Drama Guaranteed
MX of Nations
www.mxlarge.com Ray Archer image.
MXoN – Drama!!!!
The Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations will have high drama in 2013, there is no doubt about it. This event continues to throw something up there and cause one team big problems, or another team some luck.
Be it Christophe Pourcel losing a tyre in the 2011 event when it looked like Team France might have a chance to battle with Team USA for the victory, or how about the accidents in the 1990 MXoN in Vimmerby, Sweden when Jeff Stanton was booed onto the podium, while his team-mate Damon Bradshaw lay in hospital after a coming together with a GP rider. Eventually though the Americans beat Belgium by a single point, much to the displeasure of the large crowd.
Drama is probably the most visible thing about the MXoN, and each year something springs out to cause emotions to run high and tension the build. Last year it was the drama of Team USA riders just not feeling comfortable in the deep sand, and of course the clash of Dungey and Barcia, and the Chuck Sun moment in Saturdays qualification race.
I remember in 2001 at the famous Namur circuit when Joel Smets failed to finish his opening moto when he got some trackside banners caught in his back when, on the last lap of the moto. Then an hour later moto two winner Chad Reed crashed on the opening corner of the last moto, dropping Team Australia out of a possible podium finish.
Or maybe the time Harry Everts crashed, handing the 1981 MXdN to Team America. Yes, had Everts not crashed, Team USA wouldn’t have won. Then we had Max Nagl crashing out of the 2010 event at Thunder Valley, just as everyone started counting up the points and it looked like Team Germany might get a surprise victory against the home Team of USA. Or what about the crash riddled Sunday by Trey Canard that nearly cost team USA the win that year.
Or Jeremy Van Horbeek having bike problems in 2012 in Lommel, and handing the victory to Germany, or Kevin Strijbos being stranded at the side of the circuit at Matterley Basin in 2006, his back wheel tangled in the trackside fencing (with Joel Smets, who had experienced that himself some five years early being the first on the scene as Strijbos broke down on the shoulder of his team manager). Belgiums chances of beating Team USA went down the toilet.
Or maybe the drama of 1987 at the very wet Unadilla circuit when riders crashed out all over the place, and Team USA, who while racing at home should not have been as successful as they were in the sloppy mud, yet Ricky Johnson, Jeff Ward and veteran Bob Hannah stood on top of the podium.
In 1998, and some 11 years later Stefan Everts totally dominated the World in the mud of Foxhills, maybe not drama, but what a spectacle. The drama was of course the amount of water that fell on Foxhills that day.
2003 at the Zolder circuit when Ryan Hughes lost a chain, and Timy Ferry injured his hand, this time Team Belgium got lucky and Ricky Carmichael despite his briljant 1-1 score went home empty handed.
We could go on forever and fors ure the 2013 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations will bring something that will cause people to debate who should have, or could have won, but for the drama.