END OF MX SEASON REPORT – Anton Nordström Graaf

After an exhilarating MX season, it’s time to hear from some of our riders, their results, and their plans for the future. First out is Anton Nordstrom Graaf, our top MX1 rider who had a fantastic season.

If you have been following this sensational Wicked rider, you will know that Anton suffered a severe concussion last year that knocked him out of the champs and that he needed to undergo some serious rehab and training to get him back in the game. But if you know Anton, there is nothing that can damper his determination and passion for riding and he fully recovered to destroy the competition this year!

What was the biggest challenge of your recovery after your concussion?
The biggest challenge was returning to training (normal training) because for 2,5-3 months, I was unable to go over a heart rate of 130 because then it was like going into a wall and I had to start all over again with my recovery. 3 months in I started to understand how I could train and really slowly started training again. 4 months in I started working with “Return To Play” and with their help, I was able to start training for real and then slowly started riding again. 

What made you not give up and get back on the bike?
I have been riding since I was 2 years old and I haven’t found anything else that makes me feel so happy (except my girlfriend) than riding dirtbikes. So despite having doctors saying that I need to stop riding if I want a long and happy life so will I never stop because this is my happiness. And I can get a worse injury falling down the stairs or crash in a car so why not enjoy life while you have it?

What was your training like to get ready for this season, having had that kind of injury?
I missed all off-season training and was able to start training properly again when the season already had started. So I was training like it was off-season mid-season to build my fitness back up which some say is dumb because then you are too tired during the race weekend to be able to perform (and I was). But my goal was not to stay at the same level all season and do okay results, my goal was to build and get stronger during the first part of the season and then start to perform in the end and I did. In the first part of the season I was around p7-p6 in the Swedish championship and in the end I was P2 battling for the win 🙂

Highs and lows from this year?
The lowest point was missing the first two rounds of the Swedish championship due to the injury, but it was smart to keep me healthy. I have had many highs and lows at the end of the season did my personal best but the highest high was at the beginning of the season when I did my first bicycle ride and did not have to stop because of a headache or feeling dizzy. For some, that sounds weird but after struggling just to take a small walk or going to the grocery store for 4 months to be able to do a 2-hour bike ride felt amazing, so amazing that I was crying from relief and happiness the last 15 min of the ride.

What was it like being a Swedish MX hero and having all your fans cheering for you at the MXGP of Sweden?
It felt really really cool, to see all the kids running around in my jersey and then see the whole fan club cheering me on during the motos was absolutely amazing.

What is it like racing with team Ronnangsgard?
They are the best team to have around you, everyone works really hard to help me with my dreams, and to be honest it’s mind-blowing how much time everyone puts in and don’t get a penny for it. We are a low-budget team, so no one gets paid and everyone does it anyway because of my passion for the sport, which shows how great people I have around me.

What’s the best about riding in Wicked Gear?
That I feel good, look good, and ride well with it. Wicked Gear is the most comfortable riding gear but still with great quality on the market so why use anything else?

What’s next for the Wicked Hero?
Next up is Gotland Grand National, first time going there so it will be really fun. Then I will take a small break before starting training again for next year.

Anton’s success comes from his hard work, but none of this could have been possible without his team, the most dedicated, helpful, and hard-working crew. Daniel Rönnängsgård (team owner), Arvid Hellqvist (mechanic), Oskar Asservik (SoMe), Brian Jörgenssen (trainer), Johan Landin (mechanic), Hans Meyer (mental coach).

We at Wicked Family are super happy to have Anton on our team and look forward to next year’s adventures 🙂

You can find the gear Anton is wearing here:
https://www.wickedfamily.com/product/epic-mx-gear-set-blue/