Catching Up With: Cole Stevens

Sponsored by: 

By: Kyle Carruthers
Photos by: Julia Stevens and Pam Moore

As many of you know, back in January, DMX had the chance to take part in and help organize the MX Stars of Tomorrow program at the Toronto International Supershow. We met a lot of great young racers and made some great friends during it too. Well, just a few weeks ago when we were down enjoying the sun in Florida we bumped into MX.S.T. Participant Cole Stevens. Cole was down at Lake City MX training hard with the MCR boys and is hoping to put in a very solid 2011 season. We thought it would be cool to catch up with one of Canada’s amateurs and see how bright the future of our sport is looking!

DMX: Hey Cole, tell us a little bit about yourself, where you’re from and how you got into racing motocross?
Cole: My name is Cole Stevens and I live in London, Ontario. I got into motocross because one day my dad surprised me with a Honda 50. I rode at Eagles Nest at Brantford, Ontario. I was putting in good laps till I crashed in the whoops and got scared. After that I didn’t ride till I was seven! I got on a KTM 50 two years later and that was so fun! I could go way faster than the Honda 50. Now I race my 65 and I am riding at a high level of competition.

That’s a pretty cool story Cole! Take us through your last couple years of racing and how was your 2010 season?
2010 was not a great year for me. I won some races in CMRC and some other local clubs and I raced a lot of AMA events south of the border. I didn’t get to ride at the Trans Can this year because I got hurt and that kind of wrecked my year.

Cole and Joey Crown training with Mike Alessi. photo: Julia Stevens

That sounds like a pretty tough year Cole, but now it’s 2011 and DMX just say you down training in Florida at Lake City MX with Matt Crown and the MCR crew. How was that experience and how do you feel going into the season?

My trip to Florida was awesome! The track at Lake city was a lot of fun. It was really loamy and sandy in some sections. There was also a supercross track and lots of awesome trails to ride. Matt Crown's program was really good. One day we would jog and the next day we'd bike and we did a lot of circuit training. We did lots of riding like 4-5 hours a day easily. We also spent a lot of time on the corner track and just riding around learning bike control. Between the high flying jumps and straight aways, we got a lot of practice. I am hoping for a good year this year. I am all trained and I am still working out and training.

You had a chance to ride and practice with some pretty quick riders down there. What was it like to practice with some other fast kids like Joey Crown?

Yeah riding with Joey and those guys was really fun and hard. They were teaching me too and riding really fast. We also got to ride with Mike Alessi one day and that was really fun. I learned how to corner and do stuff way better!

This year you’re also moving up to the 85cc and racing the 65cc. How much different is it to ride the bigger bike over the 65 and which one do you like better?

I like riding my 85 better. I can get more speed and I really like the extra power. It is so fast compared to the 65! Going from the KTM to the Suzuki is kind of different going from things like the hydraulic clutch to the cable clutch, it’s a big difference and is definitely harder to control.

These kids no doubt put the work in while training down in Florida. photo: Julia Stevens

So what is your plan now that your home while the snow melts? Are you going to keep working out at home or are you going to spend more time on the bike once the snow leave’s?

Right now I work out for like an hour and a half a day sometimes 2 hours...

Two hours a day?

Every other day, My dad is getting my a physical sports trainer and that way I will be more conditioned and build some more muscle to help control the bike.

You’re going to be stronger than me soon if you keep that up! Are you looking to build more muscle and become the hulk so you can handle the bigger bike better?

Yeah, it is kind of hard for me to control going from a 65 to an 85 because I am so much shorter on the 85. It takes a lot of control and mindset to do that.

Back in January you were one of the participants in the MX Stars of Tomorrow program at the Toronto Motorcycle Supershow. What did you think of that experience and did you like it?

That was so much fun! It was awesome how many people were there and signing all the autographs and pictures was really fun. Learning all the stuff you guys taught us was also a lot of fun. I really liked going up on the Mic stand to get interviewed by you. I went up with Liam O’Farrell and that was really cool to go up with a pro. I had a great time at MX Stars tomorrow.

Cole really enjoyed meeting Liam and being interviewed with him on stage at the MX Stars of Tomorrow Event back In January. photo: Pam Moore

Awesome Cole. Well you said you are looking to have a good 2011. What is most exciting part of the approaching season?

I am looking to do well at a couple things. I want to get on the podium at Walton and do good at the regionals and maybe try to make Lorretta Lynns if I get through the area qualifiers and the regionals.

We know you have a very supportive family . We saw your mom was down with you in Florida for a whole month. What is like to have such a great family behind you?

I really have to thank my mom. She drove me all the way down to Florida and that was really fun. We had to drive through so much stuff between the weather and the mountains and stuff but we made it there so that’s good. My family was always backing me up down there. I would go on the web cam sometimes and talk to my family back home so I was always in touch.

That’s really cool Cole. Will you be making it out to the Toronto SX?

We probably will be going because I really want to! That would be a lot fun and see the pros and stuff!

We know you have a lot of people helping you out Cole, who do you want to thank?

I want to make MCR and Matt Crown, Apex Cycle, Xtreme-Toys, My mom, my dad my sister and my whole family! Renegade Fuels, Wholesale Lift trucks and everyone else who stands behind me!