Thomas Pages Talks Red Bull X-Fighters SA

Thomas Pages is one of the most illustrious Freestyle Motocross riders the world has ever seen. Known for his innovation of the sport with insane and new technical tricks, some of which he is the only rider in the world who can pull them off. In just a few weeks time South Africa will witness Pages on home soil at the finale of the 2014 Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour taking place at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on the 23rd August.
We caught up with Pages to chat about his 2014 season, his one of a kind tricks and his thoughts on the South African stop of the tour. See what the Frenchman had to say…

You had a big win in Madrid earlier this year. How did that win help with your confidence going into the final round of the X-Fighters World Tour?
My win in Madrid is the result of lots of work. I have now my own four tricks (the Volt, the Flair, the Special Flip and the Bike Flip). I have prepared them for years and to win the Red Bull X-Fighters, mainly in Madrid which is the greatest event in Europe, is a very nice reward. Of course, it makes me more confident for the end of the season.

We finally saw your Bike Flip unveiled in Madrid. How long were you working on it and how many attempts later did you first land the Bike Flip?
I worked on this trick for years. But I precisely worked on it for eight months. Since last January I may have landed the bike flip more than 2000 times in my training park. It is a very technical and dangerous trick and even if I am training a lot, even if I know exactly what to do, I am never 100% sure to land it.

What made you decide that the trick would be possible on a dirt bike and are you working on any other unseen tricks?
I knew that Travis Pastrana has worked on this trick but without success. I have studied all the possibilities, I have thought of it a very long time and after that I have worked a lot in the foam.
I am always thinking to new tricks but it takes such a long time, several years to succeed. And of course, I do not want to reveal my next one!

How much more do you think the sport of FMX can progress?
It will progress as long as the riders will invent new tricks. It is endless.

What do you think will be the next new and big trick in FMX?
I do not know what the other riders are preparing. I know what I am preparing but I cannot tell anything about it.

Any words for you fans before you get to South Africa? “I am very impatient to meet them…”

What has your preparation for the upcoming South African stop consisted of?
Training and training again. All my tricks are technical and dangerous so I spend 5 or 6 hours a day, every single day in my park.

Do you think we will see a showdown for the title at the final round in South Africa?
The final contest in Pretoria will be fantastic because there are only 5 points between the leader Levi Sherwood and Josh Sheehan and his incredible Double Backflip and all his new tricks.

This is the first time X-Fighters will be visiting South Africa. What are you expecting from this stop and what are you looking forward to?
I am very happy to come in South Africa and I will for sure enjoy Pretoria. I am very impatient to discover places and people. I guess that it will be very interesting because it is such a different culture from ours.

What can South African FMX fans expect from X-Fighters when it finally gets here?
I am sure that the FMX fans will enjoy the competition. The Red Bull X-Fighters presents the best riders of the world with and incredible level. I will try to offer the public my four main tricks and I hope to succeed over there.

How do you see the 2014 World Tour wrapping up?
This year was an amazing season, mainly in Madrid where the level was so high! Each rider has released perfect runs without any mistakes and with incredible tricks.