be really good mates, so it was definitely nice to do the event alongside him a few times. He is really good at it, it’s really good having him there as a team manager/ coach. There is things on the track that Wayne sees that I would never even think about.
