Mitchell Falk | Looking Ahead Despite Rough Rookie Year

INSTAGRAM | @mfalk123

2019 was set to be Mitchell Falk’s big year. After a long upbringing in the amateur division of the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM program, the Southern California native had transitioned to the pro ranks with a one-year contract and fair expectations for Supercross and the Nationals. Instead, the entire TLD KTM team has faced problems at one point or another this year and Falk’s issues have him in a precarious situation (one top-10 finish in Supercross, missed rounds indoors and outdoors due to injuries). The biggest blow came during the second practice session at Hangtown, when Falk crashed in front of the mechanic’s area, broke his collarbone, and had to sit out seven rounds of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship to let it heal.

Falk will make his return to action this weekend at Spring Creek. With all of the talk regarding TLD KTM’s future line-up, Falk knows that he has to put in a solid string of results through the remaining motos to keep his place under the tent for 2020 or to earn support from somewhere else. 

It’s not been the summer you hoped for and everything went off the rails in practice at Hangtown. But finally, you get to come back this weekend at round eight. Can you give me a rundown of how these last few months have gone?

It’s been pretty tough since Hangtown. The collarbone injury was truly devastating to me. I feel like I am a hard worker and I work with Tyla Rattray, so it’s not like I am getting hurt and just going through the motions or going on vacation. That was really tough for me to see all of the hard work and not have a chance to show it. It’s been a tough rookie season, there’ve been complications from a lot of different things behind the scenes and with myself, so it’s been tough. I’m looking forward to round eight and we finally feel like we are on the right track, ready to build and get two checkered flags this weekend.

A collarbone is a minor thing sometimes and guys have ridden with them hurt or come back a short time after. But for you, it seems like this has been a bigger issue and it had to be plated. Was it a serious break or were their complications that came with it?

I broke my other collarbone in 2016 at the Monster Energy Cup and that one was really difficult. We had to go into it three times and I kept getting infections, I ended up being allergic to the metal that was used. For this one, I didn’t have any complications and it healed back really quickly. But it was a really bad break, I snapped it really far and had to have a plate and screws. The plate is going to be strong, but if I crash on it again, it’s easy for it to break.

You’re in a one-year deal with the team right now, so I know it’s very important that you put in the results in the last five rounds. Are you putting pressure on yourself or do you view this as a chance to go out and do what you know you are capable of?

I think that’s the tough part. All year I have put pressure on myself. It’s working ten years of your life and you finally get to the pro stage, so in the rookie year, you want to go out and crush it to do the best you can possibly do. Unfortunately, it hasn’t gone that way and honestly, I need to ride for myself and make myself happy. As long as I’m riding good, I’m happy. That’s the plan for the weekend.

Do you have leads with teams for next year or do you have to put in some results and get their attention?

Right now, that’s basically it. I have my whole amateur career, but this first year hasn’t been great and there’s no lying or hiding that. It’s about these five results, doing the best that I can, and hoping someone gives me another chance.

I hate to be a downer, but this has to be really hard. I can only imagine what it’s like to work your whole life for something and know that it all was for one year, only to see it go the way it has. But it’s good that you see you can do this for yourself and that you haven’t spiraled into a bad place.

Like you said, it’s been a heartbreaking process. Just to have one year in the pros and not have that comfort, a lot of guys come in with a two-year deal and they have no pressure really. With my teammates getting hurt, I was the only one under the semi for all of Supercross basically and that was really tough. Being a rookie, not having an older guy to bank of off, learn from, or to take away some of the heat. They brought the whole truck and all of these workers for one rookie kid. That was a lot of pressure and I honestly didn’t deal with it as well as I wanted to. I had some bright spots but not really any good results and that was hard. It’s been a tough process and I will keep digging.

Let’s say everything goes well in these last 10 motos, where do you expect yourself to be?

The last couple of years have been tough, I haven’t gotten a lot of races under my belt so I really want to keep it on two wheels, ride good, and take it from there. I definitely need to crack into that top-10 and be fighting for that.

Is there a chance of going back to the team or not really?

Yeah, there are chances. Me and TK (Tyler Keefe, team manager) have always been good and talked. I think he knows I am a hard worker and that I’m going to do everything I can to be the best rider and what the team needs. But he’s not the only guy, there are a lot of different people and KTM has had a tough year. They want results. It’s been a tough year all around for the team and myself.

You had to do a lot of work to get back to your level of fitness and speed after the May crash and other injuries. Did you enjoy the downtime and use it as a chance to reflect on why you want to be a racer?

Yeah, definitely. Every single time it’s a wakeup call that you want to be out there to race. It’s super hard to put in the work and not have the results to motivate you. Never say die, never give up.