Chapter Text
The Red Bulletin
Red Bull Media House
The Motocross World says Goodbye to Ronan Lynch
By: Henry Cheng
If someone asks Ronan about his life – or anyone around him for that matter -, he will probably tell them to ‘fuck off’ or something along those lines that would make Gansey flutter with embarrassment. Luckily, after years of trying, reporters knew better now than to ask him questions. They mostly just ask if he has something to say.
On a good day, Ronan could vary between how it went when one would interview literally any other person in the planet to being a funny –like actually made you laugh- interviewee. On a bad one, it was a nightmare. It would either end with him not saying anything or a bunch of swearing you probably would never hear off – Ronan loves compound insults - but depending who you were; you would find bad days either annoying or amusing. Blue seems to find Ronan better the days he snarls.
This interviewer definitely finds him better on the days that he talks, which was not the case of this interview. So, allow me to try my best to encapsulate Ronan, by the things I saw while I spent 3 days around him conducting this interview and what was said by those who love him.
Besides Roman’s name coming along with words like racing, insults, and scowls; more often than not three names follow: Noah, Gansey, and Blue.
No matter where Roman went, they were there with him. It is somewhat amusing to think of Ronan as a soft kid who was ‘always smiling’ and went to Pre-K, made friends, painted with his fingers and laughed until he spilled drinks out of his mouth but all this and more has been confirmed by Noah Czerny. His ultimate best friend. Ex-skater. And intentionally colourful. The beginning of their relationship is a bit unclear, unlike the rest we do not know exactly how it started but we know once it did, it rocket and never came down.
Blue was more of a teenage addition. When a girl ran to the congratulation bin and hugged 14-year-old Ronan ‘I need no one but my family and Noah’ Lynch, everyone was shocked. That is until he pushed her off, mutter ‘fuck off maggot!’ And told Gansey to control her. This lead to her ranting off about no one controlling her and his misogynist ways and a whole other things that left it clear this girl belonged to his solar system.
And then there was one. Being a son of politicians and royalty, one would never picture a Campbell surrounding himself in the world of someone like Ronan Lynch. Especially after how decorated Ronan’s public opinions are towards ‘the likes of them’ (politicians and such). Surprisingly, Richard is anything but a box full of surprises. When he said he wanted to be ‘uprising motocross rider Ronan Lynch’s manager’ in a public interview when asked about his future in politics, it was a chaos-based week in both worlds.
Ronan’s only comment when asked about it was a very dry sarcastic ‘Ha ha’ followed by a little snort and a ‘Fuck Dick’ said with a smile that left everyone confused.
Little did we all know they were friends all along. Ronan being Ronan, banded Richard - who likes to go by Gansey - to attend any competitions. Once, when Ronan was 5 years old he lost his first competition did not compete for three years until the win that changed his life. Gansey went with the family to cheer for him and, although not confirmed, but sort of yes by Noah – the inner circle is pretty sure Ronan banded Gansey from going to his competitions because he was embarrassed.
Gansey being Gansey agreed and because of his principals and nobility, keeping his word. He never went, but always watched and was always with them to celebrate. Until it wasn’t enough. Richard Campbell does not do anything in halves. He not only wanted to come to the games. But also make Roman’s ‘every dream possible’.
Gansey said - although very off the record and then repeated exactly the same way by Noah but on record (I suspect he repeated it so I could use it in this interview)- that Ronan was afraid Gansey would go to a competition, he would screw it up and Gansey would still see him as: in Ronan’s words ‘that fucked up 6 years old’ – to which I suspect has more to do with something else that a sad kid losing a race by the looks they all had when these words were said - but that Ronan often joked that Gansey was his ‘racing bad luck charm’.
One thing everyone loved as much as Ronan, or Ronan and his very aesthetic click, was his family.
Unlike any other racer, you could always count the whole Lynch family being at the glass VIP section. Never one or two. Or any. You could always see the three Lynch men - very different but also alike in an almost creepy way - on the box. Ever since the start and all the years that have gone by.
It was clear from the start that no one loved the Lynches more than they love them self and each other. The three brothers, although you could never hear it in words - besides from Matthew, charm of them all, sun of all sun shines - if you paid enough attention to the trio, you a could hear it in their insults and cutting sharp tones when they spoke, the love they have for each other.
After two years of Ronan Lynch and his family being a moto race mystery, the first person the world got to know was Matthew Lynch, and I am unsure if it was a good or bad thing.
On one hand, Mathew Lynch is everything. From a walking sunshine, to the actual human form of glitter and it made everyone think that’s how they all must be, that’s how the family must run, little did we know how wrong we were.
We were shown how fierce the family is when that year a reporter said something – to this day no one knows what, because only Matthew Lynch heard-, but whatever it was showed us the other side of the coin. He turned around in an unfathomable speed and was spite and fire and I am pretty sure Ares blood runs through the veins of this family.
One would think that older brother Declan had a very busy life with how successful he is. Declan Lynch is a very well-known figure. If you know of sports, you knew Declan Lynch: Ultimate sports lawyer. But just as if it was Sunday church, Declan would never miss a race day. Once, not too long ago, it was even said he has meetings in the box while races are going on. One would wonder how successful those meetings are or how professional Declan is or how much he actually cares about the race if he has meetings while they’re going on. But Declan’s success rate speaks for itself and no one has questioned or wonder his dedication, professionalism or passion again.
If I’ve learned something from them is to never doubt their passion. That is the thing with the Lynch. They go all in or nothing in everything. Their passion. Their love. Their personas.
Unlike to popular belief and If you were paying attention, you would know everything started with Aurora Lynch, not Niall like many have suggested. She was, in fact, the one who bought Ronan that 50cc 2-stroke Max Front Wheel of 10” bike instead of a bicycle like he had asked for Christmas. She understood the fire that ran into her sons' blood more than anyone.
However, to uncurl the spiral, we have to go all the way back to that one race many years ago. Picture this: A 6-year-old Ronan at his first race where while having his Rider’s meeting, after his 30 minutes practice, is informed by his father that Aurora Lynch had to be taken to the hospital.
Little Ronan does not want to compete. Why would he? The passion this family has for each other could probably cause earthquakes and that same passion will keep them from stopping those disasters as they destroy everything on their path which is why Niall Lynch has very different ideas.
Niall Lynch has said that he was sure that race was going to be it for Ronan, his breakthrough moment into the little leagues base – it is a very known thing that kids who do good in the base league more often than not just keep rising at least until their teenage years -. So in his head, if Ronan competed he was going to win and that; that would be everything.
He tells Ronan to do it, to put his craving on everything he is going to do; asks him to fight for it; that mom would be ‘waiting anyway’. He tells him that they are of Lynch blood and they never give up, they never let go. That they pull and pull and pull and they’re always the one holding the cord when the times up. Niall Lynch tells Ronan that Aurora is strong and assures him that his win will make her pull through.
Ronan tries he really does and if you were the audience you would be surprised of how good this 6-year-old is and disappointed when it’s not enough. But we are not Niall Lynch, he knew and trained Ronan, he knew that what Ronan was showing was not his 100% - but most of all he knew Ronan tried his best when he took off - or more like ripped off - his helmet and smashed it to the ground and all that was left was a tear-stained, red eyes and even more red cheeks boy.
Sources say they made it to the hospital that day with enough time to see Aurora Lynch a life. Only with enough time for Ronan to tell her that he did not win and for her so start a sentence that was left unfinished and Ronan wondering if it was his fault.
Between that competition, and his actual breakthrough three years later, at 9 years old, no one knows what happened. Ronan Lynch was not signed up to any base little leagues and although it is not a requirement, the decision makes everyone wonder. Nevertheless, no one questions it because from then on Ronan only won that year. Then came back again the following year and has not left or lost ever since.
Maybe it’s because of this that Ronan Lynch has announced trying for a new Motor race section this year. He is moving on from Motocross to Supercross. It is well known that Supercross has shorter straights, more jumps and it is much more technical compared to Motocross.
With this, the world of Motocross says goodbye to Ronan Lynch.
But everyone else says can and most likely will say hello to Supercross Lynch the 14th of May, with a new and different bike, tracks and competitors.