After winning his second MX2 world title in 2022, Tom Vialle decided to change things up in his career by heading to race in America. The French talent has got through his rookie Supercross season and is now racing the AMA Nations.
At the weekend, Vialle got his first overall win at a sandy Southwick and will be hoping this can kick start his season.
On winning his first AMA National round at Southwick…
It means a lot. I had a few tough races and tough times. Even to be on the podium, first overall win and on the podium, it took time. It was tough, to be honest. Getting everything a little bit together now—I feel better on the bike, I start to feel like myself again, like last year. So, I think we are in a good way for the end of the season. The track was nice. A little bit, like I said on the podium, like what I know, the sand. The track is way different than, for example, Lommel, or other tracks like that. Underneath it’s kind of hard here, but it was nice. It was nice to be back a little bit on a sand track. Hopefully we can continue like that next weekend.
How he dealt with the sandy Southwick conditions…
n Europe, all the teams are more or less based in Belgium, so we have to ride in the sand in the winter. We’re used to doing a lot of sand. The track is a little bit different, and underneath it was kind of hard, so it’s not like Lommel, this track. Maybe close to Valkenswaard or a track like this where it’s hard underneath. I like the track. It was pretty nice. Actually, it was not super rough. It was rough, but more like small braking bumps. It was not big waves like we can see at Lommel. But it was nice, I had a fun time.
On the one day format and little bike time before the opening race…
Yeah, the weekend is way different. Here we don’t have so much time, that’s maybe why I struggle a little bit the first moto. But especially everyone told me here, early in the first practice you have to do a lap because it’s off the fastest. Even first lap, I jumped over the finish jump. It was not a big jump, but I don’t even know, never jumped before and have to go from the second lap full gas almost. So, it’s pretty tough. I’m a rider, like normally I try to anticipate a little bit, the track and it took some time. In Europe we have like 30 minutes free practice. Here after two or three laps you have to ride at almost 100 percent. So, it’s pretty tough. I’m getting used to it actually, getting better each weekend on timed practice, but for sure, it’s not easy.
On working with Marvin Musquin…
I started to work with Marvin for the outdoors. I needed someone close and who knows the tracks and can help me a lot from his experience. He rode here for many years, so he knows a lot about each track. We talked a lot before the moto about the lines and stuff. Trying just to help and get me a little bit more comfortable about the track. That works pretty good so far.
Images: Doug Turney