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NEWS
2011 Motocross of Nations
Chad Reed will be Australia's lynchpin when the annual teams' extravaganza gets underway in France on September 17
The 65th edition of the Motocross of Nations will be held this weekend (September 17-18), with Australia’s three-rider ensemble cast featuring Chad Reed, Brett Metcalfe and Matt Moss.
Reed (Honda) will compete in the MX1 class, fellow AMA star Metcalfe (Suzuki) in Open, while the locally based Matt Moss (KTM) will fly the Aussie flag in MX2.
Reed has been a mainstay of the Australian team in recent years (except 2010, when he sat the event out with illness) but a podium finish has continued to elude them, with the best result remaining the fourth place that Craig Dack, Glenn Bell and Jeff Leisk achieved in 1988 in France.
And that could prove to be a positive omen, as the 2011 instalment will be held back in France, at St Jean d’ Angely.
“As an athlete, regardless of the sport, there is no higher honour then to represent your country at the highest level,” Reed said. “Despite my success I’ve had on three different continents there is still a very special feeling, something very unique about wearing the green and gold for Australia.”
“When you look at the calibre of riders that have missed out it just shows you how strong motocross is in Australia.
“Metty (Metcalfe) has been consistent on the AMA motocross scene for years now and has delivered big performances at the MoN before.
“Also, Mossy (Moss) has been dominating the Pro Lites in Australia for the past few years, so we’ve got great riders right across the board. I know it’s going to be tough but I think with the quality we have a podium finish should be our aim.”
Reed will be making a rare foray into Europe for the MoN, which was the epicentre of his explosion onto the international stage when he finished second in the 2001 world 250cc motocross title.
Meanwhile, four-time Australian Pro Open motocross champion Jay Marmont will be the reserve in the MX1 (Reed and Metcalfe) class, while Dean Ferris will be called upon for MX2 duty if Moss can’t make it to the startline.
Marmont, Ferris and Metcalfe teamed up to finish sixth in the Colorado-hosted 2010 MoN.
Thirty-five teams will compete in the MoN, including established heavyweights like the USA, Belgium, Italy and France to motocross minnows like China and Thailand.
America has the most MoN wins to its name, 21, which includes an astonishing period of domination from 1981-1993. It’s also won the last six.
Great Britain has 16 wins, but its period of supremacy was in the 1950s and 1960s when it won 15 events. Since then, it’s been a hard slog for the Britannia brigade.
Meanwhile, next door at Tolmezzo in Italy, the 2011 Trials des Nations will also be held on September 17-18. The Australian team is Neil Price, Kyle Middleton, Tim Coleman and Boyd Willcocks.
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Written byBikesales Staff
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