Team USA on the top of the...
Team USA on the top of the podium.
A crowd of more than 85,000 fans attended the most important MX event of the season, the 60th running of the Motocross of Nations that that took place in Matterley Basin, near Winchester, England.
The track, situated in a natural basin, turned out to be very spectacular and rich in technical features. Due to heavy rains Friday evening and Sunday morning, ruts made the track even more challenging.
The overall victory went to the USA team with a total of 15 points, followed by the Belgian team with 22 points and third place went to the New Zealand team with 35 points.
Team USA, which was made up of James Stewart, Ivan Tedesco and Ryan Villopoto, avoided useless risks and focused directly on the most important thing for the team: victory. That victory was theirs with three second place finishes, one third place finish, and one sixth place finish. (In the final scoring, the team's worst moto result is discarded.
Stewart, Tedesco, and Villopoto were able to successfully defend Team USA's MXoN victory of last year despite not getting a single moto win.
The man of the day was without a doubt Stefan Everts, captain of the Belgian Team.
Everybody knew that this race meant a lot to Stefan, who wanted to end his incredible career with a satisfying victory at this, the most important race of the season. Stefan kept his promise of winning by racing to two crushing victories in the two motos he competed in.
Some of the most dramatic news of the weekend happened on Saturday afternoon during a press conference when the KTM management of Stefan Pierer, Pit Beirer, and Heinz Kinigadner announced that for the 2007 season Stefan Everts will be the new Race Director for motocross.
Stefan will support the KTM factory riders in the MX1 class (David Philippaerts and Jonathan Barragan) and in the MX2 (Tyla Rattray and Tommy Searle), in both training at at the events.
But the real news was the race:
Moto 1 - MX1 (250/450) and MX2 (125/250F):
The first Moto pitted riders from the MX1 against riders from the MX2 class. The fastest out of the gate was Stefan Everts, followed by James Stewart, Ben Townley (New Zealnd) and the young Ryan Villopoto.
On the second lap Stewart slipped and he was forced to re-start over from seventh place. Villopoto got into second, while Everts continued his solitary race. Stewart was clearly not happy and went into a frantic recovery. On the thirteenth lap he managed to overtake his team mate Villopoto and take second place, where he finished. The new MX2 World Champion, Frenchman Cristophe Pourcel got fourth and Ben Townley got fifth.
Moto 2 MX3 (open) and MX2 (125/250F):
Suzuki factory rider Ivan Tedesco sprinted fast at the start, followed by Cristophe Pourcel, Ben Townley, Ryan Villopoto and Antonio Cairoli.
Ivan Tedesco and some wild...
Ivan Tedesco and some wild MXoN fans.
Tedesco maintained a good pace for the first laps until problems with his arm-pump relegated him down to sixth position.
Yamaha-mounted Antonio Cairoli was on the move from fifth place, and on the tenth lap he took the lead and held it to the finish. Even more impressive - he did this on a 250F.
The young riders of the MX2 (250F) showed no mercy on the open bikes, and swept the podium with Villopoto taking second and Townley taking third.
Moto 3 MX1 (250/450) and MX3 (open):
At the beginning of the final moto, all eyes were on on Stewart and Everts - these two and their teams were battling for the overall victory.
Italian David Philippaerts, probably inspired by the fantastic performance made by Cairoli in the previous moto, sprinted well at the start.
James Stewart takes Team USA...
James Stewart takes Team USA to victory.
Everts and Stewart didn't get great starts and began the moto in fourth and fifth, respectively. They soon started hunting down their opponents and by the third lap they were already in second and third position.
At this time Stewart attacked and overtook Everts.
This was the very last race of Stefan's career and he was determined to win. He charged, and was able to overtake Stewart on the sixth lap and take the lead.
Everts set the pace and earned the moto win, followed by Stewart and an excellent Philippaerts.
Team USA, made up of James Stewart, Ivan Tedesco and Ryan Villopoto, won its 17th MXoN, beating the Belgian Team of Stefan Everts, Steve Ramon, Kevin Strijbos and the New Zeland Team of Ben Townley, Joshua Coppins and Cody Cooper.
Stefan Everts : "It was a pretty easy day. It was a great pity that Ricky didn't ride because I believe he would have pushed for the individual win. Anyway it has been a great race for me. I am very happy to end this way. As a team we were a bit unlucky with Kevin's bike problem and our chances might have been better if that had not happened; that's racing. I am always very motivated for this race. I think that was one of the biggest crowds at a motocross event I have seen. It is incredible and for sure I am going to miss this event."
Ivan Tedesco:"I got a good start like I wanted in that first moto and I tried to do as many good laps as I could. I had a good rhythm going but got a bit tired and tight towards the end. I have not had much bike time and missed the whole outdoor season so I did the best I could. I ended up falling on that last lap and that cost me a couple of spots but it was good enough to win the trophy. It was a good weekend and I did what I had to do. This is the biggest race of the year and it is a great honor to come. I want to thank Ricky for giving me this opportunity. It sucks that he got hurt but the team believed in me and that we could come over here and win so I am glad to be a part of it."
James Stewart:"In the first moto I had a slip and I needed to get as many points as I could. I didn't want to be the throw-away moto, I tried my best to take second place. Second moto I was late off the gate and going back and forward and then Stefan and me went at it, I was happy for the podium, didn't matter what they did, and to me it's all about the team and winning for the Team USA. It feels good, I didn't do it myself, all the people of the team behind the scenes, Ricky coming out and it's a whole team effort."
Ryan Villopoto:"I'm really happy for my result and for winnig the trophy. I was behind Ivan in our race and jumped off the track. I kind of regrouped and everyone was going fast. I made a mistake in that race, it as just a racing mistake, on a jump you can lay it over, but I just layed it over too far and I was lucky I didn't go down. I couldn't have done it without my team. I think it was good, a ton of people out there, it was a nice feeling. It was mine and James' first experience, so I hope to do it again next year."
Moto1 MX1 and MX2:
1.Stefan Everts(BEL) 2.James Stuart (USA) 3.Ryan Villopoto (USA) 4.Christophe Pourcel (FRA) 5.Ben Townley (NSL) 6.Joshua Coppins (NSL) 7.David Philippaerts (ITA) 8.Max Nagl (GER) 9.Tyla Rattray (RSA) 10.Antonio Cairoli (ITA) 11.Kevin Strijbos (BEL)
Moto2 MX2 and MX3:
1.Antonio Cairoli (ITA) 2.Ryan Villopoto (USA) 3.Ben Townley (NSL) 4.Steve Ramon (BEL) 5.Tyla Rattray (RSA) 6.Ivan Tedesco (USA) 7.Christophe Pourcel (FRA) 8.Jussi Vehvilainen (FIN) 9.Tommy Searle (GBR) 10.Carlos Campano (SPA) 11.Avis Wyatt (RSA)
Moto3 MX1 and MX3:
1.Stefan Everts (BEL) 2.James Stuart (USA) 3.Davide Philippaerts (ITA) 4.Tanel Leok (EST) 5.Steve Ramon (BEL) 6.Jonathan Barragan (SPA) 7.Sebastien Pourcel (FRA) 8.Joshua Coppins (NZL)9.Ivan Tedesco (USA) 10.Billy MacKenzie (GBR) 11.Carl Nunn (GBR)
TEAM OVERALL:
1.USA 15 P 2. Belgium 22 P 3.New Zeeland 35 P 4.Italy 37 P 5.France 48 P 6.Great Britain 55 P 7.South Africa 59 P 8.Spain 67 P 9.Estonia 69 P10.Finland 78 P 11.Australia 102 P