The following is a press release from Team Germany:
The MXoN Team Germany for the 76th Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in Ernée, France, is confirmed. Team managers Marcel Dornhöfer and Karsten Schneider present a very strong team with Ken Roczen (MXGP), Simon Längenfelder (MX2) and Tom Koch (Open) as riders. Maximilian Spies will be the reserve rider.
It was not an easy task for the team management to choose the three riders out of a seven-rider squad for the 2023 Team World Championship. But the team managers Marcel Dornhöfer and Karsten Schneider are confident that they have put together the best possible team for Ernée. Very exciting news is the return of superstar Ken Roczen to the German team, inhaling additional motivation to the whole crew. Changes in Roczen's racing schedule have opened the option to race at the MXoN participation and everyone involved, including Ken's American racing team H.E.P. Motorsports Suzuki, have made a great effort to make a start possible. “I’m super happy to be competing at the MXON for the German team, it’s been a while. I feel fit and healthy and am determined to give it my all together with my teammates. I haven't done many MX races this year, but I'm confident that we can score a good result with this strong team. You don’t forget how to ride MX that quickly,” smiles Roczen, who will race in the MXGP class with start number 22.
Like Roczen, Simon Längenfelder is also hoping for a top result in the MX2 class. Despite an arm injury in springtime, the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing rider immediately competed for race victories in the MX2 World Championship after his comeback and was a no-brainer for the team line-up. “I’m really happy to be traveling to Ernée with such a good team. The atmosphere at the last MXoN there was fantastic and I can hardly wait to start in front of such a crowd. I hope to have done a few more steps forward by then and am looking forward to seeing Kenny ride in Europe,” says Längenfelder enthusiastically. He races in the MX2 class with start number 23.
Thanks to consistently good performances and constantly developping his racecraft, Tom Koch earned the third place within the team. After several top ten finishes in the current World Championship season, the Kosak Racing Team rider is very motivated for the race. “I am very pleased that I have been selected for the German team for the second time in a row and the third time overall. With such a strong team, it will be a new experience for me. I really like the track in Ernée because it is so technically demanding. At the regular Grand Prix the atmosphere is already fantastic. The MXoN will top that, I expect goosebumps while riding,” is Koch excited. He will ride in the Open category with start number 24.
Maximilian Spies will be the reserve rider of the team. The 19-year-old rookie in the MXGP class has fully established himself on the 450 cc machines and has shown a lot of speed and fitness. He could be used in all three MXoN classes should one of the other team riders not be able to ride. Spies will be with the team in Ernée, even in case he is not riding, to gain important experience for future MXoN-missions.
The team bosses also show extra motivation. “It is a dream come true to be able to go to France with such a strong team. Ken has been very motivated to take part in the MXoN, Simon is a winning rider in the MX2 class and Tom has established himself very well in the MXGP. We certainly have high hopes for a good result,” said Dornhöfer and Schneider.
