USA Wins France Motocross of Nations

2011 Motocross of Nations Results

For the seventh consecutive year, the Chamberlain Trophy went to Team USA after the Americans were victorious Sunday at the 22nd Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in Saint Jean d’Angely.

The Americans who competed in the 2011 MXoN – Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey and Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett – dominated Saturday’s qualifying, and went on to take the win over France and Australia.

But the American Motocross riders had much work to achieve 2011 MXoN success; France was leading up until the final heat (third) of the evening at Saint Jean, but it’s star rider, Christophe Pourcel, broke a wheel on his Kawasaki.

But with the outstanding performance put in by Gautier Paulin aboard the Yamaha, France was able to take second place. Taking third was Team Australia due to a top perfomance by AMA Motocross rider, Honda’s Chad Reed; this was the first-ever podium finish for Australia.

Rounding out the top five were Great Britain and Belgium.

As for Team Italy and its star Antonio Cairoli, the 2011 FIM MX1 World Motocross Champion, there wasn’t much luck. After impressing many during qualifying, Cairoli crashed during the first heat on race-day, breaking his left-hand scaphoid and his ulnar styloid.

Following are Youthstream reports of each race in the 2012 Motocross of Nations in France.

2011 Motocross of Nations: Saint Jean d’Angely RACE 1 (MX1 & MX2):

The main event of the 65th edition of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations started with Reed taking the holeshot and dominating the heat until the chequered flag. Roczen finished behind the Australian and he proved once more his incredible talent beating the 450cc machines. American Dungey started third, overtook Bobryshev in lap fourth, but he was surprise by Roczen by the end of the race. Both Searle and Rattray did very consistent races and finished fourth and fifth respectively.

In the middle of the race the heavy rain surprised all the MX1 and MX2 riders and American Baggett could only finish 17th. On the hand, Pourcel had to stop in the pitlane because a stone had hit his goggles, but he went out again and finished eleventh, while his teammate Musquin ended eighth.

The British team finished at the top of the Nations standings thanks to the fourth place of Searle and the ninth position of Wilson.

2011 Motocross of Nations Saint Jean d’Angely Race 1 top 10: 1. Chad Reed (AUS, Honda), 35:52.640; 2. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), +0:03.485; 3. Ryan Dungey (USA, Suzuki), +0:04.919; 4. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:21.469; 5. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Kawasaki), +0:30.845; 6. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), +0:32.870; 7. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:38.278; 8. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), +0:44.042; 9. Dean Wilson (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:57.674; 10. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:58.484.

Nations top 10: Great Britain, France, Australia, USA, Estonia, Belgium, South Africa, Germany, Portugal, Spain.

2011 Motocross of Nations Saint Jean d’Angely RACE 2 (OPEN & MX2:

The 68.000 spectators present in Saint Jean d’Angely went crazy when Paulin took the holeshot of the second heat and managed to finish first, ahead of Herlings and Villopoto. Besides, although Musquin was only 20th, France was at the top of the standings after the second heat. Team USA was nine points behind the French because Baggett struggled a lot and was only eleventh.

Roczen did an incredible race and finished fourth, followed by Belgian Strijbos, who brought some hope to his team, as they were third in the standings after the second race, thanks also to the 12th place of Roelants.

Dutch Herlings led the first laps of the race and starred in a dogfight with Paulin and Roczen in order to keep the first position until the end. However, the French crowd helped the home rider to win the race and Herlings finished second.

Team Australia was not that fortunate in the second race because Moss could not start due to a mechanical problem in his bike. However, Metcalfe finished seventh, which kept the hopes up for the Australian.

Anderson and Wilson finished 14th and 27th respectively, so the chances for Great Britain to finish on the podium were vanishing after such two results.

2011 Motocross of Nations Saint Jean d’Angely Race 2 top 10: 1. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), 34:14.392; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:02.424; 3. Ryan Villopoto (USA, Kawasaki), +0:02.813; 4. Ken Roczen (GER, KTM), +0:05.097; 5. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:19.281; 6. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA, Yamaha), +0:45.403; 7. Brett Metcalfe (AUS, Suzuki), +0:45.914; 8. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:56.746; 9. Carlos Campano (ESP, Yamaha), +0:57.873; 10. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Yamaha), +1:07.283.

Nations top 10: France, USA, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, South Africa, Spain, The Netherlands, Estonia, Portugal.

2011 Motocross of Nations Saint Jean d’Angely RACE 3 (MX1 & OPEN):

The French crowd was desperate to see the gate dropping again and find out if their riders could fulfill their dream to win the Nations at home. However, they were touched once more by bad luck and Pourcel got his back wheel’s Mouse broken and the race was over for him. It was all in Paulin’s hands to finish on the podium and he actually rode really well and helped Team France to be on the second step of the rostrum.

On the other hand, team USA knew that only two good results would guarantee them the overall victory and Villopoto and Dungey did not deceive his country and went 1-2 in the third heat. Rattray finished behind the Americans and South Africa ended sixth in the final Nations Classification.

Reed could not bring another win to the team, but he finish in solid seventh position. His teammate Metcalfe made a mistake when he was riding fourth, but the Australian succeeded in obtaining their maiden podium in the Nations.

In this third heat, Searle did another amazing race and finished fourth, but such result was not enough for the British to finish on the podium, as Anderson could only be 15th and the Brits had two points more than the Australian.

Dungey (USA) took the individual MX1 victory, Roczen (Germany) won the MX2 and Villopoto (USA) won the Open class. Herlings (Netherlands) obtained the Ricky Carmichael award for being the youngest best-classified rider in the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations.

2011 Motocross of Nations Saint Jean d’Angely Race 3 top 10: 1. Ryan Villopoto (USA, Kawasaki), 34:51.718; ; 2. Ryan Dungey (USA, Suzuki), +0:00.465; 3. Tyla Rattray (RSA, Kawasaki), +0:05.182; 4. Tommy Searle (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:18.156; 5. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:22.628; 6. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:24.594; 7. Chad Reed (AUS, Honda), +0:24.916; 8. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:25.740; 9. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:26.356; 10. Brett Metcalfe (AUS, Suzuki), +0:27.098.

Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations Quick Facts:

  • Circuit length: 1500 m
  • Type of ground: hard pack
  • Temperature: 18° C
  • Weather conditions: changeable, sunny, cloudy and heavy rain
  • Crowd attendance during weekend: 68000

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