dam Cianciarulo just wrapped up his first professional title, and I haven’t met one person who isn’t happy for him. He’s been nicknamed “Baby Jesus” by those who worked with him as an amateur, to give you some idea of how good he’s always been and the pressure that has been on his shoulders to succeed. Sacrilege aside, Adam was poised to win as he moved up to big bikes and went straight to Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki—the most successful team in the business.

I was hired by Adam when he first made his transition to big bikes and was preparing for the Monster Energy Cup. The first few days at the test track made it obvious that he was going to be a star. Adam’s times were right on par with the pro riders, and although his dad wasn’t buying it, Adam was ahead of where he needed to be. In fact, the main thing we worked on was getting him to slow down coming into turns! He would charge in so hard and then slam on the brakes and upset the chassis on the bike, making his turns inconsistent and jerky at best. By getting him to enter the turn more slowly and carry more speed through the turn, we shaved time off his laps and cut mistakes way down. He won a moto at the Monster Cup Amateur All-Star race that year but had a crash while heading to the front in another moto and missed out on the overall. It was fun getting to work with AC in his early days on a big bike.

When it was time to start his first full season of professional racing, Adam looked like he was going to deliver right out of the gate by winning his very first supercross race. That alone is a massive accomplishment. He followed that up with a consistent second and another win in the next two rounds, securing the points lead. And then Cianciarulo endured the first of several injuries that would completely derail his season, and almost his entire career. Both shoulders needed to be reconstructed so they wouldn’t dislocate—something that stemmed from a congenital abnormality. Then he blew out an ACL and lost a season rehabbing that. Many lost faith in Adam during that time, but Adam still believed.

This supercross season looked like it would be his time to shine, and even after a rough opener, he stole the points lead and held it right to the final round in Las Vegas. If you thought Adam had dealt with disappointment earlier in his career, the final round was the coup de grace. A head-scratching crash in the final handed the title to Dylan Ferrandis, and once again, Adam had to face abject devastation. I’ve always rooted for Adam, but after watching his post-race interview there, he became one of my all-time favorites. Despite wanting to put his fist through a wall, AC delivered a humble, pragmatic, honest interview that was far beyond his years. Want to know how to speak with the media? Watch that interview. Or any of his interviews.

I can’t imagine the feeling of joy and relief that Adam felt when he wrapped up the title in Indiana. I’ve never seen a rider with such high expectations get dragged through the mud the way he did and then come out the other side a Pro Motocross Champion with a factory 450 ride and all the tools to remain successful in the big class. This guy is the future of our sport. Yes, he’s an incredible rider, but that isn’t why. Adam is professional, well-spoken, funny, creative, and honest. When you combine that with his work ethic and his drive to win, you get an icon who makes a permanent mark on the sport. AC, congratulations on your title and your new ride. Can’t wait to see what you do next.