Q. Lets talk about your podium at the last round, what a ride it was! How did you find the first ever AORC desert cross-country?
I enjoyed the desert cross country but heading into the event I was a bit worried as the race was similar to Hattah, and at Hattah I hit the two-hour mark and really struggled. I surprised myself with how I felt on the bike, but the extra bike time and preparation helped me achieve my first podium. I approached the race a bit differently at Broken Hill, NSW, I tried to not go out too hard and use up all my energy in the first two hours, but I liked the format. It was new and very challenging.
Q. The championship now heads to your home state, what can we expect to see at Kingston SE?
I have never ridden at the location, but I rode close to the location on the weekend in a six-hour pony express, but the condition will be very different for AORC. The track at Kingston will be tight and the terrain will be sandy soil. South Australian tracks aren‰Ûªt usually known for being so tight, which I hope Kingston SE continues as that suits my riding style.
Q. As one of the leading privateer‰Ûªs in AORC, you are pushing these factory riders, what do you put that down too?
I honestly don‰Ûªt know, I scratched my head at the end of last year to not land a team ride with my results. In saying that its always rewarding to finish in front of the team guys and to achieve these results basically on my own is awesome. My mum does come to some rounds and lends a hand, but she can‰Ûªt help to much when it comes to the bike.
Not landing a team ride after my season last year is something that I thought about a lot over the off-season as I‰Ûªve never had to opportunity to put in the effort the team riders get too, but I feel I definitely have the speed which I have shown. It has been a sense of motivation to be back out again and push myself to get good results, but its also frustrating as I felt like, what more do I have to do to land a team ride.
