But I remember my first win was near to the border with Switzerland, les Rousses and it was just amazing. I think maybe 50000 people came to see the race and it was just like an amazing day for me, I really need to say that all year I was riding races and I was making some wins and some rest is not, but I was not really going for the win, this year Toni Bou starts the year and he knows he is going to be winning or second place at the worst, for me every race was just amazing, a fifth place for me was good fourth place and for me was good any place that with respectable was something that made me very happy. You know I was so young and I just went along to the races and did my best, this is the big surprise out of my story I think.
You hit the nail on the head, your win was an incredible surprise, I can't think of anybody who has entered World Championship trial and won so quickly. Even tarres took one more year than you.
Yep yep. But this was also a turning point in the trial technique, it is obviously not like riders today, but there was already an established way of riding and people were riding Bultacos and Montesa, when you arrive with an SWM it was not as light as a Fantic but I was already a very light bike for its time, with a very good engine. I mean everything was good on this bike. For me I had a better bike than the Bultacos and I have tried but I couldn't ride a Bultaco, for me the SWM was a big improvement, if you ask Charles Coultard he is going to tell you the opposite haha. He's going to tell you that the Bultaco was much better hahaha but for me my bike was the best. |
Have you significantly helped to develop the SWM at all?
No not no no no not much, I say not much but I think I did you know, I was the one who alter the geometry of the bike, it was mostly Charles who had designed the motorcycle, Charles, he always wanted his motorcycle absolutely perfect and he spent so much time working and getting things just right. It had always something wrong that he was working on, for me I was working less on the bike and more focusing on the technique of riding the motorcycle. Charles did most other things but I did do some development but especially I spent a lot of time getting a good set up for me. Like the time we have special forks and we spent some time getting the angle changed that was right for me on the front of the bike and was exactly what I like and I move the foot pegs and also the rear suspension. I had a very good bike and I know the factory worked on the engine and also the carburettor, the bike was amazing, it really was.
No not no no no not much, I say not much but I think I did you know, I was the one who alter the geometry of the bike, it was mostly Charles who had designed the motorcycle, Charles, he always wanted his motorcycle absolutely perfect and he spent so much time working and getting things just right. It had always something wrong that he was working on, for me I was working less on the bike and more focusing on the technique of riding the motorcycle. Charles did most other things but I did do some development but especially I spent a lot of time getting a good set up for me. Like the time we have special forks and we spent some time getting the angle changed that was right for me on the front of the bike and was exactly what I like and I move the foot pegs and also the rear suspension. I had a very good bike and I know the factory worked on the engine and also the carburettor, the bike was amazing, it really was.
If you've read carefully you'll know the lucky owner of this special bike.
And what support did you get out the trial, did you have a mechanic that would come and help you because you mentioned before that you were pretty much on your own?
Earlier yeah, at each trial there was a van from the company with two mechanics who were coming. I could drive to the factory in Milan and have the bike set up.
Who were your teammates at the time?
Danielle Galleazi and also Giovanni Tesco. There was also Martin Lampkin as well as a few italian riders.
So how did you fit into this scene? I mean just looking back, it was the end of 1980 and you had achieved an 11 place and you had the senior rider figures around you and my thoughts are that these people would get more attention from the factory and mechanics, there more than you, I can imagine that Martin Lampkin, rest his soul would have things done and I'm sure he would have no problem putting his views forward. Maybe I'm wrong, but I would imagine that you would have had more of a problem getting the work going on your bike in the factory when these other more mature experience drivers with greater success behind them with demanding the attention?
Earlier yeah, at each trial there was a van from the company with two mechanics who were coming. I could drive to the factory in Milan and have the bike set up.
Who were your teammates at the time?
Danielle Galleazi and also Giovanni Tesco. There was also Martin Lampkin as well as a few italian riders.
So how did you fit into this scene? I mean just looking back, it was the end of 1980 and you had achieved an 11 place and you had the senior rider figures around you and my thoughts are that these people would get more attention from the factory and mechanics, there more than you, I can imagine that Martin Lampkin, rest his soul would have things done and I'm sure he would have no problem putting his views forward. Maybe I'm wrong, but I would imagine that you would have had more of a problem getting the work going on your bike in the factory when these other more mature experience drivers with greater success behind them with demanding the attention?
No it was never a problem, I was the young guy and I was simply starstruck and the most by everything I came across in everything. I saw the progression for me was so quick and so fast I was just amazed to go to the factory and the mechanics would quickly place my bike on the stand and there would be a number of mechanics working on my bike and they will change the exhaust can, change my tyres for me, I was very happy about this, I was getting all the attention I wanted and more. And also I am almost like Italian myself so I was getting along very well with the people in the factory. British for example had a language barrier you know, even now when I go to the Scottish and Sherco, there is like a Spanish mechanic there and he is working more on my bike than on the British guys bikes, the british guys are saying I want to go with Rathmell, he is going to take care of my bike and the Spanish guy just takes care of me. You see no one else can speak Spanish up there ha ha ha. Also I was not far from the factory, I don't know how often Martin was going to the factory, but for me it was just a 4 hour drive and I could leave in the morning and I could get arrive at the factory for some work to be done on my bike and then I could get back here all within the same day, this was a great way to get to the factory and also get all of the World, go on my bike was quickly as I wanted.