How can RC be sooo much better?

[rodH]

I never understand this. Last time it was Jeramy, now it is RC. I just don't get it, are his reflexes that much better, is his endurance that much better, Hand-eye coordination, etc, etc???

It really is amaing that he is sooo much better. I wonder if part of it is that he is shorter and have a lower center of gravity on the bike, part of it is his reflexes (he is a great starter) and the other part is his fitness (he never fades). Kind of reminds me of Jeff Ward, Jeff was big into working out, short and knew how to throw that bike around like few can.

I am a fan of F1, but if you look at Micheal Shumacher, it is obvious a LOT of that was the car (looking at this year). So in F1 if you have the best car, you just have to beat 1 person, your teammate. In MX/SX I think it is a bit different, I am not so sure that the bike RC rides is that much better than the other guy.

Thoughts??

 

[Anssi]

My thoughts are that the sport has just not matured enough. There's not enough people racing to ensure a whole bunch of talent and there are people making the main in the nationals that haven't got the vaguest idea of effective training (there are comments like "I trained really hard between those to races and came back strong". All you can do in a week in terms of physical training is ruin your fitness by overtraining).

RC has the right physical attributes, talent with the bike, and knows how to train (or has the right people to tell him what to do). Add to that the fact that MX has a hugely diverse set of requirements (endurance, skill, flexibility/quickness, strength, confidence) and someone that is at a great level in all of those can rise far above the pack.

 

[Vic]

Two words.

Work ethic. :nod:

 

[njkx]

He's just like Tiger Woods was in golf a couple years ago. No one could touch him. I believe there are a handful of guys that are as talented as RC right now. (Reed, Windham, etc.) RC just works harder both physically and mentally. Obviously I can't read his mind but he seems like he is totally committed to the sport. No distractions. I think he is driven to go down as the best ever. He seems willing to ride to 100% of his ability every race and risk injury. It seems like some other racers are content to collect their checks and race for a top 5 and go home in one piece.

 

[karterron]

My thoughts are that the sport has just not matured enough. There's not enough people racing to ensure a whole bunch of talent and there are people making the main in the nationals that haven't got the vaguest idea of effective training (there are comments like "I trained really hard between those to races and came back strong". All you can do in a week in terms of physical training is ruin your fitness by overtraining).

RC has the right physical attributes, talent with the bike, and knows how to train (or has the right people to tell him what to do). Add to that the fact that MX has a hugely diverse set of requirements (endurance, skill, flexibility/quickness, strength, confidence) and someone that is at a great level in all of those can rise far above the pack.

Agree with everything, then add on to that DESIRE. Nobody at the line wants it more or thinks it's his more than RC. But your right, desire wouldn't mean squat if he couldn't back it up with ability and conditioning.

 

[tyesai]

He isn't really that much better, but a 10'th of a second here, a 20'th of a second there and over a moto he wins by half a lap. It seems like everytime KDub finds that 10'th RC finds one also.

 

[JMD]

Tyesai, you're right. The difference isn't all that great. Think about it -- two seconds a lap is very close, very very close. But RC is so consistent. He runs that pace all day long, and it adds up. And he rarely crashes, rarely has a bad day, and he rarely has bad luck. They say the great champions seem to make their own luck -- everything seems to go their way. RC never had a wheel fall apart as Langston had, he never miscalculated and jumped right on somebody he was passing, like Bubba; he never dragged his sprocket in a rut and had his chain come off, the way Reed did. He seems to live a charmed life. Who knows how many races Bob Hannah would have won if he hadn't had that skiing accident? Or Rick Johnson, or David Bailey? Ricky is great, but he's been lucky, too. That's part of why he's the best ever.

 

[dante]

I've only seen one pro race in person... Glen Helen this year... So I don't know much, but too me, it looks like allot of the guys sort of look the same... They hit various sections the same way, corner very similar, they are all commpetive with eachother... They hit the jumps in much the same way... But Rickey every section I saw him ride he seemed to go bigger, hold it open longer, and get on the gas sooner... It's really incrediable to watch... With out even seeing him you could almost hear him coming and know it was him, I would just know Ricky was coming around the bend by the sound... He's head and sholders above everyone, he's that good... I don't see anyone beating him for a chapionship until he gets old or something like that... I think Kevin is very close,(I did'nt see chad ride at GH) but like others said it's a tenth of sec, here, and a 10th of a second their that adds up
over the whole moto...

 

[Okiewan]

How is anyone in any sport notiicably better than everyone else?
Jordan, Tiger, Lance ... there have been many. I guess the freakin planets align for these few :)

 

[dante]

How is anyone in any sport notiicably better than everyone else?
Jordan, Tiger, Lance ... there have been many. I guess the freakin planets align for these few :)

Jordan was way noticably better than every one before him... He would dunk on people from the free throw line... Plus he'd get so much air time, he'd be switching hands with the ball, getting through 3 defenders and dunk on them all... Jordan was like a Harlem globe trotter to everyone in the late 80's... The Jordan logo is from the big free throw line dunks... Rickey was trippling this section at GH that only Kevin did after seeing rickey do it... But the difference is Rickey did it every single lap... Their was another heavely watered turn before an up hill step up that Rickey was the only one to truely clear, every one cased that thing every lap (except for Grant Langston)... At least at Glen Helen I know for a fact that Rickey was head and sholder above everyone else, no question...

 

[Ryone]

... But Rickey every section I saw him ride he seemed to go bigger, hold it open longer, and get on the gas sooner... It's really incrediable to watch... With out even seeing him you could almost hear him coming and know it was him, I would just know Ricky was coming around the bend by the sound...

I agree with this statement. Ever since RC started riding professionally, everyone else has commented about "hearing" RC. They say it's a different sound than the rest, especially when he's on the 2-stroke. He seems to just OWN the track. He's on the gas all the time, has no fear, keeps the pace the whole race, he's patient but aggressive, he has impeccable technique, doesn't succumb to pressure or weather or dirt type, believes he's the best... etc..etc...
When others talk about technique and lines being similar, it's true. The main difference is the mind.
It's not just a tenth of a second here or there for RC outdoors... it's usually about 2 or more seconds a lap faster than second place... giving him at least a 30 second gap at the checkered flag.

RC is THE fastest motocrosser in the world.

Ryan

 

[xsnrg]

I agree with this statement. Ever since RC started riding professionally, everyone else has commented about "hearing" RC. They say it's a different sound than the rest, especially when he's on the 2-stroke. He seems to just OWN the track. He's on the gas all the time, has no fear, keeps the pace the whole race, he's patient but aggressive, he has impeccable technique, doesn't succumb to pressure or weather or dirt type, believes he's the best... etc..etc...
When others talk about technique and lines being similar, it's true. The main difference is the mind.
It's not just a tenth of a second here or there for RC outdoors... it's usually about 2 or more seconds a lap faster than second place... giving him at least a 30 second gap at the checkered flag.

RC is THE fastest motocrosser in the world.

Ryan

I can't say it for this past year, but I remember thinking the same thing about Bubba when he was on the 125...It just looked like he had better style and did everything better than everyone else.

 

[XRpredator]

RC sucks.

 

[OldTimer]

RC sucks.

Hee, hee..
You forgot 2 strokes Pred :nener:

 

[dklink2000]

Two words.

Work ethic. :nod:

I agree. Have you ever seen that show "reality of speed"? Those guys are a joke when it comes to training. When your a pro rider it means just that. Professional. These guys still act as if it is there hobby, not there job. RC just works at it harder.

 

[marcusgunby]

I can tell you a little story to show the difference of RC and the others, in the 03 MXDN? where they had the race late in the afternoon, Gordon Crockard was riding at about his best(finishing 3rd in the gps i think) and they went side by side down the big staight with the huge table tops, well they went upto the big one, the sun was directly in Gordons eyes and he was blinded a little, he backed it down a little to feel confidant he could save it in case he got cross rutted, but RC in the same conditions never shut off at all, he held it wide open all the way up and over, hes brave and confidant and strong, Gordon basically said "if you want it that bad your welcome to it"

 

[JMD]

That's the thing about RC; he makes it clear that if you want to beat him, you're going to have to ride at a frightening pace. Nobody wants to do that, and they can't hang on when they try. Ricky has gotten used to riding at that pace, somehow. Remember how Hanna always seemed to be ready to crash, but he almost always saved it? He said you just have to get used to riding out of control.

 

[Ryone]

Ricky has gotten used to riding at that pace, somehow.

I like the way you put that. It used to be like controlled chaos, but now he's actually smooth at that pace. Anyone else riding that pace is riding past their edge. I like the way Shane Watts (RC's former mechanic) stated it in The Great Outdoors 1 about how RC's edge is a little faster and further out there than the rest. Ricky has learned to be smooth at a pace that no one else can keep without crashing.

 

[robwbright]

There was a race I was in this year where I got a crappy start and had to go full on to pass guys and try to catch the leader (my lap times had been equal to his in the qualifier). It was in that race that I realized I could actually ride about 1-2 seconds faster per lap than I had been the rest of the season.

However, I felt like I was going to crash 4-5 times a lap, and as a 33 y/o with wife and child and no medical insurance, I didn't really like that feeling all that much - most of the time I'll be riding at 80-90% speed . . .

I get the impression that RC is able to go at 95-100% speed all the time with little danger of a mistake because of his precision and strength. I also get the impression (especially in outdoors) that Kevin is comfortable at 90%. Which is fine I guess - being 2nd best in the world at anything is nothing to laugh at.

Incidentally, I caught the leader by the final lap but wasn't able to get around and lost by a wheel . . . :(

 

[john3_16]

That's the thing about RC; he makes it clear that if you want to beat him, you're going to have to ride at a frightening pace. Nobody wants to do that, and they can't hang on when they try. Ricky has gotten used to riding at that pace, somehow. Remember how Hanna always seemed to be ready to crash, but he almost always saved it? He said you just have to get used to riding out of control.

That's what I've been thinking....RC has ridden at such a fast pace for so long it's like nothing to him now..and he's even made it look easy...

He's been willing to keep pushing that crazy pace until it has become normal for him even after having wrecks....

The other guys are going to have to be willing to go into the "danger zone" and do it long enough to where they can adapt to the crazy pace...

Maybe they can't ?

I keep hearing about RC not having talent from mags and commentators....

Who are they kidding ?

RC has loads of talent....What they are seeing is a combination of massive talent and hard work...a rare combo.

And, I don't know why it is but most of the fastest guys are kinda short...Bubba, RC, and Fonseca are short...MC isn't very tall, maybe 5'10 with 2 pair of riding socks and riding boots...Light weight does help on the starts.

 

[2-Strokes 4-ever]

RC sucks.

Without facts or proof (which I am open to listen to) this is merely an opinion and personal slam.... who benefits?

 

[mxer842]

He holds on longer, brakes later, and gets on it faster and harder, pretty simple, i could do that, i just don't want to.

 

[XRpredator]

who benefits?

me

 

[2-Strokes 4-ever]

me

That's the answer I expected, but it's wrong...sorry for the "ouch."

 

[XRpredator]

well, what else can be expected from a two stroke guy :coocoo: