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Interview: Joel Rizzi Part 1

British hotshot ready for 2023.

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Having endured some challenging first steps into life on the world stage in MX2, British talent Joel Rizzi enters 2023 full of optimism that he can begin to truly stamp his mark at the elite level.


Words: Edward Stratmann | Lead Image: Riley Racing


Part one of our interview focuses on his aims for 2023, why he feels he’s ready to excel, the valuable experience he’s gained and what makes MX2 so tough.

Edward Stratmann: How’s the preseason going so far after a positive end to 2022?

Joel Rizzi: Yeah I had a good end to the season with Riley Racing, we changed quite a lot in the team at the end of this season cause the last few rounds we were just doing a lot of training. They signed a trainer for the team and stuff like that. We get on really well, we’ve built a good relationship.

In Lommel I put a ninth in timed qualifying, which was my best, and an 11th in race one, so I showed some good things last year. But going into this year now I’m really hungry to show more. I know I can, the team knows I can also so I’m looking forward to it.

ES: Getting some positive results in the Dutch Masters was good as well. You’ve already learned a lot in these last two years so are you happy with everything heading into the 2023 season?

JR: I’ve been smashing the training up until December as we didn’t really stop after the season ended cause I had the break in the middle of the season so I was still doing Dutch Masters and stuff like that. Then I came home around December the 9th and then I just rested over Christmas. I’ve not really fully rested, as I’ve still been going to the gym and training and stuff like that. But more bike rest over Christmas and spent time with family and I go back out soon to get back in the grind.

ES: With you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, how’s it being back in the Netherlands with the team?

JR: Me and the team, we became really close, which is good. I have confidence in the team, they’re like family really so it’s really good.

ES: The plans for next season are obviously to race MX2 and some Dutch Masters I’d assume?

JR: Yes, I want to try and do MX2 and the Dutch Masters. I just want to do as many races as possible, as that’s what I lacked last year. It’s totally different practicing to racing. The whole environment is different, your whole mental state is different and it’s just trying to get that relaxed mental state on a practice day in the races. That just comes with more and more racing.

ES: How have you found MX2 so far, has it been a steep learning curve compared to the British and EMX? What are your key takeaways?

JR: I would say the difference coming from Britain and going to the World Championship is the margins, as like first to 20th is like two seconds, it’s crazy, whereas in the UK first to 20th is like 10 seconds between all the individual riders or something like that.

So the biggest thing for me was trying to find those margins and there’s no rest. You know them GP boys don’t give you time to rest. You have to be on it every single lap, every corner, you have to be full gas against these guys.

In the UK, I wouldn’t say you could rest, but you could ride within yourself a little bit. There’s no time for that in the GPs.

I would say I’ve also never been fit enough, but now I’m starting to feel fit enough recently and that’s given me a lot of motivation going into next year.

ES: Are your aims then to be up there in the Dutch Masters and around the top 10 in MX2?

JR: Consistently top 10 in MX2 is the goal. I know I’m capable of it. I just need to believe in myself a bit more.

ES: It must be a hard process, do you feel any pressure or weight of expectation especially being British or do you just focus on yourself?

JR: It’s more like when I get to the races, I kind of tense up a little bit in the race situation. That’s the biggest thing for next year is working on that really because my speed even last year, especially on the practice days, was good, but as soon as I got to the races, I kind of not panic, but tense up a bit with the whole scenario of a race.

I think when I get that dialled, I’ll be good.

ES: Being so young still, only 19, hopefully you can piece everything together as you still have many years left in MX2?

JR: The GP scene is just crazy, how people come and go, you have to try and take your chances. I think that’s why the American scene tops the GPs a little bit, it’s just the rider support. Then stuff like prize money also, people can get a 20th in America and that will fund them to go to the next round and that’s a big difference. But I’m here pursuing my dream.

ES: You’ve obviously sacrificed a lot to get where you are. Who were your main inspirations growing up and how has the journey been?

JR: Growing up, it was my Dad mainly. I then started my European kind of tour with PAR Homes back then and I started doing some EMX. It started off good when I first went EMX125. I got third in Valkenswaard and I DNF’ed the second race. Then after that, it kind of all went down and I got things back up towards the end of that EMX125 season with some good results.

Then I went 114 and started my GP career. It was a bit early, I would say. I think when you get a deal like 114, it’s hard to say no.

ES: They obviously saw the talent in you and wanted to unearth the next gem like they’ve done in the past. How did you find your time there? You must have learned a lot.

JR: So I had one of the best teammates in the business to train with in Ruben Fernandez, which was a big gain you know. It was good, the tracks around there are good. The location was really nice, by the beach.

But I’d say the good thing about being out in Holland is just how many tracks there are in a 20 minute vicinity, I’ve got around 10 tracks to choose from. You see why all these Dutch riders make it, cause the tracks are just wow.

ES: How have you found adapting to those sandy tracks in the Netherlands?

JR: When you get to these tracks you really realise quickly if you’re not fit enough. I remember the first Dutch Masters, I was running fourth or something and the last 10 minutes I couldn’t even stand up and dropped to eighth or so. That was a realisation that I wasn’t fit enough. So that’s the main thing I’ve really been smashing is my fitness.

It’s crazy because the Dutch riders they’re not like big lads. They’re mostly small and light and they just fly around the track, it’s crazy.

Stay tuned for part two, which will be released soon.

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Features

Stat Attack: Indianapolis Supercross Review

See now.

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With the tenth round of AMA Supercross in the books, statistics maestro Paul Pearcy has provided MX Vice with some brilliant numbers to tuck into from what was a great night of action. Enjoy

250 Class

Qualifying

  • Top 3
  1. Max Anstie: 49.492
  2. Tom Vialle: 49.492; (Max got top spot because his time came in the first session, while Tom’s time came in the second session)
  3. Pierce Brown: 49.719

LCQ

  • Top 3
  1. Jeremy Martin
  2. Ryder Floyd
  3. Hardy Munoz
  • Laps Led
  1. Jeremy Martin: 5
  2. Hardy Munoz: 2
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Jeremy Martin: 52.413
  2. Preston Boespflug: 53.150
  3. Gage Linville: 53.549
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Jeremy Martin: 53.655
  2. Preston Boespflug: 54.259
  3. Ryder Floyd: 54.373

Race 1

  • Top 3
  1. Cameron Mcadoo
  2. Haiden Deegan
  3. Seth Hammaker
  • Laps Led
  1. Cameron Mcadoo: 12
  2. Daxton Bennick: 1
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Haiden Deegan: 49.561
  2. Tom Vialle: 49.660
  3. Cameron Mcadoo: 49.854
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Cameron Mcadoo: 50.830
  2. Haiden Deegan: 51.086
  3. Seth Hammaker: 51.907
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Preston Boespflug: 2.970
  2. Cameron Mcadoo: 3.184
  3. Jalek Swoll: 3.287

Race 2

  • Top 3
  1. Haiden Deegan
  2. Cameron Mcadoo
  3. Tom Vialle
  • Laps Led
  1. Haiden Deegan: 12
  2. Jalek Swoll: 1
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Haiden Deegan: 49.493
  2. Tom Vialle: 50.690
  3. Pierce Brown: 50.868
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Haiden Deegan: 51.522
  2. Cameron Mcadoo: 52.214
  3. Tom Vialle: 52.580
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Jeremy Hand: 2.040
  2. Coty Schock: 2.315
  3. Max Anstie: 2.634

Race 3

  • Top 3
  1. Tom Vialle
  2. Pierce Brown
  3. Cameron Mcadoo
  • Laps Led
  1. Tom Vialle: 13
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Tom Vialle: 49.844
  2. Chance Hymas: 50.020
  3. Cameron Mcadoo: 50.175
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Tom Vialle: 51.493
  2. Pierce Brown: 51.563
  3. Haiden Deegan: 51.892
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Marshal Weltin: 1.984
  2. Seth Hammaker: 1.997
  3. Nick Romano: 2.233

Overall

  • Top 3
  1. Cameron Mcadoo; (1st win of the season, 80% podium rate this year)
  2. Tom Vialle; (80% podium rate this year)
  3. Haiden Deegan; (40% podium rate this season)
  • Laps Led
  1. Tom Vialle: 13; (Tom is now tied with Austin Forkner for most laps led this season at 37.  34% of total laps raced)
  2. Cameron Mcadoo: 12
  3. Haiden Deegan: 12
  4. Jalek Swoll: 1
  5. Daxton Bennick: 1
  • Best First Lap Position Average
  1. Tom Vialle: 3rd 
  2. Cameron Mcadoo: 3.333
  3. Jalek Swoll: 4th 

Points

  • Top 10
  1. Cameron Mcadoo: 98
  2. Tom Vialle: 96
  3. Pierce Brown: 87
  4. Haiden Deegan: 82
  5. Coty Schock: 79
  6. Seth Hammaker: 72
  7. Daxton Bennick: 71
  8. Max Anstie: 62
  9. Chance Hymas: 60
  10. Jalek Swoll: 58

450 Class

Qualifying

  • Top 3
  1. Jett Lawrence: 48.523
  2. Eli Tomac: 48.554
  3. Cooper Webb: 48.568; (The difference between 1st and 3rd was .045 seconds.)

LCQ

  • Top 3
  1. Kyle Chisholm
  2. Justin Starling
  3. Devin Simonson
  • Laps Led
  1. Kyle Chisholm: 7
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Ty Masterpool: 52.415
  2. Kyle Chisholm: 52.810
  3. Freddie Noren: 53.248
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Kyle Chisholm: 54.223
  2. Ryan Breece: 54.271
  3. Freddie Noren: 54.390

Race 1

  • Top 3
  1. Jett Lawrence
  2. Ken Roczen
  3. Chase Sexton
  • Laps Led
  1. Jett Lawrence: 10
  2. Ken Roczen: 6
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Jett Lawrence: 48.639
  2. Ken Roczen: 49.225
  3. Cooper Webb: 49.581
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Jett Lawrence: 51.023
  2. Cooper Webb: 51.383
  3. Ken Roczen: 51.402
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Aaron Plessinger: 2.774
  2. Eli Tomac: 3.095
  3. Chase Sexton: 3.785

Race 2

  • Top 3
  1. Jett Lawrence
  2. Ken Roczen
  3. Chase Sexton
  • Laps Led
  1. Jett Lawrence: 10
  2. Ken Roczen: 6
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Jett Lawrence: 49.499
  2. Ken Roczen: 49.713
  3. Chase Sexton: 49.849
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Jett Lawrence: 50.735
  2. Chase Sexton: 50.884
  3. Ken Roczen: 50.908 (That’s a difference of .173 in average lap times over 16 laps)
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Ken Roczen: 2.537
  2. Malcolm Stewart: 2.641
  3. Chase Sexton: 2.676

Race 3

  • Top 3
  1. Jett Lawrence
  2. Chase Sexton 
  3. Ken Roczen
  • Laps Led
  1. Ken Roczen: 10
  2. Jett Lawrence: 6
  • Fastest Lap Times
  1. Ken Roczen: 49.131
  2. Chase Sexton: 49.284
  3. Jett Lawrence: 49.314
  • Best Average Lap Times
  1. Jett Lawrence: 50.477
  2. Chase Sexton: 50.483
  3. Cooper Webb: 50.594; (That’s a difference of .117 in average lap times over 16 laps)
  • Most Consistent Lap Times (Least difference between fastest and slowest lap times)
  1. Chase Sexton: 2.528
  2. Cooper Webb: 2.885
  3. Jason Anderson: 3.079

Overall

  • Top 3
  1. Jett Lawrence; (The only other person to have a perfect sweep at a triple crown was Ken Roczen in 2020 also on a Honda.  Jett has now won 50% of the races this season, with a 60% podium rate)
  2. Ken Roczen; (Ken has a 50% podium rate this year)
  3. Chase Sexton; (Chase has a 50% podium rate this year)
  • Laps Led
  1. Jett Lawrence: 26; (Jett now has 130 laps led, 50.7% of total laps)
  2. Ken Roczen: 22; (Ken has the second most laps led at 49, Just 19% of total laps)
  • Best First Lap Position Average
  1. Ken Roczen: 1st 
  2. Jett Lawrence: 2nd 
  3. Jason Anderson: 4th 

Points

  • Top 10
  1. Jett Lawrence: 210
  2. Cooper Webb: 189
  3. Chase Sexton: 185
  4. Ken Roczen: 175
  5. Eli Tomac: 174
  6. Jason Anderson: 165
  7. Aaron Plessinger: 162
  8. Justin Cooper: 120
  9. Justin Barcia: 109
  10. Dylan Ferrandis: 107

Lead Image: HRC

Love what we do? Please read this article as we try to raise £30,000.

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British MX Nationals

Thank you. It’s been a hell of a ride.

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Since buying back MX Vice in November 2019, it has been challenging. One of those crystal balls would have been handy for navigating some problematic situations. Who would have thought COVID-19 would be a thing?

Those who follow MX Vice know we started from nothing but an idea. A fan who loved the sport created a Facebook page, website, and social media presence that would become disruptive. It has made numerous talented media people who were allowed to run with it for over thirteen years. Being in the UK/Europe has always been difficult; I’ve always believed that if we were a US media company, we would have been embraced and appreciated for our work ethic and the content we produce. We always cast one eye over the US in Europe, and you can’t blame the top European riders for doing the same.

MX Vice has always tried to give people a voice, especially the riders who are not in the limelight and the teams that put so much into the sport. We love people’s passion and sacrifice to improve and challenge themselves. That, for me, was the natural pull, not the money but the passion and sacrifice. We all know we would not be in motocross if it were about the money. I always considered MX Vice the media version of Steve Dixon’s team in MXGP (which I have a huge amount of respect for), where we have always tried to challenge without the factory budgets.

We knew it would be tough this year with so many businesses and brands cutting marketing budgets and reducing costs; this was never going to be good for us. We have just had two incredible months of stats, with January and February bringing in over 1 million people to the website, which is quite bittersweet. As much as the funds are low, so is my energy and health. COVID impacted me more than I could ever envisaged. My health has deteriorated ever since I caught COVID; my immune system is not in a great place, and when I try and work to the standard I set myself, my body breaks on me, and it takes me days to recover. Ed Stratmann has been a revelation since he took the editorial reigns and has pushed MX Vice to new heights, which is incredible given the lack of resources he has had to work with and support from myself. I have been missing from the podcast show to reduce my time, as I am now self-employed and working for two companies to pay the bills.

Every journey ends, and that’s not what we want. Over the past 13 years, we have given it everything, leaving no stone unturned. We’re proud of how we have disrupted, challenged decisions, held organisations accountable, and illuminated incredible stories.

We will have an auction for signed shirts donated by riders, podcast equipment, and memorabilia to pay off the invoices of some contributors. If, however, you want to see MX Vice continue, you can donate here: https://ko-fi.com/mxvice or purchase a shirt or memorabilia. If we meet our target of £25,000, which is currently outstanding to run this year, then Ed and I will continue. However, we fully expect this won’t happen due to the large sum required.

It’s hard out there at the moment. Take care of your health and family, and never lose your passion for the most fantastic sport in the world.

Burf.

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Features

Lit Kit Gallery: MXGP of Patagonia – Argentina

The best from round 1.

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Check out some of the freshest fits, helmets and more from the MXGP of Patagonia – Argentina. Lead Image: Nestaan Husqvarna – Full Spectrum.

Photo credits: Red Bull KTM – Ray Archer / Nestaan Husqvarna – Full Spectrum / Yamaha MXGP – Full Spectrum + Eva Szabadfi / JM Honda / Kawasaki MXGP / Fantic MXGP / Yamaha MX2 – Full Spectrum / HRC MXGP / GasGas – Juan Pablo Acevedo


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