MXON - THE COMPETITORS

When we talk about the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, we obviously also talk about the previous winners and legends, who will compete, and this year and we have a long list of motocross legends involved and the 2024 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations is loaded with talent.

Of course, last weekend in Spain, the MXGP and MX2 champions were crowned in Jorge Prado and Kay De Wolf and these two riders will line-up for Spain and The Netherlands, but these two riders are just a tip of the iceberg in what will be a sensational event with brilliant competition. Prado a four-time World champion with 49 Grand Prix victories could be the big star in England, full of confidence and ready to try and get Team Spain on the podium.

AMA supercross and Supermotocross champion, Jett Lawrence could also be the big star of the show as he tries to help Australia win their first ever MXoN overall. The Aussies began their MXoN journey way back in 1984 and since have finished on the podium a handful of times, but never taken the Chamberlain trophy back to Australia. Many are saying Jett and his older brother, Hunter could sweep their classes and their third rider, Kyle Webster might surprise a lot of people in the MX2 class.

Let’s not forget three men with a bunch of AMA and World titles between then, Jeffrey Herlings, Tim Gajser and Eli Tomac. Herlings and Gajser with five World motocross championships between them, not to mention, Herlings 108 Grand Prix wins and Gajser with 49 overall victories. Then we have AMA legend, Eli Tomac, who has seven AMA titles and 96 AMA overall victories. Those three have been so big for our sport over the last 15 years.

While it might be tough for Slovenian to grab the overall team win next Sunday, both Herlings and Tomac will be trying to add their second MXoN team win to their trophy cabinets. Herlings winning with The Netherlands in 2019 at home in Assen, The Netherlands and Tomac winning at home at Redbud in 2022. Both deserve another Chamberlain trophy in their CV’s.

What about two of the best performers at this event, Romain Febvre of Team France and Glenn Coldenhoff of The Netherlands. Febvre a former MXGP World champion has won this event with France on four occasions, first in his MXoN rookie year in 2015, then again in 2016, 2017 and finally last year. As for Coldenhoff, he along with Herlings (and Calvin Vlaanderen) took that win in 2019, but the biggest performances of Coldenhoff came with his 1-1-1-1 race results in 2018 and 2019. Both love Matterley Basin and both can easily lead their countries to victory next Sunday.

Cooper Webb, who will race the MX2 class for Team USA this year hasn’t won the event yet, but has come so close in both 2015 and 2016 and this two time AMA supercross champion and 2016 AMA 250 motocross champion wants desperately to win, after a crash cost his team the win at Maggiora in 2016.

Of course, we also have a handful of former World and AMA champions involved, Tom Vialle, Maxime Renaux, Hunter Lawrence, Aaron Plessinger and Ken Roczen. Between them eight major AMA or FIM titles and all will be involved in the tough battle next weekend. All but Lawrence have won this event at some points, although Lawrence has won his class on two occasions.

In all, we have eight riders who have tasted victory with their country at the MXoN, those being, Max Nagl and Ken Roczen in 2012, Febvre (in 2015, 2016 and 2023), Vialle and Renaux in 2023, Herlings and Coldenhoff in 2019, and Tomac in 2022.

Can one of these men lead Germany, France, The Netherlands or America to another win, or will the Aussies and the Lawrence brothers come out and take their first ever victory at the MXoN? None of us know for now, but what we do know, its going to be fireworks as soon as all these legends take to the track of Matterley Basin next weekend.

Photo Credit: GASGAS

Author: 
Geoff Meyer

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