The 2024 season is all change for young Estonian talent, Jörgen-Matthias Talviku who is currently in America preparing for the 2024 Supercross season after securing a ride with the CREO MX team. It’s a big opportunity for Talviku to showcase his talent in America but with very little Supercross experience it’s going to be a big callenge but one he is well and truly up for.
We caught up with Talviku to discuss his new challenge for the upcoming season.
GateDrop: Jörgen, the news has just dropped that you will race the AMA 250cc Supercross East Coast division in 2024. Firstly, can you tell us how the move came around with the CREO MX team?
Talviku: It all started after the AMA National at Ironman. I have been able to race some AMA Nationals with SC Sport Homes team in the last few seasons, which I am really thankful for and racing in the US has been something I have been dreaming of. Actually before I injured myself at the MXoN at RedBud last year, the plan was to come and race SX last winter, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. So I was still searching for a ride for the next season over here in US preferably, but kept my eyes open also in MXGP series.
Creo Racing contacted me and they said that had been following me and were looking for riders for next season. We started a conversation and it started to improve from there. As I have been racing some rounds of AMA Nationals in the recent years, which I do really love, I knew that if I would like to move and race here in the States, I need to step up into SX. They offered me an AX and SX deal, which I thought would be a great beginning for me coming to the US and start from somewhere. As I’m also quite young still and these opportunities are hard to find being foreign rider, I definitely wanted to grab it with both hands and move over here.
GateDrop: I can’t think of another rider from Estonia has raced AMA Supercross before. Am I right in saying you are the first rider from Estonia to race Supercross? That must feel special…
Talviku: To be honest from my information, Juss Laansoo has also raced AMA Supercross in 2006, but yeah you are right, there are not many riders from Estonia who have been racing here. It definitely feels special coming from such a small country as our Estonia, where we don’t have a lot of opportunities and you always need to move abroad, that people can notice you. It’s for sure a dream come true and I am very excited for the times ahead.
GateDrop: What are your plans now, I see you are already in the USA, how long will you spend there preparing for the SX season? I assume you’ll come back home for Xmas and stuff but you’ll be mainly in America from now to the SX season?
Talviku: I came here during the middle of last week. I started riding on the AX tracks, which are normally 20-30 second lap times, with rhythm sections and whoops. Our plan with Creo racing is to get me comfortable on the bike first here, race some AX rounds and then move to the SX tracks in around December. I am going to race the eight rounds of the GT Arenacross championship and my first SX race is going to be in the end of February in Arlington so we have a bit time to prepare for that. There is a lot to learn and we take it step by step because our goal is long term and consistently improve ourselves. We will make a plan about Christmas in a few days. My plan is to practice and race full time in the States, so I would stay here as much as I can.
GateDrop: SX is totally different from MX, I am assuming you don’t have much SX experience so how are you feeling about riding and then racing some SX?
Talviku: Definitely. We will see how fast I can adapt that. It is going to be totally different that’s for sure, but I have to start from somewhere. I am normally quite a quick learner and I hope that will help me while I am here. I didn’t really have an off season (coming into 2023) and it has been a lot going on lately to make everything happen. I hope to settle down more in upcoming weeks, so we can have a better structure and more good days on the bike. I don’t have many expectations yet, so it is too early to say something, but I will give my best and improve during the season.
GateDrop: If you look at Tom Vialle this year, I think he’s actually pretty good at SX but just loses time through the whoops, would you say that is the most challenging thing about SX?
Talviku: I totally agree. The whoops are for sure the key part. Once you have confidence in the whoops, your life is way easier. It obviously takes time to learn these as it is days and days of hard practice and things don’t happen overnight. It also takes time to adjust to the bike and suspension setting, so it is a lot of work to get comfy on the whoops. This is also what we are doing at the moment to test and learn the new material we have to make me feel better going into the first round of AX which already starts in next week.
GateDrop: What are your goals for the East Coast AMA season taking on riders that have raced Supercross for many years? It’s certainly not going to be easy…
Talviku: It is going to be a learning year for me, but the first goal is gain as much experience as we can and to qualify for the night show. Our goal is long term and build from somewhere to improve throughout the season to be better rider. I’m sure that’s the best for us how to start our campaign.
GateDrop: What do you find appealing about Supercross that wanted you to take this opportunity?
Talviku: Since I have been able to race in America it has been always a mega experience for me. Motorsports overall are massive here, the feeling and emotion from the organisation to the racing you get from here is different. The crowd is huge and I have had goose bumps before every race I have started. Being a motocross or supercross rider here in the States feels more honoured than back in Europe in my opinion. I do like new challenges and I would like to see how far I can climb in this journey. I got an opportunity to race SX and I for sure don’t want to regret it afterwards if I didn’t take it.
GateDrop: Do you know yet what you’ll do after the SX season – race the AMA Nationals or maybe come back to Europe and race some GP’s?
Talviku: My plan is to ride the AMA Nationals. I hope to be noticeable and get a chance to find a deal for outdoors. My goal is to race a full series and stick to the one championship, I feel that can bring me on to the next level of my career.
I would like to thank the Gate Drop MX guys for the interview, my family, trainer, mechanic, girlfriend, sponsors and supporters for always being behind me. Creo Racing for the opportunity and trust and all the people around me for making it possible!
Interview: Andy McKinstry
Images: Brandon Roland
