Analysis – Johann Zarco admits a “mental aspect” in his abandonment in the Netherlands –

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Johann Zarco admits "mental aspect" in his abandonment in the Netherlands

Analyzes - Johann Zarco admits a

The first painful times follow one another for Johann Zarco, forced to abandon the 2019 Dutch Grand Prix because of arm pain only two races after discovering the unpleasant feeling of finishing last in Italy… Statements and Analysis.

Johann Zarco, KTM-Red Bull (18th in qualifying and retirement in the race) : "I had a good start to the race: it was nice to be able to fight, to gain positions and to take the pace of the top ten. But gradually, I started to have a lot of pain. right forearm and tried to compensate, slowing down where it hurt the most ".

  • GP of the Netherlands :
  • MNC special file :

“Then I lost positions, I made mistakes: I couldn’t hold the bike well anymore so I gave up, because it was safer than risking falling. Assen is a demanding track: I had the same problem the previous two years, but at the time I was able to control it ".

“This time the bike was moving more and in a lot of other places. But everything I have to do to compensate for the inconvenience of the KTM is destroying me. It hurts to have to give up: I’ve never done it before, but I must have done it today. I don’t know if I can change everything for the Sachsenring, but I will have the summer break to move forward. "

Site analysis : Stupor and incomprehension at KTM when Johann Zarco suddenly returns to the pits on the 16th lap of the Dutch GP, while his bike has no technical problems and his race looks promising…

Analyzes - Johann Zarco admits a

"We haven’t found anything abnormal on his bike so far: it seems to be working normally," asked the boss of the official KTM team to our colleagues at Speedweek. "Johann said the bike was so difficult to ride that he preferred to ride in", Mike Leitner added a little later with a barely concealed hint of annoyance….

The reason for this abandonment will then be detailed by the wearer of n ° 5: the physical effort deployed to tame the KTM triggered severe pain in his forearms, a common phenomenon among high-level pilots under the name of syndrome. lodges.

Johann has indeed spent lavishly to get back from his 18th place on the grid: after Rossi and Nakagami collided, the Cannes driver was 10th in line with his initial objective with the RC16! A position that he has so far reached only once: during the GP of Catalonia, marked by eleven falls.

  • MNC of July 1, 2019 : Rossi hits the mat in Assen after two years without a win

Unfortunately, this brilliant coup will be short-lived because the French driver is quite simply exhausted, forced to force again and again on this technical circuit and also swept by a strong side wind during the race. These gusts bothered all the riders, in particular his compatriot Fabio Quartararo whose Yamaha stirred copiously in places.

Except that the RC16 is far from being as docile as the M1, comparison that Johann Zarco materializes by evoking his ability to "control this problem" common to Assen during his previous seasons. With the KTM, the constraint was such that Johann preferred to throw in the towel, for the first time in Grand Prix…

"No satisfaction on the bike"

Asked about the possibility of scheduling a surgical intervention during the summer break to stop his compartment syndrome, Zarco was categorical: out of the question to go on the billiard table to resolve this problem linked to a compression of the muscles in their sheath following the repeated braking efforts.

Analyzes - Johann Zarco admits a

"I will not do any operation, this is not the solution. I have never had this problem before: it is because I am not relaxed enough on the bike. The best do not do this operation", assures t -he, while like many others before him (Lorenzo in 2008, Crutchlow in 2011, Pedrosa and Rins in 2015, Baz in 2017 …).

  • MNC of June 4, 2019 : Fabio Quartararo operated for lodge syndrome 

"Fabio did it, but it’s his choice," slice n ° 5. "I am going to improve myself and find the solution to get back to the top without an operation", predicts Johann with conviction, although inevitably affected by the prowess of his young compatriot (!) On a Yamaha similar to the one he rode the year latest…

Pedrosa, Zarco’s ally at KTM ?

"This problem of arm-pump (compartment syndrome in English, editor’s note) works a lot in the mind", diagnoses the KTM pilot, admitting a psychological dimension in his problems encountered and therefore his decision to give up this weekend. end. 

Analyzes - Johann Zarco admits a

"However, the head is not good at the moment since I have no satisfaction on the bike. My job is to ride a bike and perform, and it hasn’t been for six months. I try to arrive happy and positive every time, but I am really in pain on the bike. There is also a mental aspect to today’s abandonment. "

  • MNC of June 24, 2019 : Jean-Michel Bayle clarifies his role with Johann Zarco to help him with the KTM
  • MNC of June 21, 2019 :

Due to this white result, Johann Zarco fell back to 17th place in the provisional, only one point ahead of Oliveira and his KTM satellite Tech3. Worse still: the two-time Moto2 world champion is now the lowest ranked factory rider, as Iannone overtook him on Aprilia thanks to his beautiful 10th place in Assen … ahead of Pol Espargaro’s RC16.

The only good news for the French rider: Dani Pedrosa’s indications about the aspects to improve on the KTM would go in the same direction as his requests. Johann admits to being relieved by this observation, which validates according to him his ability to disregard his past experience at Yamaha insofar as "Pedro" has always driven a Honda in MotoGP..

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