Fresh from defending his Indoor Enduro title, Polish biker Taddy Blazusiak shares his thoughts on an action-packed year just gone, and another even busier 2011 in prospect…
Congratulations on defending your Indoor title. You already had a big lead in the championship again…
Thank you. Well, yes, at the end the points lead was good, but I had to work hard to get it back after my crash in the first race in Genoa.
Were you sorry not to be able to race in Vigo, Lisbon and Brazil as well as Genoa and Barcelona when you were so dominant in the last event that was held?
It would be nice to have raced more races, but the goal was the championship, which I accomplished, so I’m happy with that now.
Do you think your recovery after race one in Genoa was more significant?
When I look back at it now, I’m really happy to have fought back in the second and third race in Genoa because it gave me a chance to win the title.
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Your race with Kimi Räikkönen at last year’s Red Bull Hare Scramble was one of redbull.com’s top 10 motorsport moments of the year. Do you think you’ll have another unconventional race in this year’s event, perhaps against Sébastien Loeb or even Sebastian Vettel?
I just love racing, and if Red Bull come up with another great challenge like the one last year, I will definitely be happy to race.
Presumably whoever it would be would need to bring a bucket and sponge with them to wash your KTM afterwards?
Well, it all depends on who is going to win, right? [Laughs] Anyway, it’s always going to be good fun and I guess these kind of events are mostly about fun…
'I'd been told by the doctors to take 10 days off the bike, but if my maths is correct, I didn’t!'
Aside from this, will you be targeting a fifth consecutive win in the Erzberg Rodeo itself. Who do you think will be your biggest rivals?
I race to win, that’s always the goal. I don’t really think about whichever rivals are going to show up at the gate. I’ll race my own race – I know how to prepare myself both physically and technically with the bike. Both my team and I are going to be ready to defend the title.
After your race with Kimi in Erzberg, you mentioned you had your own rally car. Do you still have the Citroën C2 and have you entered any events?
Yes, I had a C2-R2 last year – no races, but some practice on snow and gravel.
I have to say that I sold it at the beginning of the yaer and I’m about to buy a [Mitsubishi] Lancer Group N four-wheel-drive, which will be much more fun to drive!
You were unlucky in Red Bull Romaniacs 2010. Will you be taking part again and looking to set the record straight by trying to win that event this year as well?
The schedule for this year is really tight, so it’s hard to answer if we are going to race. KTM will take the final decision further into the season.
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Actually, it was a very busy year wasn’t it… didn’t you also race Michal Kosciuszko around a frozen lake with concussion?!
Yes, last year was super busy and this year seems to be even busier! [Laughs] It was good fun for both of us, and yes, I crashed at Hells Gate on Sunday and raced Michal on Wednesday after that crash. I'd been told by the doctors to take 10 days off the bike, but if my maths is correct, I didn’t! [Laughs]
And there was that unofficial race with Ronnie Renner around the unfinished national stadium in Warsaw… Have you guys had much time to hang out lately?
That was fun, too, I have to say! I haven’t seen Ronnie since then, but we talk every now and again. We used to live not far away from each other when I was in California for Endurocross in 2009, so we used to hang out more then.
Are you ever tempted to switch completely to what FMX guys like Robbie Maddison and Nate Adams do in Red Bull X-Fighters?
No way. I’ll leave that to FMX guys and I’ll stick to racing! [Laughs]
Is there anything else on a bike that you’ve not tried but would like to? Can you see yourself doing an event like the Dakar Rally with Cyril Despres and Marc Coma?
As I said, I’m a racer. I’d love to race in the Dakar Rally on a bike and in a car one day – we'll see what life brings! [Laughs]
Want more?
- Official FIM Enduro World Championship website
- Video action from the Ronnie Renner Freeride Tour
- Relive the race between Taddy and Kimi at Erzberg in this video
Lukas Nazdraczew/Red Bull Content Pool
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