Top 10 MX2 riders in the World

Geoff Meyer

Long-time GP fanatic, MX Illustrated’s Geoff Meyer lists who he thinks is the top 10 MX2 riders in the world right now. Take a look who he thinks is the top 10 MX1 riders in the world, too.

1. Ken Roczen. He’s just been a breath of fresh air for the FIM World Motocross Championship and it doesn’t seem right he won’t be battling Jeffrey Herlings again in 2012. What Roczen has it the total package, and there are not too many riders in the history of the sport who have that.

2. Jeffrey Herlings. He beat Roczen on occasion in 2011 and his performance in the Open/MX2 moto at the MXoN was impressive. He’s growing by the day and if he can overcome his at times lack of consistency then he will be the man to beat in 2012.

3. Tommy Searle. The British riders might not have finished second in the World as he did in 2007 and 2008, but what he did do was work hard, fight tough and hang in there. Winning a couple of GPs showed he has what it takes to win a World title, but for the time being it seems both Roczen and Herlings are a little better.

4. Dean Wilson. The fourth non-American in the group and rightly so deserving of being inside the top five. Wilson might have started slow this year, but once he got on it he was the man in USA. His MXoN performances were average, but a busted wrist didn’t help his cause. He doesn’t have the WOW factor of Roczen and Herlings, but he is probably a level above most in this class.

5. Tyla Rattray. The former GP rider might not have won the AMA Lites title, but he showed enough to me to give me the impression he is close to his 2008 form when he was World Champion. Moving to America was a dream, but as we all know, it takes time to adjust and he’s done it very well. His MXoN performance was pretty similar to Searle and slightly better than Herlings, but we always knew Ratters was a good rider.

6. Marvin Musquin. Had the Frenchman not been so often on the sidelines he might just have been number one in this list? He proved he has the speed often enough against Roczen, but as happens he got injured at Bercy and then continued the bad luck once he returned to racing in the AMA Championships. My tip for 2012, Roczen and Musquin to go 1-2 in the AMA Lites Championship.

7. Blake Baggett. Finally an American in the mix and it’s pretty amazing to think that. Once the leaders in MX2/Lite riders USA just don’t seem to have much depth in the small bike class. Hopefully once some of those 80cc riders come through the ranks that will change. Baggett is fast, but he is about as consistent as my English.

8. Zach Osborne. Right on the tail of Baggett and looking to finally crack the American MXoN team in 2012. Osborne had a terrible season, but he showed signed of being just off the pace of the lead riders in the MX2 World Championship when he got sick and then injured. Osborne will have a big chance of major success in 2012 with Roczen, Anstie (possibly), Aubin and Paulin leaving the MX2 class.

9. Max Anstie. Always smiling Max had an up and down season in his debut GP season. It couldn’t have been easy changing from the AMA series to the FIM series and it is clear the Brit would rather be in America than in Europe. If he can get a little lucky and start strong in 2012 (where that might be) he can be a contender.

10. Arnaud Tonus. This guy just oozes potential. Give him a another year and he will win a GP, put him in the MX1 class and in my opinion we have another Gautier Paulin or Steven Frossard, but for now he’s on the little bikes. Won the British MX2 Championship and has Georges Jobe supporting him. Now that can’t be a bad thing.