Aiming for the top: Joel Milesevic is about to represent Australia at the 2012 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship to be held in Bulgaria.
VICTORIAN motocross champion Joel Milesevic will be taking on the world at full throttle when he represents Australia at the 2012 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship in Bulgaria on Sunday.
At 16, the current Victorian Senior A Lites and Under 19s champion from Lal Lal will compete against the best young motocross riders in the world.
Australia has been in the hunt for its second Junior World Championship title since it won its first in New Zealand in 2009.
It will be Milesevic’s second time racing for Australia. Last year he was unexpectedly called up to represent his country in Italy, where Australia finished 12th.
“Last year was a bit of a letdown. I crashed in each race,” he reflected. “This year, however, I feel that I have improved a lot in my riding and technique. I’m at a level now where I am more confident in my riding and my fitness is a lot better.
“We’ll also be practising in Belgium for a week before the World Championship too.”
The JBS Motorsports rider also competes in Australia’s top national motocross competition, the Monster Energy MX Nationals, in the Pro Lites class.
“I’m really looking forward to riding the track at Sevlievo. I’ve watched videos and it looks awesome,” Milesevic said.
“I’m not really worried about who I race against. The plan is to turn up and ride my own race.”
The team will also be instructed by manager Mark Willingham of Victoria. Willingham led Australia’s victorious world-beating team in New Zealand three years ago.
Qualifying will take place on Saturday, with racing to start on Sunday at the Sevlievo track, two hours east from Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia.
“I’ll give it my best shot. Hopefully, I’ll bring back something for Australia,” Milesevic said.
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