MXGP Insider No.14: MXoN Tracks

Welcome to our weekly web-exclusive column, Transmoto‘s MXGP Insider. Penned each week by Vurbmoto’s David Bulmer, the MXGP Insider will present the story-behind-the-stories of the European motocross scene.

The Motocross of Nations (MXoN) is taking place at the end of September, but it’s never too early to get pumped up for it. The next four GPs are all taking place at venues that have either held the MXoN, or will hold it in the near future, so if you were umm-ing and ahh-ing about subscribing to MXGP TV, now is the time to stump up the cash and watch some pretty spectacular motocross racing.

First up this weekend is the British GP at Matterley Basin, home of the 2006 MXoN where Stefan Everts swept around the outside of James Stewart before riding off into the sunset. Team USA won the war that day, but Stefan Everts and a young Antonio Cairoli definitely won the battles at a race witnessed by one of the biggest crowds ever seen at a recent motocross race.

Next up is the French GP at St Jean D’Angely which held the 2011 MXoN in front of a crazy amount of people. Once again, Team USA took the Overall win thanks to an epic final moto from Ryan Villopoto and Ryan Dungey but they were made to sweat by the European riders (and Australian Chad Reed) throughout the day, and could have lost it had Pourcel’s tyre not come off in the last moto. Ken Roczen cemented his place as the best MX2 rider in the world and a 17-year-old Jeffrey Herlings held off Ryan Villopoto on his first-ever race aboard a 350.

There is then a weekend off before we head to Maggiora in Italy, which is poised to host the 2016 MXoN and judging from how busy the GP was last year, the Motocross of Nations could be absolutely epic. I can only imagine the support that Antonio Cairoli will receive at that race – it’s just a shame that Italy don’t stand a real chance of winning (unless Alessandro Lupino and another Italian youngster step it up). Franciacorta in 2009 was something special, and I know they have been doing work at Maggiora in preparation for this year’s GP, to improve logistical aspects and make it a better Overall experience.

And finally, after Italy, the tour heads north to Germany for Teutschenthal, which should be fresh in everyone’s memories as it hosted the MXoN last year. Won by the Belgian trio of Clement Desalle, Jeremy van Horebeek and Ken de Dycker, they held off Team USA who looked strangely out of sorts on this technical track. It was packed to the rafters, though, and created a great atmosphere, especially when Ken Roczen held off Eli Tomac to win the MX2/Open race, winning the MX2 class for the fourth year in a row.

Each of the tracks has something special about them and are great examples of what motocross can be like. Youthstream has received a lot of criticism over the years for going to some undeserving locations, but when you have a string of venues like this, nobody should be complaining.