The Dutch, Spanish, Australian and Italian teams have now been named to contest this year’s Motocross of Nations at Ernee, in north-western France, on the weekend of October 7-8.
This year’s 76th edition of the “Olympic Games of Motocross” returns to Europe and Team Netherlands will comprise Calvin Vlaanderen (MXGP), Kay de Wolf (MX2) and Glenn Coldenhoff (Open class).
This Dutch Team is going to be a solid contender for the podium with a mix of experience a raw talent, with the same line-up that represented them last year in RedBud, in Michigan.
“Although the riders fought like lions, they were still a bit disappointed after last year’s seventh place. Now we are back, with a strong selection that will give everything to achieve success,” said team manager Barry Forschelen.
Team Italy will be Alberto Forato (MXGP), current MX2 world championship leader Andrea Adamo (MX2) and Mattia Guadagnini (Open class).
Meanwhile, Team Spain will of course include the current MXGP world championship leader, Jorge Prado, racing in the Open class, with Ruben Fernandez (MXGP) and David Braceras (MX2) racing alongside him in Spanish colours.
Team France declared its squad for the 2023 event last month and it comprises Romain Febvre (MXGP), Tom Vialle (MX2) and Maxime Renaux (Open), the threesome hoping to again claim the Chamberlain Trophy on home soil.
If the French do win at Ernee, it will make it seven MXoN wins overall after their victories at the event in 2001, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Team Australia is widely tipped to be among the favourites this year.
This time around they have, not surprisingly, chosen brothers Jett and Hunter Lawrence, with just-crowned national MX1 champion Dean Ferris as the third team member.
Belgian team manager and former GP racer Johan Boonen last month revealed the names of the riders who will fly their national colours in France in October.
The Team Belgium squad will be Jago Geerts (MXGP), Liam Everts (Open class) and Lucas Coenen (MX2).
Meanwhile, the trio of Kiwi riders for the 2023 MXoN was named back in July.
It comprises two MXoN stalwarts in the form of Papamoa’s Cody Cooper and West Auckland’s Hamish Harwood, with Oparau’s James Scott a first-time selection.
Several other teams who have now named their squads:
Team Ireland: Martin Barr (Husqvarna), Glenn McCormick (GasGas) and Jason Meara (GasGas);
Team Canada: Dylan Wright (Honda), Ryder McNabb (KTM) and Jess Pettis (KTM);
Team Iceland: Máni Freyr Pétursson (Fantic), Eiður Orri Pálmarsson (Yamaha) and Alexander Adam Kuc (GasGas);
Team South Africa: Camden McLellan (Honda), Cameron Durow (KTM) and Jesse Wright (Yamaha);
Team Switzerland will have Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha), Valentin Guillod (Honda) and Arnaud Tonus (Yamaha);
Team Latvia: Pauls Jonass (Honda), Janis Reisulis (Yamaha) and Karlis Reisulis;
Team Finland: Miro Sihvonen, Emil Weckman (Honda) and Jere Haavisto;
Team Great Britain: Ben Watson (Beta), Josh Gilbert (Honda) and Conrad Mewse (Honda);
Team Austria: Marcel Stauffer, Michael Kratzer and Johannes Klein;
Team Czech Republic: Julius Mikula, Vaclav Kovar and Jakub Teresak.
Team Puerto Rico: Rodny González, Jack Chambers and Edwardo Morales.
There is no word yet on the squads to represent powerhouse motocross nations such as Germany or the United States of America.
© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
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