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I am not coming in this debate, I also agree that with his condition he still won 2, almost 4, championships, a few GPs and some podiums in the Nationals. That is not a reason he talked about regarding his results, he more or less said he just need a bit of time to adjust safely to the intensity after some 5 years off in SX.
I just quoted because I was a bit surprised with the sentence "If this was a coached sport, he'd be benched and replaced!". Well, I know it was not what you fully meant to say but in this logic then can you name 5 riders without a team that would finish better ? Maybe Grant, maybe Hill, ok but CP still finished 5th last summer as a rookie.
That sentence was similar to Stephan82's: "Bagget should stop SX". After finishing 4th last year as a rookie, well, that is smart & respectful comment ! I like the wagon whereas an interview in this thread is quite clear. Same for Tomac and Kawi disaster's thread... Tomac is a beast and just needs a bit of time to be confortable & fit. No need to have a Phd. in psychology to get it.
Right now, CP is a rookie and he is not doing that bad, 12th is not 22nd. Last week was really bad, this week is great (based on this season), good (based on his expectations) and ok (based on his potential). He will do as he always says, he is got a good perception of what he can & cant do, and hopefully he should get closer to the top 10 from now on.
From J-Wag at RacerX - http://racerxonline.com/2016/02/23/bench-racing-ammo-roundseven
"After going 18-13 in the first two 450SX main events this season, Christophe Pourcel told us he wouldn’t really be ready to race until round seven. Seven seems like a random number, but we tucked that info away, because last year Pourcel struggled at the first few rounds of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross, but said he would be better at round five. Lo and behold, after just one top five in the first ten motos of the season, he scored a 3-5 at round five at High Point, then followed it with a 2-4 the next weekend at Budds Creek. There is no other rider like Pourcel—so when he tells you strange things, you believe it.
Arlington hosted round seven, so we watched Pourcel closely. The 2009 and 2010 250SX East Region Champion took third overall in qualifying, but he’s been fast there all year. The difference was that he turned in a series of fast laps, instead of just one late heater. The progress that really mattered showed when the gates dropped in the actual races. Up until Saturday, Pourcel looked like was scared to race and battle. This time, he actually raced instead of rode. He finished eighth, bettering his season-best finish by four positions, but this was bigger than that. The fact that he actually fought for position marked the real breakthrough. We found him after the race to ask about this round seven theory.
“Like I’ve said, it’s been five years [since I raced supercross],” Pourcel told us. “It’s kind of scary, supercross with all the guys jumping all over and they are so close from each other. The tracks like tonight are pretty small. We’ve seen a few guys jump on each other and take everybody out. You’ve got to be aggressive to make a pass. You’ve got to learn and it’s maybe not my style. So I just kind of adapt again, which is tough when it’s been so long.
“I was pretty confident for outdoors because [in between national seasons] I rode the GPs, I won GPs… It’s motocross. Supercross it’s been five, six years. It’s a long time. I knew it was tough this year. There’s so many good guys. On TV they said it’s probably the most stacked ever. There’s a lot of good guys all the way to 15th, 16th. You’re still going fast, but it’s just not easy to get back and be able to do a top five or a podium right away. Just got to accept where you are. It’s tough sometimes.”
When Pourcel first signed with the Rockstar Energy Racing Husqvarna team last year, there were some doubts that it would work. Pourcel had been down a rocky road over the previous years, but team owner Bobby Hewitt has built great personal relationships with his riders, and he claimed it would work. So far Pourcel has had a drama-free existence with the team. But without a decent finish through the first six races, there had to be a little pressure building. Pourcel says Hewitt has been patient.
“Well, the result doesn’t matter,” said Pourcel. “The only thing he has said, I shouldn't get passed right away. I start in 12th, I go back to 17th, I come back in 13th. Tonight Bobby, and he told me many times, whenever you start in 14th just stay in 14th or pass, but don’t go backwards because then you’ve got to pass them again, and it’s just a waste of time. So that was a big step tonight.
“The goal was to be in the top ten. It’s very good for the team,” he added. “Everybody’s happy. I had a good heat also, almost won. So it’s good. Also, like you said, every time I’ve had the speed in practice. So being 17th, 18th every weekend it’s tough to accept but at least I know I have the speed to eventually do better. If I was top 15 speed all weekend and end up 15th then I’d be like, I have nowhere to improve. But here there’s so much we can improve and we are here for two years. Bobby’s having a lot of trust in me and I finally proved that I can ride with those guys. It’s nice for him to tell everybody that I can do it.”
If you watched Pourcel’s duel with Trey Canard during the mid portion of the Arlington main event, you can see he’s suddenly much more aggressive than he was earlier in the season. He’s also adjusting to the tracks, which get much rougher by the end of the race day than any test track.
“The big thing also during the main the track is destroyed,” he says. “All the ruts are just…you have got to adapt. Practice and the race is completely different. The main line is just all the ruts that are just not even right. You can see Dungey is doing a lot of changing of his lines. He cuts down on the corners and stuff, so you can learn from all that. It’s just so different. But Dungey’s been probably doing 70, 80, I don’t know how many main events on a 450. I’ve only done four or five. I can’t learn that quick what everybody learns in seven years.”
Eighth is progress, but Pourcel was still a long way off from the top five or podium that he wants. How far can Pourcel go? We’ll see with more time.
“You have race back into that intensity,” he says. “I can go very fast during the week, but this intensity is not something you can practice.”
"
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So did he ride bad on purpose in the first 6 races so he could finally make a top 10 in the 7th race? Do we have to get excited and celebrate when a factory rider finally makes a top 10 now? Why not show up at the first race ready and in the top 10 and be in the top 5 or on the podium by race 7? I'm a little irritated because with the riding abilities and the speed he has, we would talk about him today because he was on the podium if he was better prepared physically. He has everything, the bike, the style, the technique, the speed, the racing IQ. The only thing missing is the fitness and it has been the issue for quite some time now"
That DV12 guy doesn't know what he's talking about, I'm sure he never ever raced...
I love starting the day with a good interview, thanks J-Wag !
DV is not wrong either, there is still room for improvements. DV, who is known for his good analyses is also making a positive point (and a compliment): he believes CP has the potential the make much better and that podiums are possible. Fitness wise it is not possible to say anything without knowing in details his program (and how his program is fitting to him), I just think it would help him to train with a top rider like Roczen. If we look at Baker's factory, I am sure Anderson helped Dungey in term of agression, as much as Dungey helped Anderson & Musquin in term of speed & line choices. The emulation between riders is always a win win when comes race time.
I read this Team Green's posts and I wonder which planet he is from. This guy is out to lunch on a lot of things, but seems pretty confident for a guy that seems like he's so full of shit.
This is pro sports. Hammer is right, Pourcel would be benched or sitting in the stands wearing a suit if this were the NHL - or sent to the farm leagues.
You guys are so fucking high and mighty in front of your keyboards, trying racing at CP's level then come post here with your insightful shit.
No panic button needed. He's done well in the semi's. Gotten his sponsors exposure. Moves the needle. And is steadily improving.
And for those asking him to be "benched", who u gonna replace him with that is better? Good luck.
Pit Row
C'mon, you know very well what I'm talking about...
Factory rider doesn't even make the main and no one give a f***...
Just like nobody even remembers he's still around...
Im sure some people from france can blame Pourcel from this one..
And he had two more chances...
More seriously, not blaming anything on anyone...
Just intrigued no one even bothers to comment or question his evening anymore.
There are posts on absolutely everyone except him.
He really seemed totally out of it, including in the LCQ, to a point I find rather surprising...
Good thing was he did run multiple fast laps right from first practice as year before he rolled around and last qualifying practice posted one time. To me he looked more ready than last year that night just did go as planned.
Post a reply to: Panic Button for Pourcel?