He is one of the most articulate and charismatic riders of the modern era and maybe ever, but Adam Cianciarulo’s story actually revolves around his grit and determination to rebound from mental toil and physical issues to still become an AMA champion.
Underneath the affable personality is resilience, Cianciarulo was pegged as the Roczen and Herlings of the USA in their era, coming up as he did as the new generation star boy of American moto. Yet he had the speed, charisma and amateur titles to back up the hype.
Ciancuarulo then won straight away in supercross, the potential appeared to be turning to reality and then, almost immediately, the injuries hit.
He dislocated his shoulder ending his rookie title hopes and from there it was a never ending stream of injuries, a growth spurt that forced the now tall rider to adjust his riding style and the mental impasse of seeing a career not going the way he planned, with younger riders taking the spotlight, plus the ultimate frustration of seeing his long term amateur rival, Cooper Webb racking up the pro titles. AC was supposed to have Webb’s success – that had to hurt.
But his positive outlook embued a “never give up’ nature and yet, just when it looked like he was finally about to win the 250 supercross title, AC crashed at the very end of the race, handing the title to Ferrandis! Would he ever win a major title?!
This was the ultimate, in front of the whole world, heartbreak and yet he still did a TV interview to put forward his view in the aftermath of such a soul crushing experience. Still professional despite the pain.
Then just a couple of weeks later in outdoors, Cianciarulo put all the years of frustration and disappointment into his riding, complete with lazer focus, and came out with a title, an outdoor title at that against all the fast guys in the 250 class.
This was redemption in a big and unexpected way as the can’t miss supercross kid became the US National 250 Motocross champion. A bigger title than the title he lost so cruelly just a few months before. After years of frustration a moment of exhilaration and relief, Ciancuarulo was back on top and now he had a title to his name and the history books.
He success got him his factory 450 contract with Kawasaki and AC was immediately fast, winning Monster Cup against Tomac until crashes hurt his rookie supercross season – but the speed was elite level.
He challenged for the outdoor title on the 450 but then, once again, all that momentum got ruined by injuries and eventually after battling a nerve problem in his arm, AC had to finally give in at 27 years old.
A decade of effort, expectation, disappointment, pain and joy, it was a career that he did the hard way.
But all those highs and all those lows may, ironically, allow Cianciarulo, who is surely destined for a media role and hopefully a TV analyst, to be able to accurately describe and empathise in how it feels like to be at the top with big expectations, the very bottom with never-ending injuries, and then fight to get back on top once more.
Ciancuarulo has experienced it all and still became a champion. He should be very proud of his racing career, and yet, his next career could be just as good or even better in the media arena…
Article: Jonathan McCready
Image: Align Media
