Reed on Pichon – amazing
In a brilliant interview with Chad Reed on the Whiskey Throttle show, Chad Reed was quick to praise the speed and talent of his 2001 GP rival, Mickael Pichon, who dominated the 250 world championship that season.
”Mickael was amazing,” acknowledged Reed. “I think as far like, if you put a category of talented riders, you would probably put Mickael as one of the top of that list of anyone anywhere in the world.
On why he was so good at that time, Reed opined, “Mickael had a full head of steam, he had been fired from Honda (99), the US had pretty much just wiped their hands of him. I think you saw a very motivated, committed, back in his element (rider) on a very good team and bike. I would be willing to bet (it was) the best you ever saw of Mickael which was was awesome for me, because I don’t know that I lined up at round one thinking, ‘I want to be world champ,’ it was was like, ‘I want to be good and I want to win.’ Did I ever say, ‘I want to be world champ this year when I’m thinking Mickael was there?”
Pichon dominated the 2001 250 world championship
In an example of how much exposure Reed had to the US series but not MXGP in Australia had skewed his view, Reed said: “Mickael was really the only one I looked in the field that I ever looked at and thought, it’s Mickael Pichon – because he was American really (thanks to Pichon’s time in the US from 95 to 99 that saw him win two 125 supercross titles and be a top five contender in the 250 supercross and motocross class).
“I knew of him. Pit Beirer, I didn’t really think much of him- he’s going to hate me! I knew who they were (GP riders) but they weren’t intimidating but Mickael you put him in a certain box (because he raced in the US). Mickael was your typical European, just ridiculously fast for one lap in qualifying.”
Reed also talks about how he was 11 seconds off Smets at Lommel when he first went there and how Kawasaki US boss Bruce Sternstrum scuppered a deal for Reed to race one more year in 250 Grand Prix because Kawasaki US wouldn’t give him a 250 contract in 03!
Watch the excellent show with Grant Langston and David Pingree on Chad’s career from the very beginning (GP stuff from 1h 6 minutes episode 1), here:
Article: Jonathan McCready
