Page 90 - Issue34

MIKE ALESSI
450 SX / AZ
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / WILSON
>> As we roll into the land of the dual-wing pterodactyl, the rising sun of the Western Land spreads its sea of light across the Arizona landscape.
A land we call Phoenix, adopting its name after a regeneration of the bird that soars through the hemisphere, this Southwestern location is also a place where riders on the Supercross circuit can be re-born, and revitalize their series run thus far. Alessi is wishfully thinking to do the same as the tour stops for its fourth round; as he’s made the trek thus far, curious to see what a track can bring to him that’s outside of the California borders.
Coming into the main event, his demeanor seemed to change as he was walking through the tunnel. After a hard fought effort to solidify himself through the quali- fying sequences, it was now time for push to come to shove, and the distractions to be left behind.
Funneling into initial bend following the abnormally long start straight, the pack began to swarm around him. Where as most would panic with a sense of claus- trophobia, he remained poised, knowing that he had work to do.
Following one of the infamous “SX” triples, he was displaying a sense of accurate timing and precise measurement into the next mogul section; there was a real sense of saving each specific millisecond, although his position at the time was less than ideal.
Each lap he would chip away, laptimes remaining rather steadfast, and display- ing an ability to hold amongst the best in the sport; and although a 15th position isn’t what he was accustomed to compared to the past, in a field as deep as this years, the effort was well deserved and solidified as he crossed the checkered flag.
90 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 29, 2017