PROFILE
Name: Cristophe Pourcel
Nickname: Chris
Birth date: August 16, 1988
Birthplace: Marseille (France)
Nationality: French
Size: 1,78m
Weight: 63 kg
Favorite drink: Mint
Favourite food: Meat fondue
Favourite country: France
Favourite music: Sum 41
Favorite sport other than motocross: Squash
Favorite sportsman: Valentino Rossi (roadrace rider)
First bike and first race: Pee Wee, Chateauneuf les Martigues in 1994
First GP: France (Saint Jean d'Angely) in 2004
Favourite track Arreton: Isle of Wight
Best result : 2006 MX2 World Champion
2005
5th in the MX2 World Championship
125 French Supercross vice-champion
125 Elite French Champion
2004
34th in the MX2 World Championship
3rd in the 125 French Supercross Championship
2003
85cc Cadet French Champion
85cc European vice-champion
85cc World vice-champion
3rd in Loretta Lynn ( USA )
2002
85cc Cadet French Champion
2nd in the 85cc Las Vegas Supercross
2001
85cc Cadet French Champion
INTERVIEW
Many of his compatriots, such as Bayle, Pichon, Tortelli and Vuillemin, have already preceded the new 18 year old winner of the MX2 world championship Cristophe Pourcel in the stars and stripes motocross adventure but now it's all up to him.
Cristophe has succeeded in and won the most challenging class, where all the young talented riders try to get noticed, simply because he's different from all the other riders; he's always extremely calm, consistent and thoughtful and definitely mature for his age.
Amongst his peculiarities is his ability to always find new lines that other riders don't see. He is also extremely precise and smooth which means he is not hard on his bike.
He's beaten his opponents mentally in the past, and now races with the confidence that comes from winning a world championship.
What's it like to be world champion?
It's a good feeling, I'm happy to have got up to this point even if winning the MX2 world championship is only a phase in my life as my main objective is to ride in the U.S. and win.
Conquering the world title is definately a good card to play to have good offers from good teams.
What was your focus at the beginning of the season?After ending absolute 5th last year, my goal at the beginning of this season was to improve this result, even though it took me a while to warm up and to take the rhythm (laughing) like a diesel engine, I was convinced of my possibilities considering that my results were getting better every GP.
I then took the lead of the championship during the 5th GP in Japan and I've not given it up since.
I soon focused on my goal to win the championship: get as many points as I could in every Moto and try to avoid, when possible, unlucky DNFs. The championship is very long with its 15 rounds and my aim was that of trying to be on the podium for each event.
The last Moto of the world championship was particularly fascinating, you and the defending world champion Antonio Cairoli were still both competing for the world title and you both played all your cards at the very last steps of the season. Cairoli tried everything to have you lose your concentration to induce you to make mistakes.
Yes, I engaged a big duel against Antonio (Cairoli) , I look up to him as a rider and as a person, and I think this is a mutual respect we have for each other. It'd surely have been easier and less risky to have settled for enough points to win the title, but I wanted to win at all costs in front of the French public, I mean when you hear such warm and powerful cheer, it's impossible not to put everything you have into one race. I engaged Antonio in a duel full of overtaking but always correctly, even if Antonio tried to put a lot of pressure on me and make me deconcentrate but this is normal because I would have done the same thing to him if I was in his situation.Later on during the 11th lap while I was in the lead my bike went out of gear in one big channel and I fell, damaged the front brake but the worst thing was that the bike refused to switch back on straight away; I remained calm and managed to get it going again only to end the race 4th and win the world title.
I think that was the ugliest moment of the season for my staff.
Talk to me about the plans you have for the future.
I've signed a contract that ties me to Kawasaki for the next three years, I've had an excellent proposal and I accepted it.
In my career I've always raced with Kawasaki and I'm enthusiast to carry on my career with them.
I want to thank Kawasaki Motors Europe, Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan , Kawasaki USA and Pro Circuit for their efforts in making this agreement possible.
I'll race for the world championship in 2007 and at the end of the season I'll move for good to America. I'll be going to the U.S. this winter to train and I'll be then racing the first SX events with the team Pro Circuit, I still don't know how many, and one month prior the start of the world championship I'll come back to France to participate the whole season to defend the title with my present team: the GPKR.
I'll not be riding full time in America straight away only to optimize my passing from Europe to the U.S.
Like I've said I'll have the whole winter to get used to the American lifestyle, but I don't think I should have any problems.
Have you already participated to any U.S. events?
Yes, my first experience was in Las Vegas SX in 2002 in the 85cc class when I got second behind Mike Alessi, and my second appearance in the U.S. was during the following year in 2003 when I participated to the Loretta Lynn and I got third.
How do you train during the GPs season?
I mainly run and I sometimes swap it for a cycle around and I obviously ride my bike but sometimes it happens that I don't ride at all between one GP and another, it depends.
What do you prefer between supercross and outdoors?
I like both supercross and Outdoors and I find myself at ease in both situations. Naturally I've been training and riding mainly on outdoors tracks lately but I also have a specific training track for the supercross.
Your Kawasaki didn't let you down once throughout the whole season?
Yeah that's true. I didn't come across any problems thanks to my team and the full support from the Kawasaki factory which gave us special parts. I'm particularly satisfied of the competitiveness of my engine.
What's your favourite American rider?
Nobody at the moment, but I used to like James Stewart when he was in 125 class.
Have you ever had injuries?
Yes, in the past when I was riding in a supercross event in France I fractured both of my wrists, but it's all good now.
Your father Roger is also Team Owner and General Manager of your team: what relationship do you have with him? Is he more of a manager than a father?
I have a very good relationship with my father because before all he's a father and then a manager. He often likes to say: I want to have dinner with my kid for Christmas, he'd never allow his professionality to spoil our relationship.
Who was the most dangerous rider this year?
Antonio Cairoli without the shadow of a doubt as he was the world champion and Antonio never gives up, he's very determined and you can expect him to overtake you even during the last lap or even during the very last corner. We've duelled a lot throughout the season, but every challenge has always been very correct.
What's your opinion on Giuseppe Luongo and his Youthstream which manages the world championship?
I'd rather not talking about this kind of things, I am young and my main focus is tied to the racing part of this sport, I don't want to get involved with this type of conversations
Many people say that your sharp and clean riding reminds that one of JM Bayle?
I don't know, I've never seen him ride an event or any of his tapes. Honestly I don't worry too much about this, I have my career and my plans to follow, I can't really say anything about JM Bayle or about what he's done.