It’s nearly time folks!
On the 29/30 September in Belgium, the motocross world will gather for the
biggest race of the year, with the biggest crowd, and the best atmosphere in
the World. This year’s race will be an
epic in the deep, whooped out and shifting sands of Lommel, where riders will
be racing the track just as much as each other.
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| The Des Nations - it does not get any better (2007 Budds Creek) |
As always the American team will be the favourites. Yes, it
might be sand, but the no other country can boast three riders as strong.
The AMA 450 champ Ryan Dungey, probable 250 champ Blake
Baggett, and 250 title contender Justin Barcia(who has already proven himself on
the 450 last season in the AMA Nationals) are a formidable team. Team Rookie
Barcia will not be a weak link either, he is currently having the best year of
his career in the outdoors and Jeff Stanton, the multi time Des Nations winner,
will be in his corner to guide the young American in his first appearance at
the event.
Some people expect the Americans to struggle in sand, but De
Coster is no fool, and he is bringing his riders over early to get a full week’s
riding in the soft stuff, they will be adapted and ready to go come the Saturday
the 29th September.
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| Van Horebeek (left) and Everts (right) will want Belgium to win |
So who can challenge them ? On paper the home country is
their biggest challenger. Belgium have Clement Desalle in MX1, Ken De Dycker in
MX3, and Jeremy Van Horebeek in MX2. Desalle is currently second in MX1 with De
Dycker fifth, while Jeremy Van Horebeek
is third in MX2. All the guys are riding well, but do they believe they can
win? If they do they have a very good chance.
Team USA always believe they are the best, they barely know
the names of some of the riders they are racing, in contrast the other
countries usually just aim for a podium. Some of the US self confidence may be
needed by the Belgians if they want to win the event and beat the American’s
individually. Riding wise they can compete, but have they got the
mental strength and confidence the American’s possess?
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| Herlings is incredible in sand, but is under big pressure |
The next best team could well be Holland, they have
according to Stefan Everts, ‘the fastest man on the planet in sand’ in
Jeffrey Herlings, and the teenager, who will also become the 2012 MX2 World
Champion, will be ready to lead Holland to at least a podium, he will be
riding a 350 in the MX3 class. His teammates are also fast, especially in sand.
Glen Coldenhoff will ride MX2 and Marc De Reuver will ride MX1. Coldenhoff was
fast in Leirop and, with only four of the current top fifteen in the MX2 World
Championship, racing the Nation’s in the MX2 class, Coldenhoff should be one to
watch and will want to challenge Baggett.
The always friendly but crash happy Marc De Reuver just needs to have
one more of his great sand riding days and Holland might even challenge for the
win!
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| Anstie could surprise many and will want to beat Barcia |
Team GB are also looking good, Jake Nicholls is in fourth in
the World MX2 Championship and is always solid in the sand, Tommy Searle will
move up to the 450, he doesn’t like the sand but he rides the 450 well, and will be ready for Lommel,
while Max Anstie could be the ace up the sleeve of the Brits.
Anstie grew up in the sand, and will get a factory 450 for MX3
and will be super motivated to lead GB to
a podium, and he is probably rubbing his hands together at the prospect of racing
Justin Barcia at Lommel! In the MX2 class
in Lierop these three went third, fourth, and sixth overall, and the consistency
of all three (and what should be a faster Anstie on a 450) GB should be there
or thereabouts.
The dark horse team is Germany. These guys could challenge
for the win and should be at least aiming for the podium. Ken Roczen is really
good in sand, and despite being in MX2 should be at the front end of the field
in both his races. Max Nagl lead Cairoli for a long time at Lierop and will be one
of the riders capable of running with Dungey in MX1. That just leave Marcus
Schiffer, the teams MX3 rider, needing one top ten result, he is quicker than a
lot of people give him credit for, and given his top ten speed at Lierop in MX1,
he could just get the results Germany need!
France are usually one of the favourites, but sand isn’t
their best surface. Gautier Paulin goes in MX3, while Christophe Pourcel has
been replaced by the solid if unspectacular Xavier Boog in MX1, Marvin Musquin
will be MX2, he has won in the sand before, but that was before the Herlings’
era and Marvin hasn’t been riding in sand for two years, but he is a very
technical rider and should do a good job. A podium is probably the best France can hope
for, despite being so close to victory last year.
Italy as usual have virtually no chance of the win, or even
a podium, but they do have the soon to be six time World Champion, Antonio
Cairoli. There is always a lot of pressure on Cairoli at the Nations as he is
the one who has to get the wins to give Italy a chance of a good result.
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| Cairoli just wants two good races for once, he is awesome in the sand. |
However, the Nations has routinely been Cairoli’s worst race
of the season. He has had good motos, but never had two good races in one day.
Last year he even broke his wrist in the first moto! Cairoli though is an amazing
sand rider, and one of these years will finally put it together, get rid of the
bad luck and show the Americans just what he can do. Maybe this will be the year.
These will be the six main teams to look out for, Australia
have been hit by injuries, while their neighbours New Zealand will have the
great Josh Coppins signing off his career on a factory Rinaldi Yamaha, but Ben
Townely will be missing due to injuries.
Other good individual rides could come from Arnaud Tonus of
Switzerland who rides the 450 for this race, or Jonathan Barragan from Spain,
although both are not really sand specialists. Another rider to watch could be Tim Gasjer,
the 125 World and Europpean champion will be riding the 250f in MX2 for Slovenia,
although his sand skills are an unknown, he is a fantastic rider and one to
watch for the future.
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| Can Zach beat Blake? |
Then we have Zach Osborne of Puerto Rico/ America, sand isn’t
his best surface but he has got better, and you know he will want to beat compatriot
Blake Baggett in MX2!
As always the weekend will be fascinating with the
individual battles being just as interesting as the team race, as will the ever
exciting format which sees the MX2 riders racing the 450s. With the sand being
extra tough, the drama should be even more exciting.
But really, who can bet against the Americans?! They might not be the best individually in
the sand, but you can bet both Barcia and Dungey are not afraid of Herlings and
Cairoli one bit, all three riders will expect to win their class, so as a team, with their ability under pressure, they should be taking
the trophy home.
Let’s just hope no one gets hurt prior to the race!
Bring it on!
