When you arrived at the track, what was your first opinion?
Khalen: It wasn't nearly as crazy as I had first thought. Very one lined though and the turns...... well they were shithouse.
Do you think you got enough practice time to get used to the track?
Khalen: Yeah, the track really wasn't that difficult when you rode by yourself. The wind was a major factor all week so it was pretty hard to be 100% comfortable out there without being blown around.
Did you manage to jump everything you wanted to jump during the first session?
Khalen: Yeah pretty much, everything bar the hip jump to the left after the big step up on the second straight. It came up really quick after the step.
How much harder is it for you to go from one at a time, to a full race of 8 people on the gate and then ride the track?
Khalen: On a normal track it isn't a big deal at all but because there was a bunch of wind and not everyone was confident on the track it made for some pretty shitty racing.
The wind definitely didn’t help with the difficulty of the track. Would it have been a different race without the wind?
Khalen: Hmmm, hard to say really because the guys that were in the final bar one are for the most part consistently in the semi and mains anyway. I just think those guys adapted to the track and situations a lot quicker than everyone else.
What’s your opinion on the box jump? What needs to be fixed with that thing for the 2012 Olympic track?
Khalen: I think its actually pretty cool, they just need to add some tranny on the box so it flows a lot better than just jumping to flat because that was a burn to get going again.
How often did you crash?
Khalen: none
Did you wear extra safety gear at this Supercross World Cup?
Khalen: just elbows and knee pads. No different to any other race
39 casualties in Papendal. Do you think riders need to be selected instead of the fact that just any elite rider can buy s license and sign up for the World Cup?
Khalen: Absolutely. It should apply to world champs also.
Do you think this Papendal track would be a lot easier to ride in two years from now?
Khalen: Sure but the track wasn't hard to ride. Just a little sketch to race.
Ok, imagine you’re the track designer for the London Olympic track and you can make 3 changes to the track. What would they be?
1. indoors
2. not so tight inbetween jumps/hip/turns
3. fix the first straight, the split straight is really unfair to people on the outside.
Any thanks to sponsors or any people in particular?
Khalen: Haro Bikes, Rockstar Energy Drink, Troy Lee Designs, Kenda Tires, Cliq, Rennen, Profile Racing, S&M, Cycling Australia, BMX Australia. Yothu Yindi.