When Dougie Lampkin announced his signing with Gas Gas , there was a lot of anticipation to see how he would perform in Sheffield at the controls of the TXT Pro. However, successive technical setbacks prevented the British rider from qualifying for the semi-finals and he was eliminated in the early stages of the race.
Since then, we have heard little about Dougie and his sporting career throughout these almost 4 months of 2011. From Trialworld we can tell you that he is doing advisory work in Adam Raga’s team, as we could see in Castellolí and Madrid first-hand.
To clear up any doubts, what better way than to ask him:
Dougie, since Sheffield at the beginning of the year we haven’t seen you much, how have you been spending these months?
I’ve been spending 90% of my time at the factory in Spain to be honest – flying home to see family on the weekends. I’ve had a very busy schedule recently, but I think we’ve made huge progress in the trials we’re doing for the new 2012 Gas Gas models. In addition, I have been working closely with Adam (Raga) on both the FIM Trial World Championship and the Spanish Championship. I’ve also competed in quite a few enduro events, although my main focus is now on the upcoming season.
Are you satisfied with Adam Raga’s progress?
Yes. Adam is improving all the time and finished a well-deserved third place in the final of the FIM X Trial World Championship; We were both satisfied. He’s going to celebrate his 29th birthday next month and continues to improve race by race, so I’m sure 2011 will be a great season for him.
Regarding Enduro, are you satisfied with your results
?
I’ve had some mixed results when it comes to real enduro. The Indoor was to be held in five races, but three were cancelled, so the championship never really got underway. I highlight my presence in the “Hell Gates”, which is one of the toughest races in the world – this year was no exception, so I was more than happy to start with second place overall.
When can we expect to see you competing in the UK?
The next time I get on my Gas Gas in public will be at the George White Swindon showroom on April 16th and 17th. My next competition will be during the first week of May at the Scottish Six Days (SSDT) event, Fort William, which I am now fully focused on.
How do you feel about SSDT 2011?
SSDTs hold a special place in my heart, as I’m sure it does for most British runners. It’s such a special event and the fact that this year is its centenary makes everything even better. I’ve spent a lot of time at the factory these past few weeks preparing the bike and I’m very happy with the set-up we’ve set. Obviously, last year my result in the SSDTs was not what I expected, but as long as I have a bit of luck on my side there is no reason why I can’t fight for the win once again. I’m really looking forward to May to be back in Scotland.
Text: Trialworld / Source: FIM / G2F
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