Facciotti with the Richmond Racing crew on the Calgary podium.

By Allison Kennedy
Photos by Allison Kennedy and James Lissimore

There’s no doubt that Colton Facciotti showed the raw speed needed to earn him a spot on Canada’s 2006 Des Nations team this year. However, many were surprised at the decision, considering Colton broke his collarbone at the Moncton National on August 5. Facciotti is pretty pumped about getting a chance to represent Canada, and he’s been doing everything in his power to be ready for England. He’s been back on the bike for a week now and is already putting in 25-minute motos. His mom, Doriane, has also been doing her part. In fact, she was the first to place her order for Team Canada t-shirts at www.racerxwear.ca last night. Check it out and support Team Canada. $10 from every t-shirt goes straight to the team. We caught up with Colt to see how he’s feeling about being one-third of Team Canada.


First off, congrats on being named to Team Canada. When did you find out and were you happy to be selected?
I found out about it at the end of the nationals. I was pretty surprised actually and pretty happy about it too. I was pretty stoked, not a lot of people get a chance to ride for Team Canada.

You showed some impressive speed at the Nationals this year before your injury in Moncton. How did you feel about the season?
It was a good year. I felt like I made a whole lot of progress from last year. I was a little bit inconsistent and I would have liked to do a little better, but all in all, I was pretty happy with how things went.

Tell me a bit about the crash in Moncton?
It was just kind of one of those fluke accidents. I was just going off the jump behind him [Andy Mathieu] and he kind of pre-loaded a little bit and I stayed low. I don’t know whose fault it was really, I don’t think it was anyone’s fault really, we just kind of collided in the air and a broken collarbone was the end result. I think I got pretty lucky coming out of that with just a broken collarbone.

Facciotti showed some great speed at this year's Nationals.

How are you feeling now?
The doctor said I could go ahead riding now. Everything is all healed up and I am back into the long motos. It’s feeling pretty good. It gets a little sore at the end of the motos but every day it keeps getting better and better. I went to the hyperbaric chamber three or four times and I’ve been getting laser therapy on it. So I guess it healed pretty fast, because the doctor originally said five or six weeks and it ended up being four.

How long have you been back on the bike?
It would have been last Thursday I first got out. I’m up to 25-minute motos. I feel like my endurance is pretty good. I’ve been going to the gym the whole time that I’ve been off, just keeping my cardio up, the only thing is that my shoulder gets a little bit sore by the end of the moto and it gets a little hard to hold on, but other than that, things are good.

You’ve got some previous experience racing in England, how do you think the Des Nations will compare?
Just in England for the arenacross series. I think this will probably be a lot different but I am just going to go out there and have some fun and try to get some good results. It’s kind of hard going over to a different country where you don’t know anybody. It can be tough.

What do you know about the bike you’ll be riding?
I have no idea on that. I think my mom or someone has been organizing that for me, so that should be all good. I am bringing my own suspension and bars.

You have two experienced teammates in Blair and Marco, how do you think the team will do?
I really don’t know. I think we’ll do pretty well though, it’s a pretty solid team but we’ll find out when we get there I guess.

Facciotti will be racing a 450 in Montreal.


 

Are you racing the Montreal Supercross?
Yes, I’ll be racing the 450 class.

Do you have any plans for the rest of the winter yet?
I really don’t know. I think I am going over to England to do some arenacross over there and I’ll probably do the Canadian AX series. I’m not too sure what is up for U.S. Supercross. I’d like to do it again; it was a really good experience last year so. I’m just not too sure if I have a team to ride on yet.

Thanks Colton and good luck in England.
Thanks, it should be fun.