Page 44 - MPG14

KEN ROCZEN
In the perpetual cat-and-mouse game that has manifested itself out of the Roczen/Dungey rivalry,
Ken has consistently found himself the runner-up in their continuous duels. As if a mirror image of the Carmichael/Reed era, the two riders have battled over the course of multiple seasons with one soldier being superior in nearly all instances. In Roczen’s case, the sophisticated and smooth riding style hasn’t earned him the nod since winning the 250 West and 450 outdoor national championships, in 2013 and 2014 respectively. The #94 can’t be criticized for effort, though, as the German rider has laid it down most rounds this season but, in truth, has been outweighed and overmatched by Dungey’s consistency. If Ken hopes to find the top step of the box at any of the remaining rounds this season, he’ll need to build upon the outstanding performance in Indianapolis, even though it was a 2nd place finish.
In speculating, it becomes complicated to pinpoint exactly where Roczen can close the gap on his dominant counterpart yet there has to be something. In most cases, it’s the start. In others, it may be the lappers. That said, it has to be something. With Dungey finishing on the podium at each of the first thirteen rounds, it might take a miracle for Roczen to overcome the 45-point deficit he had coming into St. Louis but nothing will stop his push for momentum before the season ends and heads outside. Like last weekend, wheels burning and legs itching to make the pass throughout the race, Roczen proved the want for Dungey’s crown is real. Now surfaced, Roczen rode into St. Louis malnourished of victory and hungry enough to pick up every last crumb. The question is, did he?
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GRITMOTO • APRIL.18.16
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