Motocross of nations not for US?

[jbell1996]

I was thinking about this year's race last night and wanted to see if anyone agrees with me.

I think it's a great idea, like an Olympics for motocross. I like how they score it, making it a team effort in a sport that isn't about teams or teamwork. Okay there are teams in mx, but it's not a team sport it's a individual sport.

Where I think it's lacking, for the Americans anyway is when it is. For the europeans it's the last race of their season. For Americans it's just an "extra"race. No points, no bonus, no effect on their season which had just ended. It's been weeks since the end of our outdoor series and weeks into supercross, new bike preperation . Every one is focused on sx testing and setups and then has to take the better part of a week off to race des Nations. It's more like a distraction than anything else. Being in the US made it easier this year, but it's still a lot of time and energy for something that is just about bragging rights?

it sounds like it but I'm not trying to make excuses for the team's crappy finishes over the last few years. I think the real problem is that the teams aren't really behind it, the US fans aren't into it (very much) and so the riders aren't either. Listen to the guys who used to race it and win and how they talk about it. It was different then. I think people were more patriotic and the US racers had something to prove against the mighty Europeans who dominated the sport for so long.

That Jeffrey Herlings guy is some kind of fast. I don't think Tomac can beat him consistantly, but Eli should have done a lot better than he did. And Plessinger? He's capable of scoring a lot better than he did. Barcia did better than I thought he would, he was the only one who looked like he was in it to win it. Team USA just wasn't prepared or into it. They just went through the motions and kept themselves safe for the supercross season that will be here in no time.

Am I off base here?

 

[MX-727]

Finally winning it in 81 was very cool and continuing the streak to make it 13 straight years was outstanding. We won a couple of more and then went on a 7 race streak from 2005 to 2011. We've won 22, which is more than any other country. Don't give up just yet. The same things were being said before 2005. Our teams the last couple of years have actually been a bit weak in my opinion.

 

[Okiewan]

All fair points ... and probably has something to do with the team's finishes over the last few years. I'd add that in the states, Supercross is the main focus of the teams and riders. It's clear, SX is where the "money" is... ticket sales, television exposure, etc.

I mean look at a typical motocross TV broadcast. How many channel flips does it take to watch both motos? How many times during the season do you have to wait until late night or the next day to see second motos? Supercross on the other hand is live and a continuous broadcast. That pretty much sums it up, the US loves SX.

Add in jbell1996's point about the timing, Des Nations happens right when the SX teams get their new bikes and are focused on getting setups for the coming SX season. It's little more than a distraction. Now add in the Monster Cup which is the following weekend.

So yeah, I think Des Nations is a far more important event for the Europeans. They want to be there and it shows. Long gone are the glory days when the American's dominated the event. They dominated because they WANTED to be there and they had something to prove. That's just not the case anymore.

We look like a team that's just going through the motions.

 

[online Supercross]

The greatest race in America in years is finished. Indeed, for the general population whose rental vehicles may at present be stuck at RedBud, it's not, but rather for a large portion of us it is. The 2018 Motocross of Nations is a memory now and what a memory it is.