MX of Nations heads to Italy

By Team TMX on 21st Sep 16

The outdoor season comes to a close this weekend as the Motocross of Nations returns to Maggiora in northern Italy after a 30-year absence with a slightly B grade US team that will try to win the Peter Chamberlain Trophy for the first time since 2011.

US 250cc champ Cooper Webb leads the Stars and Stripes into battle on a 450 together with Alex Martin – who has experience of the event with Puerto Rico – and rookie Jason Anderson. Ryan Dungey, Eli Tomac, Justin Barcia and Jeremy Martin each either declined or were overlooked by team manager Roger De Coster.

The Yanks are by no means without a chance however as almost every European nation has also had to fall back on second choices after the usual injury decimation during the season.

France, winner of the last two contests, has called up Benoit Paturel to replace Dylan Ferrandis alongside Romain Febvre and Gautier Paulin while 2013 winner Belgium has given a late cap to Brent Van Doninck who replaces Clement Desalle – injured at Glen Helen – in the Open class. Jeremy Van Horebeek will race the 250.

Winner in 2012, Germany is again without Ken Roczen and expect Ivan Baranov to step in for Sascha Tonkov as the Yamaha GP rider will almost certainly be prevented from attending by visa difficulties.

Host Italy welcomes back Tony Cairoli but clearly has no chance of the team victory with Samuele Bernardini and Michele Cervellin as his partners and Tim Gajser will have to win his qualifier if Slovenia is to have a chance of even making the main race.

Britain has its best chance since 1994 with Tommy Searle, Max Anstie and Shaun Simpson and Holland could win for the first time with Glenn Coldenhoff, Brian Bogers and Jeffrey Herlings. Don't discount Switzerland either with Valentin Guillod, Jeremy Seewer and Arnaud Tonus.

A total of 38 nations have nominated trios for qualification on Saturday when Ireland will be hoping to make the cut direct with Graeme Irwin, Martin Barr and Stuart Edmonds after so many Sunday morning B finals in recent years.

The weather is forecast to be a cool 20 degrees but dry.

Here's a breakdown of the are the top 20 teams competing in Italy...

France: Romain Febvre, Benoit Paturel, Gautier Paulin

USA: Cooper Webb, Alex Martin, Jason Anderson

Belgium: Kevin Strijbos, Brent Van Doninck, Jeremy Van Horebeek

Estonia: Priit Ratsep, Harri Kullas, Tanel Leok

Switzerland: Valentin Guillod, Jeremy Seewer, Arnaud Tonus

Holland: Glenn Coldenhoff, Brian Bogers, Jeffrey Herlings

Australia: Todd Waters, Jed Beaton, Dean Ferris

New Zealand: Cody Cooper, Josiah Natzke, Hamish Harwood

Germany: Max Nagl, Henry Jacobi, Dennis Ullrich

Austria: Lukas Neurauter, Michael Sander, Pascal Rauchenecker

Spain: Jose Butron, Jorge Prado, Jorge Zaragoza

Russia: Sascha Tonkov/Ivan Baranov, Vsevelod Brylyakov, Evgeny Bobryshev

Sweden: Jesper Jonsson, Alvin Ostlund, Fredrik Noren

Italy: Tony Cairoli, Samuele Bernardini, Michele Cervellin

Denmark: Nikolaj Larsen, Thomas Kjer Olsen, Glen Meier

Portugal: Rui Goncavles, Hugo Basaula, Paulo Alberto

Ireland: Graeme Irwin, Martin Barr, Stuart Edmonds

GB: Tommy Searle, Max Anstie, Shaun Simpson

Slovenia: Tim Gajser, Jan Pancar, Jernej Irt

Canada: Kaven Benoit, Shawn Maffenbeier, Tyler Medaglia

Also at the start: Latvia, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Finland, Croatia, Greece, Luxembourg, Hungary, Iceland, San Marino, Japan, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Israel, South Africa and Thailandn By Alex Hodgkinson