Things can change very quickly in America. Just over six months ago Ken Roczen and Cooper Webb weren’t even participating in the US motocross series while Adam Cianciarulo and eventual champ, Zach Osborne, battled it out for US outdoor title and now both Cianciarulo are both out for the of the supercross season while Webb and Roczen duel for the 2021 supercross title!
Even Webb went from 16 points down to the points leader in five rounds this season but the one thing that has stayed the same is the lack of passing aggression by Ken Roczen against Cooper Webb.
Even Jeremy McGrath and Chad Reed, with experience and wisdom of nine supercross titles between them, have urged Roczen to be more aggressive with Webb, McGrath saying on Race Day Live, “I’m watching Ken Roczen get abused by Cooper Webb really. He’s not standing up for himself out there and I think the reason why the second half has been a little tough is because he won’t take a stand. Ken Roczen he wants to embarrass these guys, right? He wants to be clean, he wants to be fast, he’s Mr smooth, Mr Clean, gets great holeshots.”
“But you know what? These guys are taking advantage of him out there and he needs to make a stand. In my mind he needs to punt Webb one good time to make him understand that he’s not going to take that stuff.”
Reed concurred saying on the Pulp MX show: ““When you don’t have a back-up plan which clearly he doesn’t, then you have to mess with him, run into him – do something!”
But the truth and reality is Ken Roczen has never really ridden like that in his career even against a big rival like Herlings. He tried it once against Webb a couple of years ago after Webb ran him high and ended up breaking his own hand, so that move won’t create an affirmative mentality of aggressive/emotional riding working well.
Roczen has been through enough injury and pain already. He is also a new dad and against a guy like Webb, who will never back down if things get physical, maybe Roczen thinks it just isn’t worth the risk and the best and safest way to beat Webb is to execute his race and out ride him.
It’s coming down to now or never for Roczen to win this title, if he is going to change his game-plan as Reed suggests, it has to be on Saturday night if Webb is anywhere near him. At 15 points down Roczen has to beat Webb somehow, someway to keep these championship hopes alive but can he really find it in him to give as good as he has been getting exact revenge on a ruthless Webb who will do whatever it takes to win the title?
Article: Jonathan McCready
Images: Feld Entertainment Inc.
