The bike was riding perfectly and I won the first event of the World Championship, this was the main mechanical default during all the year the bike were going more and more developed and special every month we have a new chassis and all new parts and we start with the prototype and at the end of the season we have a quite standard bike but we are doing that to sell the bike. In 85 it was the perfect year for me and for Fantic because I won all the events that I had except 3 2nd place. It was at this time at that time I won the Scottish, I won the 3 days of the Santogosa trial, I won a lot of the French Championship, I won 9 events on the World Championship on 12, and I arrive at 3 times 2nd and it was almost the perfect year.
This was one of your best years and you are obviously very proud of this year as being a real high light of your career ?
Yes, of course, you know when you win the first title it was the main thing then you can dream in you life, when you are the first time World Champion you reach your dream, it was a perfect year, definitely.
Yes, of course, you know when you win the first title it was the main thing then you can dream in you life, when you are the first time World Champion you reach your dream, it was a perfect year, definitely.
In 86 you started riding the production 301, what terrain do you best like riding ?
This is something that is strange and as many people know I am living in the South of France where there is normally rocks. The terrain has many rocks so it is incredible when i tell you that I prefer to ride in the wet section. I love to rocks when they are wet but not the muddy section. The event i won the most was the Irish Grand Prix. I won the irish Grand Prix 4 times in the mud in Belfast, its exactly the condition I never have in my house and I won 3 times the Scottish. For the continental style rider living in the South of France, it is incredible as I have absolutely no river at all and I have no round rock like you have in Scotland. This means that you can ride everywhere if you have the technique. I was very good at throttle control and i was riding very precisely. I was not an aggressive rider. This was not my style. I had a very smooth style. My style was very suited to the wet sections. I loved it when it was very technical and very wet with many rocks. Then I was not a risky rider with lots of grip. I love technical sections. This was my style, that's all. |
In 1986 you didn’t win the championship as easily, it all came down to the last round in Finland. Do you remember this day ?
Ahhhh yes, I could talk for 1 hour about this, but I try to keep it brief. No for me, I have a really good bike . It was a standard one .I have a very good bike and it was more difficult for me because at that time we have a lot of indoor trial at the end of 85 and when I start the 86 season I realise on the 85 season was not serious for me and I start that day without rest .... you know with out being recuperated. I didn’t stop at all and then I was tired to start and your no 1 you are World Champion but everybody wants to beat you .It was more difficult for me then to start in the season to fight hard just to keep what you have . We were riding a lot at this time. Honda make a lot of effort with the Lejeune and Steve Saunders . They had a new bike and they were working very hard . Eddy and they very well it was quite difficult.
1985 and Thierry is at the infamous Bilstain step, Belgium with Eddy watching from the top , next to the observer. On the right of the Observer is Adrien Prato (from another photo) ready to be catcher. In the distance is is Gallach with ?. No 4 behind Michaud is Berlatier.