Image: Simon Cudby.

Amateur phenom Adam Cianciarulo is relieved to finally put behind him a disappointing debut in last year’s outdoor nationals after claiming a debut Monster Energy Supercross victory on Saturday in Arlington.

The high profile 17-year-old fended off Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammates Blake Baggett and Martin Davalos to win the opening round of the East Coast 250SX series, realising his potential in the pro ranks.

Cianciarulo finished 16th in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross series last year after illness plagued his progress from the outset, however his early form in supercross has come as a great relief just one race into the season.

“I’m past that for sure,” he commented. “All I use that stuff for is motivation. Obviously a lot of people like to write you off after stuff like that. I probably would have written myself off too, from the outside looking in, not knowing much.

“You see this kid win a lot in amateurs and then get into the pros and he’s not near the front. I’m not going to lie, those were dark days for me, even though I was sick. It was just a tough time.

“Even during the week and everything I just felt like the harder I worked the farther back I went. Just to get to this point and to win it makes everything worth it – the months of off-season training were worth it.”

Click here for a complete interview with Cianciarulo over at Racer X Online.