27-year-old Mike Stender comes from Germany's far north and has been an integral part of the national motocross scene for many years. He has been with the Castrol Power 1 Suzuki Motobase team run by Michi Peters for quite some time but switched to Kosak Racing Team in a surprise move at the end of last year and has some big plans for the season ahead.

Mike, you suffered serious knee injury last year and were out of action for a long time. Is your knee fully recovered now and how is your health in general at the moment?

I got injured over nine months ago and my knee was a real mess. The cruciate ligaments, the inner and outer ligaments, the meniscus were all torn and needed surgery. I was able to start training again by the end of December and luckily, have no more pain in my knee now and it feels really good. I've also probably recovered almost all of the strength in the leg as well.

Most fans know Mike Stender from riding a Suzuki. You have switched to Kosak Racing Team for this season, though. How did that come about and what were the reasons behind the move?

Towards the end of last year, I had one or two discussions with Michi Peters, who was my Team Principal back then, and we didn't quite see eye to eye. Also, I lacked a bit of motivation after suffering three injuries in a row last year and decided that a change of scenery would most certainly do me the power of good, so I had a look round for something new.

How are things going in the new team and what does it feel like to ride a different bike?

Of course, it took a little while initially before things settled down again, but I was able to take my mechanic along with me to Kosak Racing Team, so settling in took no time at all. I get along extremely well with Herbert Kozak and with my sponsor, Michael Ahrens, and so in that respect, being in the new team is a lot of fun. That's all very important to me, because sport should also be enjoyable.

What differences have you noticed as far as the bike goes? How is the KTM different to the Suzuki and did you find making the switch difficult?

Of course, moving to a new bike is never easy, but we've now found quite a good setup and I feel really comfortable on the KTM. The biggest difference is in the forks, for sure. They have air dampers. I've never ridden anything like it before, so it took a little bit of getting used to. The KTM engine is a great unit and has a four-speed gearbox which you obviously also have to get accustomed to. The KTM's frame geometry suits me down to the ground and I feel very comfortable on my new bike.

How have you organised training? Are you taking care of it yourself or do you have a professional trainer? And how important is physical fitness when competing at such a high level?

I've been working on my fitness levels with Peter Kartmann from PeKaFIT in Aschaffenburg for several years now. He writes exercise plans for me and regularly checks my performance. Physical fitness is extremely important in motocross, and almost all the top riders are in excellent physical shape. Ultimately, it also really helps mentally, knowing that as you start out on your machine, you can maintain the pace over the entire race distance. I train six days a week in order to prepare. I ease off a bit during the season to ensure that I'm always fit for race weekends.

What goals have you set yourself for this season?

I would really like to win the DM Open this year and would ultimately like to finish in the Top Five in the ADAC MX Masters.

Which riders will be your biggest rivals in this year's ADAC MX Masters?

As far as German riders are concerned, I really rate Stefan Ekerold and Tim and Tom Koch. Lukas Neurauter is also looking good this year and could compete up front with us. And then, of course, there will always be a few strong championship riders who want to be front runners, but still, I'm aiming to ride consistently well all season and then we'll have to see where I end up.

Can you make your living solely from motocross or do you have a 'normal' job as well?

Unfortunately, I can't live entirely from the sport, it's just not possible. However, I am lucky in that we have our own car repair business where I work, so there is often some room for manoeuvre if I need to take a break in the afternoon to train. But if we have a lot on, then the job obviously takes precedence.

You've had quite a few injuries in the last couple of years. What are your long-term plans for the future? Have you got your eye on an international career again or would you rather concentrate on races at home? Also, have you already made plans for the time to come after motocross?

I certainly intend to contest one or two world championship races which I regard as a little more than training. The field in the world championship is extremely strong and the costs horrendous. It's not possible as far as I'm concerned simply from the amount of effort involved and from a cost point of view, so the world championship is not something that much concerns me. I'm now with a new team and would like to attack again at a national level over the next two years and then we'll revisit the situation after that. I'll maybe compete in one or two enduro races at some point, but that's not a done deal. Looking at things over the long term, I'll take over the family business and perhaps even open a motocross school.