I think we all love to play around with statistics and ranking our heroes from the present and the past. So many legends in the sport, so many AMA victories, GP wins and World or AMA titles. I thought for a little fun, while I sit here in my office and watch winter arrive, I would do something about my top 10 riders of all time. 

It is a list that is just from my opinion and clearly has no real ranking power, but here goes. It could easily change tomorrow, because making lists like this is just for fun, not some type of ranking. It is impossible to rank different era's and we all know that, but its fun, so here goes.

1. Stefan Everts: It is impossible to take “The King” from the top. Statistic wise he is the man, more titles, GP wins, MXoN moto wins (11), MXoN team wins (five) and also victories in places like the ISDE, and the Fastcross in Italy. His battles with multiple champions Trampas Parker, Greg Albertyn, Sebastien Tortelli, Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, Joel Smets and Mickael Pichon are legendary, and while he didn’t always beat these guys, he was always in amongst it and close to victory. Lets not forget, his title losses to both Albertyn and Tortelli were very close to having championship success, and I still remember with amazement of his dismantling of Jeremy McGrath and the other leading AMA riders at the Fastcross in Italy in 1993 and 1999. He has double the race wins of anyone else at the Motocross des Nations and his Matterley Basin and Foxhills rides in 1998 and 2006 are well placed in our record books. A career from 1989 until 2006 gives him the edge of American great Ricky Carmichael, who went from 1997 until 2007. Everts had more MXoN moto and team wins that RC and more International event victories. Unfortunately, these two only raced each other on four occasions, and it is 2-2.

2. Ricky Carmichael: Yes, RC was unbeatable in America, in an era when AMA motocross was the biggest, most exciting class in the World. He beat Everts at the MXoN in 2003 and 2005 but lost to him in 1998 and 1999 (of course RC was on a 125 and Everts on a 250 in these two years). It is hard not to put Carmichael at number one, as he dominated one of the toughest era’s in the sport, when James Stewart and Chad Reed were at their very best, but he also had a short career, just 10 years. The only reason I went with Everts is because he raced over a longer period of time at the top, has a better record than RC at MXoN level and did more Atlanta crossings than RC. Apart from a handful of MXoN performances in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2007 (in US), RC never had the chance to race in big International events at his very peak. He raced Bercy prior to becoming the GOAT, and went home injured, and failed badly at the MXoN in 1998, 1999, before going 1-2-1-1-1-1-2 in the remaining events in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2007. Of course, if you combine MX and SX, then RC is clearly number one.

3. Antonio Cairoli: If you are counting stats, then the Italian legend is number two in Europe and number three on this list. Nine World motocross championship, and 92 GP wins, that is Everts and RC like. Was he always the best in the World, no, at times he wasn’t, and he did taste defeat to guys like Ryan Dungey, Tyla Rattray and Christophe Pourcel either in World titles or MXoN, but like Everts, his reign at the top was a lengthy one, and still isn’t over. Cairoli had six MXoN moto wins, which is the same as Carmichael, but a long way from Everts 11 moto wins. Still, in the era of Jeffrey Herlings and Tim Gajser he has shown another side, and while at 35 years of age, he can still race with these guys on occasions. From where he came from on that little island of Sicily, he sure lit up the motocross World enough times to be number three.

4. Ryan Villopoto: Another guy who retired too early, but when he raced, he was sensational. He won five AMA motocross championship and added four AMA supercross championships to that list. Known for his undying determination to win and similar to Ricky Carmichael a style that sometimes means hospital time, he was exciting and hard to beat. Four MXoN moto wins, and his Budds Creek performance in 2007 was one of the all-time great days in the events history. The fact he came to Europe in 2015 and won a GP in Thailand showed what a talent he was, and despite his disappointing ending, he gave it a try and that is worth more than a few points in the race for my top ten.

5. Roger DeCoster: Yes, I know, he doesn’t have more World titles than Joel Robert, and doesn’t have anywhere near as many GP wins as a bunch of guys, but he had a bunch of years as the best motocross rider in the World, and this was when the Europeans dominated the American riders. Ask anyone above the age of 40 and they will tell you, “The Man” was the best ever. I still sometimes fantasies that maybe RD was better than Everts or Carmichael. In the era of Suzuki in Europe, De Coster travelled the World and brought thousands to our sport.

6. Ryan Dungey: Eight AMA championships in motocross and supercross, and four MXoN race wins. He led Team USA to victory in 2009, 2010 and 2011, and while he was considered a rider who didn’t take chances, maybe that is why he belongs in this list. Smooth, controlled and a thinker. I still remember his amazing battles with Cairoli in 2010 at the MXoN and how easily he remained calm and poised. Like RC and Villopoto, he didn’t get to race in Europe much, although he did win at that Supermotocross event in Germany beating Tim Gajser and Jeffrey Herlings in the process. Like RC and Villopoto retired too early and that probably cost him a higher spot on the list.

7. Jeffrey Herlings: Yes, I know, he only has four World titles, but he does have 90 GP wins and if he doesn’t get injured, he wins, its as simple as that. The fastest motocross rider I have ever seen, and I have seen most of them over the last 50 years. Four MXoN moto wins, helping Team Netherlands to victory in 2019, and the first European to go to America and dominate when he won the 2017 AMA National at Ironman. In all honesty, had his bones been a little more flexible, he could easily be number one on this list and it pains me that he isn’t closer to the top of this list.

8. Eric Geboers: Our first ever Mr 875, winning a 125cc, 250cc and 500cc championship. He also battled the American riders on enough occasions in MXoN and won five World motocross championships. 38 GP wins, numerous International victories and clearly a man we all miss terribly. His statue in size was overcome with a determination and toughness that places him in our top ten, and he also rode in an era in Europe that was close to being the greatest of all time.

9. Ricky Johnson: Seven AMA titles in total, four MXoN moto wins and RJ led Team USA to victories in 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1988. Probably the coolest rider in this list, well, I would say 100% the coolest rider in this list and somebody who elevated the sport Worldwide. Unlike RC, Villopoto, and Dungey, you could find Johnson in Europe every winter, taking prizemoney and victories. His presence alone was enough to beat his competition and his victories in places like Bercy, Park de Prince, Fastcross and so many other places make him easily a member of this list.

10. Joel Robert: I just have to have a six-time World champion in the list. He might not have raced in the toughest class in his era, but he was as tough as nails and another rider who placed bums on seats in a golden era of Grand Prix motocross. Was he better than Georges Jobe, Joel Smets or some of the other GP legends, I don’t know, but what I do know is he was part of an era that introduced American motocross to the World, and like DeCoster he raced everywhere, all over the World, in a time when travelling to places like Australia was like going to the moon and he did it all with a smoke in one hand, and a beer bottle in the other.

Of course, I could write a list tomorrow and it might have Jeremy McGrath in it (if it was about legends of our sport), or Dave Thorpe, who won three 500 titles in that amazing 1980s era, or Tim Gajser, a four-time World champion who is climbing the all-time lists. Or how about Bob Hannah, Jeff Ward, Georges Jobe, Eli Tomac, Andre Malherbe, or Torsten Hallman? 

Yes, we are stacked when it comes to legends from USA or Europe and we are lucky to have the memories of all these amazing talents.

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