The tickets are booked, the bags are packed, the plane is warming up on the runway and the BikeSportNZ.com crew is heading off to France for the motocross experience of the year.

Anyone who is anyone will be at the 69th annual Motocross of Nations, at the Ernee circuit in north-western France, this coming weekend, including a team of three riders from New Zealand.

And, once again determined not to just give you other people’s words and pictures, some of the staff from BikeSportNZ.com and Kiwi Rider magazine will be there personally to record it all for you.

The site may or may not be updated on a daily basis while we’re away … we might just take a well-deserved holiday as we take an extended break and visit friends in the United States and Europe … but rest-assured we’ll be back up to speed soon after we return and, of course, you can read all about it in Kiwi Rider magazine in the weeks that follow.

But, over the weekend of the MXoN, we’ll give you the low-down as the defending champion French team goes head-to-head with New Zealand’s Cody Cooper, Ben Townley and Kayne Lamont, not to mention the cream of riders from more than 35 other countries.

This year’s edition of the big race is again shaping up as another extraordinary battle.

The racing features more than 100 of the best motocross riders on the planet. But, seeing as only 40 of those riders can line up at one time in the final three motos to decide who takes away the Chamberlain Trophy, a rigorous elimination process is required.

The Monster Energy-sponsored event begins its whittling process with qualification races on Saturday.

© Photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

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