The 2023 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nation’s from Ernée, France is finally in the books. For the fourth time in a row the host country has won the MXoN. Team USA did not have the best showing but considering the struggles it took to put a team together, deserves the utmost respect for their efforts. Meanwhile, AMA Pro Motocross Championship riders, Tom Vialle and Ken Roczen had outstanding rides. We asked retired pro turned race reporter, Jason Thomas to speak on these points and more for this weeks Breakdown.
The MXoN is a race in its own category, and on the world stage. Is there substantially more pressure when competing in front of the world, and for your country? How can that affect how a rider performs?
It is a unique race with unique pressure. I don’t think it’s necessarily more pressure for most countries but for the home country, there is. Having the majority of the crowd there to see you and your teammates succeed, or fail, up’s the ante. Interestingly enough, the home country has won the last four running’s of this event (2019-2021-2022-2023).
At the track at 6:45am... Pitch black dark but don't worry, there are air horns blaring and Linkin Park is screaming from the loud speakers already.
— Jason Thomas (@Jason66Thomas) October 8, 2023
The track got extremely gnarly as the day wore on. What was it like compared to the national tracks here in America, and how did this affect our guys?
The conditions were very different than what riders would face in America. GP tracks often won’t till the dirt as deep, creating a harder surface for the day’s racing. The conditions were very typical for France and surely, they felt comfortable. That’s a normal part of this event, though. The home country often has an advantage with track conditions. America benefited from familiarity last year at Red Bud, too. To win this event on foreign soil, riders have to overcome every ounce of adversity they might face.
Tom Vialle was superb in Ernée, yet not too long ago he was struggling at the nationals. What was his secret sauce? Was it the comfort of being on a track he’s used to? The hometown crowd? What was it?
I would say all of the above. He is a two-time champion of the MX2 class and was racing many of the same riders he faced last year. The Ernée track was good for his skill set (throttle precision, starting prowess). I think he entered the event knowing he was capable of winning. After all, he had beaten all the EU riders many times before and knew Hunter Lawrence was less than 100 percent. He executed but it shouldn’t have been a shock.
Speaking of racing in front of the hometown crowd, the 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 events were all won by the host nation. Is this a coincidence, or does racing for national pride provide that much of a boost? How big is the effect of racing in front of the hometown crowd, when the hometown crowd is your entire country?
I think it was a combination of familiar surroundings and having a lethal team composition. The home team in each of those years had one of the best line-up’s but were also bolstered by the conditions they found themselves in. In 2019, the Dutch rode a man-made sand track to perfection. The Dutch at large are the best sand riders in the world for a reason and showed it that day. In 2021, Italy used consistency in a wet event to bring home a Mantova win. It’s also notable that Italy’s 37 points was one of the highest scores in recent memory to win this event. In 2022, it’s impossible to think Team USA didn’t benefit from their hundreds of laps they’ve logged at Red Bud. I believe Team USA had the best team in 2022 but being in familiar territory certainly helped. That same dynamic played out in 2023 as well with France having the best team on paper and dominating the event. Of those four, I think Italy was the only team that didn’t have the edge statistically and needed help to get the job done (nod to the high score).
Aaron Plessinger had a rough go of things in that second moto. What did you see in his riding that could have caused that slide?
It looked like he just got arm pump and wasn’t able to ride with any intensity. The Ernée track was rutty and also hard-packed, making it very difficult to ride in comfort. Riders had to be vigilant and use a lot of bodily input to go fast. The higher the traction, the more stable the bike becomes and predictability increases. With square edged bumps and traction levels that reduced trust, arm pump was likely. It wasn’t just the Americans that suffered from arm pump, either. Tim Gajser fought it all weekend and Hunter Lawrence looked to be stretching out his arms after each race.
What did you like about how Plessinger, Christian Craig, and RJ Hampshire performed?
I admire the resilience they showed but mostly, just the willingness to take up the fight. There were so many riders that didn’t raise their hand for a myriad of reasons, none of which I care about. This is the most prestigious event on the calendar and when you’re asked to go, it takes priority. That’s simply my opinion and maybe it would be different if I was in their shoes. But I doubt it.
Craig went 16-20 for eighth overall in the Open Class. Is this about what you expected from him after being off the bike for so long with injury?
I thought he was capable of more and I think he would agree. Having said that, not racing all summer and being thrown into the deep end with those conditions… yikes. It was an incredibly tall order. Everyone he was expected to compete with had momentum and were at peak fitness. They had their bike settings sorted and outside of his teammates and Jett Lawrence, had experience on that racetrack. I didn’t have much in the way of a hard expectation, but I know he will likely want another shot at that event now that he understands what it demands.
Is Maxime Renaux the new MXoN rider to watch? Two years in a row he has won his class overall and been very impressive, calm, and poised. What stands out about Maxime that allows him to do so well in this high-stress event that is MXon?
He’s one of the rising superstars in MXGP. The question will be in if he can stay healthy across 9 months of racing. The MXGP class is so deep and competitive, you simply can’t make mistakes. There is no room for small injuries or taking a weekend to heal. Romain Febvre’s absence in the Spanish round cost him any chance at the 2023 title. If Renaux can stay healthy over the long term, he has a chance to win a title at this level. If he can’t, he will continue to be a race-winning threat but nothing further. Time will tell but he has the potential to do it and I can’t say that for most of the field.
Ken Roczen was strong in his return to MXoN for the first time since 2018. Yes, his riding has been incredible lately, but going 3-2 and winning his class is next level. Were you expecting this from him?
I was not. Watching the SMX playoffs, it was clear that his form was good, and confidence was high. But to leave as the MXGP class winner is different. He only raced one Pro Motocross race this summer so to expect him to beat the world’s best on a very demanding motocross track seemed foolhardy. It really just proved that Kenny is one of the most talented racers this planet has to offer. It’s not always apparent and we know the health challenges he’s faced. When he’s right, though, magic happens.
What was the biggest surprise of the weekend, in your eyes?
I was surprised it took Jett so long to find his winning ways. He wasn’t necessarily quick on Saturday (relatively speaking for him), didn’t start well until the final moto, and genuinely looked to struggle with the conditions. Jett is the brightest star this sport has to offer, and he usually makes things look far too easy. Ernée looked like a real challenge for him. True to form, he was able to conquer it by the end of the weekend, but it was a dogfight from the jump.