Tom Vialle is set to head back to MXGP next year with Honda but he has three more weekends of racing in the USA for KTM with the SMX series and, after second last year, Vialle is hoping to go one better and feels his MXGP experience of man-made tracks could help him.
Speaking at the SMX press conference, Vialle said: “I always like these type of tracks, I feel like it is a good mix between motocross and supercross. I have been looking at the track earlier and there is a lot going on, a lot of jumps, a lot of turns. We used to, in MXGP, when we go overseas, they would build the track only for the weekend so we are a little bit used to it and I always liked it a lot. We finished second last year hopefully we can get better this year. “
Vialle says he has been testing the last two weeks and went back to his supercross set-up, using a different shock than the one he says has been fading on him in outdoors: “I have been trying a lot of stuff these last two weeks, I went back to my supercross set-up. I went back to my supercross base, with a different shock, the setting inside is a lot different so we try to work on that bit and hopefully should be good tomorrow.”
“This is going to be my last three races in the 250 class.” confirmed Vialle when asked about his future plans amidst the heavy rumours he is going back to MXGP. “So I am really looking forward, it is a short championship but I really want to make it as good as I can. It’s exciting to move up to the 450 class, I can’t ride the 250 either in Europe or here. It has been a long run (on a 250) since my debut in 2019, winning two titles in Europe and two here in supercross, it’s been a pretty good run. I really want to end it in a good way before moving up to the 450 class.”
“When I came here, I didn’t expect to win two titles in three years, the goal was to win at least one, one day. That’s why I came here to win at a supercross race or championship and I did it. I had to move the 450 class, so that’s why I am going to enjoy the last three races on the 250. A little bit disappointed with the outdoors, the last two seasons…I ended up second in the championship last year but I couldn’t really make it to fight for the title in the outdoors, that’s the only regret. We are going to try end in a good way, these last three races.”
Vialle isn’t riding for France this year at the MXoN as Valin is in for MX2, so these last three races will be his last on a 250, if he adds an SMX title to his two supercross crowns, it could be quite the way to put a stamp on this US career!
