Nate Adams might be X-Fighters’ most consistent, skilled and reliable rider, but Andre Villa is sure he is homing in on the Destroyer…
In the practice rounds at a Red Bull X-Fighters competition, riders usually head out onto the course in pairs, spending much of the session time cruising from ramp to ramp, mentally mapping the course. Andre Villa, though, is slightly different. Watch him consistently, across a few events, and the Norwegian invariably uses his practice sessions to dive straight into complex trick sequences, pushing himself straight into competition mode.
“I like to start the practice as my run is going to be,” he says simply. “Some riders like to go out do that, hit it straight away, practising their runs. Levi Sherwood normally doesn’t do any tricks in his practice, but he throws everything down in the competition. Some riders like to think about the lines and some like to get the tricks down. I think it depends on my mood.”
'I made the mistake in Rome… but you can’t have regrets'
Right now the mood seems good. Heading into the round in Madrid, the sport’s heartland, Villa is second in the championship on 225 points, just 40 points behind Adams. The pair have made the podium their own this year with Villa taking two seconds and a third to Adams’ two wins and a third.
In 2010, Villa held the championship lead right up until the final round and in the end it was only a single mistake in Rome that let the Norwegian down, Adams sneaking through to the take his second Tour title on the trot, despite not winning a single round. Villa admits he will never forget the mistake in Rome but that it was crucial for his future ambitions that he put it behind him as quickly as possible.
“I had a great season in 2010, it was a really good progression from the previous season, so I have no complaints really about how it ended,” he says. “I did have a slip in the semi-final last year and if I had not made that mistake I would probably have won that round and the series. But you need to forgive yourself. I did, and the way I forgave myself that was to understand that you need to be consistent in every round. I made the mistake in Rome but it could have been anywhere else – in Egypt or Russia, anywhere else. But you can’t have regrets.”
Jörg Mitter/Global Newsroom/Red Bull Content Pool
“Andre has, for the past three years, been my dark horse,” said Red Bull X-Fighters Sporting Director Tes Sewell at the start of this year’s competition. “He has always had the potential and [last year] he unlocked it. This year he should do the same – if he can just forget the mistakes and not let them bug him.”
While Villa demurs, saying “there’s always more to learn”, but he will admit that he is enjoying the events so far.
“I feel good… I just want to carry on doing what I have been doing and go for it. I’ll go for wins, but podiums will be OK. You really have to be consistent through the whole season. You don’t necessarily have to win to win the series as we saw last year!
'Of course, I’ve been around the block too…'
“But, yes, Nate has been amazingly consistent,” he adds with an almost weary sigh. “He is really good at bringing it out there even if he has had a really bad day. It takes a lot to shake up Nate Adams. He’s solid as a rock.
“He’s just very experienced. He’s been at the top of freestyle motocross for almost a decade. He believes in himself, he believes he’s a winner and he believes he can go out there and do it all the time. He’s very talented and has great bike skills. It’s down to dedication.”
If that seems like altogether too much praise, then the smile that follows suggests otherwise.
“Of course, I’ve been around the block too,” he laughs. “Now my task is find the consistency, win some rounds and we’ll see what happens from there.”
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