From December 2, KTM sent most of its drivers to the world championship in Austria, to benefit from the advanced facilities of the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center (APC) located in Thalgau, near Salzburg, in order to improve their physical condition.
In the absence of Miguel Oliveira still convalescing, Pol Espargaró, Brad Binder, Iker Lecuona, Tetsuta Nagashima, Raúl Fernández, Ayumu Sasaki, Kaito Toba and Deniz Öncü were able to test their limits, under the watchful eyes of trainers, physiotherapists, nutritionists and doctors.
Each of the pilots declared themselves delighted with this week-long experience, but, to all honor, let's give the floor to the current spearhead from Mattighofen who addressed various subjects
How do you train to stay in shape for MotoGP?
Pol I will espargaro : “In my case, I do a lot of cycling during the summer and a lot of skiing during the winter, enduro and dirt during the winter because it's too cold to ride on asphalt, and supermoto , especially in summer, when the tarmac temperature is better for this. I try to combine all of that and do as much sport as I can, and I feel more complete. »
What is the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center?
" That's all ! I mean that's everything an athlete is looking for. It's a place where they teach you how to workout, it's a place where they teach you how to eat, it's a place where they teach you how to do physical therapy. They also take your blood to analyze it and tell you how it is, just like (they check) the lactic acid in your body when you train, to know what area you need to train to perform better. From the feet to the head, they do everything, and in the end it is very important for us because we must know our body which, in the end, is our tool. »
What is the most important thing you learned with KTM?
“Wow! Maybe my real debut was when I arrived at KTM. You know, it really was like a bomb: “That’s really MotoGP”. Because I was in another factory, as a satellite pilot. I wasn't really developing anything: I just had the bike and I only rode with the settings that the other riders gave me. So I wasn't really learning, and when I came to KTM I had to change my mentality and start doing everything: settings, electronics, chassis differences, swingarms, etc. Developing a bike is a very delicate and very difficult thing in MotoGP. Yes, I had to face a difficult reality at KTM but it helped me a lot to progress. »
You have progressed a lot in recent years: do you think a podium is possible in 2020?
“Every year you try to be a little better. That's why I'm here. This is why I also changed my diet. I try to be more professional, I try to learn as much as possible from this place that is the APC. I try to be like a sponge and absorb everything people tell me, then choose with my coach what works best for me to apply when I work at home. Every year new things happen and every year you can learn a little more and be a little better. That's what I'm trying to do and I think the APC helps me a lot with that. »
What advice would you give to young people coming into MotoGP?
“They are very talented boys. What can I say to Brad (Binder) who fought for the championship and finished just 3 points behind Álex Márquez with a fantastic end to the season last year? I can't give any advice to this type of driver! Maybe Iker (Lecuona) does, because he's younger and doesn't have as much experience as Brad: so just appreciating this category is difficult. At first it will be difficult, but then he will start to enjoy it much more by the middle of the year. But nothing to Brad who, undoubtedly, will be very close to me from the first race in Qatar. »
