Team Suzuki Report
Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey capped a phenomenal season on the conquering RM-Z450 by leading Team USA to a comprehensive 21st victory and sixth consecutive success at the 64th Motocross of Nations (MXoN) on Sunday.
The 20 year old added a second winning cap for his country after a maiden triumph in Italy last year by going 1-1 in the two motos at Thunder Valley in Denver and rounded off 2010 in which he scooped AMA Motocross and Supercross titles.
The biggest event on the motocross calendar was attended by 32,000 spectators and was a major accomplishment for RM-Z technology with teams USA, Belgium and Germany filling the podium and from the nine riders on the rostrum five steered the formidable yellow motorcycles.
Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1 were able to witness an excellent outing from their two factory riders, only two weeks after taking first and second positions at the Grand Prix of Italy.
2010 World Championship runner-up Clement Desalle won the MX Open class after results of 3rd and 4th while Belgian Champion Steve Ramon was 4th overall in the MX1 division.
Both assisted their country to second place in the final listing of the 20 countries in the A-Final. For Desalle it was the second trophy at the Motocross of Nations after his debut in 2009 and an incredible ninth out of nine appearances for Ramon.
Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2’s Ken Roczen was one of the stars of the show and briefly led the second moto ahead of the 450s on his fuel injected RM-Z250. The German’s score of 3rd and 6th was the basis for Germany taking their first podium for 30 years.
The 16 year old, in his final outing for Suzuki after a 13-year association, was also the grateful recipient of the Ricky Carmichael trophy award to the youngest competitor. Team-mate Arnaud Tonus assisted Team Switzerland to 11th overall and his ride to eighth in the final moto that saw MX1 and MX Open riders together (meaning the teenager was one of the only campaigners on a 250) was a resilient performance.
Germany counted on the efforts of Marcus Schiffer, riding an RM-Z450 for the Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 crew, who was eighth overall in MX1.
The grippy terrain of the hillside track housed many jumps including some spectacular step-ups, triples and even a quad that the 450cc bikes were able to regularly clear. The pockets of fans from around the world mingled with a hefty partisan attendance.
Dungey was naturally the number one draw and he defeated World Champion Tony Cairoli in the first race and then beat compatriot Andrew Short in the last outing. Desalle was also strong and 3rd in Moto3 was his finest moment of the day. Roczen was superlative to capture 6th in his first race despite feeling sick coming into the meeting.
He was held up by a crash between Zach Osborne and Trey Canard on the first corner but fought back to finish as top MX2 rider. He then passed Ben Townley and Short to front the second race but was overpowered by the New Zealander and American Kyle Regal to assume 3rd.
For the factory Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1 team the 2010 campaign has come to an end with two top five (2nd and 5th) positions in the FIM Motocross World Championship and a Belgian title secured. There will be but a brief respite for the Belgian crew with testing for 2011 due to begin in October in Italy.
Ryan Dungey says: “This weekend was quite amazing. The track was rougher and better than yesterday. I felt the pressure from Cairoli in the beginning but the line choice increased as the race went on. This is right at the top considering what I have won this year.”
“Everything must go right to win at this event. It is hard to put into words but it’s like the experience of a lifetime. I felt like we really stuck together as a team and that helped a lot. We never quit and always kept pushing. I want to thank the team and everyone behind us.”
Ken Roczen says: “Today I rode two good races and felt awesome. My start was not great in the first moto but my speed was OK and I felt that I rode well. Leading that second moto was something unreal and the whole experience is definitely a highlight.”
“I’m really happy to have ridden for Germany and to be on the podium also to compete against some riders we have only seen on the TV!”
Clement Desalle says: “I finished second in the World Championship, second at Unadilla here and now second again; it is boring to always be second! Still this is good result and we did a good job with the team.”
“I have been struggling since the crash at Lierop and couldn’t train since the beginning of the month. I felt better on the bike today though compared to Italy two weeks ago.”
Steve Ramon says: “I’m happy to be up here with the team but also a bit disappointed with my riding today. There was a chance of being able to win but I was not at the same level as I have been in the last two weeks.”
“It was tough out there and I was fighting the track a little bit. I would like to thank the team because we did a good job anyway. I think this was my ninth Nations and I have always been on the podium.”
Arnaud Tonus says: “It has been a cool day; the only low-point was a crash on the first corner of the first moto which meant that I have to push to come back. I was not so good and struggled to get a rhythm. I was 16th and not happy so I focussed hard for the next race and that was much better.”
“I rode the whole distance with Boog and it was a good battle. I pushed really hard but was losing out to the 450 on the hill. Anyway, eighth was good and helped the team.”
MXoN Moto1 (MX1 and MX2): 1. Ryan Dungey (USA, Suzuki), 35:56.436; 2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:05.598; 3. Brett Metcalfe (AUS, Honda), +0:22.000; 4. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:25.704; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:32.917; 6. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +0:39.361; 7. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:43.201; 8. Dean Wilson (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:47.329; 9. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), +1:15.068; 10. Tanel Leok (EST, Honda), +1:22.218.
MXoN Moto2 (MX2 and MX Open): 1. Ben Townley (NZL, Honda), 36:11.627; 2. Kyle Regal (PUR, Honda), +0:06.246; 3. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), +0:07.235; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:30.171; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:37.809; 6. Dean Wilson (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:41.751; 7. Trey Canard (USA, Honda), +0:56.298; 8. Brad Anderson (GBR, Honda), +0:58.070; 9. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), +1:20.316; 10. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:25.010.
MXoN Moto3 (MX Open and MX1): 1. Ryan Dungey (USA, Suzuki), 36:41.709; 2. Andrew Short (USA, Honda), +0:10.230; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:17.577; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:22.593; 5. Brett Metcalfe (AUS, Honda), +0:27.187; 6. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:29.778; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:31.946; 8. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Suzuki), +0:33.135; 9. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:58.530; 10. Jay Marmont (AUS, Yamaha), +1:05.494.
MX of Nations overall: 1. USA, 20 points; 2. Belgium, 30; 3. Germany, 44; 4. Great Britain, 45; 5. Italy, 50.
