After a long wait, Roger DeCoster finally got to stand on top of the podium again as US team manager and the man still obsessed with winning got to enjoy the victory champagne once again.
We spoke to Roger briefly to get his take on the US getting back on top at the MXoN plus getting to see in person the third generation Everts (Liam) riding at the highest level.
It’s been, I think, 11 years since USA won, does this make it feel extra special especially with what happened at Red Bud four years ago?
Yeah of course it makes it that much better you know? When you wait that long for something and you finally get it’s a better feeling. With the Covid and all that and a few years back in Italy, we should have one but we had a rider jump on Jason Anderson after the finish line and then Cooper had a tip-over on the last lap otherwise we still would have won, it was a big disappointment but now to get it back and get it in the US is special.
Do you think the riders felt more pressure because of what happened in 2018 and then the expectation to win this year because Chase and Eli were so strong outdoors?
Yeah, the pressure only builds with time more and more. There was a lot of pressure also on Justin, a lot of people thought that he was not the best choice and we should have brought a rider from the 450 down but I saw how tough he was when we were in Holland when he broke a bone in his hand, he still tried and he is a tough kid so I am really happy the way it worked out.
Where you suprised at his level today? It looked like he was better than he was all year outdoors, it looked like he stepped it up to me…
I felt that it was possble to do this, yeah.
Just on Liam Everts, you have saw all three generations of Everts you raced Harry, is it nice to see Liam and did you expect to see the third generation racing at the the elite level?
It was suprising maybe but at the same time I knew how much Harry and Stefan they are so racing minded but I was surprised at how good he has turned out already but then I was not surprised he chose to race motorcycles!
I was speaking to Harry (Everts) at the start of the weekend and you are the same, you have seen the start of motocross until now, who are the riders that have impressed you the most of the elite, who really standards out for you from Joel Robert to now?
You know there is a difference between the guys who have the most talent and the best style and all that and then there is the ones that end up winning the championships. It’s not always the same rider, but I am just talking to him and the current guys, I am very impressed with Vialle and his mental approach to racing of course we are all impressed with Jett and how good he is doing and how adaptive he is to different conditions, small bike and big bike and all that, I think those are the main guys over these seasons.
Im 2018 there was a lot about the Europeans style being different, smooth in the corners, the Americans more aggressive, the likes of Chase Sexton almost rides more like a GP rider and is very technical, is there a change coming in how Americans ride or do you think it will still be smoother Europeans and more aggressive Americans in the future?
They have to take the qualities from the European riders you know? But it’s difficult for the US rider to develop the best style for outdoors because supercross is so important in the US…. (Roger then had to go for a team USA photo just as he was developing his point).
Image: InFront Moto Racing
Interview: Jonathan McCready