SEPTEMBER 6, 2006
By Danny Brault
Royal Distributing KTM's Marco Dubé. Photo: Allison Kennedy
Royal Distributing KTM’s Marco Dubé has just come off one of his best seasons yet, capturing national #5 in the CMRC Canadian National Motocross Championships. Now, the French Canadian rider will prepare to take on the world at the Motocross Des Nations in Matterley Basin, England on September 23-24. Dubé, along with his teammates, Colton Facciotti and Blair Morgan, are at the top of talent pool in Canada and all have a great amount of experience racing overseas. And, with the help of KTM’s Kurt Nicoll, Dubé may be racing a Factory KTM 250 SX-F. We caught up with Dubé while he was busy testing suspension on the tiny thumper and, as always, the former Canadian champ has high expectations for himself and the team in England.
RXC: First off, Marco, congrats on being named to Team Canada!
Marco Dubé: Thank you.
You had a pretty solid season at the Canadian nationals, earning national #5, and now you’re going to race the Motocross Des Nations. You must be pretty stoked.
Oh, yes, definitely happy. I was looking forward to it last year, but I didn’t get named—I couldn’t go anyways because I was training for the Olympic Stadium [Montreal SX]. I’m pretty pumped for the Des Nations. I went to it in Belgium in ’97 and then in 2002, but they cancelled it and changed it to the World Cup. I’m going to get a good bike from Factory KTM and I’m looking forward to do some good motos.
I heard there was talk that Kurt Nicoll was going to help set you up with a good bike….
Yep. KTM Europe is going to get me the full factory bike. It’s going to be a first for me and then I will bring my suspension from Factory Connection Suspension with me. I’m testing, actually, right now. I’m going back and forth on the track, trying to get things set up on the 250F.
So, you’re going with a 250F, not a 125?
No … [laughs]. Actually, I don’t know what the rule is. I went to try all of the new models last week at the KTM dealer show. And that 144 is … amazing. It’s just amazing how fast it is. But, you know, next year I will probably get one just to keep my aggressiveness up. But, no, I’m a four-stroke rider and I love the four-stroke power.
You’ve raced SX and AX on 250Fs in the last year, but you haven’t spent much time racing one outdoors. How are you feeling about switching to the small bike outdoors?
I don’t see any problem with the small bike; it’s easier to run. The only reason I don’t run a national on one is because Mark Stallybrass doesn’t want past champions racing MX2. But, I’m racing local stuff and provincials [on the 250F].
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While Dubé powered a KTM 450 SX-F this summer at the Canadian Nationals, he will pilot the ever-potent KTM 250 SX-F in the MX2 class at the Des Nations. Photo: Allison Kennedy |
You have a long history of racing overseas, and with the way things went last year at the Des Nations—with the worn out bikes—what do you see is needed to come together for the team to put in a good performance at this year’s event?
Just like you said, it’s always a question of what kind of bike you’re going to get. That’s the key of the success, if you have a piece of crap bike—you’re not going to go race with the best in the world. I think, this year, Carl [Bastedo] is really taking care of that and is making sure everybody on the team will have a brand new bike or a factory bike, like me. You never know [laughs] going to Europe, a promoter promises you a brand new bike and you end up with an enduro bike. It’s happened to me before.
It’s tough for riders to travel to a different country and race. What are some of the obstacles you guys will face?
For sure, the jetlag, there is a time difference of five hours. But, I don’t think it will be too bad, we will get there … we’re flying out on Tuesday and will be there on Wednesday. Carl set up a place where we can practice on Thursday, do some bike set up and modifications if we have to. Just doing that, we are going to feel so much more comfortable. We will be a lot more ready than we have in the past, I think, just having a day of practice. I’m really excited to go, it seems Carl has set everything up well this year.
With every year, the team was named fairly late in the game, but it looks like we have a talented group of riders going this year and everyone has overseas racing experience. How do you think Team Canada will stack up against the world?
As you said, we are all good riders. I’m hoping for top five; I think we can do it. If we go there, and have a good comfortable set up, good bikes, suspension set up, a top five is possible.
Well, hopefully everything goes well for you guys, Marco. Good luck in England.
Thanks.
