MXoN

With only a few days before the 2014 edition of MXoN in Kegums, Latvia, kicks off, the French motorcycling federation, FFM, have launched a game where you can WIN the official Team France racing shirts of the French team signed by each of the riders, Gautier Paulin, Steven Frossard and Dylan Ferrandis!

First prize: ALL 3 racing shirts signed by each rider!

Second, Third & Fourth prizes: 1 racing shirt signed by the rider.

Click here to play.

Photo: FFM

At the 2014 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations there will be a long list of European nations looking to continue the domination Europe have over the last couple of years.

Of course everyone will remember the way Team Germany won the Chamberlin Trophy back in 2012 around the very tough Lommel circuit. With perfection from their MX2 rider Ken Roczen and solid back-up performances by Max Nag and Marcus Schiffer it was always going to be difficult to beat them as Team USA struggled in the deep sand.

A year later at the Teutchenthal circuit in Germany it was the always competitive Belgian team of Clement Desalle, Ken De Dycker and Jeremy van Horebeek who scored the least points, thus walking away with the winner champagne. Despite a final moto crash by Desalle and DNF the Belgian team still stopped Team USA from adding to their already impressive 22 MXoN victories.

Now in 2014 the nations line up to challenge each other for the most important prize in motocross. This year hasn’t been the most friendly for the European teams, with major injuries to riders like Clement Desalle, Ken De Dycker and Jeffrey Herlings, while the non-appearance of Ken Roczen and Jordi Tixier will make the job of beating Team USA even more difficult.

The French even without their MX2 world champion Tixier have a strong line-up. Gautier Paulin loves this event and has won two motos in his time as a Team France rider, winning motos in 2009 in Italy and 2011 in France. Paulin burst back into form with his victory at the last GP of the season in Mexico, and will be excited to once again line-up against the American riders.

“The Motocross of Nations is a special event,” Paulin said. “Everyone who races the MXoN wanted to perform at their best. I feel lucky to have won two motos, and to be able to represent my country in Latvia gives me great pride.”

Alongside Paulin will be Dylan Ferrandis and Steven Frossard. Frossard too has performed well in the MXoN finishing with a 5^th place in a moto in 2009. Frossard also won an MX2 GP at Kegums a few years ago, so his hopes will be high come next weekend. France have only won the MXoN on one occasion, at the Namur circuit in Belgium in 2001, when David Vuillemin, Luigi Seguy and Yves Demaria shocked the Belgian team to take victory.

Other European teams looking for some success will be Team Great Britain with Shaun Simpson, former AMA 250 champion Dean Wilson and big event rider Tommy Searle, and of course Team Italy with MXGP world champion Antonio Cairoli, Davide Guarneri and former world champion David Philippaerts.

Team GB haven’t won the event since 1994, and despite being one of the most successful nations in the MXoN, it would be a huge surprise if they won in Latvia. Italy have two victories in the MXoN, in 2002 and in 1999.

The Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations isn’t just about the riders, but also about some of the legends of the sport who are involved, not any more as racers, but as team managers.

Obviously the two most obvious stand-outs are two former world champions in Joel Smets and Roger De Coster. With 10 FIM Motocross World Championships between them and a long list of MXoN victories Smets and De Coster will lead the two top teams into the MXoN weekend, set for Kegums, Latvia on September 27 and 28.

Smets who will be team manager of Team Belgium is one of the most passionate members of the sport of motocross and remembers well what made him so excited about this event.

“This race has always given me something special,” Smets said. “Not just as a fan when I was a kid, but also as a racer, and now as a team manager. The pride to put on a Belgian jersey is something that is special for me, and I know it’s special for all the riders who get to race for their country.”

Smets has been a member of winning teams the 1995, 1997 and 2003, and along with Stefan Everts, Steve Ramon, Patrick Caps and Marnicq Bervoets made Belgian motocross the world power between 1995 and 2005 when they won five of the ten MXoN’s organized.

“Of course winning the first time was special,”Smets said. “In 1995 standing on the podium was something I will never forget. Also racing in front of the King in 2004 was also special and winning in 1997 in Nismes, Belgium was a big occasion. Being in the same team as Stefan and Marnicq we always felt confident that we could get the job done.”

As for De Coster, his MXoN winning tally is very impressive. Wins in 1969, 72, 73, 76, 77 and 79 made sure that the name De Coster will long be remembered for his success at the biggest motocross race in the world. The victory by Belgium in 1969 was the first by Belgium since 1951, the event being dominated by the British and Swedes.

What makes De Coster’s victories with Belgium or the most interesting was he returned just two years after winning with his home country to be team manager of Team USA in 1981 when they won their first ever MXoN.

“I remember in 1981,” De Coster said. “Nobody was really serious about going for Team USA, so we took our Honda Factory team. Winning that year really opened up the door for Team USA and with more confidence success came often.”

Since that victory in ‘81 De Coster has remained the team manager of the American team and added 22 team victories as team manager to his six as a racer.

Both with huge respect for each other for the championship wins and tough attitude to racing, Smets and De Coster will once again lock horns as they try and help their teams add to what is already an impressive list of MXoN victories.

With most championships across the globe all wrapped up for season 2014, all focus has shifted to the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations which is now less than ten days away! In the table below is the latest official entry list:

The Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations has seen many great names dominate the event. From John Draper as part of the British team in the 1950s, until Stefan Everts and Ricky Carmichael who helped Belgium and America to success in more recent times.

Back in 1947 when the FIM Motocross of Nations first started, legends have shown the way. John Draper won with Team GB in 1950, 1953, 1956 and 1959. Former World 500cc Champion Bill Nilsson of Sweden took victories in 1955, 1958 and 1961, while Jeff Smith (another former World 500cc Champion) won it with Team GB in 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964 and 1967.

The great Roger De Coster was also somebody who enjoyed success in the MXoN, winning in 1969, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977 and 1979. Helping De Coster out in this period was Jaak Van Velthoven, who scored wins with De Coster in 1972, 1973, 1976 and 1977.  Andre Malherbe won with Belgium on three occasions, those in 1977, 1979 and 1980.

Of course the 1980’s were dominated by Team USA and a major part of that period was David Bailey who won in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986. Jeff Ward was another American rider who proved even more successful, winning in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987,1988, 1989 and 1990. With his seven victories Ward is the most successful rider in the event’s history.

Ricky Johnson also won with Team USA; his wins came in 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1988.  Johnny O’mara was also a four time winner in this period, scoring victories in 1981, 1982, 1984 and 1986. Jeff Stanton was also part of the domination by Team USA, scoring wins in 1989, 1990 and 1991.

When the American domination ended in 1994, it was Team Belgium that began to show the most strength, with Stefan Everts, Marnicq Bervoets and Joel Smets all getting their share of success. Everts won in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2004. Bervoets won in 1995, 1997 and 1998. Smets in 1995, 1997 and 2003.

Ricky Carmichael helped Team USA rise back to the top and was also able to stand on top of the MXoN podium with victories in 2000, 2005 and 2007. In recent years American rider Ryan Villopoto has won in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Another American Ryan Dungey has won in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Conscious of the risk of returning too early from the injury that saw his left tibia and fibula broken in three places in Italy on June 15, Evgeny Bobryshev and Team HRC have decided that the Russian will unfortunately not be able to race at the Motocross of Nations at the end of September.

Whilst his recovery is progressing well and there have been no complications since the surgery in June, the feeling shared by both Bobby and Team HRC was that he wouldn’t be sufficiently fit to compete at his best, and the risk of inflaming the injury and thus affecting his condition in the off-season was too great.

The decision means that Team HRC will round out their inaugural MXGP season fielding the lone No.12 CRF450RW of Max Nagl. Honda and HRC fully support the decision of Bobryshev not to ride.

Evgeny Bobryshev: “I was riding for the first time again a few days ago. Dr Claes told me the leg is healed 80 per cent, but it’s still swollen and there’s still tissue damage. The first day of riding was ok but I was taking it slow round left corners, then on the second day I went to Lommel. I touched the leg on the ground in a left corner and there was still pain so I thought ‘no, I don’t want to have to think about my leg when I’m riding, I want to concentrate fully on racing’. It will still take time for my leg to recover fully, and that’s why I have decided not to compete in the Motocross of Nations this year.

“I wouldn’t be fit and the leg wouldn’t have healed enough so I still would have pain. All it takes is another touch and it takes months more to recover, so it’s better I let it heal properly. I want to start my preparations for 2015 early.

“I want to race in Latvia, and I was thinking maybe I have enough time, but when the gate drops I just want to go forward and push and when I’m not fully fit that’s not the best for me. If I force it now, it would maybe take one or two months more so I have to think about what’s more important for my future. I want to battle for the title – I know I have the speed, I just need the consistency which means I just want to wait until I feel safe to ride.

 “It’s frustrating as Latvia is a great place with lots of Russian fans, and especially being the Nations it will be a great event, but I will be there still to watch at Kegums.”

Keisuke Inomoto, Team HRC Principal: “Of course it’s a shame that Bobby will not race at the Motocross of Nations this year as it’s a major event that we were all looking forward to seeing him return at – HRC, Bobby and his fans. But we discussed the situation with him and we fully support it. We have seen many times before what can happen if you try and return too early, so the best course for Bobby, especially after such a physically tough year for him, is not to rush but to recovery properly and fully.”

Copyright: Photo: Honda World Motocross

FUNCHAL (Portugal), 28 August 2014 - The Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations which is set to take place in Kegums, Latvia on the weekend of September 28 is fast approaching.

Youthstream is proud to present the official 2014 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations entry list in the table below.

LINKS


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FIM

Monster Energy FIM MXoN

Team Latvia have announced their stellar team of MXGP rider Matiss Karro, 2008 FIM Junior Motocross 125cc World Champion who will be joined by last years FIM Junior Motocross 125cc World Champion Pauls Jonass in MX2 while Roberts Justs rounds out the team competing in the Open class.

Click HERE to watch Latvia's own Matiss Karro tear up the circuit of Kegums where the 2014 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations is set to take place in one months time!

And don't forget the 2014 MXoN will be screened live and on demand on www.mxgp-tv.com!

There was a little Japanese rider ripping at the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship in Belgium a few weeks ago, his name is Jo Shimoda and is looking to be the next Akira Watanabe after winning the final moto of the day to be crowned 2014 FIM Junior Motocross 65cc vice world champion!

Yesterday the Japanese motorcycling federation announced the trio of riders they will be sending for the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations which is set to take place in Latvia at the end of September. The team will be managed by Naoki Serizawa with riders Akira Narita, Takeshi Katuya and Yoshitaka Atsuta.

Copyright: Photo: MXING from Motorcycle Federation of Japan

Team Portugal have just announced the line up they will be sending to Latvia at the end of September for the 2014 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations. The team, managed by Pedro Castro, will be none other than MXGP star Rui Gonçalves who will join fellow countrymen Paulo Alberto and former MX3 star Hugo Basaula.