Top sporting moments of 2020

Great sporting moments were few and far between in 2020, because there simply wasn’t much sport happening. Marquee events like the Isle of Man TT, the Finke Desert Race, and all non-European MotoGP races were cancelled. But there was still plenty to cheer about, so here are our top five sporting moments from 2020.

Joan Mir wins 2020 MotoGP title

Sadly, MotoGP was confined to Europe in 2020, but that didn’t stop the riders putting on one of the most eventful seasons in history. With reigning champ Marc Marquez out early with a broken shoulder, the remaining riders fought for the crown. There were nine different race winners, and Joan Mir won the title for Suzuki with just one victory to his name. Incredible.

Ricky Brabec wins Dakar Rally with Honda

The 2020 Dakar Rally featured many firsts. It was the first time the world’s toughest race had been held in Saudi Arabia. It was the first time an American had won Dakar. And it was the first time in 19 years that KTM had fallen short of the top step. California’s Ricky Brabec took his Honda to victory, as KTM’s trio of former winners, Toby Price, Sam Sunderland, and Matthias Walkner, faltered. Aussie Price still finished third, his fifth podium in six attempts. The historic edition of the race was sadly overshadowed by the tragic deaths of Paulo Goncalves and Edwin Straver.

Australian riders triumph in world speedway

Victoria’s Max Fricke added his name to the list of Australian Speedway GP winners, with an overall victory in Torun, Poland. He is just the seventh Aussie to win a round in the SGP era. In the same week, Mildura’s Jaimon Lidsey claimed the U21 World Speedway Championship, joining fellow Aussies Fricke, Leigh Adams, Jason Crump and Darcy Ward on the honour roll. Coincidentally, Crump also made a comeback in the British Final in the same week, finishing third at the age of 45.

Remy Gardner wins his first Grand Prix

With his father Wayne winning three world titles, it’s fair to say that Remy Gardner has a lot of expectation to overcome. But in the final Moto2 race of 2020, the young Aussie celebrated his first Grand Prix win, ahead of joining the Ajo KTM team for 2021.

Chad Reed calls it a day

From the small town of Kurri Kurri in NSW, to the glitz and glamour of America’s supercross series, Chad Reed’s rise to the top was never easy. But as he retires in 2020 with two AMA Supercross titles to his name, and one of the most successful careers in the sport’s history, it’s fair to say that he blazed a trail for future Aussie riders to follow. Reed’s popularity in both his home and adopted countries was second to none, with fans queuing hours for an autograph or a photo.

Aussie Jett makes motocross history

As Chad Reed retired, another Aussie stepped up to take the baton. Queensland’s Jett Lawrence picked up his first 250 win in the AMA Pro Motocross series, becoming only the second Aussie to win in the ‘Lites’ class. The other Aussie to win? You guessed it: Chad Reed. Lawrence and his older brother Hunter are very quickly taking the American scene by storm with their exciting skills and their larrikin personalities. The future is now.