Nations go to war...
By TMX Archives on 1st Oct 09
THERE can rarely have been so much controversy leading up to a Motocross des Nations as this year. It started when James Stewart declined to ride for the USA and then tried to make out he was some kind of hero for giving others the chance to ride, but most of the drama has surrounded the British team.
In the end however it is difficult to argue with the fact that Britain's three fastest motocrossers will represent their country this weekend, the same team incidentally which came so close to a podium finish at Donington last year and which many pundits would have chosen in the first place!
With the late addition of Lithuania a total of 37 countries will be at Franciacorta this weekend, and the contest appears to be more open than for years.
All of the top six from last year – USA, France, Belgium, Britain, Italy and Australia – would appear to have a realistic shot at winning the Peter Chamberlain Trophy, and Germany would have made it seven had they not lost the services of Marcus Schiffer.
Certainly both Max Nagl and Ken Roczen are capable of winning their class, but Schiffer's replacement, Daniel Siegl, has never been truly world class and has not ridden internationally all year; a top 20 placing would appear to be far beyond him.
France has also had to make a late alteration after Nico Aubin suffered a hernia, but, as with the enforced British changes, his replacement Steven Frossard (pictured) actually makes the team stronger, though the CLS teamster is as likely to crash as Billy ‘Mac'.
For full report see T+MX News, Friday, October 2, 2009