Get To Know Brian Moreau
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Midway through the past summer, word started to trickle through the pit area that there would be massive changes to the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM roster in 2020, as the Austrian brand wanted the factory-backed team in the US to match the success of their MX2 effort. To achieve this, the European home office looked past the American amateur feeder program that had been in place for years and instead took notice of riders in the world championship behind current front-runners Jorge Prado and Tom Vialle. One rider that caught their attention was Brian Moreau, a French teenager that had shown promise at past events like the French SX Tour and EMX series but had never won races in the MX2 class. KTM saw past the uncertainty and signed Moreau to a contract that will see him move to the United States full-time to contest the Monster Energy Supercross Series and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship in 2020.
From what we had heard Moreau’s experience in Supercross was one of the things that caught KTM’s attention, and he confirmed that to us during the team introduction in October. “I started talking to Tyler (Keefe, team manager) in the middle of the year. We first came to try the bike and after we decided to come here,” the rider explained. “We knew it would be really different, but it’s what I want to do and have been dreaming of. I’m really happy about everything. I don’t have any words to describe it, but I am very thankful.”
Although there has been a recent shift in power between the AMA and MXGP race series, Moreau is one of the many young Europeans that dreamed of racing Supercross in stadiums, something that will come true next year. He talked about the future with an obvious sense of excitement but also explained that he expected it to come to be in a different way. “I always wanted to come here, but I wanted to make a career in Europe and come like Marvin did, being a world champion. I didn’t do that and I’m not coming to California with the results that I was expecting, so I have everything to prove. To myself, to the team, to everyone. I consider it that I got lucky to come here. Even though I showed some good speed over there in Europe and was able to be fast, there was too many mistakes. I’m really happy and will give it everything I have.”
Moreau is one the many that still sees California as the epicenter of motocross and like many that have come before him, he made mention of the wide variety of stores that are seemingly open at all hours. “Of course when I was younger I wanted to come over because it was my dream. Being here is such a nice place and the people are really nice and things are way easier than in Europe, even though in Europe I have some places (that I know), but it seems like over here everything is way easier. It’s the world of motocross, everything is here in California,” he shared. “There are some things that are tougher here than in Europe because I don’t know the medicines and everything, but it is what it is and I’m thankful. It’s warm over here and not raining, so that’s fun (Laughs).”
Unfortunately for Moreau, his family will not join him in the big move, so the time with his young siblings will be limited to a December trip back to France to sort out his visa and a trip of their own to the United States. The teenager is in good hands, though, as fellow Frenchman/KTM teammate Marvin Musquin and wife Mathilde are looking after him. “I will live with Marvin and Mathilde in the beginning, while I get used to everything in the country, and then I will get my apartment and my driver’s license. The beginning will be with them, so I can get used to it, and then when I’m ready I will be on my own,” he said. “I got lucky that I have Marvin and Mathilde because she knows how to cook and knows the market and the shops, so I couldn’t be better than I am right now.”
A look at Moreau’s Instagram account shows that he has quite the following of French fans and all are eager to see him succeed in the United States. “I know that for a long time I was coming to ride here and all of my friends and European fans were asking if I was, a lot of people wanted to know. I don’t know how to explain, but I have a closer group in Europe,” he stated. But he aware that his most important supporters are the staff at KTM and he’s determined to make good on the opportunity. “To have Roger, Marvin, Tyler in a big group behind me, I know they are looking out for me. I want to do good for me, for them, for everyone. It touched me really deep.”
