Rui Gonçcalves from Portugal has been working really hard to regroup after a bunch of injuries have hampered the start to his 2012 season. While he continues to pull out top ten finishes, his goal is to be on the podium and even win some Grand Prix’s, but until now it’s been all up hill.

Q: Rui, tell me about your South American adventures?

Gonçalves: Mexico and Brazil was a long trip and Mexico was a difficult track. I had a bad gate pick on Sunday, plus I hurt my thumb there, that was really painful. I managed to get top 10 results there and that was positive. Then Brazil Saturday was good, but then we had a lot of rain overnight and Sunday was just muddy. The first race I was second off the start, but I crashed and dropped back, but finished fourth, so that was good. In the second moto I was eighth, so I consider the two GPs were good and I try and get back to where I want to be. After my leg injury and thumb injury I haven’t been 100% and I haven’t had much time to rest. We have a lot of races at the moment and I just can’t stop.

Q: In France you looked better, but you still did not get to stand on the podium.

Gonçalves: I had a good qualification in France and I just needed good starts and ride solid from the beginning. It was a tough GP to be honest. I didn't get such good starts, but I managed to make things happen in the first few laps, which was a good improvement. In the first moto I was riding in third place for a while, but when I got to the 15-minute mark I got really bad arm-pump and was struggling to hold on. Maybe it’s because I haven’t ridden so much hard pack in the winter due to the shoulder injury I had, but it was kind of strange. Everyone seems to have such good rhythm, but I had to focus so much on my landings, and I couldn't make the progress I wanted to. I was happy I could ride hard in the beginning, but I just didn’t have a good feeling with the type of ground. In the second moto again I didn’t get a good start, but I made progress in the first few laps and again I got arm-pump, so I just couldn’t hold on.

Q: After your results at the end of 2011 where you really looked strong it must be frustrating to deal with all these injuries and lack of results?

Gonçalves: It is really frustrating, really difficult, I mean, it started in the winter with the shoulder injury and the first round it was going okay, Bulgaria was also good, but then a leg injury in Italy and then the thumb in Mexico, so it’s the injuries that have not helped me this year. I hope things will turn around, as I feel two times in the top ten isn’t what we work so hard as a team for, but we are making progress and I think it’s just a matter of time before we reach the results we aim for.

Q: At least you get to go home and race the Grand Prix of Portugal; you usually have good results there.

Gonçalves: Yes, that will be much better, to race in front of family and friends. I’m heading home to Portugal where I’ll get to spend some time with my family and riding locally in preparation for my home Grand Prix in Portugal.

Read the next news: The seventh Grand Prix is ready to take place in Portugal (08 Jun 2012)

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