The Ultimate Rider: Supercross

Throughout the course of our sport's rich history, racers have proven time and time again that the quality of your mechanical equipment will only get you so far. Countless racers have been awarded factory contracts only to ride around mid-pack all year; conversely, we've all seen talented racers have breakthrough performances on substandard bikes, motors or suspension components. While being part of a good team with dialed equipment can mean the difference between winning the main and not qualifying for it, there comes a point where the bike only matters so much and the quality of the rider is the determining factor in results. No matter how fast a guy's motor is or how well his suspension works, if his fitness isn't there, it won't mean a thing in the end.

With race teams streaming truckloads of resources and endless man-hours toward the pursuit of perfect machines, it's easy to ignore the specifications of the riders themselves. That's why Dirt Rider conducted the Ultimate Rider test: to shed light on the stats of some of the sport's top pros and determine what makes up the "ideal racer." To do this, we surveyed a sampling of supercross riders who represent the entire population-tall and short, big and small, fast and incredibly fast-to see how the average top supercross racer measures up in terms of cold, hard numbers. We've also asked the riders to shed a little light on their own physical traits and makeup. Individually, these statistics are the racer's equivalent of a factory bike's parts list, and provide a very personal glimpse at how each of these riders is built. When combined and averaged, we believe these numbers represent the Ultimate Supercross Rider-the ideal set of proportions that are the universal standard for the perfect supercross rider.

Greatest physical advantage: "Maybe my heart. I don't really quit."
Greatest physical disadvantage: "Probably my heart [laughs]. You know, sometimes I push a little too far, but it's just one of those things."
One thing I'd change about myself: "Well, I probably wouldn't change anything for what my sport is, but if I could be taller, I could scare people a little bit more. I'm like a midget."
Top three favorite foods: "Chicken because that's basically all I eat, pizza, and I like eggs a lot."
Top three favorite exercises: "Weight training, cycling and riding. That would be my deal... and golf."

Greatest physical advantage: "I have a great body size-not too tall or too short, which helps me stay compact and neutral on the bike."
Greatest physical disadvantage: "Nothing comes to mind."
One thing I'd change about myself: "I'm happy with what I've got; my parents did a great job!"
Top three favorite foods: "Thai food, Japanese and Australian works burgers-so yummy."
Top three favorite exercises: "Cycling, swimming and running on the beach."
*Biggest Guns! **Largest Neck!

Greatest physical advantage: "I guess it's my long legs that make it so I'll never topple over. In the whoops I never have to worry about the bike hitting me in the butt or having it tip over."
Greatest physical disadvantage: "I think my center of gravity is higher than most which makes me a little bit top-heavy and it's easier to get cramped on the bike."
One thing I'd change about myself: "I'd like to be lighter. I've been 190 pounds since my 125 championships and it seems like I've always packed around more weight than most just because of my build."
Top three favorite foods: "Sushi, Mexican food, potato chips."
Top three favorite exercises: "Riding, road biking and throwing around the weights."
*Biggest Guns! **Largest Neck!

Greatest physical advantage: "I have a strong butt and legs. I think being thick is an advantage."
Greatest physical disadvantage: "I don't have one!"
One thing I'd change about myself: "I don't think I'd change anything."
Top three favorite foods: "Mexican, Italian, sushi."
Top three favorite exercises: "Schwinn Air Dyne, weight lifting and mountain biking."