10 Questions For Tarah Gieger
Interview By Shasta Johnson (exclusively for the WMA)
Photo By Carl Stone

This past weekend I had the opportunity to be a part of history and attend the Motocross of Nations in Budds Creek, MD. It is an experience I will never forget. At the end of the weekend, I caught up with Tarah Gieger, who finished 18th overall in the B-Final, for a few quick questions…

You are the first girl to race in this event. Can you describe what it was like for you this weekend?
TG: This past weekend was amazing. I can't describe to anyone what an honor it was to be out on that track racing with guys from all over the world and all the support I felt from the fans.

A race of this magnitude draws a huge crowd. How did it feel to be racing in front of so many people from so many different countries?
TG: It was a great feeling that I don't think you could ever get at any other race. There were so many people there cheering their faces off.

Unfortunately your team was eliminated before the final motos on Sunday afternoon. Were you then able to watch some of the racing yourself? If you did, what did you think of it from a spectator's point of view?
TG: When our team didn't qualify and I was done racing I took my spot along the fence to cheer the riders on that were out there. It really made me realize how awesome it was that I got to be out there also.

How did you prepare for this race and how was your training different from how you train for the WMA races?
TG: Coming into this race I just worked on getting faster and more aggressive. For the WMA races I would usually just try to be consistent.

What is it like to race as part of a team and be dependent upon not only yourself, but the results of others as well?
TG: It is a real change to race as a team and not for yourself. When we were all out their in the B final, both my teammates had better starts then me but I ended up passing them when they went down. When I saw them down I just wanted to see them get up and get going as fast as they could, where as in a normal race I would just care about passing them. It was all about us doing well together not trying to be better then the other.

With the exception of team USA, you were arguably the most popular rider out there. Fans, regardless of what country they were from were cheering you on? Were you able to hear them and how did that make you feel?
TG: It was one of the most incredible feelings to hear that many people cheering for me all the way around the track lap after lap. The entire race I could hear the crowd better then I could here my bike and that was motivation to keep charging.

What does your schedule look lke for the rest of the year? What races can we look for you at?
TG: The next few weeks I am just going to take it easy and do some surfing contests and just have fun. Then I will be getting ready for the WMA cup at Cycle Ranch.

Can we expect to see Team Peurto Rico at the MXoN next year? If so, will you be a member of the team again?
TG: I don't know if we will be sending a team next year or not. We know we have a lot of improvements to make if we want to go again but at least we know what to expect now. It was the first time anyone from the team had even gone to watch a MXON race let alone race one. I would hope to be picked for the team again because it was one of the most unbelievable experiences and I would give anything to do it again.

It takes a lot to get a team to a race like this. How did your team put it all together and who do you want to thank personally?
TG: This was close to 2 years in the works to get our team there and we couldn't have done without all the support we received. Jeff Cernics was one of the main guys helping us out from the beginning as well as Gary Bailey who was the team coach. All of my sponsors like Answer racing, FMF, Michelin, Alpinestars, Smith, and ZLT really stepped up and supported us getting there also. All the support from the Puertoricans that showed up really boosted our morale also. Thanks go out to everyone.

Is there anything else you would like to say?
TG: This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life and I will never forget it or the people that were part of it.