1971
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2007
Heikki’s number two is very competent and I trust him and his work totally". Heikki Penttilä graduated, more than a year ago, as a motor engineer from the Technical College of Helsinki and his first permanent position was as race mechanic in a factory team. Penttila himself also rides a motorbike and was once even Finnish national junior champion ‘enduro’ motocross.
He also kept busy with motocross, but he discovered that the only results he got were with broken parts of his machine. In his attempts to repair these time after time he even began looking for better constructive solutions. Also Heikki Mikkola's family life is shipshape. "I have made a pact with Kaija (Heikki's wife) that she will not take part in any cross-country race and I will not interfere with the running of the house". Nevertheless it can happen that you can take Heikki by surprise while he’s cooking a thick T-bone steak, and Kaija once won the Finnish championship snowmobile for ladies competition.
“The period of rest, which I took at the end of last year after the closing of the world title, is rather long. One of the reasons I put in such a long break is to stop me from getting enough of motocross. Occasionally I must distance myself from the competitive sport, so that I can throw myself afterwards, full of energy, into the new season”, is how Heikki explains the way he spent his months after gaining his world title. He even let go of the Trans-AMA heat, although there was a lot of prize money to be earned.
"The Grand Prix series and the title are my main goals". Heikki continues to philosophize about physical condition. The most important aspect for a motocross rider is that during the season, by way of training, he can ride twice a day a gruelling Grand Prix session of 40 minutes plus two laps, and be able to keep that up the whole season. Even natural riding capabilities and going right down the line on the circuit won’t help, if you’re not able to go flat out from the first till the last lap and if you can’t maintain the required physical condition the whole season.
Heikki Mikkola maintains his basic condition during the rest season by practising several sports. He does not only do "normal" sports but is also a dedicated hunter.
Heikki regards hunting as relaxing, exciting, interesting and physically demanding. During the last hunting season he shot several ducks and rabbits and also managed to shoot two elks (his club had the permission to shoot ten in total).
Heikki is well aware of the existence of stimulating drugs such as anabolic steroids, which are used a lot in athletics, but he has never used them. "I have always been able to keep myself in shape without drugs". A test which was held some years ago in
He also kept busy with motocross, but he discovered that the only results he got were with broken parts of his machine. In his attempts to repair these time after time he even began looking for better constructive solutions. Also Heikki Mikkola's family life is shipshape. "I have made a pact with Kaija (Heikki's wife) that she will not take part in any cross-country race and I will not interfere with the running of the house". Nevertheless it can happen that you can take Heikki by surprise while he’s cooking a thick T-bone steak, and Kaija once won the Finnish championship snowmobile for ladies competition.
“The period of rest, which I took at the end of last year after the closing of the world title, is rather long. One of the reasons I put in such a long break is to stop me from getting enough of motocross. Occasionally I must distance myself from the competitive sport, so that I can throw myself afterwards, full of energy, into the new season”, is how Heikki explains the way he spent his months after gaining his world title. He even let go of the Trans-AMA heat, although there was a lot of prize money to be earned.
"The Grand Prix series and the title are my main goals". Heikki continues to philosophize about physical condition. The most important aspect for a motocross rider is that during the season, by way of training, he can ride twice a day a gruelling Grand Prix session of 40 minutes plus two laps, and be able to keep that up the whole season. Even natural riding capabilities and going right down the line on the circuit won’t help, if you’re not able to go flat out from the first till the last lap and if you can’t maintain the required physical condition the whole season.
Heikki Mikkola maintains his basic condition during the rest season by practising several sports. He does not only do "normal" sports but is also a dedicated hunter.
Heikki regards hunting as relaxing, exciting, interesting and physically demanding. During the last hunting season he shot several ducks and rabbits and also managed to shoot two elks (his club had the permission to shoot ten in total).
Heikki is well aware of the existence of stimulating drugs such as anabolic steroids, which are used a lot in athletics, but he has never used them. "I have always been able to keep myself in shape without drugs". A test which was held some years ago in
a Swedish sports institute showed that Heikki's capacity to absorb oxygen (a good gauge for comparing physical performances) was just as large as the famous Finnish Olympic runner Kipsuke Keino.
Heikki had been suspected, however, of the use of stimulating drugs and in BeIgium he once had to submit himself to a drugs test. That was in 1977, in an insignificant race, which was won by Heikki. No Belgian top riders took part in that race. At that time Heikki still had three rounds of the Grand Prix in front of him. Was it a tactical dig of the organizers to provide the Belgian top riders with a psychological advantage? Who knows...
Heikki Mikkola now has world titles in two of the three motocross categories. How about the 125cc?
“I have asked myself that question but I think I’m a little too heavy for the 125cc engines. Light bikes also require another riding technique; in fact they are more difficult to ride. It’s something I would be able to learn, but then I still always have the disadvantage of my weight of 73 kilos. And it would be detrimental to my physical condition if I tried to lose weight. The possibility that I will ride in the competition for the 125cc title is more in the minds of the interviewers than in mine”.
Heikki is really keen on the 500cc class. “I feel at home in the heavy class; I know all the riders and the mutual understanding is better than in all the other categories. I like to duel with gentlemen”. Mikkola is the only Yamaha factory rider in the 500cc Grand Prix. (This year Pierre Karsmakers doesn’t take part in the GPs). There’s not a single team-mate to give him support if necessary, but that doesn’t worry Heikki. “I’ve always been an individualist. And, seriously, I have always tried to win races through my style of riding and not through team tactics. I just try to ride faster and better than all the others”.
What will be the biggest problem in 1978?
“To retain my world title. We still have 22 Grand Prix to go and each one will be a tall order. The hardest race for me to concentrate on is the Finnish GP. So many friends and fans ask me for autographs and ask the same questions time after time or just come to say hello - I can’t be impolite to them. But it ruins my concentration”.
“I suppose I’ll be at the top for another three years and be able to take part in GPs with a reasonable chance of success. Afterwards I shall concentrate on one or two other occupations, which has to do with motocross – maybe trainer, maybe promoter, I don’t know yet. For now I’m still concentrating on my riding. But I’ll never get enough of motocross”.
Heikki had been suspected, however, of the use of stimulating drugs and in BeIgium he once had to submit himself to a drugs test. That was in 1977, in an insignificant race, which was won by Heikki. No Belgian top riders took part in that race. At that time Heikki still had three rounds of the Grand Prix in front of him. Was it a tactical dig of the organizers to provide the Belgian top riders with a psychological advantage? Who knows...
Heikki Mikkola now has world titles in two of the three motocross categories. How about the 125cc?
“I have asked myself that question but I think I’m a little too heavy for the 125cc engines. Light bikes also require another riding technique; in fact they are more difficult to ride. It’s something I would be able to learn, but then I still always have the disadvantage of my weight of 73 kilos. And it would be detrimental to my physical condition if I tried to lose weight. The possibility that I will ride in the competition for the 125cc title is more in the minds of the interviewers than in mine”.
Heikki is really keen on the 500cc class. “I feel at home in the heavy class; I know all the riders and the mutual understanding is better than in all the other categories. I like to duel with gentlemen”. Mikkola is the only Yamaha factory rider in the 500cc Grand Prix. (This year Pierre Karsmakers doesn’t take part in the GPs). There’s not a single team-mate to give him support if necessary, but that doesn’t worry Heikki. “I’ve always been an individualist. And, seriously, I have always tried to win races through my style of riding and not through team tactics. I just try to ride faster and better than all the others”.
What will be the biggest problem in 1978?
“To retain my world title. We still have 22 Grand Prix to go and each one will be a tall order. The hardest race for me to concentrate on is the Finnish GP. So many friends and fans ask me for autographs and ask the same questions time after time or just come to say hello - I can’t be impolite to them. But it ruins my concentration”.
“I suppose I’ll be at the top for another three years and be able to take part in GPs with a reasonable chance of success. Afterwards I shall concentrate on one or two other occupations, which has to do with motocross – maybe trainer, maybe promoter, I don’t know yet. For now I’m still concentrating on my riding. But I’ll never get enough of motocross”.