Huge crowd turns out for MXof Nations

Team USA came and conquered the prestigious Motocross of Nations on Sunday taking home their fifth consecutive victory in what is considered to be the blue ribbon event in the racing calendar, bringing the 2009 season to a fitting conclusion.

The event, often called the Olympics of Motocross, was held in Italy for the first time since 1986 and included good performances by members of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team who made valuable contributions to their national teams.
 
KTM Factory Riders racing in national colours

In the forefront of the Orange family of riders was Marvin Musquin, the newly crowned MX2 world champion whose national team of France finished second behind the Americans. Joel Roelants of the KTM factory Junior Racing Team made his contribution to the third place by the Belgian national team. Max Nagl, who finished second in the MX1 World Championship, helped Germany to finish in fourth place and to share equal points with Britain where KTM's Tommy Searle and Shaun Simpson were key team members.

Shaun Simpson riding for Britain

Searle, who was second behind Tyla Rattray in the MX2 World Championship title fight in 2008, is now competing in the USA. Simpson, who has just returned to the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team after a longer injury break, also put in strong performances for his team.

Also competing for their national teams were Spanish KTM factory rider Jonathan Barragan who also performed well after being out through injury during the season and Red Bull KTM stalwart Rui Goncalves, second in t he MX2 World Championships this season behind teammate Musquin who raced for Portugal. Spain finished in twelfth place and Portugal was thirteenth. While the KTM riders made a good contribution to their teams, as true competitive professionals some also said they would have been happier if their teams had finished higher up the order.

MX2 world champion Marvin Musquin

What the KTM riders said

Marvin Musquin (MX2 for Team France): "I had a good speed and my results were quite okay but I am very disappointed for the team because we had a good qualification. But then Gautier (Paulin) crashed in the third heat so we lost our chance to take the title. It's not so easy as an MX2 rider to fight with the MX1 in the same race because they are faster that we are but of course I tried my best."
Joel Roelants (MX2 for Team Belgium): "I was riding good and had a good speed but I crashed in the second moto and lost good points. We had hoped to win the title and although it was good to be on the podium my father taught me never to be satisfied with third place."
Shaun Simpson (Open Class for Team Great Britain). "I was a bit disappointed with how things turned out today because I was fourth yesterday in qualifying and I had a good speed. But today I had some stomach problems and I wasn't able to give my best. I like the 450 bike very much but now I have to go back to the 250 to prepare for next season."
Tommy Searle (MX2 Team Great Britain). "I went well in the first race but in the second I hit a hay bale and lost my rhythm. I fought back and in fact I did my fastest lap in my last lap. Today I made some mistakes and I'm not that happy about that but this is the Motocross of Nations and we all know anything can happen in this competition."
Max Nagl (Open Class Germany): "This was a very difficult track Normally I never crash on a race weekend but this weekend I crashed five times. Nevertheless I am very happy about the result for Germany because we didn't expect such a result".   

Huge crowd comes out to support MX of Nations riders

KTM team members with Offroad Director Pit Beirer

The tradition-rich event captured all of the thrills and excitement that stamps the sport of Motocross, attracting more than 25,000 fans to Italy's Autodromo di Franciacorta just south of Brescia. Thirty seven national teams comprising 111 riders hit the purpose-built,1680-meter hard pack track for the sixty third edition of the annual competition, racing on a surface that was rough, technically demanding and deceptively tricky with deep sand sections. Following a tightly fought round of qualifying on Saturday, 19 national teams advanced to Sunday's three-race format that pitted MX2 against MX1, MX2 against Open and finally MX1 against Open categories. Each national team fields three riders.  Points are awarded according to individual ranking in each race with the winner accruing just one point. The six individual results are collated, teams may discard the worst result and the team with the least number of points is the winner. The result was wide open until the sta rt of the final race with France leading Belgium, USA and Britain but carnage in the opening stages reshuffled the cards when a number of top riders were knocked out of contention. Italy had looked set for a good result and fans were disappointed when MX1 World champion Antonio Cairoli became a victim of the pile-up. Cairoli had won the opening race but DNFs by him and his teammate Davide Guarneri spoiled the host country's chances.
 
MX of Nations, season's most prestigious event, KTM says

Max Nagl riding for Germany

KTM underlines the extreme importance of the MX of Nations, the season's blue ribbon event that showcases the world's finest riders. This season has also been the most successful ever for the Austrian sports motorcycle specialist and its Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team under the leadership of MX legend and 10-times World Champion Stefan Everts. In MX2, Musquin and Goncalves delivered a hard fought battle for the MX2 title right up to the thrilling final round in Brazil. Steffi Laier of Germany was crowned Women's World Champion while MX1 rider Max Nagl finished second behind Cairoli in the fight for the title. The Italian is joining the Red Bull KTM Factory team as of the 2010 season to race alongside Nagl, setting up a mouth watering competition next year. The success for KTM was only possible in the 2009 because of the huge overall contribution from all those connected with the team. KTM, the company that is always "Ready to Race" warmly thanks riders, team manag ement, all team support staff and its sponsors for making 2009 one of the company's most memorable year.
 
KTM announces US MX factory team for 2010
KTM also announces that in 2010 the company will run an official MX factory team in the USA, which will be directly linked to the Austrian headquarters in Mattighofen. The team will be under the control of KTM's Offroad Racing Director Pit Beirer and run in the USA by American Casey Lytle. The new factory team, contesting the American outdoor MX competition will field Briton Tommy Searle in the 250 class, while well known American rider Mike Alessi will ride in the 450 class on the KTM factory machine. With this move, KTM confirms a 100 percent commitment to the American MX market and the US racing scene.
 
Immediately following the thrilling season final in Franciacorta, KTM Racing and the company's Research and Development Team will continue preparations for an even more successful motocross future based on the current, extremely competitive MX1 and MX2 four-stroke racing machines. Right up to the start of the next racing season the factory squad will focus all their attention on the company's latest 250 and 450 models. Major activities will revolve around ongoing tests with existing bikes and other prototypes to ensure the Austrian manufacturer, known as the fastest and most innovative offroad brand, continues to configure leading race- and stock MX machines.
 
Results Race One MX1 & MX2
1. Toni Cairoli, Italy, Yamaha, 34:38.859
2. Chad Reed, Australia, Suzuki, 34:40.441
3. Ryan Dungey, USA, Suzuki, 35:07.546
4. Clement Desalle, Belgium, Honda, 35:23.329
5. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 35:35.327
Other KTM
7. Tommy Searle, Britain, KTM 35:37.979
12. Jonathan Barragan, Spain, KTM, 36:08.880
15. Joel Roelants, Belgium, KTM, 36:18.843
19. Rui Goncalves, Portugal, KTM, 36:37.357
23. Arnaud Tonus, Switzerland, KTM, 34:56.211
 
Results Race Two MX2 & Open
1. Gautier Paulin, France, Kwasaki, 34:57.775
2. David Philippaerts, Italy, Yamaha, 35:00.870
3. Ivan Tedesco, USA, Honda, 35:01.688
4. Tanel Leok, Estonia, Yamaha, 35:35.17
5. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 35:38.158
Other KTM
6. Max Nagl, Germany, KTM, 35:43.116
11. Joel Roelants, Belgium, KTM 36:12.295
13. Shaun Simpson, Britain, KTM, 36:31.170
14. Arnaud Tonus, Switzerland, KTM, 36:32.553
17, Tommy Searle, Britain, KTM 36:37.499
18. Harri Kullas, Finland, KTM, 36:43.804
20. Jeffrey Herlings, Netherlands, KTM, 36:48.808
24. Rui Goncalves, Portugal, KTM, 36:53.210
 
Results race three MX1 and Open
1. Ryan Dungey, USA, Suzuki, 34:50.404
2. Steve Ramon, Belgium, Suzuki, 35:01.972
3. David Philippaerts, Italy, Yamaha, 35:09.529
4. Jonathan Barragan, Spain, KTM 35:15.486
5. Steven Frossard, France, Kawasaki, 35:22.884
Other KTM
8. Max Nagl, Germany, KTM, 35:44.998
10. Shaun Simpson, Britain, KTM 36:04.184
 
Final National Standings (teams ranked according to the lowest points score)
1. USA. 22 points (Ryan Dungley, Ivan Tedesco, Jake Weimer)
2. France 30 points   (Gautier Paulin, Steven Frossard,>),
3. Belgium 39 points (Steve Ramon, Clement Desalle, Joel Roelants (KTM)
4. Germany, 55 points (Max Nagl (KTM), Ken Roczen, Daniel Siegl)
5.  Britain, 55 points (Tommy Searle (KTM), Billy Mackenzie, Shaun Simpson (KTM)