Roczen is in for MXoN!
By Team TMX on 21st Jan 17
Motocross MXoN Ken Roczen Matterley Basin
Ken Roczen has committed to racing the 2017 Motocross des Nations at Matterley Basin on September 30/October 1.
The news was revealed in a video link to the fans during the opening ceremony of the German SX in Dortmund.
"I will start for Germany in the Nations at Matterley Basin,” he said. "I'm in a good position and there's no team switches or anything like that in mind. Every year I plan on racing but in the last couple years it didn't play out to where I was ready to go.
"I want everything to be on-point and 100 per cent perfect to go there and race and win and not just go there just to go. So right away when I came with the team, rode the bike and everything was going a good direction and where we're at right now, I decided that I'm going to commit because that's what I want to do.”
The 22-year-old raced the Nations from 2010 to 2013, topping the MX2 classification each time and even scoring a moto win four years ago at Teutschenthal.
The 2013 Nations was the last time Roczen has raced outside America and the event at Matterley now raises the possibility of the world seeing him go head-to-head against Jeffrey Herlings for the first time since the 2012 Nations at Lommel when each of them won their class. But this time they will both be on 450s!
Add in Tim Gajser, Romain Febvre, Tony Cairoli and the US teams and it could be the race of the century.
n Roczen made it two-from-two at the second round of the Monster Energy Supercross Championship but when he passed Ryan Dungey for the lead he didn't clear off as many people expected him to.
Instead the Honda HRC rider was stalked by Dungey (Red Bull KTM) for the rest of the race with the reigning champ even lining him up for a pass on the last lap before a small error allowed Roczen to pull clear.
"Ryan kept me on my toes,” admitted the German. "The track broke down and it was really rough out there but that's the fun part. I hope the fans enjoyed it. That's what they want to see – a battle for the win.
"I'm happy to be up here again – actually happier with this weekend's win than last weekend's. Another day in the books and I'm looking forward to next weekend.”
