While the 2020 season brought us into a new decade, the decade that just passed was one of the best ever in the sports history. Brilliant talent coming through, and a few riders entering legendary status, which is what a decade seems to bring us, right back from the 1940's when the sport was first recognized as a World championship.

Sometimes it is easy to forget how important a decade can be, in life and in sport. Of course, in motocross 2010 saw the arrival of two very talented young motocross riders in Ken Roczen and Jeffrey Herlings. Roczen had made his debut on the GP scene in 2009, however both had their first full season in 2010, winning GPs and finishing second and sixth to Marvin Musquin in the MX2 World championship.

A year later Roczen was World MX2 champion, and Herlings was on his way to becoming the greatest MX2 (125cc) class rider of all time. That Roczen went to America, won two AMA 450 motocross championships and is close to being the best rider in America, despite a horrible injury shows his talent, and we all know who the fastest man on the planet is at the moment, Herlings.

Herlings has won his four World motocross championships and helped MXGP to become the fastest, toughest and most admired motocross series in the World, is something we can all applaud and appreciate. His 86 GP wins at 25 years of age will without question see him move past both Antonio Cairoli and Stefan Everts in the all-time GP winners list. That 12 he needs to move to number one might even happen in 2020. Wouldn’t that be a great way to start this new decade.

I still find it amazing that it is now 14 years ago that Stefan Everts retired, but fortunately this last decade saw his son Liam arrive on the Grand Prix scene, albeit in the EMX, but any time and Everts is on the start list on a GP weekend, we have to be thankful.

Of course Antonio Cairoli was already on his way the decade before, with his 2005, 2007 and 2009 championships, but he would really dominate his rivals from 2010 until 2014, winning four World titles on the trot, and then added titles in 2017 and his 89 GP wins make him if not the best ever, then very, very close to the King (Everts). He might struggle to add to that tally, as young kids like Tim Gajser, Jeffrey Herlings and Jorge Prado look to take command. Still, I wrote Cairoli off once before and I sure am not doing it again. But it won’t be easy.

Anyone around the 40s or older will remember the start of the 1980s and that golden era of Team USA at the Motocross of Nations. For myself, it was the most exciting period in the sport. These brash, red, white and blue boys didn’t just win, but they looked cool. A dozen or so American legends were a major part of defiance against the Europeans, and here we are now 40 years later, and the tide has turned. I will mention it over and over again, but I called it at the 2012 Motocross of Nations, I knew that MXoN victory was a changing of the guard, because I had seen the change happening. I had spoken to Youthstream owner Giuseppe Luongo about his desire years earlier and I had watched his words come to reality. This wasn’t a fluke that on 2012 the Grand Prix riders retook what was rightfully theirs, World domination and that Chamberlain Trophy.

Sick and tired of hearing USA, USA, USA over and over again the Grand Prix riders are now the ones who can chant their national anthem and beat their chests. The American’s are great winners and the riders are great losers, but the media and a selection of the American public don’t take losing well. Only now, nearly a decade after the Euros took back the Chamberlain trophy, are the American media coming to reality. Less BS and more acceptance.

The French, the Dutch, the British, they will for many years dominate this event. Sure, Team USA might get a win here and there (or maybe they won’t), but the domination will come from the Grand Prix riders, racing within a system that is even tougher than those 1980s and 1990s in America. A revolving door or talent and in many ways a meat market, where only results count. It is a tough for the riders, but it has made the Grand Prix series what it is now.

Will we see Liam Everts arrive in this decade and replace his famous father and grandfather as a GP winner, or even a World champion? Can Belgium return with Everts at the helm, and maybe Jago Geerts in support? With Clement Desalle, Jeremy Van Horebeek and Kevin Strijbos all at the end of their careers, it is a little frightening to think what the future holds for the most successful motocross nation in the sports history.

In America we saw the coming and going of Ryan Dungey, Ryan Villopoto and the end of that golden era of Carmichael, Reed and Stewart. Unfortunately, with that series being so tough, so demanding and so draining, both Dungey and Villopoto didn’t make it out of the decade. Retirement as an early age and leaving America with a lack of really tough riders. Eli Tomac is fast, but brittle, Jason Anderson is tough, but inconsistent, but at least Cooper Webb looks like he has both the speed and the resolve to lead America back to the top. Adam Cianciarulo has finally had some injury free time and for me, he along with Webb could bring some respect back to Team USA in the future. Until America have a Carmichael, Dungey or Villopoto on their books, it will be difficult coming to the MXoN with any real confidence.