Tim Gajser should be world champion this weekend. On Friday, at Imola, I had a chance to talk to him and to find out what he likes to do in his free time, or what does he think about when his racing. But before you start reading, I want to ask you, what do you think Tim Gajser does when he’s not on a motorcycle? 

So everyone’s noticed you’re going to win so I’m going to ask you; how will you reward yourself?

I didn’t think about that yet. I don’t know… I’m quite happy how everything stands at the moment so I will try to give everything to finish the season strong because after this GP we still have three more. Then the plan is to go to the U.S. where I’m going to do the Monster Cup then we have a test in two weeks. I don’t have time to do anything honestly… With Spela [his girlfriend] we were talking, and on the tenth of November I’m going to Japan for a holiday day and after that I think I’m going to take three weeks off and maybe going to go somewhere for a holiday. Nothing too crazy. 

While you’re not racing, which I see is nearly never, what do you like to do?

Basically I don’t have so much free time, it’s always just about motocross, but if I have maybe an afternoon or an evening, I like to go out with my friends to play football, or go on a picnic, you know, maybe have a BBQ.

Are you a good footballer?

I’m not that bad. I was an attacker with my brother. Actually when we were younger were playing in the first league of Slovenia. 

So you never relax!?

No, always something! I can’t just lay down and on the sofa and be there for three hours… I can’t do that. 

At the Motocross of Nations, do you think you can pull off a win? Do you think it’s very important for your fans?

I’m very happy [to race] after last year when I had to skip the Motocross of Nations because of my surgery. It’s basically an honour that I can represent the country. It’s going to be on sand, in Assen, so definitely I will try to give my best for Slovenia to reach the A final. You know from the past years I have improved on sand circuits, so I think I can do some good races. 

And, last question, when you’re leading a race, do you think: “I want it to finish now!” Or: “I have to keep on going”?

I make that mistake many times because when you’re in front and you have a nice gap, around ten seconds and you see on the board that there only five minutes to go, in your head you think approximately “four laps”, and then you lose the focus and it’s easy to make a mistake. I fell many times when I was in the lead and then I lost control just a couple of minutes before the end, so from now on I try to focus until the chequered flag, because when you start thinking about different things you’re not a hundred percent there and something can easily go wrong.

Thank you

By Alex Wheeler Garcia

Photos by Ray Archer @rayarcherphoto