I've heard Ryan in interviews talk about how he wishes he would have switched teams and it probably would have elongated his career. But going to Europe, could he have possibly made a bigger switch while honoring his contract? I understand that he was still on Kawasaki, probably talking to some of the same people, but the actual team he was on was completely different.
He would have effectively switched teams in 15 without breaking his contract. After that, he was free to do whatever he wanted with his career, and we all know what he chose. Sounds to me like he wasn't interested in a change other than retiring from professional racing.
Just some thoughts i had while listening to Lewis Phillips and Adam Wheeler on the latest MXGP pod about that 15 season: https://www.vitalmx.com/videos/features/ryan-villopotos-mxgp-season-mxg…
He has said that about 500x since his retirement. I dont think it was a 1x thing
He's mentioned Tomac's move to Yamaha as an example of what he wishes he did. If he could've gotten out of his Kawi contract and switched teams but kept racing here in America, where would he have gone? If this was for '15, maybe he goes KTM to replace Kenny when he went to RCH? Imagine him and Dungey as teammates.
It's one of those things that when your grinding all the time day in day out sometimes the thought of a new team and the process of learning a whole new bIke, team ect them sounds just as bad. He was just burnt out and hurt and didn't need to do it anymore. If it was 2 or 3 years earlier he pulled the mxgp switch or team switch he might have gotten an extra 2 or 3 years from where he ended.
I see what you're saying about the MXGP thing, but I don't think he wanted to do that AT ALL.
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That MXGP experiment was fun to follow. Good times.
Him going to mxgp is the reason why I still follow it. What he did for that series is massive
Rose-colored glasses are a thing. He's remembering his life more fondly than it was for him at the time. I think he did the right thing by retiring and moving on to the next chapter in his life.
Such a damn shame we didn't get to see more of it. Would have been insane if he went on to contend for the title.
He's not really talking out of his ass it's just with hindsight, especially seeing 30+ guys winning in the modern day like Eli, Kenny, Malcolm. Back then he was for sure done with it mentally. New environment could have given him that spunk and drive to keep going. Older villo would likely tell his younger self look you've only got this short window to keep doing this thing then that's it
same , I used to just watch highlights of Jeffery & cairoli way back then but I ain’t watch a full season till RV came over & I haven’t missed a season yet
I agree for the most part, but how much newer of an environment could he have had than during the MXGP experience? He then came back and did Monster Cup on Yamaha in 2018. I just don't think he would have raced longer, even looking back with hindsight it's talking out your ass if you wouldn't have done it.
Tomac also talked about going to Europe; here is an old article which indirectly cites it: https://motoxwords.com/2019/11/19/the-best-motocross-riders-in-the-world-the-top-ten/. There were also videos but I can't find them; it was definitely talk not any kind of plan or committment. Frankly if he was healed it is not too late in his career to go. He looks like he has speed to burn still.
As a fan when RV gave it a go, even if half-hearted, I watched every round he was in and all MXGP since.
As far RV extending his career if he switched teams, it does suggest that he was burned out with Kawi, especially since he has been (is?) brand ambassador for Yamaha.
The Aldon program took more of a toll on some riders than others, and it sure seems like it burned RV out physically and mentally. Maybe that was the team he should have switched, or at least taken a sabbatical from.
All I know, is that the dude was visibly over it in every way in the latter third of his career.
So, yeah, maybe a new employer would have helped.
I don't think that's a fair comparison to just switching teams though. I mean packing up all your shit and moving to Europe isn't something that everyone enjoys.
More so a new environment that would allow him to stay in SX I suppose. Europe is an extreme culture and livelihood move. Simply hopping on a brand new bike to him and staying in the series could have potentially given him a couple more years. We see how these guys moods can completely flip just from getting a new part on their current bike
RV acted so miserable throughout his career. He never seemed to enjoy it at all. I guess RC started this trend. Makes me wonder why they even did it. Is it family pressure that gave them no choice?
Fair enough, I guess it could have burned him out more than if he just took the year off.
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Makes sense, and maybe he would have considered switching teams in the states if he was able to get out of his contract early.
Honda or KTM sound like the only viable options.
When did KTM sign the contract with Aldon Baker? Because like FTE said, Villo probably needed a break from that program as well
I seen it somewhere in the past but I think Honda was a option at 1 point , I might be wrong tho , it would’ve been him & JB and then seely
edit : him staying at kawi led to Trey being HRC #1 guy i believe
I wonder if some of these kids starting racing for fun and mom/dad get more serious than they are and it becomes family pressure. I can't imagine being 10yrs old and my parents sell our house and buy a motorhome to hit the road and its up to "me" to help pay the bills and make all that worthwhile. No kid needs that pressure on their shoulders.
My recollection is that people thought RV looked overworked and ill at the end of his last SX season. RC if I recall claimed the same after he retired. Stew bailed on the Aldon program as did Webb. On the other hand, Dungey thrived in Aldon's program it seems. Eli probably would have, too, with his mentaiity, but John likely would never have let Eli get near that and Eli didn't need to.
RV also dealt with a lot of amateur crap, both Lawrence and I think Alessi as well, before coming into his own as a pro. At some point there was a break down with his pop, too, which I think (and hope) got resolved before his dad passed. With all that and the injuries it had to be a grind and it makes complete sense that he'd want to have done some things differently.
Probably more like 700 times. I think he would have retired no matter what. It's easy for him to speculate about this multiple years after the fact. I think he looks at Eli as the model for the 'move teams and get reinvigorated' idea, but him and Eli are different people with different careers. At any rate, RV is still a legend.
Yeah, it would have been. But he obviously had no real desire to be in MXGP either. He was out of shape and bounced as soon as he got injured. An all-in fit RV against those guys would have been awesome. It was awesome enough the time he smoked them all in Thailand.
At any rate RV at his height was a thing of beauty.
Do you know who took that pic..
RV also talked about on Gypsy Ho how he had a financial goal mapped out. He said he'd calculated with a financial advisor how much money he needed to make to properly set himself up and that he would retire at that point. He had reached that point, which is another reason to suggest he would have retired anyway. As for the figure? Weimer said on Pulp, RV made $30 million.
i almost quit riding the last time i looped out
next time i'll probably just switch brands
I still think he looped out on ”semi”-purpose, making the most of the injury… mxgp sucked for him!
Whatever…
Pretty sure it was Steve Cox
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