CDR Yamaha Monster Energy’s Kirk Gibbs broke through to claim his first victory of the season at Broadford’s third round of the 2019 Pirelli MX Nationals on Sunday, marking his first since joining the Craig Dack-operated outfit. MotoOnline.com.au tracked down the 2015 champion to gather his thoughts on the triumph.

First overall of the season and first win with CDR Yamaha Monster Energy, you must be stoked to get it done here at round three…

Yeah I’m really happy with how today panned out. I was really under the weather on Friday, I got really sick and actually spent most of the night at hospital – I didn’t get home until 1am and it was really bad. It was a struggle today and I really wanted to get a top three, so to come away with the win is even better.

To start the day were the back-to-back motos, how did they pan out for you?

I struggled a lot in those motos, to tell you the truth. I just rode around in that first one, and in the second one I got really hot and flustered – I rode okay, but I had make some passes and really put in. The back-to-back format is interesting, but that last moto was a little better for me – I feel I rode better, but it was still the same, I felt under the weather. Every time I pushed I didn’t feel real good, and Hayden was riding really well. I’m happy to come away with the win. Hats off to the CDR team, we did some testing during the week and got the bike better again. I’m really happy to finally get the win and head to Murray Bridge.

A couple of surprises there at the end of the final moto, obviously Mellross going down and then I don’t think they displayed the chequered flag to you…

Yeah, I got to do a parade lap that I wasn’t really stoked about – I wanted to finish as quick as I could [laughs]. Hayden probably deserved that win, he rode really well, but that’s all it takes on a track like this – it was really technical and tricky today, so anything could catch you out. I felt not too bad, but like I said, I was under the weather and didn’t feel 100 percent. I’ll go home, rest up and come out firing for Murray Bridge.

I don’t think there was any doubt that you wouldn’t be in the mix upon joining CDR, but one thing with racing is getting that momentum and result. Getting momentum on your side is pretty important, isn’t it?

Yeah, definitely, and right now is crunch time to do that. We had the first two rounds which were wet and a bit hit and miss, so to come here, get the overall and carry momentum into a double-header is very crucial. It’s good for me, I ride Murray Bridge well and I’m SA born and bred. I’ve just got to start making it happen now – these guys are riding really well and will start running away with it.

Now that Ferris is gone, it seems there’s a variety of guys in the mix – Clouty is in there, Mellross, Waters and a few different guys. The dynamic seems to have changed in the class since last year…

Dean has definitely been the dominant rider in the last three years, and I knew that – I obviously had a rough year last year, but the two years before that I was second to him. It’s good to have a few different faces there and not just race the same guys all the time. I’m 30 years old now, and it feels like all of us have started to dwindle away, so I’m racing all the young bucks. It’s good, Hayden has really impressed me this year, and he’s probably only going to get stronger. And Clouty is riding really well – they’re all getting off to good starts, and Todd was always going to be good. It makes it really tough when everyone is at the pointy end.