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Supercross & Motocross
SX: Countdown To A1 - #1 Ryan Villopoto
Ryan Villopoto is the reigning two-time champ but he enters the season coming off another serious injury. Can he successfully defend his crown once again?
Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto (Photo: Hoppenworld.com)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: The 2013 Monster Energy Supercross season opener will air LIVE on SPEED on Saturday, January 5th at 9:30 ET.
What more can you say about Ryan Villopoto other than that he’s a true warrior? When you envision the ideal makeup of a motocross rider, Villopoto possesses all the key traits; he’s fast, he’s tough, and he’s relentlessly committed to his craft. Perhaps you could say that same about his chief rivals, who are also cut of a similar mold, but when you look at everything the reigning champ has had to overcome in recent years only to accomplish what he has, it’s incredibly impressive.
While many of his contemporaries have a distinct style or smoothness in the way they ride, Villopoto looks like he’s on a mission on the track. You can see him attack the course every lap, and the way he maintains momentum through the turns and over any obstacle is what gives him an edge over his competitors.
After suffering a devastating leg break in 2010, Villopoto came back with a rare mental toughness following his road to recovery. He had something to prove. That resulted in an ideal comeback performance -- his first premier class championship. Villopoto carried that into the motocross championship, which ultimately translated into the momentum that helped him become the first back-to-back Supercross champion in six seasons. Unfortunately, heartbreak struck Villopoto again after he locked up the crown, suffering a second torn ACL at his hometown race in Seattle no less.
Once again, Villopoto was forced to prove his resiliency and made a surprisingly quick recovery that culminated with a return at the Monster Energy Cup in October. He picked up where he left off by winning the first moto convincingly, but following a crash in the second moto, he chose to call it a night and save himself for the season ahead. Even with very little race experience over the past eight months, Villopoto is still the favorite coming into 2013 due to what he’s accomplished under similar circumstances in the past.
What has really helped Villopoto establish himself as the most formidable rider in the sport over the past two seasons is his ability to stand up to virtually any obstacle. Winning a championship is the most difficult part of racing, but defending that title is even harder and throughout last season there was never much doubt that Villopoto was in control of his own destiny. That confidence and drive have no doubt been influenced by his experiences with adversity. Villopoto takes advantage of every opportunity as if it were his last -- a pure killer instinct. The torn ACL has been perceived as just a bump in the road for Villopoto, who has stated that such an injury is nowhere near as significant as it was in the past. He simply doesn’t appear fazed.
Still in his prime, Villopoto is only going to get better and stronger, fueled by the challenge of his rivals who have raised their games in an attempt to match his.
Villopoto has no weaknesses and as he appears to have the complete package dialed in, you just can’t bet against him until someone finds a way to get the upper hand on a consistent basis.
2013 should be a benchmark year for Villopoto, who would become just the fourth rider in history to go back-to-back-to-back.
What more can you say about Ryan Villopoto other than that he’s a true warrior? When you envision the ideal makeup of a motocross rider, Villopoto possesses all the key traits; he’s fast, he’s tough, and he’s relentlessly committed to his craft. Perhaps you could say that same about his chief rivals, who are also cut of a similar mold, but when you look at everything the reigning champ has had to overcome in recent years only to accomplish what he has, it’s incredibly impressive.
While many of his contemporaries have a distinct style or smoothness in the way they ride, Villopoto looks like he’s on a mission on the track. You can see him attack the course every lap, and the way he maintains momentum through the turns and over any obstacle is what gives him an edge over his competitors.
After suffering a devastating leg break in 2010, Villopoto came back with a rare mental toughness following his road to recovery. He had something to prove. That resulted in an ideal comeback performance -- his first premier class championship. Villopoto carried that into the motocross championship, which ultimately translated into the momentum that helped him become the first back-to-back Supercross champion in six seasons. Unfortunately, heartbreak struck Villopoto again after he locked up the crown, suffering a second torn ACL at his hometown race in Seattle no less.
Once again, Villopoto was forced to prove his resiliency and made a surprisingly quick recovery that culminated with a return at the Monster Energy Cup in October. He picked up where he left off by winning the first moto convincingly, but following a crash in the second moto, he chose to call it a night and save himself for the season ahead. Even with very little race experience over the past eight months, Villopoto is still the favorite coming into 2013 due to what he’s accomplished under similar circumstances in the past.
What has really helped Villopoto establish himself as the most formidable rider in the sport over the past two seasons is his ability to stand up to virtually any obstacle. Winning a championship is the most difficult part of racing, but defending that title is even harder and throughout last season there was never much doubt that Villopoto was in control of his own destiny. That confidence and drive have no doubt been influenced by his experiences with adversity. Villopoto takes advantage of every opportunity as if it were his last -- a pure killer instinct. The torn ACL has been perceived as just a bump in the road for Villopoto, who has stated that such an injury is nowhere near as significant as it was in the past. He simply doesn’t appear fazed.
Still in his prime, Villopoto is only going to get better and stronger, fueled by the challenge of his rivals who have raised their games in an attempt to match his.
Villopoto has no weaknesses and as he appears to have the complete package dialed in, you just can’t bet against him until someone finds a way to get the upper hand on a consistent basis.
2013 should be a benchmark year for Villopoto, who would become just the fourth rider in history to go back-to-back-to-back.
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