Team France Motocross of Nations Roster Announced

Team France has announced its roster for the 2021 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN). As per the FFM website, Marvin Musquin (MXGP), Tom Vialle (MX2), and Mathys Boisrame (Open) will represent the team at Imola in Italy September 25 and 26. Musquin has competed for Team France in 2015, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009 but his two counterparts will both be making their MXoN debuts. Vialle was set to race for the team in 2019 but if you recall, there was a disagreement between his team sponsors for Red Bull KTM and the French Team’s gear, and he was removed from the team. Vialle was replaced by Maxime Renaux. Renaux, Jordi Tixier (a replacement for Romain Febvre who broke his leg during the FIM Motocross World Championship), and Gautier Paulin finished fifth in the 2019 standings. The last time Musquin competed in 2015 with Romain Febvre and Gautier Paulin, Team France edged out Team USA’s roster of Justin Barcia, Cooper Webb, and Jeremy Martin by two points. 

Musquin is having arguably one of his worst seasons to date as he sits eighth in the 450 Class points after round seven. While he had been a contender for both moto and overall wins as well as the premier class championship in both AMA Supercross and Motocross, Musquin has only recorded one overall top five this season—a fourth overall at the Washougal National in late July.

Vialle, the defending MX2 champion, has not been as dominant in the championship this year as he has been hindered by a hand injury that occurred during a practice incident. He won the opening round by finishing 1-1 but then broke his hand in a head-on practice crash with Roan Van De Moosdijk. The Red Bull KTM rider has yet to return to the overall podium since the opener and sits 11th in the standings through seven rounds, 138 points down from leader Renaux as his odds to repeat as title favorite are slim. In his third full season of racing the MX2 class, Boisrame currently sits seventh in the standings. He has one overall podium on the season aboard his F&H Kawasaki KX250.

A few things to note on this selection: Long-time MXoN veteran Paulin announced his retirement following the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship. He competed 11 times since his MXoN debut in 2009.

Dylan Ferrandis, who currently leads the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship 450 Class standings, was not included in consideration for this year’s roster as the Monster Energy/Star Yamaha Racing team is moving its factory race team shop from California to Tallahasee, Florida, to Ricky Carmichael’s GOAT Farm. As Ferrandis is leading the current championship and wants to make a run at the 2022 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX championship, he will not be competing. Note: The Star team’s move also impacts rider such as Justin Cooper, who raced for Team USA in 2019, but is not expected to race this year because of the team’s relocation for Florida.

And Febvre, who sits second in the MXGP standings through the first seven rounds, is reportedly out as he aims to contest for the title, per MX Vice. Febvre sits 13 points down from championship leader Tim Gajser with 11 more rounds remaining in the season as the Kawasaki rider hunts for his second MXGP title.

Renaux, who replaced Vialle in the 2019 Team France roster, was not selected to race for the team because he is currently leading the MX2 championship. After earning his first perfect 1-1 weekend, Renaux has opened up a 34-point lead over Mattia Guadagnini.