by Davey Coombs
250 Words
Monday, July 11, 2011 | 11:35 AM
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PrintOne year ago, the leaders of the 250cc class in both America and Europe were rather different than they are now. Here in the States it was Trey Canard and Christophe Pourcel battling for the title, while Frenchman Marvin Musquin motored off with the MX2 FIM World Championship—his second in a row. Now all three of those guys are having forgettable summers. Canard—the AMA Motocross Champion in the class—and Musquin were both knocked out by injuries. Pourcel, on the other hand, has become something of a hot potato—difficult to handle. After sitting out SX and then catching on briefly with MotoConcepts Yamaha for two terrible outings, he's back in Europe racing for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki, though he did not score any points in his “warm-up” ride this weekend.
Baggett has proven to be a title contender in just his second year in the 250 class.
Photo: Andrew Fredrickson
Now that Musquin is in America, his teammate and rival Ken Roczen has stepped up to lead the MX2 class over there. Kenny won again yesterday at his home GP in Germany, and he appears set to keep stretching away from his own teammate, young Jeffrey Herlings, as he seeks to become the first German since Paul Friedrichs to win a world title. Then he's coming to America, where he will take on someone who wasn't really on the radar last year....
When Racer X Online posted our poll to ask our readers who would win Hangtown, we listed ten choices. None of them was Blake Baggett. Big mistake. Baggett blew everyone's minds at Hangtown, including his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammates Dean Wilson and Tyla Rattray, two guys who won multiple nationals last year against Canard and Pourcel. Baggett has won four of six rounds to date, yet Wilson leads the points because of BB’s bad rounds.
How fast is Baggett compared to Roczen on a motocross track? That's a great question for bench racers, and right now it's hard to tell. But having been to two GPs and five of the six nationals so far, my nod would go to Baggett right now—but it would be very close. It might even depend on the individual track.
Roczen has been unstoppable across the pond.
Photo: Ray Archer
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Holeshot!!!!! And chupacabra will suck the blood out of Roczen then BBQ him and feed him to Mitch!!!!!
There is not another man, woman, or child in the sport of motocross with the ability to gap his competition as quickly as Blake Baggett. Just like the roadrunner did to the coyote in the cartoon series. As a matter of fact, "Roadrunner" is a much more appropriate moniker than Chew-Pa-Car-Bra for the diminutive number fifty-seven.
Roczen needs a bit more experience before you put him in with the elite. We saw that in SX. The talent pool is deeper talent pool in the nationals than the GPs so its apples to pumpkins. He'll be AMA champ eventually though.
Just think next year.............Baggett, Wilson, Tomac, Barcia, Musquin, Roczen and more.......
Chupacabra is the real deal and will make Roczen's toungue hang out trying to catch him. Europeans never beat Americans in motocross and never will. The Chup is eating up Wilson and Rattray and making them look like novices.
lol Wilson is your points leader but the hype goes to...the american! surprise, surprise. What's next, are you going to ask, "who can beat ryan villopoto" as Chad Reed holds the red plate. Don't have much ammo for bench racing these day eh?
I am with playridr, roadrunner is a better name...beep, beep.
ParisNova, you have us Americans nailed, we are such homers. The fastest guy doesn't always win a championship, James Stewart proved that this year, so we'll keep watching this exciting season to see what happens. I'm just glad the field is so deep and appreciate Reed, Wilson, Rattray and next year Roczen making it even deeper. KTM is going to be stacked next year: Roczen, Musquin and Dungey - wow.
I gotta say, i'm tired of all the Baggett hype. I understand that when he is on he is probably the fastest guy in the class, but Deano is the points leader (by a fairly good margin) and may quietly take this championship. One more "bad day" from Baggett and this baby is over. Not to mention the flying squirrel WILL get overalls (yes, multiple) this year. Then we will all talk about how Baggett will dominate supercross...ha! I am looking forward to K-Roc coming over full time and Musquin returning from injury.
GO DEANO!
While we have extended a good streak of good old American ass kicking over the past five years, we only won two des Nations (96, 00) in the ten years before that, not to mention the first 30 odd years of the race. While I do think we'll win des Nations again this year, it's a little ridiculous to say the Europeans never beat us and never will.
I yet have to see what Baggett brings to the track. If Roczen is not going to be MX 2 world champion, he will be injured. There is no racer in the mx2 class currently that can run his pace. Usually he was 1-2 seconds a lap faster than the rest of the pack.
What you've see from him at last year's mxon races is "normal" for him on every race day.
how can i watch the ama races online next year like you can watch the GPs on mx-live.com?
Next year we'll see what the outcome will be. I'm pretty sure though the 2012 mx2 world champion come from the netherlands on a ktm... ;-)
Unless one of the ama top 250 guys tries to challenge jeffrey in 2012.
Bleake637, you might want to do a little research on the MXDN win list...
Jimbo Your a fool, pretty sure Wilson and Rattray don't look like Novice riders? Your Boy is hauling A_ _ no doubt but Deno Holds the points lead and although a little frustrated at not winning an overall yet! he's won motos & has stayed consistent, a little chill time by the Ocean will get things turned around for Dean!
haha roczen is the fastest mx2 driver in the world!he get the lites tile 2012 next year!!
The Bagger is a nice surprise this year & will be an excellent pick for Team USA. He seems to have a lot of speed & determination. I love how he reels people in & then just blows on by. Haha. You see Wilson's face at the podium speech. He's completely flummoxed. He's got nothing for the Bagger & he knows it. He's gonna "work on it all week" & then he gets beat again. I love this!
Roxy is a surprise only in that I'd never heard of him b4 last year but I wish IO would've. He's the real deal for sure! Lots of raw talent. Love to watch him ride! He will learn SX & then watch out!
If these two get matched up at this year's MXoN it will be epic!
WOW some of you guys need to do some research!! WOW some of them posts!!
roadrunna roadrunna. run about a thousand miles an hour. got my radio o nn
@phil hope so - BUT we'll see - racing's results are not predictable - the were when rc still rode though...
@LBiggie, too bad Stewart wasnt always the fastest this year. SEVERAL races this year he did not turn the fastest time. And leave it to a bigoted Euro to try and slam American fans, we appreciate every rider who comes here as long as they conduct themselves with some class. Its proven with the number of fans Reed and Metcalfe and alot of others who came here from Europe.
Don't forget, Roczen has been to the MXDN before. If memory serves me right, he spanked everybody on a 250 last year, including Trey and Dean.
Being canadian I'm not bias toward the GPs or the AMA, but look at Zach Osbourne as the only person give some insight into who is faster. GP fans should not kid themselves the talent is way deeper in the US. Its the attitude of the US riders that plays a part. US riders are WFO guns blazing from gate drop to checkered flag. Other than Langston how many 250f GP guys have won a US title. The fact is awsome as Ken is, he had some very scary crashes. as far as the 450s go Mr Bobryshev (1-1 gp of Germany) is a good indicator of the difference in speed because nobody is beating the top three US guys not even close.
I honestly thought that one race of the MXdN featured Canard leading--or at least CLOSE to the front--with Roczen chasing him and reeling him in (but never quite catching him). But I just read a few race reports and none of them reflected that at all--apparently Canard had pretty poor results compared to Short and Dungey (and Roczen).
I guess I'm misremembering things. Completely. What the hell am I thinking about?
MXON will decide who is the best!!!! I think Kenny R will be a much better Motocross racer out of the box than he was in Supercross. He had never raced on a supercross track before this year and did not have one back home eather.
I don't like the out of town boys winning but are guys are getting soft.
Hm...Zach Osbourne...
"Zach Osbourne" might sound just similar enough to "Ken Roczen" to confuse me. Was Zach Osbourne ever chasing Canard? There must be an explanation!
I know we have more MXdN wins than any other country, and by far the most since 81, so I don't think I need to do any research. All I was saying was that it's stupid to say that we never lose to Europeans and never will.
don´t forget...roczen already showed on the last MXDN that he is fast as hell.
he was that rocket charging with the 450 guys in the front...
Roczen is a joke. He made a fool out of himself and KTM with that SX debut. He also lacks the dedication and training effort involved with a career motocrosser. He spends way to much time in the hot tub with the groupies.
Team USA will smoke' em at MXDN.
Don't go away made eurotrash. Just go away.
I believe Roczen took 8th overall at the very rough Daytona supercross in the premiere 450 class against the best of the best. Not to shabby for a first timer in the 450 class for a guy who is new to supercross. The fact is that he hauls butt know matter how you look at it and he will give everyone a run for their money at MXDN even Baggett...
"Who is faster" will be a on going debate. It will just be nice to have someone (Roczen, Musquin) capable of challenging the omnipotent PC juggernaut.
I've kind of checked out on the 250F class................PC again?......whatever.....
"Can BB keep the title on American shores" is the only unanswered question keeping it interesting for me now.
@scrambler - Only time will tell. Or, in this case, time will prove you wrong.
@next year we'll see.... You say, "Roczen needs a bit more experience before you put him in with the elite." He has more professional experience than Baggett, and about the same amount as Wilson.
The future of the 250 class is definitely looking interesting, though.
hey i love bagget he`s the man but i also like roczen, cant wait for him to mix it up here in the good ol usa
bleake637....Just off the top of my head........
Since 1981 USA has won it 21 times in 29 years
We didnt send a team in 2001 and in 2004
The 7 we didnt win, I believe there were a few races we had some injured riders or top guys that didnt go. Of course we just got beat in a few moto's
But winning 21 out of 27 we attended is pretty dominant by any standard....just saying. Please check my facts just in case.
sef154 to clarify: Roczen does not have the experience of the higher speed and intensity of US nationals. He probably has what it takes but this isn't the B class in Europe and for Coombs to compare him to the fastest lites guy in the US, that's reaching quite a bit. Roczen will have to push out of his comfort zone to keep pace in the US. I would expect some spectacular crashes his first year, wins too, but it will be a learning year in 2012.
"to compare him (Roczen) to the fastest lites guy in the US, that's reaching quite a bit" ---------Dude I disagree with that statement 100%...Roczen has won a 250 supercross, was blazing fast outdoors at the MXoN at Thunder Valley, leading World Championships, was youngest GP winner at 15 I believe. That kid is the real deal...to NOT put in with the best 250 guys in the world be insane.
Anyone that cannot see Baggett is light years ahead of Wilson and Rattray better go to the pro circuit practice track and see how he spanks them day after day then embarrasses them in the Nationals. He is not just beating them he is Sharting on them. He is so smooth while Wilson is out of control trying to keep him in sight which he cannot do, The real FOOL is the one that is in denial and cannot see this. I mean 4 seconds a lap faster? That is RC country pal.
ya still have to finish the race at the front everytime to get the championship. Wilson is leading and controlling the series in a tactical fashion as he should be. Force others to beat you and not get out of your comfort zone if it isn't necessary, that is the strategy. Bagget is fast, no doubt but can't have bad motos, that's the thrill of the 250 class, anything can happen. Any predictions for which PC Kawi blows up at Southwick again this year? Seems like they have a bit of a streak there.
Musquin is really the only guy likely to break the PC juggernaut, Barcia and Tomac don't seem ready. PC has to have learned something the last few years, I doubt any of their engines let go this weekend.
I would love to see that Herlings kid race at Southwick.........
Wilson looked depressed on the podium and his voice reeked of defeat. He will have his bad moto with a bad crash like at hangtown where he was lucky he did not fall off that big hill. Blake owns him now and he rides like it just cruising and then putting the Chupacabra to him any lap he chooses. I hope the Rat starts kicking Wilson again like he did earlier.
Roczen is proven. Baggett is almost there. Should be close but I'd say Roczen has the edge right now. I'd guess that Baggett comes in second at MXoN. Not that it matters because the Ryans will dominate. USA USA!
@mcfrolie to say roczen is a joke is ridiculous, the guys is fast has hell, came to america, yeah he crashed alot, but supercross was a whole new ball game to him, and he ended up winning the vegas main, that was a pretty quick learning curve, go team U.S.A. but Kenny ROC is a bad dude, and i bet he would have won at least one national if he was doing the nationals. And he's only gonna get faster!!!! And i agree musquin will be the guy to break the pc train, I do think team usa will win, but i don't think it will be a walk in the park, rv, rd, and bb are goona be one badass combo come september!!!
I´ve seen every top rider in the world this year, in both AMA and GP´s, in 250 and in 450, and Ken Roczen is the best there is. He and Herlings will play with Baggers, especially in France at the MXDN. St.-Jean-d'Angely is a typical European track which won´t be prepared to suit the yanks, believe me.
Regarding Ken´s SX campaign, it was the FIRST time he´d ever ridden SX. He´s never done SX at any time of his career here in Europe, so to say his learning curve was steep, is an understatement. Considering that, his performance was quite incredible.
Outdoors, Roczen could win in either class and on any sort of track. He´s just that good. At almost every GP this year, his times have been faster than the MX1 guys. I mean, that´s unheard of.
Baggers better win the title this year and scoot off to 450´s next year, because he doesn´t want to go head to head with Ken. Trust me on that one.
BARCIA: your right..u r a badass, broken nose ? no problem! We love team honda!