The Freight Train of MXGP

Posted on December 11, 2018

The argument of how the MXGP riders are now the dominant force in World motocross continues on the forums and (un)social media. The American side mention that it’s supercross and the long season, the Euro side mention it’s the toughness of the MXGP championship and the pyramid that Giuseppe Luongo built. In the end, it’s probably a little of both. I didn’t really believe the supercross theory much, but when Davey Coombs mentioned why he thinks its supercross that causes the US riders to be less impressive on motocross, it came a little clearer.

“So what's changed? In my personal opinion,” Coombs said. “And please think about this before you flame away, SX is no longer to the advantage of U.S.-based riders in motocross like it was in the eighties and nineties because they are not able to go wide-open like they used to indoors. The bikes (450s especially) are so much more powerful than they used to be, but the stadiums are still the same size, that racing has become about management, not pure speed. They are literally riding in the same gear most of the time and nowhere near as aggressive as they used to be because they have to restrict themselves in order to not literally jump out of the stadium. Our development is based in large part on a completely different type of racing, and I don't know how we change that right now.”

There is some logic in what DC says about the power of the 450 and the use of it, and for sure, supercross being 17 rounds and motocross being just 12 makes it understandable that supercross has taken some motocross skills, while the MXGP guys do 20 rounds of motocross, and over two days. 

We often did just 12 rounds of GP in the American dominance era of the 1980s and 1990s, while they were doing 30 total in SX and MX. Not surprisingly, when Ricky Carmichael was dominating World motocross in the early 2000s, the GP guys were doing a single moto, 12 rounds series, while RC was doing 30 AMA championship races. Does that now cast doubt over if RC was the GOAT, or just in a lucky era when the GP riders weren’t racing as much? Of course it doesn’t, just like it doesn’t cast doubt over why Herlings, Cairoli and Prado are the best in their game at the moment. Winning isn’t about excuses, but about who wins. Not surprising that the single moto format and 12 rounds was never mentioned in Team USA victory speeches, or American media reports from the events.

I do think the single day format in America has to have taken something away from the AMA rider’s motocross skills, just as it took away from the GP riders skills in the early 2000’s. Racing just a short Saturday program isn’t the perfect preparation for MXoN, and that even showed in Redbud, when Team USA did much better on the Saturday, than the Sunday.

I think the pyramid system of Youthstream is the biggest change though, and of course two guys called Herlings and Cairoli. The structure of the MXGP series, with the EMX, MX2 and MXGP is perfect, and we have gone over why a million times. The way to the top for a Grand Prix rider is tougher than it’s ever been and as Stefan Everts himself said, Herlings has taken it to a completely different level, a level nobody can attain. That drags everyone else to another level, and we saw that at Redbud, and at Matterley Basin, Maggiora, Kegums, Teutschenthal, and of course Lommel. Its been a freight train getting faster and faster, and nothing seems to be able to stop it at the moment.

“It is sure Jeffrey has brought the level that nobody has been to before,” Everts said. “I can also see where it comes from. The effort he puts in, and the determination. I had been on his side for many years, but he is also a person that is able to do that. Not everybody can put in that type of work. His body is very strong, his recovery is amazing. Every person can improve that from training, but he has a very strong body and his recovery is amazing. This is an advantage and he wants to be the best and put it to another level. I think for Tony to go to that level, at his age now, it’s nearly impossible. I don’t say it is impossible, but it’s going to be tough.”

So now, as we move into 2019, and the European domination continues, and it will in Assen at the MXoN, that is assured as a Team USA victory in the 1980s and 1990s. Sit back and enjoy as we reap the rewards of the toughest motocross series in the World, built by Giuseppe Luongo. And as it continues to be built, bigger and stronger, our riders will continues to lead the World.