It’s party time: Preview - Motocross des Nations
By Alex Hodgkinson on 20th Sep 17
For many its the party of the year, and the festivities will be going into the wee small hours on the campsite.
But the Motocross des Nations at Matterley Basin on September 30/ October 1 is also a serious affair, as 39 nations go for gold in the motocross world team contest - the most prestigious one-day event in the off-road calendar.
It is nine years since the event came to the UK, the 2008 running being at Donington Park, and just two years earlier the Nations had graced the 'Ampshire hillsides of Matterley in a never-to-be-forgotten event.
There were superlatives galore as Stefan Everts rounded out his illustrious career with a double defeat of Bubba Stewart, but it was not enough to prevent USA starting another run of team success as Ryan Villopoto took the MX2 overall while Toni Cairoli became the first 250F rider to head home the 450s in a moto.
Of those riders, only the Italian remains active, but the quick boys of the younger generation will be out to show their worth.
Of course many of the 39 teams - particularly countries like Iran, Thailand, Israel, Luxembourg and Iceland - even if they're better at football than the Three Lions - don't stand a cat in hell's chance of even making the main programme, so let's look at who does has a chance.
France will be going for a fourth consecutive title and again have Romain Febvre and Gautier Paulin, two of their stalwarts, to lead the way on 450s.
Injuries have excluded first Dylan Ferrandis, then Benoit Paturel, while Marvin Musquin is unavailable.
But the French federation may have pulled the joker out of the hat with the inspirational nomination of Christophe Charlier, an MX2 GP moto winner, Six Days gold medalist and still only 26.
Beaten at the last corner last year the Netherlands go with the same trio of Glenn Coldenhoff, Brian Bogers and Jeffrey Herlings.
The Bullet has only lost once in the last two months and that was because of a thrown chain, while the 'Hoff' is a GP winner at Matterley, while Bogers will be keen to show that he deserves the number two seat at HRC next year.
Roger DeCoster had to go a fair way down the US rankings to field a team for the Stars and Stripes but don't discount the American will to win.
Zach Osborne could be sensational as he returns 'home' as national MX2 champion, Cole Seely should be solid, and Thomas Covington has been running up front every weekend recently.
Belgium have had to make a late change after Clement Desalle got hurt at Assen, but Kevin Strijbos has been on form in recent weeks and was his country's top man at Maggiora last year.
Jeremy Van Horebeek is the other 450 and Julien Lieber can run with the best in MX2.
Cairoli must know that his team cannot win, but Michele Cervellin has had his moments this year and Alessandro Lupino has shown much improved form during the second half of the summer. Top six is possible.
The same can be said of Switzerland. Jeremy Seewer starts his 450 career at Matterley and will be keen to impress.
Arnaud Tonus returns from injury with a vengeance and Valentin Guillod, back on a 250, won the Matterley GP in the class two years ago.
Australia shoud also not be underestimated with on-form Hunter Lawrence in MX2, national champion Dean Ferris a known talent and Kirk Gibbs no slouch.
One of the grittiest teams is Estonia and they again line up Tanel Leok, Priit Ratsel and Harri Kullas. They won't win, but salute Tanel, the no nonsense fighter, who will be contesting his 17th consecutive Nations event.
There are also numerous star individuals who will carry the responsibility of leading their countries into the main programme - Tim Gajser for Slovenia, Evgeny Bobryshev for Russia, Jorge Prado for Spain, Thomas Kjer Olsen for Denmark, Max Nagl for Germany, Darian Sanayei for Puerto Rico, Rui Goncavles for Portugal and Cody Cooper for New Zealand.
And all eyes will be on the Irish trio of Stuart Edmonds, Martin Barr and Graeme Irwin on Saturday as they try to avoid their almost annual qualification via the B final.
And of course there is one more team we didn't mention yet.... the home trio of Max Anstie, Tommy Searle and Dean Wilson.
Once Shaun Simpson, who stands by as reserve, ruled himself out of first-choice selection when he couldn't get back on a bike before the deadline to name a squad, the team picked itself.
Some favoured giving the MX2 ride to Conrad Mewse or Ben Watson, and their time will come but the pressures of the Nations is not just any old race, particularly on home turf and the choice of 'Tommy Gun' on a lightening quick Steve Dixon KX250F could be the key to the podium.
Tommy beat Herlings last time they raced 250s at Matterley and has always been a better MX2 rider than MXGP.
Anstie was the automatic choice as team leader even before his recent string of GP podiums and will surely have the balls to jump everything in the valley on a 450, while Wilson has regrouped his career in the States to earn a factory Husky ride.
His bike will come out of the IceOne factory awning and the Scot has never failed to finish top-nine in the Nations except for one moto when a defect put him out.
The trio don't have a win between them on the world stage this year but that could also be said of Kurt Nicoll, Rob Herring and Paul Malin in 1994 - the UK trio the last time Britain won.
Mark Chamberlain will have the boys together for a spot of team bonding at a secret location prior to the race, so who knows? Stranger things have happened and with you lot cheering them on...
