 
Interview Taylor ROBERT (USA – KTM)
"I can be as fast as some of the World Champions!”
Arrived in Agadir Tuesday at noon after two weeks off at home in Arizona,
Taylor ROBERT (USA – KTM) had a chat with us during this day off while
waiting to be able to walk the test on Wednesday morning. The KTM rider is
speaking about his SuperEnduro season, his goals in EnduroGP and how the
very late Kurt CASELLI (USA) gave him the idea to race the World Series…
Hi Taylor, congratulations for your 4th place in this SuperEnduro
season… Happy with it?
Taylor ROBERT: "I'm ok with it! It was definitely better than last
season because I ended up all the races this year. I had a lot of ups and
downs… I have to find the consistence now. I have the speed to run with
those guys when I ride like I know I should. I'm happy with this 4th place
and now I can focus on the EnduroGP World Championship!”
You seemed to be one of the fastest during the end of the season.
Aren't you a bit disappointed to find the rhythm that late in the season?
T.R: "Yes, I'm definitely kind of disappointed in that. Honestly,
Poland was a pretty good race for me with two third places but then I just
had some rough luck here and there and a lot of ups and downs like I said it
before. I'm a little disappointed that my season was not as good as my end
of season but that's what SuperEnduro does. You never know what's going to
happen and it was chaotic out there!”
After an injured scaphoid in 2015, you should be happy to
conclude this season without any injuries and a good overall position?
T.R: "Yes! I broke my scaphoid a couple of days after the first
round last year and I didn't find out it was broken until the third round.
Last year was pretty rough for me but glad to finish the entire season this
year and to be 100% ready to go also for the EnduroGP!”
 "SuperEnduro
was chaotic this season!”
All these trips between USA and Europe aren't too exhausted? How do
you manage the jet lag?
T.R: "I'm trying to have a kind of system now where I just try to
sleep as much as I can on the plane and then when I get to Europe, I try to
stay up the rest of the day and then just get a full night sleep. After that
it's ok. But, for example, today I got here at noon and I've just been tired
all day, I wanted to take a snap but I knew I shouldn't and that was pretty
tough. In SuperEnduro, I'm usually in Europe on Thursday when the race is on
Saturday. It makes the things easier then.”
You had a lot of trips in Europe in the last months. Do you like this
continent?
T.R: "It's cool! There are so many different parts in Europe! You
know, United States is similar across the all thing. You have different
climate but pretty much everywhere you go, you have the same stores,
everybody speaks the same language. Over here, every place you go is so
different. You have so many different climates; languages and every country
have their own stores and stories. It's a kind of crazy. We're not really
used to it but thankfully pretty much everywhere; everyone speaks English so
that's good for me. I know a little of Spanish, enough to get around but
that's not easy. I'm looking forward to it. It's a great experience for me
and it's cool to travel the world this year and just experience things I'm
not used to do…”
How is a normal day in Taylor ROBERT life when he is home in Arizona?
T.R: "When I'm home, it's pretty nice and organized, a lot less
chaotic than travelling all over the world. Usually I get up and I go ride
early in the morning. Summer is getting really hot in Arizona so, like all
last week, I was getting up at 5 o'clock and riding at 6.30. I go out to
ride for few hours then I go to the gym. Them I come back, work on my bike,
do the things on it I need to do. Cook dinner and… Well that's pretty much
my day!”
We are really happy to welcome you also in EnduroGP this year! How
this decision came to you?
T.R: "It's just a combination of me, Fabio (FARIOLI) and the boss
in USA: Antti KALLONEN. When I first signed with KTM in 2014, I first asked
Antti if I can do some World Enduros and he was like: "Aaaah, I don't
know… Maybe…” Then, I had a couple of good years in the Six Days and I
could prove to Fabio that I can go fast in several races. After this year in
Slovakia, he approached me and asked me if I had an interest in doing it and
I was like: "Yeah, I really want to do it!” I was looking to Kurt (CASELLI)
racing it in the past. He really wanted to do the full series but never got
the opportunity to… So I was trying to follow Kurt footsteps and now that
I have this opportunity, I'm definitely grateful to it!”
 Taylor
ROBERT enjoying his time in Morocco with the MCCANNEY's brothers
"I tried to follow Kurt CASELLI footsteps. I'm grateful to have
this opportunity!”
Is the transition from SuperEnduro to EnduroGP will not be difficult?
T.R: "It's definitely two different types of racing but I have a
really good foundation for the enduro type racing. I come from a motocross
background and I grew up racing off-road in the United States. Then the last
five years, I start to race some SuperEnduro and Endurocross style of races.
But this Championship is bringing me back to my roots, I've really enjoyed
racing ISDE's and I'm looking forward to compete in this series!”
Why did you finally choose the E2 Class and the 350 EXC-F?
T.R: "I know that some people were thinking that I would race a 250
in E1 and I never really understand why they thought that. I started to race
this bike for SuperEnduro only. Before, I always raced a 450 or a 500! Last
year Six Days, I raced on a 350 and I really liked it so that was my
decision. If it's desert, I really like the 500cc but for something I got to
ride all year on different types of terrain, I think the 350 is the best
bike all around…”
How are you going to manage your life now? You'll stay in Europe or
will travel every time from the US to Europe?
T.R: "I don't have fully planed out yet… I'm going back home in
between Portugal and Greece and then in between Greece and Finland. After I
get back from Finland and Sweden, I'll see how I feel and see what I want to
do. At now, it's ok because there is some break in between the race but then
I'll see what I'll do in summer… It's a lot of travelling in not so many
times."
What
are your goals for your first season in this Championship?
T.R: "I think I'm just as fast as these guys. I've raced a lot of
Six Days and my last couple of times, I shown I can be as fast as some of
the World Champions so my goal is to come out here and compete for the World
crown. I don't want to just come over here and try to finish because that's
not really my goal. I want to come over here and win. I've been doing a lot
of training the last few weeks when I came back from the SuperEnduro. I
really got my bike perfect how I want it. I'm excited for this weekend!”
 In three words…
SuperEnduro: Crazy, Technical, Chaotic
EnduroGP: Fast, Smooth, Smart
Taddy BLAZUSIAK: Fast, Kind of Crazy, Very Competitive
Cody WEBB: Amazing Skills, Control, Trials
Colton HAAKER: Fastest, Different Personality, Fun to Ride With
Ty TREMAINE: Young, Aggressive, Future out of him
Kevin ROOKSTOOL: Laidback, Funny, Easy to be around
Matthew PHILLIPS: Faster than he looks, Funny, A lot of Energy
Fabio FARIOLI: Busy, Smart, Conservative
Ivan CERVANTES: Nice Guy, Fun to be around, Not going to try to mess you up
Nathan WATSON: Young, Got a lot to learn, Got Very Aggressive style
Taylor ROBERT Digest
Name: ROBERT Taylor
Nickname: TR33
Date of Birth: July, 10th 1990
Place of Birth: Scottsdale (Arizona)
Number: 33
Bike: KTM 350 EXC-F
Career Highlights:
2011: 8th AMA Endurocross
2012: WORCS Champion - 3rd AMA Endurocross
2013: 5th AMA Endurocross
2015: 11th SEWC Prestige - 5th AMA Endurocross
2016: 4th SEWC Prestige
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