Four years after her last Grand Prix victory in Turkey, Kiara Fontanesi returned to the top step of the podium with a brilliant win in Lugo, reminding everyone why she’s one of the greatest riders in WMX history. Now a mother of two and one of the most experienced riders in a rapidly evolving class, the Italian legend proved she still has the speed, determination, and what it takes to win at the highest level. We caught up with a jubilant Fontanesi to talk about her long road back to victory, the challenges of balancing motherhood with elite racing, and what the future might hold for her career.
GateDrop: Kiara, I mean wow, this is your first win since Turkey 2021. It’s been a long time. Maybe you had doubts this would ever even happen again because the level is so high. How good does it feel to stand on that top box of the podium?
Fontanesi: It feels amazing because I mean I knew I could win. I’ve just been working so hard and never giving up for so many years. For some reason or for one reason or the other something never really turned out in a victory and it was really frustrating, but I knew my time would come and it was apparently today. I didn’t expect to really be sure on the win for sure because there are better conditions than the second moto of today where you maybe feel more comfortable. I saw in the warm-up that the track was very sketchy, and I really didn’t expect to be so smooth on the track, but I was and I’m really really happy that I finally could win the heat and win the GP. It’s also good to be second in the championship but for me, it was important to win the GP.
GateDrop: Obviously yesterday, very different conditions but actually yesterday you showed you were good in these conditions too. Maybe just struggled to make some passes but the speed was good…
Fontanesi: Yeah, I think I had the speed yesterday and I think that I saw yesterday that I could win and I was very… not disappointed because I was happy on one side that I didn’t give up the whole race but at the other side I was like again that was my race, fastest lap of the race, really good speed but still didn’t win, you know. I was like okay I need to be patient because if this is the return then one day or another will come and like I said it was today and it’s amazing.
GateDrop: You’re a Mum now of two I believe. I mean you probably don’t get the chance to train like you used to when you were young but what was your winter like? I mean did you have much time on the bike to prepare because obviously your kids have to be priority at the end of the day…
Fontanesi: Yeah, it’s for sure different than when in the morning it was just me, myself and I and the bike, you know. So, it’s for sure different because now most of my mind goes to them but this is the reason why we decided to stop bringing them to the races of the world championship because it was impossible for me to be fully focused on the weekend. I think this is making a big difference.
GateDrop: You’re one of the more experienced riders now in the class maybe apart from Larissa but it’s between you two. What’s it like racing the young guns you know of Lotte and Daniela… Do you enjoy it and I’m sure you want to prove that you can still win like this weekend…
Fontanesi: Yeah I think the experience is what makes you a strong rider. Of course, you need to have the speed but the experience is really important. The younger riders for sure I think they are feeling like me when I was at the same age. You know you have nothing to lose, you just want to win and it’s the only thing to think about. We are in a completely different situation from me to them, but I think at least for this year that I have the speed to fight with them.
GateDrop: A few years ago I done an interview with you and you said you only really plan to do two more years, so I wasn’t even sure at the end of last year if you were going to continue racing. Did you ever think about stopping or do you just love it so much that you couldn’t bring yourself to not race one more year?
Fontanesi: Yeah, well I’ve been saying that I was going to stop already like a few years ago because I always give myself the last chance. But at the end of the years there was for one reason or the other I was like, okay I didn’t really put all on the track what I wanted so let’s try one more year. Obviously, it could probably be that if I win a world championship I would maybe stop racing, this is for sure because the last thing I would want to add to my career. It would be like the cherry on the cake winning another world title. But already putting in races like today is very good for me.
GateDrop: How many years do you think you’ll continue racing or would you just assess again at the end of this year?
Fontanesi: I don’t know exactly but like I said I always think year by year and it’s going to be depending on how this season is going to finish and then we will think what to do next year.
GateDrop: Just on the level of WMX, I mean the speed at the front probably isn’t too much different from when you won your first title for example but maybe the top 10 is maybe faster now than ever, just what’s your thoughts on the level?
Fontanesi: Yeah, I think the speed is improving but it’s improving like with the bikes are improving and everything. But yeah, it’s more there are more differences between like you said like maybe in the beginning there like some years ago there was just me and Livia or me and Rutledge or me and Steffi. Even when I was battling with Duncan it was always me and her but now if you make a mistake you maybe go back to like fifth or seventh so this is also sometimes more difficult but at the same time it gives you a little bit more chance if you makes less mistakes than the others, it could be that you gain a little bit more points with a championship that has only six rounds.
GateDrop: Last question I think you used to be friends with Natalie Kane when she used to race WMX and she’s actually just made a return to racing in Sweden… I’m trying to convince her to do the WMX in Arnhem, do you think she should race?
Fontanesi: Go on, Natalie. I can’t wait to see you again and hopefully she races.
