Team France Announces 2018 Motocross of Nations Team [Update]
The French Motorcycle Federation has selected their team for the 2018 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations at RedBud. In a surprising announcement made today, France has named Gautier Paulin, Romain Febvre, and Dylan Ferrandis to the team. Marvin Musquin, who was last a member of Team France in 2015 and is currently second in 450 points in Lucas Oil Pro Motocross, was not selected.
Musquin, who won the 450 overall at RedBud in July, expressed his desire to race for the team in the post-race press conference at the Tennessee National earlier this year.
“Yes, especially this year in the U.S. That would be nice. RedBud is definitely the place where you want to have Motocross of Nations. We’ll see. You can also ask Dylan [Ferrandis] right there for the 250.”
Currently sixth in the MXGP Class in the FIM Motocross World Championship, Paulin will serve as the captain in MXGP. Paulin has represented the team every year since 2009.
Febvre, the 2015 world champion, has been a member of the last three winning French teams. He will ride the Open Class.
Ferrandis will return to the team for the first time since 2014. He was selected to the MX2 spot last year but missed the race due to injury.
France will seek a fifth straight Chamberlain Trophy win on October 6-7 at RedBud.
Team USA will announce their squad this weekend at the Unadilla National.
[Update]
Marvin Musquin released a video statement on his Facebook page addressing the decision by the FMF not to select him. The message is in French, but he did provide a caption in English.
"No, I didn't refuse to race for Team France," Musquin wrote. "Yes, they didn't pick me even though I was ready, motivated… and the calendar was not an issue. It was in our plan for months already!"
[Update]
Musquin has released a longer statement on his Facebook page about the decision. It is posted in full below.
Hello everyone,
As you might have heard already thru the video posted by the French Federation today, I’ve had the unpleasant surprise to find out that I wasn’t picked to race the MX of Nations for Team France.
I think it’s now important that I say a few words about what Jacques Bolle, President of the French Federation, said at the team announcement were the reasons and factors they looked at in selecting the team this year.
First of all, the motivation… For the record, the French coach came to America for the Red Bud National and spoke with me there to make sure I was motivated and available to race Des Nations. I confirmed I was 100% motivated and that being teammate with Dylan Ferrandis would be great! Also, what greater motivation is there for me to perform than to race in front of the world here in the US, on a track I just won? If that’s not motivation enough then I don’t know what would be!
Jacques Bolle also talks about the importance for the rider to be healthy and performing good around this time of the year. Seriously, what do you want me to say to that… ? My results speak for themselves. I finished 2nd in the AMA SX Championship this year and I’m currently a title contender for the outdoor championship with three races left! I won Red Bud this year and I’ve been racing at Red Bud for the last 8years…..
I’ll save everyone time and not go into details about the planning and logistics that have already gone in to be part of that race from either my side, my Red Bull KTM teams side, the factory, my sponsors and or the rest of my crew….
To me it’s sad to be overlooked again especially given the race is going to be here in the US where I compete almost every weekend for the last 8 years now and against many top riders that I am sure will be selected on the US home team. But I do really want to thank everyone who has and continues to support me and thank all the French, American, and all the other fans who have shown their support for me after this announcement. It means a lot to me.