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MARVIN MUSQUIN
450 MX / 1ST
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> What truly makes up the DNA of a champion on the professional motocross tour?
Is it outright fearlessness? A reign of courage and pride that’s unmatched by any else on the line? Or talent and stamina that can be unrivaled by no other, as they’re willing
to do all necessary in order to achieve winning status? It’s a combination of all three, and something that’s been engrained into the neural drive of Marvin Musquin since the get go. Whether it’s a local race as a child, a championship on the amateur circuit, or sitting behind the lines of any given professional event, he truly has the self worth and belief, that he can claim victory. This attitude was quick to be seen in practice, where
his con dence allowed others to pass, letting them receive a bit of glory as he scoped the track for optimal lines. He had nothing to prove, as he knew deep within his core, as the lights came on and television cameras captured his performance, that he would be ready to shine. Moto number one had him barreling out of the gate, looking to make his presence known early. Doing his best to establish a faster laptime than the familiar foe of Marvin Musquin, the two went into a gurative battle over seeing who could honestly throw down the quickest circuit. It was a smart tactic to do, as meanwhile, they would set themselves apart from the majority of the eld. Launching off Larocco’s leap at around the midway point, he was buried within the starting group. Making the move on Benny Bloss as the moto began to wind down, he would be of quick inheritance with Eli Tomac’s bike breaking. The number one’s wheel would lock up, and with that, Mus-
quin would nish second. Taking the runner up spot, a duplicate performance must be enacted, in order take home the gold medallion. The second moto had the eld swarm- ing in the early going, as many wanted to exit stage right, and display their nal perfor- mance with the fans chanting, “encore.” He would put the aspirations in to play though, as he quickly found himself in the rst place position. Sweating underneath the foam of his goggle, both engine and nervous system were beginning to heat up, truly meshing together as one concise unit. And Ken Roczen could notice, as the pace he was putting down was almost unfathomable. The outright corner speed was just as owing, and steady as ever. He would continue to pull, as Roczen and Barcia threw down for an outright second position. Crossing the checkered ag, the feeling of adrenaline reached its climax; a wave of tingle and chills poured over his body. He’d done it, laying claim as the absolute king of Red Bud, sending a message to all in attendance, who really was in charge.
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GRITMOTO • JULY 1, 2018