Dutchman Kay De Wolf showed all his talent in 2024 and in doing so, wrapped up his first motocross World championship with the MX2 title. The stylish Nestaan Husqvarna factory rider has shown many times what a beautiful technique he has and shown glimpses of his talent, but in 2024, he led from the very first round in Argentina, until the very last round in Spain, and that tells you, he was very much a deserved World champion.

With Ruben Tureluren, his friend and trainer and team manager Rasmus Jorgensen in the other ear, it was clear he was getting the correct messages to stay on track and produce what he did in 2024. An amazing season for The Netherlands, who also won World titles in the women’s class and at the World Juniors.

Now onto the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, where De Wolf will try and end his season on an all-time hight as he battles the Aussies, the Americans, the French and the Spanish for the Chamberlain trophy. Kay spoke to the World media and below is what he told us all. Special thanks to Sarah Greilinger for making this interview possible.

MXLarge: Kay, you had the red plate from race one and started strong, but it still came down to the last race. How did you feel at the start gate in Spain?

De Wolf: For the first race, I wasn’t nervous at all, I was really confident, and I showed all season long that top four was realistic, even if I was outside the top ten in any time in the moto. I showed in the last 10 minutes, that I would still get up to P3 or P4. I was pretty confident I could get into the top four. Even on Saturday, I didn’t really ride that well and in the first race, I expected to be in the top four, but I just got a bad start. They watered so much, so I was really careful in the opening laps, because I didn’t want to throw it away. I just couldn’t pass, it was really a one lined track and as soon as you went outside the line, you had no possibility to pass. The second moto I was more nervous, because it is a mechanical sport and anything can happen, but as I found out Sunday night (in the team’s celebration), the bike won’t blow up so fast, so I don’t have to worry about that anymore.

MXLarge: Looking back at the season, what were some of the top highlights for you?

De Wolf: I think, for sure, the first three were really cool, going three in a row, the first three and we didn’t really expect that. Of course, we were going for the World title but winning the first three GPs and making a really comfortable points gap, I think that is what made me really comfortable the whole season. The points gap hovered around 60 points I think and at one point it got to around 40 or 50 points, so I was in a comfortable spot, and I felt safe in that place. I was never really scared for my championship, you could say.

MXlarge: Something about your riding style. You are so fast in the sand, and nobody can surf on the wave like you, but this season, you improved your speed on the hard pack. It seems you work a lot on this, you maybe changed something in your preparation in the wintertime.

De Wolf: This has already been a project for the last two years. When Ruben came into the team, I think I spent more time in France than I spent at home. At one point, we would go twice a week, up and back to France, to go practice on the hard pack. So, basically, it has been two winters we have been practicing. Already last year in France, I showed in the qualification that I have good speed on hard-pack and this year I kept showing good speed on the hard-pack. We worked really hard on it, and it has finally paid off.

MXLarge: What is your future, will we see you in the US in the future and if yes, which coast, east or west?

De Wolf: That is a good question, but for sure, not in the next few years, maybe somewhere in the future, but for sure not the next few years.

MXLarge: When the season started the season, you and Lucas (Coenen) were just teammates, but then you became rivals. Did that change your relationship at all?

De Wolf: From my side, it didn’t change anything, but from his side, I cannot say. From my side, it never changed, we are still one team, and we kept racing fast and that first round in Argentina was the closest racing we had. For the rest of the year, we stayed pretty normal with each other. From my side, it’s all good.

MXLarge: Can you describe the team dynamics, the whole package and everyone around you in terms of the crew and how important it is to come together and reach the result?

De Wolf: Yes, actually, so we have this new team in 2020, and I joined the Husqvarna factory team in 2019 and then in 202 we built the new Nestaan team in 2020. All my mechanics have been there since day one and they have been working super hard. Just a great team effort and it really feels like a family and that gives me a lot of safety and security and every time I walk into the workshop, it feels like a safe place. That is a really good background to have behind you.

MXlarge: I am curious, when training in France, which tracks did you pick?

De Wolf: We went to many places and Ruben knows a lot of French people and basically, everywhere. Mainly north France.

MXlarge: How important was it to have Ruben with you?

De Wolf: It has been a big change. Ruben has been really good for me. We have been working, so hard together and so many hours together. Ruben is always there when I am training, even physically, he has been doing all the training with me. We have been on mountain bike rides in minus eight degrees and I remember we had ice on our noses. It was crazy. We have put in a lot of hours on the bike. He has always been there with me. That was something that I really needed, when he came into the team and the team gave me that and it worked out well. Also the last races, he has so much experience and he knew what we had to do and it feels like he can even see in the future, because he is saying thing on the way to the track on Sunday morning and it just happens and it isn’t just one time it happens. It is pretty crazy sometimes; what experience can do.

MXLarge: We talk about a long season, starting in March and ends in September. Do you change many things with your bike, or just small adjustments?

De Wolf: No, just small adjustments, because I don’t like to look at the bike, I like to look at myself. As a rider, if you have a bad day, and you start complaining about your bike, that doesn’t make sense, because you can also, just have a bad day. Everyone has those. I never changed much on the suspension, we did make it harder and that was day and night difference in the sand. That was the only change we did this year. In Lommel we didn’t like it so much, I had a few crashes, and I started thinking about it myself and then with the team, so we made the suspension, and we just made it a little bit harder and that was all we changed this year.

MXLarge: It is a quick turn around to MXoN, so how do you reset for that mentally and what is the target for going in, obviously good results?

De Wolf: Yes, it was a really short week, I only got back Monday night, and they had a surprise for me last night, but it’s been a short week. Today, I already have to leave again, we only had two days or training, on Tuesday and Wednesday. I am really looking forward to it and going back on my bike again.

MXlarge: Concerning your style. What percentage do you have to ride to be sufficient?

De Wolf: I think, I can ride at, as we have seen the last few races, I don’t need to go 100%. Some races I can show really good speed, but I always kept a little bit in the pocket, and I didn’t want to override it. I want to stay safe and on two wheels as much as possible. I tried to keep it safe the last few races, but at the beginning of the season I showed good speed and at the end of the motos my fitness is really good.

MXLarge: Having Lucas as your team-mate, did that give more pressure and help you improve?

De Wolf: No, I think it was just any other rider in the paddock. I just wanted to win myself, and they say, you want to beat your team-mate first, but it’s been really cool for the team to get so many wins. I wanted to win myself, but if it was anyone else, for the team, I would want it to be Lucas. It is great for the team to get 16 GP wins. It’s been okay.

MXlarge: You are a tall guy, and you have the right dimensions to go to MXGP. When will you do that?

De Wolf: This is still to be decided, and I don’t know when. For sure, this winter we will determine what we do for the future.

MXlarge: Next year, you will defend your title?

De Wolf: We will see, that will be announced this winter.

MXLarge: Will you ride with the number one plate if you stay in MX2, or wear number 74?

De Wolf: That is still go be decided, but they should make a rule in MXGP, like in the US, where they say the champion has to race with the number one, so it isn’t an option anymore. We will see what we are running next year.

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