Tim Gajser : retenez bien le nom de ce jeune pilote slovène, ça peut servir d’ici quelques années…
"Tim Gajser’s is a strong-willed and persistent little grafter. After clinching the 2009 European Motocross title in the 85cc class, he looked set to continue along his winning ways in 2010, and his minders were cautiously optimistic in raising the possibility of strong result during sponsorship negotiations.
Gajser comes to within one second of world 85cc title
Any realist however knows that things do not always go according to plan, and much more so in motocross, where the outcome of your predictions are often tied to circumstances beyond your control.
So it came to pass then, that the young Slovenian suffered setback upon setback as the season progressed. Mechanical problems, unfortunate crashes and a few other problems turned his season into an unexpectedly challenging affair. The dark tinge on the horizon turned into a black cloud filling his sky when he sustained a serious injury at a European Championship event, breaking his hand. This definitely put paid to his chances of prolonging his European Championship reign, and he was forced to sit out most of his season as the injury healed up.
WIth his European title having gone up in a puff of smoke, TIm focused his attention on the Junior world championship event at Dardon Gueugnon in France. The hardiest of fans might have been forgiven a tinge of doubt, since racing at top level after such a long recovery is no simple matter. The very nature of motocross means that the body takes a proper pounding during races, and no one was sure just how strong Tim would be upon his return to racing.
Determination oozes out of the young teenager with a capital D, however. Tim underscored this at a European race on the weekend preceding the world championship event. Since this race was also in France, it was regarded as a perfect trial run for the world championship race. TIm rode to a majestic victory during the first heat of the Euro event at Lacapelle Marival, proving to all that he was back with a vengeance. A mechanical error unfortunately sidelined him in the second rae, but he had very clearly staked his claim.
After a tense week travelling and training in France, Tim and his family rolled up to register at the world championship venue. Bodo Schmidt had sent his world championship rig to the event to support Tim and Stefan Ekerold. Tim’s EHR-prepared bikes were in fine fettle, and the muscular youngster was keen for the waiting to be over and the racing to begin. After the previous weeks’s result, his speed was never in any doubt, and he underscored this by posting the second fastest time in the qualifying practice, with only 0.4 sec separating him from the pole spot. He fired one more warning shot across the opposition bows on Sunday morning, when he posted a clear fastest lap in the warm up session.
With all the confidence in the world, Tim launched his KTM off the line in race 1. He soon found himself at the pitched end of the battle in front, and before long, he was fighting for the lead. He was just about to make the leading position his own, when a fellow competitor punted him hard in a rather unsporting move. The off-track excursion dropped him a fair bit down the field, and he pulled out every trick in his book to fight ahead to fourth position again. He finished less than a second behind third-placed Scott Mann from Australia, and this single click on the stop watch was to prove very significant at the end of the day.
Tim’s fighting spirit was well and truly awakened by the punt he received, and in the second race he was in no mood for dishing out any favours, nor for allowing any riders near enough for a repeat of the first race actions. . As a courtesy to his report writer, he made matters quite simple. He shot out of the gate like a cheetah that had battery acid dropped on its derriere, and showed a clean pair of No Fear-shod Slovenian heels to the pack, proving yet again who the fastest man on the track was.
When the scores were tallied, Tim was credited with second place behind German rider Henry Jacobi. It was only then that his near third place in the first heat came into sharp focus. If his last lunge had been successful and he finished third in the first heat, the world crown would have fallen on his head. Thus he can truly be said to have come within one second of the 85cc world title. Still, he bore his lot and the manner in which he was deprived of the world title with great dignity, and there was still enough reason to celebrate under the tent of the Bodo Schmidt team. Stefan Ekerold had finished third overall for the event, hoisting both riders supported by the German team onto the podium. One could hardly ask for more than that.
Tim faced many challenges during the course of the seasonn, but when it mattered, he dug deep and delivered the kind of result his sponsors and supporters know he is capable of. He will participate in an ADAC Junior Cup event in Germany next, and the next objective that he has in his keen sight is to move onto a 125cc machine to pit his skills against some older riders."
, le il y a 9 années et 2 mois.
7.9 € TTC
