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View Full Version : Συνέντευξη Joel Smets. Το τέλος μιας μεγάλης καριέρας



DimST
14/12/2005, 12:12
It happens to them all; on one single day a rider exits the sport and moves on with the rest of his life. For some riders it’s a well planned departure, like multiple world mx champions Eric Geboers and Georges Jobe, both quite the sport on the top of a Grand Prix podium, and with the number one plate in their hands, for others though it’s often through injury and pain they exit.


For five time World MX champion Joel Smets, a man who has given so much to the sport, and also won his share of Grands Prix and world titles it was the pain route.

During the Grand Prix of Germany Smets crashed and twisted his knee so badly that he could be heard screaming right across the circuit. Riders and spectators came to his aid, and he was finally carried from the motocross circuit. With severe ligament damage his season was over, and so to his GP career.

“It was probably the slowest corner on the track, I didn’t even crash, and I just fell down. There were two ruts next to each other and I had planned on riding into the first rut, but then my front wheel slipped into the next one and I lost a little balance and I put my foot down to get my balance back, but it got stuck in the rut. I was standing still and the bike fell over and with my full weight on my seat the handlebar pushed against my leg, the leg went in, but the foot stayed in the rut. I heard something crack and I felt the pain, but then I looked over and could see my leg sitting next to me, in the wrong position. So I then had the shock, I knew at that moment that my year was over, and probably my career.”

Smets accident was not the moment he decided his GP career was over, although he did feel the crash made his decision easier.

“I had made the decision to stop racing before the injury. I was 90% sure I was not coming back in 2006, I was pretty sure I was not going to do Grands Prix anymore, I was not addicted anymore. One of the facts was the sickness, and also my age, I was 16 years racing, and I had had enough. I didn’t want to leave the sport like I did in Gaildorf, that was also a reason why I was crying like hell after the crash, also from the pain, but also from the fact it was probably over for me. I had worked so hard, people might look at me differently; people were saying I was taking risk, but that was not the case. I have never been the smoothest rider out there. I talked several times with Sylvain (Geboers), also Sylvain telling me to not push over my limit, but to me, if felt like I was below my limit. I was not making mistakes, not in Zolder, not in Spain. I made a mistake when I crashed in 2004 in Mantova, but this year, I felt like I was taking less risk and going faster. Several races like in Italy I was finishing Ύ, but I felt really good. In Japan I passed Pichon and felt good, no risks.”

With his days as a top class GP rider now behind him Smets still wants to feel the excitement of racing motocross, although will do that in the comfort of his national championship races and the odd International at the start of the 06 season.

“I still feel like a rider, after I had officially announced that I was going to stop with the Grand Prix, it was a lot of pressure off my shoulders. It was a new sensation, after 20 years of pressure, from myself, I never got pressure from anyone else, but I always put pressure on myself, and I didn’t realize that racing was a big load on my shoulder. At the same time I felt motivated again, do to the Belgian races, but have fun, no pressure, just race for the pleasure. I don’t know how strong I am going to be able to come back. Now the knee injury is really bad, and there is a big questions mark, I just hope I can ride a bike normal after this knee injury.”

Smets also knows that racing at the top level in Belgium will take some hard work, work he will enjoy doing. He is also looking forward to watching his former rivals battle in GP conditions.

“Mentally I am still not prepared to battle for tenth, not yet. If I am going to do the Belgian championship next year, then I want to fight for podiums. I want to push in training and I don’t think that will be a problem for me as I love training. I also have to find the motivation again, but my program will only be half the races, so the motivation won’t be a problem. I can also enjoy watching the top guys. Being in Ernee for the des Nations, that was nice, I am also a spectator. When I didn’t qualify for races back early in my career I used to love watching the guys and learning.”

As for coming back for one Grand Prix, maybe the GP of Namur, Smets is a little unsure if he would do that, or if he even would be welcome.

“I would never say never, but I am not sure I would do a Grand Prix again. I have not thought about it. I mean if I didn’t get a seeding for a Grand Prix, I don’t care.”


I get emails from time to time from Joels manager and he told me last week that Joel had to be put under so they could bend his knee to 90 degrees. He is really working hard to get back into shape for riding. Now that's dedication to the sport he loves.

Good luck JS



Source: http://www.dmxsradio.com/

manos426f
03/01/2006, 16:39
Τελος (μαλλον) και για αλλον εναν μεγαλο των αγωνων......

Και δυστυχως,τετοιες ποσοτητες δε βγαινουν πλεον -η τουλαχιστον ειναι σπανιοτατες-.......